Alamut

Altair and Laila finally made their arrival in Alamut where they were joined by Sef's wife and their two granddaughters.

Days later

Altair sat his desk writing in his codex, thinking about the events that just transpired over the course of a few days. How everything around them crashed in a

blink of an eye. The death of his son and his other son's whereabouts still unknown to he and Laila. The order in a disarray and Abbas...still breathing.

"Altair!"

He sits up straight hearing Laila call out his name. He quickly stands hearing the distress in her voice and rushes out of the room and outside where Laila was

standing with the two girls as they play. There a rider could be seen and soon came to view, it was Darim. He gets off his mount and walks slowly over to them

staring at them both.

Laila goes to step forward, but stops herself afraid of his rejection and remains still and silent.

"Hello mother." He looks at her and then at Altair.

"Father."

Altair nods.

"I've been searching for you both since I received word from Tazim that you both fled Masyaf. We need to talk."

They both nod and walk over into the garden sitting down upon the bench.

Altair looks at his hands and then at his son who was staring at him being silent for a moment.

"Sef is gone."

He softly whispers to his parents.

"Did Uncle Malik really...kill him?"

Laila shakes her head.

"No, he did not. It was Abbas, who did this."

Darim softly sighs and slightly leans forward quietly thinking for a moment.

"I went to Masyaf to see you mother, but I was told by someone that you were not there. That no one knew where you were actually. So I went to see Abbas

and that's when he told me...everything. Sef at the time I did not know was already dead. Everything transpired so quickly by the time I got there. It was all

over pretty much. I could not do anything, if I had known Sef was in trouble I would have went to his aid."

Darim's head bows as he begins to softly weep. Laila gently touches her son's head almost afraid at first, but he didn't pull away from her. She gently glides her

fingers in his hair, comforting him as she did so many times when he was a child.

Darim looks up and at Altair.

"I know you are not my father and that I am not your blood son."

Altair slowly nods bowing his head for a moment.

"Your mother and I kept this a secret from you not out of shame or for the sake of reputation. We thought at the time we were doing the right thing, it was

wrong, yes. But you will always be my son Darim. Your true father was a vile man who hated the assassin's and everything we stood for. He took your mother

out of spite, and hate. To make a point proven I guess. He beat her and he violated her, because of that she she was with child. With you. I did not marry her,

out of pity but because I truly did love her and always had loved her since we were children. Your mother is not the whore as Abbas implies, she was a victim of

Robert De Sable's hatred. I have loved you since before you were born and you will always be my son. We didn't want you to feel that his hatred ran through

your veins nor did we want you to feel you were like him because you are not anything like him."

Darim slowly nods and looks at his mother.

"I do not hate you mother or you father. But is it not hard to look at me knowing that I am the son of a Templar? The son of Robert De Sable?"

She smiles, shaking her head touching his cheek.

"Darim I never once gave a thought of seeing you anything but my son and the son of Altair Ibn-La'Ahad. I see Altair in you each and every day, even if you are

not his blood."

She leans forward to kiss his head and she gets up going into the house.

"Do you see Robert when you look at me father?"

Altair shakes his head.

"I see your mother in you and myself when I was your age."

He smiles.

"Thank you for loving me father."

Altair smiles and places his hand upon his back.

"Loving you was not hard to do my son. You, your brother and mother are my world. For that I live and breath for all of you."

Darim smiles and they hug.

"Is mother alright? With Sef being gone? I was worried for her and her safety since you were still away."

"She seems to be alright, your mother is a strong woman and I know it pains her inside. The assassin in her is still very much there."

Darim nods in agreement and softly sighs.

"And you father?"

Altair looks at him thinking for a moment.

"I'm fine son. You need to not worry about me."

Darim studies his father for a moment and smiles. All his life he looked up to this man, worshipped him and studied him, but this his heart shudders slightly. His

brother, his best friend and baby brother was gone now. Taken from this world, leaving behind a wife with a shattered heart and two small girls. Leaving a hole

in his parent's hearts that would never be filled.

That night

Altair sat outside thinking quietly when he hears a sound, looking up, he sees Laila coming outside with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She sits beside

him as he sits up slightly taking her hand into his holding it tightly.

"You are planning revenge aren't you Altair?" She quietly says staring at their hands.

"Why do you think that Lia?"

He looks at her, watching her.

"Altair, I've known you since we were children. I know you better then anyone and I know how you work my love. What are your plans?"

Altair sighs and pulls her onto his lap.

"I want Abbas to pay for what he's done to our family. To Malik. For what he did to Sef, to Darim, to you and to the order. I will destroy him and reclaim the

order once again building it back to what it once was and should be."

She stares into his eyes touching his face with her hand.

"Killing Abbas will not undo the damage that has been done my love. It will not bring Sef back to us or lessen the pain that Darim may feel. It will not lessen the

heartache we both feel. Nor it will not undo the unjust he has caused against my brother."

He slowly nods.

"I must wrong the right and making Abbas pay, it's what I must do. I know it will not undo the damage that has been done or bring our son back. He will be his

own undoing and downfall, I will just end it all for him."

He presses his lips against the side of her head as they sit there quietly together in the grief they both shared.

Altair made his vow and he would follow through on that vow. He was going to return to Masyaf and destroy Abbas.

THE END.

Hope you enjoyed the story. Thank you for reading :)