Chapter 53
Evangeline found herself seated on one of the benches in the square. Watching the merchants and the villagers bustling about on their daily business, appeared to distract the blonde from thinking about the death of her father.
It stopped her from feeling guilty. If she hadn't have gone to him, looking for answers, then he wouldn't have had that coughing fit which led up to his death...would he? She held her face in her hands as a wave of tears spilled down her cheeks.
What was to happen now?
She dried her eyes and sat up, coming face to face with a pair of bright amber eyes set in a small, round, innocent face.
Danor reached out a small hand and placed it on Evangeline's cheek before looking up at the white robed man standing behind him, "Father, why is mother crying?" He questioned.
"She's upset." Altair explained to the young boy.
"I'm sorry," Evangeline began, standing up and smoothing down her dress. "I wasn't paying attention to the time." She looked around her, but was confused when the stalls were still set up.
"It's not dark yet." Altair stated. "Danor wanted to see if you were alright."
The blonde played with the ends of her hair and glanced from the Master Assassin down to the young boy whose eyes were full of concern. She held out her hand for him, which he eagerly took and smiled up at her.
Slowly, they made their way up towards the citadel. The walk was nice, silent, and calming. But did little to ease Evangeline's thoughts from the loss of her father. Evangeline didn't look up at Abbas as they passed by the Gatekeeper, but she could almost feel the battle of testosterone between the two males as they stepped into the courtyard.
She kept her eyes on her son, whose face seemed to light up with fascination as they made their way past the sparring ring. Danor let go of Evangeline's hand and grasped fistfuls of white robes, "Father, can I go and watch?" He gasped, pointing towards the sparring ring and bouncing on his feet.
"You may watch from the balcony." Altair stated, continuing to walk inside.
A true little Assassin he would be. Evangeline smiled lightly down at her son as his face broke out into the biggest of grins before he took off along the corridor towards the stairs at a quick jog.
Altair remained at her side, and Evangeline wondered if he had told their son that he would no longer get to see his grandfather, "Did you tell him?" Evangeline asked.
Altair nodded, "He was upset." Came the response, "But I explained everything. He understands that your father is no longer suffering, and is happy that he has gone."
Evangeline nodded in acceptance of his words, "Thank you."
They climbed the stairs in a comfortable silence, and upon stepping into their chambers, they could see the excitement on their sons face as he stood beside the balcony – watching the sparring going on below.
"Evangeline," Altair began, reaching into his robes. "This is for you." He pulled out an envelope, the wax seal unbroken.
"You didn't read it?" She asked, accepting the parchment from him.
He smirked and looked away, "I do respect your privacy." He stated, turning back to look at her. "This was also left for you." Altair held out a beautiful heart-shaped locket hanging from a delicate thin gold chain.
Evangeline gently took the necklace from the Assassin's gloved hand. "It was my mothers." She stated, running her thumb over the locket daintily.
"I haven't seen one like it here before." Altair commented.
Evangeline nodded, "My mother moved to Masyaf from England when she was seventeen, to marry my father."
"Was it an arranged marriage?" He asked.
"Yes. My grandfather was a Blacksmith," She explained. "And shipped out weapons. Father wanted them more often than they could be shipped, that's why my mother's family moved here."
"And Al Mualim, he saw your mother then?"
Evangeline nodded, "My mother was with another man or, wanted to be with another man. But father said that he loved her and he made an arrangement with my grandfather. So then they were married."
"What did she look like?"
Evangeline looked up at the Master Assassin, "Father said I look just like she did."
Altair nodded in understanding. So Evangeline had inherited her mothers golden head, blue eyes, and pale skin…and nothing from Al Mualim? He remembered some of the Targets Al Mualim had set him – a couple being noble Englishmen, and some French. Could one of these men have been a potential lover of Evangeline's mother?
Would that mean that Evangeline wasn't really Al Mualim's daughter?
He doubted he would ever find out. For the Master wouldn't have kept Evangeline if she wasn't his own, right? But then again, if she had looked exactly like her mother, Al Mualim had kept her out of love. "If Al Mualim wasn't your real father, would you want to know who was?"
"No." She didn't even need a second to think about it.
Altair frowned, "Why?"
"My father will always be my father, biological or not, he's supported me, raised me and sheltered me." The blonde explained, "He is a true father, so no. I wouldn't want to know who this stranger would be."
"Would curiosity not get to you?"
"You once said to me that curiosity is what killed the cat."
"There is an exception to curiosity, Evangeline."
She was silent for a moment, "Why do you ask?"
He shrugged, "I don't know." Because now he didn't have to think about having killed her biological father anymore…that is, if the blonde wasn't Al Mualim's.
"But he is though, isn't he?"
"Curious?"
Evangeline glanced up at the Master Assassin, and couldn't help but shake her head at the smirk set on his face. Instead, she clasped the locket around her neck as she began making her way towards the armchair before the fire.
It didn't feel real. He couldn't have gone! Evangeline didn't want to think about it, perhaps if she spent the evening with Danor then it would take her mind off of it. This was a dream, a nightmare that Altair was going to wake her up from at any moment.
She just hoped she woke up soon.
A/N: So, the plot thickens ;) Will hopefully be able to update again next week, but am very busy so will see if I have the time! Kept in the Dark is going well too, so if you haven't already checked that story out, then go ahead!
Please review and let me know what you think xx
