I think I forgot to proofread this chapter cuz as I'm reading it, I have found alot of mistakes. I'm sorry people, I'm generally not the type that likes to leave this many mistakes out in the open ;. If you notice them you are more than willing to say something, I don't bite honest! Sorry!
Chapter 2 - Betrayal
Aldrahn was a small town just west of Damascus, about a days ride out. Nasira adored not only the citizens of the village, whom of course knew of the Sisters but they felt safe within their presence, but she also loved the area around the village. Aldrahn was surrounded by luscious trees and other plant-life, making it seem almost paradise. She rode through the village, nodding to the guards whom nodded in return. The citizens of the village waved merrily to her as she passed them. She smiled and nodded to them, her mare ignoring the children that giggled and hovered around her legs.
They passed several merchant stands and buildings. Nasira weaved Asimah around the people and made her way towards a very large temple-like building further ahead and up a hillside. As she neared she halted the mare at the stables by the large building. Upon dismounting a young woman stepped forwards and bowed to Nasira. Nasira smiled to the woman and handed her the mare's reins.
"Thank-you." Said Nasira. The woman merely nodded curtly and led the mare away to be untacked and looked after.
Nasira walked swiftly out of the stables and made her way up the path to the large building. There were quite a few other Sisters, all clad in the same black robes. However, most wore green sashes, this ranking them as Novices. Some wore purple, the next rank above a Novice, then it proceeded to red, silver, then blue. There were only two at a time that could wear a blue sash, ranking them as an Elite. A gold sash was worn only by the Master of the Akhawat-Afya. The Master of the Sisters of the Shadows was an older woman, probably about fifty years of age, named Fadilah Umm-Aldium'Dan. She was a powerful woman, leading and guiding the Sisters for many years. Nasira had learned much from Fadilah but she didn't always approve with much of the Master's ways. This frequently got her into trouble with the Master. Nasira always followed the Creed, but found Fadilah tended to constantly make up rules as she went which annoyed Nasira to no end.
As Nasira approached the staircase that lead to the entrance of the building and younger woman stepped towards her. Nasira lowered her hood and smiled to the woman. Nasira had short, bright red hair. It reached slightly below her ears, a few long strands always flaling over her eyes. Her eyes were an intense bright blue. These features always had others picking on her, that is until she could beat the daylights out of them as she grew stronger. Her skin was a dark, but light in color, almost like one had tanned but remained that way. Her features almost made her look younger than her age, which was twenty two. "Bayan. I'm glad to see you are doing well."
The young woman, Bayan, was barely two years younger than Nasira. She wore a red sash around her waist. Nasira viewed Bayan almost as the sister she never had. She taught her much, excluding that of the skills of the bow and arrow of course.
Bayan grinned and hugged the fiery haired woman, "I'm glad to see you as well Nasira." As she stepped back from the embrace her eyebrows furrowed in mock anger, "What took you so long? You said it was going to be a short and simple mission."
Nasira chuckled, "I apologize. It seemed the pig-headed idiot was hiding well and it took awhile to find him."
"Well I'm glad it's done." Suddenly Bayan's expression turned serious which caused Nasira to frown, "The Master wished to see you and several more of us. She's been acting a lot stranger than usual Nasira."
"It's probably nothing to worry about Bayan. She has probably made up some new and ridiculous rule that will only prove making our missions that much more complicated to fulfill." Nasira rolled her eyes.
Bayan's expression remained concerned, "I pray you are right Nasira."
Nasira smiled softly, "C'mon let us see what it is our dear Fadilah wants."
Bayan shook her head and chuckled as Nasira called the Master by her first name, knowing well Nasira was the only one brave enough to approach the Master and not address her properly. This, to Nasira's satisfaction, also annoyed Fadilah immensely.
Nasira talked amongst Bayan as they climbed the stairs to the Master Sister's hall. As they approached Nasira frowned as she glanced around. A rather large amount of Sisters were gathered around the Master's desk, where she stood facing the window behind her. The other Sisters glanced towards the two approaching, all containing the same confused filled eyes. Nasira's gaze remained upon Fadilah's unmoving form and strode to the desk and stopped directly infront of it.
"Ah Nasira, I see you have returned." Replied Fadilah, a note in her voice Nasira found a bit strange.
Perhaps Bayan was right. She frowned, "Yes Master Sister. I have successfully completed the mission as was asked of me."
"And the proof?"
Nasira removed from a small satchel at her side an emblem of the Head Templar Guard and placed it upon the desk infront of her. In the Sisterhood there was a difference in their traditions from the Brotherhood. In the Brotherhood, they carried white feathers that were dipped in their target's blood once they were successfully assassinated. However, in the case of the Sisters they were to bring any piece of equipment or item of direct proof their target was taken care of. It could be almost anything so long as it belonged to the target and would prove it was indeed that target.
Fadilah turned now and Nasira saw in her eyes something she thought she would never see, calm insanity. The Master smiled and picked up the emblem, examining it before placing it down once more.
"You have done well Nasira. However." The smile remained on her lips, but Nasira felt a twinge of evil radiating form this smile, "You are reckless." Said the woman.
Here we go. Thought Nasira, her expression never changing, "Reckless ma'am?"
Fadilah barked a laugh, a malicious laugh, "Oh Nasira don't act so naïve. You have never really listened, always recklessly barging through your missions, endangering yourself, others, and worst of all, the Sisterhood."
Nasira's eyes narrowed at these accusing words. She was used to Fadilah's lectures but this was different. She remained silent so Fadilah continued.
"I do not know how exactly you have risen in the ranks as you have and claimed the blue sash of an Elite Assassin. But, the others within this room aren't much different. This comes to make me believe you are all becoming disobedient and untrustworthy." Her eyes flashed dangerously but the same smile remained, "So, to counter all of your stupidity and untrustworthy actions, I have formed an alliance," The smile was reverberating with evil.
Nasira tensed and stood straighter, "What do you mean alliance? With whom?"
Suddenly a tall man stepped from around a bookcase and stood beside the Master. He wore silver chainmail and ontop was the ever distinctive white tunic and red cross. A Knight Templar. Rage filled Nasira upon seeing the tall Templar Knight She now understood the exact meaning of her previous mission, to take out the Head Guard so this man could take his place. She could not believe the Master would resort to an alliance with the disgusting and pathetic man. However, upon studying the man further she recognized his face for some reason. It took only a moment before she figured it out.
"YOU!" She stabbed an accusing finger at him, her blue eyes ablaze with fury, "It was you that killed my father!" She shouted.
The Knight merely shrugged, "I have killed many in my lifetime. No doubt he was a lowlife scum, his existence no longer permitted to remain in this world." A grin appeared on his ugly face, "I merely helped him along."
Nasira almost lost control of herself, but with quick thinking she refused to be blinded by her anger. The Knight suddenly rose his hand and a large group of Templar soldiers came up the stairs around the Sisters. Their swords drawn and pointed at them all. One stupidly stepped towards Nasira with an outstretched hand.
In a flash, Nasira's right sword loosed and she slashed viciously upwards, slicing up his chest and through his neck to his chin. Blood splattered and sprayed everywhere. She gripped her sword tightly and before she could step towards another, a dull thud was heard twice over and she felt an incredible amount of pain in her right shoulder and left leg. She dropped onto her good knee and rose a hand to her shoulder where she felt cold steel. A throwing knife was lodged into her shoulder and left leg just above the knee. She felt warm blood begin to ooze from the wounds. Nasira gritted her teeth and pulled both knives form their marks. Pain threatened to overwhelm her but she quickly pushed it to the back of her mind.
Her eyes jerked to Fadilah whom of which was holding another knife in her hand. A deadly smirk lay across the woman's lips, "Oh Nasira, you still don't understand. You have never listened, so as punishment for your behavior you will die here. As will all the Sisters that stand before you. Surely their minds are also filled with your silly nonsense."
The Knight beside Fadilah snapped his fingers and the Templars obeyed instantly. A high pitched scream was heard and Nasira jerked her head over to the sound. Her eyes widened in horror. Bayan dropped to the floor in a heap.
"No!" Screamed Nasira and she leaped to her feet.
Despite the pain that jolted through her body, her fluid movements were without any sign of her injuries. In one step she had moved to the Templar that stabbed her friend, her black blade stabbed directly through the soldier's stomach as if it were a hot knife through butter. Nasira ripped the blade from the slumped soldier and dropped to her friend's side.
"Bayan." Nasira whispered as she lifted her friend's head and gazed upon her now very pale face.
A weak smile formed across the girl's face, "It isn't your fault Nasira. You are not to be blamed." She grimaced and her eyes opened revealing pain and sadness, "Now flee from here. Find help and berid of this vile woman." With her last words breathed in only a soft whisper, Bayan's form went limp in Nasira's arms.
Tears stung Nasira's eyes and her vision blurred. She shut them tightly, gently placing her friend upon the ground before reopening them and placed her gaze upon the forms of the Master and the Templar Knight at her side. Within her eyes was a deep anger she had never felt in her entire life. She wanted ever so badly to leap at the woman and end her life as painfully as permitted. However, Nasira knew she had to heed Bayan's dying words and flee to find help.
The other Sisters were fighting now, many were dead. The more experienced ones fought bravely. Nasira did not like the idea of leaving them but she knew she had no other choice. She stood and her eyes said everything. Fadilah's grin faded to a frown and her face contorted in anger.
"Do not let her escape! Kill her!" She screamed.
Nasira spun and climbed the railing behind her. Without any hesitation she leaped downwards, landing below and rolling forwards. This sent a massive jolt of pain rushing up her leg and her head spun and throbbed. She stumbled as she got to her feet. She quickly and clumsily regained her balance and sprinted forward. Each step was agonizing but she knew she needed to get out of the village.
As she exited the building she ran down towards the stables. Heavy footsteps behind her alerted her that there was a large group of Templars directly behind her. Nasira rose her hand and whistled sharply. A loud whinny answered and Asimah moved quickly towards Nasira's fleeing form. The mare still had her bridle on but no saddle. Nasira reached her horse and launched herself onto the mare's back. Asimah snorted and with a pull of the reins, was off at a swift gallop down the road. The soldiers were quickly left behind but Nasira did not slow the mare. Her knees gripped the mare's side tightly and she sat low and flat, Asimah's fiery red mane whipping her face.
They were well out of the village and traveled swiftly before Nasira finally slowed her horse. Asimah's neck and flanks were lathered from the hard run and her nostrils flared with each breath she took. Nasira walked her over to a small stream off to the side of the road. Here she dismounted and allowed the mare to drink her fill. Nasira could really feel her wounds now. They throbbed painfully with each movement she made. She had never felt anything of the sort before and wondered if the knives were tipped. She knew the Sisters did not believe in poisoning the tips but the Master had gone mad afterall.
Nasira dropped down to the stream's edge and rolled up her pant leg to where the nasty wound was. It looked horrible and retained a strange odor, "Must have been tipped." She muttered angerly.
She slowly moved to one of the satchels at her waist and pulled a couple of small rolls of bandages. Unfortunately with no saddlebags, which of course contained most of her supplies including any healing solvents and liquids, this meant she had only water to wash the wounds. She couldn't even sew shut the gaping wounds. She cursed herself for not carrying these items directly on her.
She carefully washed away the dirt and caked in blood, causing it to bleed freshly again. She wrapped the cleaned wound as tightly as possible. Blood was already beginning to stain through but there was nothing she could do about this. Once that task was taken care of, her shoulder was next. Slowly removing her upper robes over her right arm and shoulder, taking some flesh as she went, she began cleaning the slightly larger wound. Wrapping the shoulder proved much more difficult but she managed a somewhat decent job and replaced her robes carefully back over her bare arm.
She sighed heavily and glanced to Asimah, whom was now ripping away at the luscious grass around the stream. Nasira slowly rose to her feet, the pain seemingly more intense now with each movement she made. She stepped towards the mare and studied her a moment. She would not be able to mount as she did before. Instead she tapped the mare's front knees and licked softly to her. Asimah snorted lazily to Nasira and dropped to her knees. Nasira mounted carefully and the mare rose to her feet.
Nasira stroked and patted the mare's neck, "Thank-you my friend." She frowned as she glanced to the road ahead, "We have a long journey ahead of us."
With a low click and an ever so slightly move of the reins, Asmiah was off at a slow and easy trot down the road, heading east.