Ryuugazaki: I finally decided to start writing this again.


Chapter Seven | Meet Me by the Cypress Tree
(12 July 1191, 10:00AM – Masyaf, Tartus Governorate, Syria)


I may not find his accomplice, but Masun himself should be at the stage, near the centre of the village. I'm certain he will be able to tell me what I need to know.


Altaïr walked to the place where the basket weaver usually is. The basket weaver, like Altaïr and Bilal ibn Rabah al-Habashi, was a man with dark skin. He had on a white kufi and an olive green robe. A woman wearing an olive green hijab approached him.

"Please, Akil! Just one basket! We lost everything in the attack and have no place to store our grain."

"I – I can't right now. I'm busy." Akil looked behind him. Altaïr was leaning on a rock, listening to him talk to Abia bint Muhammad.

"Is this about the letter?" Akil's face grew pallid.

"W–what letter?" Akil stuttered. Akil always had a stuttering problem; it got worse when he grew anxious.

"The letter you received when I got him. Did you get some bad news?" Abia bint Muhammad innocently asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Akil took off his kufi and scratched his head. "Look, I'll see what I can do for you, but I need to be alone right now. Come back later." Abia bint Muhammad complied with Akil's request and walked past Altaïr. Akil started to walk off and Altaïr started to follow him. As Akil walked, he put his kufi back on.

Akil had a pouch on his left side, and Altaïr assumed that the letter Abia bint Muhammad was referring to was there. Altaïr reached Akil and quickly snatched the letter from the pouch. Then Altaïr walked to a bench and started to read the letter.

The letter said: "I'll be by the large Cypress tree – the one on the way to the Fortress. Meet me there."


Ryuugazaki: I would come here with a whole bunch of excuses, but even I know that they're all a load of horse piss.