Hello everyone, I'm alive!
*Sigh* Guys, I don't have any right to apologize for the time I took for writing this... Seriously, I'm so ashamed. This chapter had beaten me to a pulp, I just couldn't seem to finish it.
Anyways, I hope you still like it, even though it took a bazzilion years to be submitted here.
Thank you everyone who let a review and favorited Twists. I'm extremely sorry for everyone who asked for an update :( I felt really bad for not submitting the chapter whenever I got a review asking me for "please, update ToF".
Enjoy the chapter! I believe the next chapter wil be the last one, with the unroll of Sayid's (If you still remember him)plot and the final relic of eden!
PS:I revised this chapter only once, so my eyes may have tricked me and there may be some mistakes, but I'm not sure. I'm sorry if there is so! I'll try to re-read it to search for the errors.
PS2:I'll not be able to answer your reviews :( I'm in a kind of hurry and I still have to update Beyond the Sea Line(Hopefully in a couple of hours). I'm sorry and thank you guys a lot for the reviews once again!
PS3: I'm a liitle/very sleepy, so sorry if I wrote anything wrong.
Elissa woke up some time after the dawn. She yawned and then groaned heavily when she tried to stretch out. Her body seemed to ache ten times worse than the day before. She clenched her teeth in annoyance and gently rubbed the sore muscles of her arms.
Finding out that Altair wasn't in the bed anymore wasn't much of a surprise, since he always woke up before her. She smiled to herself and lazily rolled to where he had been sleeping. She buried her face on his pillow, breathing in softly to feel his characteristic scent of beach sand. With a sigh, she closed her eyes again in order to rest a bit more.
That is, until she finally noticed that there was someone observing her. She opened her eyes again, eyebrows raised. Altair stood by the wardrobe, watching her. He had put on his trousers again, but still not a shirt. She guessed he was getting dressed when she woke up.
"What are you doing?" He asked with his usual cold yet calm voice, even though she could feel the amusement inside him.
Elissa chuckled and turned to lie on her back, grimacing at the pain that inflamed her flesh.
"I don't know. I just happened to feel your scent on the pillow then I was going to sleep again"
His silence made her turn her eyes to him. His gaze lingered on her, as if he was analyzing her form entirely even if she was fairly covered by the blanket. She felt blood creeping to her cheeks, but didn't avert her sight from him.
He then moved towards her. She shifted, feeling uneasy by the warm wave every step of his brought her. As a distraction, she looked to the bandages wrapped around his abdomen. A worried frown curved her lips and she looked up to meet his eyes again. He had stopped by the edge of the bed and watched her silently.
"How are your injuries?"
Altair sat on the bed beside her and took a long sigh.
"They are healing. It were not the most severe of my injuries." He brushed a strand of her hair away from her face "What about yours? You seem to be in pain."
"No, I'm fine" She lied, trying to avoid the topic from fear it would end up on him asking about the battle. He frowned and she saw him opening his mouth to say something, but she intervened quickly. "What happened exactly between you and Al Mualim?" Elissa whispered, eyes going back to his bandaged torso.
He fell quiet. She watched him, but he looked ahead, as if he was reliving the memories on his head. It took a while for him to say something.
"He was working with the templars" He stopped for a while. Elissa looked at him with worry "The power of the apple corrupted his mind, he went mad with it"
With a sigh, he rested his back at the wall behind him. Elissa kept looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to say something else, but he didn't, instead, he turned to her and stared at her mysteriously. She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head in question, but he just blinked. A movement at his side made her look down and she saw his hand moving towards her.
His rough warm palm cupped her bruised cheek and she looked up again. He caressed her with his thumb softly.
"Now it is your turn, tell me what happened"
He raised an eyebrow as her lips moved in a gulp.
"I... uhm..."
Silence. Altair tilted his head and looked at her a bit more severely. That was enough to raise her gaze up to him again.
She cleared her throat "I fought..."
"With who? And why?"
"Whoa, wait a minute there's something on my eye and-"
"Elissa"
She sighed "Fine." Her eyes diverted from his once again "Please don't be mad, it was necessary..."
"That does not answer my questions"
Elissa bent her mouth in annoyance with his smart remarks and looked at him "With Abbas"
Altair's gaze seemed to be lit up on fire "What?!"
"I asked you not to be mad about it" She grumbled and huffed "I had to do something to break the apple's spell of the assassins. Abbas seemed the best path to the goal, and I was right. It just took some little show and-"
She flinched when he suddenly got up.
"You could have gotten yourself killed!" He told her with harshness, back turned to her. She heard him huff and saw as he ran a hand through his face.
His words left a sour taste in her mouth. It was not like she hadn't thought about that before she called Abbas' attention, but to hear him saying it made the possibility seem higher than she had estimated at that time.
"I'm sorry Altair" Her low, guilty whisper reached his ears. He heard a heavy sigh after it and the shuffle of the covers on the bed "I just had to do something. The sword... it seemed to tell me that I had the power to do it. I had to try; I would not be able to face myself again if I had just stared all those people die by the hands of their own family"
When Altair turned to her, she was sitting on the mattress, covered by the sheets and staring at the ground thoughtfully. He walked to the bed and stood in front of her until she raised her gaze to him.
Her eyes softened when he placed his hand at the base of her head and buried it in her hair. The gentleness of the touch made her feel calm and think that he was not angry anymore.
But then he suddenly pushed her and she fell back into the bed, eyes wide with surprise.
She was about to protest, especially because her back hurt like hell, but before she could blink, he had crawled above her and held her chin loosely but authoritative.
"Inconsequent fool" He whispered huskily. His amber eyes burned her face. Heat spread through her body like poison, anesthetizing her body from the pain.
Elissa yelped when he nipped her neck quite harshly. Her hands instinctively glued to his strong forearms beside her body, feeling his muscles contract and relax beneath her palms, and buried her nails on his skin.
"Promise me you will never risk yourself like this again," He breathed out on her ear
A warm sigh escaped her lips before she cleared her throat and tried to recompose herself to answer.
"Altair, I've tol-"
He bit her again and once more she yelped. She frowned at him.
"Would you stop that?"
The assassin raised his head so he looked her in the eyes. A cocky smirk curved his lips, in exchange; she put up a fail excuse for an angry face with her cheeks burning red.
"Do you really want me to?" He provoked, his tone a low purr.
Her frown deepened in an attempt to seem serious "Very much"
He chuckled slyly and nipped her earlobe "I beg to differ"
Sadly for her, the gasp she let out was the only answer he needed.
"Promise me" He breathed hypnotically and bit her again
That tone, by the heavens, was driving her insane. Her soul seemed to be about to leave her body as she answered.
"Alright… I promise…"
Altair once more raised his head to take a look on her and smirked at the hazed gaze of the girl. It took a while for her vision get on focus again. When it did, she immediately bent her mouth in annoyance.
"That's cheating, you know?"
His answer was only his sly smirk before he sat on his calves, pulling her by the arm and kissing her with renewed hungriness.
"I still cannot believe you are here" He breathed into her mouth before locking their lips again. Elissa's hands rested on his chest, glued in place by the sudden change of his actions. His arms squeezed her as he plunged his tongue deeply into her mouth before he parted their lips "I cannot risk losing you again, that is why I ask you to take care"
At this, Elissa smiled and pulled back a little to look him in the eyes
"I am not going anywhere anymore" She whispered softly and delicately ran a hand through his hair, caressing him fondly.
He smiled briefly and started massaging her scalp and arms slowly "How did you do it?" He licked his lips "How did you come back?"
Her smile fell as she grew serious again, but she kept on stroking his hair, for times his cheek and jaw "It was not easy" She breathed out "Templars of my time tracked me and wanted to capture me. It was then that I met assassins as well. They saved me before the Templars could catch me and led me to their bureau. I explained everything and asked for their help to find a way to go back"
She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes at the good feeling of his fingers working on her sore muscles "With the help of the sword," She half lied, not knowing how to tell him about Desmond "A woman called Minerva talked to me and helped me to get back" She bent her mouth in confusion then "I still don't get exactly what she is, but she's like a being that built the relics of eden"
"Hmm" He hummed, filled with curiosity, and his hands slowly descended to massage her waist "Did the Templars harm you? What happened before this?"
She turned, so her temple rested on his shoulder and she could look up at him. One of her hands resting on the back of his neck trailed down to caress his chest.
"No, they did not. Well, lots of things, but nothing that important, just plain routine things of days in the future"
Her phrase made him chuckle. He slowly lay down on the mattress again, bringing her with him "Like what?"
"Like working, studying, seeing my friends…"
He frowned slightly and raised an eyebrow "By that you mean that boy as well?"
Elissa seemed confused at first, but then got what he meant and felt herself warming up in embarrassment. Altair was not one to miss reactions from her, but he did not press an answer from her, merely waited.
"Well, yes. He is my friend too" She answered, trying to sound firm and ignore his visible jealousy.
He stood quiet for a moment, his mood seeming to drop lightly.
"Did you…" He pursed his lips in hesitance. She smiled
"No, I did not date him, I mean, we did not court, if that's what you're thinking" She told him, her voice sounding amused.
He seemed a bit embarrassed and looked aside, what made her smile even more.
"I just wanted to know if you tried to move on with all that happened, including us" He spoke in low tone.
She tilted her head "Did you?"
His warm gaze returned to her, amber eyes burning in the dim light of the room. His right hand, which rested on her lower back, pushed her towards him, since she had been propping on her elbows to look at him. He reached the crook of her neck and gave it a slow kiss, making the girl's skin burn with his touch, spreading the warmness throughout her body.
"What do you think?" He replied huskily, placing another kiss upon her skin.
Her eyes hazed the moment his soft lips touched her neck. She felt the heat increasing within herself. Hers hands clenched, one gripping the sheet beneath them and the other softly scratching his chest.
When his mouth left her skin, she swallowed hard. She thought about his question again, and her mind went back to when she read his journal, or at least some pages of it. How he described her; his mourn, his sorrow, his love. It was all so beautiful that she felt like crying inside. Besides that, she also remembered the other woman that he also mentioned.
Maria.
Strangely enough, she could not bring herself to feel jealous of her. Maybe a bit, but just for the sad feeling of thinking about him with another woman. Aside from that, she could only think that it was another reality, one that she left him forever. He obviously had to move on, once she did really not come back to him; he would be insane if he could not forget about her and never found love again.
When she read about her, of course she felt sad that he had found love in another woman, for it felt like yesterday she had just seen him and kissed him, but she also felt happy, for she knew he was not alone.
"What is on your mind?" She felt his hand brush her hair out of her face gently.
Her eyes found their way out of the haze of her thoughts to the warm amber pool that was his. She could not speak, for she could not find an answer to him. Should she tell him that she read his journal? And by that meaning: his future self journal? Should she tell him that she found his descendant and that he was exactly like him?
And that, by the way, he could see everything they did through reliving his memories?
"Elissa?" His hand stopped on her cheek
She once again came out of her trance. Altair looked at her intently, worry written on his features. Her brows furrowed briefly, but it was quickly replaced by a soft expression. She covered his hand with hers and leaned forward to place a kiss on his mouth. She lingered on his lips before leaning backwards to watch his confused gaze.
"Don't worry. It's just that I have way too many things to tell you and ask you" The fingers that were on his hand now played with the hairs at the nape of his neck.
Altair only watched her for a moment. His eyes showing how he seemed to be trying to decode what secrets she guarded within herself. Sighing softly, he leaned forward and kissed her, the hand that rested on her waist giving her a soothing squeeze, for he knew her body still hurt from the battle the day before.
"We have to move, there is much to do today" He sighed once again, now heavily, as he untangled himself from her and got up from the bed.
When she shifted her legs over the bed, she felt all the pain come back like a bucket of cold water. She grumbled in annoyance and, grimacing, she got up from the bed. Her cheeks colored up when she finally noticed that her clothes were neatly folded up the side table, her boots at its foot.
…
Walking through Masyaf's corridors, Elissa saw how busy the castle was that day. Assassins rushed to every part of the castle, most of them injured from the battle the day before. Elissa bent her mouth in worry, not just for her brothers, but for Altair as well. They had split up, he told her he would not be able to have breakfast because he had to face the highest ranked assassins to talk about their master's fall.
She knew that in the turn of events she read on his journal that he would take Al Mualim's place, but would that happen now as well?
She sighed and scratched her head. No doubt that would turn into a big fuss on the assassin's home, for not anybody liked Altair. She just hoped everything would end up alright.
That was when she noticed a familiar black headed female at distance, her hair tied on a braid as usual.
"Ghaniyah!" She called excitedly as she ran in her encounter.
The dark haired woman turned around at the sound of that voice, suddenly being thrown back by its owner, who jumped and embraced her tightly.
"Elissa?!" She exclaimed surprised as she held her friend "What…?"
The girl laughed as she looked up and saw her friend jaw-dropped.
"I know, I went back to my time, but I'm back now" She opened a big smile "I'm back to stay!"
It took a moment for the female assassin process what her friend had just said, but when she did, her smile could be bigger. She laughed and raised the smaller woman in the air, embracing her in happiness.
"Oh, Elissa that is great news!" She stopped and held Elissa by her shoulders "We can do so many things together! We can train, travel, cook…" She squealed, "It is so good to have my best friend again and forever!"
The two headed to the dining hall, chatting about a variety of things. Ghaniyah seemed really excited to have Elissa back. She told her how boring it was to not to have a friend like her close, one she could trust and also enjoyed the same things as her.
"Hey, how are you doing? I mean, with all this mess… and Akram! Is he alright?"
Ghaniyah looked up from her plate with fruits and smiled sadly.
"I am fine, and Akram as well, though he is at the infirmary for some bad injuries," She paused and shifted, propping her elbow on the table and resting her chin atop her hand "I am worried about what will happen now with Master gone" She sighed, her expression tainted with hurt "I still cannot believe he has betrayed us…"
Elissa looked at her sympathetically. She had never been too fond of the old man and there were few the moments they interacted, but even so, she never suspected he could do something as betray the entire brotherhood, his own family. Some people would treat him as they would treat their father, Altair being one of them, and she knew Ghaniyah held deeply respect for the man.
The brunette sighed sadly, she didn't know what to say to comfort her friend.
"He was blind by power" She managed to say "Some people don't have the strength to fight it"
"Unfortunately…" She sighed heavily "I also worry about my brothers, there are so many assassins hurt" Her eyes lit to Elissa then "What about you? Malik told me you were injured"
"Did he now?" She chuckled "I suppose he told you the entire story as to how I did get my injuries?"
Her friend laughed "Actually, no, I think you'll have to tell me yourself"
"I guess so" She let out another chuckle and shook her head with a soft smile on her face "And answering your question: I am quite alright if you let aside the part that I have a cut which I have to clean twice a day, a bruised cheek- I'm sure you've noticed," She smirked and pointed to her friend, then continued "don't try to lie that you didn't, I know you're perceptive. And last but not least, my body feels like I have been hit by a carriage"
Ghaniyah grimaced, but smirked playfully and shook her head "Alright, you got me there" She shrugged "I just wanted to wait to see when you would tell me"
Elissa raised her eyebrow and shot her an I-told-you-so look, which made the older woman laugh again.
"So, how are things with Altair?" Ghaniyah asked, taking a sip of juice. Her eyes glistened expectantly as she stared her friend.
Elissa smiled sheepishly, playing with the cup in front of her "Well, I think I could say we're dati-courting"
The older woman smiled dreamily and warmly "Aww, I'm so happy for you!" She giggled and her eyes shone "I want details! I mean, how did it started? Was it in Jerusalem?" She look up and made a thoughtful face, holding her chin with a hand "Malik never mentioned anything"
"More or less" She scratched the back of her head and drank the last gulp of juice
"Ooh, you have to tell me everything!" She clapped her hands and then smiled softly "What are you going to do now? I have to go help at the infirmary, so I was wondering if you would like to go with me"
Elissa smiled "Of course! I want to help the best I can!"
…
"Do not worry, you're going to get better soon" Elissa reassured the man as she bandaged his arm.
"Thank you sister" The assassin replied and got up from the chair with a nod, turning to leave then.
The young woman watched as he left with a soft smile on her face. She was happy that she could help. It was hard to see so many people suffering there at the infirmary, but the more people to work, the faster everyone would heal.
She rested her back on the chair heavily and stretched her neck. She then looked around, seeing several people tending to the wounded. Her eyebrows rose up when she found a familiar one-armed man in middle of that mess, what made her smile brightly and quickly rise to her feet.
"Malik!" She called and waved as she approached him.
The Dai turned at her voice and smiled "Little one"
The two hugged tightly. Elissa rested her head on his chest caringly, a gleeful smile curving her lips.
She looked up to him "What are you doing here?" She suddenly appeared concerned "Did you hurt yourself again?"
Malik laughed and ruffled her hair "No, I just came to change my bandages"
She smiled again and finally released him "I can help you with that. Come here"
They moved to the spot that Elissa was previously. She made him sit down on the chair and left to grab more bandages.
"What about you? How are your injuries?" Malik asked as she sat down on the chair in front of him and rolled his sleeve up, so she could see his forearm.
Elissa grimaced "I guess they're healing, but it doesn't hurt any less… I had my bandages changed this morning, the cut on my arm is still sore and a little warm from being inflamed."
He breathed out deeply, but said nothing in return. Elissa unrolled his old bandages in silence as well, lost in thought. When she finished, she took a look on his injury. It had stitches, but it appeared to be healing well. It was dry and the skin seemed to be slowly mending itself. She smiled and cleaned to the wound before she started to wrap the new bandages.
She stopped suddenly when she finally noticed his gaze on her. Looking up curiously, she saw Malik smiling warmly at her. She smirked playfully at him and chuckled.
"What?" She asked amusedly
"I am proud of you little one" His voice held deep kindness as he spoke. He tilted his head to take a better look at her "I see as clear as water how much you changed since I've met you. You've grown, like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. I see courage in you. Responsibility, maturity. When you came to me, I saw a scared and confused girl. Now I see a woman, fully ready to face life and her choices"
Elissa smiled, feeling her chest warming at his words "And you are one of the people that changed me, Malik. I cannot express how much I'm grateful for having met you" She told him an then leaned forward to hug him kindly.
"Now let's take care of this, shall we?" She said as she sat back on her chair and held his arm gently. He smiled in return and nodded.
…
Elissa left the infirmary by late afternoon. The sun still brightened the day, though its light now started to turn orange as it prepared for its setting.
She had encountered Akram and Zafir whilst checking on the other patients. The girl was relieved to see them, even though Akram seemed to have been heavily injured during the battle. He had been bandaged on is torso, head and arm, and had several bruises throughout his body. Elissa had been pretty worried about him, but he assured her that he was alright, merely in pain.
Zafir questioned her about her own health, stressing that her fight with Abbas had been a really dangerous thing she had done, even though she saved many assassins.
"I know… but it was our only chance" She had answered him.
The older assassin frowned and shook his head in reprimand, but he just sighed and told her he was glad that she was alive.
Now she stood in front of the door of the master assassin's quarters. Her clenched fist raised to knock the door, but she hesitated, fearing that maybe the one she wanted to meet was busy. Biting her lip, her hand moved to knock again, but the door opened before she did so.
It was Altair himself. His face showed how tired and stressed he seemed to be, with his eyebrows furrowed tightly and his lips forming a strict line. Her own expression changed, denouncing the worry within her.
"Hey, are you alright?" She whispered and cupped his cheek gently. Her eyes looked deeply into his, seeing the exhaustion emanating from them.
He took her hand and brought it towards his mouth "I fear not" He bent her fingers softly and placed a kiss on her knuckles "Enter so we can talk"
Altair guided her inside and closed the door. He motioned for her to sit by the scribe table, on a fancy chair and followed her, taking place on the big and elegant chair that used to be Al Mualim's.
"What's the matter?" Elissa asked with concern, leaning forward in anxiety.
He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair "I…they want me to take the place as the master of the brotherhood,"
Elissa stood silent and observed as he seemed to struggle with himself. He was biting his lip and one of his hands clenched and unclenched around the chair's arm nonstop. He shifted and grunted irritably before his amber eyes turned to hers, she saw the hesitance in him, the lack of confidence. It made her eyebrows furrow, she'd never seen him act like this. Even more: she never thought she would see the day where he'd lack his self-confidence, so characteristic of him.
"I do not know how to proceed," He said "It is what I always wanted, but with everything that happened…" His hand turned into a fist upside the table "The assassin's trust has been deceived. They are angry and confused. Besides, I have never been seen with good eyes by them due to my actions" He lowered his head and his hand covered his face "What a fool I have been"
Altair looked up when he felt her soft hand wrap around his. Her turquoise eyes emanated confidence and comfort as she looked at him, but even so her expression was gentle and calm.
"Altair…" She spoke. Her voice sounded as smooth as the feeling of an eagle's feather on his skin, it somewhat tranquilized him "It is alright to be distressed. This is not an easy task: to take place of a fallen master. It is even more difficult to substitute a traitorous leader. So I will not lie and say that everything will go as easy as chatting with friends. You'll have to win their hearts, to show them that they'll have a master that will be with them, that will devote his mind and soul to them,"
Her grip on him tightened "You say that you're not well seen, but you have changed. Don't be so silly to believe that the others didn't see how you've let aside your arrogance to work with the other assassins to reach your goals. Even so, if they still do not believe in your change, then show them, prove that you can be a good leader," Her gaze softened and her other hand joined the one at the table to reassure him "I believe in you Altair. I know you can do it. It'll not be easy, but I am here with you. As is Malik and the others who know who you truly are"
He scrutinized her for a while, reflecting about her words. She smiled to him reassuringly and he shifted on his seat.
"Come here" He tugged her hand.
She stood up and walked to him. When she stood before him, he pulled her gently to his lap. His arms wrapped around her, surrounding her with warmth. She snaked her own arms around his torso and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you" He whispered "Thank you so much for coming back, for your words, for everything"
He took her chin on his fingers, lifting her head gently and stared deeply into her eyes, loving how shiny those turquoise orbs were that afternoon. He rested his forehead on hers and his hand moved to stroke her cheek.
"By Allah, you cannot imagine how grateful I am for having you in my arms" He whispered into her lips, where he placed a soft kiss.
Elissa smiled when their lips parted. She ran a hand through his hair and observed his face absentminded. He stared at her in return, both enjoying the comfortable silence between them. Her presence seemed to put him at ease, her frequent and calm breath soothing his heart and mind.
"There is another issue" He spoke. She seemed perk up to pay attention "The relics that are to be protected by your family, there is still one we have to find"
"Oh" She blinked owlishly "That's true, but the thing is: I do not know where it is"
He patted her thigh softly, signaling her to stand up "I think we may have a solution for that"
When he was on his feet, he walked to a cabin by the end of the room. Elissa leaned on the scribe table and watched as he pulled open one of its leaves and took from there a small chest, a familiar sight to her. She smiled, pushing herself off the table.
"Is it what I think it is?" Elissa asked, observing as he approached her, carefully holding the chest on his hands.
"Perhaps" He answered as jokingly as his usual serious tone permitted and placed the chest on the table "Do you think you'll be able to use it?"
Elissa tilted her head and crossed her arms. Her mouth bent as she reflected about the subject for a while.
"I think so. I was able to use the sword, and it can't be that much different from that or the first time I used the apple"
"I will leave everything to you then," He moved to her side and placed a hand on her waist. He smirked "Try not to fall this time"
"Haha, very funny" She made an indignant face "I didn't know you were able to joke"
He pinched her waist "You just do not understand my sense of humor"
Elissa rolled her eyes "Alright, let's get to it"
She turned to the chest, taking a deep breath before opening it. There stood the shiny golden orb. It seemed to scrutinize her as she stared at it.
"Please, help me reach Fouad" She spoke in her mind and grabbed the orb carefully.
Instantly, it started to emit a golden light. Rays danced to every direction, surprising Altair. He snapped out of the amazement when he felt weight on his hands that were holding Elissa. She had fallen asleep again.
He pulled her up to his arms and sat on his chair.
"I told you not to fall again" He whispered angrily, as if she could hear, and then sighed.
Now he only had to wait.
…
Once, twice. Elissa blinked her eyes lazily and woke up to a whitish environment. She was sprawled on the ground, facing the supposed sky of the familiar place. As always, the atmosphere there seemed to bring an interior peace to her and she felt her breath calming, her chest moving slowly.
"It has been quite a long time, has it not, my child?"
The brunette smiled, she could recognize that crispy voice anywhere.
"Indeed, gramps" She answered, eyes finally moving to see the old man standing some feet away from her. A kind smile on his face.
With that, she propped her hands on the ground and swiftly got up, immediately running to the elder. Fouad let out a chuckle and welcomed the girl to his arms, hugging her tightly.
"I am so glad you have finally found your path, my dear" He told her, smoothing her hair gently.
She grimaced playfully "It was not an easy task"
A chuckle left her mouth, but did not quite reach her eyes. It did not pass unnoticed by Fouad, who held her at arms length and held her chin to look to her eyes.
"I know it was not Elissa," He whispered. The guilt on his tone palpable "I have been with you through it all, though you could not see me" His eyes filled with water and he pulled her to an embrace again "I am so sorry that you had suffered so"
"Don't be!" Elissa pleaded and looked to the elder again when he released her "I accepted this mission, I knew that it'd be hard and I don't regret anything! So please, don't feel guilty Fouad!"
The elder's eyes widened for a moment, as he watched her determined expression, before his gaze turned kind again.
"My courageous child," He caressed her cheek "I cannot thank you enough for everything you are doing for me and for our family"
"It is my responsibility now," She spoke with a happy smile curving her lips "and talking about it, I have one more treasure to go after, have I not?"
The elder laughed "You do, my dear," He raised an eyebrow playfully "And I have to congratulate you, you did a wonderful job with the sword. It's power is not easy to control, but you will get to it in time" He poked her nose "Use it wisely and only when you truly need it"
She nodded eagerly "I promise!" She stretched her arms and grinned "Now let's talk about business, shall we?"
The two sat on the ground and Fouad started to tell her the coordinates to the tomb she would find the apple. As she remembered, it was the same tomb he was buried. By what he said, it was somewhere in the same direction of Damascus, but not near the city.
"It is a temple that was built to bury the members of our family," He spoke, now in a serious tone "It is difficult to find because the region is known to suffer from recurrent sandstorms" He sighed "It was because of it that the relic was lost. It was buried deep beneath the sand, forever sealed away"
Fouad held her hands in both of his
"I warn you to be careful, my child. It is a dangerous place," He told her, frowning in concern "The sword will help you find the apple, but it will demand your strength"
Elissa nodded in determination "I will do my best"
Fouad smiled softly "I know you will" He petted her hair "Even so, I beg you to be careful"
The two shared an embrace again
"Good luck my dear child"
…
The brunette once again blinked her eyes heavily. This time, her gaze met the ceiling of a building; of her room, to be more accurate.
"How are you feeling?"
She looked aside. Altair sat on a chair beside her bed. His eyes still focused on the book on his lap even after his question.
"I'm fine. A bit of a headache, that's all"
"Did you find the answers you were looking for?" His gaze finally turned to her.
"Yes" She answered and let out a heavy breath "We're going to Damascus"
I was going to write more after Elissa's phrase, but I was taking too long to submit the chapter already so, yeah, I thought it was best to submit it once and for all.
See you on the next one(that I hope I will not take too long...)