Maria moodily kicked out at the parchments scattered on the floor around the desk, "If they think I'm going to clean up after them they are in for a rude awakening."
Moving to the back of the desk usually occupied by her new husband she narrowed her eyes at the shelves lining the walls, "Nothing here for me to read and nothing here for me to do."
The clang of steel drew her attention to the window or more specifically the training ring visible from the window. The men down there spent all day everyday training, practising and honing their skills waiting for the Master to send them on yet another mission from which they may never return. They lived their lives as if each day might be the last and how she envied them. Her now nothing more than a wife to man it didn't really matter that she was married to one of the most respected and feared men in all of the Holy Land she was still nothing more than his wife and it was beginning to show.
Hearing footsteps on the stairs behind her she turned to find Malik approaching her with a pile of documents tucked under his arm. "Good day to you Maria how are you?"
Stepping over the papers she had just helped scatter further around she sighed and in a sullen tone replied, "I'm fine Malik just looking for something to occupy my time."
Dropping the parchments onto the already littered desk he countered, "If you would learn Arabic you could help us here as you can see we are struggling to keep up what with Altaïr being distracted a lot of the time."
Maria kept her gaze on his determined not to blush at his comment, he was obviously referring to the amount of times Malik had found the Mentor sneaking off to spend time with his new wife. "It's not a simple thing Malik the whole language is backwards I'd have to forget everything I know. I don't see why I can't help Rauf with the training there is plenty of work for me there."
"Then spend more time with the men at the ring and allow them to familiarise themselves to you being there."
She strolled towards the stairs smiling, "I might just do that Malik."
Rolling his eyes he watched her leave promising himself he would not let this subject drop, Maria was an experienced administrator and could bear a lot of their burden if she would apply herself to the task.
A few days later Altaïr found her in the garden he had wanted to invite her to eat lunch with him but her expression stole the thought from his mind. "You look to be deep in thought habibti nothing bad I hope."
Smiling up at him she raised her hand to invite him to sit with her and taking it in his he lowered himself onto the grass beside her. "I was thinking about home."
"And is home England or Acre?"
"I'm not sure it's either of those places."
Moving closer to her he whispered, "Here then?"
"Not here as in this place. " Nodding in the direction of the fortress behind them, "I mean here with you."
"You have been here for barely a month Maria we can't expect it to feel like home in so short a time."
"I know that I never brought this up, you did."
Lifting a knee he balanced his elbow on it and looked off into the distant hills, "You need to be more involved with the life here then. The first step being to interact more with people but to do that you must learn to speak Arabic properly then as Malik suggested reading and writing will feel more natural to you."
"But you speak English so well and I love how the words sound rolling from your tongue." Chuckling as she spoke she placed a sly kiss on his cheek.
"Learning could be fun." Raising her hand to his mouth he dropped a soft kiss on the tips, "Banana."
Trailing his mouth along her fingers he whispered, "Usba'"
She caught on fast and pointed to her wrist he kissed her there and said the word before moving his head to the crook of her neck his breathe brushing the small hairs.
"I like Arabic!"
"Then you should say - Ohibbu allughah al Arabia."
Pulling her body apart from his she looked back towards the men at the door, "The guards will see we can continue this lesson later."
"I don't care Maria."
"You will if Malik finds us Altaïr, he'll skin me the next time he catches you sneaking away with me."
"In that case I will stop I would never forgive myself if anything happened to your beautiful skin." But his fingers brushing against her cheeks spoke otherwise.
"Stop it they will see us." Getting back to her feet she dusted off her backside and grinned, "I can't sit here letting you make me all soft hearted I have a battle in the ring."
"You mean you have a sparring session?" he corrected.
Snorting she walked off tossing her reply nonchalantly into the air, "For you that is what it is for me it was a bloody battle just to get into the damn ring!"
He grinned as he watched her leave and wondered who the lucky man was she was to prove her skills against.
Rauf was in his usual place and Altaïr stood next to him. Looking more than a little amused his friend smirked "Interested in the next contest are we?"
Seeing Malik exit the main door of the castle he blinked, "It seems I'm not alone in my interest."
"He has to be here, it's him she will spar with because none of the other brothers would fight her; it was seen as a no win situation. Be defeated by a woman or be the man who possibly breaks the Mentor's wife's arm..."
Licking his lips he held in his smile knowing full well Rauf had a point. She would take her knocks like the next man did but the person responsible for delivering those knocks would likely find he would be sparring with her husband not too long after.
Malik climbed into the ring and joined the women in the centre; dulled sword already slicing through the air he could tell she was ready. "You are aware that although blunt these swords still inflict real pain in the right hands?"
"I am aware yes, thank you Malik."
"You seem happy to be fighting me does my missing arm offer you hope?"
"Do I look like I don't know what your name translates to? King of swords or something close, certainly enough to tell me to be wary." Lowering the sword she stepped up to him. "You advised me to do this and I'm happy to but we both know you were the only one who would climb in here with me and for that I am grateful. Even if I limp for a few days it will be worthwhile."
Bowing his head he took up his defensive stance and told her to advance.
The fight lasted a lot longer than Altaïr had expected. For most of it Malik had her on the retreat, back tracking and dancing to avoid his blows but often enough to impress she would sneak out of her defence and deliver a blow of her own drawing loud cheers from the men and a wry smile from her opponent. In the end Malik forced her back so fast she tripped over her own leg and landed with his blade at her throat and then his hand aiding her to her feet. She bowed, breathless and sweating but truly happy. She loved Altaïr and would do anything for him but she lived for the thrill of battle happy to use either her wit or her sword.
Her husband approached them in the centre of the ring to congratulate them on the contest, "Well fought both of you. Malik you should spent more time in the ring you have lost none of your touch."
Maria moved to the edge to accept the praise of a few of the men and more invitations to spar over the coming days. The Master let his eyes take in the sight of his wife flushed with sweat and her small victory, even in defeat this was a win for her and he began to dare to believe she could make a home for herself here amongst his brothers.
A week later both men sat in the study working as usual on paperwork, neither of them too happy to be so occupied with the mundane when he saw his wife move to join them. "Nice to see you Maria I thought I had lost you to the men at the ring."
"I've been busy but not only there." Dropping a parchment onto the desk she lifted her head proudly waiting to see their reaction to her staggering offering.
Malik lifted the paper and much to her chagrin he failed to deliver the plaudits she expected. "What is it?"
"It's a report written in Arabic."
"I can see that..."
Scrunching her brows she scowled and snatched the paper from him. "Well if that is all the thanks I get I won't bother in future."
Altaïr stood and took it from her, "Did you write this?"
Tilting her head to the side and crossing her arms over her chest she huffed, "Yes I bloody well did and it wasn't easy!"
"Someone has been teaching you Arabic?"
She saw his amber eyes flash beneath his dark hood; smirking she let her blue eyes flash back at him. "Yes I enjoyed the lesson you gave me but you have so little time for such trivial matters that I took it upon myself to find another teacher."
"I can see neither of you appreciate my efforts so I'll take this," Stepping gingerly towards him she removed the paper from his grip, "And leave you both to the mountains of work you have to do."
"There are not many mistakes you are making good progress you should keep it up." Malik suggested trying to retrieve the situation.
"Who is teaching you Maria?"
"I intend to continue my lessons despite your poor response to my work." Ignoring her husband's question she left them as she said – to their mountain of work.
"We are going to have to be extra nice to her if we are to have any hope of getting her help in here."
The Master heard him but his mind was still on the idea of someone else teaching his wife what he had wanted to share with her. "Malik we can bring any of the scholars in to help with this we do it ourselves because we seem to enjoy being stuck in here all day!"
Pointing an accusing finger in the direction of the woman who had just left Malik said, "She can do this. Almost single handed she watched over the affairs of the Templars I know she will have this place running smoothly in no time."
Taking his seat once more he looked in the direction of Malik's finger and found the rest of that day's work even more tedious than normal.
He made a point of going to bed early having missed the chance to eat with her that evening but when he got to their room she was nowhere to be seen. Removing his new black robes he dropped back onto the bed and groaned. "I knew this before I married her I knew she would require a lot of attention and still I find myself unable to keep up."
He never heard the door close softly but he did hear her chuckle as she moved to him on the bed.
"I missed dinner."
"Did you? I never noticed I wasn't there." He could hear the lilt of laughter in her voice.
"Oh?" Knowing she would hate him asking where she had been he tried to think of something else to say and not look like her whereabouts were his concern. "How was training?"
"I never did that either. I was busy elsewhere."
"Busy elsewhere learning Arabic?"
He had tried to make it sound casual and to his ears at least it certainly seemed to carry no real meaning.
"Yes I was."
"That is good it is important for you to learn our language."
"A woman called Nijma is teaching me and I am helping to improve her English. It's complicated but somehow we get there faster because we have to."
Standing in front of her he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I still want to be a part of it Maria although I am happy you are learning."
"You were jealous!"
Lowering his head to her neck he kissed her and denied her accusation, made easier by the fact she couldn't see the smile on his face.
"It's hardly fitting behaviour for a man who will be a father in a matter of months."
Lifting his head so he could look into her eyes he repeated her words, "A father in a few months?"
Her face exploded with the grin she had been suppressing all day, "Yes, we are going to have a child."
Pulling her close he whispered all manner of uncharacteristic sentiments into her ear but after a few seconds the smile which had formed on his lips faded. "We are going to be parents."
Her own grin had vanished before his smile had, "Yes and I am not convinced it is a good idea. Look at us, look at me! What sort of Mother will I be?"
After a brief pause his smile reappeared and wrapping his arms tightly around her he pulled her as close to him as he could before he replied, "Loving and devoted would be my guess."
Banana is apparently Arabic for finger and if it's not I don't care it was too good to pass up
Usba' is finger/fingertip
Ohibbu allughah al Arabia I like Arabic. But I don't really it is so hard to find reliable translations :(