Hello readers if you all still exist^^ , I apologise from the bottom of my heart for the lack of updates, I'm really sorry! But I am picking up this story and this time making sure that I finish it! Thankyou all for the support you've given me!
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"Robert...De..." Bur began his mouth slack with surprise, even his grip on his spear wavered as he stared at her.
"Surely you don't mean THE DeSable..." Dag muttered gruffly, Leah looked at him and gave a small giggle, "But he's only a few years older than you, it can't be possible!"
"Obviously it's THE DeSable, I mean who doesn't know my daddy?" She laughed and hugged her stomach suddenly as the two guards exchanged bemused expressions. Inside Leah was almost crying with despair...how could she get out of this situation? Clearly age was a factor, the enemy himself was only twenty something and she was approaching twenty herself at a rapid pace, last but not least these two idiots still wouldn't let her go! And now her stomach twisted painfully.
"Oh ho...if he is your beloved papa I'll let you wait with us then till he gets here! Since I assume he has business with the city." Dag chuckled grabbing one arm roughly, Bur instantly latching onto her other with a cry of "Yeah!"
"Bur you idiot let go! She gets to stand by me!" The guard shouted possessively and tugged on her arm pulling Leah limply towards him, her body swinging in motion. "It'll make me look smart in front of DeSable!"
"That's not fair!" Bur replied obstinately and tugged in his direction, Leah was grimacing in pain as she felt like her two arms were about to be pulled off her, the pair continued bickering for a good few minutes till Leah started joining in.
"Will you both let go!"
"You let go!"
"No way – you let go!"
"I can't let go if you're not going to let go-"
"SHUDDAP BUR!" Dag roared his moustache quivering with rage, his hands dug into Leah's arm most painfully but for now she and Bur had noticed bigger problems. The trio stood in the road clearly causing a blockade into and out of the city, and stood in front of them was the leader of the Templar Knights with a small platoon. Leah swallowed nervously and looked up from the horses' hooves, to the rider on top, from the ends of his boots to top of his chainmail where his face was shrouded in a hood. The man pushed back his hood and looked at her with scrutiny before turning his dark green eyes over to the two men who promptly let go of her arms and dropped to their knees.
She could feel his aura of power and it stifled the air. She hardly dared to breathe in case he decided slit her throat. This man was more dangerous than Altair...at least Altair laughed maniacally before murdering most of his victims. "Of all the times to be thinking of Altair...Good grief woman..." Leah thought inwardly with guilt.
"M-my lord..." They murmured apologetically. She glanced at each of them and decided to follow suit...though it couldn't have felt more awkward for her to kneel before someone else. The back of her neck was exposed and she didn't feel any safer bowing her head till she couldn't see him anymore.
"First of all, how dare you raise your voice to such a delicate young woman?" Robert De Sable rumbled lowly. His cold eyes pierced through the pair of guards and they flattened their heads against the floor hurriedly, almost burying their noses into the dirt.
"No never my lord!"
"It wasn't us-"
"Shut up Bur!" Robert De Sable ignored their quailing and nudged his horse forward a few steps till it stood beside Leah. She could see the huge hooves of his stallion and felt mortal fear. One wrong move and that hoof could have cracked her skull open.
"Oh no oh no oh no!" She thought, her heart pace quickened as she felt him stare at her from en high. "Oh god..." She heard herself whisper aloud, her stomach twisted uneasily and the worst thing she could do would be to vomit all over the feared Templar.
"God won't save you now dear." Robert de Sable chuckled deeply, his voice rich and smooth it was a stark contrast to the gruff, shouting voice commonly heard as he sought blood. "Hmm I make Altair sound like a vampire..." Leah thought with a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, however she didn't reply to him and he let out a low whistle. She slowly looked up and what she noticed was that his eyes gave her a chilling feel, almost as if he were desiring her to do his will, and they stared almost obsessively into hers before breaking eye contact. She felt powerless to resist his...charm? No, manipulative force field was more fitting.
"If he told me to dance naked right now...I can't believe it, but I would." And she with held a laugh at her own weakness.
"Sir...much due respect, but is this woman your –" Bur began but Leah leapt to feet and pounced straight onto the man's back flattening him promptly with an elbow dug between his shoulder blades. She gave a nervous laugh as she met the gaze of the leader who looked surprisingly calm and extremely unperturbed. But there was a flicker of a smile on the cold, impassive face.
"Well now that, that's dealt with... please carry on." Leah said breathlessly jumping to her feet and lugged the man's body out of the horses' way. Instead of leaving promptly, the leader deftly flicked his hand and a templar scurried across, he knelt on the floor and Robert De Sable used him as a pro, preferring to deftly step off a man's back rather than an uncharacteristic jump from the saddle.
"He's way too dainty...where was the epic" swinging your legs off a horse" slow motion action?" Leah thought and unconsciously raised an eyebrow. DeSable most likely noticed and he smirked at her. He had towered at a monstrous height on the black stallion, but now he stood equally impressive in front of Leah, a good foot or so taller than her, and she stared at him with the most innocent eyes she could muster, hoping they'd win her mercy points.
"Your face..." He said softly, and stared into her eyes, Leah's cheeks grew red as he looked at her with nothing more than dark meaning behind his eyes.
"Y-yes?" She breathed out and swallowed nervously, "This is totally not good." Clearly her mind was growing short of oxygen as the longer she stared at the dangerous man without blinking, the fuzzier his image seemed to become. Maybe it was how her stomach was still twisting in pain, she couldn't tell anymore.
"You seem so familiar. But it cannot be...what is your name?" He asked her and reached up his hand, she flinched away a few inches, and his hand paused. He made shushing noises as if approaching a deer and Leah decided to stay rooted on the spot as his hand inched closer. The green eyes unmoving as it fixated its gaze onto her, leaving her paralysed close to him. His hand ran through long locks of her hair letting them fall back into place from his fingers, he murmured the word, "Heaven." Which meant absolutely nothing to Leah. Except that the man was a few screws loose of loony land.
"Erm...De Sab – my lord?" She squeaked watching his hand warily as it inched up to her face. His rough fingers cupped her cheek and he rubbed at it with his thumb, his other hand was placed firmly on her shoulder. Then...he started leaning in. By now the man was a mass blob of colours as blood raged inside her body unsure of what to do or where to go, his eyes forbade her to move, she did nothing as he leaned ever closer. The mesmerising green eyes kept her fleeing spirit at bay, but it to raised her fear to new heights.
He poised it seemed on the very edges of her own lips, his own brushed across them lightly sending rivets of nerve electricity shooting through her. Though she remained perfectly rigid, "No, I can't move I really CANNOT move, if I move I'm toast, don't move girl, don't move!" She screamed at herself, surely the man could feel her body quivering in his hands? But she couldn't help it, the tension he commanded over her was almost unbearable, yet a small part of her found it thrilling...
"I've seen you with him." He whispered gently to her, they were so close, his skin seemed to be sending tiny molecules of electricity to her skin prickling it gently.
"W-who?" She mumbled stupidly knowing full well he must mean Altair. There was an unsightly trickle of sweat rolling down the side of her face now, and she felt relief that he hadn't paid it attention yet.
"You're a clever girl, the real question here is, who do you think is really the "bad" person in this war? You are important...to me. Don't forget that." With that he straightened up with a smirk at her furiously blushing expression and mounted his horse again, "If you ever want to find me just go to that tower there and say, "drapeau de sang"." Leah opened her mouth wordlessly and he looked away. He led his steed into a smart trot into the city with his men following obediently behind. None of them casting her a look in her direction.
"R-right..." Leah finally in a quiet reply, she instinctively moved her hand to her heart which was beating with disorientation...clearly the beating was irregular and the odd pumping rhythm that she had no control over were beating, louder...and louder and louder. Till pangs of familiar pain started. That twisting in her stomach she'd almost forgotten about.
"It's no good – sweaaaar down no blood is coming out from my heart – I need – I need..." And she started gasping, no more thoughts wavered in her head as the colours around her began blurring messily, suddenly darkness encroached on the corners of her vision and she stumbled to the floor, on her hands and knees her body convulsed horribly, her spine arching up and down as she gasped for breath, something was rising inside of her and it wasn't going to be pretty...
Besides her Bur and Dag grunted and pointed at her with puzzled expressions, they didn't dare approach her but rather watched with fascination. Leah retched, her long locks shadowing her face, she knew she was being watched and the humiliation of it was far too great, with one huge retch, she seared her throat but managed to expel a black oily mess of blood through means of coughing and vomiting. A small pool of it was formed and from her mouth strings of blood connected it together. The substance was so glossy she could just about manage to see her face in it..."I've just been sick...in public and just spat out "Venom" from Spiderman...oh my g...I've...I've gotta go..."
She tried to stand, really she did try. But she fell squarely back onto her bottom with a small thump, her breathing heavy, her eyes barely focused as she stared at the messy pool she'd produced. The world was a mad mix of colours and she hadn't the faintest hope of standing up again without falling, she could see blobs of people begin to stroll past her, some ignoring her, some muttering about her. Out of the ones that went past not one person made to help her off the floor, feeling tears as her stomach began cramping after its ordeal, she got up to one knee and rose unsteadily to her feet. Swaying dangerously every second. She knew full well it was because of Maness' forced poison that brought about this illness.
"Leah." A voice growled out closely to her, she saw the imagery around her tilt vertically, a pair of blurred boots,...and she wondered whose they were before darkness consumed her vision and mind.
Malik tutted disapprovingly and muttered, "Not now..." He knelt beside her and wrapped his single arm around her waist, hoisting her clumsily onto his shoulder, her arms swung uselessly as he broke into a lopsided sprint into the city. He desperately searched for a ladder that would enable him to take her away from the dangerous sights of the city inhabitants, there were spies everywhere, double crossers rife for a chance with the Templar association. Leah made a retching noise again and a dribble of darkened blood fell from her lips onto the Assassin's robe.
With a curse he sped round a corner and skidded to a halt. An Assassin rarely felt fear, they often mastered it against their nature. Yet Altair was one Assassin that broke that rule into millions of pieces, he inspired fear into fellow men.
He was fear itself.
Malik swallowed once and took very slow steps away, he knew the slightest knock of a pebble was to set him off, the breath that came from his lungs would be picked up on and then it'd be all over. The fearsome Assassin was currently sipping something from a wineskin as he sat inconspicuously on a bench laden with shadows. He was so close to the hiding behind the corner he just rounded when Leah's foot knocked against the wall, it was barely a noise above the rustle of dry plaster but Altair's head snapped up. Malik gave a heavy sigh as he knew there was no escape.
"Malik...What are you...is that..." Altair began, his head cocked to an angle as he strained for a better view.
"Nope – nope, it's exactly what you're not thinking!" Malik chortled taking a few steps closer with a sheepish grin on his face,
"No. No. That's exactly what I think it is! I'd recognise that backside anywhere!" Altair replied sternly, his entire body seemingly froze rigidly as he looked at Leah's fallen form.
"As disturbing as that is..." Malik grumbled but Altair gave him a look that made the words trickle to nothing in his throat.
"What's happened here Malik...or rather should I be asking Maness?" He spat aloud acidly. And he got to his feet and scoured the buildings with his eyes, and soon he found him.
"It's not how it looks Altair." Maness said gruffly, he leapt easily off a small rooftop and landed between the two people facing each other off, Malik in his case holding Leah on his shoulder. They were now a trio, trading apprehensive and threatening looks. Unsure of how to react to the situation.
"Then - then how is it supposed to look?" Altair shouted viciously, "You've clearly knocked her out and some vile purpose-"
"No- no – don't be absurd!" Malik retorted defensively, the last thing he wanted to be called was a pervert. "Tell him Maness!" The Head Assassin looked like he was about to say something but held his tongue. He plastered a broad smirk on his face instead.
"Shouldn't count on me little scholar." He said lightly, Altair shot him a glance but directed a venomous glare at his friend. "You agreed to help me, but I never help an ally of my enemy." Malik snorted at him and returned his attention to Altair.
"Altair, you have to let me pass. Pretend you never saw me or her here." Altair glared back at him, and he groaned, "This isn't going to be easy is it?" He sighed as the glare only intensified and he knew the man well enough not to mistake any form of a threatening signal.
"Easy? You have a lot of explaining to do, especially the part about "pretend I never saw her." Just what are you insinuating?" He hissed taking a few steps forward, "Is something going on between you and Maness – is this about Coralia!" He was now only a few paces away from the pair, when Maness approached him, his hand hooked onto Altair's shoulder firmly, the Assassin turned his head slightly and cast him a sharp look.
"Leave the woman, leave Maness and come and return to Masyaf. " The man said evenly, the pressure on Altair's shoulder increased a notch as Altair made an angry noise. He was like a wild beast and was threatening to lash out at people.
"She is my responsibility, I haven't cleared up the suspicion around her yet-"
"What suspicion! If anything Altair you are the suspicious one – this obsessive craze you have endangers the very missions we are sent on, like today you put this woman before your duties and managed to jeopardize the task we were sent – Thank the lords that I was able to save it!" Maness barked.
"I do things my own way." Altair hissed and jerked away from the man's grip he took another step to Malik and reached his hand out, "Now my old friend, give her to me." Malik's eyes didn't waver at the order, he knew full well force would be a necessity in this messy equation. "That wasn't a choice." Altair added lowly seeing as Malik failed to budge an inch.
"Ah...I'm...afraid I can't let you do that my friend...you know removing her to another city is the best option." He sighed and walked over to the bench, putting Leah on it in a rather slouched position. He flexed his one arm and walked back to Altair who was so tense the atmosphere around him was electric, as he passed he knew this was going to be a heavy fight, no punches pulled, "So...let's start this shall we?"
Altair wasted no time in admitting a strike to the side of Malik's head, the one armed Assassin nearly toppled to the ground, his hand was just a few inches off the floor, his ears ringing from the hit. Immediately he swept his feet beneath Altair who sprang high into the air out of reach, as he landed he gripped Malik's neck with one hand, using his full body force his friend was helpless as he slammed onto his back the full weight of the Assassin crushing down on his neck, the other hand punching relentlessly into his abdomen.
Malik crashed his only fist into the joint of Altair's arm causing it to buckle and release its grip on his neck, as there was a split second he knew up one knee and kicked forcefully into Altair's chest sending the man sprawling onto the dusty floor. He picked himself up and flexed his neck before lunging at Altair who was almost on his feet. He grappled one of the man's arms and held it in a locked position behind him, his leg kicked at the joints of Altair's legs sending him to his knees.
Altair gave a roar of anger and swung his free hand onto Malik's shoulder where it gripped tightly onto the cloth of his robes, he then ragged the poor Assassin head first to the floor. It was a dusty scuffle as he dug an elbow down into the ribs of the scholar following a body slam. Clouds of sand billowed around them but the noise soon roused Leah.
She was sat coolly in the shade, her eyelids gently fluttering open, she opened her eyes a crack blearily and shut again. She felt large hand pick her up a hand beneath the crook in her legs, the other supporting her back as she was cradled close to his chest. "It's...a guy...Alta-Altair...is that you?" She felt a mixture of relief amongst resentment, what he had been using her as was delusional to say the least. "I'm so glad it's you..."
"Here you go. Find out what your Master wants with her, I'm sure...it'll be most intriguing." Maness said with a chuckle as the Templar Knight beside a horse swiftly propped up her into the saddle. She slumped onto the animal's neck, her hands tied knotted to the reins and her legs were bound to the stirrups.
The Knight gave a small bow and began to lead the horse away, Leah was exhausted, she hadn't the strength to object and her stomach felt so raw. But she heard Maness' voice and saw the assassin by opening her eyes a crack, "Traitor." She hissed in a tone inaudible, her soft lips barely moving.
"FUCK IT – GIVE UP ALREADY YOU GOADDAMNED SPAWN OF HELLISH CRIPPLES!" Altair roared spitting out a mixture of sand and blood, he slammed his fist hard on the ground where he had slid to a stop after being thrown bodily into the air by the one-armed assassin. Malik himself was swaying slightly as he sat down.
"Good lord...you're temper exceeds your already atrocious reputation!" Malik laughed aloud, which was soon followed by a hacking cough, a grin spreading across his face. "I'd never thought that I'd be the one receiving it!"
"We've been at this for far too long!" The man snarled in reply, getting to his feet gingerly, he looked at his friend who had a childish grin although blood streamed from cuts on his face and his body was bruised all over. But Altair wasn't much better off, his body ached and his limbs were heavy. To put it simply, he was at his limit.
"Reason we're still here trifling with punches is because you know no other techniques than to kill, maim and torture, none of which you would inflict on me." Malik replied lightly and sat on the floor, he heard the Assassin stomp over noisily before hands seized the neck of his robes shaking him consistently, "Why do you intend on separating me and her!" Altair shouted into an ear.
"It's for your own good." The scholar replied with a wince, "We have to separate you else you return to the maddened state of grief which brought you here in the first place!" Malik slapped away Altair's hands and the man dropped to his knees in a subconscious act of defeat,
""Maddened state of grief"?" He repeated slowly, every syllable lingering with pain, "Did you not know I controlled myself- contained myself – locked away everything I held dear till she showed up. I reached the peak of my career-"
"And then Leah came "from the sky" and you lost everything that brought you away from Coralia's death! I can't let you linger on your ex-bride to be for any longer!"
"How dare you talk about her in that manner!" Altair shouted loudly pushing Malik roughly, his face a mixture of anger and embarrassment. He was beet red in the face the scholar noticed, it was so rare he wished he could have taken a painting of it.
"Altair age up and become a man – I can talk about Coralia with all the respect she deserves, but you can't treat Leah like some replacement doll for the sake of your own selfish wishes – Al Mualim warned us all about it and we were not aware the implications she could cause you-"
"Enough." Maness interjected sternly, Malik held his tongue and drew a deep breath. He hadn't noticed the man's presence since the fight started.
"I am sorry my friend, you must find your own light..." He said as a final sentence and was pulled to his feet by the head Assassin.
"You have said far more than you should have, now return to Masyaf your presence is not needed." Maness threw Malik a few steps forwards and the scholar turned back with a smirk after regaining his balance.
"Is that a direct order from your status?"
"No, it's from me – now remove yourself from my sight before I help you down to hell." Maness warned and watched carefully as Malik shrugged and turned away from the scene, he took a few steps and halted, "Can you at least vouch for Leah's safety Maness?"
"She is quite clearly..."
"Not there." Altair finished with a hiss. The three men looked at the bench where a lonely leaf blew onto the seat and settled it's edges curled up slightly, "One word." Altair breathed out, turning around to face Maness,
"No, don't say a thing." The head Assassin groaned and sighed,
"Oh I think he will." Malik chimed in and rubbed at the temples of his head as he approached the pair,
"That one word is – PERFECT(!)" Altair exclaimed and kicked a wall by his side, "We may as well have sold her into slavery and gained ourselves a healthy profit! I could have bought myself a tidy house somewhere and retired from this line of work!"
"She really wouldn't have been worth that much!" Maness scoffed and snorted with laughter, he looked back up and saw Altair stomping away into the city, "And where may ye fair maiden be storming away to?"
"I afraid our little mistress is on a little hunt of his own." Malik trilled next to his ear as before he quickly jogged up to his friend.
"You're both pathetic." Maness spat at him and sneered as he muttered, "You'll never find her." He watched the two men increase the distance away from him till he knew it was safe to slip away from the crowd and back to Al Mualim. "With luck they'll start brawling again." He chuckled.
"Altair!" Malik called aloud and stopped to a wheezing gasp, his one hand mopping his brow, "Don't go so fast!"
"What?" The Assassin barked nastily turning around to him with a scowl, the crowd around them gave them plenty of space as they milled about the market stall.
"Please, let us not do this. For all we know Leah could have wandered off on her own." Malik gasped aloud and put his one hand on Altair's shoulder to steady himself.
"No! She wouldn't have done that if you hadn't been trying to transport her!" And there was an accusing index finger pointed closely to Malik's face.
"We were only moving her to another city so she wouldn't interfere with you anymore! We had a house, a job, a life set out for her!" He pleaded as Altair moved away leaving his friend
"No." Altair muttered to him. "It won't be the same without Leah." The scholar had a sympathetic look of his face which only irritated Altair, "You may as well assist in finding Leah, she can't have gotten far!" He offered out his hand to him but Malik shook his head.
His friend sighed and put a hand to his chest, "I cannot keep up with you in truth."
"Then leave Malik. Our business is done." Altair replied in a steely tone, hurriedly retracting his offered hand into a fist.
"I have not abandoned you my childhood friend once. I know how much she means to you." He replied and looked at Altair who grew an even darker expression if that were possible,
"If you knew then why were you hiding her from me in the first place? God damn it all Malik! You were clearly working for Al Mualim! You sided with the weasel Maness!" He shouted accusingly and gripped the robes of his friend tightly after pouncing on him.
"You were taking her away from me – I won't let you do that to me, I'm going to find her and none of the brotherhood can stop me." He snarled to his face. Malik looked into his eyes and saw that Altair did not see him in the same light anymore, there was a spark of desperate hope inside that he couldn't bear to stub out by stating the obvious to him.
"My friend, I truly believed Maness would leave her in safe hands..."
"Malik...that was foolish." Altair sighed dejectedly "But it's to be expected from a person like you." He added acidly.
"I'll leave you to your devices, my days as your partner are up..." Malik said slowly and took Altair's hands away from him slowly, "My loss of a limb...has well as you can see. It's impossible to keep up with you anymore."
"What are you saying? I wasn't that mean, come on, I'll even apologise to you." He said shrewdly, and Malik shook his head, "I'm sensing a turn for the worst here..." Altair finished lamely.
"Nothing as extravagant as "worse", but our paths will part. I'll keep your cover as best as I can with Al Mualim."
"You're returning to him?" The Assassin queried as Malik backed away from him. Suddenly he could see the huge rift between them...One that he'd caused.
"Of course, I have done enough damage...but when you do see Leah...you may want to give her this." He said solemnly and tossed a small vial of clear liquid to him, "Because I know you're dumb, clueless, and a down right idiot...I'm telling you now-"
"Telling me what?" Altair asked him and through intuition he looked up. The cork of the vial had been popped and Altair had the lip of the vial on the edge of his lips already.
"AAAAAAARGH!" Malik with his one hand managed to seize the vial whilst simultaneously slamming his fist into Altair's face sending the man reeling away , "I-I- You imbecile!" And he wheezed heavily as his friend picked himself up off the ground, "I look away from ONE minute and this is what happens!" He held the vial tightly infront of the assassin's face.
"You gave me a clear liquid! What was you expecting me to do?" Altair whined as he massaged his nose which had recieved most of the impact. He picked up the cork and held Malik pop it back on.
"Hold it perhaps?" His friend snarled, "How many times do I have to tell you not to drink random liquids?"
"Alright...I remember."
"Damn right you better!" Malik groaned, "Last time you drank sewage water that Maness gave you without a thought! Have you learnt nothing?"
"That was Maness and I'm not expecting you to poison me!" He whined and Malik cocked an eyebrow at him, "Or...are you?" He added shrewdly, eyeballing his friend suspiciously.
"Never you mind, this is a suppressant for the poison inside Leah which is starting to rise again. Goutar has been sending it to her recently. Make sure you DO NOT drink this." And he passed the vial reluctantly into Altair's open palm.
"Malik..." Altair said quietly closing his hand around the small vial. He looked up but his friend had a soft look on his face that caused him to hold his tongue,
"My destiny no longer runs alongside yours, and you are being weaned from the brotherhood plans for you, but don't let that stop you my friend. You have skills, use them. Safety and Peace brother...and please...don't drink any more strange liquids." Malik pulled his hood close around his face and disappeared into the thronging crowd beside them. Altair stood motionless for a while staring at the empty spot his friend had stood in, he felt a prickling emotion of loneliness and guilt. He knew he'd be seeing Malik a lot less than normal from now on. Maybe never again? "Slim chance...our lives aren't that unlucky." He thought with a sly smile to himself.
Malik brushed effortlessly past people in the streets, he couldn't help feeling as though he'd lost another part of him, first the arm, then Kadar and now Altair. He knew his brother would return but how long would he stay under the eagle eyes of Al Mualim? A day? A week? A month? Time was growing short for Altair's life in the brotherhood, and unexpected challenges were sure to rise against a man of his skill and calibre. "I know you'll be the best." He thought with a groan as he massaged his chest where Altair had dug his elbow in previously.
"Students on the second and fourth row turn to your left! And stand opposite your partner!" Their teacher snarled snapping a twig in his hand. The parts of the twig were then launched viciously at a child who had been the last to follow the orders. "You're a bunch of pansies – you need to become real men – you all know that the future of our brotherhood depends on you!"He called aloud and began a barking lecture,
"You scared fancy boy?" The boy facing Malik snickered, he had a smirk plastered on, and a newly healed scar stretched from a corner of his neck to his waist. It was a jagged line as if someone had tried to carve the boy into pieces.
"Fancy boy?" Malik echoed with disbelief, "Stop being such an idiot. I'm here to learn not to fight."
"An idiot?" The boy hissed in reply his face suddenly betraying surprise, "No one ever calls me an idiot!"
"That's funny because your name says otherwise." He replied testily, bunching his small hands into fists, "If I'm not mistaken, your name is Altair. That's it...it sounds like "I'll tie yer""
"Oh? Is that the best you can come up with rich boy?" The boy laughed quietly and grew a broad grin,
"It's Malik." He replied flatly.
"Malik...M...alik...Ma...lik...Mal...ik." The boy mused for a moment, "Nope nothing comes to mind worthy of a comeback! I'll admit you got me tongue stumped there-congrats!" Malik took the hand that reached out to him and shook it briefly, meeting the eyes of his newly found friend, he felt a shiver of apprehension but ignored it. Little did they know that handshake would spark a relationship lasting them into adulthood, and through all the tragedies of life. Soon afterwards they were both rapped sharply on the palm of their hands with a leather belt.
Altair closed his eyes for a moment, carefully calculating where and how Leah could have disappeared to. As far as he guessed she was halfway to deaths door and he was holding the rope to pull her back. "Think...think you idiot...where could she have gone...she couldn't possibly move on her own...come on brain...think...she had to been moved by someone." He ran his memory and thought back to when he was preoccupied fighting Malik, "The only person I didn't keep an eye on was Maness, he's the only one that could have done it...a few wanderers passing by wouldn't dare approach the bench when we were fighting near..."
With a silent growl of frustration Altair tore back to the street where the trio were before, it was empty of Assassins unsurprisingly. He scaled the nearest building with ease and perched on its rooftop, "Now to catch me a Maness..." He mumbled his eyes riveting over every bump and dip of the buildings. "Ack...I knew I shouldn't have ever wandered away from him."
Leah herself hadn't a clue where she was headed, she even managed to drift away into sleep while looking like a corpse upon a horse. Her head wasn't as sharp as she'd like but the pain had subsided, most annoying since she was now in the hands of a Templar, practically sworn enemy to the Assassins. The man beside her plodded on in pace with the horse but she couldn't see his face, his hood was pulled far up, he could almost be mistaken for an Assassin save for the crimson cross splashed across his chest. "Here we are Odette. Settle down now girl." Leah opened a crack in her eye and saw what appeared to be a small house, she felt large hands grip her waist before tugging her off the horse. Acting as limp as a rag doll she was firmly plonked into a seat.
"Get up. I know you can." A voice ordered her, she didn't budge a millimetre and didn't bat a eyelid. "Alright play it zat way if you want." –SPLASH!-
"WHAT THE FRICK!" Leah gasped, her mouth agape as water streamed down her face and onto her shirt, she'd bolted to her feet and was hastily wiping water from her face,
"Oui, good morning mademoiselle." The voice spoke again and she whipped around, her long locks of hair swishing in motion to her.
"Is this your idea of a joke!" She snapped at him immediately and the man gave a low chuckle, "I'll have you know I'm a black belt in karate an' breathe fire an' everything! You don't want to mess with me!" And she put up her fists threateningly feeling so much like a cat with all its fur fluffed up in anger.
"Non belle fille." He replied and gave a bow whilst removing his hood, what struck Leah first was that he was...was, "He's well fit." Leah stared at him for a long moment, her eyes taking in the image of his hazel eyes, his smooth, stubble-less face, the glowing health of his skin and that styled auburn hair that the sunlight complemented greatly. His face was angular and slim, and a sweet smile was swept across his face as he watched her obvious jaw dropping in reaction.
"Itz alright belle fille, most les fille 'ave that effect, now please..." He said with a laugh, and held out a clean cloth. Only now did Leah realize that it was a deep, smooth voice that caressed her ears. The man was like sweet honey to her. He was oozing beauty and desire, and a French accent to boot. She quickly shut her mouth and nodded obediently, she took the cloth he was holding out and mopped hurriedly at her face which was heating up to a noticeable cherry red.
"You were standing there gawking anyone could tell you he was gorgeous – no behave Leah! He's the enemy!" Leah threw the cloth to the floor in mock disgust and took a deep breath before glaring at the man who was now sat on a chair, his head propped up by his hand as he watched her. Almost leisurely.
"Something wrong belle?" He asked before she could jettison some heavy foul language at him. Sis expression was none perturbed as she stomped over to the door with a grumble and attempted to pull it open. A heavy lock kept it shut and no amount of rattling the handle was going to loosen it. The security in this city was better than most Yale locks back at home, all these guys needed were nuts and bolts of metal and hey presto! Doors that only muscle bound women could open.
"Je ne ferais pas ca." He said, the language flowing teasingly from his lips, Leah turned round angrily to him, he was like...an exotic host. Or a machine designed to entice women. He might just be a prehistoric version of the guys in her time that were irresistible, their ancestors if she liked.
"What!" She asked him, feeling embarrassed as her bedraggled form was put to shame compared to his clean, crisp appearance. "Okay, don't make me go on the offense and stop speaking in French because I freaking don't speak it – Je ne speakay anglaish capice!" Leah babbled back at him, a smile tugging at his lips as she imagined spouting this back in her French classes as Primary school. She was feeling strangely nostalgic today, "Must be because I've "separated" from Altair again...with nowhere to go. "Home" doesn't even exist right now."
"Ah...la jeune fille tient a sourire." The man said aloud with a singing tune. Now he was just running rings around her with the foreign language.
"Yeah... totally...you know...erm nous aller traverse outsider...si?" Leah finished feebly and dropped her hands that pointed to the door.
"Oui belle fille..." He crooned with a laugh, he rose from his seat and walked over to her. She froze as his hand cupped her face gently and murmured, "You could just speak Anglais and ask to be let out."
"Are you going to free me then?" She croaked aloud, secretly she enjoyed this courteous flirtatious behaviour...it was a far cry from the guys found in clubs whose seduction scale amounted to a shout of "'Ey girl come have a few bevvies!". This form of interaction...was refreshing and respectful, she'd never felt so charmed in her life. But being charmed by strange men never led to good results.