A/N:
About time I get to start this chapter. Well...I could of earlier, but it's been a lazy week. Unfortunately of course, the time I decide to procrastinate writing, is the time the chapter will be fairly long compared to the others. But, I decided to cut it in half.
I also found out I was so far behind on Kings! So I had to catch up...it's an awesome show!
But anyways, enjoy this chapter! My portrayal of Bethlehem isn't all so good, sorry.
Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed characters belong to Ubisoft. OC's, to me, for the story.
Chapter Three:
Contention
~*~
Altair followed Rais example, and jerked on the reigns of his horse, slowing it to a steady trot. He casually patted his horse's black mane, leaning down swiftly, lightly pecking the back of her neck with his lips.
Rais fell back, strolling next to his companion's side. He passed Altair a quick smile. Altair returned it, watching Rais stretch yawning loudly.
"It's getting warmer. About time!" Rais spoke at the end of his yawn, some of the words muffled as he covered his mouth, yawning once more. He grinned as the contagious yawn passed to the younger man.
Altair leered lightly. "I could barely understand you. But yes, it is getting warmer." he shook his hood off his head, feeling the warm sunlight peeking through the dark skies against his tan skin.
"Altair," Rais started, catching his gaze. "Your eyes are gray."
Altair blinked, uncertain how to act to Rais' unexpected statement. "Oh really? I did not know that." he replied, matter-of-factly.
"Yes. Yes they are," Rais shrugged, grinning proudly of his random observation. "Your eyes are like like my wife's. Usually hers are light brown, but sometimes, they'll have a greenish tint to them, a dark hazel tone."
Altair sensed the rest of the conversation to the gates of Bethlehem would be Rais pinning about missing his sweet girls and beloved wife. "So, I'm guessing my eyes change color?"
"You didn't know that?"
Altair was silent for a second. "I don't pay attention?" Rais bought that, mumbling how it made sense, since Altair was quite oblivious to small details. Apparently. Altair slumped in his saddle.
As they reached the top of the hill, they looked down upon a browned plain. Shepherds were in the fields, watching over sheep. Some walked along side the animals, hoping to help them find food, waving their canes through the remaining snow. A dirt path, winded down to where no grass could go from the travel of many, lead through the fields to a large city, encompassed by faded stone walls.
Rais sighed deeply, smiling at the city. Though, it seemed forbidding, under the presence of lingering black clouds. "Altair, tell me again what Malik's last letter said."
"He mentioned we had an informant waiting for us there. Other than that, we'll be strictly on our own. The only presence of members from the Brotherhood are back in the last town."
Rais calculated the small bit of information for a moment. "What else?"
"Nothing else really concerning Bethlehem. Be wary of the presence of any Crusaders. I don't think we'll have to worry about that. Bethlehem is in Saladin's control." he paused, frowning. "Then again we're common enemy with them as well..." he recollected the battle of Arsuf, his audience with the Lion himself. Currently, he himself found they might have been in more favor with the Crusaders. Saladin probably also remembered quite well the few assassination attempts on his life. Altair frowned.
"As for where the Crusaders stand, Richard is currently in Jaffa. Still waiting out the winter. That was about it, it was a short letter."
Rais nodded. "I was hoping to know how things were going back home. Wanted Malik to at least relieve some of the stress off his shoulders."
"We can't do much from here."
Rais again nodded. "Yes, but writing and ranting, does make one feel better."
"Maybe everything is going well?"
"Hopefully. You think there would be some contention again with his age, and among other things..." he said with a sleepish smile. Altair looked at him curiously, Rais shrugged the idea off. Obviously not wanting to explain all of his words.
"I'm sure they're fine with Malik's leadership. After all...we have a new goal for the most part. A goal, I'm sure many accept."
"Malik said he was going to have a meeting with many of Masayf's leaders about the subject of the Pieces. You think he would of wrote about that in his letter."
"That or the meeting hadn't occurred yet," Altair offered. "Or, he wants us more focused on the matters here, and not back home."
"Home." Rais mused, staring back up at the sky. "I really don't care much traveling."
Altair smiled, trying to reassure him. "You were always at, or around Masayf. I can't think of a time you were probably gone as long as we've been traveling. I'm sure you'll get used to it."
Altair wanted to hit himself, that was a terrible attempt to consul his companion.Rais had trained him at some parts of his life. Rais might of traveled like Altair did. Rais himself might of been Al Mualim's main puppet, however he married young. Altair could remember over hearing arguments with their leaders, Rais fighting to stay close to home. The leaders didn't want that. Rais was skilled, strong, young; but now as Altair looked back, seeing Al Mualim's emotionless face; Rais was most importantly: expendable.
"I hope one day, you'll get to understand how I feel. That one day, you'll take a woman to wife, and have children of your own." Altair's gazed into Rais' dark eyes. They softened, glowing heavenly, a man true to his words. "It's the greatest calling in life. To be a father."
Altair's smile was feeble, unsure of what to say and how to react. Rais laughed it off, sensing Altair's discomfort. "Maybe," he started, "Maybe one day Rais." he promised.
They were silent for a brief moment, the city's gate, in but a breath away.
"You know. I have a unmarried cousin."
"Mission Rais, mission."
I thought the city was gonna be a bit more...grand then this. Hell, you'd think with all those Christmas hymns, it'd be a heaven on earth.
But then again, there are wars going on.
"Altair," Rais addressed, giving his horse one last loving pat. He tied his beast to the stable, "Be wary."
"Of?"
"Bethlehem hasn't been in the greatest of all conditions. Sharp loss of trade, with the loss of Christian pilgrims."
"Fear can destroy a city..." Altair whispered under his breath, quickly glancing to the looming city walls. He felt as positive emotions, started to fleetly drift from his body. He couldn't understand why suddenly, a misplaced melancholy seized a hold of his heart.
"Economically, things aren't running so well. Just be on the look out of thieves."
Altair smirked. "If anyone tried to rob me, they'd probably just cut themselves on the assortment of hidden weapons covering my body."
Rais grinned, patting Altair on the back. The two walked to the gates, easily passing through with no contention from the guards. It didn't take Altair long enough to see what Rais had spoken of to be true.
Something about the atmosphere, it seemed dark. It was too quiet. The way the sun reflected on the stone buildings, it wasn't bright, but dull. The shadows larger, and blacker.
"Tell me, do you know anything about the Piece we're trying to find here?"
Rais nodded, lingering a bit closer to Altair, cautious of any ears that might eavesdrop to their conversation. "Apparently, the report we got back, spoke of a fortune teller."
Altair sneered, "We're all the way out here, for the chance that we might find a seer?"
"Yes."
He scoffed, crossing his arms. "I understood the danger of the Piece we have in possession in Masayf, but a fortune teller? Rais, a idea of a seer doesn't sound threatening at all!" he harshly whispered. A man bumped against his shoulder, giving Altair a dirty look, mumbling to himself.
Rais eyes watched the man leave, realizing it was just an accident the two hit the other. "Perhaps, but think of it this way. If the enemy had a tool like that in hand, how hard do you think surprise attacks could be? They could know our every move, every plan, know our secrets. See? Any power, can be deadly, no matter how weak it might sound."
Altair didn't say anything, but turned away, glancing around at the city. It was his first time to Bethlehem, and he was a bit dismayed.
It was just like Acre in many ways. You could see the hunger, the fear, in people's eyes. They way they carried themselves, their posture, seeming to just carry on day by day. The way they looked at you, afraid to make eye contact. Just like Acre, they were afraid, that some army would come bursting through their crumbling fortified walls. More blood shed, for the sake of pride.
Altair felt unnerved as he and Rais walked by. Citizens would watch them from the corner of their eyes, silently examining them, with malice. Despite the large crowds of people, something seemed empty to their presence. Men, and women, still wearing their lavished robes, but with nothing to their names. You could feel, even without knowing who they were, the contention between religious factions. Jews, Muslims, perhaps a few bold Christians all mixed together. Eyes would pass suspicious glances from he and Rais, then to the man next to them. A glance shifted to a glare.
Hidden away in the darkness of the streets, hunched bodies laid. A sullen, starved face would raise every now and then to watch them walk by. Their glazed, lifeless eyes, ashamed. Altair watched, his heart sinking to the pit of his stomach, as a group of small boys ran by. Laughing, playing together, but in torn, threadbare clothes, without shoes or sandals to cover their blistered feet.
Pride. All of this was prides doing.
"What's bothering you," Rais asked, sensing a sudden change of Altair's emotions. Rais looked into the direction Altair was intently staring. He watched the boys, playing blissfully despite their condition. He to, felt heart broken at the scene. "Concentrate Altair, we're on a mission, don't let your emotions get to you."
Altair scowled, his fist shaking. "Rais, can you blame me?!" he whispered loudly.
"No, I can't. I feel the same, but again, concentrate."
"I, I..." he wanted to lash back, anger clouding his mind. He didn't understand why he was so angry, but he knew he wasn't suppose to let emotions get in the way. But for some reason, he couldn't help it. Hiding them, pretending nothing is wrong, mind on the mission, it seemed so wrong. "We're living in an age of foolish, pointless wars." he let the words escape his mouth.
"Altair." Rais rose his voice slightly above a whisper, still quiet enough to not catch anyone's attention. "Get a hold of yourself."
"Look at this city. All this because men declared this land as Holy. By what, stories? Stories passed down from men, men bending truth. Men and their twisted words," he hissed. Rais had grabbed Altair by the arm, glaring at him to stop. "It starts with one truth, then men take it as theirs, and look what happens! We have Crusaders and Muslims, fighting, believing themselves to be right. All religion is, is a way to control people!"
Rais roughly smacked Altair upside the head in a shift motion. "Altair, stop thinking. Shut your mouth, and keep walking," Altair wanted to protest, but Rais smiled at him cordially, then turned around leaving him dumbfound. Rais looked over his shoulder, "Now come on, or no supper for you young man."
He pouted, unable to revolt, and did as the older man said. Sauntering behind him. A smile spread across his lips, believing, this is what having a family must be like.
~*~
"I've been waiting for you two," a voice said from the corner of an alley way. Rais and Altair watched as a familiarly dressed man, clothed in white, stepped from the shadows. "Finally, my information will pass on to the Masters."
Altair glared at him. "Spit it out quickly, so we can get back to our own paths. I'm not in the mood to do any of your errands."
Rais turned away, muffling a laugh, at the surprised and frightened expression of the informant.
"What I have gathered, from what Master A-Sayf has sent to us, is you two are seeking a fortune teller. I have found an older woman with such powers. She lingers in the old trade districts. She charges for her work, many citizens go to her, looking for guidance. It says she lives with her son, a merchant, stumbling across hard times. The money goes to keep them fed, and alive."
He handed Rais a map, "Marked is the location to where she usually resides. That's all the information I have on her, but I have come across something a little more interesting."
"Do tell," Altair scowled, still on edge from before.
"I received words from my brothers in the nearby village today. They said, men clothed in white, with bloody red crosses on their tabbard's, were heading for Bethlehem."
Altair and Rais looked to another, coming to the same conclusion.
"And you were thinking this was going to be easy," Rais teased.
~*~
Hours after checking into an Inn, and planning for tomorrow, Altair couldn't help but find himself tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He stared out the window of his room into the black night. The moon wasn't even out. He didn't care much for the empty feeling Bethlehem was bringing. But maybe, it was just the transition of seasons.
He rolled over to his side, closing his eyes. Maybe, this city would be much nicer to visit in the summer. Visit when these damned wars were finished. Just, maybe.
"How humorous of you boy, drawn here, by your own will, or the lure of its power?"
Altair jumped up, gazing around his room, finding it empty. He laid back down, and saw the flow of black robes next to his bed.
"You're no better than me. You desire to hold a God's power in our hands once more, that's the only reason why you've come, why you've agreed to Malik's whim."
Altair found himself staring into Al Mualim's black, soulless eyes. The man smirked, leaning down to Altair's face.
"Face it, you're the same as me."
"No!" He jumped up, throwing the covers off him. His body shook, his heart beat heavy, thrashing, throbbing in both ears, and chest. His breaths, short, and quick. He rubbed his eyes, gazing outside, to see the sun starting to rise. He sat there, staring, listening to his heart race.
That man's face, that twisted grin, it was still stuck in his head. He could hear his laugh, echoing into his mind.
He slowly laid back down. Imagining the sky, Masayf, anything to clear his head. Humming to himself, trying to drown out his voice.
I'm sure they're quite a few, "Wait what's" about this chapter. At least, that's what I hope the reaction I get is.
I'm not too sure how to accurately portray Altair. I tried making him more lively around Malik, like guy's usually are around another. Goofy, crazy, etc. He always seemed to question, let his judgment, emotions get the best of him. To me, he always seemed curious. Oddly, a lot of the way Altair acted, I related myself to. He was suppose to be arrogant and proud, and aside from the beginning of the game, he really didn't come across truly being like that. As I would described Altair to my friends while playing the game, "All he does is say 'I DON'T GET IT'!"
This was also pretty amusing the write, some of Altair's parts. Him denoucing religion, when I myself am a Christian, ha.
Now...I want sleep. Nighty-night.
