A/N: Hi everybody! Just a few people to thank before we get started.
Followed: Chocoluv99, Darkknight4ever, and ZeniaEstonia!
Added: Chocoluv99, Darkknight4ever, and PoisonedChuugoku!
Sorry for the short chapter but I had edited it so much and I couldn't possibly put anything from the next chapter into this one.
Chapter 12
I was sleeping when Eclipse had visited me.
"Eclipse." I greeted her coldly.
"I am. . . just wanting to let you know that. . ." She couldn't complete a sentence, could she? "Well, since Altaïr didn't die, you have my gratitude." This, I guess, was the closest to an apology as I would get. "Although, I still mean what I said."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Of course you did. We humans are just play things to you, aren't we? Things you can just send in, whether we wanted to or not, and kill us."
Her gaze hardened and I suddenly felt cold. "Here is a dagger." She materialized a dagger and handed it to me. "When you are finished with your job, you will stab yourself and be sent back to your realm at the same time you had left it. Your body will be made new but wherever you stab, there will be a consequence."
"Like what?" I asked, turning the shiny bronze dagger in my hands, admiring it's plainness but also it's uniqueness.
"For example, if you stab yourself in the heart, you will have a scar there and possibly heart problems. If you stab yourself in the leg, you will have a limp. If you stab yourself in the arm, you will awake with a broken arm. Things like this."
I nodded and put the dagger in the belt loop of my jeans. When I looked up, she had disappeared- good riddance -and I was left alone.
When I had woken up, the dagger was still in my belt loop and Altaïr did not even question why it was there. It made me wonder if he knew about it or if he knew that it was from Eclipse and thought it would be better if he didn't ask about it.
"Come, we must get going." He said, putting his pack on his horse quickly before mounting it.
"I didn't even get breakfast yet." I complained but mounted my horse anyways.
"Here." He tossed me an apple and I barely had time to catch it. Thank God for my fast reflexes.
I was getting tired of apples all the time. When would I get something yummy like a hamburger or a milkshake? God, now I was craving those two things. As soon as I got back in my world, I was going to McDonald's.
But then again there was nothing really there in that life whereas in this life, I could completely remake myself, life again, start fresh. But my brothers wouldn't be here and as much as they annoyed the hell out of me, I still loved them.
I bit into my apple with more anger than hunger. All of this thinking would wait until my quest, or Altaïr's quest, was at an end. I could make my decision then.
I finished the apple quickly and tossed the core into the bushes to my right. The sun was beating down, causing me to feel trapped and overheated. I needed water but we wouldn't stop for another hour at least. That's when I realized that I didn't have a tunic on, I was just wearing a white T-shirt.
I turned to my right and unzipped my backpack. Maybe I had a spare tunic in here? It was doubtful but honestly I was seriously hoping I had one. Even if it was heavy and all, it helped protect me from the sun.
What I wouldn't give to have some sunscreen right now. God.
I rifled through my bag until I found what I was looking for. "Score!" I smiled and pulled out the tunic. I pulled it on and flipped my hood up over my head and pulled the mask over my face. I replaced the bag on my back and sighed.
All of a sudden, Ren tripped and gave a scream as he fell, four arrows protruding from his body.
I gave a little screech, something that I admit I was ashamed of, as I rolled across the ground before coming to a stop. I looked over to see that Ren had already died and then I was lifted into the air and onto Altaïr's horse, seated in front of him as he urged his horse to gallop far from whoever was attacking us.
I grabbed onto his tunic, almost as if it would keep me from falling off his horse, as he maneuvered through trees and over rocks and around peasants just wandering aimlessly.
Finally, he slowed his horse down and looked around. "It seems as if we have lost them." He said.
I was still dazed about the whole event; it went faster than you could say "Potatoes".
"Keira."
I almost didn't register him saying my name. "What?" I asked, looking up at him.
I could see underneath his hood and hot damn why did he always have to look like a Greek god?
"Are you alright? You are not hurt?" He asked, concern evident in his eyes.
"I-no, I'm not. Who was that?" I asked. "Who attacked us?"
"Templar soldiers. I did not see them until it was too late. I am sorry."
I looked down at my hands, which were still gripping his tunic in a deathlock, and slowly released his tunic. "It's not your fault."
We were silent for a little while.
"Do you think I can turn now?" I asked. Side-saddle was not fun, in fact it was very dangerous. Why oh why did women ever ride like this?
"Yes."
I turned so that I was facing front. I could feel Altaïr's body heat through my clothes. I didn't remember when he had taken my backpack and attached it to his horse's saddle but it was not on my back.
"Are we almost there?" I asked.
"About a day's ride." He answered.
I sighed and leaned back into him, the death of my beloved horse was making it hard to sit upright.
"So. .." I twiddled my thumbs, thinking of something to say.
"Did Eclipse give you that dagger?" He asked.
I nodded. "Yes, it's to help me get back home for when it's time."
He was silent. "Are you planning on using it?"
I shrugged. "Haven't really thought about it. Maybe, but there's nothing really calling me back to the future. Except maybe hamburgers and French fries." I smiled. "I don't know yet."
His body jerked and I knew he had nodded. He seemed happy with my answer.
When had I become an expert in knowing what he was thinking just by the way his body moved?
We continued on without speaking for the rest of the day. When night came around, we stopped and set up camp, lighting a nice, warm fire that cast shadows across the ground every time the flames flickered.
Every time the fire popped and sent ashes into the sky, I would jump and wrap my arms around my body. The memories of what had happened back in Masyaf were still fresh and I was afraid of sleeping. And now my horse was dead.
Jesus, why can I not catch a break? One bad thing right after another, I'm like a bad luck charm.
"Are you not going to sleep?" Altaïr asked.
"I-I'm too scared to. I don't want memories of what happened. . ." I trailed off.
"You slept before." He pointed out.
"Yes but that was because Eclipse had visited me."
He went silent and I looked over at him. He seemed to be fighting with himself.
"What is it? What are you not telling me?"
He shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, obviously you do by the way you're fidgeting like that."
He sighed. "It's nothing, never mind."
"It's not nothing if it's got you like this, I don't believe I've ever seen you like this."
"Like what?"
I paused for a moment, thinking of the right word. "Conflicted."
He did not answer and I looked over at him to make sure he was still there. He could be really quiet sometimes. I guess that's why he does what he does.
"Fine then, don't talk to me." I laid down and closed my eyes. "I'll let you know if I have bad dreams tonight because I'll wake you up with my screaming."
He rubbed his face with his hands. "I do not wish you bad dreams."
I glared at him. "You can't just go around being nice to someone one day and then acting as if they're a nuisance to you the next. Good night."
