Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed. OC's used for the story, are mine.

A/N: Okay, I had uploaded this chapter before. But it made me angry and I wasn't happy with it. I went and fixed a few things, and now am reposting it. Probably am going to make many readers angry with the approach of a "new" character to the story.

Anyways, enjoy. I will try to continue to update on time. If you read my profile, it always states a way to read a little part of the "Future Half" of this fanfic.

Comments, concerns? You know how to voice those. Apologize for grammar errors.


Chapter Five:

Exhaustion

~*~

"You wouldn't believe it." Rais passed Altair the letter in his hand, looking the other way, trying to suppress his laughter.

Altair rose his browse, and turned to the piece of paper clutched in his hands. "Saladin is marching to Jaffa? So?" Malik was kind enough to keep them updated on what was going on with the Crusades, though it just made Altair angrier.

"Keep reading."

Altair nodded, and scanned his eyes about the parchment. Nothing exciting to far, he thought. What is going back home in M--"What?!" he nearly exclaimed.

Rais laughed at Altair's reaction. A smile was spreading across the young man's face, and he cheered. "About time he did something!"

The closing lines of Malik's letter just simply stated his and Nazahah's engagement. Altair was quite shocked, but too enthralled at the suddenness of the action. Malik had a fear of talking to her, and now, marriage?

Altair patted his horse, folding the note. "Come on Rais, let's get back home as fast as possible!"

~*~

He nervously paced around, mumbling to himself, hands shaking. He softly screamed, his hands running through his hair.

Abyad watched Malik with a smile. He stalked around the room in a circle , if he kept this up any longer, there would be a hole in the ground. Malik's hands rested on Abyad's shoulders, shaking him. Abyad protested, pushing him away.

"Caelin, why did you let me do this?!"

Caelin, as he called Abyad, sighed. "Don't you go blaming this on me, brother!"

Malik's flustered frown turned into a sweet smile upon hearing her soft voice. Just to hear the young woman he called sister talk, in the privacy of their home, always filled him with joy. He sympathized for her having to play the role of a mute boy.

Caelin watched as his moment of clarity fall back to frustration. He grabbed her bony shoulders again, dark forehead relaxed against hers. Her skin, back to being pale from absence of sun in winter. He stared in her to blue eyes, frowning. She sighed again, putting her own hands on his shoulders.

Full grown at the age of twenty, seven years his younger, Caelin blessed, or cursed for a woman, with an extremely tall figure. She was rather lanky, with long thin arms and a long neck. Malik stared at the tiny freckles that adorned the bridge of her thin nose and scattered across her pink cheek bones.

They were so different. He was dark, and solid. She was white and terribly bony if he ever hugged her. Sometimes he worried she would break in two. But, she was blessed with her frame, in the sense it helped hide her true gender.

"I'm scared."

"Of course you are." she smiled at him, pressing her forehead into his. "But everything will be alright."

"You told her to confuse me didn't you."

Caelin smirked. "Maybe."

Malik lightly hit his head against hers. She winced, leering at him. The scene from two weeks ago flashed into his head. He and Nazahah were on a casual walk, Malik had "coincidentally" bumped into her on the day she just "happened" to go run errands and buy food for her mother. Malik felt slightly ashamed to know her routines.

The day before just happened to be the night he and Caelin had stayed up until dawn, working on Guild matters. (Another testament to his accusing this to be his sisters fault). He was asleep, mentally not there. It didn't help that Malik always found himself with his head in the clouds whenever Nazahah stood next to him. The tired world was made up of sunshine, and bliss.

They were walking together, he holding a basket of fabric for her, a bland gaze at the road ahead with a goofy grin outstretched across his weary face.

"Do you love me?" she asked, casually.

Malik didn't mentally register what she had said. Perhaps believing he was dreaming, and imagining her voice. "Yes I do."

"So," she giggled. "Will you marry me then?" she had winded her arm through his.

"Yes." Malik replied, looking down into her dark brown eyes that lovingly gazed at him. He smiled back. She turned the smile, then started to giggle hysterically. Then realized what he just did.

"I don't think I've ever seen you panic so. " Caelin broke him from his trance, guiding him to a chair. "I wish I had been there to see it happen."

Malik's head collided with the table. "Stop patronizing me."

"I'm looking forward to when you two have your first child--" Malik started to repetitively bash his head against the table, dark cheeks turning crimson. "Don't worry brother, I'll be there to hold your hand." she sat next to him, holding his head to the table to keep him still. She felt him trying to resist, and put more pressure, hearing him give up with one last foreceful thud.

He didn't say anything, silently laying against the table. Caelin began to run her fingers through his hair, rubbing the top of his ears.

"You didn't sleep last night?" She asked, her hand falling to his shoulders, rubbing them.

"What do you think?" he turned to her, eyes half closed. She traced the dark rings under his eyes, shaking her head. "How are things with you? Your five students?"

"Terrific!" her eyes flashed. "Those boys extremely intelligent, and catch on to things quickly. All very different, but they're very close and supportive of each other." she laid her head on the table next to him. "I'm very happy."

Malik pushed her light brown hair from her face. He loved this smile of hers he was looking it, it had been a long time since he had seen one so sincere. "Good, I'm glad to hear that. Now if only I could marry you off and get you out of my hair..."

Caelin laughed, shaking her head, rolling her eyes. "Brother, you have no dowry to send me off with." She tapped her jaw, "Though, it's quite amusing to watch most of our brethren stop, and gaze at me in shock. A mute suddenly speaking is just part of mere miracles in the past."

He laughed, sitting up. "Yes, that's going to be a fun situation to explain. I've had many complaints."

"I've watched many women stare at me, then run away crying." she paused looking utterly horrified. "Do you know how...scary, or rather, uncomfortable that is?"

Maik shook his head, sharing her grieved and panicked look. Though, he laughed the thought off.

"A woman teaching the novices?! Blasphemy!" Caelin replied in a deep voice, mimicking a man.

"Maybe we can just tell them your a man with a woman's voice. That's slightly believable."

"Maybe." she patted his shoulder. "Well, it's off to my students." she passed a quick glance out the window. The outside was gray, the sun was just starting to rise. "Please try to get some sleep now Malik. Alain and I can cover for you."

"I'll be fine. Rais and Altair should be back today hopefully, so I'll need to meet with them."

Caelin's face turned grim, she shifted uncomfortably. Malik eyed her. "Am I still going to Greece?"

"Yes."

Malik watched her walk to the door. She turned around, gazing at him half-heartedly. "Can I go alone?"

"No."

"Then can I sta--"

"No Caelin, we've already discussed this. I'm not changing my mind."

Caelin glared at him, and stormed out the door. Malik sighed, sitting up from the table. He pushed his chair in, listening as the door slowly opened. Her blue eyes peered around from the corner, still squinted into a glare.

"If he accidentally dies, it's not my fault."

"Yes Caelin, of course. Now go."

He listened to her voice energetically yelp. It was followed by a chorus of boyish voices. Malik headed to the window, peering outside to see his younger sister surrounded five boys that only came up to her shoulders. He couldn't help but notice her height, nearly as tall as the other brothers in the guild. He watched the boys, who seemed to have been waiting for her, jumping around her erratically. Another year and they would tower over her, he smiled at the thought of watching the young men continue to grow. He knew them from toddlers, some of them younger brothers of old comrades. He leaned against the window pane, he wanted that brightness in their eyes to never fade.

Malik sighed, his eyes settling on the doorway to another room. He slowly ambled to the doorway, looking longingly at the bed that laid in the corner. As his eyes traced the covers, his eyelids grew heavier, and sleep was beginning to call him. His eyes shut, and he walked blindly to the bed, knowing very distinctly where it was in his rooms. His calf's hit the side of the bed, and he turned, falling over onto the cushion softly.

Malik remembered rolling over onto his side, staring into a hue of soft gray that transpired through his eyelids. His mind, clustered with thoughts of his accidental, but wonderful, engagement and maps. He swore every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was maps. He was feeling a little tired of that.

The light was brighter. His eyes flickered open, a blur of dark brown was next to his face. He jumped up, swatting at everywhere in front of him, hands passing through the air. The blob moved quickly. Malik's vision stared to focus, and the discolored blob turned into Rais' grinning face.

Malik sat up, groaning, rubbing his eyes one by one. "What...?" his room was brighter, and body ached. A pounding headache echoing through his skull. It didn't feel like he said slept at all.

"Told you that would wake him up, Altair." Rais chimed, head titled to the doorway. Malik looked up to his Altair leaning against his door, passing him a quick smile.

"Rais, you're one strange man..." Altair mumbled under his breath.

Rais grinned back, proud of himself, as usual. Malik leaned over, head in his hand, still trying to wake up. "You two are back?"

Rais shrugged. "Well, I think we are. I mean, we are standing in your bedroom."

"Which you two broke into."

"I wouldn't call it breaking," Altair started. "Everything in your house is still in one piece. It's more of, intruding without permission." He waved his hand dismissing the thought. "Alain said to wake you up."

"How did the mission go then?"

Altair reached around his neck, fingers grasping a hold of a thin leather string. He lifted it out from under his clothes, pacing to Malik, a golden shaped ball dangling in the air.

Malik squinted, gazing at the small object. Pure gold, and brilliant. Round shaped, but mimicking and apple's frame. The crest that held onto the string had a leaf-like detail curved around it. Altair dropped it in his hand, and sat down on the bed next to him.

"Rather simple to get." he added.

Rais shook his head. "Not that simple." he watched Altair glare back at him in response. The hazel eyed assassin still in somewhat of a foul mood.

Malik looked between the two, sensing Altair tense up. "But both of you are fine, correct?"

"Perfectly fine." Altair replied quickly. Rais' eyes were settled on him, unwavering and serious.

"Good." Malik made contact with Rais, who shook his head as Altair looked the other way. Something was up, and someone was lying, he thought.

"There's another piece we've located." both men's eyes were back on him. "The Isle of Crete. This time though, we are not too sure what powers this one might possessed, just where its located."

Altair chuckled. "Time to see the world, I guess."

Malik patted him on the shoulder. "Rais, I was going to let you stay behind on his mission. With your wife soon to have the baby." Rais bowed to him, mouthing a simple thank you. "Altair, if you felt well enough for this mission, I wanted you to go. I would, but Alain and I are still busy currently."

Altair patted Malik's shoulder this time. "I'm up for it." his gaze fell to his lap. "Get my mind off of things, frankly."

Malik smiled at him. "Thank you my friend."

Altair mimicked Malik's gesture once more. "Of course Malik." he paused for a moment, a devilish grin spread across his round face. "As long as you're out of 'arms way." he jumped up quickly, dashing for the door as Malik's fist came flying towards him.

"And you were wondering why he hated you. I guess it's reassuring to know people had a sense of humor back then. No wonder where I got my terrible jokes from. Guess somethings are hereditary."

Though the three laughed briefly about it, Malik stood up, feeling his knees buckle under him from his exhaustion. Rais grabbed his shoulder, holding him up, passing him a worried look. Malik shook his head, trying to reassure him. "You won't be alone though, Abyad will be going with you."

Altair nodded. "I see, so this is going to be one quiet mission."

"Not quite..."

~*~

Altair stared at the gray ocean, and the gray sky. It was bland, and the wind still had a bitter bite to it. He listened to the waves rock against the wooden ship, and felt it softly sway. The smell of the air, clean and sweet, different from mountain air.

It calmed him. The motion of the ship lulled him to sleep. He wanted to shut his eyes, but he forced them open. Yet another sleepless night.

He winced, thinking of why. He couldn't fall to sleep, afraid of dreams. He wish he had told Rais or Malik about them. Though, they probably meant nothing. The nervousness in his body canceled any attempt to reassure himself. He just needed to focus on the mission, or other things. His gaze caught sight of Caelin.

Already things weren't going well. He tried to be nice to her. He, no she, always had a attitude towards him, glares full of malice whenever their eyes would meet.

"So, when are you going to talk to me?" Altair begged, though with a scowl that made his annoyance clear. His fingers grasped a hold of the ship's rim, squeezing it angrily.

Caelin turned away, leaning against the railing, watching the sky. She closed her eyes, humming to herself.

"Come on. I'm not going to let the only words you speak to me this entire trip be, 'shut up'."

She glared at him from the corner of her eyes. There was a brief silence, before she smirked. "Shut up."

"Woman!" Altair cried. "I'm not in the mood for this."

Caelin turned to him sharply, an excusing finger in his face. "Don't call me that! And I'm not in the mood for this as well. I wish Malik had sent me alone on this mission. I don't need you and your inadequacies to fail this mission!"

"Inadqequencies?!" he snapped.

"Yes! I know about how you were acting in Jerusalem. Rais told me, as a warning." Altair cursed under his breath. "And frankly, I don't even need more of a reason to hate you further than I already do."

"So now it comes out why you're treating me like a dog!"

"Lower than a dog. More like dirt." she added, arms crossing against her flat chest.

Altair stepped to her, barely towering over the lengthy woman. Luckily she was slumped down, so he could stand over her and glare down into her eyes. "As your superior, I order you to bite that sharp tongue of yours and show a little more respect. I, like you, do not want to screw this up."

"I wish you could of stayed behind."

"I wish you were still mute!" he yelled. She opened her mouth, eyes flaring with hatred. "But now you feel you can do what you please and openly insult me for no reason!"

"I have my reasons!" she yelled back.

Altair crossed his arms as well. "And what are those per say?"

"Why should I have to tell you that? You know good and well what you have done wrong!"

"Oh no I don't my dear," he laughed back. "Come now, why won't you tell me of my misdoings, your majesty!"

Caelin slapped him across the face. "Stop making references to my gender!"

Altair grabbed her by the arm tightly, jerking her towards him. His face lowered to hers, eyes returning as much heat as hers gave off. "If you want to be treated like a man, then I will treat you like one." he forcefully scowled. He gave her arm one more tight squeeze, watching her flinch, before pushing her away from him.

"I hate you." she warned.

"Oh really? I didn't know that." he turned away from her, leering at the sailors that were watching their squabble. The men stopped lingering around, and began to move once more.

"It's all your fault."

"Yes, I know. It's my fault. Everything is my fault!" Altair rolled his eyes.

"You're a selfish, arrogant, and lowly cur." her voice lowered, finger back in his face. Altair grabbed her fist, pushing it away from him. She pulled away from his grasp, shrieking out of annoyance. "You want to know why I hate you? Why I detest you? Why I wish my brother hadn't of sent me here with you?"

"Why yes I do! I'm waiting for you to inform me of my misdoings!"

"You killed him!" she cried loudly. Altair watched as her violent gaze seemed to soften to something forlorn, he felt his stomach turn. She stared at him, unsure, trying to find her words. "I once admired you, you know that. I adored you, and then you took his life. It's all your fault he's gone!"

Altair would of screamed at her a moment ago, begging her to be more specific. But he felt surprised, and suddenly small. He didn't need to ask who she was referring to.

"You took the life of the man I was suppose to marry! All you had to make up for that was a simple apology to Malik, that our dear Kadar is gone? That's it?!"

She grabbed her arms tightly, shaking her head. "I swear Altair, if you life was in my hands, I wouldn't save it. I swear." Altair watched her storm passed him. He said nothing, watching her disappear past a door. He held his head, shaking it. This was going to be tough.