A/N: Well, sorry it's been so long since the last update, but I've been working on my book, so I haven't had time to write on this story. But you guys need another chapter, so here it is! Enjoy, and please, drop me a review and telll me what you think so far! Thanks for reading!

CHAPTER SEVEN

He was… distant. Guarded, as if surrounded by an invisible wall of solid steel.

I followed behind him, as quiet as possible in the leather boots I had found. They were a bit too big, but it was something I could deal with.

I wondered just how I was going to create a 'map' in my mind of a city I had only been in for one day. I won't be able to do this. I'm not assassin material, I thought.

We reached the entrance to the fortress, and stepped outside into the brilliant sunshine. I shielded my eyes with my left hand, and noticed that several men were gathered around a circular ring where, inside, two men were sparring.

"Altaïr," a man said as we passed him, "Can you demonstrate true fighting prowess? My students, I fear, need to learn from a master."

"Not now," Altaïr replied.

"I understand. You must be busy," the man said, shooting a hate filled glance my way. How rude.

We kept walking, and I followed Altaïr into the city. We walked into a dimly lit alley, and Altaïr turned to address me.

"Other than the other day, have you ever climbed the side of a building?" he asked. It was dark in the alley, and I couldn't see any part of his face in the hollow shell of his hood.

"Um… not really…"I said. He nodded.

"Try and keep up. Watch where I place my hands and feet, and keep your pace slow so you don't fall. The buildings aren't very tall, but I don't want you getting hurt." Aww. He did care. At least a little bit.

"If I jump somewhere you know you can't follow, which I will eventually, find a different way to get back with me. I won't leave you. Yet." With that, he ran towards the wall, planted his foot in a crack, and vaulted himself up. His fingers found cracks and wood paneling, and my eyes followed his every movement. He was on the roof in seconds.

My stomach twisted and I pulled my hood up. Altaïr's shadowed face appeared over the side, and I nodded up at him. I ran at the wall, and latched onto the first outcropping I saw. My fingers had never been used for much other than sewing, so they didn't grip the wall very hard.

I strained to pull myself up, thankful that Altaïr was not watching, because my face turned red from the exertion. Eventually, I made it up. It was hotter on the rooftops, and I desperately wanted to pull the thick white robe off, but I knew I couldn't.

I looked around for Altaïr, but he wasn't on the roof with me. A low whistle met my ears before being whisked away by the wind. Spinning towards the direction it came from, I spotted Altaïr standing on a different rooftop. I smirked. I ran towards him, and when the roof ended, I jumped for the roof situated on the other side of a small alley, on which Altaïr was standing on, barely making it. I landed on my knees, and got up and kept running to catch Altaïr, who was now running himself.

I watched him leap from a roof top onto a lower one, and he disappeared. I ran, and this time I jumped as I had seen Altaïr, waiting for the last moment before planting my foot firmly on the very edge of the roof and throwing myself into the empty air. Everything slowed down, and aimed for a spot to land. Landing on my feet this time, I stood and walked over to the ledge Altaïr had just disappeared over.

I peered over the side just as Altaïr was approaching the edge. His shoulders heaved as he took a deep breath, sprinted to the other side, and threw himself gracefully into the air. I had no clue what he was aiming to land on, but there were more buildings across a wide street. Unbelievably, he was aiming for the buildings; it looked too far! But Altaïr defied gravity as he flew towards the building, and collided with its side. His fingers found purchase easily on the various cracks and crevices, and he pulled himself up lithely. I knew that I couldn't make that jump, and Altaïr's words came floating back to me.

I surveyed the area, and decided to run parallel to Altaïr until I could find a way to run directly behind him. Altaïr glanced at me, and I swear I saw him smirk before he took off again. I mimicked his jumping style, jumping at the last minute, trying vainly to land on my feet. The rooftops were uneven, and I tripped occasionally, but I never took my eyes off Altaïr.

We went on like this for hours before Altaïr signaled to stop. We sat on one of the higher roofs, gazing out over the city.

"You are surprisingly good at this. I think you will do fine on your test this evening." My spirits were lifted after this morning's encounter, and Altaïr seemed to have relaxed some, but his guard, his wall, was still up. I had been thinking of this morning while following Altaïr. I had thought about the stunning realization of Altaïr's chosen profession. I also asked myself why I hadn't left him, run away, before we had reached the city. I would have run, but then Altaïr might have killed me. Him being an assassin also explained why he had stared warily at the guards in Damascus and why he had run from me after being injured.

"What test?" I asked him, but he ignored my question and asked one of his own.

"Which direction is the market," he inquired. I pointed towards the right, where most of the citizens were milling about. "Good. The entrance?"

I pointed in front of us, towards the gate. We had run all over the small city, and I had tried my best to create this 'map' in my mind.

"There is not much to this city. It's easy to find your way, but it's better to start here in safety." I thought about that for a second, and decided he was right.

"Now, about this test…" I began.

"You will learn of it when the time comes. Now I will teach you the tenants of which we live by. We in the Brotherhood call it the Creed." I nodded for him to continue. "One: Stay your blade from the flesh of innocents. The meaning is clear enough. Two: Hide in plain sight. Again, simple enough to understand. Three: Do not compromise the Brotherhood. If you follow these rules completely, you will do fine."

"What about weapon training? I need to know how to defend myself…"

"If you complete you test in the allotted amount of time we will begin weapon training tomorrow. If not, we must repeat all that we have done today, tomorrow." I nodded, content just to rest.

An eagle circled lazily in the heat of the mid day sun. I watched as he watched the bird. His strong jaw line and stubble covered chin protruded from beneath his hood. These hoods were a wonder, really. Through all our running and jumping, neither Altaïr's nor mine had slipped off once. I wondered vaguely if they were magical.

Altaïr stood suddenly, his eyes roving the streets below. The eagle above us emitted a high pitched caw and wheeled to the left. Altaïr's eyes zeroed in on something on the street, and I followed his gaze.

"Stay low, and stay close," he said, and there was an undertone of urgency in his voice. I did as I was told. I hadn't had enough time to see what was wrong, but I followed Altaïr anyway. We ran towards the commotion, not away as I expected. I slunk over the rooftops as silently as possible, not that it would have mattered, staying in a crouch the entire way.

My legs were still sore from the long day of horseback riding, so I was glad when Altaïr stopped. Looking down at the crowd of people in the streets below us, I was horrified to recognize my father and his men shouting into the crowd. I froze, and Altaïr, noticing everything, gave me a questioning look.

O.O

I watched as the eagle wheeled high in the sky, wondering when it would show me where the danger was. The large bird cawed and banked to the left, and I had no clue how I hadn't noticed the large crowd gathered in the streets a few buildings down from where we were. I was on my feet in an instant, and spoke quietly to Zyra.

"Stay low, and stay close," and I hoped she would. I moved off, in a half crouch, silent as the grave. We reached a building above the crowd, and after a few seconds, I felt Zyra get stiff beside me. I turned to her, questioning her with my eyes. She glanced at me, worry etched into her face. She stared back at the crowd, horrified for some reason.

I moved away from the edge of the roof carefully, tapping Zyra on the shoulder to ensure she knew I was leaving. I fully intended to ask her what the hell was going on with her, but the look on her face was stopping me. I leapt to different roofs and stopped a little ways away. The roof we stopped on had a pile of crates stacked against each other, and I climbed to the highest one. She settled on one below me.

"Now, what was that?" I demanded. I tried to keep my voice under control. She didn't reply. I moved down to the crate she sat on, and sat to one side of her. I knew her emotions had to be out of whack, with her not really having a choice about the biggest decision in her life that had just been made for her.

"What's wrong?" I asked her more gently. She took in a shaky breath and let it out slowly. I waited.

"My father is one of the wealthiest men in Damascus," she began slowly. "He is a greedy man, always wanting more. He never gives back though. As soon as I was old enough, he tried to find a rich man to marry me off to. He waited for the 'right' man to come along, teaching me of what I was to do and say when he found the perfect suitor. My mother died when I was seven. She was the only thing I really loved in life."

She glanced up at me, and I nodded for her to go on. "A few days ago," she continued, "my father told me he had found a good enough man for me to marry. I met the man the next day, and I instantly didn't like him. But my father just loved him, and he told me I was to marry the man in three days time. That night I gathered my few belongings and left. I didn't have any money, and Damascus is a lot bigger than I thought it was. I'd never been out of the rich district. I got lost, and as I wandered, I saw a beautiful scarf and when it went missing I was blamed for stealing it. And then you saved me from the guards."

It was a sad story, I admit. I only wanted to know one more thing.

"Do you know those men?" I asked her. She nodded, silent.

"Have they come looking for you?"

"Most likely," she replied. "The man offered my father lots of gold for my hand in marriage."

I seethed. Her father had sold her. I could tell she didn't want to go back with those men, and I decided to hide her if I needed to.

I stood, grabbing her hand and pulling her up with me. We needed to get to Al Mualim before the men did.

"Keep close," I whispered in her ear. "We have to get back on the streets to get back to the fortress. Don't look anywhere or at anyone. Keep your eyes low, and make good use of your hood to hide your face. Keep your eyes on me."

We jumped to the next roof and climbed down a ladder to get to the streets. People crowded the streets and I gently pushed them out of my way. No one ever seemed to notice our prescence.

I could feel Zyra behind me. If anything, that woman was good at listening and following directions. She was close that when I stopped, she collided with my back. Picking her head up, lips parted to mumble an apology, she saw the men, her father's men, on all sides of us, mingling in with the crowds.

I think she may have stopped breathing entirely.

"Keep your head down," I whispered urgently, trying to calm her. I took her small hands in mine, noticing that I had forgotten to give her gloves to protect her fingers while climbing. I would make sure to get her some later.

I led her off into the crowds boldly, keeping her left hand in mine so that she wouldn't get separated from me. I kept up a fast paced walk to make sure that we got to Al Mualim first. Zyra was worrying me with her behavior. There was something she wasn't telling me.

We reached the fortress in minutes, and I was glad to see none of Zyra's father's men. But I knew that they would be here soon, seeing as Al Mualim presided over Masyaf and was sort of the unofficial leader of its people.

I entered the fortress with Zyra in tow, and quickly walked up the steps to the library.

"Master," I addressed him. "I have no time to explain now, but there are men coming here to take Zyra away." She peeked out from behind my shoulder and released my hand. "I will explain later, but just trust me, please, and tell them that she is not here."

As the last words escaped past my lips, a member of the Brotherhood came up the stairs with three men in tow. I knew that they were some of the men from the city. I pulled Zyra to the side, a little ways off to the right of the Master. I forced her behind me, keeping my head low, regarding the men from under my hood. The Master's ever present guards did the same as they stood on either side of him.

The one in front was tall and well built, with a curly beard, and I assumed he was the leader because of his air of authority. I instantly began to plan the most efficient and quickest ways to kill the men if the situation turned sour. Hopefully it did not come to that, but it paid to be prepared.

"Master, these men wi-" the man began.

"Quiet, servant. I have some questions for you, Al Mualim," the leader of the men began, cutting my brother off in mid sentence.

"You will not disrespect my men that way," the Master shot back. The man could be very frightening when he wanted to. "Now, what is so important?"

"My daughter has run away," the man replied. So this was Zyra's father. "I demand to know if she is here or not, old man."

I lurched forward, fully intending to cut this man down where he stood for showing my master such disrespect.

"No, Altaïr." I stopped mid stride. The Master motioned for me to move back again. This man would not live for much longer if he did not watch his tongue.

"I have seen no one new here. If a newcomer showed up, my men would inform me. As of yet, nothing has been said about a woman arriving here. I have seen no new faces.

"Are you positive?" the man had a skeptical look on his face. I wanted to hit him just one time. One punch would be all it took to release my anger.

"Are you deaf, young man? Or did I stutter?"

"Well, you can never trust the memory of the old. It tends to fail sometimes." I lurched forward again, a low growl slipping from in between my clenched teeth. The man saw, and leered at me. That set me off. I was across the room in seconds, but Al Mualim's guards caught my arms before I could hit the bastard. I was a mere two feet from the still leering man, and I would have slammed my fist into his face and my blade into his stomach had the guards not been holding me back.

"Control yourself, Altaïr." I glanced at my master, noting the hard set of his jaw, and nodded. The guards released me. Any other day, I would have killed the man anyway, despite my master's wishes. But Zyra knew these men, and she was in a bad enough state already, so I returned to my place and stood next to her. She hadn't moved the entire time.

Al Mualim motioned again, and his guards stepped forward to lead the men out.

"If I find her, I will send word," the master said. My tension and anger flowed out of me as soon as the man was out of the room.

"Altaïr," my master addressed me. "I want an explanation." He glanced at Zyra. "But after yo have taken care of your charge."

Nodding once in agreement, I pulled Zyra towards our room by her hand. We passed many more of my brothers, and I returned their greetings.

Upon reaching the room, I closed the door behind us and set Zyra on the bed. I pulled her grey hood down around her shoulders so that I could read her face.

She was worried and shaken, I knew, but the pure fear that was written on her face made me believe that there was something important she was not telling me. My anger at the man in the library came back, and I severely wanted to kill something.

"Was that man your father?" I asked. She sat, unresponsive, and stared at the wall. I forced my anger away, and stroked the side of her face gently once to get her attention. As she faced me, I noticed that her once bright emerald eyes were now dull and lifeless. She took a shaky breath.

"It's okay, Zyra, I won't tell anyone if you do not want me too." Another minute of silence, another shaky breath.

"Yes."

The reply was so soft I nearly missed it. I wanted desperately to know what that man had done to her to make her like this, so quiet and reserved, and scared.

"There is another reason why you ran away. Will you tell me?" I would wait as long as it took, even if it took years. She just stared at me, eyes begging me to give her time.

The door opened then, and my old friend Malik poked his head into the opening. He smiled when he saw me, and walked into the room.

"Altaïr, my brother, it's been so long! How have you been?" I smiled. Malik could dispel the worst of moods.

"I am well, brother. How have you fared in my absence?"

"Well, brother, very well. But we must catch up later. The Master wishes to speak to you." I nodded and stood.

"Zyra, I will return later. Rest now." She glanced at me, and then returned to staring at the wall. I left with Malik, and we walked through the halls in a comfortable silence. I reached the library, and saw my master staring out the window, gazing out over his city.

"Tell me everything you know, Altaïr," he said without turning. I recounted the tale Zyra had told me this morning on the rooftop, about her parents and her life. Al Mualim simply listened, curiosity etched into the lines and wrinkles of his face.

When I finished the short story, he sat for a moment before speaking.

"I need time to think on this. You both need rest, so take however many days off from her training that you need to for recuperation." I bowed my head and walked with Malik, who had been listening and silent the entire time, back to my shared room.

We found Zyra laying on her side, facing the wall opposite us, on top of the blankets, but she was not asleep. Whatever her father had done to her, it must have been terrible. I should have killed him…

"Ah, I almost forgot!" Malik exclaimed. Zyra jumped, and peered over her shoulder at us. "Brother, I fear that your birds have missed you in your absence. Suhaym even went off his food. You should visit them." I waited, debating wether or not to leave Zyra alone like this. But I did miss Suhaym and the others… I nodded at Malik, and turned to Zyra, who had rolled back over and was staring at the wall again.

"Zyra?" I said softly, resting my hand lightly on her shoulder. "Would you like to come with me?" She turned her head slowly to look up at me. She seemed indecisive, but I knew she would like my animal friends. She eventually nodded her head yes, and stood up slowly.

I was glad she had agreed. Maybe the birds would take her mind off things for a while. I led her out of the room again, and started off towards the aviary. She stayed close to me, walking on my left side. Halfway there, I felt her hand slip into my left one.

She had probably noticed by now that my ring finger on that hand was missing. On any other day, I would have expected her to poke it and then giggle about how odd it felt, but not today. She didn't seem to mind, or maybe she hadn't noticed yet.