ALRIGHT, a few things before I get started with this huge phase! Firstly, I went back and read over the last couple of phases: this chapter is not actually set in 1222, but in 1208. That's all corrected now! And secondly and most importantly, a HUGE, HUGE thanks to Midori Aoi, who made me an INCREDIBLE poster for this fic! You can see it on her deviantART, a link to which is on her profile. Thank you SO much, seeing it made my day and I'm so impressed with your skill!
As always, on with the show! :D

'What do you mean, expected?'

Malik was a formidable man, but the Doctor wasn't going to let the fact stop him from asking questions. Of course, complete control over everything ever would be preferable, but all the while he wasn't in control he was going to annoy the person who was.

'River Song prophesied your coming after appearing in our market square in a flash of light, strolling up to our gate and demanding to be let in,' Malik replied as they walked up to the citadel on top of a very steep hill. Even though they were away from the busyness from the market, they didn't stop coming across people – children ran in front of them, shrieking as they chased each other or dogs, and people called to friends or perspective buyers that loitered intently near the blankets where wares were displayed. The little boy who Malik still held by the hand didn't seem to have any inclination of joining the other boys wrestling in the dirt nearby, but instead had his head permanently swivelled on his shoulder as he stared at the Doctor with that talent – or "eagle vision", as River Song had called it. It was beginning to annoy the Doctor like an itch that wouldn't just go away, and he was going to snap at the boy to stop or wave his arms in a threatening manner when River whispered in his ear:

'I used a handsome time agent's technology that a guard smuggled into my cell for me,' she murmured. 'It was a bit defective and blew up when I arrived here – but they all thought I was a god.'

The Doctor was puzzled for a moment, until he realized what Malik had just said about River appearing in a flash of light in the middle of the market place. He turned to glare at her.

'That was very irresponsible.'

River Song laughed, low and melody-like. 'Don't go telling me about responsible, Doctor.'

'She possessed knowledge that, prior to her arrival, was only circulated amongst our innermost brothers, and so it was for the safety of the Brotherhood that we took her in.' Malik continued as if he'd never been interrupted.

'They tried to keep me as a prisoner first,' River Song continued, grinning as if the whole notion were absurd.

'Indeed,' Malik concurred with a grim expression. 'So we initiated her into our lowest ranks, for the sake of protocol and despite her gender. But of course, that didn't stop her from smuggling her way into our innermost circles. As I am sure you know, Doctor, River Song is a very persuasive woman.'

'Yes. Well.' The Doctor cleared his throat awkwardly as they climbed up the steep hill, and stopped at the base of a huge citadel. Malik stopped, and released the boy's hand to gesture at the imposing towers.

'Masayf's Citadel,' he said. 'Our home.' He looked down to the boy and touched him on the back of his head. 'Run ahead and tell your father that we're on our way.'

'But – '

'Quickly now, Sef.'

The boy pouted a moment, and then quickly risked another look at the Doctor with his heightened vision, only to have his head meet with a gentle clout from Malik.

'And enough of that.' Malik told him as the boy took off at once, up another steep hill and through a patrol of guards. When the boy was out of his sight, Malik turned and gave the Doctor another of his piercing looks. 'Your presence here will not be questioned all the while you are with me or River Song, but step out of line for one second and our brothers will not hesitate in killing you.' He warned him coldly.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. A warning like that? Malik wouldn't make that if he wasn't sure of what the Doctor was capable of. A smile, lazy and confident spread over his face when he replied:

'Are you so sure that'll stop me?'

A stony silence fell between the two men, the hatred and uncertainty rising from Malik like steam. The Doctor didn't break eye contact, but returned Malik's look with the same lazy expression, until Malik finally looked away, shot River Song a look that was as chastising as much as it was a warning, and then turned and led them both up the same steep hill Sef had taken. The Doctor went to step after him, but River grabbed his arm from behind and yanked him back, forcing him to turn and to step close.

'Don't,' she hissed. 'Play games with him.'

'I thought this was a game,' the Doctor said with a mockery of innocence but with obvious contempt. 'Seeing that you were making it one.'

River's face twisted in anger. 'I am telling you all I can. Nothing else. If I tell you anything at the wrong time we could lose everything.'

'Loosing?' The Doctor asked, putting his face closer to hers. Unwillingly, she tipped her head back, and saw the Doctor smirk slowly. 'That sounds like what people do when they play games with me.'

River Song didn't answer, but glared at the Doctor as his smirk grew wider, revelling in his assured victory as he stepped away from her and followed Malik up the steep hill. River watched him go, seething, before following him up the hill.

In the end, they caught up with Malik sooner than they thought, because he stood in the entrance to the inner citadel, his body stiff with anger. In front of him, a man leaning insolently against the wall craned to see the doctor and River enter his line of sight.

'Ah!' He said. 'I understand,' his eyes dropped back to Malik's. 'You had an errand. I should have thought as much: I saw that boy run through a little while ago. I tried to trip him up, but he was too quick. Like a snake.'

'Step aside, Abbas.' Malik told him shortly. His authority was clear, but instead the man called Abbas lifted himself from the wall and walked into Malik's path, gesturing lazily.

'And who are these infidels you are bringing into our home on the order of our leader?' He spat the word out as he thought lower of it than the word dirt. 'A vagabond and a who –'

Abbas didn't get the last word out, because Malik lurched forward with surprising strength and seized him by the front of his robes, yanking him forward and thrusting his face into his. Abbas yelped, but Malik didn't shout or raise his voice for an instant.

'Get out of my way.'

He dropped Abbas back on his feet, who scrambled out of the way and into the nonchalant pose he'd been in before. 'Fine. Go ahead. But don't think our leader won't hear about this!'

'And I am sure that he'll congratulate me on it.' Malik replied as he stepped past him, leaving River and the Doctor to deal with Abbas' twisted rage that he directed at them as they went by. They didn't break his gaze, but returned it with such a force of a wealth of experience, misery and life that Abbas snarled at them both and fixed his gaze the ground. When they'd passed him, and were back out into the sun, the Doctor asked: 'Who was he?'

'Abbas,' River replied shortly. 'A man with a grudge that's lasted him a lifetime.'

'His bark is worse than his bite,' Malik called over his shoulder as they passed a training ring where a few novice looking individuals spared ungracefully, kicking up dirt and shouting at each other as they brawled with blunt swords. An audience had gathered around it, and it was from this a man broke free to run up to Malik – panting through the cloth he wore wrapped around his face, he sketched a hasty bow.

'Master Malik! My students do not seem to know what it is to wield a blade. Perhaps, you could teach them what you – '

'Another time, friend.' Malik said shortly, walking past him. The man watched him go, crestfallen. The Doctor watched him as they walked away.

'Yes! Another time, then!' The man called out, and then wheeled around as one of the novices in the training ring uttered a scream. 'THAT IS NOT HOW YOU WIELD A BLADE – ' He roared, running back to the crowd that had gathered tighter together at the sight of blood, where he tried to force himself through with little success. The Doctor turned back, and gave River Song an incredulous look.

'They're surely not – '

'Our future Assassins?' Malik cut in. 'Unfortunately, yes. But not everyone is skilled when they join us, and it is a long road to becoming a master of our trade. But the rewards are well worth the journey.' He added as they reached the gates to the inner citadel, guarded by a few guards. They bowed respectfully at Malik, nodded at River Song when she bowed respectfully, and stepped aside to let them pass. At once, they passed into the cool shade of the inside, the only heat coming from the light that seeped in the fine, iron-wrought windows. The Doctor found himself in a small hall of sorts, lined with book cases that stood in the shadows cast by supportive arches. Assassins dressed differently to their peers floated among these book shelves and in and out of sight, holding books or talking in low whispers. The Doctors shamelessly inquisitive gaze found a wide set of stone stairs that led up to a balcony like floor, and a shadow, long and wide set that fell on the steps.

He looked up.

The Piece of Eden had told him things in images and words the Doctor simply could not describe. But now he saw what he saw, its message was clear.

1208.

A man awaits you with a message.

From someone not of this world.

The Doctor met the eyes of the man awaiting him on top of the stairs. He was dressed in black robes, like Malik's, but the intricately woven designs in white thread proclaimed his absolute authority in some strange manner lost on the Doctor. His hood was lowered, and it revealed a face hardened by time and experience – the man's beard was grey in places, and the eyes he had were stern and black. But, there was something different about them – once upon a time, you could lose yourself to the authority and the confidence those eyes once had, but now they only regarded you with a wary welcome – they shone, somewhat. With one hand he held Sef's, the child looking comfortable and assured in this man's presence. The father and son bond was obvious. And in the other hand, he held what was undoubtedly a Piece of Eden – in the possession of a man who was peaceful, it itself was at peace: it throbbed slightly in his grip, and the throbbing seemed to increase a little as the Doctor approached.

At the bottom of the stairs, River Song bowed – lower than she had to the guards outside. Her respectful murmur of Mentor was almost lost to the Doctor: he was preoccupied with the fact that, beside him, Malik had not bowed but had inclined his head only once, regarding the powerful man with a knowing smile. The man returned it to him, and the two shared a private joke between them that was unknown to everyone else.

And then the man looked at the Doctor again, with a look that wasn't expectant, but appraising. Considerate, even. There was a moment in silence where the Doctor made it clear that he wasn't about to bow to anybody, and the man inclined his head, looking as if he understood what the Doctor was, and what he meant. The Doctor would have liked to hear it, and see how far it came to the truth.

But something nagged him in the back of his head that it would be uncomfortably close.

'You can only be the man that River Song has told us of.' Said the man at last. Strongly accented, it was lighter than the Doctor had half expected – he judged that it was quick when he was condemning something, but slow and paced when he praised something else. The Doctor tiled his head, and grinned.

'If the man is "The Doctor", then yes. I suppose I am.'

The Doctor's answer amused him: his gaze became level, and the corners of his mouth lifted upwards in a smile.

'My name is Altaïr.'

The Doctor's self assured smile froze slightly then. He had heard that name before, when Leonardo had eagerly discussed with the Doctor everything he thought he should know. Other phrases accompanied the name as it settled in the forefront of his thoughts, each said in a whisper of Leonardo's voice.

…Founding fathers…all we know…armour…Ezio…Apple…

'You have come to fill this turn of the prophecy,' he said. 'As River Song predicted that you would.'

And then his look became amused, and what he said next confirmed what the Doctor had suspected – that Altaïr knew more about him than he would have liked. And what Altaïr said next tugged on the strings of his nerves, making a near uncontrollable anger rise in him.

'And you came when we called.'

More to come soon: there're just a few things that need tweaking here and there before I publish them. See you all on the next update! :D