Cearbhail: I really like this chapter. I had so much fun with the names. You'll see, and once you read the first one, you'll just shake your head in the 'what was Cearbhail thinking?' and then it will be 'how come I didn't see this coming?" Yeah...I'm good.

[Malik Ishtar]

Dear journal,

I have made contact with the Wiccan known as 'Little Red'. She is not the leader of her coven, but she is sending word out to them through the use of her 'familiar', a small robin. The rest of them are going to meet up here and I will begin discussing what it is that I am offering and what I expect in return. From what Locksley and Little Red have told me so far, I have a lot to offer them. At least I know what I can expect if everything goes well.

Other than that, I've come to learn about what it is that she does. It's not as scary as some of my associates would imagine and definitely not worth causing genocide over. The first rule of the Assassins is that 'nothing is true, everything is permitted'. I can see how it comes to play in our roles as defenders now. Even still, I am learning more about being an Assassin. I am also hoping to use Little Red's robin to send a message to my Master. It would be nice to give him a status update on my mission and just how well I've done in the three days I've been here.

Malik Ishtar..

….

I closed my journal, looking around the small room. Bottles of herbs, roots, insects, and just about anything odd looking lined the shelves. In the corner of the room, near the fireplace, was some sort of blood-drawn circle with a star in the middle. No idea what the hell it was but it looked interesting. Five crystals lied near the circle, lining up with each point of the star.

Locksley sat quietly beside me, also taking an interest in the various bottles of stuff. He looked like he was trying to keep his eyes off of Little Red, who was busy preparing our tea. I'm almost worried about drinking it. I have no idea if it's poisoned. I've come to expect worse.

Little Red was quietly humming to herself as she did prepare out tea, though. It was a hauntingly beautiful and sad song that made me think of my mother who passed away when I was only a child. That song continued to hum in my brain, forcing me to black out, reliving my past.

…

It was a sunny day, heavy breeze, lots of sand. I can't remember where I was, but I was with the Master, in some garden, beginning my training. I was in my initiate robes, learning about how to stab with a knife. I was six.

Something happened and I can't remember what, but then I found myself standing outside my house, my father holding onto my shoulders. He was crying. My father never cried. He was an Assassin. The sun was setting, my first day of training was completed. I was accepted as an Assassin. So, why would my father be crying?

Then the only words I remember hearing, "Mommy fell off the cliff."

I can't remember how I reacted to hearing that, and the memory began to fade away from all sound and real memory. I could hear the light cooing of Little Red's voice, still humming while preparing our tea.

My memory flashed back to only a few days earlier before Mother died. She was trying to get me to relax before I was introduced to the Master only a couple days away. I was excited to become an Assassin and I couldn't fall asleep. So, my Mother wrapped me up in her arms and started rocking me gently, while humming the same hauntingly beautiful song that I now heard from Little Red.

…

I snapped out of my memory rather quickly and looked up to see Little Red only a few feet away from me, holding out a small tea cup. She wasn't smiling, not really, but she did look at me gently. I nodded to her and took the cup from her, still thinking about my memory with my Mother humming the same song. Was it coincidence? Was this fate? Was it a common song that spanned our distant countries? Maybe she was Syrian? A quick at her face told me that she was not Syrian, she was English.

Little Red found me gazing at her and she quickly turned defensive. "What are you looking at?" She said as she readjusted in her seat.

"That song. Where did you learn that?" My voice carried lightly through the air.

Little Red shrugged. "Don't know. Just made it up a few years ago."

I nodded. That made sense. So, it was coincidence then. I continued to sit here and think about my past while someone started pounding on the door.

Little Red started to stand up, but Locksley was ahead of her. "No, please stay seated. I'll answer the door."

Little Red nodded. "Ok. Thanks, Robin."

Her little bird started tweeting in confusion. It flapped its wings in what I took to be offense and turned its back on Little Red.

Little Red covered her mouth. "Oh…I'm sorry, Victoria. My friend's name is Robin, just like how you're named after a human. You'll just have to get used to it."

Locksley opened the door and a woman dressed in a blue puffy dress that looked like it belonged in a fancy party marched into the room. She was followed by a sheep that was following her. The woman was leaning on a staff that was taller than she was. She looked old and very wise. I bet she was the coven leader.

Little Red confirmed it by saying, "Welcome, Coven Mother Bo-Peep." She looked down at the sheep and said, "I see Sir William is still alive and well."

The old woman snacked her lips before nodding. "Familiars live with us and die with us, Little Red. I'm sure you remember well."

In behind the old woman, another younger girl, about Red's age, walked through the door. She was dressed in a similar dress that old Bo-Peep wore and carried a long staff as well. "Grandmother, is this the place?"

Old woman Bo-Peep nodded. "Why yes, Mary. This is Little Red's house." She turned to face us. "This is my granddaughter, Mary. She's my apprentice so this will be her first Coven meeting. She has a little lamb, whose fleece is white as snow. So, we named her Snowflake."

The two of them walked into the house, finding chairs to sit down in. Bo-Peep took her time sitting down, her really old sheep lying down next to her. Mary had an easier time finding a corner of the room to sit down in. Snowflake, her lamb, curled up in front of her, giving Mary something to pet. They sat there quietly, the old woman glaring up at me with eyes that seemed to search through my soul.

I felt a flash of something and for some reason, I could see this younger woman standing in a field of grass. She had on this extremely flowing white dress, her eyes still digging into me. "I can see your past…and your future." The image flashed away and I was left with the old woman glaring at me, rocking back and forth in her seat. I think I just crapped my robes.

I looked over at Little Red and said, "Are they all going to be women?"

Little Red looked offended. "What? Do you think we're sexist?" She pointed to the doorway and said, "I would like to introduce, the weirdest guy you'll ever meet. John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt."

I looked to the doorway and there stood a well-dressed older man with a mustache as perfect as his fancy jacket. The man pulled off his hat and tipped his head at me. "Good evening, everyone." He looked over at Bo-Peep and bowed his head to her as well. "Coven Mother." He bowed to everyone else. "Little Red, Little Mary. Snowflake." He stepped into the room, leaning heavily on a cane. "Have I missed the meeting?"

Bo-Peep shook her head. "We are still waiting for five more."

Jingleheimer-Schmidt looked around the room. "Jack and Jill aren't here yet."

Locksley nodded. "They told me there were going to fetch a pail of water."

The old man nodded. "I sure hope he didn't bring his crown this time. That Prince needs to stop flaunting that thing." He looked around. "Miss Muffet?"

"She forgot her tuffet." Little Red replied. "So, she had to turn around. She'll be late."

Old man nodded. "She's always forgetting something. Oh well. What about Little Tommy Tucker?"

Little Red shrugged. "No one knows what he's doing. That little boy is always getting lost. He'll be here soon, though. I bet he's hungry and I promised him some supper."

Bo-Peep started snoring and I could see drool coming out of her mouth. Everyone stopped to look at her before the Old man nodded. "Ok, so that leaves Lucy Lockett and her familiar, her kitten Fisher."

Little Red shrugged. "She lost her pocket purse."

"Stupid kids." Jingleheimer-Schmidt said as he leaned heavily on his cane. "I swear, when I was a child, I was never late to a coven meeting. Why, we would walk 15 miles up a mountain top, even when it was in the middle of a blizzard, just so that we could meet the newest member." He glanced away. "It didn't help that the blizzard only existed because our Masters wanted to test us."

In this time frame, I was taking the time to look at everyone already piling into the room. There was the old woman who was drooling on herself, her sheep familiar sleeping beside her. In the very corner of the room, we had some teenager with a lamb. She looked like she couldn't relax and she couldn't take her eyes off of me. Scared of me, no doubt. Then there was the old man. He leaned on his cane, looking around the room, nodding at the set-up.

So, these were the coven members that I had been told about. They didn't appear like I had expected them to appear. "What kind of witches are you?" I found myself blurting out.

The old woman snapped out of her sleep and shook her head in confusion. "What? Where am I?"

"Grandma, we're at Little Red's. Remember?" Mary said lightly.

"I…I remember that, Polly." She replied.

"My name is Mary…not Polly."

"Ok, Sukey."

"No…they're our neighbors. Remember, they bring us tea every day." Mary replied. "Polly puts the kettle on, and Sukey takes the kettle off. And then they go away."

Bo-Peep nodded. "Right, I remember now. Ok, Mary." She looked up at Jingleheimer-Schmidt and nodded. "Where's Humpty Dumpty?"

The old man shook his head and pulled off his hat. I could see the pain in his eyes. "He…he…well, King John and his lackey, Wolfe, sent knights to hunt him down. He…he didn't make it. By the time we found him, we couldn't put him back together again."

The old woman nodded. "He was a mighty wizard, he was. I guess I should have seen this coming. King John wants us dead. He fears what we can and might do to him if he continues to push this town down."

That's when I stood up. "And that's why I called you all here today. My name is Malik Ishtar and I'm an Assassin from Syria. From what I understand, you all are in danger of being mistreated by the Templars, by the King of England. My mission is to harass the King in any way I can, and to disrupt the Templars' activities without fatally killing anyone. I must keep my presence more or less…hidden. So, I am here to talk to you about becoming Assassins. With my training, you will be better protected and you can in return help me with my mission." That was the plan until I found out that half of you are old and incapable of being anything other than a hindrance. I thought to myself.

The old woman and the old man both frowned at me. Bo-Peep went first, pointing her old dagger-ish finger at me. "Hey! I might be old, but I am not a hindrance!" She rose from her chair almost like a shade and just as quickly floated up to me with the grace of something from my nightmares. "You're Lucky Mother Goose is not here, or she would show you the worst of what we have to offer. She'll turn your house into a shoe if you piss her off." She pointed at herself and then over to Jingleheimer-Schmidt. "We are both the Coven Mother and Father. It is true, we may be small in size, but what we lack in numbers, we have in strength, courage, and adaptability."

Jingleheimer walked up and started pulling Bo-Peep back. "Calm down, Bo-Peep, or you'll blow your hillock. Remember that day that someone killed all your sheep? You almost lost it that day, don't repeat the farm incident."

Bo-Peep glanced at Jingleheimer. She stopped for a second before stepping away. "It was my fault, John. They killed my sheep, not because I fell asleep, but because of what I am." She turned away, almost crying. "So, I showed them what I was. I burnt that farm to the ground, and I never looked back." She looked at the sheep sleeping next to her chair. "Sir William was the only one left. That was the day I made him my familiar. It was the only way to save his life."

That reminded me…I thought they all had familiars. So, where was Jingleheimer's? He must have read my mind because he was glancing up at me, almost smiling with his eyes. "Yes, I do have a familiar. I left him at home. He's a loyal golden retriever. His name is John Jacob Jingleheimer-snout. So, in a way…his name is my name too."

I only nodded. "Ok, so back to our discussion." I pointed over to Locksley and said, "I have picked up an army of mercenaries and thieves, all led by this man. I believe you know him." They all nodded.

So, I nodded in return. "Well, he has promised me that I can use his army to assault the Templars and give them a really hard time. Meanwhile, I have to train his men to become Assassins, so that they may protect this land when I leave. My plan is to have Locksley take the vow of the Assassin before I leave, making him an Assassin like myself. I would like to do the same with one of your coven. That will give me a solid group of Assassins for me to leave behind, or send to other cities to recruit more Assassins or possibly attack the Templars to divide their attention. This is just my plan. I cannot pull it off without your support."

Little Red looked shocked to hear me announce my plan. Locksley was only nodding to himself, looking down at his bow like he was ready to start training. "So, this is really happening then. I will become an Assassin like you?"

I nodded to him. "Not only like myself; you will become part of my family. You will eventually meet the Master of all Assassins, take the vow, and place a hot piece of burning metal ring on your ring finger, forever singeing it to your finger, forever making you my brother."

Little Red stepped up to me, nodding. "I would like to consider joining your group as my Coven's representation."

I looked over at Bo-Peep. She was sitting in her chair, glancing up at Little Red and over to me. She nodded when both Little Red and I looked over to her. "I accept this." She stood up, her back cracking with the effort. "I will spread the word to the other Coven members. I am guessing that you brought us here not only to ask us for recruits but to also make us your allies, right?"

I nodded. "That is correct. You are an enemy of my enemy. That makes you my friend."

She nodded in return. "I see a lot of good in your eyes, Assassin. I know you will do us right. Before I allow you to become my ally, I do have a request of my own."

"Name it." I said to her. I'll do whatever it takes.

"Wolfe has taken a few of our women and is preparing to take them to France. I want you to board whatever ship he has them on and free them before they leave harbor."

I nodded. "Gladly." I looked over at Locksley and Little Red. "Come, you two. Time I show you what your new training will look like."

Cearbhail: Yeah, it may be a short chapter, and it's been forever since I posted a chapter, but there will be more coming and they'll be faster now. I was very busy with stuff and now I'm not so...there.