It didn't take long to Altaïr wake up hearing a small whimper. He soon saw it was coming from where Maria was sleeping.
'Imra'ah anidah...' he muttered.
Getting up, Altaïr picked up his blanket, put around himself and walked towards her.
"Maria?" He called.
As an answer, he just received a shudder.
Altaïr knew the night was a very cold night and she was she needed more than a blanket…
"Maria…" He called again, a little louder.
She opened her eyes and looked at him.
"What do you want, Altaïr? I was sleeping…" She said.
"Yeah, I know… but you are cold and the night isn't helping…" He said.
Maria didn't answer… she knew he was right. She was so cold…
"May I lay down with you?" He asked.
Maria looked at him again.
"Just to warm us up… " He said, making a sign with his hand.
Maria nodded after a few seconds. Altaïr sat beside her and made her lay down, so he could wrap the blanket around them.
"Just don't think about anything else, mister…" She said. He nodded.
She just closed her eyes again as Altaïr sighed. This night was going to be a difficult one…
X ~ X ~ X
When Maria opened her eyes, still somewhat asleep, it was day. She tried to stretch herself, but something was preventing her of doing so. Looking down, she saw a hand around her, resting protective on her belly. She tried again, but just managed to have the owner of the hand to hug her more closely. She could feel the breath on her neck and the strong muscles beneath and the growing hard on the clothes they were wearing.
At first she thought it was Robert, on one of the nights he fucked her, but if so she wouldn't be hearing birds and be outside… were she abducted? If so where were them?
Breathing hard, she pondered her chances… on a quick movement of her arm, she strongly elbowed the man on the gut, then, as he released her, punched him on the face.
"Aow…" Altaïr said, putting his hands on his face as he rolled on his back.
"Altaïr... " She said, surprised.
He looked at her, between his hands.
"Damn, woman… " He said. "Could you be rougher?"
"I'm sorry…" Maria said. "I didn't expect you…"
She helped him to get up.
"Let me see…" She pleaded.
Altaïr turned away from her. Taking his hands from his face, he saw blood on them.
"Don't be a child and let me see…" Maria demanded.
Altaïr sighed and let her see his wound: a small cut on the corner of his mouth and a bleeding nose.
"Sorry…" She said again.
She picked up a cloth on her things, poured a little of water from her canteen and gave it to him.
"Thanks…" Altaïr said, putting the cloth over his mouth and nose.
She saw him clean himself.
"You really must to improve you fight technic... you hit like a…" He said, but she interrupted him.
"I'm a girl, Altaïr…" She said. "But I can say you need improvement as well…"
Altaïr looked at her, with a sour expression.
"At least, I marked you…" He said.
"Yes, you did…" Maria confirmed. "But it was a shallow one…"
Altaïr didn't say anything, just walked to his things.
"Come, let's go…" he said. "I need to speak with the rafiq…"
X ~ X ~ X
Altaïr and Maria both stopped the horses. On the contrary to the most of the cities, Safita wasn't mured.
"How we'll able to pass the guards?" Maria asked.
"With them…" Altaïr said, pointing to the scholars.
Maria looked at the group...
"Good to you, but I will look suspicious…" She said.
"You will be a citizen we found on the way here and need medical help…" Altaïr explained. "Scholars are known to help the wounded too…"
Maria just sighed… she hoped to be able to do it…
"I hope you know what are you doing, so help me God, I will hurt you... badly…" She said.
X ~ X ~ X
Translation:
Imra'ah anidah= stuborn woman