*Hello my Beautiful Souls~ I know I usually conclude with that but I've finally found time in my busy schedule to produce you the next chapter to my story. Thank you for the reviews of encouragement :) I simply hate the number 9 (Haha). I don't like nine, I don't like that it's a square number. 9 is a very scary number as I relate it to pain and abandon hospitals (Haha...?) Why am I telling you this? because I can't wait myself until chapter thirty. ANYWAY- Warning: What you are about to view is mature content at hand. If you so wish to turn this chapter away, then therefore be thoroughly confused afterwards in the plot*

Chapter Twenty- nine

I adjusted myself before the glass screen had time to move over across my eyes. All that was left to do was wait for the signal and I was to be plopped off in the Crusauder's era for who knows how long again. The glass screen slid up out of its slot curving over my head across my face. I thought about some things last night before I went to bed. Not only was I perturbed more than ever but still played around with if Lucy was to be trusted. I wanted to ask her countless things not only about the research in general but how they knew me beforehand, who I was, who was she exactly? Could she possibly explain the experience I was feeling as if I was in the Animus but not? It was some strange dream...The Animus could be more relaxing to lay upon though as I stretched my fingers on the metallic surface. Could I tell Lucy to add some cushioning at least? Lucy once again typed codes into the computer when Vidic strolled in. He approached me entering my peripheral vision of the screen.

"Ah well then Subject Fifteen-"

"Natasha," Lucy corrected before I could open my mouth. Vidic gave a crude nod to her then stared back down at me. His nostrils were unsightly as of all hours of the day. However, he knew it would be incredulously ill- mannered if I reacted.

"Well, Natasha," he sighed, "let's try this research without the need of restraints," he cheered with a light snicker I felt a tap on my knee. What is he, some kind of doctor now? I'm certainly not sick... just really bemused for the past couple of weeks? Or worse, has it been a month or two?

"How long will I be in the Animus for again?"

Vidic scoffed, "well, as long as the information is needed to be uncovered for obviously. We are on a time crunch and no further dilemmas from you would make the journey smoother."

I frowned, "what if I wanted to get out of the Animus on my own accord?" I raised an eyebrow.

Again it amused him, "you cannot 'get out' of the Animus on your own. It would take one of us to stop programming the Animus and therefore pull you out."

"Then what was the need for restraints from the beginning?"

He stopped breathing, nostrils flaring. "Do your part of the research and we'll do ours. You are but in the best care Natasha..." the way he bent forward, eyes like a snake only made this more ironic than it seemed. What would happen to me in the end? Even I did not know... The Animus started up again sucking me into the machinery where all became black.


My eyelids fluttered open upon the awakening of being held in someone's arms squeezing me intently. The arm coiled me closer to warmth. My head bent back because my neck could not support my head. Their voices in murmurs of which I could not detect a single word from. Then came the impeccable swish of my hair being swept aside as a palm supported my head forward. Vision, I must say was slightly out of focus I remembered being in Altair's arms with Layla on the other side. I could hear my breath as it was restored but gradually. Steadily lifted my eyelids, eyes rolling around until I saw the twin silver daggers sheathed within his leather belt. I lifted my hand feebly attempting to grasp at least one and unsheathe it. My fingertips brushed the hilt when Altair instantly captured my hand into his own. He pushed my hand away and brought it up close to his chest. I didn't know whether to find comfort or terror at this point.

"Is she okay Altair?" Layla leaned over me touching the cold sweat off the back of my hand.

"Prop me up against the wall please," I finally spoke. They complied attempting to move me up against the wall when I winced. I supposed that I still needed a few minutes to get used to my ancestor's body before I could climb like a monkey on the architecture.

"What was that?" Layla sounded chilled when they got me to sit up against the cool stone wall. I got my breath back staring at Altair's face. He was busy making sure the dirt was brushed off my robes but he still had my hand in his. There was nothing left to brush off, realizing this Altair meet my long gaze at him. He dropped my hand into my lap with an influence empowering over me with only two yellow orbs. I gave you that scar didn't I?

"Sarraf," – You always call me that but why? – "what was that?" his tone unearthly to my ears. It was one of those unspoken challenges that if I were to waver and look away once he would know something was amiss. I can't tell you who I am because I don't truly belong here. What would you say if you knew? What would you do? I'm sorry that I must be tampering with your lives... "You are free to tell me any and everything," he whispered. No! I squeezed my eyes shut having my body tense. Don't say it like that! I can't be falling for someone that I cannot have.

"It was just another episode," I explained briefly changing my attention to Layla. On cue she raised her thin eyebrow.

"You pass out periodically?" she questioned tenderly. I nodded my head not wanting to go in any details of what happens in the process. Though I felt the sting of Altair's eyes not veering away from me as I envisioned what Layla's eyes would look like if they weren't like foggy crystals.

"Please don't worry about it much, alright?" I had the strength to stand up now feeling like I had better control of myself. They rose from their spots however they did not speak in turn. I shrugged it off masking my annoyance with a chuckle. It seemed in my slight desperation of them not wanting them to take note on it, was like irritating inflamed skin. Eventually Altair began to move away from Layla saying a terse goodbye walking up to me. Layla understood the incentive slinking out from the shadows and briskly paced away into the streets. I watched her go until she rounded the corner going into an alley. I blinked once more staring up into the brutal gaze belonging to Altair. His conviction moved my emotions around as I could never conclude to what he was thinking. I couldn't help but interpret that he was somehow disappointed in me. I should have known better than to underestimate his intelligence.

"Come along will you?" he expressed in hushed manners resting a hand on my shoulder as what long departed friends would have done. Friends.

"About the other day..." I thought of bringing up the whole fishing incident but when his lips distorted from the solid straight line I knew better than to take my chances on it. "Never mind, you're right. We have a long way to go if we want to report back to Al Mualim," I nodded my head spying him as he just brushed past me like I was a stranger. Oh my god, I have messed up and this proves it!


It was getting dark on our travel through the Kingdom it had aggravated me too that we didn't make it as far as we wanted to. I suggested that we would stop and camp out however, the nights proved to be ill-favored for our health and safety. Maybe we could go on a little further but my horse had other things in mind. "Hey," I pulled on the reigns yet my horse was disobedient as he steered himself to a pile of hay bending his head over a low fence to eat it.

"Who are you?" I snapped my head up off the horse to discover the outline of a man sitting in front of his own house. Candle light from the inside brightened half of the aged man's face as he narrowed his eyes upon me. He yanked on his lengthy deep ivory colored beard. "Answer me," his voice faltered as he raised a fist in the air seeing me simply pull down my hood.

"A traveler sir," I answered.

He peered behind me, "are you traveling alone?"

"No, I travel with someone else, however we are only riding as far as we can to find the nearest shelter." The man's eyes dropped down to my horse that was still noisily munching on the hay. "Pardon," I flicked the reigns that made my horse look up flicking his his ears back in annoyance. This was the time when Altair rode up along side my horse about to ask what I was doing until he saw the faint image of a man sitting in front of his house as well. The man shifted on his stool, making the seat creak as he did so. I wasn't even going to ask if we could stop here. The man clearly did not trust two hooded figures with honed weaponry strapped on every inch of them. But hope still brushed my cheeks and tired eyes as my eyelids fell heavy.

"Well good luck then," the man grumbled and crushed our hopes.

"Thank you," I dipped my head in respect ordering my horse to leave as I was under Altair's scrutiny. Then a side door from the house flew open bringing in a strange flood of golden light. A stocky woman carrying a basket under her arms walked out into the front of the yard. The man stood up telling the woman to get back into the house at once. The woman made a sour face waving off the raised, edgy voice taking little regard to his wishes. But no woman was to "disrespect" a man's words no matter what class you were thought to believe in. This behavior was taboo, that I would never speak out of turn with my father or my brother. Her silver, long hair braided down the center approached my horse. She patted the muzzle of my horse making the horse's nostrils flare as he took in her opulent... sandalwood scent maybe?

"Ada, get back into the house because of your unsightly manner!" She wore her traditional black long garb but didn't wear the head dress to cover her face. The woman gave a striking toothless smile waving off the man's demands once more. This humorous woman appeared to be the man's mother of the sort as she was too old to be his wife. Yet the woman's actions were completely contradicting. She motioned Altair and I to come inside the house with her despite her son throwing a fit. I stared at Altair stumped on approval. I slid off my horse walking up to the gleaming woman. "What are you doing Om! Mother, do not invite these people!" he croaked. Ada, was her name, pulled me by the hands bringing me into the light from the kitchen. It seemed this woman was mute as she pulled on my braid bringing the woman much pleasure somehow. Altair strolled up behind me then the woman's dark eyes transitioned her attention to him. She did not look up at him but bowed repetitively in short nearly jerky movements. "Stop this mother!" her son gasped standing behind us. We turned our heads over our shoulders silently when Ada dragged us inside through the side door throwing us into the kitchen.

The food already prepared for a humble super was absolutely tempting for a hungry Assassin. Yet there was the coiling of my stomach of feeling bad if I ate the humble people's food. I turned to see Altair's expression, but it was hard to tell with his hood on. Altair never liked taking off his hood now did he? This bothered Ada as she came up from behind tapping him upon the shoulder. He turned around miffed as to when the woman laid her hands on him. I stiffened as she threw back his hood to see his face. She motioned us along side to sit at the table where a bowl of hummus and pita bread wedges were sitting on a plate. I turned to the woman shaking my head humbled by her kindness, her happiness dropped which made it all the more worse. The woman's eyes swelled with tears suddenly all my words became chopped and awkward.

"O-oh, I'm sorry..." I attempted to soothe but the woman shriveled back into tiny bursts of sobs. I bit my lip only to be ordered, not asked, aside to talk to the man of the house. He motioned me into another room where I followed feeling my place in society once more outside of the Assassin world.

"I don't know who you are or what you want with us but you shall leave my house at once!" he gave violent whispers, for he did not want his mother to over hear this conversation but wanted the verdict explicit.

"It will be done," I tried to remain assuaged wondering how Altair was doing in the other room.

"It is wrong of you to manipulate my mother in such a way," he stressed.

"I am not manipulating anyone around here and neither is my friend," I defended. This man snorted storming up to me red in the face. He jabbed a finger straight into my face his eyes cutting into my skin with an unforeseen vehemence that brought pain to his face.

"You are not Maida," he spoke sternly.

"Who?" I was lost.

He intensely raked his beard it made me cringe. "The only reason my mother allows people like you in is because she believes you are someone else," he rasped.

"Who is Maida though?"

"That is none of your business and nor will it ever be woman!" he hissed. I held my ground waiting for him to dismiss me. I bet Maida is who she is mistaking me for. But I'm still intrigued to know what kind of role Maida had in their lives. The sound of scuffling feet and Ada managed to wander in through the doorway where she smiled again at the sight of both of us. She approached me fearlessly hugging me yet I could not bring my arms around to return the hug with her son glaring at me. Ada rotated on her small feet getting a view of her son with a beaming toothless smile. "Om," he addressed his mother lightly, "these people cannot stay here. They must go," Ada's shoulders sagged at the words. It startled me with a jump in my boots when she clasped her hands together as if begging her son for us to stay. I didn't want to speak out of term again so I remained silent. "Mother..." he whispered, "I..." he stared into his mother's eyes a moment longer. A sigh escaped, "alright fine," he messaged his forehead. "Now that you will be staying for one night only," he was forcing the sentences to come out, "there is a vacant room with a bed for you and your... friend to stay in." He grumbled pointing the direction from this room to the right down a hallway. Ada clapped her hands over again ecstatically in her spot returning to the kitchen with powerful strides now.

I sat down next to Altair without a say at all in the seating arrangement. The woman wanted to put herself close to Altair and I for some reason. We ate in silence while Ada's son drank in the other room overseeing this evening. I commented periodically about the good service and Ada responded with a mute smile. I looked over at Altair who was drinking water from a clay cup with his beaked hood on. I could see the details of the refined wrinkles from Ada that she was unappeased by the daunting attire.

"Altair..." I brought up finally motioning with my hand to take off the hood. He was ticked by it though as he sat back in the chair stubborn! My eyes grew as Ada became more pestered by this than the fear and embarrassment which perceived Altair occasionally. He picks now to be egocentric! Now! I wanted to swipe the hood down from his big head and cut it off myself (the hood... not anything else). My eyes wondered over to the side where Ada's son slumped himself mocking me with his comfort laying back in a chair whilst he drank away. If he was to be worried about his appearance then fine! I'm not his mother. I thanked Miss Ada (assuming she had lost her husband) for the meal pushing out my chair as it screeched against the floor. I bowed once more taking my leave rushing into the next room where Ada's son eyed me from the rim of his cup. I took a right down the hall as instructed as Ada's son got up from his chair and followed.

"I take it you and your friend rarely get along," his voice could carry. I whipped around in the darkness of the narrow hallway nodding my head. However, it was none of his business.

"You could say that," I mumbled.

"The door's right here," his arm stretched around me turning the doorknob and swinging the door open spawning a dim light as if they were expecting company. I narrowed my eyes at the situation.

"You keep oil lamps and candles lit in every room?" I inquired.

"My mother always keep candles burning in hopes Maida would return," I sparked prolonged sadness in the man again. I wouldn't even bother to ask what had happened or persist on who she was. However to my surprise he continued forth, "Maida wasn't my wife or lover if you were wondering, she was my sister," he sighed leaning up against the wall.

"Why are you telling me this?" I kept my arms crossed close to my chest.

"By morning you will be gone and I will never see you again, so I might as well." I nodded my head slowly and he began to talk once more. "Maida was of the age of twenty- two when she disappeared. She was supposed to take care of our mother when she fell dangerously ill one season. I was only here to visit them when she took my presence and left without any notation of where she was heading to. We didn't hear from her until about a year later when she knocked on the front door. Her belly protruded out so far that it distorted the shape of her robe. She explained it was an accident that she had mingled with a Saracen solider but neither my mother nor I believed her. At first we were both outraged with her picking up and leaving like dust and wind until a month after her return she conceived a son. However, during labor she lost too much blood and without a mother to nurture the baby there was little we could afford. Now, I am chained here with my delusional mother who believes every female passerby is Maida," he at last concluded with another sigh. I placed a hand over my mouth to conceal the discomfort this brought me. Am I supposed to say something to this man, because I can't?

"I would give you my condolence on bleak times like these but you know it's not my place to tell a man so," my lips barely moved. The crack of light grew larger as the door swayed.

"You do seem rather... oblivious to what goes on here as traditions. Where do you live that allows you to be so free in the attire that you wear, and ideas so foreign?" Well, I could tell you that I'm actually hundreds of years younger but I don't think now's the time anyway.

"Masyaf, I live in a village called Masyaf. Located far south east from here as that is where we are trying to head towards. It is fairly tucked away in the gorgeous realms still known as the Holy Land. I wouldn't tell you to pick up your belongings and leave but give it to you as a mere suggestion that you should consider," I nodded my head.

"I will think of it," the door swung wider until the door was as far back as it could be. He motioned me forward as I stepped into the room to have my eyes wander around. I felt the rush of the wind speed by as he took the doorknob and sealed the door to leave. I peered over my shoulder at the chill only to be left alone in the room. There was indeed a bed and on the opposite wall of that was a wooden tall dresser. Above that dresser was a small mirror that had been rusting with black dots growing in the corners. I approached the dresser watching the wax on the candles placed on the dresser fall like tears down the column of wax. On the nightstand by the bed there was the orange light of a copper oil lamp. In all four corners of the square room were candles drowning in their own melted wax. I undressed leaving me in the same underpants and tunic with one thought brought my eyes shimmering in utter hysteria like the crack of a whip. My logic and emotions were smashing together as I wanted to crumble to the floor. I was experiencing a meltdown just like candles.


I stood pacing the tiled floor piqued with my arms crossed, face locked in a scowl. My heart hammering against my ribcage. A finger tapping along my forearm as I had the tendency to mumble. Ah, the audacity that stupid Assassin has! The door swung open, I scrunched my sleeves preparing to lose my wrath when I unwrinkled the fabric from the sleeves to see the old woman. She smiled wearily however still kept her silence in hand. From her arms nestled a deep crimson satin fabric that she unraveled in the neatly tucked fold to reveal a cascading robe. I gawked in awe saying how beautiful it was. She walked up to me, her hands quivering all around when she draped the robe over my shoulders with a toothless, wide grin. I gasped in a state of bemusement. My rage now modified.

"I- I simply can't have this," I stuttered lifting the silk off my shoulder when she swatted my hand. "Ow!" her sting was everlasting on the back of my hand. We stood there in the quietness her pleased with my upgraded attire, and I still shocked as to why she would give this to me. I know it in my mind that I am not your dead daughter... Altair is not the Saracen soldier. "Thank you," I dipped my head forward at last to her complies. She clapped her hands together shaking them before her in a mute kind of joy with another toothless grin. She stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her abandoning me in the silence. I rotated around to the rusted mirror at first timidly slipping my arms through the long, loose sleeves. It was velvety across my skin as the robe swished forward to my ankles. I took the equally passionate ribbon from around the waist, taking each end into my hand and twirling them around like propellers gave me muse. A whimsical, batty kind of muse. The silk from Asia, I remembered the familiar radiance the fabric shinned off of illuminating my skin in a false healthy glow. It pushed the golden, warm undertone filtered by my skin, minus the tired rings under my eyes.

I turned in time to stop the silly entertainment seeing the door knob jiggle. I waited to see who would enter the room I anticipated to stay in. The shadow of whoever would cast a protracted shadow underneath the door. It opened at last, instinctively my eyes wondered up the figure from shoes all the way up finding the conclusion to be none other than him. I rolled my eyes all too suddenly as he managed to briskly swing the door shut behind him with a simple click pacing up to me with a foreign kind of hunger.

"I've been needing to talk to you," he said lowly inches from my face that when he drew his breath it whisked my baby hairs from my face. I blinked nonchalantly slightly perturbed by his entrance and the dire call to communicate with me. I could communicate with you if you'd dropped that hood! I looked down which only aggravated him more. I was about to prove an objection until he seized my attention with his words. "Have me," he stated.

"Excuse me?" I was confounded.

He extracted a sigh, "have me. Bear your wrath upon me as I would rather have you alive resenting my being rather than pleased by it only to have died," he moved a fraction closer. My eyes wondered then flicked back up to the part of his face that I could see.

"I'm not pleased by you in the slightest," I sneered with a look that the candles in the room would want to smother themselves out. His bare feet brushed along the hard surface when he came like wind cupping my cheek into one hand, I shivered lips parting to what was unexpected. I first glanced at his hand then back up at him trying to solve the abrupt action from his pair of enigmatic, amber grain orbs. I brought my own hand to match resting it on the hand that held my face. Faintly I removed his hand from my cheek having it fall into my own hand I had no idea what to do with it.

"Tell me how I can change that," he whispered with his own lips inches from mine. Strange how he gave effortless surrender to his body. Wordlessly he dipped his forehead forward at first hesitant for my reaction, then brushed his lips along mine. I lifted my chin up moving my lips into his in a subtle inclination in wanting him. I brought my arms around his neck when he courageously hugged me at my waist with his arms. Feeling a force drag me back, I found myself pushed up against the wall. The mirror rattled. I felt the tangible sensation with his body pressed immensely attached to my own. It sparked from my pessimistic yet logical perspectives that I could not have him still. No, this can't be right! This experience is too real for me to go through...

I turned my head to my right shoulder only to be ambushed by his running kisses down my neck. I groaned, shoulders tensed as my right shoulder squeezed up against my cheek. I closed my eyes for extensive amount of time having the tickling sensation spread through my neck and at last to my shoulder. Altair peeled the silk robe and tunic aside to bear the burden on my round shoulder. Naturally the robe began to slide off my figure dropping to a heap on the floor around my feet. My hands rubbed his shoulders curling my fingers under the leather strap that housed his throwing knives over his shoulder. It had to go as I found the buckle undoing it nearly feverishly dropping it off to the side to the floor. The crafty hands of his slithered down my waist tugging down my pants until they too were a heap around my ankles.

Altair, whether he knew it or not, had a spell binding command without the need of words. It made me docile taking one step back as he took one step in advance. He gently placed me on the bed with a lingering kiss as he stood before me. I propped myself on my elbows watching him undress from his Assassin robes and tunic swiftly. That almond skinglowing consumed by the ravishing sight and that wasn't even all of it... Taking one hand he threw aside one of my knees leaning over to kiss me again now in between my legs. He crept up from the edge of the bedslowly crawling his way closer to me licking his lips at my taste. His lips open I felt a hand glide over across my back tickling the cloth binding. I shivered at the light touch pressing my body against his.A smirk perceived him running his fingertips along my back in small circles. I gazed into his eyes feeling the cloth unwind itself as the long strip of cloth left me exposed. We looked upon each other in silence for a moment appreciating what each other revealed.

Altair slammed my back into the mattress by the headboard consuming the supple flesh of my neck, embedding the skin with his famished lips. My arms out to the side I gave a greatmoan as he did so feeling his hands run up the sides of my breasts sinking my left cheek into the pillow gasping for air. Silver sweat started to form on my chest with heat so prevalent to me. "Natasha..." he groaned with his head off to the side inhaling the sweet stream of my long hair swept to one side. I had my eyes closed doubtingly worried remembering the flashes from my past. No man ever got this close to me without force.

"I'm n-not sure..." I confessed heightening my worries. I felt his forehead rest upon my shoulder breathing deeply as one man could in his physical state.

"I know nothing of what happened to you before your life in Masyaf and though you are free to choose, all you need to know is..." his voice faded away. I opened my eyes and turned my head to my shoulder where he appeared exhausted. I took my hand gently running my fingers through his cropped hair and as he looked up into my face the fingers fell down to his cheek then under his jaw where they stopped at his chin. As I lifted his chin up his whole body ebbed closer to me with the sheets ruffling until his nose could touch mine did he grant me a lingering kiss. I breathed after our lips had parted trailing my fingers down his neck with a feathery touch.

"I'm not sure you know what you're getting yourself into," I cautioned.

"I won't know until I have," a crooked devilish smile to exploit my harmless meaning.

My hair curled around his fingers as he continued to twirl them around like a snake coiling around his fingers. With his other hand softly stroking my side I couldn't help but find myself rigid as stone. It had been a long while and clearly my body was never ready to ever experience it again. At times I found myself closing my eyes trying to rid the pain of memories that repressed my mind. I worried about Altair noticing the Templar cross forever scared into my skin that over the years showed little improvement on fading. I breathed heavily eyes still closed not realizing until Altair stroked my cheek with his thumb and stopped moving. My eyes fluttered open wondering if it was over. "You alright...?" he whispered. I nodded my head wrapping my arms around his neck crossing my wrists from behind. One arm supporting him beside me allowing the other he ran his hand up one of my arms stroking it on the way down.

He traced every elusive curve to my form in one stroke or two. I sighed giving in when I felt his mouth enveloped my breast. He moved again in a musical pulse. Perhaps it was better off to forget on a night like this to appease all of my sorrows. My body answered him willingly never even sparing a thought on how good it felt before. He made my body churn taking him in with felicity. Every shared interaction between us I understood watching the stoic visage resolve like the beads of sweat trickling in rivulets down his chest to his muscular build below. How could one person take all these bruises and scars, decimate them or lay them aside with only the simplest actions? How could two sweating bodies atop each other do this? It riddled me.

Neither of us could sleep after burning out the oil lamp and most of the candles in the room. Altair rested on his back as I curled up on my side laying my head on his chest. He had his arm around me with two fingers stroking up and down my back along my spine. I smiled kissing his muscular abdomen with silky lips. He pulled me even closer as I stretched an arm across his midsection feeling a yawn coming. An ear to his chest magnified his heart beating. We laid like this capturing in the mother of the night's mercy. There were still questions sizzling in my head as my eyelashes brushed along his skin. That replay of memories I experienced outside the Animus disturbed me which wanted me to have Altair's presence all around me.

"Will you ever tell me how you got that scar on your lip?" I asked delicately. The rhythmic stroking down my back hitched but did not cease to continue forth.

"You do not like it then?" he murmured.

"Oh no," I said pressing my naked form to his, "I do not mind it at all. I was rather curious of how one could get a scar there..." His heart rate moved.

"I was much younger then when I was not fast enough to react to a blade come around. As a consequence for my delayed reaction the person had marked me well off as a reminder." The corner of my mouth twitched. I felt it better that Altair was not able to see the scrutiny engraved on my face at this time. He was secure with answers making absolute sure of himself he would not leak any answers or suggestions towards one way or another. I pressed part of my lips into his skin again moving my head having to settle with the answer. About to doze off at last Altair took his other hand and placed it on top of mine resting on his abdomen. "Will you marry me?" he inquired. I turned my head around to face him elevated by one elbow staring at him.

"What?" I could not hide my surprise with my dark eyes round like moons. His hand on my back now lifted, stretched to the side as he breathed again.

"Will you marry me Natasha...?" It was the first he had said my name to me as far as I was aware of. "When we return to Masyaf, when all the nine assassinations are completed, will you marry me then?" I swallowed never guessing it would happen to me now. It was much of a cultural surprise that I wasn't married already. Yet seeing how I've lived my life, Masyaf was never a place where traditions survived outside of the Assassin Order. I dreamed of being courted a miserable thing without a word to say. Yes, I was speechless right now but it was a different kind of speechless like just the thought of someone made you smile, made you laugh, then burst into unstoppable tears. I chuckled not wanting to cry. "What?" there was the hint of anxiety in his voice. I shook my head grinning as I bent forward until we were lip to lip barely pulling on his full bottom lip. He complied not a moment too late cupping my cheek into his hand and brushing back the side fringe behind my ear. I broke through a tender smile not even having the strength to say 'yes' without the fear of choking on my breath.

It was nearly pitch black yet as my eyes fluttered open there was a strange flood of light from the hallway creeping in from under the door. I looked to my side finding Altair still sleeping more soundly than I ever seen him in the Assassin Bureaus. Now. I must figure this out now. I breathed slipping out from his embrace making the crinkles in the sheets undetectable. As I sat up over the edge of the bed I felt pain in places where I haven't felt in a while. I finally rose to my feet padding them across the tiled floor over to the dresser. I bent over crawling in the near darkness rummaging for the silk red robe. I found the velvety fabric and wrapped myself within it to keep my body from shivering. I felt for his leather armor that I had stripped off previously attempting to be careful as I felt my way for his leather belt.

Then I dragged the thick leather belt to me when a throwing knife had fallen from its sheathe. I cracked my neck back to check if Altair would stir. Nothing. I recovered the knife placing it in the empty sheathe bringing myself and the belt close to the door where it was the only place that shed light. I slapped the belt on my thighs having my legs tucked under me sitting on my heels stretching my fingers over every hilt of his knives. I stopped running my fingers over when I detected a different shape from the hilt. A tiny force was all it took to reveal such an unusual blade. Too large to be thrown with precision, I placed the blade under the crack of light. It reflected a white shine blinding me for a moment. I adjusted the blade to where the reflection shinned on the ceiling instead. Under the golden light from the door there was proof, this was the evidence. The perfect curls to my name on the blade adorned with rubies of all sizes, settled in my hands. He had my blades the entire time. And with great secrecy to conceal them from me meant he was hiding something greater.

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*I am honestly hoping that I did Altair some justice as I didn't want him to seem to OOC. Keeping characters in check is vital to me! I never understood French kissing because I always knew that when you kiss with tongue you are transported twenty DIFFERENT types of bacteria to the person your kissing and vice-versa. Trust me I'm not afraid of germs... (usually) but yeah. Never understood why the unwritten rule for fanfictions entitled under romance the climax of a story was THE climax of a story? Yeah know? I hope to change that. Also it was a crucial part for me as a writer to not make this lustful and pornographic. I wanted it to be tasteful and if it wasn't that then to me it was trash. I hoped I gave enough of what you guys wanted along with what I envisioned and wanted. Thank you so much for your support my Beautiful Souls ~MissKayoko*