Returning to Achilles' house, they found two men in the living room, standing by the fireplace.
"Achilles…" One of them said.
"Samuel…" Achilles said, entering the living room, followed by Altair and Maria. "Let me introduce you to my two new associates… Altair and Maria… these two gentlemen are Samuel Addams and William Prescott..."
They greet each other. Achilles explained:
"They came here running from England…but they don't know how they got here in this region… just Altair has wounds from fight.."
Altair nodded.
"I guess we were left here to die…" Altair said.
"We saved them in the river…" Achilles concluded.
Samuel and William nodded.
"Well, we are here to bring important news about George Washington…" William said.
Samuel nodded.
"What news…" Achilles asked.
The two men showed discomforted by the presence of Altair and Maria.
"It's ok… they are faithful to our cause…" Achilles said.
The two men nodded.
"Let's sit…" Achilles said.
They walked to the couch and waited for Altair to join them.
"Sorry…." Altair said. "I hate not being able to walk fast…"
"You'll get better…" Maria said. "Let the wounds heal…"
Altair nodded.
"Getting back to the point…" Samuel said. "I went to New York to see if the rumors were true… George Washington was arrested… his trial will in a month…"
Next to Maria, Altair became irritated to know that Achilles didn't tell him the whole truth about what's going on, but he tried his best not to say anything. Maria noticed and picked his hand on hers to calm him.
"We have act before that…" Achilles said. "He is our biggest ally in the cities…"
"Whatever you need from me in Boston and from William in New York, just say it…" Samuel said.
"I'll say when it's time to act…" Achilles said.
Samuel and William got up, like Achilles. They said goodbye and the two of them left the living room at the same time Connor was entering.
"What they were doing here?" Connor asked as soon as they left the house.
"To bring news from New York…" Achilles said.
Connor was about to ask what the subject but was cut by Altair.
"Who is George Washington?" He asked Achilles.
Connor looked at him but didn't say anything after looking at his face. Maria was quiet too.
"He rebelled against the army and the government with separatist ideas…" Achilles explained.
"And why you didn't tell us about him when we asked about what was happening here?" Altair asked again, elevating his voice.
"Because I didn't think you would hear from him so soon…" Achilles said, looking at him.
Altair was visibly angry.
"You didn't…" Altair said. "I'm the leader… who decides what, where and when we are going to attack… and you have to follow my orders…"
He was yelling.
"I won't be insulted in my house…" Achilles said bitterly.
"By all means…" Altair said. "Connor, there's space for us in your village?"
"I need to talk to the clan mother, but I think so…" Connor said.
"Please do that…" Altair said.
Connor nodded and was about to leave when Achilles said:
"Stay…"
Altair looked at him.
"You're right…I should have told you about him and for that, I apologize…" Achilles said. "I will give you a list of people important for us and our enemies and books of geography for you to study…"
Altair asked Maria to help him up.
"Don't hide anything anymore if you expect this to work…" He said to Achilles.
He looked at Connor, who nodded.
"I hope to read this today…" He said before exiting the room with Maria.
X ~ X ~ X
Maria took Altair out to the back of the house. Outside, she let him calm down as she sat on the log that was there. She bent her knees, put an arm over them and her other fist pressed against her lips, remaining quiet.
Altair was walking slowly but from one side to the other. His hands were closing and opening.
They were there for some time. Suddenly, he stopped and seconds later, punched the brick wall of the house twice without warming.
"Altair…" Maria said, getting up quickly to stop him from giving another punch on the house. He looked at her. "Come with me…"
Maria took him away from the house to the log she was sitting and said:
"Let me help you sit…"
She helped him and walked back to stand behind him. She then started to massage his tense muscles.
"Now, try to breathe the fresh air…" She said seconds later.
Altair found odd what she said but tried it anyway. A few breathes later, he closed his eyes, starting to get calmer.
Maria looked forward. She could see the bay and the beach… a boat was being repaired… the sun starting to go down…
How the day passed by quickly… she thought.
Lowering her head, she asked:
"Are you feeling better, habib?"
"Yeah…" Altair said, opening his eyes. "Come to sit with me…"
Maria finished the massage and walked to the other side of the log and sat next to him. She then breathed the fresh air.
"How's your hand?" She asked after a few seconds.
Both Maria and Altair looked at his hand when he showed it: it was reddish and skinned on the joints and obviously broken.
"Do you want me to call the doctor?" She asked looking at him.
"Later…" Altair said. "Stay here with me…"
She nodded and kissed him on the face. He put his arms around her and she cuddles up with him.
"We never saw the sunset back at Masyaf…" Maria said.
Altair nodded.
"Although it is beautiful there…" He said.
They became quiet, just looking at the sun on the horizon.
When the breeze became colder, the firsts stars appeared in the sky and Altair felt Maria shiver a little.
"Are you cold?" He asked, passing his hand on her arms.
"A little…" She said. "But, I don't want to leave yet…"
"Want my shirt?" He asked again.
Maria raised her head and said:
"I saw some women earlier… I don't want them to see you… you're mine…"
Altair grinned a little and shook his head negatively.
They stayed for a while until it was night and the sky, crowded with stars.
"It's getting colder… I think we should enter…" Altair said.
This time, Maria nodded.
"And you need the doctor…" She said, straightening herself.
She helped him to get up and they walked towards the house. When she opened the door, they saw Connor leaving their room.
"I brought the lists and some book to you to read…" Connor said.
Altair nodded.
"Connor, can you call the doctor?" Maria asked. "Altair hurt himself… again…"
"I had an encounter with the wall…" Altair said, showing his left hand.
Connor nodded.
"There's no need to call the doctor…" Connor said. "I'll handle it…be right back…"
Maria and Altair nodded and entered the bedroom. They saw a book, a chair and a table.
"I think reprimand worked…" Maria said.
Altair nodded and sat slowly on the chair while Maria remained standing. He picked the paper and saw a sketch and some names. On top of the report, he saw the date, July 13th, but didn't say anything... he was sure Maria saw it too.
"These are the names of our allies…" Altair said after seeing the name of George Washington.
"There are so many…" Maria said.
"Yeah.." Altair said. "Let's wait for Connor to see if he can help us…"
Maria nodded.
"The night will be long…" She said. "But until he comes back, what do you think about relaxing a little?"
Maria went around the chair and sat carefully on his lap. Altair put his head between her shoulder and neck as she hugged him.
"Thankfully, Minerva let us come here together…" He said. "I would be lost without you…"
"And I without you…" She said. "Imagine if I was there with Abbas? Certainly, he would kill me or…"
Altair raised his head and looked at her.
"You will never go through that again, Maria…" He said. "Never again…"
Maria nodded and they kissed for a while until they were interrupted by Connor cleaning his throat.
They stopped and looked at him.
"I brought somethings to immobilize…" Connor said, showing them a bag.
Maria got down from Altair's lap as Connor entered the room and put the bag on the floor.
"I'll explain to you the procedure Maria…" Connor said. "It's not uncommon this kind of accident on our village…"
"There's no need… I saw Aisha doing it…" Maria said, while going around the chair.
"Who?" Connor asked.
"My sister…" Altair said. "She was our doctor at Masyaf…"
Connor nodded.
"Put your hand on the table, habib…" She said.
Altair put his hand on the table as Connor gave her a small board of iron for immobilization. Gently, Maria picked Altair's hand and put on the board, stretching his fingers slowly. Making a little face because of the pain, Altair tried not to complain, but Maria noticed.
"This is for you to learn not to punch a stone wall…" She said as he rolled his eyes and Connor gave her a paste. She looked at him. "What is it?"
"An herb paste for the wounds…" Connor explained.
Maria nodded and passed on Altair's hand. After she passed the bandage, Connor was giving her, pressing a little to immobilize the hand.
"There…" She said after finishing with Altair.
"Thanks, habibi…" he said and they kissed quickly.
Altair then looked at Connor.
"Well, since I can't do anything, I'll start reading…" He said. "By the way, Connor, we need help with the list…"
Connor nodded, knowing that he wouldn't go back to his village so soon and said:
"I'll go pick up a chair…"
Altair and Maria nodded.