Masyaf, 1228-Present
Altair sat on a bench waiting, staring at his hands. He had received no word about Laila's whereabouts.
"Altair!"
He looks up and he breathed a sigh of relief as he gets up with his wife Laila rushing over to him hugging him.
"You are safe. I thought..."
His voice trails off as he looks down at his wife.
"What is going on? I was at the Bureau and Tazim came to me saying that Malik was taken and put into prison for murder. Then he said he was guarding me
until your return."
She gives him a confused look.
Altair stares down at her and into her eyes realizing...
She didn't know.
"Lia you do not know?"
She pulls away, giving him a look of confusion.
"Know what? Altair what is going on? Why was my brother taken prison for murder!"
Altair's head drops to his chest.
After a few minutes of silence Laila steps in front of him touching his cheek with her hand.
"Please Altair." She softly whispers as he looks up at her.
"Whatever it is, whatever my brother did, I must know."
Altair slowly nods and stares into her face.
"Malik murdered Sef."
Her eyes widen as she stumbles back slightly, he reaches out to hold her hand to steady her.
"No!" She shakes her head. "No. No. That is a lie, my brother would never harm our son! Never. He loves my children dearly as much as he loves his own son."
She goes to pull away from Altair and rush off when he gently stops her pulling her close to him holding her tightly to him.
"He's gone, he's really gone." She softly whispers as tears fall down her cheeks.
Altair presses his lips against the hood of her robe holding her tighter to him.
"Yes. Abbas told me."
Laila begins to cry as her legs weaken she goes to collapse to the ground, but Altair holds her slowly setting her down upon the ground.
"I don't believe any of this Altair."
Her hood slips off as she turns her head to look at him.
"Neither do I."
"Darim, where is he? Does he know?"
Altair softly sighs.
"There is more..."
Laila's nods. "What is it?"
Altair holds her face cupped between his hands, staring into her eyes.
"Abbas told Darim everything and I don't know where he is now."
Laila begins to cry as she rests her head against his shoulder crying.
1191-Past
Altair stands outside Malik's house waiting for news about Laila. The door slowly opens as Malik comes outside surprised to see Altair, but not really surprised.
He and Laila had been close since they were children and he had been in love with his sister for many years.
"How is she?"
Altair wasn't sure if he would tell him after what happened in Solomon's Temple a few months ago.
"As good as can be I suppose. Thank you..."
Malik looks up from the ground to look Altair in the face.
"Thank for you for bringing her back to me. She's all I have left of my family."
Altair slowly nods.
"And Robert De Sable? Is he dead?"
Altair nods.
"Good after what he has done, he deserves to die."
Altair nods.
Altair's POV
"I received word from Malik that Robert De Sable found Lia while she was in Acre on a different assignment. He captured her and used her as a warning to us if we do not complywith what he wanted which was the Apple. I knew what I had to do, I had to get her back even if it meant letting Robert live. She is my world."
Altair was almost afraid to ask what that comment meant, judging by Malik's demeanor at the moment all was not good.
Malik looks up at Altair seeing his reaction to his comment.
"That's right! There is more! Not only did that bastard beat her he violated her as well! The spirit and joy that was in her is all gone now because of that man!
He robbed her of that and I'm not sure if that will ever return now."
Malik turns around facing the wall of the house resting his head upon it softly crying.
"She's alive but broken." He whispers softly
The two men stood quietly outside the house together saying nothing. Nothing could be said at that moment, that wasn't already said.
1228-Present
Laila looks up at Altair and her head bows.
"We've lost him and he most likely hates me."
Altair lifts her chin so she would look him in the eyes.
"We will find him and explain all to him, he will never hate you. You are the brightest star in the sky to our sons."
Laila softly sighs.
"I never thought that man's name would ever be spoken again after so many years."
She gets up from the ground walking away a little stopping and staring out into the distance.
"Lia."
She turns to look at him, staring at the man whom she loved for so many years. Who stood by her regardless of the outcome of Robert De Sable's violation to
her.
"You did an honorable thing by marrying me even though..."
He holds up his hand to her stopping her.
"Lia I married you, not for honor but for love. Darim is my son regardless and will always be my son."
He walks over to her pulling her close, staring down into her eyes as she looks up at him.
1191-Three months later-Past
"Lia?"
Altair finds Laila by the fountain sitting there crying, he has just returned to Masyaf from an assignment.
She looks up at him and wipes her eyes with her hands.
"Welcome back."
She forces a smile, but he saw right through it. Seeing the pain and shame in her eyes, since everyone in the order and the village knew about what happened
with Robert De Sable. It was like she had no peace to move on with her life. She was to always be stuck within his shadow of hate always.
"Why are you crying?"
He steps closer to her and looks down at her .
"I wasn't crying." She lies trying to hide it.
"Malik told me about your assignment."
She quickly changes the subject. She was no longer an Assassin and was now helping Malik at the Bureau in Jerusalem.
Altair kneels down on one knee, looking at her.
"Has someone said something to you?"
She shakes her head and smiles, but then the barrier comes down as she begins to cry.
"I'm with child. I'm carrying Robert De Sable's child."
She puts her hands against her face crying softly as he reaches out slowly, holding her hands pulling them away from her face.
Altair gently kisses her hands and holds them gently.
He gently helps her up and they begin walking.
"How was Acre?"
"It was good. How are you feeling with your...condition?"
She looks up at him not really sure if she should answer him.
"I'm feeling alright. Malik has been very supportive of me. I figured he would want me sent away to have the child."
Altair knew Malik better than that, regardless of how this happened to her he would always support her and be there for her always. She was his only family
now.
Laila stops walking for a moment and going off to the side with Altair behind her as she faces him revealing her baby bump. He takes his hand and goes to
touch her stomach looking at her.
"May I?"
She nods and places his hand upon her stomach watching his reaction in wonderment and surprise.
"I can feel..."
Laila had only knew Altair for his seriousness and only a few times he would allow his emotion to show other than anger. A smile forms upon his face as he
places his other hand upon her stomach feeling the baby kicking.
Memory Fades...