Altair sat with legs crossed outside the Masyaf castle gates, the clashing of steal ringing inside. He fixed his gray cowl before resting his arms back on the legs, staring at his scroll but not reading. A light wind was wisping at the sand, dancing on the rocky ground. Altair was pulled from the dreams when a facefull of the swaying particals were ever-so-nicely kicked into his face. He looked up, coughing, to catch another boy in gray cowl and sleeves like him. Said boy turned quickily and snapped an apology before storming down the hill.
Altair internally scoffed. 'Typical Malik' he tought, rolling his scroll back up. Said young boy came running back up the hill.
"By the way, have you seen Kadar?" Malik asked, mixtures of annoyence and worry clashing in his smooth accent.
"You mean he actually managed to slip away from you for once?" Altair commented, stuffing the scroll between his robes next to his money pouch and raised to his feet. "I'm impressed. Shouldn't you be?"
"Very funny, Ibn-La'Ahad." Malik snapped. "He's ditching his training again."
"I'm not surprised, must be hell having you for a brother." Altair commented again, lips tugging into a smirk. Malik glared at him.
"How old are you?" Malik asked bluntly.
"Seven-teen, same as you."
"Act it."
"Fine" Altair sighed, giving his eyes a roll. "I'll help you locate your little brother. I have nothing better to do anyway. Malik nodded. He didn't need to say anything, Altair knew he appritiated the help.
"I'll be looking in the market, to the north, west and south." he said, sprinting back down the hill. Altair groened.
"Of course he gives me the east cliffs" Altair groened, sprinting down the hill and turning left after passing the guard post.
He slipped trough the streets to the cliffs. At the bottom he could see fisherman trying to make a living. Altair stepped carefully down the rocks, pressing his body to the cliff side, as far away from the edge as he could get. Some weird stares were thrown at him by the fishermen but they soon went back to the river.
Altair tried to keep his hydrophobia a secret, very badly. He COULD swim. He just choose to remove the risk.
He eventually got to the broad flat rocks that the fishermen stood on and walked past them, not giving there chuckles a second's notice. He climbed up more of the rocks and along side the cliff. He was going to the place were novices were taught to swim, a litte rock pool beneath a water fall.
No current, not to deep, not to shallow. And the perfect hiding place from big brother's like Malik.
After more awkwardly placed steps, Altair eventually came to the break in the cliff, slipping between the rock and waterfall, he was greeted with the spectacular sight. The hot sun shun through the water, dazzling the rocks with simmering light over damped rocks with rich green moss growing where the stone met the clear water. The sun's heat was also killed off through the cool licquid, creating a comfortable, damp heat in the cave.
And, of course, Kadar laughing at the water's edge, soft boots discarded and feet swaying in the shimmering waters.
To his side was another novice, both dressed in grey garb and laughing with each other with their feet in the waters. Kadar's hood rested on his shoulders while his friend kept his up, shadowing his eyes.
"Kadar!" Altair yelled, the novices stopping their and stared at him with shock. "Get up here, Malik wants you". Kadar pouted. The other whispered briefily to him before jumping to his feet, boots in hand. Kadar followed suit.
Altair watched in slight awe as the two novices scald the rocky landscape back to the top with the littlest of effort, wet feet slapping on stone. In hooded figure ran past the left of Altair before Altair had noticed him getting close, setting his balance off. Kadar zipped past his right, pumping into him and sent him falling.
Altair came crashing onto his left side, shots of pain from the sudden colition, grunts were short lived as Altair soon toppled into the baison of water. Altair's mouth filled with water upon drop. He kicked his legs and swung out his arms as Rauf had showed him.
He soon realized how hopeless his attempts were as the waterfall pulled him farther down and showed no sign in letting up. Altair's panic led him to take in more water. Altair's vision filled with white spots as he was pushed out to the river and tangled into the seaweed that decorated the bottom. He kicked wildly trying to free himself but only got more stuck.
He sight was fading fast and his motions began to lack and he simply sunk, air bubbles of his life floating past. His eyes began to close but he forced them open, greeted with white robes. He felt the robes of the sea plants release their grip and began to slowly float to the top. Reality finally gave way, his final sighting a mesh of blond.
Altair coughed violently, pains in his chest and his limbs aching. He patted his eyes open. The mesh of blond met him once again, with green eyes, a large grin and soaked to the bone.
"Give him some air!" one of the fishers said, the gang of them edging away slowly and revealing the sun.
"Altair! I'm sorry! It was an accident! I promise it was!"Kadar paniced. The blond smiled reassuringly at the Al-Sayf.
"The weeds tore up his legs but he's fine." he spoke calmly with a voice like silk. Kadar breathed out, releaved.
"Malik will have my head for this little stunt." he sighed. As on que, said boy came yelling after his brother, asking where he had been and what was going on. Altair tried to pull himself up, receiving help from the blond boy again.
Altair seen was the kid meant. His pants, legs and robes had been ripped to shreds by the 'water thorns', as he had heard one of the men say.
"You again." Malik snapped at the blond. The boy returned his annoyence with a mischeivious smirk.
"Hello Malik. How are you this fine day?" he answered in a taunting, sarcastic tone. Malik grabbed his younger brother by the arm and stormed off.
"You shouldn't hang around with Mahir! He distracts you from your training!"
"I'm not a child, brother!" Kadar snapped back.
"How very rude." Mahir shoke his head. He turned back to Altair. "Let's get you back up the cliff."
Mahir, with the help of a young fisher-boy, got him to the top of the cliff. The boy returned to work to leave Mahir to get Altair to the infirmary.
Altair learned during their trip that Mahir was a class-mate and good friend of Kadar, and Malik hated him because he was half Europien(which explained the hair and eyes in full)and that he seemingly always distracted Kadar from training and studies.
"...Not my fault Kadar has to come to me to have a little fun." he laughed, Altair joined in, despite the murderous pain in his lower body. Mahir got Altair to the infirmary soon enough, laying him on one of the beds and saying farewells.
"That boy sure likes to talk." the doctor commented, examining Altair's wounds. Altair agreed in full then hissed when the doctor touched his leg. He gave him a full glare, making him stiffen before continuing with his job.
Axes' little eyes fluttered open, a light glow surrounding both her and Truden as usual. Axes detached her brother from her, one limb at a time. She scrambled to the end of the bed, letting her hair loose. Wild curles whirled down her back and ghosted over the ground she sat on. She brushed out the blond locks, Truden turning and groening behind her.
"I'm hungry." he groened. His stomach joined in the moaning corus soon after. Axes tied her lucious hair back into their pony-tails, pulled on her boots, that were miles too big for her des to the fact they were her mother's first, and stumbled to her feet. She turned and offered a helping hand to the younger.
"Let's see what's left." she smiled in a nice, sister-ery way. Truden crawled to the end of the mattress, pulled on his own shoes and joined his big sister. The duo walked hand in hand, untill Truden walked faced first into a wall, stumbled back and landed on his buttocks.(hehe, funny word)Tears of embarresment edged at his eyes.
"It's okay, it's okay." she soothed, kneeling down to the seven year old. She brushed his fringe away, "You need a haircut." she groened, making Truden giggle with a little sob, no tears. Axes brushed his fringe behind his ears and helped him to his feet.
The duo walked carefully between the fallen walls. Some steps landed on the natural rock that was part of their tomb home, other's were boxes stacked to make stairs or planks of wood attached to the walls with nails for bridges. Once the kids had reached the ground floor, they sprinted down the walkway, a seemingly endless pit hung at the bottom. Boxes and crates had been stacked along the edge to stop the children from falling down when they were just toddlers. Through the archway sat a 'kitchen' area. The massive fridge hummed in time with the water filter. Rebecca stood at the counter, cleaning out the second waterfilter, black-grey hair pulled into a tight pony.
"Seriously! They need to lay off the tea." she grumbled before noticing the youngers. She smiled at them "Hey kiddos!" she greeted, ruffling Truden's hair in a friendly manner. "Anything I can do?"
"any food left?" Axes asked, honey globes shining in the light glow that surronded them as usual. Rebecca held up a finger, showing them to wait a moment. She toke three steps to the fridge, opened it up and pulled out half a bread roll, butter and jam.
"Ruby, Tinia and Shaun have gone out for supplies. I was able to save these. Sorry it's small." she explained, placing the items on a fold down table, Axes and Truden in tow. "Bec, Shane and Sheq woke up first. Sheq ate the ham."
"That jerk always eats the meat." Axes groened, helping Truden into one of the chairs and scrambling into her own.
"Thanks Ms. Crane." Truden said, smiling politely. Rebecca stared back then laughed as Axes fell out of her chair. The girl growled loudly in frustration, making her laugh harder.
"Why do I have to be so fucking short!" she yelled out in frustration, flopped out on the ground. Rebecca helped her to her feet.
"Because your mom was a midget." Rebecca joked, Axes finally seating in her chair, then returned to cleaning out the waterfilter.
Axes leaned across, taking the rock hard bread in hand and breaking it in two. She passed the bigger half to Truden, who toke it quickily and began breaking it into smaller peices. Truden buttered the peices and ate them in turn. Axes, however, opened up the pot of Jam, dipping in her bread. She toke big lumps of the sticky, fruity deliciousness and bit down greedily.
"Where's Grandpa?" Truden asked, popping the last of the bread into his mouth.
"Doing a job for the rebels. He'll be back soon." Rebecca answered, banging the water filled off the edge of a shining rock to clean out the last of the grim. Truden returned his attention to his elder sister, who was cleaning out the jam pot. She used the last of her bread to clean off her face and chewed on it appriently.
"What about Bec, Shane and Sheq?" Axes asked, swalloning her breakfast.
"Outside playing. You can join them if ya like." Rebecca said. Axes smiled at her brother who returned the gesture. Again, the youngers set out running to their room.
Axes rubbed her gloved hands together in the cold.
"Bec! Sheq!" Truden called out for their friends "Shane!"
"We're up here!" Sheq's voice called down to the Miles children. Axes kneeled down to let Truden climb onto her back. Truden held tightly onto his sister as she began to climb to the top of the cave. He snuggled into her deeper when the wind nipped at his exposed face. Alex set her brother back down once they had reached the top.
Shane, Sheq and Becca were gazing out through the bare trees. Axes followed their stares to see a glow of yellow among the shimmering white.
"What is it?" she asked in awe.
"New York!" Becca exclaimed. "Well, Manhatten to be exact. I've seen the insides a few times."
"What's it like?" Sheq asked excitedly.
"Skyscrapers, giant flat screens, teens in the latest trends. The works!"
"Where are we then?"
"Umm...I don't know, but we must be close if we can see the lights."
"Wanna check it out?" Axes asked her group. All eyes looked with excitment at the purposel, except Becca's.
"No offense, but dream on." Becca answered. Axes pouted with the rest of the group.
"Why not? That's an easy ten miles."
"Easy Ten!" Becca screamed. "Some of us have basic skills like cooking, not running a fucking parkour track through the woods. Get lost!" Becca slid down the side of the cave. "C'mon boys. Leave the crazies up there to freeze." she stomped into the tomb. Shane and Sheq did as told. Axes glared at their foot prints as if it was them.
"Axes?" Truden called to his sister. She looked at the younger, seeing him still staring at the glow. "Will we ever get to see it? The city?"
Axes pondered over this for a moment. It looked like a long way away but..."course we will, Tru." She picked up the younger. He wrapped his legs around her and hugged her tightly. "They can't keep us in the woods forever."
"C'mon Axes! Your enemy won't wait this long before they shot you!" Ruby yelled up at the her. Axes had disgarded her winter coat and other warmth, with only fingerless cloves on shaking hands. Her ripped t-shirt hung loosely around her body and jeans were matted to her legs with the mudd from previous training. She pulled herself up, one foot at a time. Just when she got a firm hold, Ruby through another rock, landing right on her shoulder blade and she game tumbling down the tree. Axes landed on her back in a pile of soft, icey snow.
Truden giggled.
"Shut up!" Axes snapped, making him laugh harder.
"Get up!" Ruby ordered, kicking Axes in her side. Axes groened and grabbed her side, rolling over "Your enemy will not wait!" she yelled, kicking her in her back. Axes let out another painfull cry and rolled onto her stomach. Desmond came up behind Ruby before she could land another blow on her.
"I think that's enough." He said clamly, smiling. Ruby turned to face him with her body, pointing an accusing finger.
"Your too soft, Miles." She growled. Desmond toke a couple steps back. Ruby stormed off to another tree where Shane and Shem were lazing in. "Move it!" she screamed up the tree. Shem quickily got back to climbing but the other 6-year-old got a fright and fell down the tree into more cusioning snow. He let out a wimper, brushing the tears from his bruised face.
"My poor baby!" Tinia exclaimed, running over and picking up the now wailing child. Axes rolled her eyes as she carried the 'injured infant' back into the cave and Ruby continued to shout at Shem.
"I'm going into town" Desmond caught her attention, Axes' eyes lit up. Was he going to say it? "Wanna come with?"
"Yes!" Axes yelled, jumping up and down. She soon stopped, noticing how Ruby, Truden, Shem and Desmond were staring at her. "I-I-I mean," she blushed, standing still. "Sure, why not?" she shrugged, acting all cool. Desmond laughed.
"Can I come?" Truden chirped up.
"Sure, C'mon." Desmond picked up the littlest one and toke Axes by the hand, leading them to the van. Axes opened up the passenger door and sat in. Desmond placed Truden next to her, the two squishing onto the one seat. He buckled them in, closed the door and ran around to his own side. Truden and Axes shook in their seat excitedly. They had never been to the city before.
"Grandpa, why are we going to the city?" Axes asked, halfway down the highway. Truden sat with his face plastered to the glass, eyeing the cars that passed. They all looked so new and fancy compared to their van.
"Well, to be percise, we're going to the Bronx." Desmond answered, pulling off into another lane. "There's a safehouse there that has recently become availible since it's previous inhabitants have gone down in numbers."
"English please." Axes groened. Desmond shook his head.
"Not as many people live there so we can move in since the brotherhood doesn't want us living in a cave anymore."
"I like our cave."
"Why?" Desmond asked, pulling off the highway.
"it's our home" Axes replied. Desmond stayed quiet for a moment, pndering over what the younger had said.
"Well, this will be our new home" Desmond said, pulling onto the round-a-bout and turning left. He drove down the street untill they came to another turn that lead to a street, lined with apartment buildings and small shops. "Our better home."
Axes sat silently, observing all the buildings. The van slowed as it pulled into an allyway next to an old club with the sign reading 'Bad Weather'. The letters just about hunging on.
"I used to work there." Desmond sighed, almost seeming sad. They parked near the building that looked the least inhabited. Axes reached over and opened the door before undoing the belt on the two of them.
Truden jumped out of the van, Axes following close behind and shutting the door. Desmond lead them to the back door of the building. The kids were still mezmerized by their whole surrondings. Truden held his nose.
"The air stinks!" He groened. Axes rolled her eyes. Desmond payed no heed to the smallers. He pushed the door open, stepping inside with the two following quickily behind him.
Axes stared at what she found inside. An old man stood at the table, a gun pointed at the group. Truden hid behind Desmond, who showed no fear.
"Hey man! Relax! We're on the same side!" Desmond yelled. The man looked about Desmond's age, had dark skin and a grey beard that had been braided at the bottom, entwining with braids with the braid at his head, cutting off just above his chin-line.
"The Creed." he growled.
"Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted." Desmond answered.
"It's meaning!" he yelled again. Desmond rolled his eyes.
"To say that nothing is true, is to realize that the foundations of society are fragile, and that we must be the shepherds of our own civilization. To say that everything is permitted, is to understand that we are the architects of our actions, and that we must live with their consequences, whether glorious or tragic." Desmond chented without a single trouble. Axes wondered how he had remembered it so perfectly. She could barely remember the first three lines! The man was impressed then perplexed.
"Do I know you from some where?" he asked.
"I don't think so..." Desmond shrugged. The man rose from his seat to take a closer look. His orbs lit up and a grin scrawled across his face.
"Yes I do! Desmond! Desmond Miles!" He yelled excitedly. "It's been so long. Hug me, brother!" The man came close to wrap around Desmond who toke a few steps back.
"Who are you?"
"What? You don't reconize me!" he yelled again. Desmond shook his head. "It's me! Jack Willow!" he yelled, bringing his arms back up. Desmonds eyes went wide and he too bagan to grin like an idiot.
"Jacky!" he yelled, he pulled him into a one arm hug then brought the other around him, hitting his back with an excited thump, the other copied these motions. "I haven't seen you since I was six-teen!" The two hugged, squeezed and shook side to side. Axes backed away.
"Are all man-hugs this violent?!" She whispered to her little brother, who shrugged.
"You haven't changed one bit!" Jack moved back far enough to squeeze Desmond's cheeks, both still smiling. "Your still the gorgeous devil that I once knew!"
"Your too much." Desmond chuckled. Jack streched out his arms and dipped his head in a witty manner, exclaiming an 'ahh'.
"Come. Sit. I'm waiting for the new house-mates. Team William." He explained, picking up a open beer off the table and chugging it back.
"That would be us." Desmond answered. Jack threw his beer excitedly, the crash making both of the youngers jump.
"Brillient!" He yelled, hugging Desmond again. he pulled away, went to the fridge and came back with two more beers. "Why 'Team William'?" he asked, offering Desmond a beer. Desmond turned the beverage down.
"In memory of my father." he exclaimed. Jack nodded, opening his beer.
"Great man, bit of an asshole, but still great." he said, taking a swig from the bottle. He noticed the youngers standing behind Desmond and pointed them out. "Who's they?" Desmond smiled proudly.
"These are my grand-children" Desmond said, pulling the two forward to stand infront of them. Truden still looked confused and scared but Axes gave the man a plain stare. Jack looked them over before smiling.
"You're just cute. What's your name?" Jack asked, the duo stayed silent.
"This is Truden," Desmond interupted, ruffling Truden's hair. "and that's Axes."
"Axis?"
"Ax! es!"Axes corrected. "If your gonna say my name, say it properly, Willow!" she snapped, sending Jack aback. He blinked a few times in surprise and gave a smile, ruffling her hair roughly. He straightened up and beamed.
"There's a room on the second floor with bunkbeds, perfect for these mini-assassins!" he chuckled, and went back to drinking his beer. Axes snarled at the man, turning to her brother. Truden eyed her as if to ask why they were here.
"Axes, Truden." Desmond called to them, walking out the back door. "Find your rooms." Axes shook her head.
"C'mon Truden," she sighed, grabbing her brother by the hand and pulling him along. The two stepped carefully. They came through two double doors that lead to a large sittingroom like place. Four, comfy, three seater couches went around a coffee table with a silver thick, plate like object with an array of buttons. judging by the words 'vol' and 'chan', it was a hover TV. Axes had never seen one before, they were still using computer's from the tweenty tens.
a radio sat right next to the plate like object. "The date is the fourth of May, 2074, the snow is heavy in some parts but the sun is beating in the Bronx, Manhatten, Queens and Brooks. It is also the day we remember all those who died in Brooks fifty years ago in the Brooklyn fire. How the tragedy had cause suched pain for New Yorkers every where that we renamed Brooklyn to ease the memory..." the women went on, but Axes and Truden were out of reach. The door to the hall had been knocked down, the front door boarded up.
They climbed the creaky steps, Truden looked around frightened at the cracked walls and rotting wood. The rooms had numbers on them, but looking into the rooms, most of the walls had been knocked down to make more room. Eventually, they found their new room.
It was at the end of the hall, number '16'. The number made a face flash through Axes' mind. One she had never met before, yet it was familier. The windows were boarded up, with cloth covering large cracks so light could get in but nobody could see in. Against the wall with the door in it, to Axe's right was a set of metal bunk beds. The mattresses looked barely worn.
"Guess they didn't last long enough to make a groove." Truden commented, hopping onto the bottom bunk.
"I get the bottom." Axes added, looking around the room. A kitchen unit had been ripped up, leaving only a fridge in it's place. Parallel to the beds was a old desk that had straches and cuts from the various weapons that had been thrown at it, most likely. When you closed the front door, a small closet could be found behind it, next to that door was another leading to a rectangular bathroom, the bathtub at the back, then the toilet, then the sink just at the door.
"Why do you get bottom?" Truden groened
"Small spaces make me feel safe." Axes replied, monotinously. A small sob came from behind Axes, she turned and hurried back across the room to her little brother. She sat next to him and pulled him into a hug. He sobed quietly into her chest.
"shh, shh, it's okay." Axes soothed. "We'll like it here."
"I-it's n-n-not t-thaaat," Truden wailed, he sniffed and pulled himelf from Axes to look at her. "W-where's mommy? w-we haven't seen her since she went to have her baby. D-do you t-think she's a-alright? and b-b-b-baby Lily?" Truden asked with begging eyes. Axes wanted to cry too, they hadn't seen their mother in nearly four months, according to Becca.
"They're fine." she whispered, hugging her brother. "They have to be."