Author note: the nest installment to Solace, things start to get moving a little bit in this one and more characters come into play, Malik also plays a bigger roll in this one, hope you enjoy!
Six years later...
At the age of twenty one Basira had flourished from a childish girl with a never ending curiosity for the world around her, to a mature and beautiful young woman... although her curiosity had not waned. Though unlike her early years of constanly trying to sneek in or around the castle she had began to shy away from the excitment and allure of where the brothers spent most of their time; and she had come to enjoy the quiet and stillness of the garden...
She was by now considered to be Uzma's best student, though she felt humbled by it; no longer enjoying all of the attention as she once had in her younger years. Though one thing that Basira did take great pride in and that was helping Uzma with patients. Most of whom were brothers of the creed, and most of them were novices that had done something rash or foolish; after all it was only on occassion that any of the sisters became ill or obtained a mild injury. She also earned the privilage to help Uzma teach aswell, and she greatly enjoyed tutoring some of little ones that came to the garden even though they seemed to cause quite a ruckus...
She wouldn't lie and say she didn't enjoy the company of her fellow sisters, she very much did; she still on occasion stayed up into the early hours of the morning, listening to tales of heroes, and fair maidens when one of her roomates wove such a tale. She still enjoyed the chatter and batter she and her sisters shared during meals or when they had any sort of free time. But she also found herself enjoying the time she had to herself, when she didn't have to impress anyone and when she could just get away from it all, if only for a few moments.
Her friend Rim however became just the opposite; gone was the awkwardness and shyness the girl once possessed, Rim had blossomed into a beautiful ,confident young woman, who enjoyed the praise she recieved much more than Basira did. And although the two had grown and changed over time, their friendship was one that could not be broken and the two spent much of their free time together.
...But all of this was about to change...
~*~
"Farah, your veil is getting in your mixture again..." Basira said as she watched the three young girls sitting on the grass not far from her.
"Oh, no!" the young one whinned and quickly tried to save the silk scarf only to find its hem covered in plant paste. "Oh..."
Basira sighed and smiled slightly before standing up from the marble bench she sat upon and placed her texts down.
"Here let me help you." she said and walked over to the girls and kneeled down in the soft grass next to them.
"It's ruined!" the one named Farah whinned looking at the damaged fabric.
"No, it simply needs a good scrubbing." their mentor laughed softly as she began to unwind the silk from around the girls neck.
"What about my potion?" the girl asked, hoping her mixture wasn't ruined as well.
"It is fine, you need not worry about that...now get back to your lessons, I will take you scarf to be washed." Basira replied as she stood up.
"Yes ma'am." the girls chorused and quickly complied.
The young woman shook her head and smiled, sometimes they reminded her much of her own childhood.
Slowly she walked towards the laundry, admiring the stone architecture of the hall as she continued; she heard the sound of soft footsteps on the cool stone floors and she turned to see Rim coming towards her, a smile on her face.
"Rim, I didn't expect to see you here." Basira greeted happily as her friend trotted up to her.
"Yes, and you are such a regular in this hall are you not?" Rim teased, her smile growing and her dimples showing.
"I fear I will be if Farah keeps getting her veil in her poultices." she replied cheerfully as the two began to walk side by side.
"Ah so you're on your way to the laundry then."
"Indeed! but I suppose it won't be all that bad if I have to make this trip frequently, they have such lovely architecture in this hallway." she replied admiring the way the sun hit the lovely carvings on the walls, casting unique shadows about them.
"Yes, and I'm sure you were the first person they asked when they constructed it so that it would not displease you!" her friend laughed heartidly.
"Yes, they would not want to displease a person of great importance such as I!" Basira replied joining in the laughter.
The two women enter the wash room, a young servant girl running up to them looking rather flustered.
"Is there anyhting I can do for you my lady."
Out of the corner of her eye Basira saw Rim wrinkle her nose at the statement 'my lady'.
"Yes would you please wash this for me as soon as possible?" Basira asked kindly, handing the dirtied scarf over to the girl.
"Of course ma'am." the girl replied taking the article of clothing gently and scurrying off.
"Why must they always address us as my lady, or ma'am?" Rim questioned as they left the laundry room and began to walk back towards the garden.
"She was just being polite." Basira replied, with a small smile.
"Yes, I know, but it makes me feel so old being called those things." the younger one replied with a small huff.
Basira chuckled.
"Well, she was talking to me, so I guess only I can feel old." she said causing her companion to laugh happily.
Upon entering the garden the two friends went their separate ways, Basira walked over and checked up on her students progress and to tell Farah her scarf would be as good as new in no time before returning to the marble bench and her own studies.
As she sat down on the marble slab, an odd and uncomfortable feeling coursed through her veins, she wasn't quite sure what it was but something was wrong, very wrong, and she could feel it. She looked up to the castle, an ominous feeling grasping at her; suddenly she picked up the sound of cries, and shouts of anger and terror somewhere beyond the castle walls. She looked around the garden, tensing as she noticed the other teachers had heard it as well and looked just as uneasy as she.
"Basira!"
She turned to see Uzma entering the garden hurridly from the castle a look of terror on her aging face.
"Uzma! What is happening?!" she asked fearfully.
"Templars, Robert's men, they are here! Quick, you and the other instructors gather the children and take them back to their chambers; then come back here as quickly as you can." the elderly woman said firmly.
"Why, what's wrong?"
"Now is not the time to ask questions child! There is no time to waste!" Uzma said fiercely and Basira nodded quickly in undersanding and hurrying off.
"Children hurry, come with me." Basira said, trying her best not to sound panicked.
"Why? What about our potions? What's going on?"Her students questioned looking concered.
"Leave your supplies, all will be explained, but we have to go now, hurry." she replied, urging the girls to get up.
She looked over her shoulder to see the other tutors were doing the same as she, hurrying their students out of the garden; quickly the three girls stood up looking fearful and she pushed them out of the garden, following the others.
When she reached the womens chambers she was met by Rim, fear and confusion evident in her hazel eyes.
"Basira! What's going on?" she asked her voice shaking.
"Robert's men, they are here."
"By the gods!" Rim exclaimed her sun-kissed skin looking somewhat paler than it had moments before.
"Please Rim, watch my students, Uzma requires my presence." Basira said trying to remain calm.
"O-okay..." her friend stammered. "Be careful...Peace be with you."
"And you my friend..." she replied before hurrying off.
~*~
"We must make haste, follow me my child." Uzma said as Basira ran up to her.
"Where are we going?" Basira questioned as she followed behind her mentor, somewhat surprised that a woman her age could move so quickly.
"To the medical wing, one of the brothers is gravely injured." the woman replied over her shoulder as she rounded a corner and proceeded down another hallway.
Basira held her breath.
"What are the extent of his injuries?" she asked quickly.
"You will see momentarily..." Uzma replied, obviously distracted.
The two women entered the medical wing hurriedly, immediately spotting the group of white robbed men gathered in the middle of the room, sounds of pain emanating from the center of the crowd.
"Out of our way! Make room!" Uzma shouted not waiting for the brothers to move out of the way, pushing her way through them, pulling Basira forcefully along behind her.
Upon pushing their way through the crowd Basira gasped in horror at the sight before her. It was one of the Elite of the brotherhood, and although his robes had not yet been removed, it was evident that his injuries were incredibly serious. His entire left arm was a was a bloody mesh, the white fabric that covered him was stained crimson with blood, apart from that, other wounds marred his body and bled through his white robes but none a serious as his arm.
Shifting her gaze from his body his face, she noticed there was something familiar looking about him, it took her a momment to get through the blood and dirt that covered his face, she gasped softly.
"...Malik..."
"All of you get out! Now!" Basira heard Uzma yell at the brothers who still crowded around their injuried companion.
The hooded men quickly obeyed and left the room quickly leaving the two women and their injured brother alone.
"Uzma, it's Malik." Basira said to the older woman as she turned back to her.
"Yes child I know, now quickly fill this basin with water..." Uzma said calmly handing the girl a large ceramic bowl.
"Yes ma'am..." she replied and quickly took the bowl and hurried over to the small water pump in the corner in the back of the room.
She quickly filled up the basin and returned to Uzma who had pulled up two chairs around the injured Malik's bed.
"I need your help Basira, we need to get these clothes off of him, before his blood coagulates anymore or infection sets in..." the older woman ordered as Basira set the water filled basin on the floor nest to the cot.
"Yes ma'am." she replied, gulping softly.
"Now is not the time to be squeamish child."
"Yes, I am sorry..."
The elder healer unsheathed the small dagger at her hip and began to quickly yet carefully cut away at the assassin's robes, peeling the stained fabric away and her pupil did the same.
Basira heard the man suck in a lung full of air, a pained groan escaping his lips; she looked at his face, which was tense with agony.
"I am sorry Malik, this must be done." Uzma soothed the brother as she tore off the first layer of clothing from his chest.
"I know..." he replied roughly through gritted teeth, opening his hazel eyes and glanced over to the woman.
"Basira." the girl looked up from her position across the cot, currently cutting through the assassins undershirt. "dampen that rag and place it on his head." she said pointing towards the cloth hanging over the edge of the basin.
"Yes ma'am." she replied and quickly stood up.
Malik looked over to see the young woman and watched her as she moved over to the basin and wetted the rag.
"I see you still have the strength to watch pretty girls...I would conserve your energy." Uzma chided the the young man.
Malik said nothing in return but sighed as the young woman placed the cool, damp fabric against his seemingly searing skin; he closed his eyes, doing what Uzma had told him, and bit down hard on his lower lip to keep from crying out in pain...