And here is the rest of chapter 5 ^.^ -UPDATED.
I apologize for not uploading it sooner, been crammed with, gee, lemme guess, more homework. And more homework. And a whole hella lotta exams. I think the professors are all in league XD Maybe they're Templars...
And my roommate spilled her soda on my laptop and fried it. Yeah... had to buy a new one... lost all my schoolwork... She suffered my wrath, don't worry! :D!
My thanks to Christina and Meadjean for editting my chapters :D
Enjoy!
Oh, and, all original characters belong to Ubisoft, but everyone else is mine mine mine :3
Did I mention mine?
The only sounds coming from within the halls of the fortress were the footsteps of one very unhappy Assassin. He wanted to hit the nearest thing possible and release his anger in one blow. But he could not, at least, not yet.
He was not the only one in the hall, though. Before he had begun his dramatic, purposeful walk, the others of the fortress had been casually conversing with one another, taking enjoyment from their friends' company. But, now, the younger students looked terrified as the leader briskly marched his way to his chambers. The older and more advanced Assassin's merely sighed and looked at the floor. If he wasn't brooding over the loss of his woman, then he was relieving his anger in such a way.
As soon as he had left the hallway, whispers began and voices echoed off of the walls of the fortress.
"What's his problem?"
"Shush, it is not yours to question, young one."
"Do you think he's been demoted again?"
"Foolish boy, the leader cannot demote himself."
"What could possibly have happened now?"
"I do hope he's alright- we're only as strong as our weakest-"
Altair paused and slowly angled his head toward one of the novices. His eyes blazed dangerously as he silently dared them to say one more word.
The small crowd immediately grew silent and the novices looked around nervously, as if trying to find an escape from the superior man's presence as he neared them. He towered over the boys and looked down at them in disapproval.
"Would you care to elaborate on that sentence?" Altair kept his eyes two deathly slits as he challenged them. Normally, he would have let such talk go by without a single word. Ignorance was bliss, and if they wanted to speak rudely and incorrectly of him, let them. However, he was in no mood to be trifled with. Not after his little talk with Malik.
There was no reply from the other members of the Assassins. They kept their gaze strictly to the floor, not daring to look Altair in the eyes. They had heard rumors that if one were to look directly into the Master's eyes, they would turn quickly into stone. Of course, such a thing was untrue, but novices will be novices.
Altair gave one more look to the boys before he turned on his heel and left them to squabble in their humiliation. 'Respect is a must if one wants to earn it back.'
He continued through the stronghold and gave silent nods to the guards as he occasionally past them in the halls. The look on his face, though, clearly said to all that he wasn't to be questioned or spoken to. He was and was not aware of the concerned looks of the other Assassin's as he made his way around them. It was as if he was in two worlds at the same time. His body was making its way to his bedroom, while his mind was screaming at him and filling his thoughts with hatred.
Hatred toward himself.
It seemed that even being Leader, he was still unaware of many activities going on in his faction. True, he did not wish to know the personal lives of his comrades, but he would at least like to know the basic motion of communication taking place within the strong walls of Masyaf.
Finally making his way to his room, he stepped quickly to the wall near his bed. He inhaled deeply, trying to contain his raging emotions. He felt like a bottle that was filled up with boiling venom. But a bottle can only hold so much before the lid finally bursts.
Without warning, he shot his fist at the wall, ignoring the pain that his knuckles earned. There was a whack! as his hand connected with the stone, but he barely heard it. He slammed his forehead against the stone, his breathing becoming more hysterical and labored. He wished that he could go back and fix things- make them right for once.
Altair always had someone tell him what to do, always had someone superior to him to lay out his life's plan. Al Mualim had denied himself any emotion for the sake of the Assassin's. That is, every emotion except for greed. Now, it was Altair's responsibility to lead the Assassin's successfully and preserve their Order. How could he, though?
He was torn inside and out. He had made a huge mistake in his life- no, the biggest mistake- that any man would have made. He refused to believe himself like other men. He had seen what they were like through his assassination contracts. No, he could not and would not degrade himself to such a level.
But he had to admit, falling in love was a huge mistake.
There was a quiet click click click as the canine made his way leisurely into his master's quarters and lazily laid himself out on a rug near the desperate man. Bayo had grown used to seeing him act so unnatural for an Assassin. He usually let his feelings escape him at night when the rest of the world was asleep so that none would hear his growls and swearing. Bayo lifted his head up and stared at Altair, clearly uninterested in his actions.
It was almost always the same, and soon, he would yell at the dog for interrupting his peace and shoo him away by demanding that Malik come and rid him of the hound's presence. And after that, Malik would come and do his best to entertain the pooch, and Bayo would have to put his brilliant facade on and pretend to be enjoying playing fetch. It was moments like this that he desperately wished he was back with his former mistress, Maria.
But the dog would not stand for Altair's abuse today. No, he most certainly would not stand for another show of his master being childish. He was a war dog, a soldier. He was not there to be ordered around by an insecure assassin and hope that his life would turn around for the better.
Altair removed himself from the wall and in scorching moments, removed his clothes. He ripped the robes off of him, realizing that he very much wished to be in his Assassin garments. He purposely walked to the chest by the foot of his bed and lifted the lid off of it in one annoyed motion. He missed the days before life became complicated. He dearly missed the days of pursuing a target and feeling the rush of the kill descend upon him moments before his blade sank into the man's throat.
How much Altair would give for the days of justice- the days of purpose in his life! What was he to do now? Lead the Assassin's when he was incapable? He could always give Malik the position of leader, but although they were best friends, his pride refused him to let go of such a status.
But most of all, he missed the days of Maria, before and after he began understanding her. He remembered how much he wanted to kill her in Jerusalem when he had thought she was Robert de Sable. Right when he removed that rusty helmet from her, he wanted to rip her head off for being fooled in such a way. To further irk him, all she did was smirk in victory. He was, of course, glad he spared her life, as was the way of the creed.
And then they became allies when they traveled to Cyprus. At first, she was still defiant and ignorant to him, but over time, she accepted him for what he was, but not for who he was. He was an Assassin, and she a Templar- he the moon, and she the sun. Never could the two be together, but somehow, they had managed for a blissful night together.
He sighed and looked longingly at his robes and leather straps and waistband. He felt as if the garments were mocking him; telling him that he was no longer the man who had the spirit and duty to end others' lives.
When he had sighed at his clothes, clothes!, Bayo decided that he had had enough of watching him. He sprang to his feet and, in one quick leap, had made his way to Altair's side. Without any warning, he sank his teeth into his leg, but not enough to pierce the skin. It was only a painful bite.
The man whipped his neck to stare wide-eyed at the dog and in a moment had risen to his feet and glared at him. Removing his teeth from his skin, Bayo backed away from him and pounced on his front paws. His hindquarters were in the air and he growled a challenge at the Assassin. Surely he could handle a simple dog.
Altair was slightly startled at the ferocity in his eyes. He had always seen him as a calm, respectful, cool as a cucumber dog. This was completely a different side of him- the side Maria trained him to be.
Man and dog stared each other down, not once blinking. It was completely silent, their breathing the only audible sound.
The next sound that came from Bayo was more than a bark. It was a wake-up call, a shout that broke the silence, a command, a sound of a leader.
It was cold, emotionless yet challenging and demanding at the same time, and loud. Bayo let out one more feral growl before turning around and sprinting out of his room.
He stood there for quite some time, absorbing the situation. Bayo bit him and had basically told Altair to follow him in the fortress. To where, though, he had no idea. A sudden rush of anxiety and anger coursed through his blood, and without hesitation, he grabbed his clothes from the chest and swiftly pulled them on.
The Assassin's in the fighting ring situated in the courtyard of Masyaf's fortress looked at the dog with shocked expressions. Bayo clambered down the stairs, running at full speed, yipping and barking his head at the members of the Creed. He bared his teeth at them, daring them with that evil look in his eyes to command him to calm down. He was not in the mood to take orders to calm down. He was only in the mood to take orders to attack.
With the letters successfully burned, the courtyard was once again teeming with life as the younger Assassin's sparred in the ring, but that had all come to a sudden halt as Bayo barked and threatened the trainers. Should they restrain the dog? Should they kill him?
But what had he done that was such a crime? Bark?
Altair followed the sound of the peeved canine through the fortress and found himself looking down at the courtyard from the top of the stairs. He smirked as he saw the novices desperately try to shoo Bayo away, telling him to be a 'good boy' and to go back inside the fortress and to help Malik open a door. If Malik heard them say that, they'd probably be missing a limb or two.
The older and more experienced men came to the novices aids, calling out to Bayo.
"Please, go back inside!"
"Come on now, there is no need for this!"
"You are messing with the wrong crowd, dog!"
Altair recognized the novice that had previously insulted him in the hallway. His smirk grew wider as he heard him try to reason with the other brothers.
"Bayo's a nice dog, though," he looked to the others at his side and shook his head. "Maybe he's hungry?"
"He's hungry for the fight, Brother!" Altair's voice pierced through the shouts of confusion in the combat ring. Silence followed his words as the others looked in disbelief at their leader. "Do not show shame to the dog," he made his way down the stairwell leading to the courtyard, "for he was never trained to be idle and pampered."
The crowd mumbled words to each other as Altair took a sword off of one of the racks adorning a wall of the fortress. He pulled it out of its sheath and scrutinized it carefully. His eyes scanned down the entire length of it, making sure it was not a dud. He swung it in his hand, the familiar shwoo! the blade made once it ran through air causing a smile to flicker onto his lips.
No one moved as he neared the ring, satisfied with his weapon. He swung himself over the fence of the ring and stood still in the middle, his eyes glancing to and fro the other men.
"If the cry for battle is in the air, then let it be known."
His eyes smiled a bloodthirsty glare and he gave all his Brothers calm yet intimidating glances. The others shifted their weight from foot to foot and looked uneasily at their comrades. Was this a trick? Was this a test of their faith to their cause?
Shaking their heads from the thought, three novices entered the ring. Altair could see them shake with nervousness as they drew their weapons out. They had heard the stories of how he had faced the entire Crusader army. That was an understatement; he had only faced half of the Crusader army.
And there he was: standing there with the air of a serpent luring its prey in, like how the snake had charmed Eve.
The bravest of the three novices stood in front as the other two protected his sides, and then they charged. They charged at an Assassin- the leader, the master, the most experienced.
His fingers drummed almost impatiently on the handle of his sword, waiting for the three of them to be in reach of his sword. They were clumsy, but he had to respect their courage. Metal on metal finally clashed, the screeching echo causing the men to inhale sharply. They had seen much combat in their lives, but they had never seen Altair with that look in his eyes. It was as if evil spirits possessed the man.
His arm muscles flexed as he pushed back with his sword, causing the connected blades to separate and for the novice to stagger backward. He took the opportunity to swing his sword near the other's hand. Frightened, the lesser dropped his blade, afraid that he would have his fingers cut off. He quickly stepped away from Altair as his two comrades took their positions in front of him, protecting him.
Another smirk appeared on Altair's face as the others both attacked him simultaneously. Sidestepping one blow, he blocked the other with his sword. Breaking from the contact, he backhanded the other novice as he faltered from having his attack dodged so easily. Altair's gauntlet burned the other man's flesh as it dug into his cheek, hooked onto the tender flesh, and then ripped back out of it. He was thrown to the ground from the abuse.
The novice bit back a cry of agony and gritted his teeth together. He would not give his Master the satisfaction of seeing him scream in pain, although he very much wished to swear to the heavens at the moment. The novice that Altair had previously disarmed had drawn out a knife from one of his boots and was now standing behind the other remaining novice, his arm on the man's shoulder. Altair knew that tactic very well: if things were not going smoothly for the man in front, the one behind him would pull him back and take his position while the former would be behind him.
Although, Altair couldn't determine whether they were trying to form a strategy or if his hand was upon the other's shoulder just for moral support. It almost had a laugh escape his lips.
The one in front lunged and missed terribly as Altair once again lightly stepped to his side. He saw an opening as the one in the back had his eyes bulge out of his head in disbelief, and he grunted as pain greeted his unprotected stomach. Altair shook his head and continued smiling the devil's grin when he removed his elbow from the man. He collapsed onto the ground, curled into a ball, and clutched his stomach.
It was now one on one, though, that would not help the last remaining novice. This time, Altair attacked first, easily finding the other's weakness and had him unarmed in moments.
Bayo stood on his hindlegs, his forelegs draped across the ring's fence as he excitedly watched the combat. This is what he was bred to do. This is what the hunger in his veins craved so much.
Altair smirked victoriously and once again shook his head. He closed his eyes and gave a small laugh, and was about to comment on the fighting when his eyes snapped open as more novices entered the ring. He frowned, but welcomed the fight soon to follow.
He would defeat one novice, only to have two more take his place. They were fighting in pairs of two, not daring to attack him without backup. Altair found himself in a slight predicament: he was surrounded by them. He stood in the dead center of the ring, the others forming a circle around him, weapons drawn, about to finish off their prey. He cursed himself mentally while his eyes darted around. True, they were only novices, he could easily defeat them, but he had put on a poor demonstration of strategy and caution to the young ones.
A scream broke the silence and the others, including Altair, looked at the novice blankly, eyes blinking in confusion. He clutched his leg as soon as the teeth were removed from it, and there was a flash of fur before Altair decided to take advantage of the moment. With the others still startled, he quickly disarmed one man and broke through the ring the men had formed around him.
Bayo circled around the men as they had finally collected their wits. He was slinking closely to the ground, body tense, ready to spring into action at any given moment. A blade swung at him, but just like Altair had demonstrated, he jumped out of the way, snarling and sending his teeth once again into a man's leg. But unlike how he had bit Altair in his bedroom, he was sure to draw blood this time. He ripped himself away from the flesh and continued stalking around the others.
'Incredible and noteworthy.' Altair looked back and forth from the dog to the other men as the canine dodged more attacks and caused more injuries on the other novices. He was impressed with his stealth and how quickly he could form a plan in his mind. More over, he was thoroughly impressed with Maria training him to behave so well during combat. He saw how he held that constant spark in his eye and he knew that that spark would remain even in the face of death. Altair found himself marveling over a dog.
'I doubt that's the extent of his capabilities.' Altair whistled, and the dog quickly made his way over to his new master. They continued the fight: man and dog against men. Bayo was mainly a delightful distraction for Altair. He would feign attack, while the enemy would counter, then jump out of the way as Altair took opportunity after opportunity to strike.
The dog paced behind Altair, waiting for the next novice to attack. There were five of them remaining, the others dragged out of the ring from the bystanders once they were too wounded to fight. Altair held his stance carefully, eying the men with a new confidence that he had not felt in what seemed like ages.
But the men were none too eager to attack. They were stalling- trying to regain their breath.
He racked his brain for anything to catch them off guard. He could easily take them down himself, but he was inclined to see what other skills Maria had taught Bayo. He finally found a solution- a risky one- and decided that it would have to do. Maybe, just maybe...
Altair's shout broke the uneasiness as Bayo lunged in response to the command. He bared his teeth as he jumped onto the novice and pumped energy through his legs as he pinned him down on his back. He did not take the opportunity to rip the man's throat out. After all, this was only practice, no need to overdo it. Bayo jumped off of him and returned by Altair's side.
The Assassin's outside of the ring murmured to one another. They were impressed- they had never seen anything like this before!
He once again took his chances as one of the novices decided to try to flank the dog. This time, he didn't need to give a command.
Bayo scurried to his left while Altair unarmed the man.
It was a beautiful partnership that Altair slightly envied. They fought together for hours afterward, but no longer in need for a fight. They wanted to see what the other could do and how the dog took commands and what commands to use. He was beginning to understand why Maria preferred dogs as allies rather than people.
It was well into the night when the fighting had finally stopped. The men were standing in the ring, panting heavily, sweat dripping off of their slick skin. By this time, the heat had grown unbearable and they had stripped of their shirts- some of the men even stripping off their shalwars.
Rising up to his full height, Altair's face softened from its tense and calculating gaze. Each Assassin that had fought was out of breath and panting, even the Master himself a bit out of air. The novices shyly smiled at one another when Altair inclined his head respectfully to them. They'd received praise from their trainers, of course, but to have the Master approving of their performance!
One of the novices approached Altair. "Master, if I may?" Altair nodded and sheathed his sword.
"We are all very impressed with Bayo," he waved his hand to the panting dog, "but we wish to congratulate you." More novices gathered around him. "You have done an extraordinary job training him, and-"
Placing a hand on his shoulder, he replied, "Brother, it was not me who trained him. I am not the one to be credited with such an achievement."
He looked bewildered and shook his head. "Then- then who, Master? Who was it?"
Altair removed his hand from his shoulder and exhaled, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face. "A friend just as capable and deadly as Bayo."
The Master of Assassin's heart was still beating at a slightly faster beat as he stood in his room. The sweat would have made anyone uncomfortable or frown, but he welcomed the feel of it. It had been forever since he had had stepped foot inside that ring. That click click click sound made its way to Altair as Bayo trotted up next to him. He no longer had those deadly eyes.
Bayo was once again the happy, cheerful dog with his tongue lolled out as he joyously panted and nudged Altair's leg. The man scratched the dog behind his ears in silent pride as he exited his room to make his way to the baths. Bayo followed loyally. He had changed his mind over the man. He had witnessed how brutal and strong he was and he admired Altair and finally took it to heart that this man was his new master.
True, Altair probably still grieved over Maria, but that's what the two of them shared in common. Maria was their link, and because of her, Altair had found a companion that was not man. At least Altair could trust Bayo with secrets, unlike someone.
Altair found that the baths were deserted and that there was one already prepared. He sighed gratefully and removed his attire as Bayo laid down on the cool tile of the room and continued panting. Altair slid himself into the hot water, his muscles instantly relaxing from the contact. Contented, he leaned back on the side of the tub and closed his eyes. His heart was still pounding from the neverending training, but he welcomed the feeling.
He felt lighter and could feel small sparks of energy spring up in his legs. The image of the woman he loved and will always love came to mind.
He did not feel any remorse or sorrow course through him, though.
"Maria..." Her name tumbled its way out of his mouth as he opened his eyes to look up at the ceiling of the bath house. A small smile tugged on his lips. "You haunt me every day, in one form or another. How much longer will you have me miss you terribly?"
Altair closed his eyes once again. He prepared himself for the words about to be said. "I wish you were here, Maria. I am sure I made many, many mistakes fighting today. I would give anything to hear your voice telling me how foolish I was to be encircled by novices. I'd love to see you scowl and cross your arms as I continued to make mistakes just to make you angry." He grinned from the thought and flexed his shoulders. "I'd do anything to see you blush slightly as I would make my way over to you just to tell you to be quiet and allow me to concentrate. How beautiful you are when you blush... A pity you only do it so rarely."
Bayo was partly aware of his master murmuring his former mistress' name as he licked his paws and chest. He was laying on his side, completely mellow and content. He whined, rolled onto his back, and bit at his paws, wiggling and squirming and playing with his feet. Altair looked over at the dog and smirked at the sight he was seeing. Strange how he could be so lethal and then the next moment act like a puppy. He would definitely have to train with him more. The talent Bayo possessed was nothing to neglect.
Altair rose from the bath and swung his legs over the edge of it and made his way over to the mirror completely nude. His wet feet slapped across the tile leaving wet footprints that Bayo curiously smelled and sneezed at.
Altair looked at his reflection in the mirror. He blinked and cursed from what he saw.
"So, Malik was correct to say that an animal had invaded my person," he mused. He sighed and made his way over to his pile of gear. He selected a throwing knife and returned to the mirror. He carefully ran the knife over his skin, not wanting to cut himself on accident.
In a few moments, the disgusting hair that had grown on his skin was non-existing, and taking its place was his usual stubble. He smiled and recognized himself again. Although there were lines of fatigue and stress on his face, he decided he did look better.
Bayo must have noticed it too because he nudged his leg and lolled his tongue out and wagged his tail happily at his master's new appearance. Altair smiled and pat the giddy dog on his head.
"It fills me with the utmost joy that you approve," he smirked.
'Oh, you look so dashing, my lovely Assassin.'
The excitement pouring off of Benjamin was almost tangible as he began telling his comrades his brilliant plan. Maria, Aden, Damiel, Zaina, and Olivia were crowded around their superior, eyes bulging as he explained step by step what they would do.
"Alright, so, we know that this wedding is Friday. This gives us enough time to make preparations. This is what we will do—Damiel, stop that yawning, my boy! Maria, you will agree to take part in the wedding. You will follow the escort to the chapel, and prepare to be wed.
"The chapel consists of an undercroft that's been recently cleaned out- poor souls. This is where you will get changed into your wedding gown, Maria, and this is where Zaina and Olivia come in." He glanced at his friends and frowned. He could see that Zaina was bobbing her head along with what he was saying, but she really had no idea what he was talking about.
Aden would have to explain it to her later.
"Olivia, I need you to help Zaina sneak down there without being detected. Also bring Riva with you and hide her under the last pew on the right-hand side of the chapel. You're very good at blending into the shadows, and tradition says that the chapel is not to be entirely illuminated by candlelight during weddings.
"Fortunately for us, although it is daylight, the windows of chapels are stained thickly with a paint that does not entirely let sunlight pour through. Ladies, I trust you will be successful. Olivia, once you get Zaina down to where Maria is changing, you will quickly leave the chapel and make your way to the buildings near the south entrance of London. I want you stationed there so that your arrows will bring down the guards and archers, down and below. Now, for Zaina.
"My dear, you will take Maria's place in the wedding. The lack of light works to our advantage. Although you're shorter and smaller than Maria, we have the upper hand. Maria has not been outside of this chapel for almost a year, so therefor the Templar's memory of her will be at least vague. This is perfect! Once Zaina makes it to your room, Maria, I need you to quickly escape the church without being noticed. I know this is not one of your fortés, but you must succeed in this.
"As soon as you leave the chapel and it is no longer in sight, take this route," he ran his finger across the map, "and wait in the shadows. This is an alleyway that most people avoid because beggars have claimed it as their home, but beggars are friends in London. Aden and I will meet you there shortly after you arrive. No doubt the city will be crawling with Templar's, so we will protect you as you make your escape." He held his hand up when Maria opened her mouth to protest about her protection.
" Damiel, I want you to be a guest at the wedding," Benjamin continued while he shot a look at Maria. "You will take your place at the last pew all the way to the right of the chapel where Riva is. If anyone asks you for your identity, you are to say that you are Benjamin Mills' son, Ryan, do you understand?"
He received a curt nod from the boy and continued. "Once the wedding actually begins and Zaina is at the altar with Clarence, things will start to get a bit out of hand. When Clarence makes to kiss you, Zaina, I want you to turn your head to the side and be defiant. You need to make him realize who you are and that you are not Maria. Damiel, you will then assist Zaina to escape. By then, stealth will not matter, as the guards will be informed along with the crowd.
"You will protect Zaina with your life and escape that chapel in one piece. Do not take any unnecessary risks. Once you are rid of the chapel, head toward the docks and dispatch any guards there as well as the guards on the ships. Zaina, I'm trusting you to distract them while Damiel deals with them. Please, my dear, don't engage in combat if you don't have to."
"And what of you and me, Benjamin?" Aden did not like the fact that Damiel was going to be protecting his sister. But, he knew that he could not argue with Benjamin, so he acted completely neutral to the thought.
The veteran nodded and pressed on. "You and I will escort Maria to the docks south of London, where Olivia is stationed. We will take this street," once again he motioned toward the map with his fingers, "and take the perimeter of London. I know it is a longer route, but the distance will have us rendezvous almost together.
"No doubt we will have to fight our way through Templar scum, but I believe we can handle ourselves against them. They will be in disguise, obviously, but we all know how Templar's act. Identifying them will be with ease, my friends. Olivia, once you catch sight of us, dispatch of the archers first, then turn your attention to the guards stationed on the ground. I'm sorry to put so much responsibility in your hands, but you are a very good shot. A very good shot."
Olivia smiled and nodded gracefully. "You have my thanks."
"When we clear the south gate, we will immediately take to the docks. Most of the guards will already be slain, thanks to Damiel and Zaina. However, should there be more than we thought, the three of us," he nodded toward Aden and Maria, "will take care of it. Olivia, I trust that with your agility you will be able to join us at the docks before we set sail.
"But, if you do not make it, I want you to ride out of London and make haste to Canterbury and stay there until I send word for you." He sighed and gave a grim smile when the other members of the Rose gave small nods. "We will sail for the Holy Land- Acre, to be exact. I have a few friends there that we can trust."
Everyone nodded and murmured amongst themselves. The plan seemed solid enough, but they knew the tiniest flaw could send their strategy tumbling quickly to the ground. They knew that although Benjamin was intelligent, they might never be able to pull this off.
"Are there any questions?"
Maria nodded and looked him straight in the eye. "What becomes of us once we reach Acre?"
He sighed and shook his head. He knew this was going to happen, and he knew that Acre was next to the last place she wanted to go to. Too many painful memories were made there for her. "We will begin looking for Hildegard."
Aden shook his head sadly and looked pleadingly at Benjamin. "My friend, how do we know that sailing to Acre will get us closer to Hildegard? For all we know, she can still be in London. Or.." he refused to think of the other possibilities of her whereabouts.
Olivia rolled her eyes. "You underestimate my Lady's abilities, Aden. True, she may be captured, dead, or ran away, but are you seriously going to brood over her? Would she want that from you? Would she want that from any of us?"
"She's right," Maria cleared her throat and continued with her debate, "Hildegard is my most trusted friend. I know her inside and out, and I know that she is strong and determined and hard to the core. And I know that she would not want us to be little babies and cry helplessly over her absence. We must respect her, Aden."
Damiel smiled at Maria for two reasons. One: Aden had once again eaten his own words. Two: Maria was showing signs of returning to her former self each passing minute. 'Oh, today is a beautiful day in London.'
"Then we must retire and rest." Zaina blankly stated. The other members smiled at her and nodded, glad that she gave her word in their plan. She was always so meek and shy around the others that they welcomed any words she said.
"I agree," Olivia wrapped her arm around Zaina and looked to the others. "We all need our rest."
They left the room, but Damiel remained. Just as Benjamin was about to file out, he looked back to the boy and made his way over to him. He looked over his shoulder, making sure the others had left the room. "Damiel, my boy, is everything alright?"
He nodded slowly and stared at the map lying on the table. "Y-yes, Benny. Sorry to worry you." He was about to walk away when Benjamin placed a hand on his shoulder and gently ushered him into a seat.
"You cannot lie to me, Damiel," he chuckled at the other boy, "we've known each other for far too long." Taking the seat next to Damiel, he pressed on. "Now, tell me, what is troubling you?"
Damiel opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it. He looked at the table, then to the ceiling, his mouth set in an agitated thin line. He was about to burst at any moment, but Benjamin squeezed his shoulder lightly. Sighing and releasing the tension inside of him, he spoke softly, "Everything is going to change, isn't it? We'll.. we'll never be able to come back to London."
"I thought you said you didn't like London?"
"I don't, Benjamin," he rolled his eyes at the other man and rested his chin in his hand as he leaned his elbows against the table. "It's just... I don't have a place to call home. Every time I'm about to settle in somewhere, I always end up leaving. I feel like a nomad- Hell, I am a nomad! I just wish that I could have somewhere that I could go home to every night, relax, see my-"
He stopped him with a wave of his hands and chortled softly. "Damiel, listen to yourself. You sound like a desperate housewife!" He shook his head and playfully shoved his shoulder. "Come now, you will find yourself a home soon enough. London just isn't home to you, that is all. You are very young yet, Damiel, you shouldn't worry about these things."
"What should I worry about, then?" He gave a brief smile, but it vanished as soon as it came as he stared Benjamin in the eyes.
The veteran crossed his arms over his chest and gave the impression of thinking very deliberately as he refused to return the boy's gaze. Instead, he fixed his eyes into the table, completely mesmerized. "Well.." Benjamin's voice was serious, but he was itching to burst into a fit of laughter. "What every young man thinks of."
Damiel sighed and let his forehead hit the table with a thud. "That doesn't exactly help, mi amigo."
He snorted and stood up from his seat, "Think about Zaina then."
Damiel sluggishly lifted his head back up. "I can't; Aden knows telepathy and if he catches me even thinking about her, I'm roasted kufta."
Benjamin raised an eyebrow. " 'Kufta'? What.. what is that?"
The boy shrugged. "It's a type of food that my mother used to make."
"And what type of food is that?" Benjamin hoped that he would reveal something about his past.
But to his dismay, he did not. Damiel smirked and rose from the chair. He looked at the older man with that same smirk, and just walked away from him.
Typical.
"Should I be dusting off suitable clothing for the wedding, Clarence, or should I be sharpening my blade?" The snide voice of the Templar, Tyler, made its way to the other man's ears. He smiled despite himself and chuckled. "After all, it is always good to be proper for weddings, no?"
Clarence shook his head, but smiled back. "Feel free to dust off your duds, Tyler, and also feel free to sharpen that blade of yours. I expect our honeymoon to be none too pleasant- at least, for her."
The Templar's were once again under the structure of St. John's chapel, having yet another meeting. They were all anticipating the wedding, each of them eager in a different way. Tyler was eager for his part in the torture that was soon to follow the wedding, while Clarence awaited for his marriage bed.
Christopher was eager for the wedding to be over and done with. All he had heard during this meeting so far was 'wedding this' and 'wedding that'. Yes, he was indeed looking forward to gaining new land from the bonding of man and woman, but he felt a stab of pity for Maria. One could not help who they fell in love with- could they?
Their Grandmaster, Malcolm, was seated at the head of the table, casually taking sips from his goblet of wine. To his right sat another Templar, Seer.
Seer was not a man known for conversation, to say the least. In fact, he was not a man known for anything positive. The Roman was brutal, quiet, and as lethal as a cornered snake. He sat with his elbows resting on the table, hands folded together underneath his chin, head slightly bent down and eyes closed. He was the muscle in the Templar Organization- he was not meant to be sitting at a dull meeting about a wedding. Yes, he was relieved when he discovered they'd earn much wealth, but sickened when they decided to discuss their intentions when it came to Maria Thorpe. Seer wasn't merciful at all, but the talk of women made him uneasy.
His left eye twitched not only from the scar that ran across it to his left temple, but also from the nonsense coming from Clarence's and Tyler's mouths. His rough, calloused hands had battle scars ranging from small to big, long to short. He absent mindedly drummed his right index finger against the skin on his left hand as he waited for intelligent conversation to begin. His attention perked up slightly when he heard the name 'Benjamin Mills' mentioned between the two men.
He and Benjamin had fought side by side before Robert was even commander of the Templar's and Crusader army. They were allies, to say the most. They knew each other, but that did not complicate the situation of Benjamin being a member of the Rose and Seer still remaining a Templar. They were anything but friends- Benjamin was cheerful and optimistic while Seer was dreadful and pessimistic.
"So, I take it the wedding is still planned? We still have time to change it, you know. Friday has not yet graced us with her sun, Brothers." Malcolm looked over at the two men and frowned slightly when he saw what appeared to be Seer dozing off. Oh, how little the man knew the other.
Clarence nodded and averted his attention to Malcolm. "Yes, my Lord. In short, we will be married at noon at St. Joseph's Chapel and then retreat to St. John's- quite ironic, isn't it?" He chuckled and soon Tyler and Malcolm joined in. They gave remarks how they wanted the entire story, not just his little snippet of a summary. Christopher remained silent, unable to laugh as freely as they would.
It was cruel how they were planning on blackmailing Maria. Clarence nodded and decided to give them the entire plan. "We will feast after the wedding, of course. However, there will be poison in Maria's drink, causing her to fall unconscious after a few minutes pass by. I will then explain to the other guests that my wife's only tired, nothing more, and escort her promptly away from the chapel and take her back to our headquarters. And then, I will be a man fulfilled."
Tyler smirked and sneered at him. "You will be fulfilled only when you pass that barrier between her legs, brother."
Christopher sighed and shook his head. He could almost feel the headache about to form. "Tyler, another has broken that barrier. She is damaged goods, and if Clarence likes damaged goods, then..." He shook his head. "We need not discuss this."
Clarence scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Very well, brother. If the thought of women makes your stomach turn in such a way, perhaps we should talk about men instead to satisfy your needs." Tyler and Malcolm both laughed at his comment while Christopher glared at Clarence.
"I do find women attractive, you brainless bastard."
Again, the Templar let off a hoot of laughter. "Yes, you very much find those servant-whores at your estate attractive, don't you?"
Christopher crossed his arms and shook his head slowly, his face becoming as hard as stone and his gaze deadly as he stared at Clarence. "I would never do anything to the girls. If you knew one thing about them, perhaps you'd rethink your statements."
"Of course!" Tyler slammed his hand on the table and still shook with laughter. "Because they had such terrible lives, you feel the need to make up for that hole, don't you?" Malcolm and Clarence chortled at Tyler's remark, but Christopher looked furious.
"So, just because people are not spoiled and cooed over, that makes them have terrible lives, Tyler?" The others became silent, except for Seer, who had remained silent, as Christopher's voice changed tone. "And look where spoiling has gotten you, Tyler. You are a coward who is afraid to hurt even a dustbunny. You cannot even woo a woman to bed- you must pay for her services."
He narrowed his eyes, and Tyler slumped slightly in his chair. "You cannot even support your own backbone, filth." He took a sip from his glass and all of his ferocity vanished in an instant. He smiled at his comrades and his face softened. "So, Clarence, continue the wedding plans. Enlighten us."
He rolled his eyes, but obeyed. "Afterward, we will drag her naked body to the torture chamber. Seer and Tyler will take it from there." Clarence looked over at Seer, who had frowned from his last comment. "Is something wrong, Brother?"
He shook his head and looked at Clarence. Words did not escape his lips, though he was insulted deeply. Maria would be strapped down to a table, completely unable to defend herself, while he took pleasure in causing her pain. He was a man of honesty, and abusing a helpless woman was anything but honest, although he would very much enjoy it. Tyler, however, smiled disgustingly from the idea. Of course he would enjoy such a privilege.
"I will be sure to cause her much pain, Clarence." Tyler narrowed his eyes as his smile became even more gruesome, his canine teeth showing through his lips. "Torture is so.. poetic, is it not?"
Clarence laughed and nodded at Tyler. "It is a one-sided war, Tyler."
Raising his goblet, Tyler replied, "Then victory shall be ours soon. Very soon, Maria will tell us the location of the Piece of Eden. Following that, the Rose will be destroyed, along with the Assassin's. I doubt that they have the willpower to block the Apple's seductive energy. And then... then the Templar's shall reign for all eternity!"
Malcolm laughed, encouraging Tyler and Clarence to continue their pep talk. They did, screaming and shouting like madmen how they would rule the world and have all the most beautiful women for themselves and how men would cower underneath the Templar's.
Seer scowled, and for the first time during the meeting, spoke up. "Fools."
The victorious cries died instantly as they all, except for Christopher, looked at Seer in accusation and astonishment. "Pardon?"
He drummed his fingers against his hand as he shook his head. "You are saying you are victorious when the battle hasn't even begun yet. You are either mad in the head or just ignorant."
Clarence shook his head and glared at Seer. "Do you have no pride?"
"Do you have no pride, Clarence?" Seer raised his head to return the glare. "Have you no judgment? Do you really think that it will be as easy as you all say it is? Tell me, Clarence, have you seen war? Have you seen people you know fall, the blood draining from them, never to rise again? Have you experienced the tide of battle?" He smirked and lowered his head once more. "No, you have not."
He rolled his eyes and scoffed once more. "I'm sorry for you remembering your petty, terrible, past, Seer, but we have serious matters to discuss. We care not for what your eyes have seen-"
"Which is exactly why the Templar's will fall over time." He raised his cup to his mouth and let the liquid pour slowly down his throat.
"Do you not believe in us, Seer?" Clarence rose from his seat slowly and shook his head menacingly at the other man. "Do you not understand that we need all the encouragement we need for tomorrow? Are you not loy-"
"Only children need such encouragement, Clarence. It takes a true man to act without any emotional support. So sorry to ruin your self confidence, although it was just as easy as breaking a twig." He did not smile, though Seer had a victorious glint in his eyes. "If you will excuse me, Brothers. Forgive me, for while you are discussing how to perform intercourse and how we will miraculously rule the world, I have important duties to attend to." He rose from his seat, filled with dignity, and took leave of the room, leaving the men baffled and a very, very unhappy Clarence.
Tyler scoffed and folded his arms around himself and pointed his head so that his nose was in the air. He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Psht, leave it to him to ruin everything. Grandmaster Malcolm, why do we even need that daft, irresponsible, weak excuse of a man? Surely he is just a waste of flesh."
"And surely you would not be saying those things in his presence, for you would be fearing for your weak excuse of testicles." Christopher glared at Tyler and continued, "Each of us owes something to Seer. He saved our lives more than once, and I respect him greatly for that. Without him, we'd have no backbone. We would not have our weapons, our horses- nothing. He is an exceptional fighter: the best I've ever seen. And to match his strength, he has intelligence. We cannot afford to lose him, so perhaps you should start showing more courtesy toward him."
The soon-to-be groom laughed at his comrade's counterattack and shook his head, gasping between his teeth. "So, we have figured out today that you are attracted to men, but to Seer specifically. Well done, Christopher! Very, very impressive!" Tyler and Malcolm joined in on the laughter, and Christopher closed his eyes once again in frustration.
"And we have learned that you have absolutely nothing in your head, Clarence. And I am not just talking about the head connected to your neck."
Ignoring Christopher's comment, Malcolm decided to congratulate Clarence. "We owe it to you for coming up with this marvelous plan, Clarence. It is foolproof! We owe you much- you are certainly a credit to our cause." And with that, he toasted him, Tyler raising his goblet as well. Christopher, however, decided against it.
He thought to himself, not wanting to waste his breath more than he had already done. 'Are they truly that blind? Can people really be so foolish? Are they just drunk on their own fantasies? Or- God forbid it- is it both?'
The meeting lasted well into midnight, all the men drunk besides Christopher.
He shook his head and left the meeting room, not bothering to even say his goodbyes.
One thing he knew for sure: he wanted no part in the wedding.
'God be with you, Maria Thorpe. God help you.'
She whined as she lightly licked her face. She was lying down next to the sleeping woman and desperately trying to find some way to let her know that morning had finally arrived.
Belle continued licking her face, but the only response she got was the woman murmuring.
"Mm..." she smiled in her sleep and turned her head to the side. "Altair..."
Belle cocked her head to the side in confusion, not knowing what an 'Altair' was. She whined once more and licked her nose.
"Damn Assassin... trying... sleep..."
She huffed and wedged her nose between the woman's side and arm and into her armpit. Belle made the mistake of inhaling and sneezed.
The woman frowned from the goo being shot through her armpit and slowly opened her eyes. At first, she expected the licking to be Altair, but then she decided that he would definitely not try to wake her up by sneezing on her. Adjusting to the light of the room, she saw her dog staring at her and whining quietly.
Maria rolled her eyes and scratched Belle's head. She sat up in her bed, resting her weight on her elbows, and blushed when the sheets came off of her body. She was only wearing her undergarments, for she liked the feel of the silky smooth blankets across her skin. It reminded her so much of—
She blushed a deeper shade of pink and shook her head, scowling and muttering curses. Belle reached up and lightly licked her cheek, reminding her that there was a dog in need of attention in the room. The canine gave a look that resembled a contented smile as the fur behind her ears were being scratched. She thumped her leg from the attention, not at all acting like the war dog she was.
Just then, the sun shone through the curtains of her room and onto Maria, as if she were some holy angel. She scoffed at the thought and laid down back in bed, absently petting Belle's head.
"What to do on this beautiful Friday morning..." She let her thoughts trail off as she thought of the possibilities. She could take a walk with Belle around the estate, do some shopping, sharpen Ebony and Ivory...
"There are just so many options on Friday-"
Friday.
The word made her freeze and her breathing stop. She widened her eyes and became ghostly pale. After five seconds, the shock wore off enough for her to sit bolt right up in the bed, startling Belle in the process. She swung her legs over the side and quickly got dressed.
"Augh, dammit!" She cursed as she ripped open her closet door. "The wedding! Oh, Belle, how could I have forgotten?" Maria smacked her forehead in frustration, her mind going blank. "Clothes.. right... clothes.. clothes!" She shook her head and slumped to the floor. "Clothes.."
Belle trotted over to her and nudged her cheek in understanding. She shuffled through the closet with her nose until she found a pair of black trousers and a white tunic for her. Turning back to Maria with the clothes in her mouth, she practically shoved the garments into her face.
"Thank you, Belle.." the woman shook her head and rummaged through the drawers of her nightstand until she found a pair of stockings. She'd never admit that her pride was wounded from a dog helping her dress.
She quickly pulled them on over her feet and legs, and then dressed into her tunic and pants. Shoving her feet into her boots, she quickly ran downstairs.
Belle stood there in her room perplexed. Sure, she was dressed, but she hadn't even looked at herself in the mirror. She had a serious case of bedhead, her hair once again having its own personality and her normally smooth curls in a crumpled mess. Belle sighed and walked after Maria.
As Maria made her way down the stairs, she was thankful that she always kept a band around her wrist on her at all times. She knew how troublesome her hair could be, and she mechanically tied her hair up into a bun. 'I wonder what the others are doing... Oh, I hope I didn't wake up too late—curse all villains!'
She made her way to the kitchen, lightly panting, and saw Aden situated at the table drinking tea. She sighed, for Aden was an early riser.
She walked over to him and sat down across from him.
"Good morning," he had his eyes closed as he drank the pleasantly hot tea. It came from Syrian leaves, and Maria knew that it was a reminder of his homeland- the only pleasant reminder of his homeland, that is.
"Morning," she looked out of the window, and then back to Aden. "What hour is it?"
"The ninth bell just rang probably a few minutes ago. Don't worry, we have three more bells until noon, Maria. I'll wake the others up in an hour so they have time to prepare."
She furrowed her eyebrows at him. "They're still asleep?"
He sighed, "Apparently, Damiel was up talking with Benjamin. And Zaina and Olivia were having one of their 'girl nights'." Aden shook his head, unable to grasp the concept of females. Sure, everyone needed to tell someone their feelings, but a few times he had past their room and heard somewhat disturbing talks about how 'that man was so handsome' or that 'Damiel wasn't such a bad person'. It disturbed him even more when he discovered that Zaina had said that about Damiel.
"Ah." Maria sighed and instantly relaxed. At least everyone had an enjoyable evening. Reaching behind him to the counter, Aden grabbed a plate of biscuits and butter and handed them to Maria. She ate in silence, and Belle soon joined them to sit at Aden's feet, waiting for her food. He knew that she was patient when it came to breakfast and that she would wait until he was done with his tea.
But today, Belle was not patient. She began chewing on his shoes, obviously hungry. Sighing, he gulped down his remaining tea and prepared her meal of raw meat.
The distraction from his home gave him time to think. He noticed that there was some color in Maria's face, and that there was a slight shimmer in her eye- or was that just the sunlight? He shook his head and placed the plate of meat on the floor for Belle.
And then his blonde beauty came to mind.
He prayed to Allah that she was safe and sound.
As if she was reading his thoughts, Maria commented, "I'm worried about her too, Aden, make no mistake in that. But you must have faith in her. She knows what she is doing. She's an adult, and she's able to look after herself. Believe me, she knows how to look after herself quite well." She smiled gently at him as he hung his head low. "And there will be no more underestimating her abilities, alright? She's alive- I know she's alive." Though, how she knew, or if she even knew, she was not quite sure.
Aden sighed and nodded his head slowly. "You are right.." He sat down next to her and rested his face in his hands, slouching over the table. "Do you know why I am so attracted to her?"
"Obvious reasons, no?"
He shook his head inside of his hands. "No, that is not what draws me in, Maria." Even without her prying, he continued, "All of my life, I'd had such demanding responsibilities. My parents died when I was but six years of age. Zaina was but an infant; barely two weeks old. I had to look after her as well as myself." He slid his hands down so they rested underneath his chin. His green eyes, so similar to Zaina's, were not in this world. They were remembering the hardships he had to endure in the blistering heat of Damascus. "Do you want to know how hard it is looking after a baby when you yourself were simply a child? That you yourself had not one coin on your person and had to result to stealing just to keep what was left of your family alive?" He sighed and shook his head sadly. "You have no idea, Maria."
"I don't see how this ties in with Hildegard, Aden."
Aden continued, satisfying the woman's curiosity. "When I was older, I lacked self esteem. Because the only people I could trust were Zaina and myself, I had to learn how to survive- through stealing and killing. I grew to be quite good at killing people, Maria. But, I began to wonder, was killing people my only purpose? Was I just supposed to be a fighting machine? Was my life's destiny to be my sister's bodyguard? For years, I prayed to have someone like me come into my life and be my friend. I gave up everything to live.
"I was born into a wealthy family, but that was all stripped away from me when my parents died. No one wanted me, and I didn't want anyone besides Zaina. I lost my friends- some I was even forced to kill. I only had Zaina. She was what kept me alive all those years. And then Majd Addin took me in as his bodyguard. I soon became a Templar, and I was happy. For the first time in my life, I was happy. I had money, I had a roof over my head, and I could support my family. I thought it couldn't have gotten any better, but then Zaina was taken from me by that damn executioner.
"He believed that I was not faithful. Thus he used Zaina to blackmail me. He threatened that if I showed any signs of betrayal to the Templar's, he would throw her to his men and let them have their way with her. Zaina was developed enough to be considered a woman, I couldn't let that happen to her.
"And then I met Hildegard. I knew at first sight that she was not a virgin- do not ask how," he raised his hand when Maria opened her mouth to question him, "It is just something every man can tell. I admit, I did think her quite beautiful, but a virgin is the most beautiful thing a man could ever have. I had seen many beautiful women in my life, but until I met Hildegard, I didn't understand the hardships of it.
"As they say, it pays to be beautiful. I learned how she had forsaken everything- her body, her virginity, her pride, love, and future. She gave all of that up just to live- just to keep breathing. It reminded me so much of how I gave up much of my own attributes to keep Zaina alive. I admired Hildegard for it. That admiration slowly turned into friendship, and that friendship soon turned into something else. Perhaps it is love? I do not know, for I only learned love through my family. I only ever loved Zaina as a sister, and if this is love, then it has many, many shades. And now, Hildegard is gone, along with my heart."
Maria listened intently, sipping her tea. She set the cup down and placed her hand on his shoulder. "We're best friends, you know- Hildegard and I."
He nodded and closed his eyes, somewhat thankful for the physical contact. He felt that he was about to crumble and fall to pieces at any given moment.
Maria shook her head and smiled as she recalled how they became friends. "She always mocked me and insulted me. I always thought she was rude until she right out screamed at me that she was uneasy around women, that she had only been with men her entire life, be it in bed or in the fighting ring. She was jealous of me, Aden. She was jealous that, in her own words, 'someone so beautiful and charming and intelligent could be a virgin woman'.
"Hildegard wondered why she wasn't like me: a virgin. Aden, she would give anything to be one again. She still mocked me after that confession though, but I quieted her with sarcasm. It's the deadliest weapon, it seems. We began respecting each other, and we became sisters. Inseparable sisters."
Aden was about to reply when a rather sleepy Damiel walked in on them and plopped himself ungracefully into a chair opposite of Maria. He folded his arms on the table and laid his head on them, obviously tired. He was used to sleeping in, and waking up this early was just out of the question.
Maria stood up and patted him lightly on the back and smiled at him, but her grin disappeared as she looked back to Aden. He was once again covering his face with his hands, kneading his temples. He was grieved. He was stressed that he could not show that grief, for he had to be strong for Zaina. He had to be strong to protect Maria with their strategy. He had to be strong for the entire Rose.
The question was, could he do it?
Translations:
mi amigo: my friend