The Assassin's Sister

Chapter 21 – The New Regime

A'sha stood on the battlement of Damietta's massive stronghold fortress overlooking the port and the mouth of the Nile. Though the port had been taken by the Crusaders and was held by a fleet from Genoa as well as their Frisian allies.

Besieged, the Ayyubid ruler, Al-Kamil refused to give up Egypt or the Nile, the gateway too it. A'sha, his cousin, who was far older than he, but also far wiser, stood united with him with her assassins. She had personally killed Simone Doria, the admiral of the fleet, thinking his death would scatter those who remained, but the leadership fell to his son Pietro, who was far more cautious and paranoid. The death of his father by someone who seeming evaporated into smoke had made him afraid.

The kill had reminded Al-Kamil that his cousin, though a strong leader was still a master assassin. Though she had many of her assassins carry out such deaths, she had seen to this one, to remind all, on both sides who they were dealing with. Unlike the Brotherhood of Masyaf who appeared and did nothing to compromise the rest of the Order as the third tenant of the Creed, A'sha left markers, a white feather on the body, a mark of her Order. She had dipped another in the blood of the man she had put to rest and brought it to Al-Kamil.

She stood, looking out over the port as the sun was setting. Cemil, her faithful second, joined her. He had once been her husband's man, but now served her and his words were only second to the Mentor herself. The breeze from the sea moved her cloak about her as she stood watching.

"Mentor." Cemil greeted.

She smiled, but did not turn to him. "Has Al-Kamil seen to the retreat?" She asked.

He nodded coming to her side. "He is even now moving his troops."

"Strange the Nile did not flood."

He sighed, lifting a leg to lean against it. "They call the Nile a woman. She floods and ebbs as a woman's monthly flow. The flood's absence will be felt with next year's crops."

She nodded. "And the lack flood keeps us in danger here."

He sighed. "When did you last sleep?" He asked touching her arm.

"Two nights ago." She said. Something she would admit to him only.

"And the last time you ate?"

"Breakfast."

He sighed. "A'sha, the Order looks up to you. It would not do to have you fall over."

She looked at him and narrowed her eyes. "I am well enough. I just have too much on your mind."

"The Princling worries as well." He said. He sighed. "Forgive me for this, but is there any truth to the rumors?"

"What rumors?" She asked cocking her head.

"Surely you have heard."

She arched an eyebrow.

He shook his head and turned away not sure how to proceed. Normally she knew of what he spoke before he did.

She lifted a hand to his shoulder. "Cemil. Come, now. We have shared enough to know you should not leave such things like that."

He closed his eyes. God, help him. "Some of the sultan's men speak that the only reason the sultan allows you to have your position is because you…"

She turned fully to him. "I…"

"Warm his bed as a lover." He said softly, wincing even as he said it.

She scoffed. "I am nearly a decade older than he." Which on the grand scheme of things was not much. Many men married younger wives with twenty sometimes thirty years between them. She had been closer to Malik in age than many wives. The seven years between her and the sultan was only two years more than between her and her husband had been, only now she was the elder.

He shrugged. "You bedded with Malik not long ago." He said. "He is a man away from his wives. You are a woman with needs." He lifted his hand. "I am not one to judge."

She took a breath in annoyance. "Once. And it meant nothing to either of us." She admitted slowly. "It was foolish for us both, but we had had too much wine…"

He straightened in surprise.

She lifted her ageless blue eyes to look at him from under her cowl. "Did you think you would be the only one other than Malik? That was hardly part of our arrangement." She asked. It was built on mutual respect and need. He had lost his wife and she her husband. They were equals in every other way and bonding so united not only them, but the Order as well, but neither had pledged to be monogamous.

He blinked. She had a fair point, but jealousy flared for a moment and then died. He was not about to allow jealousy over one act of passion make anger in his heart. The sultan could have his pick of anyone, younger, more beautiful. The fact he had chosen A'sha said the man had a keen idea what he wanted, and likely had wanted since he had met her. Cemil had bedded with her since they had come to Damietta months ago. It had started over him comforting her as she grieved for Malik.

"I do not even know if Malik is dead." She turned her head away and looked upwards. "I am damned anyway. I may as well be a woman. The she-devil bitch they claim me to be. A whore. At least this whore knows what she wants."

He grunted and shook his head. "You are not a whore. A she-devil…maybe…"

She snorted a laugh at that. He looked at her with a smirk and she smiled back. Such was the way with them. The complete trust. Even more than a married couple. Such was the bond of the Brotherhood.

He touched her cheek affectionately. Rarely did he do so openly, but he wanted to assure her he was not angry, had only been curious.

There was a strange sound. A'sha lifted her head and saw something coming toward them lobbed into the air from a ship catapult. It was a fire-bomb, but not like any she had seen before. It glowed blue as it hurled toward them. Pitch burned yellow, the fire fanning out behind. This stood out in the near moonless night. Fire bombs were meant to be hurled at a gate to set it aflame or hurl pitch into a wall to heat the stones of a wall, cracking it and causing it to crumble.

This was different.

It landed on the battlement near them, exploding sending flaming blue liquid into the thatch rooves below as it arched. A'sha gasped startled as she looked at Cemil as another hurled toward them. They turned, pivoting on their toes to run to raise the alarm.

A'sha yelled down to guards to help with the fires and be ready for more as they moved along. Another hit the stones of the battlement. Cemil gasped as the container exploded, sending blue flame toward them. He turned sharply, bodily pushing himself between the spray and A'sha. Her momentum, however, carried him backward into the pool of liquid that shimmered as it ignited as well. This soaked his leather shoes and licked upwards at his legs.

Cemil screamed in pain as the flames burned through his robes and heated his light mail. He dropped to his knees looking up at her in pain. She was in shock that she did not feel the flames on her own cowl as the quickly burned the cloth and burned her neck and cheek. She cried out also, tearing at the pain. She threw her clock from her as it ignited, passing over the flames.

She then gasped, hand against her blistered skin as she saw Cemil lying on his side, body engulfed in fire. He had been burned so much, he could no longer fight it as the flames took his body. She screamed as she reached for him. He looked at her, locking eyes with her as his blackened lips quivered in pain. The smell made her turn to vomit as other assassins came to them. They pulled their mentor away knowing that there was little to be done for Cemil.

She cried out, fighting calling for help as they hauled her back into the inner keep for safety as fires sprang up all about them.

ZzZ

Altair looked up at Masyaf from the valley below. The great spires of the fortress could be seen high above them.

He took a breath. It was good to be home at long last.

Ten years.

Ten long years they had seen to the Mongol threat. They had dealt with the great Khan who had murdered, raped, and enslaved much of Asia. It was only a matter of time before the Khan turned his eye Westward to the rest of the world.

Darim and their Chinese Assassin friend Qulan Gal had seen to the Khan's death by crossbow.

Now, he returned to retake his place as Mentor of his Assassin Order. Maria was beside him on her own horse, looking about. Behind them was Darim, now thirty-three, watching as they rode forward.

The air was strangely tense.

Had no one been expecting them? He had sent letters. He frowned as they continued.

They arrived at the base of the hill. A lone assassin was there and not the one they had wished to see. Swami had been a novice when they had left Masyaf. Neither Altair nor Maria cared for the young fool. He stood, now a full assassin, watching them with his beady eyes.

"Where is Rauf?" Altair asked without preamble. "I requested his presence to greet us and bring us to Mailk and A'sha."

"Apologies Mentor. He succumbed to a fever three years ago." Swami said.

And no one sent word? Altair exchanged a look with Maria. Something was wrong.

"Then my sister. Surely she and my son would have come." Altair continued.

"Sef and his family traveled to Alamut some time ago." Swami said. He shook his head. "Lady A'sha left the Order several years ago. No one has heard from her."

"And Malik?" Altair asked, growing tired of this.

"In prison, Mentor."

"For on earth for?" Altair asked.

"That, you should hear from the Council, Mentor."

Altair let out a sighing hiss. His own sister had left and not sent him word? Malik was in prison? Sef was in Alamut? What had happened to his Order? He looked down at the young man. "Our rooms have been prepared for us naturally then in the Master's Tower until we can meet with the council tomorrow."

"The Master's Tower did not have space Mentor. We prepared rooms in the Western Guest Tower until we can have proper accommodation made."

Altair grunted and then they moved to go to the fortress together. Once there, no one helped them with their belongings, as meager as they were. Maria shook her head and walked to the rooms that had been prepared.

These were sparse, even for guests. Altair sighed and shook his head as he went to the sleeping pallet and sat down wearily.

Darim narrowed his eyes being even more put out than his parents at the rooms.

Altair shook his head. "I know you are weary my son, but I need you."

Darim nodded setting down his things. "What is it father?"

"I need you to travel to Alamut. Bring back your brother. See if he has had word about my sister."

Darim nodded and straightened. "I will do as you require father." He said. "I can gain a few miles before the sun sets at least."

Altair nodded. "Safety and Peace my son."

Darim nodded and was off.

ZzZ

Maria and Altair made their way to what had been the Mentor's study when Al Mualim had been the Mentor of the Order. Altair had also used it as his own study. However, instead of books and a desk within it, there was a large table with chairs about it. A dais was at one end with three chairs. He cocked his head.

This would have been set for Sef, A'sha, and Malik to rule jointly, but why the others? What had happened to make for a Council not the rule he had set.

Abbas came into the room with Swami and several others. Abbas took his place at the head. Altair and Maria sat at the far end, watching those about them. Who where these assassins? None of them had the look or feel of true brothers.

"Welcome Altair. I look forward to hearing about your exploits to the east." Abbas said.

Maria sat down and looked at him. "First, before we say anything of our travels, we would like some answers, if you please, Abbas. We left Masyaf in good order. It would seem standards have slipped a bit."

"We left the Order…" Abbas smiled, though he didn't look at Maria. He looked at Altair. "When you left the Brotherhood there was only one Mentor. Now there appears to be two."

"Careful Abbas that your insolence does not cost you dear, Abbas." Maria warned.

"My insolence." Abbas laughed. "Altair, please tell the infidel that from now on she may not speak unless directly addressed by a member of this council."

With a shout of anger, Altair rose from his chair, which skittered back and tumbled to the stone. His hand went to the hilt of his sword at the insult brought his wife, but two guards came forward, weapons drawn.

Altair lifted his hands and spread them wide before reaching to gather his chair back.

"I think now we can begin." Abbas said. "Please do not waste our time further. Update us on your quest to neutralize the Khan."

"Only once you have told me of Malik, A'sha, and Sef. Why are they not here?" Altair asked, sitting once more.

Abbas arched an eyebrow showing that they were at an impasse. Altair growled a little and then told the Council of their travels to China and the Steppe. Told him of how Darim brought down the Khan. Told him that he, himself had been injured and nearly brought the Mongol camp upon them, but it was Darim who had killed him with his crossbow.

"His skills with a bow are beyond doubt." Abbas said. "Where is he then? Did you send him to Alamut then?"

It appeared that Abbas knew all that happened within the fortress walls.

"To see Sef at Alamut, perhaps?" Pressed Abbas. He looked at Swami. "You told them Sef was there, I trust."

"As instructed." Swami said.

Altair felt something in him that was worse than worry in his gut. Fear, perhaps. Maria, too, sensed it. Her face was drawn and anxious.

"Say what you have to say then Abbas." Altair said.

"Or what Altair?" Abbas asked.

"Or my first task when I resume leadership will be to have you thrown in the dungeons."

"There to join Malik then?"

"I doubt very much Malik belongs in prison." Altair snapped. His brother-in-law was a good just man. "Of what crime is he accused then?"

"A murder." Abbas smirked.

It was as though the word thumped onto the table.

"Murder of whom?" Altair heard Maria snap.

The reply, when it came, sounded far away, as though Abbas was miles away.

"Sef." Abbas said. "Malik murdered your son." He then looked at them. "And he tried to murder your sister, his own wife and mother of his children."

Maria gave a sharp outcry and put her head in her hands as she began to sob.

"No." Altair heard and realized it had been himself.

"I am sorry Altair." Abbas leaned back. "I am sorry to deliver such news upon your return. And may I speak for all those assembled when I extend my sympathies to you and your family. But you understand, until certain matters are cleared up, it will not be possible for you to resume leadership of this Order."

Altair was trying to unravel the jumble of emotions in his head. Beside him Maria was sobbing. "What?" He asked. "What?"

"You remain compromised at this point, so I have taken the decision that control of the Order remains with this Council. For now."

Altair shook his rage and sorrow. "I am the Master of this Order Abbas. I demand that leadership is returned to me, in line with the statutes of the Brotherhood. They decree it be returned to me upon my return."

"They do not." Abbas smiled a little. "Not anymore."

ZzZ

Later, in their residence, Maria and Altair huddled together in the dark. They had never felt so chilled when they slept on the Steppe and snows fell about them. The Order had fallen.

Altair had excused his wife from the Council and then demanded to hear the rest of the tale of the time he had been absent. The Templars had risen and taken back Cyrus. Abbas had claimed he could not spare the men dealing with Crusaders who were entering the lands once more.

Altair held his wife as they mourned their son.

He took a shaky breath, tears in his eyes as she shook against him, still weeping. Sef had been killed in his bed by Malik in a jealous rage just two weeks ago. The pair had been seen quarreling, over power the witness has guessed, but it later proved another reason. Sef and A'sha had been rumored to have become lovers and were plotting to overthrow the Council that had been formed as well as Malik's authority that he had been given by Altair. Sef had been murdered, throat cut deeply. A'sha had been in her study when she had been attacked by her husband, stabbed, nearly fatally. There had been no time to send a message about it to them. Malik had been found in his room, the weapon under his sleeping pallet. He had been put in prison after. A'sha, to protect her, had been sent to Egypt, to the healers there, but there had been no contact with her. Abbas had feared she had succumbed to her wounds.

Altair quaked in rage and pain. Such a betrayal against him and the Order was not in character for wither of them. It was very strange.

"I must speak to Malik." He said softly.

"They will not allow you to."

"I will find a way. I am a Master Assassin still." He said.

"They are watching us."

"Indeed, but I know ways to avoid them."

She nodded. "Be careful."

He took a breath. "First I must find a way."

ZzZ

He waited for a couple of days to make certain he was being watched. When he knew he was and whom was following him. They would be avoidable.

He moved quickly and quietly when he noted the person who was supposed to be watching him became interested in a bush nearby to prevent Altair from noticing him. With that Altair moved from his view and using the rooftops moved to the fortress. He knew Masyaf better than anyone since he had spent his youth climbing the walls to gain viewpoints of the area beyond.

He moved up the wall and squatted in the shadows as guards passed him, not noticing him in the dark. He controlled his breathing. He was still quick and agile and he could still climb and scale the walls, and yet…

Perhaps not with the ease he once did. His wound he had received would prevent him from moving with the grace he once had. He listened to the guards as he calculated his movements more than he ever had in his youth. He would be no use to anyone if he was dead.

He moved along the parapet to the citadel and then down to ground level avoiding guards the whole time. He found the grain stores and moved to the side where there were steps that led to the tunnels below. He paused, back to the wall. There was only the sound of the small streams of water in the tunnels. The Orders dungeons were so rarely used that they too would have been used for storage had it not been for the dank and damp of the tunnels.

He moved and could see the guard. He was sitting with his back to the side wall of the cell block, his head lolled in sleep. He was away from the cells and did not have an eye line on what he was guarding. Altair found himself simultaneously outraged and relieved at the man's sloppiness. Altair moved quickly bit him his feet making so little sound it was masked by the sound of the water.

Of the three cells the middle was locked. Malik was curled up on the small pallet that had been provided for him. Nearby was another one, but it was empty. The smell was unnerving. The smell of someone who had not bathed was bad enough, but it was clear no one had emptied the toilet bucket in days, perhaps longer. Altair covered his nose a moment in spite of himself.

Malik was clothed in rags or rather what had been his robes and black over garment that marked him as a high-ranking member of the order. Through his tattered and threadbare shirt, he could see the lines of Malik's ribs. His cheekbones were sharp bony outcrops on his face and his hair had grown long as had his beard. He had been in the cell far longer than a couple weeks, even longer than a month certainly. Perhaps even years.

It was not anger that filled Altair's heart at that moment, but pity. How long had he been sent to rot here? Long enough to have a message sent? Altair did not want to think about the implications. He was not about to allow his friend to remain there, however.

The guard opened his eyes and saw Altair standing over him. He then knew no more as Altair rendered him unconscious. He dragged him to the cell, opened the door, and laid the man in the other pallet. When he woke he would be alone in the urine and feces stinking cell.

Altair turned to Malik. He gently shook his shoulder. It was bone in his hands with hardly any muscle. "A'sha?" Malik asked hopefully. As if he had been dreaming.

"It is me, Altair." Altair said softly.

Malik looked up at him. "Fate has brought you home at last." The look of hope and happiness made Altair realize that Malik was not the enemy. He had not betrayed him.

Dropping his flash of anger, Altair leaned close. "Can you walk, my friend?" He asked.

The eyes opened and looked up at Altair as if he could not focus. When he finally did the look of relief and gratitude made Altair forget even the slightest doubts he had about his friend. He coughed a little and sat up slowly. "For you, I can walk." He said. He managed a small weak smile.

"Where is A'sha?" Altair asked hurriedly. Everything Abbas had said was a lie. Was she dead as well?

"Not here." Malik said walking with Altair weakly.

As they made their way through the tunnels it became clear that Malik did not have the strength to walk. Altair put his good arm around him and lifted him into his arms. The man had lost so much weight it was like carrying a small child out of the tunnels. Altair moved stealthy back to his home carrying the man.

Once there Altair laid the man down on the pallet gently. Maria came to his side giving him a beaker and holding it to his lips of life-giving water.

"Thank you." He said in a hoarse whisper to her when he had his fill. His eyes had cleared a little. He pulled himself up on the bed, made uncomfortable by Maria's proximity, as though he thought it dishonorable to be tended by her. He made no motion to fight her as she moved to treat the rat bites on his legs.

He took a breath. "Where is A'sha? Did she manage to return or was sending her away a fool's errand?"

"We were told you tried to kill her." Maria said evenly.

Malik paled. "Never!" He gasped. "I love my wife!" He said in horror at the thought.

Altair lifted a hand. "What happened to them Malik. What happened to my son?"

"Murdered." Malik said. "Two years ago, Abbas staged his coup. He had Sef killed, then placed the murder weapon, my own knife, broken as it was in the struggle during the murder in his study. The stone was left on the body to be found. A'sha was with him. She was stabbed. It should have also been fatal, but she lived…at least long enough for me to send her to Alexandria." He took a breath and coughed lightly. "Another assassin swore he'd heard Sef and I arguing and Abbas brought the Order to the conclusion that it was I who responsible for your son's death and the attempt on my own wife because I thought them lovers." He shook his head. "They were never that." He looked down. "Abbas told me on his last visit that he was sorry that A'sha had fallen. He would have taken better care of her, he said."

Altair felt like the room was closing in on him. Altair swallowed. Malik had not betrayed him. A'sha and Sef had not betrayed anyone either. They had paid for it however.

He looked to Maria. Two years their son had been dead. Rage started to build within Altair, white and hot, and he fought to control it and the impulse to turn, leave the room, go to the fortress, and cut Abbas then watch him be for mercy as he slowly bled to death as Altair watched.

Maria put a hand on his arm, feeling and sharing in his pain. "If A'sha is in Alexandria. Can we not send word to her?" She looked at Malik. "Why would he care if she fell? She was one more obstical to his coup."

"She is a woman and if he fathered a child on her, he would have a claim to the Order though her as a master and as your sister." Malik said looking down. "As disgusting as it is, I can see how he would come to that conclusion, especially with me out of the way."

Maria looked at him disgusted. "You speak of rape."

"Abbas is capable of it. He plotted to have me here for the death of your son. Who knows how far he would go." Malik said. His shoulders slumped. "I am sorry, Altair. There was nothing I could do to send a message while in prison and Amal likely could not either with him watching her like a hawk. Besides, Abbas controlled all communication in and out of the fortress. No doubt he has been changing our laws to benefit him." He said bitterly.

"He has." Altair nodded. "It seems he has supports on the council."

Malik looked up at him. "I am sorry, Altair. I should have anticipated Abbas' plans. For years after your departure he worked to undermine me. I had no idea he had managed to command such support, but he had. It would not have happened to a stronger leader. It would not have happened to you." He coughed and the fit made his whole-body shake.

Maria offered him more water and he took it gratefully and he sighed.

Altair patted his shoulder softly. "Do not trouble yourself. Rest, my friend." Altair said and he motioned to his wife.

In the next room, the pair said, Maria on the bench facing Altair who was in a high-backed chair.

"Do you know what you have to do?" Maria asked her husband.

"I have to destroy Abbas." Altair said his fists balling together.

"But not for the purpose of vengeance, my love." She tried to soothe. "Think more clearly. Let us bide out time for a time and see how to proceed. We can nurse Malik so he can testify."

He nodded. "You are right, my love." He sighed and leaned forward to kiss her gently before looking back at the sleeping form of Malik.

His poor frail friend.

ZzZ

Altair and Maria spent much of the day helping Malik recover.

It would take more than a day for the frail imprisoned man to gain his strength back, but they were able to allow him to bathe and have a fresh set of clothing, something he had not had in more than a year. He was grateful to them.

Altair left him in the care of Maria as he went to walk the grounds. He was angry, but he needed a level head to defeat Abbas. The assassins backed him. How could he win them back? What could be done to save his Order from chaos?

He needed his sister if he could send word to her.

He set it to the side and sighed looking down as he put his hands together. After sometime he heard footfalls. He looked up and found the company some he wanted. Maria, his beloved wife, came to him, her footfalls soft in the grass.

"Does he sleep?"

"Yes." She said. "What has happened?" She asked seeing his look.

"The Templars have retaken their archive on Cyprus. Abbas sent no reinforcements. It was a massacre."

"Oh my God." She gasped dropping to kneel before him her face full of anguish. They had married there to pay homage to the people who had been kind to them for liberating the people. Now that was in ruins.

"When we left ten years ago, this order was strong. But all of our progress has been undone." He lifted the small book. "These words make my heart angry to read." He took a breath. "I know that Sef died on the order of Abbas and how he died. It was not in his bed, but in the open defending himself." He took a breath to calm himself.

"Abbas must answer for this."

"Answer to whom?" He asked testily as he rose to his feet. "The assassins only obey his command now."

She looked at him and rose. "Resist your desire for revenge, Altair. Speak the truth and they will see their error." She said watching him walk away from her.

He turned to her, eyes flashing. "He executed our youngest son, Maria, he deserves to die!" He growled spreading his hands.

"Perhaps, but if you do not win back the Brotherhood through honorable means, its foundations will crumble."

He took a breath and stepped to her. She was always the voice of reason on his heart. That was why he loved her so. She would speak her mind without fear with him and gently calm him. He sighed. "You are right." He said finally. "Thirty years ago I let passion overrun my reason. It created a rift that has never fully healed."

He touched her face gently and she leaned into the caress. "We need to face him on this." She said.

He nodded. "Yes."

She turned to walk toward the fortress. "Speak reasonably and reasonable men will listen."

"Some will, but not Abbas. I should have expelled him thirty years ago when he tried to steal the Apple." Altair said walking beside her.

"But you gained the respect of the assassins because you let him stay.

"How do you know this? You were not there." He said looking at her

She smiled a little looking up at him. "I married a masterful storyteller."

He took a breath and then looked about. Assassins were milling around the courtyard, but there was no swordplay, no barks from instructors, and no sounds of anything. Silence. "Look at this place. Masyaf is a shadow of its former self." He said looking about.

"We have been away for a long time." Maria said looking around as well.

"But not in hiding." Altair said. "The Mongol threat demanded out attention and we rode to meet it. Who here can say the same?"

Maria took a breath and shook her head. "Where is our eldest son? Does Darim know his brother is dead?"

"I sent a message for him after we learned of his death. With luck it has reached him already." He said.

They entered the library and the back gate, wrought of metal and glass lifted to reveal the back gardens of the fortress. They walked to it and out blinking in the bright sunshine.

"Abbas. I almost pity him. He wears his grudge like a cloak." Altair said.

"His wound is deep. It will help him to hear the truth."

"As I walk these streets I feel a great fear in the people, not love." The assassins had once been the protectors and had on many times protected the Levant from Templars and others to keep the people safe. The people used to love them and now, things had changed.

"Abbas has dismantled this place and robbed of all the joy."

Altair took a breath. "We may be walking to our doom, Maria."

"We may, but we walk together." She said reaching for his hand. He took it and squeezed it a moment before releasing it to continue.