"There are changes in society and you are no longer his duty." Goutar said slowly,
"Hang on why haven't I heard anything about this?!" Leah demanded flaring up instantly,
"Malik just reminded me to your position with Altair, your new carer will have to be discussed with Rafik-"
"CARER?! I don't need to be cared for! What'd you think I am some beggar passed around!?" Leah shot out rather insulted.
"Calm down Leah." Malik droned out,
"You knew this'd happen..." Leah said quietly turning to Malik as her mind clicked into place,
"While you were outside someone told me of the new proceedings." Malik said simply, his face impassive.
"Leah come on, we'll see Al Mualim I need to know what is going on." Altair grunted having finally dressed himself.
"Well I'm staying with Altair." Leah declared,
"He isn't in the position to accept your duty, unless Rafik lifts the duty to care for you a member of the brotherhood will continue Altair's duty, quite possibly the second in rank."
"And who's that?!"
"Maness."
"...I find that an amazing co-incedence." She stated crossing her arms in front of her chest disaprovingly,
"I will not hand Leah over to that second rate cheating Assassin." Altair hissed his eyes glaring dark fury at an imaginary Maness.
"That isn't up for you to decide. Altair see our Master you will do well to not dis obey him and his wishes." Malik advised getting to his feet.
"Do not worry Malik I'll only do a certain amount of boot licking you can have the rest of it." Altair spat out as she adjusted his robes slowly.
"Altair-" Malik growled out rising to his feet,
"Leah look at this an angry cripple." Altair said cheekily his eyes resting on the stump of Malik's arm, or what was left of it joined onto the shoulder sub merged in bandages.
"I will NOT be a cripple!" Malik shouted out taking a step forwards,
"Altair don't be so mean – Malik he never meant it." Leah said quickly pulling on Altair's arm, he gave her a look begging to stay behind and argue, "Come on Altair – if you stay much longer your not going to leave the medic anytime soon!!"
"Altair I'd like to see you sleep at night knowing what you have done!" Malik shouted bitterly after the pair,
"I can sleep very well thankyou!" Altair shouted back from the stairs out of sight as Leah pulled him away. "And what are you doing looking at me sleep?!"
"That mouth of yours...honest to God..." Leah muttered releasing Altair's arm as they emerged back into the fort she shook her head at him with a grin,
"Don't you start, he had it coming..." Altair muttered rotating his shoulder to loosen the joint,
"They all say that, you better get a move on. I'll wait here for you."
"No come up with me, I need to know what'll happen now." Altair said his head indicating to the stairs leading to the study of Al Mualim,
"I...don't want to see the old man."
"Tough, if I have to – your coming with me." Altair said grabbing her as she started to edge away,
"But I don't want to...." Leah whined one hand hooked under the stair bannister as Altair tugged on her other,
"Move – or we'll be late!" he snapped tugging,
"No!" Leah replied her hand slipping slightly,
"We're making a show of our selves..." he muttered before yanking again,
"So let me go you ass!" Leah hissed seeing a few scholars point and whisper, "Stop looking! Haven't you ever seen a girl getting pulled in half?!" she called out to them,
"We have but never thought Altair would be in this situation." One sniggered to her from a distance,
"What situation?!" Altair snapped pausing in his pulling,
"Holding hands, Altair has found his sensitive side." The other Scholar laughed out, Altair reached for a throwing knife but found he had none so he resorted to a glare and a snarl at the pair,
"Leah see what they're saying?!" he hissed to her ear pausing in his relentless pulling,
"I heard!"
"So let go of the bannister already!"
"No."
"I'll carry you up if you don't." He warned lowly,
"No you wouldn't, you'd just break your back or something."
"Let's find out." Altair declared and wrenched her off the bannister, tossed her over his shoulder and became to climb the stairs despite her protests.
"I look like you just hunted me!!" Leah complained as she propped her head up on Altair's back,
"Well you'd run if I put you down!" Altair grumbled,
"So? That's your problem."
"No it's not, you don't want me running after you."
"You was before and I would have gotten away with it.{If it weren't for thos emeddling kids.}"Leah thought with a giggle,
"Do I need to remind you that you were caught by Maness? Which is the reason why we're going to see-"
"Altair would you please explain why you have a womans back side upon you." Al Mulaim asked watching him, he stood on the stairwell of the study Altair still quite some way down,
"I...was just about to drop her." Altair said tonelessly and promptly let go of his hold on Leah, squaling she crashed onto the stone steps painfully. Altair looked down and was met with a furious glare as Leah righted herself complete with a band of bruises on her fore arm.
"Rather un neccessary come to my study we have much to discuss." Al Mualim beckoned giving Leah a disapproving glance as he turned,
"Well come on up." Altair hissed, grabbing Leah to her feet.
"You didn't have to just drop me!"
"I weren't about to be berated about carrying women." He replied quietly, moments before he stood with her before his Master.
"Why is the girl still here?"
"I request her audience with you alongside me."
"Oh?" Al Mualim asked beneath his hood, his face non too pleased, "Very well. As you know you are a novice again, stripped of all status, weapons and duties."
{What about his skills? You can't take skills away from him...} Leah decided,
"Duties save for my charge with Leah?"
"Your duty of this girl is the first one off your list, you are not fitted to provide for her-"
"I can provide for her- I care for her as I do myself!" Altair snapped defiantely,
"Silence Altair! My decision are for what is best," Al Mulaim turned his attention to Leah who froze under his surveying stare, "You are free to go back from wherever you originate from."
"She has no where to return to!...Am I correct?" Altair added hesistantly, and Leah nodded,
"She will have to continue on her own, the brotherhood is not a charity for lost or homeless people. We defend out beliefs and Maysaf-"
"Al Mualim!! The village is under attack!" a young man blurted out, skidding to a halt as he gasped out the news,
{Surprise,surprise...} Leah thought rolling her eyes as Al Mualim sent him away,
"Take your sword and nothing more, go child and save Masaf." Al Mualim commanded passing Altair a blade. Without a look at Leah he sprinted off in a furious manner, she took a few steps after him before being called back.
"Do not think me so heartless child, but the brother hood can simply not accomodate you. We have far greater needs and serve larger purposes than caring for those who cannot themselves-"
"Um yea that's noble but I'd rather stay with Altair-"
"You cannot, I will not allow it. You have swayed the coldest minds of all Assassin with your prescence, Altair is now emotionally challenged..."
"Emotionally challenged? What!? He hasn't got issues." Leah replied attempting to avoid the inevitable expulsion from the fort.
"He has now ever since you've managed to befriend him crudely. To prevent my highest Assassin from distraction, you will have to leave."
"But I ...have no where to go." Leah stammered out,
"Neither do the beggars on the street, and they are far less capable of you. I'm sure you will be fine. May the brotherhood be with you." Al Mualim said and waved her dismissal.
{Well the brotherhood is obviously not with me if your sending me away!} Leah thought and stomped down the steps, she decided to find Malik as Altair was busy killing people before Robert deSable showed up.
As she made her way she heard the yelling of the returning men,
"Leah!" Altair shouted out as he sprinted up dodging between people to get to her,
"That is gross! What the hell is that on you – " She said spying soemthing ugly on his robe,
"No time come with me!" Altair decided flicking off the sliver of red on his arm that had slapped onto him. He grabbed her arm and tugged her through the crowd of fleeing people,
"Altair!" Maness called out dressed in Assassin Robes,
"I'm abit busy for bastards-"
"No this comes from Al Mualim – you are our best and we have a little show for DeSable." Maness said and climbed the ladder, beside him leading to a turret {building thing}
With a scowl Altair followed bringing Leah with him,
"You brought the girl?! That's enough, come here!" Maness said and grabbed Leah's arm wrenching her from Altair, who reached out grasping her shirt,
"She stays with me." Altair demanded tightening his hold,
"You cannot perform the leap of faith with some street urchin flying with you!" Maness snarled tugging Leah, who had given up trying to free herself. She was the tug of war toy between these snnapping Assassins.
"Leap of faith? That is what Al Mulaim wants?" Altair said shrewdly,
"Yes – get on the platform!" Maness snapped and gave Altair a push to his own wooden plaque.
"Keep Leah safe-" he said turning around slightly,
"Shush! DeSable is here..." Maness breathed out and pointed past Altair. Manesss threw Leah to some guards standing nearby who detained her hands in shackles.
"Watch closely you will be performing this soon." Maness whispered to her before returning to his wooden platform. In unison the assassins on the platforms jumped gracefully off it and plummeted down.
"Did he just say I'm going to perform that?!" Leah demanded to the guard on her left. The helmeted head nodded and thrust her forwards to the platform. As she looked precariously down, she could see Altair presumably darting along the wooden beams, where as Maness tended to the guy with a broken leg.
{Broken leg?!}
"I can't do this!" Leah hissed to the guards behind her,
"You'll have to Al Mualim is depending on an innocent to show how the brotherhood has the support-"
"WHAT?! I'm not commiting suicide! – have you seen the height of this plank!?" he demanded pointing to the drop down.
"You have no choice – now jump. JUMP!" The guard shouted and Leah bolted...into the air rather stupidly. Her breath was caught in her chest as she tumbled down irractically, almost comically. Not a moment later her body slapped into a haystack and was covered from sight. As her head finally stopped spinning and pounding, she regained the use of her limbs and movement
{Deja vu indeed, I've gotta stop falling from the sky and down into the hay...feckin hurts like hell. Think I'll stay here for a while...have a nice kip while I determine if me head's cracked...}