Altair walked down the docks to a ship, it was in the process of being loaded with goods. After doing a bit of eavesdropping while talking to Maria, he had determined that this vessel was returning to Acre, which was as close to home as he was going to get.
"You. Your Captain. Where is he?" Altair asked one of the few workers returning to the docks to pick up another bag of supplies. He pointed to the man overlooking the workers and holding a ledger. Altair boarded the ship to talk to him, who eyed Altair, seeing his weapons, and instinctively placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. Altair, placed his hands out, gesturing that he had no intentions of starting a fight.
"You sail to Acre?" Altair asked.
"Yes, once we are done here." The Captain replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Do you ferry others?"
"No, just goods."
Altair pulled out a number of coins he had already predetermined he'd offer to anyone returning to land. "I offer you this, for safe passage and to keep it that way." He stated, showing the Captain what he had to offer.
He was aware that it was a generous amount but after what happened during the trip to Kyrenia, with Maria as his prisoner, learning he was susceptible to becoming seasick and having to fight a group of pirates that were ferried with them, hearing of the large bounty that was placed on both their heads, all while Maria used that to her advantage and escaped from him... he had no intentions of reliving that event twice.
The Captain seemed to think about it, rolling the coins around in his hand. "For you and your companion?"
Altair gave a questioning look before looking behind him and scanning the area. He found Maria sitting on the edge of the dock, looking out at the sea. The Captain must have seen them walking together and assumed they were. "Yes." He answered, not seeing a problem with the assumption. He didn't know what Maria's plans were now but at least, should she wish to get off the island, she had away too.
"Your name?" The Captained asked.
"Malik." He lied, even if the person who had placed the original bounty was dead, such information would linger in the air for some time and he was going to avoid giving anyone any ideas till he was back in Acre.
"Alright Malik, you'll hear me whistle when ready. Some of my men are still in port gathering supplies." He informed and Altair nodded, disembarking from the ship to join Maria. He sat away from the water edge, resting his back against some barrels while Maria took notice of his presence and turned to face him slightly.
"Will you head to Turkey? I hear there is a Templar settlement in Antalya." He offered some information he once learned from Alexander.
"No, I have no interest in trying to rejoin the Order, they will not have me… I will not be made an exception again... this has been made clear." She sighed sombrely.
"England?" He asked, remembering the conversation they had on the journey to Kyrenia, where she told him of her nobility, that she was once married and why she fled to join the Crusades.
"God no..." She laughed. "Everything I worked for in the Holy Land, I no longer want. And everything I gave up to join the Templars… I wonder where all that went, and if I should try to find it again." She answered, returning her gaze to the sea and resting her head on her knee.
"What do you intend to do?" He asked, leaning his cheek on his left fist.
"To go east, as far as India, maybe to the edge of the world." She answered and they sat quietly for a short while. "And of yourself? Off to Turkey then?"
"Home. It's been a little over a year since my return." He answered. "I intended to learn more about Apple and see if it could be of use." He said honestly.
"The Apple is dangerous and has brought nothing but death to those who have sought it. It should be tossed into the sea." She warned disapprovingly.
"I'm aware." He agreed. "But in the right hands, I think it can be a tool of improvement."
"You tread a thin line." She cautioned before hearing a whistle and watching Altair get up. She remained seated, plotting her own way of getting off the island.
"Are you not coming?" He asked, having only taken two steps away from her.
She looked at him confused. "You paid for my passage?"
"Of course." He reached out his right hand to help her up. "I brought you here as a hostage originally but after everything that's happened and the aid you might have unintentionally given me, the least I can do is set you free in Acre."
"How chivalrous." She said sarcastically, unimpressed and suspicious of his intentions, she took his hand and followed him into the moderately large ship, one that looked like it could spend days at sea.
There she noticed Altair was greeted as Malik and told, if they wanted to rest, they would have to sleep with the crew. He nodded, saying he'd keep that in mind but would likely remain on deck for the journey. If the wind was in their favor, it could take them a little under half a day to reach Acre but if the wind was against them, it would take them much longer. Maria nodded politely before walking to the front of the ship. It was nice, a small freedom she never got to enjoy. When she joined the Crusade under the disguise of a soldier, she rowed with the men below deck. The next time she spent time on a ship, she was Altair's prisoner and thrown into the brig. The last time, she was recaptured by Altair and still kept as a hostage below deck but that time, they were able to have a bit of a conversation before she escaped from him again. For now, she could enjoy the sights of the sea and found it interesting that Altair left her be, standing near the middle of the ship, resting his back on the tallest mast.
With the ship having just weighed anchor, Altair felt the safest place was to be in its most center. There, he took a moment to meditate and steel his resolve for the journey to come. He quickly learned how much he hated being on the open water, not being able to see the floor beneath him, and having learned it was possible to become seasick, which just made this trip all that more irritating. They had only just left port and already, he could sense danger was brewing. Annoyed, he walked over to join Maria, who seemed oddly content. He had never seen her happy before, compared to all the times he had encountered her.
"This is what I imagined it would be like." She commented, having noticed Altair drew close still resting himself on a closer mast.
"Imagined what would be like?" He asked, unsure of her train of thought.
"Sailing. The wind blowing against my hair, the mist of sea on my face, and a view of nothing but water, shrouded in a fog, waiting to reveal new beginnings and adventure. It's almost like jumping out of one of my favorite books." She replied, hearing Altair scoff in amusement. "Do you not enjoy sailing?" Her lips drew into a thin line, taking offense to his scoff.
"It's lost its allure." He stated honestly but he did enjoy knowing it was something she enjoyed.
"You. You dare bring a woman aboard this ship!" A man shouted angrily towards them. Maria's mood quickly soured, getting into a defensive stance, knowing they would have to fight. Altair hadn't moved at all, only looked up to meet the man's glare with his face of indifference.
"What of it?" He asked casually, unconcerned of the man and his two friends.
"Women are a bad omen, she will bring us nothing but misfortune being here, I should throw you over the ship with her!" The man argued.
Altair crossed his arms over his chest, unamused. "You're welcome to try."
Both Maria and the man were taken aback by his comment. "You, you dare think I'm unable to throw you both overboard?" He questioned.
"No, I dare think you can't throw her overboard. Your quarrel is with her, not I." From the corner of his eye, he could see the fury Maria had for him, which he found interesting. She spent a better part of the year wanting nothing to do with him and actively escaped him and now that she was free, she was angry he was seemingly unwilling to help? However, he had confidence in Maria's skills, having had enough encounters with her failing to kill him.
"You think I can't beat a woman?" He said in disgust. Altair turned his head for a moment to lock eyes with the Captain. The Captain simply shrugged at him, causing him to sigh. He had hoped the Captain would have made the smart choice in stopping this fight before it got out of hand but he'd have to deal with him later.
Altair drew his sword and tossed it to Maria. "Go on, throw her overboard." He scoffed. "But I'll show your friends no mercy if they come to your rescue." He warned.
"I'm goin-" He started and was cut off by Maria attacking him. Altair watched from where he stood. As he expected, Maria was holding her own, she dodged and deflected the critical hits from his sword but received a punch to the face. This however hasn't deterred her and only made her that much more determined to kill him. With a few more strikes and the boat shifting in the sea, the man misstepped, giving Maria her opening. With an easy dodge of his sloppy strike, she swept Altair's sword across the man's neck. Shocked, he grabbed his throat, and before he could make another move, Maria drove Altair's sword into his back and threw his heart before using her foot to push him to the ground and remove the blade.
Maria panted, bending down to retrieve the dead man's sword and inspected it. She had gathered the attention of the rest of the crew who wasn't sure how to react. Those that dared think of drawing their own swords stopped when Altair moved from where he stood, having watched in amusement only moments ago and now had a look of seriousness on his face. He walked over to Maria silently, keeping a fair distance to see if she was okay. Blood trickled from the corner of her eye but no other visible harm seemed to have come to her. Part of him was ready for her to turn his own sword on him but she simply said thanks and handed it back. Still keeping an eye on her, now that she was armed, he used his sash to clean the blood off the blade before putting it back on his belt. Being fairly certain she didn't have intentions of turning her new blade on him, he walked past her and pulled out his short blade, walking towards the crowd of onlookers, his sights on the Captain who fled into his room.
"Where are you going?" Maria called him.
"To kill a Captain." He replied back, those that were in his way quickly moved and when he was met with a locked door, he kicked his way through it.
"Altair! Please! Mercy!" The Captain begged.
"You know my name and still dare to cross me!" He threatened, kicking the table that stood between him and the Captain, causing the Captain to be out in the open and cornered.
"My Quartermaster dared to cross you!" He pleaded, holding his hands together in a prayer "I warned him! I told him not to say anything when he brought up that stupid superstition about women being bad luck on ships and maybe he's right because now he's dead." He laughed nervously. It was quickly cut short when he drove his short blade into the wall next to his head and stared into Altair's cold glare. "Please, Mercy! I don't wish to be an enemy of the Assassins!"
"My coins." He stated.
"Certainly! I'll return them."
"And compensation." He stated.
"Compensation?" The Captain blanked for a moment and flinched at Altair activating his hidden blade. "Um… Anything you'd like? I'll double your coins!" He stated but that didn't seem to satisfy him. "Food? Drink!" Again, Altair seemed unmoved by these offers but the sound of distant thunder distracted him. "Oh! There is a storm rolling in! It will delay our travels but a private room has become available, you're welcome to take shelter in there and keep whatever you might like from it?!" He questioned.
"That will do." He nodded, finally blinking and pulling back, removing his short sword from the wall. "Warn your crew. I am out of patients and if I have to kill each and every one of them to make it back to Acre, I will." He threatened, disengaging his hidden blade and sheathing his short blade.
"My crew will not be a cause of concern, I assure you." He stated, opening a box to retrieve his coins. With that in hand, he returned outside, seeing Maria leaning against a box, her arms crossed over her chest, looking unamused.
"You're too brash." She stated when he got near.
"Why?" He questioned.
"I'm pretty sure I killed the Quartermaster. If you killed the Captain, who is going to sail the ship?" She said smugly, thinking Altair had tripped himself up for once.
"He lives." Rolling his eyes. A moment later, the Captain came out of his quarters, looked around at his crew, and yelled at them to get back to work, to prepare for the upcoming storm. Maria had pressed her lips thin, disappointed that he hadn't been as impulsive as she thought.
He pulled a cloth out of his belt and handed it to her. "For your cut."
"Does it look bad?" She asked, unamused.
"No, the bruise will probably match your right cheek." He added, remembering that had been how Maria lost her fight with Armand Bouchart.
"Maybe I am a bad omen." She commented, accepting the cloth and applying it to the corner of her left eye. She watched as the storm rolled in, the wind grew stronger and the waves became rougher.
"How?" He asked curiously, and she met him with an unamused look.
"The sea was calm when we left and look at it now? The time before that, we were attacked by pirates because of the bounty on our heads, and Bouchart blamed me for Robert's misfortunes." She counted, listing off each event by lifting a finger.
"That's not what I see."
"What do you see then?" She argued back.
"Had you not been in Acre, I would have had a harder time learning the Templars fled to Cyprus. Had you not slipped, it would have taken me longer to learn who The Bull was. It was you who led me to the Templar Archive and because of you, I have my coins returned and we have a private room available to us now." He mimicked her, counting the same way she did, having one up her three to his four and returning a similar smug look she gave him a moment ago. Of course, he was now having a little fun with her, finding her company refreshing.
"It was you who used the Apple to pacify the crowd that called for your head." She reminded him, still disgusted with that action. The same action that made her turn against the Templars to start with.
"An action I regret." As quickly as that smug look appeared on his face, it was quickly replaced with shame, and looked away for a moment. "I failed to reason with the crowd and felt as though I had no choice. I should not have used it, even if my intention were for good. By doing so, my words became meaningless and I become no better than those I fight against. It's an action I don't intend on doing again." He admitted, accepting his failure and a powerful reminder to him how easy the Apple seems to be able to seduce those who wield it. When left with no other choice, his first thought shouldn't have been to use it.
Maria hummed at him, she took some satisfaction in watching that smug look quickly turn to defeat. He seemed honest in his words but she was skeptical. He could have easily deflected blame but hadn't, which was a welcome change to what she expected. The storm drew her attention again, seeing the rain approach with its dark ominous clouds. "You said there was a room we now have?" She asked.
"Yes, the Quartermasters, as compensation for our troubles, we've been given access to his room and things in it." He hesitated and rephrased his words. "Or rather, your troubles. You defeated him and as such, are welcome to his room and things."
"You would remain out here and become a drowned rat?" She commented, confused by his change in wording. For a moment, she was almost sure he was trying to charm her.
Paying to allow her onto the ship, trusting her with his sword to fight her own battles instead of fighting them for her, checking to make sure she was okay after the fight, then paying her compliments when she felt she was a bad omen and now securing them a private room, only to relent and let her have it. She had seen it one too many times before, when it came to lust, men were easy to seduce or take advantage of. She almost was looking forward to seeing him try but now she doubted her original thought. Altair was different from other men.
"I can go below deck if I must." He stated, returning to his normal, serious demeanor.
"And leave me to snoop through all this thing by myself?"
"I have all that I need." He stated, before giving a questioning look to the blank look he was receiving.
"You acquired the room, we might as well share it." She relented, giving him a more obvious hint. Altair was different from other men in some ways and yet exactly the same in others. As much as she loathed him at times, he was an interesting person to talk to.
He seemed to take her opinions into consideration and simply offered another perspective to it when they didn't agree on something. Unlike Robert, who often ignored her advice on some matters she felt was important and how it could improve the order. One of the few pieces of advice he did take into consideration, was the plan for her to take his place at the funeral, to draw out the Assassin so that he could be killed and Robert could go to the King. She was well aware that if she didn't manage to kill the Assassin first, should he survive the trap, then he would likely take her life and it was something she felt was worth dying for at the time. She was surprised when he didn't, even when she openly mocked him for falling for it. Now, she felt a bit foolish for feeling the Templars' cause was worth dying for and Robert's death was deserved, even if she was once willing to die for him.
"Very well." He relented, walking towards Captain, and Maria followed close behind. The Captain, no longer fearing Altair, showed them to the Quartermasters room, which was one floor below the Captains. Altair had counted eleven men on deck but the bed count below could house forty. The Captain opened the room, lit a light before nodding to them and returning above deck. The room was cramped but not something he minded. There was a bed, opposite to that, there was a desk and armchair and on the far wall, a dresser with built-in shelving, and closing doors to keep the contents of it in. Maria quickly took claim to the bed, as he expected she would and he took a seat in the armchair, putting his feet up on the desk and resting his chin in his right hand, scratching at his beard, taking note that when he had a moment, he should shave.
"You know, this was once an army ship? England, perhaps France." Maria commented, noticing it looks similar to the one she came to the Holy Land on.
"Yes, it's a pirate ship."
"You know this and still paid for passage on it?" She questioned.
"Pirates' loyalty lies with coins. I was hoping, if I paid well enough, I would remain ignored and for the most part, I might have been, given my reputation but not everyone is civil minded." He explained.
She hummed again and started searching under the bed, finding a box, pulling it out, and placing it on the bed. Now she hummed in amusement, pulling out a book of loose papers. "Men are all the same, I knew I would find these somewhere."
"Find what?" He asked, her amusement had piqued his interest. She seemed to flip through some of the pages before deciding to show him one. It was a drawn picture of a fairly detailed bare woman, he looked at it for a moment before blinking and locking eyes with Maria, indifferent to what he just saw.
"Really? You give no reaction to this?" She said, mildly surprised, and then saw the questioning he gave. She expected some sort of reaction, to take the paper from her hands and inspect it closer. Maybe turn away in disgust, claiming it was taboo or look away embarrassed, suspecting that he might not have seen a bare woman in his life, if she wanted to believe in the Templar guards murmurs that the Assassin's tenants included celibacy.
"You expect me to become lustful over a piece of parchment?" He questioned.
"You tell me the Assassins don't have things like this hidden in their rooms?"
"No." He stated confidently to her skeptical look and rolled his eyes, rethinking his answer. "Perhaps some, we are human and each of us has our own vices but we are trained not to overindulge in luxuries. Be it sleep, food, drink, smoke or in this case, woman."
"And what of your vices?" She asked, looking through the rest of the things in the box.
He took a moment to think about it. At one time, he could have said fame, but being quite arrogant and bitter towards the Creed, only a few years ago, feeling his way was better, before his disgrace and demotion but now, he wasn't sure. There was only one thing he really strived for at this moment. "Perhaps knowledge?"
"You would consider knowledge a vice?" She asked, finding it a strange statement.
"Should it cloud your better judgment and lead you away from your intended goal, it can." He heard her hum, watching her pull out things and place them behind the box, out of his sight. "Anything else of interest?
"Trinkets. There are a few Templar rings and some jewelry I intend to sell. I imagine these are trophies he collected from those he's killed." She guessed, being done with the box and putting it back under the bed. She got up and searched through the dresser. "Do the Assassins not keep trinkets from their targets?"
"No." He answered simply.
"No? Then why collect the blood-soaked feathers?" She stopped and turned to him.
"They are confirmations of our kills." He stated, laying his arms in his lap, finding it rather interesting that she was interested in suddenly learning more about them.
"What's stopping someone from simply soaking a feather in animal blood and claiming the job is done." She challenged, putting her hands on her hips.
He was amused again, letting a smirk slip. "I see your point, but-" and was interpreted.
"But." She mocked.
"But..." His lips pressed into a thin line for a moment. "We don't go through such intense training to learn everything we know to simply fall short, lie and claim a job to be done. That is not our way. I can't imagine the punishment that it would entail if someone was caught trying such an act. It's a betrayal of one's self and skills, betrayal of the Creed, and betrayal of the Creeds reputation. That Assassin would die a very painful death and be made an example for all to see." He speculated, much like what he had endured but far worse.
Maria returned to her search of the room, finding nothing of interest in the shelves, and bent down to open the draws. She found clothing she had no interest in, some supplies, and notes of the ongoings of the ship and its members. She reached over Altair to check the shelf of books over the desk before taking a seat back on the bed disappointed.
"Satisfied?" He asked, partly wondering if this had been another attempt to get him flustered. Bending over to what he would deem as seductively, two which he rolled his eyes and rested his chin in his right hand, averting his eyes. Then she decided to lean in close, her chest dangerously close to his face that he had to pull away to not make contact. His amusement quickly soured at that attempt.
"I was hoping there would be more." She sighed, not noticing Altair's glare. She gathered the things she wanted to keep and placed them in the pouch on her belt with the coins she had taken off the dead man's body.
With the conversations seemingly over for the moment, she laid down on the bed, listening to the rain hit hard against the wood, distant thunder as the ship swayed from side to side, and muffled shouts of the Captain barking orders. She looked over to Altair to whom she could see had closed his eyes and was taking the occasional deep breath. She wondered if he was tired, she wouldn't blame him if he was, it had been a tiresome day.
Between her killing the man that wanted to steal the Apple from him to fighting guards, to fighting Armand and being knocked out, to waking as the Archive collapse around her and being pulled to her feet by an Assassin she tempted to kill several times, to both of them feeling defeated that this journey was all for an empty tomb and now they sit on a ship that has hit rough seas. She was tired, sore, and hungry, however, he had fought even harder because when she saw an opportunity to leave and forge a head, she had taken it, leaving him behind.
She was almost sure he had to feel the same way, though he showed no real signs of it. She also wondered if his use of the Apple was draining and wondered if she should be the one to offer him the bed to rest. It felt strange to be in this room with him, the dynamic had changed but thinking about it, in his own strange way, even though they were sworn enemies, he had always been kind to her. Or rather, he had a level of patients that she felt was wasted on her. Pondering this for a while in silence, the only time she could remember him outright attacking her, was when he thought she was Robert, and even then, he knew something was off but had never expected a woman to be in his place.
Clearly, it meant he liked her to a degree and at that thought, she turned away from him, feeling stupid. She was getting too old to be playing these games and wasn't going to fall for another man that was being nice to her. Robert had done the same but also expected her to act like the noble woman she was. Robert also willingly left her to die, despite them caring for one another, but where Altair could have done the same and he hadn't. All the times he technically rescued her, he had a motive to because she was his captive, hoping to use her as a bargaining chip. When it was made clear that the Templars were not interested in her, he still offered to help her by suggesting how she could win favor with the Order. Then when she left him to fight a group of guards while she ran on ahead to kill Armand Bouchart, before being knocked out, he still pulled her to her feet and helped her escape, showing that he had some form of loyalty for an Assassin, more than the Templars had to one another at least.
"Do you sleep?" She asked, pushing herself up to sit cross-legged on the bed. She watched him open his eyes and shift his gaze to her.
"I meditate." He answered, having spent the time trying to settle the nausea the sea was starting to cause him, as well as refocus his mind and partly rest.
"Would you have let me be thrown off the ship?" She saw him raise his head. Questioning the comment before turning away, looking to be deep in thought. "Is it that hard to answer?" She said, almost disappointed.
"It's a complicated question."
"It's a yes or no answer." She crossed her arms.
He pushed himself up in the chair to lay his feet flat on the floor and stretch his back for a moment before he answered. "Instinctively I want to say no. I would not have let them throw you off the ship but." He paused, leaving his arms to rest on the arms of the chair.
"But?" She questioned at his pause.
"I had threatened to show no mercy to the Quartermaster's friends, had they decided to render him aid. It would be... hypocritical of me to do the same for you, if your skills had failed you." He answered honestly, unsure how much further he would have intervened after that point. It would have been a shame, if that had been the moment that killed her but as much as he did like her, he wouldn't necessarily call her an ally… yet. She hadn't turned his sword on him when she had the chance, which was a good start. He had been mulling over this question in his head for a while now but knew her answer to be no. However, now with her sudden curiosities, he would try.
"The Creed would accept you among their ranks." He clenched his jaw, annoyed at her burst of laughter.
"They would not." she said amused at the thought.
"What would you know of the Creed."
"I know your Grandmaster, Al… Al Mua…?" She questioned looking up for a moment, trying to remember how to say his name, remembering Robert was enraged at him and his betrayal.
"Al Mualim?" He offered.
"Yes, him. Do you know your Master is a Templar? He is part of the Leventine Rite and as such, they do not conspire with women." She scoffed.
"I know. Al Mualim is dead."
"You knew?" She asked, somewhat confused.
"At the time, I had not." He looked away, licking his lips, it was a bitter topic but one he didn't feel the need to hide. "I started to suspect something was strange when I killed the second target Al Mualim sent me after. He talked of me being nothing but a pawn and when I returned to Masyaf to get another target, I mustered up the courage to ask Al Mualim something that had been bothering me about my targets. I was told their deaths would bring peace to the land but the man who spoke before his death had claimed otherwise and didn't act as I had come to expect. Al Mualim would give riddled answers, claiming men would say anything to plant a seed of doubt… by my fifth target, I felt these men did not have reason to be marked for death and I returned again, I grew bolder and threatened to stop doing my assignments if I didn't get direct answers. Al Mualim grew angry with me and threatened to kill me with a blade. I called his bluff, claiming if these assignments could be done by anyone other than me, it would be done." He paused, crossing his arms over his chest. Maria had sat forward on the bed, seeming interested in the story.
"I had taken a leap of faith and guessed right, he had decided not to kill me for being as bold as I was. Al Mualim was a very good manipulator, he still claimed the nine people must die to bring peace but revealed the Apple to me and told me what it could do. He claimed it was it that cast Adam and Eve from Eden, that allowed Moses to turn staves into snakes, to part and close the Red Sea, and enabled Jesus to turn water into wine. That the Apple is capable of creating illusions, that it had the power to control the minds of people. Which was why it must never fall into the hands of the nine people who would seek it. At the time, I was unsure why I had seen the Apple glow in the palm of his hand."
"You are immune to the Apple's effects? She asked.
"No. It was when I killed De Sable, that he revealed the truth to me as he died. He claimed that Al Mualim was a Templar, that he had betrayed me as he had him. By that point, things started to finally make sense, as much as I hated the idea of it. The Creed… does offer a blind faith, one in which is changing thanks to those events but having faced off with you, I had reported my suspicions to Malik, a fellow Assassin. He had told me to return to Al Mualim and report my findings but I urged him to believe my suspicions. He did and went back to the temple, where this journey started, all while I proceeded to Arsuf, where I battled his army and dueled De Sable in front of the King. Having him possibly confirming my suspicions, I rode back to Masyaf…" He paused, unsure how he wanted to word the rest of the story.
It might have been a little over a year ago but it was still frightening to think of how powerful the item in his back pouch could be. He got up and Maria watched him curiously, he stood by the door and listened for a moment. He opened it to ensure no one was near to overhear this conversation. He closed the door and leaned against the wall, keeping his head low, the storm had calmed but the rain and wind muffled most sounds still. Maria already knew quite a bit about the Artifacts and he wasn't concerned about her learning more, given her disapproval of them.
"I returned to Masyaf to find the city in a trance, some walking around in a daze, preaching about the light and that they found salvation. I attempted to try and break them out of their spell to no avail. Malik had arrived before me, with four other Assassins at his heels. They were as stunned as I was and Malik revealed proof of Al Mualim's betrayal to me, having found a book of De Sables writings listing Al Mualim in it, as well as the nine men I had killed and the revelations he had. It was then, we decided Al Mualim had to be stopped and with their help, we were able to knock out the Assassins he had under his control, trying to keep us away. I pushed on a head while they distracted the others. When I found him in the garden, I confronted him to only be frozen in place. He claimed he had found proof." He was interrupted.
"Proof of what?" She asked. He was mildly amused by how captivated she currently seemed to be by the story and found it ironic that she asked what he had.
"That nothing is true and everything is permitted. I believe… The Apple is only able to create one illusion at a time because, before me, stood the nine men I had killed but I was able to move. Aware that this was an illusion and… suspecting I could be causing harm to real people. Defeating them by knocking them out was… challenging. He froze me in place again, and I asked him why he hadn't attempted to control me. He suddenly appeared before me, saying that it was because of who I am that he couldn't. That to rob me of my will, would also rob me of my ability to kill those men but when I had become too bold in my demands, he had tried and failed because I was able to see through the illusion." He breathed, for a moment, taking a breath. He was reminded how much he hated being on this ship. The sea felt calmer but he still felt as if it was swaying heavily.
"Al Mualim tried this trick again, this time using himself as copies and again, I defeated those too. When one remained, I was still in place again. This time Al Mualim attempted to make me see his reasoning. Claiming that all the legends and religions were the same illusion, that with his, they would find peace. I argued that by using the Apple, he was just creating another illusion. He countered, saying there was no difference between these, that these illusions were causing people to kill each other and wage war. That all he was doing was creating a better illusion without violence. However, that removes the freedom of choice. That those that believe in their gods, choose to do so and it's not something forced upon them by another. That even if the aim was for peace, it still didn't make it right. Al Mualim grew disappointed in me, claiming I had abandoned logic and let my emotions take control. I was able to move again but a white fog consumed the area and drew my sword. There, begin a challenging duel, even at his age, he was a skilled fighter, seeing him appear, vanish and then appear again elsewhere every time I tried to strike a finishing blow. I picked up on a pattern, predicted his move, and defeated him with my hidden blade, causing the apple to drop from his hand. This broke the illusion, causing the air to clear and things to return to normal."
"How did you know you were killing him and not another?" She questioned, taking note of his protective strategy before switching to another.
"It's… hard to explain. I have a… A gift? A talent? Natural ability? To know of one's intentions at a glance. It's not something I overly rely on but instinctively I'm able to tell if someone is to be my ally, an informant, an enemy, or my intended target before I'm able to speak with them. Al Mualim copies of himself didn't feel right and given he had betrayed us. It would not have surprised me if these copies were mind-controlled Assassins, masked as him. However, when we dueled, he was using the Apple move from place to place, which left me confident it was him I was fighting." He explained, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Is that how you knew I wasn't Robert?"
"To a degree. I saw you as an enemy but not my intended target which… drew my conclusion that it was a trap but I intended to interrogate you to find where he was but I hadn't suspected tha-" She interpreted him again.
"That I was a woman." She smirked, leaning back on her hands.
"... Yes." He returned a less than amused smirk.
"I can't imagine the rest of the Assassins taking kindly to you killing your Grandmaster?" She questioned, sitting forward. If they had been under the illusion of the Apple, she doubted it would have been easy to explain his actions.
"They did not. Once they came to their senses, they were left confused and then became enraged learning that I was burning his body."
"Does your Creed also believe it's a sin to burn one's body upon death?" She asked.
"Perhaps, but their conclusion was that I had staged a coup and by doing this, it was my attempt in taking control of the Order. I had attempted to explain what I had done but a group of them rebelled against me, one stealing the Apple and climbing a tower. He preached to them, stating that this was why he had warned everyone about me and this was proof that he had been right all along. Stating that I was proven arrogant to our Creed before and nothing had changed. That I was arrogant, prideful, and a liar that would do anything to be seen in a good light. That I was consumed by greed and jealousy of the Masters position, wanting that power for myself. He had held out the Apple to the crowd, claiming it was this that I wanted and would use against them."
"In his hatred towards me, the Apple shined in his hand and was overtaken by a scream of pain. The Apple appeared to be draining his very soul and that of those around him. Instinctively, I jumped into action, climbed the tower, and disarmed him of the Apple. With everyone's attention drawn to the display, it was then I explained to the crowd that this is what Al Mualim had done to them, that he had betrayed us and as a result, I had to kill him to free them from his control. That if this had not convinced them, we had found proof that he conspired against us. The Assassin begged for my forgiveness but having regained control of the apple, I debated on whether it could be a useful tool or the means to our destruction."
"All the more reason that bloody thing should be tossed into the sea. It has brought nothing but destruction." She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Perhaps but when Al Mualim dropped the Apple upon his death, it revealed a map to me, Malik, and two others. A map of what seems like our world, with dots marked out on it. A world that is round and not flat."
"Another illusion." She dismissed, watching Altair return to sit in the chair.
"Perhaps, but one that can be tested. You wish to travel to the end of the world, we could travel together, peer at its edge, and view the abyss or will we find ourselves back to where we started?" He countered.
"You don't give yourself a break." She hummed amused.
"What do you mean?"
"You fought against a group of Templar guards to counter me. Then you rode to Arsuf to fight another, larger band of Templar guards before dueling Robert at the King's request. Then you rode to Masyaf, fought another group of your own Assassins. Then your master bound you, and you fought nine of your previous targets. Then had to fight copies of your master's illusions. Then! You had to fight your master, yourself, before finally fighting another group of Assassins who rebelled against you. Only to find yourself weeks later encountering me again in Acre. Where we've spent a better part of a year fighting one another and running from place to place, escaping death at each turn to you now wanting to travel and peer off the edge of the world. Do you never tire?" She stated in disbelief, having counted every event on her fingers.
He scoffed in amusement. "I do. After settling the rebellion, much to Maliks' dismay, I had lost my balance and fallen to a knee. Fearing I was injured, I waved off his concerns stating I was lightheaded. Unfortunately for me, I could not bring myself to rise and passed out. I was helped back to my room by him and another and left to rest. I woke almost a day later and in my grogginess, I had wondered if it had all been just a strange dream. I might have convinced myself it had been if I was not still fully clothed and Al Mualim dried blood hasn't still been on my left hand." He explained, it had been the first time he had experienced battle fatigue. While he was amused at first, it had become serious in his demeanor, looking at his left hand before closing it and resting it in his lap.
"Someone had been kind enough to leave me nourishment and soon after, I got up and prepared myself for what fresh new hell I was going to walk into. To my surprise, things seemed back to normal, though, uncertainty loomed in the air. I met with Malik and from there, we discussed how we planned to move forward from what happened. Reports were still coming in and, we received news that the Templars were gathering in large numbers in Acre. Suspecting they were going to fortify the city and make it their new place of operation, I took a group of Assassins with me to stop it but found them gone and you arguing with the few who were boarding a ship. Now, here we are." He ended.
She laid back down on the bed to think. It had been a long year and few months in Cyprus and longer still for the three years she was a part of the Templar Order, it felt like she had been fighting for a decade. She had learned so much, never have imagined she would have come this far, much less learn of these secret items of legend. The fearsome power of the Apple and the many things it seemed it could do after hearing Altair's story. She was skeptical when he said he'd never use the Apple on someone again but found his explanation strange, now learning that he had done what his master had, his words felt more genuine. Thinking about it, he had revealed quite a bit to her, it certainly didn't make him prideful if he was willing to admit that he had limits and going off of that information. In comparison to what happened today, he could fight a whole band of pirates by himself before the thrill of battle would drop him to his knees. Probably more, given he's been at rest for a short while. The Assassins capabilities were ridiculous, or perhaps Altairs were, having bested the equivalent of the Kings army in a day, at the same time, this only made them all that much more intriguing to her.
She hadn't been paying attention to him while she was deep in thought and it must be late because she felt ready to sleep. The ship felt calm on the water, she could no longer hear the rain and only the murmurs of the crew talking amongst themselves. When she turned over to face him again, she saw he was leaning the back of his head against the chair, his eyes closed again. She wondered if he was truly 'meditating' again, or if he was at rest, it was hard to see the upper part of his face but given how the lantern cast its light, it didn't seem like his eyes were moving. She began to wonder if he was in a meditative state.
Still, she would try again, seeing little harm in it. She had found his comment odd before, asking if she had been satisfied when searching the room. Having thought about it, given their conversation at the time and then remembering what she had done afterward, she was unintentionally being seductive. She remembered she had leaned over him to see what books were on the shelf and then had bent down to check a draw. Now she was highly amused at the idea of possibly getting him flustered. Her attempt would either fail, learning that he wasn't interested in her in that way, and that maybe the Assassin's practiced celibacy or he would become flustered. There was also a small chance, as doubtful as she thought it would be, that he could become lustful and try forcing himself on her but unbeknown to him, she had found a dagger among the trinkets but if Altair had been that kind of man, he'd have done so a long time ago when she was his captive. She laid on her side, using her left hand to prop up her head and draped her arm over her stomach.
"You meditate?" She asked, biting bottom lip. As before, he opened his eyes and turned his gaze to her, giving her his normal expression of indifference.
"I was." He answered and turned away from her. He moved his head side to side, which only added to his motion of swaying but since the sea had calmed, it had gotten better, or perhaps, he had grown more accustomed to it.
"Do you have female Assassins?" She asked in a serious tone.
"We do."
"Let me guess, they play womanly roles and never get sent out on missions." she accused and he looked offended, seemed like he was about to argue, and stopped himself. He looked to debate on his words and also come to a realization. "I'm right." She scoffed.
"No… Perhaps… It's complicated." He debated, to her unamused look, licking his lips again. He was thirsty but daring to eat or drink anything now would only add to his nausea, which he was trying to keep at bay. "The Templars have their King to provide coins for their cause. The Assassins do not, we have to be self-sufficient. We are not contract killers like most wish to believe and while yes, we do take some, it is only under the condition that we find that person is worthy of death, which those contracts are far and few between. Instead, each of us works in some way. I've known of two women, who are the rank of Assassin. One is, a healer and the other was my mother. She was a Christian woman, she helped teach others how to read, write and speak your native tongue." He explained.
"While yes… it is considered a womanly role, it is something they choose to do and not something forced on them. I earn coins by translating messages from Arabic to French. Others will work in leather making, tailoring, herbs, blacksmithing, pottery, jewelry, all those places the Templars like to visit and buy their goods from, there could very well be an Assassin working there, listening to their gossip. A portion of each commission is put aside for the Creed to support the members who are between commissions, on a mission, or can't provide for themselves for one reason or another, such as teaching. Even if what you do can not supply the Creed coins, they are helping to contribute in some way, cooking, cleaning, fishing, hunting, farming, teaching and much more, regardless of gender."
"But?" She motioned for him to continue to the point she had made.
"But… You may be right in one regard." He heard her hum unimpressed, crossing his arms and he tapped his foot on the ground, annoyed at this fact. "I know there are more women among our Creed but I don't personally know of any who have been tasked with missions. Perhaps that is because Al Mualim had joined the Levantine Rite, but I don't believe it was always that way." He added, that was something he did intend to change and encourage if that was the case.
She pushed herself up and got to her feet, stepping towards him. She leaned to the side, hands behind her back, tilting her head down, and peered under his hood, locking eyes with him, his features once holding a mild amusement was now serious and suspicious stare.
"What are you doing?" He asked skeptically, this was a mildly awkward spot for him. Seated in an armchair, in cramped quarters gave him little room to move and dodge. There wasn't enough space for him to draw his swords, which meant he had to rely on his hidden blade. He doubted she would attack him at this point, but she'd not be able to draw her sword either but that didn't mean she hadn't found something earlier to use on him. Not being able to see her hands lent him that thought. Though her close proximity also gave him the thought that she could be trying another seduction attempt and locked his jaw at the thought, drawing his lips into a thin line, unamused by it.
"I wish to see the face of the man I've loathed for a year, who is attempting to convince me to join his Creed." She informed, being mindful not to reach out her hands too quickly, and pulled down his hood, revealing more clearly his serious, unamused stare.
His eyes were a striking, almost golden color. He had far fewer facial scars than she expected, the one of his lip being the most predominant one. He had a nice jawline, even with his stubble and short but messy dark brown hair. He was attractive, he could probably seduce women with his eyes alone if he so desired to. She took a few steps behind the chair, running her hand through his short hair, it was softer than she expected it to be. She watched his head follow the direction she went and slightly pull away from her touch. However, his breathing became more noticeable and seemed tense. Was this all it took to get him flustered? She wondered, amused.
"Do I disappoint?" He asked, trying to refocus his mind. He was taken aback by how suddenly his heart began to race when she pulled down his hood. It was an odd sensation, one he hadn't experienced in a few years. A feeling he didn't think he was capable of feeling again and only made him hate being on this ship that much more. He was irritated with himself, not being at his best was allowing him to feel lustful, something he refused to be. He would not let lust cloud his judgment and he didn't particularly understand why this was the second time he's felt ill being on a ship. He had been fine going to Cyprus and was fine when he spent days on a ship chasing a Templar ship, what had made this different?
"No. I didn't expect you to have colored hair like mine." She hummed, tugging lightly at his hair until he moved his head away. Now he was looking flustered and while it might not have been her original intent, it still highly amused her. She leaned in close to whisper in his ear. "Now, I'm satisfied." She cooed.
"Temptress." He said unamused, hearing her return to sit on the bed. He turned his head away from her, shifting himself to lean more towards the right side of the chair. He rested his head on his right fist and stopped his right leg from bouncing in annoyance.
For a moment, he had reconsidered this option, wondering if lust had clouded his judgment. He was impressed with her fighting skills, considering she had held her own against Armand Bouchart before he bested her and then he had stepped in, held his own, and eventually defeated him. She was open-minded even if she was resistant to the truth and had an insight that had proven valuable about the Templars. When the thought occurred to him, that had she been an Assassin, she'd be a formidable foe, that had not been a lustful thought. She had wit, something the Templars failed to grasp simply because she was a woman and one he didn't intend to ignore considering she had already pointed out a flaw he hadn't been aware of. The severe lack of women among their ranks and the lack of use. She would become a valuable ally to the Creed, should she wish to join and those had not been lustful thoughts. Which made him question why his heart had begun pounding against his chest only a moment ago.
"Your Creed would openly welcome a former Templar into their ranks? After everything that happened with your former Grandmaster?" She asked, skeptical again.
The question had drawn him out of his thoughts, leaning his chin in his hand with a more neutral expression. "Not openly, no. Some would resist the idea but most would adjust and accept it if that was what their Mentor wished."
"And this is something your Mentor would accept?"
"Yes." He stated without hesitation, attempted to resist smirking.
"You seem confident." She questioned, seeing the small smirk on his face.
"I know him well."
"Do you…" She hummed, suspicious.
"I believe, he'll value your wit and insight." He said honestly and amused at her suspicion. Now it was only a matter of time before she figured out he was referring to himself. Their exchanges had been entertaining and while she had a tendency to take advantage of a situation to escape from him to forge on without him, he couldn't particularly fault her for that at the time. "Have you decided to humor the idea of joining the Assassins?"
"Would I have to train to become one?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Should you wish to but not all our allies are trained Assassins."
"Such as the Captain?" She questioned.
"The Captain is not our ally."
"Really? So he simply allowed his quartermaster to be killed by a woman and not take up arms against us?"
"Take up arms against you." He said amused, watching her scowl at him. "I suspect the Captain is an ally of the Resistance which would mean he is an ally of the Assassins by association. He was well aware of who I was when I threatened him despite giving him another name."
"And should I not like being part of the Assassins?" She speculated.
"Then you can leave."
"Even if I learned something there I should not have?" She tilted her head to the side, unamused. She wanted to avoid being trapped in another cause she didn't believe in. She had already disagreed with his Creed once before.
"There is nothing you can learn that our enemies don't already know or can't learn for themselves." He stated, looking over at the desk. He recognized the book that lay on it from earlier, it seemed like the ledger the Captain had been holding when he spoke with him. He took hold of it and flipped through the pages. While they were on the topic of allies, a pirate ship could prove to be a useful ally.
She hummed, making herself comfortable on the bed again. It was an intimidating thought, she might as well be walking into a lion's den holding fresh meat but she had escaped him and the Resistance several times throughout the year, she could do it again if she must. She watched him tear a blank page out of the book and found the ink to write with. It seems like an Assassin's work is never done. Here she was just laying and relaxing, partly wondering what her next move should be in her journey to life and there he was, trying to recruit new allies, writing something he deemed important, and spreading the Assassins creed to new places.
She looked at the Templar ring that sat on her middle finger. It was almost comical how big it was and it was another thing that should probably be tossed into the sea but she didn't want to part with it. It stood for something she once believed in, even after learning the truth. It was proof, at least to herself, that she achieved something that not many women could. No other women, that she was aware of, could claim they were the lieutenant to the Templar Grandmaster and her words once held some form of weight, something she doubted she'd ever achieve again but now, what would life be like if she tried joining the Assassins?
Would she remain in the city like the other women? Would she be tasked with her own missions? Could she even reach the ranks of Assassin? Did she want to? What did their training entail other than it was 'intense'. Would she be able to go on missions with him? Would he want to bring her on missions with him? What happened to the drive she once had when she first ran away to the Crusades? She felt lost but she was tired, hungry, and thirsty. Did this man feel none of those? Was that also part of their training, to be able to go without these items for long periods of time? She didn't have time to get supplies for this trip, though, she didn't have coins too, not till now but she had been by his side the whole way down to the docks and she didn't see him take an opportunity to get supplies either. Well, if he could go without food and water, so could she. She huffed and closed her eyes, wanting this ship's journey to pass quicker and to have a clear mind.
She slept lightly at first, opening her eyes to see him place the parchment in his back pouch and another time when he seemingly shifted in the chair, returning to what he claimed as a meditative state. When she woke up next, she felt rested and opened her eyes to see Altair in the same position she had seen him last. This time, she could see his eyes move under his lids which meant to her, he was asleep. He could not have been asleep for long, seeing the lantern was still lit and fairly bright. A sleeping Assassin, how sensitive to sound must he be? She wondered, taking a breath, and at that, he woke, much to her surprise and confusion. His eyes opened, scanned what was in front of him before his gaze landed on her with a questioning look. The only way she could kill this man in his sleep was with an arrow from a distance and even then she'd imagine he'd wake to the whistle of the arrow drawing near.
"Something wrong?" He questioned, wondering why she seemed to be scowling at him again.
"Good morning." She said unamused, the Assassins were definitely a formidable foe when a simple breath could wake them. Compared to when she remembered being able to sneak out of the barracks of sleeping men as she trained as a soldier to tend to some womanly needs. Posing as a man had some interesting challenges and the differences in class were an adjustment.
"Good morning?" He questioned, not the answer he was expecting with the look on her face. For a moment he questioned how she knew that, knowing she couldn't have possibly opened the door to see outside without him knowing. Listening for a moment, he could now hear the murmurs of the crew again and some distant shouting of the Captain, assuming she had heard it too. He adjusted himself in the chair, hearing a few of his bones in his back pop, knowing he had been sitting in the chair for too long. He watched her stretch, hearing the same before there was a knock at the door. Instinctively, he pulled his hood back on.
"Excuse my disturbance…Sir… and Madam... but Acre is within sight, we'll be pulling into port soon." The Captain advised, not daring to open the door.
"Good," Altair answered, watching Maria raise and be unsteady on her feet. Was it because it was morning, the boat, or have not eaten anything in a little over a day, or longer? That caused her to be unsteady? Thinking about it, he was impressed she hadn't gotten up and searched for food or drink yet. When she opened the door, he rose afterward, closing the light. He followed her up the ladder once she was on deck and went to converse with the Captain once more.
Once on deck, the sun was rising and the sky was clear. She walked to the front of the ship, where men were preparing ropes. Acre was barely within sight but a welcome sight to see, there laid freedom that she could choose. She had some coins and things to sell, she could pay for passage and leave for her own adventure or... she looked behind her to see Altair talking with the Captain. She could humor this man and see what the Assassins were truly like, having been told if she didn't like it there, she would be allowed to leave. Normally, she wouldn't trust his words but he hasn't been deceptive to her yet. Once he was done talking, he returned to her side. "Making new allies?"
"Perhaps. I intended to return to Cyprus with others in the short future… Are you interested in returning with me?" He asked, standing beside her with his arms crossed over his chest. He was aware that she hadn't given him a direct answer yet, despite her interest last night. He wouldn't assume she'd follow and that they'd be part ways as soon as the ship reached the shore.
"To Cyprus or to Masyaf?" She asked, looking up at him.
"Both." He tilted his head towards her.
That was a somewhat reassuring thought, considering they had worked well together when she wasn't leaving him to deal with the others. At the time, she had no loyalty to him but even with that in mind, he seemed interested in her still being by his side. "Fine. I will join you." She accepted and scoffed at the content look he wore.
