He, finally I'm back! After three months with my arm broken, I'm going to update this story!
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Damascus
A week later:
A figure walked on the rich part of the city. It was looking for Khumel, Medina's sultan son, in Saudi Arabia, who came along on the trip to Masyaf.
Stopping in a quiet street, he took of his hood. Abbas were returning home after succeeding on the quest of finding William Lake and a new apple of Eden. And, opposite the one that Altair had, it doesn't make him incapacitated.
Looking around, he put his hood again… he knew he could be recognized by one of the novices or Assassins that were in the city. Taking a deep breath, he started to walk again…
X ~ X ~ X
During the week, Altair and Maria almost didn't see each other: he was busy thinking on what Aisha had said to him, while concentrating on the brotherhood and using the apple and she was thinking about her conversation with Aisha and how to talk with Altair while doing her duties… there was a lot of tension on the air and everything felt it…
Malik and the others couldn't stand it any longer. So, he went to talk with Altair about it and entered his office abruptly to talk to him.
"Altair…" Malik said, walking to him. "we can't stand it anymore…"
Altair looked at his friend.
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"This…" Malik said, waving his only hand. What's is happening between you and Maria…"
"Nothing's happening between us…" Altair said. "We're fine…"
"Fine?" Malik asked. "You're acting strange all week, avoiding each other and not taking…this tension has to end…"
"What tension?" Altair asked.
"What tension?" Malik asked incredulous. "You're doing it on purpose… we talk to you and we are ignored, by both of you… you don't leave this office using this all the time and don't even know what happened in the brotherhood during the week…"
Altair got up. He didn't notice what was happening with them, but Malik was right.
Sighing, Altair looked down.
"Close the door, Malik…" He said.
"What's going on, Altair?" Malik asked, closing the door.
"I…" Altair tried. "I want to ask Maria to marry me…"
Malik was surprised.
"You? Marry?" Malik asked. "Aisha told me she talked to you, but she didn't say anything about it…"
"Keep your voice down…" Altair said. "Have a seat…"
Malik sat down.
"That's why you're so strange?" he asked.
Altair nodded.
"I thought about it after I asked Aisha for advices…" Altair answered. "This is what I want…"
"If you had already decided, why are you being…" Malik asked.
"Because it has to be special…" Altair said. "And I don't know how to ask her…"
Malik nodded.
"That's why you're so evasive…" Malik said. He took a deep breath. "How about… when you are…?"
"No…" Altair said, making a face.
"During dinner?" Malik suggested.
"In front of everyone?" Altair said. "It has to be just me and her…"
Malik sighed and got up.
"I don't know Altair…" He said. "On her birthday?"
Altair thought about it… her birthday was arriving…
"Good Idea…" Altair said, straightening himself.
With this in mind, he exited the office, leaving Malik alone.
X ~ X ~ X
Altair was looking for Aisha. He knew she would help with his plan… After too much searching, he found her walking with Laila outside the female's baths.
"Aisha…" Altair called. "I want to talk to you…"
Aisha and Laila looked at each other.
"What are you doing here, Altair?" Aisha asked.
"I need you to help me with a plan…" He said. "It's for Maria…"
Aisha and Laila looked at each other.
"But…" Aisha said. "Have you already talked to her?"
"No…" Altair said. "Why? Is there a problem? Do you know something?"
Aisha swore and walked to him.
"Just talk to her, Altair…" She said, lowering her voice. "Please?"
Altair remained quiet for a few seconds, then sighed.
"Ok… do you know where is she?" he asked.
Aisha told him where Maria was.
"I'll… look for her…" He said
Aisha nodded as he went away. Then, Laila approached her sister…
"What happened, Aisha?" Laila asked.
"Let's say, it might be complicated from now on…" Aisha said. "Shall we go?"
Laila didn't say anything, just started to walk beside her.
X ~ X ~ X
Altair found Maria sitting on a bench in the yard behind the fortress. She was hiding behind the ground ramp and by the concrete parapets, so he had to use his intuition.
"You hide well, Maria…" He said, approaching without making noises.
Maria got up quickly, startled with Altair voice.
"Altair…" She said with a hand on her chest.
"Sorry…" He said, laughing a little.
Maria turned around and Altair approaching her, hugged her from behind.
"Aisha told me that we need to talk…" He said
Maria closed her eyes, feeling her stomach turn. She felt also difficulty to swallow. She wasn't ready…
"I…" She tried, turning around. "I don't… you go first…"
Altair noticed she was nervous, but didn't insist. Instead, he nodded.
"I thought about what you said on the other day…" He started.
Maria knew what he was going to say, and her heart fell…
"But I want to…to..." He started to say. "I want to have a family with you and be…"
"Are you proposing, Altair?" Maria asked, smiling a little and trying to break her nervousness.
"I didn't want to be this way, but yeah…" Altair said, sheepishly. "I think I am…"
Maria nodded and turned serious again.
"I know that you said you didn't want to marry again, but…" He was saying.
Maria looked down and interrupted him.
"I want to, but…" She said, feeling her eyes getting wet. "But I can't…"
"You can't?" Altair asked.
Maria raised her head again.
"Don't get me wrong, Altair…I love you and I love what we have… I consider Masyaf my home and all, but…" Maria said. "It's not us… it's me…"
He remembered what Robert De Sable did to her, then…
"It's all right, Maria…" Altair said.
"No, it's not…" She said.
Then she turned away from him and looked at the mountains in front of her. Altair sighed and walked to her. He stopped beside her and seconds later put his hand over hers.
"What's wrong Maria?" He asked. "I need to know…"
Maria blew some air as she felt her tears roll down her face. Altair put a hand on her chin and made her look at him.
"I'm not ready to tell you…" She whispered.
"Why?" He asked
"Altair, please…" She said. "I don't want to hurt you…"
He turned her then.
"Hurt me?" Altair asked. "I need to understand what's wrong, Maria…"
Maria looked at him then. She could see the confusion and the pain of rejection on his face. Closing her eyes, she revealed quickly
"I don't know if I can have children because I had never been pregnant before…"
