Out of nowhere, a hand grabbed at me, and before I could turn and slap him off, my hair was grabbed and I was pulled backwards until I was clutching at my head biting my lip so I wouldn't scream. I could taste the blood on my tongue. Whoever this was, he wasn't pleased with me, that was for sure.

That's when I heard the voice in my ear, the sort of cracked voice of a teenage boy, "Looks like you still didn't learn a thing." Then I was shoved forward and grabbed by another boy who pushed me back to the first. Like I was the ball in a game of catch. That game was only brought to an end when I tripped and fell face first in the dirt road. My side burning.

Breathing heavily, I rubbed the dirt from my face and looked up just before my hair was once again grasped tightly in one of their fists. This time I couldn't hold back the yelp of pain that jumped from my throat. Both burning with humiliation and anger, I asked my attackers with venom dripping in my tone, "Why are you doing this?"

"Oh you don't get it do you?" He chuckled, and then one of his friends stepped in front of me, his gaze seemed less... bloody thirsty than what I would have assumed. But then again, the others... they had murderous looks in their eyes. "You're a disgrace to our order, weak and niave, no one will miss you. In fact, they'll be happy when they know you're gone! Do it, Asif!"

The boy in front of me flinched a little at the sound of his name. His amber eyes studied me, as if actually beginning to wonder if I was worth it. Well if that was the case, then fine! See me as worthless as you want, at least I might be spared! "Numair, what's the point? I think you got the message accross. We should return."

"No." This Numair hissed, his hand tightening in a strong fist around my hair. "No, no, no. Not until I give this rat what she deserves!"

What I deserve? What did I even...? Oh no... not this again... I trembeld a little, teeth clenched tight as I tried to glare out through the corner of my eye at Numair to no avail. "What did I do then? Why punish me if I don't know what crime I've committed?"

"Shut up, you!" He shouted, tugging my head back with much force that I screamed in pain. "I know you remember! It was that day at the training circle! I know you remember it! I made sure it would stick with you!" I could hear a strangled sob. "You killed Nimr! Because of you, he's dead!"

Nimr... I knew that name... He was Numair's twin brother, they did everything together. Everything except fighting. It was the same day as when I cut my own leg. Before I had, I was in a sparring match with Nimr with real swords. It was suppose to be a training match at least, until the boy got motivated by the cheers of other students and stepped up his game. I was trying to defend myself from brutal strikes, heavy blows of the blade were enough to knock me down. In my panic, as I was on my back and he was about to point the sword to my nose, I shoved my sword deep into his stomach. But right away, I knew what I did and pulled it out as he fell down clutching the wound. Everyone stared at me like a killer that day... And too afraid to face the mob of angry students who were Nimr's friends, I sliced my leg in order to be taken away, and be spared. Altair hadn't been given the full story at the time either, so he wasn't aware that what I had done was completely out of self defence.

Or so I'd like to think at least. I still feel a harsh guilt about it. The first man I ever killed... was a brother... Why I wasn't executed was beyond me.

"Do it, Asif! Do it now!" Numair yelled.

I went forward as it seemed my hair was released, and I fell on my hands and knees, looking over my shoulder to see none other than my brother. Rowan had a hand gripping Numair by the back of the neck, and a dagger in his other. In Numair's fist was a large wad of light, pale brown hair. Upon seeing that, I reached back to feel where my hair came to a sudden, choppy end at the center of my neck.

"You leave the girl alone!" Rowan growled. "If you don't, I won't hesitate to kill all five of you!"

Now normally an Assassin wouldn't be scared my a scholar. But damn, my brother was one scary scholar. Like I said before, he was big, and could easily crush a man with brute strength. On top of that, he was smart too, so he could easily figure out how to best you. If anything, he would have made a lot better of an Assassin than I did.

And these boys knew it too. With fear in their eyes, they ran from him, and I sat on the ground feeling my now bare neck and looking up at him with some sort of fearful graditude. At least I knew I could count on him when it mattered.

He pulled me up easily. "Sorry about your hair, are you alright?"

Shivering now, I nodded slowly. "Y-yeah... I'm fine... thanks..."

He sighed and lightly touched the uneven ends of my shorter hair. "Maybe we should go back home and have mother neaten out your hair."

I shook my head. "No. I can do it myself. But tell her and Anne I said hi."

With a smiled he nodded and patted my shoulder. "You'll make it back alright?"

"I should be okay," I told him. "I'll see you around."

And with that, I walked away towards the fortress, still touching the unneat ends of my forcefully cropped hair. But then again, if Rowan didn't do it, then what might have happened to me then? Or what else could have become of Numair. It seemed that the small sacrific of my curls was better than a dagger lodged in the boy's hand. Well... at least it would grow back.

When I returned to the medicial hall of the fortress, I was quick to spot the startled look on Hasuh's face.

"Red, what happened?"

I shrugged. "It's nothing of importance..."

"But...!"

Cutting him off I repeated again a little more strained, "It's nothing. Now let me be."

Right away he snapped, "But your bleeding!"

I froze upon hearing that, and became conscious of the warmth trickling down my side. But how did... they must have been using weapons before... I just didn't notice.

"Come on, I'll see to it and you can tell me what in the world happened while you were gone." Hasuh said in a sort of parent like way. Of course, I couldn't disregard his concerns, he had every right to them.