Chapter nine - Discretion

"Rest, prepare, cry in the corner. Do what ever it is that you do before a mission, only make sure that you do it quietly." I heard Malik dismiss Altaïr after he returned with information of his next target that he had procured. Not too long afterwards, Altaïr appeared in the main hall of the Bureau where I sat among the decorative pillows once more and, to my surprise, Altaïr joined me. He sat in the same manner as I did before nodding in acknowledgement and I smiled in response. I remained silent for I did not know what to say to my mentor as the last time we were in one another's company, we left on a rather sour note. Much had happened since my last encounter with Altaïr and yet I could not bring myself to tell him.

"You seem distracted." Altaïr often gave me the opportunity to choose whether I respond to him or not by making his comments sound more as if they were statements rather than questions.

"Mentor," I mumbled, unsure if I should still call him by that title, turning my attention to the floor, "Are you displeased?"

"With what?"

"Who rather than what, my friend. Are you displeased with myself or Malik? Yourself, perhaps?" I looked back up at Altaïr at this point as he shifted his weight and his hood concealed most of his face as he too looked towards the floor.

"No," He replied simply, "But recent events have made me wonder." Altaïr's voice appeared to trail off by the end of his sentence but he shook his head before returning his gaze to me, claiming that it was nonsense. Altaïr and I were quick to return to an uncomfortable silence with the only sound that disrupted us was the dragging of Malik's boots as he paced through the Bureau chamber in deep contemplation. Altaïr sighed before leaning his back against the wall and resting his elbows on his raised knees. I pursed my lips as I interlocked my fingers and attempted to think of something to strike up a conversation but Altaïr did not seem as if he was going to take the time to speak to me and so I excused myself and left him to his thoughts.

I discussed trivial matters with Malik to keep myself entertained, boredom was overwhelming when he and Altaïr were not at one another's throats, and by this point Altaïr had left for his mission. I was sat on a stool as I attempted to entice Malik into playing chess with me, despite my lack of knowledge regarding the rules, but he repelled the idea and continued to draw and write on a piece of parchment. Cartography had become his new hobby, a rather tedious one as I had described it earning a few frowns from him. I had even attempted to gain his attention through foolish acts such as lying flat on my back in the middle of the Bureau chamber and emitting strange noises or balancing his spare quills on the tip of my index finger, a task that had outwitted me and left several quills scattered across the floor, but he continued to remain dismissive of my unusual behaviour which only frustrated me even more.

"We could explore the city!" I exclaimed with a large grin as I jumped from the walkway, landing in front of Malik's desk that I had, quite loudly, slammed my palms into. Malik's hand faltered slightly and a large ink blot formed on the parchment, causing me to step back cautiously.

"'Explore'? You are not visiting Jerusalem for your own pleasure." Malik said as he pushed his parchment aside and placed his quill, the only one that I had not preyed on, back into an ink pot.

"Scout the city, then, call it what you will," I pleaded and I saw a glimmer of humour in his eyes, "Can we not even for a few moments leave the Bureau to indulge ourselves?" Malik sighed as I finished my request and it seemed to me that he was silently weighing up his options and I leant forwards in a tightly curled manner.

"I decide when we return." He finally said and I leapt in joy before darting to the Bureau entrance and hastily scaling the wall. I pulled myself onto the ledge and looked back down into the Bureau but Malik was no where to be seen. My eyebrows furrowed and I suspected it to be some form of joke that I did not find humorous but I contined down the building anyhow only to find Malik already on the ground waiting for me. I asked him how he had made such progress, baring his disability in mind, but he only smirked and turned on his heel and began to walk.

The city was bustling with life. There were people conversing on benches, others balancing jars on their heads and some gathered around market stalls. The booming voice of a herald could be heard over the general tone of the citizens and then there were the guards who stalked the city in an aggressive manner with their hands resting on the hilt of their blades. Their presence made me feel uneasy as I felt as if I were being watched by them because I appeared suspicious due to my robes, though I did keep my hood down for the time being. Malik also gained some unwanted attention from those we passed which then ended with a glare as a response from myself, it irritated me when those who did not know Malik looked at him differently. Malik passed through the crowds with ease and paid no heed to their stares whereas I seemed to bump into every person that came within a close range, earning angry verbalisations from many.

Through my muttered apologies, I heard Malik snigger at my actions to which I responded with heat rising to my cheeks, "Leave me be." I said as Malik took a sharp turn to the right and I followed. The people occupying the area was sparse and Malik seemed to notice the relief on my features

"I understand that blending is difficult on horseback," He began as he shifted his weight to his right leg, "But can you blend within the citizens?" Malik tilted his head to the side as he questioned me and I gave him a far too confident reply, stating proudly that blending within a city was far less of a challenging task than on a horse.

He grinned, "Then you will show me. Count to thirty and then begin walking eastward and do not stop." Malik did not allow me to ask any questions as he had already made his way to another destination and left me feeling confused. I looked around before sighing and I began to count aloud whilst rolling my eyes. Malik was not usually the one for games and so I suspected the task to have taken on a much larger purpose, but for what reason was still unknown to me.

"...seventeen, eighteen, nineteen..." Several people walked by and began muttering to themselves of my odd behaviour as I murmured under my breath.

"...twenty-four, twenty-five..." I shifted my hair as I pulled my hood over my head and flexed my fingers before taking a deep breath, "...twenty-nine, thirty."

My right foot moved forwards before the other followed in step and I began walking in the direction that Malik had instructed me to. I had also began to lightly push people away from me so they did not interrupt my walk and to my surprise, they did not speak out against my actions. However, I could not have anticipated what was to come. A woman on no more than twenty-seven years of age dressed in drab clothing that had several stains and hair that was pulled back into a tight and messy bun came bounding towards me.

"Just a few coins, I beg of you!" She pleaded and I attempted to dispose of her the same way that I had with those who passed me but she was persistent. The woman spoke of her poor family and their ill health, including her own, as he held her dirty hands out in front of me with a look of desperation in her eyes. It pained me in my attempt to continue onwards as I understood that poverty was evident in my surroundings but I had nothing to give to the woman. I tried to explain this to her, apologising and stating that I too was short of money but she insisted that someone dressed as I could not have been poor. I had lost sight of my initial task by this point and I used some force to bypass the woman who then pulled my sleeve to turn me back around but I ripped my arm away from her grasp and coldly stared into her eyes. She whimpered as she slowly backed away and I span around but my shoulder knocked into another person who then dropped the wooden crate that they were carrying which immediately broke upon impact with the ground. I profusely apologised as I went to pick up the remainder of the crate but then I stopped and looked towards the person that carried it. They wore a black robe that was decorated with white stitchings and they also had a short beard, dark hair and a missing arm.

"You should be more careful!" Malik said in an exaggerated tone to get the attention of those who were close, including a few of the city guards who began to make their way towards us. I took a last glance towards Malik but he simply raised his eyebrows and I could say to this day that I saw a satisfied smirk on his lips as I quickened my pace to get away from the scene.

The many voices of the citizens that spoke of my unacceptable conduct became like a continuous humming sound as I waded my way through but I could still hear the approaching guards who seemed as stubborn as the beggar. As I rounded a corner, a spring in my step tempted my legs jump down the stone stairs and run but that was not the sensible option and instead I continued onwards but at a faster pace than usual. My eyes hurriedly looked around for anything that I could use to my advantage but my surroundings seemed bare, save for the large hay bale that resided directly across from where I stood. Then it struck me.

Without any thought, I darted towards the hay and leapt head-first into the cart. The hay poked through the material of my robes and jabbed my skin creating an uncomfortable itch that I tried to relieve by wiggling my body but it only caused more issues. I inhaled as the guards' voices became audible and my breath caught in my throat as I waited anxiously in anticipation. I could not face Malik knowing that I had failed such a simple task that I had taken so lightly let alone someone such as Al Mualim who doubted my every move, and rightly so as it seemed. I could feel the dishonour and shame looming over me as if they were rain clouds and I brought my knees up to my chest, hugging them close as I closed my eyes as if in pain.

There was a tapping noise on the side of the cart, "You can come out now," I heard Malik's muffled voice state, "If you listened, you would have heard the guards give up their search." He continued as I slowly emerged from the haystack. I stepped onto the ground and stood before him with strands of hay sticking out from my hair and clothes with the most irritated expression that I could possibly muster.

"That was not blending but at least I am aware of your ability to hide from the enemy." Malik commented and I threw my arms up in an exasperated manner, emitting a noise that reflected my anger. I gave a deep inhale as he removed a piece of hay from my hair but his fingers felt as if they lingered for a little while longer than necessary but the sound of a bell tolling gained our attention and I looked around to see startled looks from the citizens who also seemed as clueless as I.

"What does that signify?" I finally asked as he lowered his hand, suspecting that Malik knew exactly what the ringing bells meant as he too looked towards where the sound was emitting from with a stern look in his eyes.

"We must return to the Bureau."

Malik had entered the Bureau in the same manner that he left it: without my knowledge of how he did so, but he also seemed frustrated as he made his way behind his desk and looked towards the hallway, expecting what was to come next. I took a seat on the stool that I had previously occupied after clearing the scattered quills and returning them to Malik who did not utter a word to me and so I sat in silence as if I had been heavily scolded for doing something wrong. Soon afterwards, Altaïr returned and inclined his head as a greeting to me and I responded in kind but Malik took on a much more sarcastic welcome as he proclaimed false joy of Altaïr's presence.

"The deed is done, Talal is dead." Altaïr stated as he presented a red-stained feather, which after I examined in close detail I came to realise to be blood, evidence that he had dispatched his target.

"Oh, I know. I know," Malik began," In fact, the whole city knows! Have you forgotten the meaning of subtlety?" His voice raised as he neared the end of his question and before I knew it, he and Altaïr were arguing once again.

"Leave!" I suddenly shouted over the two of them and Malik scoffed, "You have accomplished your task, there is nothing more here for you to do." I had not realised that I had risen from my seat and closed the gap between the three of us.

"You speak out of place." Altaïr said plainly and although it was not a particularly hurtful comment from my mentor, a stinging sensation formed in my chest and my once strong demeanour became loose as I turned my head away from him.

"And you speak with arrogance," Malik retorted but Altaïr said nothing, "Go then, return to the old man. Let us see with whom he sides." And Malik placed his hand gently on my shoulder in a similar manner to the day that he, Altaïr and Kadar left for Solomon's Temple. I looked up at Altaïr and his expression softened as he claimed that he and Malik were on the same side before turning away and the stinging in my chest soon swelled into a knot as I watched Altaïr leave.