It didn't take long for the Assassins to return. Altaïr left the room he was in, thinking on what had happened between Maria and him… in his way to the kitchen, he saw she was on the living room, not at the same spot, but sitting on the pads…
Suddenly, he felt guilty for what had happened, but... she had passed over the limits with her provocation and he had lost it…
"Maria..." He said. "Reunion..."
Maria looked at him, he had already go to the other room...
Sighing, she got up and followed him..
Into the kitchen, she wasn't surprised to see him already in the command… characteristic of a true leader…
"Very well, let's separate the supplies..." Said Altaïr "After we change, we will go in pairs... Ali and Waqar will meet us outside the citadel... the rest of you, I'll see you at home…"
The Assassins nodded...
"I think it's better you let your hair down, Maria..." Said Altaïr to her. "For our disguises to work out, you need to look like a..."
"I know, like a lady..." She said cutting him off, as Altaïr lifted an eyebrow.
She got up, taking the only feminine outfit...
"I need a mirror, rafiq..." She said.
The rafiq nodded and went to pick it up for her.
Maria looked at the Assassins and to Altaïr. She was going to provoke them, but soon remembered what had happened earlier and this made she stop.
"Here it is..." Said the rafiq, delivering the object to her.
"Thank you..." She said, going to her room.
Altaïr only smiled when she left, knowing very well that now she was going to think twice before saying anything else…
X ~ X ~ X
When Maria already changed returned to the kitchen, Altaïr and the rafiq looked at her...
She was so different from what she was used to be... with the feminine outfit and her long hair down...
"You are very pretty, Maria..." Said Altaïr, while the rafiq finished to put some protection in his wound.
She looked down at herself.
"I feel... different..." She said.
"it's normal..." he said.
"Done..." Said the rafiq. "Talk to Zahira, so she can take a look and may take them off when the wound is healed…'
Altaïr nodded and got up from the chair. Maria look at his body for a few seconds and looked away.
"Ready?" He asked. Maria nodded. "Let's go them... "
Maria looked an eyebrow.
"We?" She asked.
"What? Scared?" Asked Altaïr.
"Of you? Never..." She said, covering her head with the veil.
Altaïr smiled... they were back to normal, after what happened...
X ~ X ~ X
"Go in peace and safety..." Said the Rafiq, while holding open the door behind the bureau…
Altaïr and Maria were climbing the staircase, from the underground home.
They said their goodbyes and departed while the rafiq closed the door behind them...
"To where?" Asked Maria.
"Let's go through the main gate..." Said Altaïr. "Ali and Waqar are waiting for us in a small village near Acre…"
They started to walk in the streets of Acre. Several men looked at Maria when they passed by, but one look at Altaïr, they got scared and they returned to what they were doing...
The smell from the streets of Acre got better after De Naplouse's death, but was still strong...
When they passed in front of the hospital, Maria saw several Templars... one of them looked at her and recognized her…
"Come, quickly..." She said, picking up Altaïr hand.
He was spaying so much attention to several things, that surprised him when she took his hand.
"What..." he tried to ask when they started to run.
"Templars..." she said, guiding him.
They ran on the streets and staircases and stopped between buildings, when Altaïr felt pain in his ribs...
Altaïr leaned on a wall trying to catch his breath, while Maria looked at him sympathetically…
"Are... they coming?" He asked.
Maria took a quickly glance. Seeing the Templars running in their direction, she said to Altaïr, don't caring how close they were…
"They are coming..." she said.
Altaïr saw that the place where they were hiding didn't have any exit and they would be found quickly ... thinking fast, he looked at Maria and simply kissed her...
X ~ X ~ X
