Chapter 3

"Wake up, woman!", I was awakened from sleep to a deep voice. I babbled a few unintelligible words, and rolled over on my back without opening my eyes.
Suddenly I felt something cold and sharp against my cheek, which made throw my eyes open. With a cry, I noticed that a knife was stuck in the mattress right beside my head. I jumped off the bed, but unfortunately I got tangled in the blankets and fell right in front of Altair's feet.
He roughly grabbed me by the hair and pulled me up.
"Next time you better stand up immediately." He warned me and left the room. Still struggling with a pounding heart I rubbed my aching head. First he came to my room, then he stabbed me almost and even pulled me painfully by my hair! What was wrong with this man?
Barely a minute later, he reappeared in the doorway and threw me a bunch of stuff in the face.
"Put this on. In five minutes I'll be back. If you're not ready to go then, you get no breakfast. ", with these words, he slammed the door shut and I heard his retreating footsteps.
After my beating heart calmed down, I looked at the clothes in my hand. The clothes he had given me were nothing special, a white tunic and a white loose robe. But I could not really complain at the moment, after all, it was the cleanest clothes I had worn in the past week.
I dressed quickly and continued on my hair. Desperately I tried to tame my unruly hair and combed through in vain. I needed a bath because I could feel the dirt and literally imagine the dead animals in it, even if I probably overdid it.
Then again there was a knock at the door and Altair stormed inside. He looked at me from top to bottom and sighed for some reason.
"What are you storming in here? I could have been naked, "I grumbled and braced my hands on my hips.
"I knocked on the door if you have forgotten woman." He said unmoved and shrugged.
I sighed and dropped the subject again, since I didn't want to encounter another animal like Altair.
Without another word, he stormed out of the room and I had to run to keep up with him.
After a while we reached a large hall in which only a huge table was placed. Most of the seats were already occupied by assassins. Within a few seconds and a few glances, I realized that I was the only woman in the room at the moment.
"Wait here." Altair ordered and walked to the master, who was sitting on a higher chair at the other end of the table.
He just spoke a few words with the old man and came back with a scowl. With a nod over his shoulder he told me to follow him, which I did without batting an eyelid.
Altair led me to Al Mualim's left side and pushed me into the chair roughly. Then he walked past me and sat down at Al Mualims right side, directly across from me.
"Peace children. Calm down," the master shouted and silenced the assassins in their conversations.
The old master leaned over to me and put his hand flat on my shoulder, while smiling.
"Since yesterday, as you might know, there is a young woman in our ranks. Her name is Ayla and is under our and my protection. Please don't behave like a horde of hungry wolves, so that the child can settle in Masyaf as soon as possible. "the master said, making me turn red almost immediately. Dozens of eye pairs were on me and pierced me with their scrutiny. The men began to whisper, but I could already imagine what they were talking about.
The old man began to eat and the other assassins followed his example. I hesitated. Would it be rude if I started to eat without being asked?
"How about you make a plate for the lovely girl Altair my son?" Al Mualim said with a piece of bread in his mouth.
"The girl has hands of her own does she not?" Altair replied and stared at me furiously under his hood.
"Altair, be quiet! Not in front of your brothers. " Al Mualim warned with a low voice.
"No master, really, I can do this myself." I tried to defuse the situation and grabbed the fruit plate.
"Ayla my child, Altair has to learn to treat you guests and especially you with a little respect." The Master said lovingly and put my hand back to the table edge.
"Altair, I'm waiting." he hissed, but Altair still did not move. Few of the assassins next to us turned silent and observed the incident. Some laughed and hoped that Altair would get a penalty.
"No! I'm not going to play a servant for some stupid woman! "Altair said loudly and the last Assassin turned to us.
"You will clean the stables today and now get out of my sight!" Al Mualim growled, but Altair would not be told twice anyways. With deafening noise, he stood up and pushed his chair to the floor.
With one last murderous glance at me, he stalked out of the room and I watched him until he was no longer visible.
Great, now Altair had one more reason to hate me. After all, he was not the person who would really understand that I really could not help Al Mualim's reaction. He would probably push the blame on me.
The Master and I ate our fruit in silence, but I noticed that he was incredibly angry. I felt really uncomfortable, as all eyes seemed to be glued on me.
When the master got up and finally disappeared, I was relieved. I had never had a situation as unpleasant as now. What were they staring at me as if I was the main attraction in this fortress.
I was one of the last to leave the dining room and stepped in a small courtyard. Unfortunately I was not paying attention when I had come here with Altair, which meant, that I couldn't find my way back to my, and I did not think Altair, as angry as he was, would show up again, just to bring me back.
With a sigh, I sat down on a bench and rested my hands on my lap.
The sun shone down on me relentlessly as ever and heated everything that got in its way. I would have given anything to be able to sit somewhere under a shadow, but no, I was stuck with this uncomfortable bench.
After a while I just closed my eyes and leaned against the stone wall, which donated a little cool at least.
"A really hot day today, is it not?" a male voice suddenly said next to me, but it didn't sound like Altair. I opened my left eye and saw an assassin who had silently sat down beside me.
"Yes, definitely too hot." I replied, stroking a bead of sweat from my forehead.
"I am Malik Al Sayf. But you can call me Malik. "He said gently, holding out his hand. I took it and shook it.
"I'm ..." I began, but Malik interrupted me with a smile.
"Ayla Bint La'Tarik. I know. "He said, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Then I laughed.
"How do you know that?"
"The entire fortress is talking about you," he smiled back warmly.
"Like what?" I asked curiously.
"Oh, few things." He grinned.
"And you came here to see if it's true talk?" I asked with a slight smile. He shrugged and clasped his right arm behind his head.
"No, honestly I could not let a beautiful young woman sit alone on a bench." He said and gave me a warm smile. I turned red a little and quickly looked away from his face. Unlike Altair, he didn't have his hood on. Altair was seemingly the only one who even had his hood on in freetime.
Malik was a handsome man with short, thick, black hair. His eyebrows were thick as well, but well-formed and as dark as his hair. He had dark brown, almost black eyes. His aquiline nose was big and probably the one that every man in this country had. His lips were framed by a light three-day beard that matched his face shape.
"Why do you sit here all alone?" Malik said after a while of silent sitting.
"Well, to be honest, it was the first place after the dining room I found.", I said
"Unfortunately, you've found the boring part of the fortress." He said.
"Better than nothing. I just hope that Altair reappears sometime, so I can finally find my room. I don't remember the way anymore. "I said a little embarrassed. I felt incredibly young and helpless. A girl who was taken in by a fortress full of assassins and who had no idea where to go.
"Altair," Malik said, suddenly tense and hard, with hostility in his voice. Surprised, I looked up at him.
"Yes. The master Al Mualim told him to show me the fort a little bit so I would be able to get along by myself. "I said, noting how he narrowed his eyes to slits.
"Then where is he?"
"Altair and the Masters had a little discussion at breakfast. Altair just stormed off after that." I replied. Malik snorted.
"That idiot doesn't know how to obey." He muttered, shaking his head.
"Do you know him well?", I asked with interest. Maybe Malik could tell me why Altair was so hostile. Then I could also find a way to get along with him without him freaking out immediately.
"No." he answered quickly and choppy. I noticed that he was lying, but I did not say anything. I only knew him for a few minutes, and even though we clearly got along quite well, I did not want to get rid of the first kind person.
"I would bring you to your room, but I do not know where Al Mualim has placed you." He said with a wary smile.
"Thank you. I'll just wait until Altair comes along. Then I'll cling to him until he brings me to my room. "I joked and laughed. Malik's company was far better than Altair's. With that stupid assassin I felt threatened every other second.
"Shall I tour you around a little? You'll wait a lifetime for Altair to do it. "He said, looking at me from the side.
"That would be unbelievably nice. But only if it makes doesn't make you any trouble. "I said and nodded very pleased.
"It would be a honor.", he laughed and jumped to his feet. I followed and smiled at him.
He was greater than Altair, quite muscular and a head taller than me. When my eyes fell to his lower body, my smile died and my eyes widened.
Malik was missing his left arm and only a short stump remained. He noticed my stare and his grin disappeared.
"How did this happen?" I asked without thinking and regretted it when I saw Malik's tortured face.
"A mission went wrong." He muttered, not looking me in the eye. I watched as he bit his lip.
"I'm sorry." I said and bowed my head.
"What are you sorry for Ayla?" He asked surprised.
"I ... well ... I mean ... I feel with you Malik. It must not be easy. "I stuttered and did not really know what to say. It really did make me feel bad, that he only had one arm left.
"Thank you. I appreciate that. "He said sincerely, and his smile appeared again.
"Now let's go. Otherwise we'll beat roots. "Malik laughed and nodded at me.
We walked through the entire fortress and he showed me everything. Just as I thought that there was nothing more to see, he surprised me with something new. At the end of his tour, he showed me Al Mualims garden, which was by far the best attraction at Masyaf.
It was a green garden, with all sorts of plants and flowers with different colors. The grass was clipped regularly and seemed healthy and moist. In Damascus, I had never seen grass in my entire childhood. It was pretty rare that anything other than a palm tree was growing near the desert.
I looked around and saw a statue in the middle of the square. Slowly I walked up to it and stared at it.
"Who is that?" I asked Malik, who was watching me, rather than the statue.
"Al Mualim once told me that it showed Minerva." He replied. I turned my gaze back to the statue. It was a beautiful woman, who was holding some object I could not name in her hands.
"The woman looks a little like you." Malik said after a moment, looking back and forth between me and the statue. Was that a compliment or what? I just kept my mouth shut; I wouldn't have known what to say anyways.
We went ahead and finally left the garden.
"Where do you come from originally?" Malik said.
"Damascus. I lived there for the last 17 years. "I replied.
"You're 17?" Malik asked, obviously surprised.
"Almost 18. Why?" I laughed.
"Um ... Well, I would have judged you a little older."
"What do you mean?" I joked, noting how Malik was trying his best to say the right thing.
"I meant ... well ... how to say it…" He began, and I released him from his predicament.
"It's okay." I waved and looked around again.
"Where do you come from?", I asked him curiously.
"Until I was 3 I lived in Jerusalem, and the last 22 years here in Masyaf." He replied. Malik was thus 25 years. Altair was just as young. Why? Why did I had to compare every assassin with that ma?
"That's a long time. What did you do here as a child? I didn't see a lot of children in the fortress. "I said with a smile.
"I know, but I could already begin to train at young age. In the entire castle there is only one who has become an assassin younger than me. "He said slightly proud.
"When did you become an assassin?"
"At seventeen."
"And the youngest?"
"Altair completed at sixteen" He answered reluctantly and chose not to speak about it any further.
After a while we arrived at a large courtyard where the young novices trained. We watched them for a while, and I sometimes had to suppress a giggle when a novice fell, while Malik did nothing to hide his laughter.
"You have fun than?" a voice asked beside me and I was surprised to see Altair.
"While you had to muck out the stables novice, I have taken the liberty to show Ayla around a bit something so that she doesn't have to suffer because of your disability." Malik said with a murderous glance. I noticed a couple of nasty brown marks on his white robe. I retreated a few feet after guessing where they might have come from.
"You can have the woman Malik. She's getting on my nerves anyway. "He said.
"How can I get on your nerves? I've never done anything, "I said, taken aback. For the first time in the last minute, he praised me a quizzical look.
"Your mere presence annoys me brat." Altair hissed and poked me into the shoulder with his index finger. Malik was suddenly so dangerously still, and his fist was clenched so tightly that his hand was white and pale..
"I have to do something Ayla. I'll see you later. " Malik said, and then disappeared immediately. Oh great, now I was alone with this bastard.
"Would you please bring me to my room?" I asked gently.
"Can't you go there alone"
"I forgot the way, I apologize."
"Be careful that you don't lose your head somewhere," he scoffed, and I was beginning to lose patience.
"Please."
"No."
"You want to go muck horse manure again? Maybe your robe will be completely brown then, "I hissed and realized that I had gone too far, but at least I achieved what I wanted. Altair struck the path angrily, and went a little too fast for my taste, but at least he took me to my room.
On the way I tried to memorize each turn, so that I didn't have to depend on Altair ever again.
When we finally reached the room, I wasn't surprised that Altair pushed me against the wall.
"You know, I really do not understand what men find attractive in you." He said and looking at my face. His sentence in itself did not bother me, but that he could stare at me, while I didn't know how he looked like did.
"What?" I asked, puzzled. I thought he was back with this "I am the Lord" and that he would forbid me to ever talk to him like that again.
"I mean you are not necessarily the best thing, and you are incompetent and stupid," he insulted me. I am not beautiful, well, I can live with that, but I am neither stupid nor incompetent.
"What are you thinking you stupid arrogant ass! I do not know how you look, but your character is the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life! Just because some do not meet your ideal you do not have to float in the air, "I yelled and pushed him out of my room in his surprise.
With an angry snort, I threw myself on the bed and crossed my arms over my chest.