-Unlikely Hero
-Chapter Ten: Where do Your Loyalties Lie?
As they made their way up to the castle, Emma's stomach twisted into knots. When they reached the gate to go into the courtyard she stopped. Her heart was racing and she couldn't breath.
"Altaïr!" She gasped.
He stopped and turned to look at her, "What is wrong? Your side is not bothering you is it?"
She shook her head, "No it's not that."
He watched her expectantly.
"It's, I mean…I can't go in there."
"Emma, you have to, he has already been notified of your existence. If you were to run you would be hunted down and killed."
"By you?" she asked, suddenly angry.
His eyes darkened and narrowed, "No, I would be killed for allowing you to escape. Emma, you must understand. Above all else I am an assassin, and you hold an ample amount of knowledge about us. Knowledge, which in the wrong hands could destroy the brotherhood. You cannot expect me to just allow you to walk away."
She crossed her arms over her chest, her fear of meeting Al Mualim momentarily forgotten. "I can't believe that you would actually think I would tell anyone about the brotherhood!"
"Not willingly you wouldn't, but under torturous conditions who's to say that you will hold your tongue?"
Her eyes narrowed, "Obviously you know nothing about me."
"Maybe, but obviously you know nothing about our enemies way of torture. I do not doubt your loyalty to the brotherhood…" He paused then added. "…To me. I merely doubt your ability to withstand pain. Do you remember the stitches? That is like a simple brush of a feather compared to what they will do. Do you understand? Meeting Al Mualim whether he decides to let you live or kill you, would be a hundred times better then the fate that awaits you in enemy hands."
Her teeth clenched and unclenched as she glared at the ground. He was right. At least here, if she'd be sentenced to death, it would no doubt be quick and hopefully painless. She took a deep breath and looked at him, "What do you think he will do with me?"
His face softened, "I am uncertain, but I believe he will let you live. You will probably just have to stay within the castle, to make sure you do not get captured."
"Well that's comforting," She sighed. "All right then, led the way."
He turned and headed inside.
The other assassins stopped to watch them as they walked. It was deafly silent and Emma started hyperventilating again. She looked around and panicked when she noticed that Altaïr was several feet ahead of her.
Some of the men in the direction she was walking eyed her with hungry eyes, others with suspicion. No doubt they were wondering why she was there, being led by Altaïr to their 'master'.
She dodged around them, as they refused to move. After she got halfway up she suddenly realized that she didn't know where Altaïr was. He'd been in front of her a second ago. The problem was they all basically looked the same, and to make matters worse all of them had started moving again. She stopped abruptly as a very tall, olive skinned assassin stepped in front of her.
"What are you doing? You should not be here!"
"I'm supposed to talk to Al Mualim." She attempted to step around him but he grabbed her arm.
"Women are not allowed to see the 'master'."
She glared at his hand for a moment with menace. "Take your hand off me." She said slowly.
"What did you say?" He asked with narrowed eyes.
She aimed her glare up at the man's face, "I said, 'Take. Your. Hand. Off. Me.' Now. Or are you too senile to understand plain speech?"
"Why you insolent little…"
"Nadim," Altaïr said sharply while approaching them. "Unhand her. She is to see Al Mualim."
"Told you so." She said as he released her arm.
"And for future reference, refrain from touching her, it will only end badly for you."
"Doubtful." Nadim muttered and walked off.
Altaïr raised an eyebrow before directing her towards the castle. Once they were inside he whispered, "And you must refrain form aggravating people. It will not make your stay here a pleasant one if everyone hates you."
She looked at him, "Sorry, but they always start it."
"That may be, but you must not rely on violence alone to get their respect. You must treat them with respect first."
"Like the golden rule, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'."
"Exactly. Now, Emma, listen very carefully. When talking to Al Mualim you must remain respectful. No sudden outbursts of anger or violence, it will not help to convince him that you should be allowed to continue breathing."
Her eyes flashed with anger, "'Allowed'?" She asked icily.
"That is the way he will see it, so accept it now."
She sighed, "Fine. What should I call him?"
"It would please him if you called him 'master'."
"To show him I've already chosen to be an ally?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Anything else?"
"Answer his questions truthfully."
"Right."
They walked up the stairs to Al Mualim's study.
He was waiting for them. "Altaïr, I expected you two days ago. You had me worried."
Altaïr bowed, "Forgive me, 'master', but we ran into some trouble with thieves, it slowed our progress."
"A simple thing as thieves should not have cost you any time. Are you losing your touch?"
"No, I was distracted and failed to hear them approach our camp."
"How many?"
"Five."
"You are unharmed?"
"No, but we will survive."
"Her too? Why weren't you protecting her?" Al Mualim asked angrily.
Altaïr looked at the ground.
She stepped forward and bowed, "With all due respect, 'master', it wasn't his fault, so don't blame him. I failed to dodge a simple thrust."
Al Mualim eyed her with curiosity. "You know how to fight?"
She shrugged, "I guess so."
Altaïr looked at her.
"I sense that you have something to add, Altaïr." Al Mualim said.
"She is more then adequate with a short sword. Most of the thieves were killed by her. I only managed to kill one."
Al Mualim's eyebrows rose in disbelief, "According to Rafik, she said she was from the future."
"Yes, I know how it sounds, but look at her. Her clothes are very strange, just spending time with her has me convinced that she speaks the truth. She's spoken of things from her world, that I can hardly contemplate."
"Such as?"
"A zipper and jell-o."
"Hmm." He turned his gaze on to Emma.
She felt a shiver go down her spine. She'd never noticed that his right eye was a creamy white. She swallowed and looked at the ground, unable to look him in the eyes any longer.
"Her explanation makes sense." Altaïr continued.
"So it would seem, but does she have any real proof?"
The two men looked at her again.
She bit her bottom lip, "Hold on let me think. Well I might just have…my…" She began patting down her pockets. "I thought I had my license. I could've sworn I had it…wait! I put it…" She reached in her shirt to pull out her license and 60 dollars. "I forgot I put them there for safe keeping, the morning before I came here." She smiled slightly and shrugged. When she offered them to Al Mualim he took it slowly.
"You had it where?" He inquired. (1)
A blush heated her cheeks, "Well, um, I…" She stuttered until she felt a hand touch her back. She looked over at Altaïr.
He gave her a slight encouraging smile and nodded.
She drew strength from his touch and took a deep breath. This was not going to be easy. She never even talked to her father about bras, much less strange old men. "I had it in my, uh…bra."
" Your bra? I have never heard of such a thing."
"Yeah it's something from the future."
"I see." He looked down at her license; it clearly stated that she was from the future, 822 years into the future to be exact. Then he looked at the sixty dollars. "What is this?" He asked.
"That is our form of money, over in the states anyway. I don't know what they use over here in 2008. I never really paid attention."
"The states?"
"The United States of America That is my homeland. It's clear across the Atlantic Ocean. I live in Piqua, Ohio with my family."
"How do you plan on getting back?"
She shrugged, "I haven't the faintest idea, but until I find a way back I was hoping I could stay here."
"You can stay, but you will be put under guard."
Altaïr began, " 'Master', that is…"
"Silence, Altaïr." Al Mualim scolded.
Altaïr bowed his head in reverence.
"You will not be permitted to leave the keep," He said to Emma. "Until I am sure you will bring no harm to us."
She looked over at Altaïr with a grim look on her face, and he looked over at her with the same expression.
Al Mualim watched them with curious, narrowed eyes, "I have yet to decide where to keep you. The dungeons seem a bit severe."
Altaïr raised his head, " 'Master', if I may?"
Al Mualim nodded his consent.
"Could she stay in a chamber near mine?"
"Is there something going on between you two?"
Despite himself, Altaïr felt heat seep into his face. When he looked over at Emma he could she her blush as well. "No 'Master'. It's just that it would be easier for me to keep an eye on her if she were close by."
"I never said it was you who was going to be her guard, Altaïr"
"If not me, then who?"
"I was going to have Nasir watch her."
He looked at the ground. Nasir, he knew was a good man, but just the thought of him following Emma around all day sent his blood to boil. However what the 'master' said was law and so he had no choice, "If you think it wise."
"I do, but she will be put in a chamber at your request."
"My sincere thanks, 'Master'."
"You're welcome. As for you, Emma Diamond, we will continue this conversation later in private. Right now, however, you both need sustenance and rest. I believe they just served lunch in the great hall. Go and get some food. You are dismissed."
Altaïr bowed and motioned for her to do the same.
Emma quickly bent at the waist then straitened.
He grabbed his saddlebags and started down the stairs.
She on the other hand stayed behind, " 'Master', may I ask you something?"
"Certainly, child."
"Why can't Altaïr be my guard?"
Al Mualim sighed, "Because it is obvious you two feel something for one another."
"You're making a huge deal out of nothing. We spent a week on the trail together, fought by each others' side, tended to each others' wounds, and kept each other warm at night…"
Al Mualim's eyebrows rose.
"Okay that came out wrong, we only had one blanket…we had no choice. But after all that time we've come to trust one another and become friends. I know it sounds totally strange and outlandish, seeing as how he's an assassin, but I trust him. I wouldn't want anyone else guarding me besides him. In a way, I guess, we've become somewhat like a slightly dysfunctional family. And right now he's the only 'family' I've got, and family is what I need at this time. Imagine yourself in mt position. Just how scared would you be?"
He sighed, "All right, child, all right. Altaïr can be your guard, but in his absence Nasir will take over."
She bowed and smiled brightly, "Thank you, 'Master'! You have no idea what this means to me."
He walked around his desk and sat down. Propping his elbows up and putting the tips of his fingers together like Mr. Burns on 'The Simpson's' "Do not make me regret this, child." He warned her.
She smiled and bowed once more before racing down the stairs to find Altaïr.
Al Mualim sighed as he looked at her license once again. She seemed nice and innocent as a baby. But he knew she was lying about there being nothing between her and Altaïr. Maybe them being together was not such a bad idea. He personally always thought Altaïr needed someone, and maybe this was God's way of providing the answer. He just hoped this did not prove to be bad.
(1) I don't believe that bras were invented back then…were they? Oh well too late.
Yay!! There it is!! I am terribly sorry for taking forever…again, but school is killing me. Chemistry to be exact, get damn homework every friggin' night. But enough of my wailing. I really hope you enjoyed the chapter, I thought this chapter was rather difficult to get written out. I kind of had an idea of what was supposed to happen, but I wasn't sure how to execute it. It was really slow going as you can see. Sorry again. But I'd really love to hear what you thought about it. Good things hopefully, bad comments are just as welcomed, but please no flamers. I get enough of that from my brothers. Lol. Seriously though, REVIEW!!
Potzy375 ;)