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Disclaimer: The owner of Assassin's Creed is not me.


Chapter 12- Ryan's Request

Knocks came from the doorway. They seemed to echo slowly from the front of the home. It was like some dramatization from a movie and it gave Ryan an odd suspicion that something big was going to happen. One thing was certain, that was definitely not the mailman at the door.

Nadir stopped what he was doing was a look of worry creased his face, looking in the direction of the doorway. "Faridah, were you expecting visitors?" The hinge in his voice sounded almost hopeful that she was going to say yes.

Before she could answer, the tone of the knocks changed from cold to a fiery anger. It was as if the deliverer were angry at the door and fighting fiercely with it. Then shouting occurred, muffled from the distance. But Ryan could sense the fury from the words and the absolute intention of hurt. He paused in his work from washing the dusty plate ware.

Faridah continued at her cooking despite the disturbance in the atmosphere. Ryan figured she was more concerned at whether or not the food would burn from her inattention than who could possibly be throwing a tantrum at her doorway. He wondered if it was normal for people to cause disturbances at the front of her house.

"Something wrong?" Ryan asked noticing the worry crease deeper into the middle aged man's face, not at all like Nadir. The fact that he was worried at all made Ryan feel like they should be running from…well, whatever it was that was making him break a sweat in the first place.

He shook his head. "No…" He went towards the doorway. "Stay here, I'll be back." Said like a true terminator.

"NADIR!" A shout was heard from the doorway, this time very audible, a masculine voice that was deep and full of fury. It sounded like he wanted to barge in the room and choke Nadir where he stood. Hopefully he was courteous enough to wait for Nadir to come out of the house before doing so. Wait, what was Ryan thinking?!

Ryan didn't know whether to roll his eyes or to be anxious; Nadir seemed to have a lot of people who hated him. Ryan was beginning to think Nadir's little hate club was bigger than he anticipated. He decided it would be best not to get his life on the line again by becoming involved.

Ryan could not wait any longer, he went towards the doorway, and on the way there he heard angry shouting coming from one man. He was shouting so fast and loud it seemed almost as though he had so much on his mind and wanted to say it all at once. "Nadir, you lazy insolent wretch! How dare you show your face here!" Well, it was technically his house, so why wouldn't he show up?

"I've been told that many times when coming here, have you come here to say again Baha al Din?" Nadir chuckled, his smile on his face though the worry in his eyes remained.

"And here I had thought your wife a sensible woman to not allow a man such as you back within her home. I thought wrong." Ryan saw the man wore a bitter expression, like a man who ate too many sour skittles at one time and couldn't handle it. Ryan figured he was about Nadir's age, if not close. Nadir's smile twitched at the remark and Ryan thought in horror, for a moment, that he would throttle the man right then and there. But despite this, Ryan was also bothered; Faridah was very sensible…she was just also very violent. The man was lucky Faridah was not here to-

"Baha al Din, you better shut your reckless mouth before I sew it shut for you!" Too late. Faridah appeared, her hands placed firm upon her hips with an irritated expression molded upon her face. Ryan only hoped that their dinner was safely finished and on the table. This argument now officially lost signs of ever settling any time soon.

"Baha al Din, you were always one to worry overzealously -…"

"My daughter is missing, you self-centered fool! It has been 6 years she has been gone and it is all because of YOU!" Baha al Din roughly pushed Nadir and Ryan panicked, quickly getting between the two. If this was at a school, this would probably be the time when kids start getting energized and start chanting "Fight!" Ryan was going to attempt to keep this argument verbal.

"Okay you two, break it up!" He pushed the two away from each other, Baha al Din still glared, the flames of anger still burning strongly. Ryan was surprised he wasn't burned by it. The man up close was scary. Ryan found himself immediately shimmying away from him to avoid his glare.

Nadir looked completely calm but confused, which the Bahamas guys couldn't really take credit for. He was such a hothead. "What do you mean by 'missing'? She is gone?" The last three words seemed like a foreign tongue to him, it seemed unbelievable to him.

A long time ago, people were gathering around like it was some attraction. "Babbling Angry Crazy Father versus the Very Confused and Just Returned Guy". Baha al Din was caterwauling of his daughter's disappearance and how much of an "inconsiderate dolt" Nadir was. All the while Nadir tried to understand the reason why she disappeared only to get a great big bucket of furious uproar thrown back at him.

Ryan shook his head at the two, not sure of what to say or do in the situation. Faridah was beside him also looking on, she knew better than to get in the fight ("Besides, if I were to join their little scrabble, Baha al Din would be on his knees in minutes."). He remembered his parent's arguments, often rising up to becoming shouts across the rooms about the tiniest of problems. Arguments he had trouble breaking up at times only to usually get himself involved. He did not want to get involved.

Baha al Din noticed the group of people forming in front of the house, staring interested, craving for information to gossip to other people later who probably cared or not. He cursed at them loudly and they dispersed hurriedly saying not a word. It was almost as though they saw nothing at all. Ryan supposed it was exactly as Baha wanted it.

Ryan then wished his mind would stop translating everything that was being said, twitching at Baha al Din's words. Curse words weren't really favored in his book. As uncool as that may seem to some readers…You know who you are.

Baha al Din's Announcement: "What the hell are you gawking at, you assholes?!" This may not seem all that bad, but he was adding on some more insulting things that probably shouldn't be noted.

It was as if that was all it took for the argument to finally deflate. Ryan knew he should have felt relieved as the literal mad man stalked off to his home but looking at Nadir, it looked like the end of the world for him. Or something close to that. Faridah was already playing wife as she went to him with concern.

Ryan felt the strange need to follow the scary angry man. And he did not know why. Maybe it was because he wanted to try and sway the sour man's opinion of Nadir. Nadir was awesome. Enough said. So for him to call Nadir "lazy", "insolent" and some other synonyms made Ryan feel something needed to be done. As soon as this whole ordeal was smoothed out maybe the troubled feeling Ryan had in his mind would go away.

He found himself following the man, straight to his dwelling. If Faridah and Nadir noticed, they didn't say anything. Maybe they weren't worried because they knew Ryan wasn't the type to go pick fights with people who would probably beat him with their hands tied behind their back.

Ryan wasn't much of an experienced follower; with every step he took he was sure that the Baha guy would know he was right behind him. He didn't say anything or look back at him but it didn't reassure him that he didn't know. After maybe half an hour, they arrived at his home which looked humble and no grander and Faridah's. The fact that the guy lived only half an hour from Nadir's home made Ryan skittish. That meant he was a walking distance away from a good beating of words, the guy would be free to use Nadir as his verbal punching bag whenever he wanted.

Minutes after he entered inside, Ryan decided to try and knock on the door. He was scared out of his wits. You'd think he was at a monster's home or something. He hesitated for so long, his fist paused inches from the door; he jumped when a voice behind him spoke. "What're you doing?"

He spun around and saw Shadin, he sighed and smiled gratefully that it wasn't Baha al Din. But no, he shouldn't have been glad. He was supposed to be talking to the guy, not avoiding him. However, that wasn't going to stop him from being courteous. "Hey, Shadin." The younger boy always looked so skinny, it made him wonder if the guy ever ate enough.

He almost looked flattered that Ryan remembered his name. "Are you playing a prank?" He seemed curious as he examined the door, though it seemed more like he didn't want to look at Ryan straight in the face. "I'd choose another house if I were you." He seemed to recognize Baha al Din…But then, who didn't? The guy was a walking billboard that declared himself the angriest of the angry. If there was an award for the most detrimental speaker, he'd probably place first without competition (after scaring them away to their mothers).

"You think I'm pranking?! W-what-…No. I need to talk to the guy is all." Ryan looked towards the door fearfully. The idea of talking with him seemed less of a good idea the longer he stood in front of the door.

Shadin and him stood there for a while until he said. "Well, why don't you go?"

After a pause, Ryan turned and started walking fast. "Eh. Maybe tomorrow." Shadin seemed shocked into a frozen moment before he gained his senses and chased after Ryan. "What?!" He gripped onto Ryan's arm and pulled as hard as he could manage. Being skinny, it was as though he had no muscle and Ryan felt he could easily overpower him, but just stood. Shadin looked like he was struggling more than he should have been despite that. "You can't just run away!"

"T-then, why don't you talk to him instead?" Ryan suggested sheepishly as Shadin let go and responded with a motherly expression. "But you're the one who wanted to talk to him in the first place!"

Ryan conceded in defeat, he couldn't lie to himself anymore. "Ugh…You're right." Another pause. "Can you come with me?" Shadin sighed and tried to look exasperated as he attempted to hide his smile. "You're possibly the most cowardly boy I've ever met." Ryan grinned and replied. "So this means you'll come with me, right?"

Seconds later the two of them were in front of the door nudging the other one to knock first. "You do it, you're the brave one, Shadin."

"Oh no, you. It's your responsibility isn't it?" The two of them continued standing there. A slow small wind blew past them, the sun shining brightly overhead. It was hot as usual. And if they didn't do something soon, their bodies would start collecting dust.

Ryan threw his fist in direction of the door to knock it but it opened suddenly and he immediately retracted it before he hit the woman before him. She was probably Baha al Din's wife. Well, from the way she held herself, it seemed like it. "Who are you two?" She seemed only a little less intimidating than her husband.

Ryan whispered the first thing that came to his head. "We're not here to sell Girl Scout cookies, if that's what you're wondering." He immediately face palmed himself as Shadin thankfully took immediate charge. "Uh, what my companion means to say is that he wishes to speak with your husband."

They both held their breath, waiting for her response. She took overlooked the two of them, an odd pair. "Don't look so terrified, my husband is all show. He may act tough, but he is human like everyone else." Ryan was unsure if that was an answer to their request. But Shadin was quick on his words and recovery as he politely replied. "Then you'll allow him inside?"

"Why not?" She shrugged as she slid over to the side of the doorway, she gestured down the hallway. "He's down there in the hottest room of the whole house." Ryan decided not to ask what she meant by that and just strode forward. He paused and looked back at Shadin who gave him a nervous but reassuring smile.

In natural response, Ryan gave him a thumbs-up sign and smiled in return as Shadin slowly reflected his movement in confusion.

Ryan went ahead before he could see Shadin look at his fist with a pivoted thumb pointing upwards and question, "What does he mean by this?" To his surprise, he found the wife replicating the same gesture with a strangely concentrated look upon her face as she tested the unfamiliar form. "I haven't the faintest idea." She said after a long pause and stared Shadin straight in the face. Shadin shuffled on his feet in nervousness. "Yes?"

"Would you like something to eat?" She gestured him inside with her left hand, her right hand seemed unable to return to its original position.

Ryan finally knew what she meant by the "hottest" room. She meant it quite literally, he realized. The room was very warm, but it took him a while to figure out where the guy's room was despite such since her only directions were: "Down the hall." Which were pretty crappy instructions to start with. It wasn't even a room within the house; it was a whole separate area!

Ryan's agitation quickly dispersed as he entered what seemed like a whole other domain. He found himself losing his breath as he took his first steps into what seemed like a home of weaponry. His eyes examined all.

The man looked at him, annoyed. "Oh, it's you. You're Nadir's boy, eh?" Ryan wondered if he meant that as an insult.

Ryan nodded, unable to say anything as he looked around. There were weapons everywhere, as well as tools and religious relics skillfully made, shining against the sun's rays that were peaking through the windows. "You're a blacksmith?" Of course he is, you dolt! He found himself (or perhaps it was his sister) scolding himself for the stupid question. His first impression needed to be good and he made himself look an idiot.

So, with a question like that to a man with a scalding tongue, the following statement was kind of expected. "You come here to say that, boy?" He took some wood and threw it into the fire; which ate it hungrily, crackling with satisfaction. Ryan relaxed, for a second; he thought the man was all for cussing him off for his stupid question. Maybe the guy wasn't as bad as he made himself out to be.

Too soon, he found himself examining the metal perched and hung about the room. It was blazing and suffocating in that room, but Ryan didn't care as he moved about, the beads of sweat trailing down his forehead. Sure, he was uncomfortable. And the room was full of steam and the air so thick and stuffy; it seemed like breathing through a small tube.

But Ryan was mesmerized; he had a strong liking to medieval weapons. He didn't know why, but compared to guns, when you saw a sword in action, it looked so awesome. Sure, the killing and stabbing were cool, but the weapons were the deliverers in the end. He remembered fondly when he and his sister were really close; she would bring him books with weaponry from the ancient times and leave him to flipping through them multiple times.

Speaking of close relationships, it made Ryan remember why he entered the smoldering room in the first place. "I want to know why you're angry with Nadir." Ryan said staring at the fire's flames red and orange blending, he was captivated. But he silently scolded himself to remember Nadir. This wasn't about him, Nadir was the important one here.

The man stopped at his work. "Were you not listening, you daft boy?! My daughter is gone because of that bastard!" Ryan may of not known what "daft" meant, but from the way he said it, he was sure it was something insulting. And the fact that the guy didn't seem too keen on spouting random acts of kindness also helped his deduction. And what the heck was with this guy and his unhealthy obsession with cuss words?!

Ryan twitched at the curse. "Yes, but how did it happen? How is it his fault?" He was going to be patient. Someone had to be the mature one around here. And it certainly wasn't going to be the guy sitting on the stool with an annoyed look in front of him.

"You ask too many questions, boy." Baha al Din took off his bulky leather gloves and set them down then took a stool sitting down. Ryan felt a little miffed, he only asked like 2 questions (Wait a second...Right. 2 questions!) How was that too many?! "My daughter was to be married to his son."

He gestured to another stool that wasn't noticeable until then. "Get that over here and sit down." He was just so demanding, not even a simple "please". But Ryan obediently followed his directions and sat down. It was story time. And the best stories were the ones that required a person to sit down. Oh goody.

"That prideful bastard insisted his son to have a cause within the Crusades, and when he went, the boy was struck down in battle." He shook his head angrily. Ryan wondered if it was anger at Nadir or for the boy who apparently had no say in the matter from his story perspective. "My daughter was devastated and ran away. I have not seen her since." Ryan decided this story wasn't as great as he'd hoped. He decided that asking for a fairy tale story instead wouldn't have helped the situation (But Baha kind of sucked at telling stories anyway, so…).

Despite his more than rude attitude, Ryan could tell that the guy loved his daughter more than the life work he handled every day. Even with his creations around him, it was as though he didn't notice them. To him, it seemed that the metal he worked with was something only to bang his energy into. Ryan could sympathize…But it wasn't Nadir's fault. He just didn't see him as the kind to pressure his own son into a war. Every parent should know better! "Look, that wasn't his intention, you know. He didn't want his son to die."

But being the stubborn donkey that he clearly was, he just wouldn't accept it. His daughter was lost, someone had to be blamed for it, Ryan supposed. "Well, I didn't want my daughter to run away! I never agreed to their bonding, but my wife insisted…And now she's gone! My dear little-…" He realized he was speaking to someone and cleared his throat, rubbing away the tears that were supposedly nonexistent. He banged his fist into the table beside him causing his tools to shake as though an earthquake hit. "For what other reason would that bastard have for leaving Masyaf?! Shame! He left, and he should have stayed away."

"Maybe he felt bad too. His son had died, didn't he?" Ryan said staring at the brown dirt on the ground, smudging it around with his foot. It sounded as though he were mumbling by now and when he dared to peek back; the old broken hearted father was already working again. The stool abandoned.

The man stood up, unsatisfied and obviously not believing Ryan's explaination. "I'm getting back to work." He announced gruffly. He took his large gloves, put them on, his large hammer and took a piece of metal towards the fire. He glanced for a moment, back at Ryan. "You still here?" He only gave him a couple seconds and expected that he would leave in that time? Not even a "good bye"? Ryan was going to have to get used to him…someday.

Besides, there was no way he was leaving now. It wasn't that late and he had more than enough time to waste. The mission was not completed, so that meant Ryan had to stay just a little longer…And aside from that, he really wanted to watch a pro at work. "Can't I just watch?" He asked quietly.

"Do what you will." Ryan assumed that was his way of saying "Of course you can, it would be no trouble at all." But then, it was hard to imagine the gruff man saying anything was "no trouble", to him, everything seemed problematic. Ryan watched as gruff man set the metal within the fire, slowly turning a glowing red.

It was then that he realized he didn't have the faintest idea of what he was doing. What was the purpose of the repetitive process of heating and cooling, then reheating and cooling within the water again? How did he know when to stop? Maybe it would have been best to ask the said blacksmith at work before him, but thinking of asking the man made him jumpy. He was a little afraid of getting reprimanded again and being labeled "stupid" again (He was sure that was what the guy meant before).

Suddenly, he seemed to speak again. "Water." Maybe he was talking to himself. Ryan waited but timidly asked out of a bothersome feeling that the man might have been talking to him. If he didn't answer and he was talking to him, he'd make the man angry. Nothing made a parent more aggravated that a child who ignored what they were saying. Especially direct orders. "Are you talking to me?"

"Who else, you idiot?" Ryan should have seen that coming.

This man was as vague as his wife when it came to directions. "What, to like…drink?" He was hoping that asking another question wouldn't get him another unnecessary insult.

"No!" His shout shocked Ryan as the feeling traveled down his back uncomfortably. "I meant for my work, you jackass." Ryan didn't know what he did to deserve to be called that. And not to mention he had no idea where to get said water. But he wasn't going to ask another "stupid" question. He quickly rushed out of the stuffy room. There was more than fire heating up that place: the man's temper. He probably could have used it to start another fire if he wanted.

Shadin apparently thought it necessary to stand up when Ryan found both him and Baha's wife eating some pita looking bread. No, wait, Baha's wife was eating; Shadin's piece looked like he nibbled it. Or maybe some mouse got to it first. But Ryan was sure his friend wasn't desperate to eat something that a mouse already took so…Now he knew why his friend was so skinny. It was like he didn't like eating or something. His piece was sitting unfinished upon the table.

"Shadin, why are you standing?"

"Oh." He blushed as though he didn't realize and slowly returned firmly upon his seat and took upon the mission of finishing his pita bread once more. It was like watching a preview and getting stuck on the beginning logo and wishing that it would just hurry up and get to the point. So, Ryan decided not to bother him as he asked the wife, "So, um, where's the well? Or whatever it is you get your water from…"

She was on his words in a second. "A Well? Whatever for?" She didn't like being detailed, did she? Maybe she was teasing him; she had the thought of mischief dancing upon her eyes. Of course she knew what a well was for. It was like she enjoyed teasing people…Or maybe it was just him. Oh well, it was better than what her husband liked to do (shout at people).

"For your husband…He's working." He didn't want to say "smithing" that sounded odd. What would you call his work anyway? "Smelting"? "Metal Working"? He'd have to work it out later.

"Oh." She stood up and immediately made way to the back of the room and lifted up a round wooden lid. "Why didn't you say so?" She said it in a matter of fact way, Ryan resisted the urge to give out his "are you kidding?" look. There was a whole water reserve underneath within a large jar. It was a humongous jar, actually. Ryan figured if it was empty it would be the perfect spot for hide and seek. She didn't really need to know that though.

"Thanks." He was unsure of how he was supposed to take the water to Baha, but before he could ask, she gave him a large bucket. She was amazingly helpful! "Why, thank you!" Ryan exclaimed with a smile to which she replied with an equal enthusiasm. "Why, you're welcome!" She also had a sense of humor; Ryan found it less awkward talking to her then.

"So, um…" He wasn't sure how to phrase the question without it seeming out of place and awkward. But as he thought more upon it he decided it would be awkward and out of place anyway. "Do you hate Nadir too?" There was a silence before she spoke. Even Shadin was looking at her, the pita bread frozen in his mouth.

"No, I do not hate them." That meant she didn't hate Faridah either. Ryan was grateful she saved him the time from asking her again in the same context but with a different name. He wasn't sure how she treated stupid questions, but he preferred not to find out.

"My husband needs someone to blame, you know this don't you?" She looked at him and it seemed as though she saw the answer immediately, she nodded. It was like she plucked it from his eyes (as odd as that sounds). She was very different from Faridah. Sure, the two of them were formidable, but Baha's wife seemed more approachable somehow. "You'd best go now. If there's one thing I know for sure, my husband is not patient." Ryan believed her.

He rushed out of the room with thoughts on Baha al Din. He was difficult. Why would anyone hate someone knowing that they aren't the one at fault? Oh well, adults were weird. His little sister was similar, she would complicate things often. He never understood her, but the arguments would usually be between his two sisters anyway. He was always the bystander.

Baha al Din, of course, was not impressed. "What took you so long?" He grumbled. Ryan was prepared for it though and just answered. "Uh, had a conversation." Maybe if he was lucky, the bitter old man wouldn't bite his head off. "Is there anything else you'd like me to do?"

"You mean aside from shutting that trap of yours?"

"Uhh…" Ryan was glad he wasn't as hotheaded as his sister as he stumbled. "Uh…yeah, aside from that."

"No." He turned back to his work. Ryan felt rejected; this guy really didn't want him to be there. But the thing was, Ryan didn't want to leave (As odd as that was). "Can I come back?" Ryan could not believe what he was saying yet his desire to learn the blacksmith procedure was too much for him.

Baha al Din did not look at him as he grunted. "Do what you wish." Ryan supposed he was at this point, needing to feel grateful that he was considering his wishes.

But Ryan smiled at the thought of returning and thanked the man, quickly moving on his way back to Shadin and his Teasing wife. Shadin was standing up again as though waiting for his return the whole time. He looked relieved, as though he'd expected Ryan to come back in pieces. To tell the truth, Ryan was sure the old man was going to do something along those lines…But later.

"It's time to go?" Shadin looked a little heisitant, as though he enjoyed his time. Ryan found himself smiling at this. Maybe he'd be able to have a companion for his visits here. "Yeah…But I'm thinking of coming back."

Shadin looked surprised but delighted. "Ah! Could I come as well?"

"Why not? Bye, Mrs. Al Din." He smiled (though unsure if he addressed her properly) and waved as she replied cheerfully, unpertubed. "Come back anytime, It'd be nice to have some decent company that actually speak." He supposed she was speaking about her husband. She was a brave woman to take jabs at his husband like that without feeling he would strangle her or something. Just as they left, he noticed Shadin and her sharing a look between themselves. He briefly wondered what they were talking about while he was gone.


Long after Shadin and him separated, Ryan was walking towards the home cheerfully. He boyishly dreamed of the weaponry he would be making as he entered the residence. Faridah, however, did not share Ryan's jubilation as she looked at him with a threatening stare. "Just where were you?!" Nadir could be heard chuckling. "And out so long?" He didn't look angry, just curious.

"I was learning." Ryan replied, still in a dream.

The couple would exchange a confused expression with one another but would ask no more, seeing how happy Ryan was, injured or not. Faridah's anger deflated as she sighed in relief.

"Very well, just be sure to tell us the next time you decide to wander off." Chided Faridah as Ryan went to his room and fell to the bed with a sigh. He realized then how exausted he felt.

But he slept easily that night, dreaming like a child would of toys of ideas for a design that would suit a weapon. Unlike most boys, Ryan dreamt of making weapons instead of using them.


Ryan woke up in the early hours and came to the dwelling to find that Baha al Din was there already, he did not seem surprised to see Ryan back. If he was, he didn't show it. Shadin wasn't there, but with Kahla al Din. He found out that was Baha's wife's name. Was it a coincidence that their names kind of rhymed?

He had left the two to discuss…things. Things that Shadin refused to tell him about. Ryan figured they were talking about him, but shrugged it off. Shadin didn't seem like the type to talk about people behind their back.

Entering the room, Ryan noticed the tools were not out and fire was not going. This was unusual, especially since it seemed like common sense to be working now while there was still much time. "What's going on?" It was different since the room wasn't its usual warm temperature. It actually seemed pretty chilly without the fire going, oddly enough.

The man merely took what seemed like a list and shoved it towards Ryan. "Hold this."

Ryan watched as the middle aged man took a few choice weapons and wrapped them tenderly in leather to keep them unscathed and safe to carry. "We are making deliveries today." He said as he walked out, Ryan following.

The list of people was, of course, not recognizable to Ryan and to each household, it seemed grander than the next. They looked amazing, he couldn't describe them well enough to do them justice but obviously a lot of people were hired to build them. Of course, to get to said places they needed to take a horse. Sure, they could have used a cart but NO, Baha was stingy as well as infuriating. But after much though, Ryan decided it wasn't that troubling, they didn't really carry that much anyway when it came to the deliveries.

After much thought, he decided that informing Baha al Din of his fear of horses would only encourage more insults, so he kept quiet.

Nadir actually was serious about teaching him how to ride a horse that day. When he gets serious, it's scary. Well, if there was one thing Ryan could reflect from that day, it was that riding a horse was nothing like driving. Or riding a horse in a video game. It was definitely not like that. You basically had a living, breathing…warm animal beneath you. And that said animal was tall, so being on it would make you like twice your size. It was cool…until they started running (Or do they call it galloping?).

The lesson ended with Ryan screaming to get off the horse while Amyl kept on running around in circles having the time of his life. Ryan swore that horse was laughing at him. He must have looked like an idiot. Shadin was there to witness the whole thing and couldn't stop laughing; the poor guy looked like he was going to die from lack of breath. He was sure everyone within the area heard him screaming.

Hopefully Baha al Din wasn't part of the population who did. Baha al Din would spare no complaint and scoldings to Ryan but would end up helping the boy nonetheless (but not without grumbling how unbelievably "tiresome" it was).

Ryan discovered that Baha al Din had an amazing talent for aggravating everyone he met and that when angered, he would cuss…a lot. Ryan at times, felt very tempted to cover his ears from the tainted words.

On the way of the deliveries it seemed almost as though the man had an attendance list of people to insult, never seeming to have a positive thing to say about anything or anyone. Some of his customers were French some were Arabic but they all seemed to tick Baha al Din off somehow. One thing was for sure, his insults weren't directed at anyone in particular, but everyone.

Maurice Chastel, for example, was supposedly idiotic and didn't know what a sword was; only purchasing them as though they were trinkets. Baha liked to comment how unbelievably fake his French accent was.

Then there was the LeBranché family who he liked to comment how bratty and pompous they were. "Who do they think they are?!" He would complain again and again how they would find imaginary faults in his work added with a few cusses (no charge).

Ousama Rashid, Nazir Khan, Jacques Novae, Armand Loraque…This list went on. He would talk and talk and talk. And then talk some more. Ryan even once considered asking if the guy would shut his trap for five minutes but knew the attempt would be pointless. And then followed by unnecessary insults directed at him instead. Ryan couldn't bring himself to tell anyone to shut up anyway, so the insults were hurled at him continuously in the man's catapult of a mouth.

The rides were never quiet or with awkward silence as Baha al Din never gave a chance for it. He'd always have something to complain about. Including the pace at which the horse was riding...when he was the one at the reigns.

And while walking towards the households he would nag on how Ryan wasn't holding the packages "properly". And instead of whispering it or saying it in any way that would have been described as quiet he would shout it, causing a commotion.

He once even almost caused some guards to come, which nearly caused Ryan to die of embarassment. But usually his answer "Yes sir." would keep Baha al Din's temper at minimum (though he would sometimes mimic Ryan for his consistant answer and mock him).

What Baha also never failed to do was comment how cheap the customers were the rich people apparently hadn't a clue how much work it took to make one weapon. That was possibly one of the only comments Ryan enthusiastically agreed with other than mechanically nodding saying "Uh huh, yeah, sure." He had witnessed many of the wealthy only picking a weapon for their decorations. Only the ones with fighting experience seemed to know the difference between the showy weapons and the reliable.

But though Baha al Din was a basically a shriek and a complainer there was no doubt that he enjoyed his job with a passion. His worked shined with his skill and he was not afraid to show it. He let Ryan watch him despite the fact that he barely knew him. For all he knew, Ryan could have been a spy…or something.

Ryan also noticed when working for Baha al Din that though he got angry at Ryan a lot, he never beat him. At times, his fury would be at its highest and Ryan would prepare for the attack only to never receive it. Ryan realized the words were just a disguise. This bitter man wasn't mean at all. He was probably just a soft little teddie bear that hated to be hugged in public. Ryan didn't tell him that, though.

In a way, Baha al Din had begun to like Ryan. He just had a strange way of showing it; constantly attacking the boy with verbal insults and curses. But Ryan was joyful nonetheless. Just seeing that old man, calmly working the weapons was enough for him to be reassured.


Ah, and thanks a bunch for reading. You are all awesome...to me (which, I think, means alot).