PS: This chapter I made to justify the time lapse... and to put Maria in the story also... she and Altaïr will get back together in a few chapters.
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Intermission:
The next day:
Earlier in the morning, everyone was up. Maria, put her clothes and pick her sword, putting it on her belt. When she exited the room, Kahlil and his wife were in the living room, waiting for her…
"Is everything all right?" She asked.
Kahlil nodded.
"But before you go, we need to tell you something…" Kahlil said.
"When the Templars came to us, the captain said something while he was drunk…" the woman said. "He said that the Templars were doing a machine that would finish the Assassins once and for all…"
"Why didn't you said this to Altaïr?" Maria asked.
"Because we don't know if it is true…" Kahlil said. "If it is, the plans should be at their fortress…"
Maria nodded.
"And because they threatened us…" Kahlil said again. "I'm sorry in betray my friend, but… we are afraid…"
Maria nodded again.
"Don't worry... I talk to him if I can find the plans…" She said.
They nodded and the three of them exited the house.
Raouf, Aisha and Brian were outside. Raouf had already prepared a horse to her.
"How it is going to be?" She asked Raouf when she mounted the horse.
"I will follow you of a distance…" Raouf said. "You will see the falcon every time, so you will know I'm close…"
"Ok…" Maria agreed.
Raouf gave her the reins as Brian approached her.
"Be careful, sister…" Brian said. "I can't lose you now…"
"I know…" Maria said, before she trotted away…
X ~ X ~ X
Marqadah, one day and half:
Maria was near the city de Marqadah, where the meeting was about to happen… the city was particularly quiet…
In a day and half on the road, she didn't saw Raouf once… always the falcon…
Maria sighed.
"Do you feel it Dawn?" She asked the horse.
She became well acquaintance of the horse, whom she discovered was a mare, during the night before. Dawn whinnied.
Maria looked around. At the horizon, a cloud of dust was coming on her direction and a flag made clear it was the Templars… she would have recognized it anywhere…
"It's show time…" She said.
Maria waited for them to get closer.
When they stopped near her, the Templar captain then got down his horse and took of his helmet. Maria hold her breath when she saw his face again.
"Well, well…" Sir Thomas said. "If it isn't Maria Thorpe… quite different though…"
"I'm surprised you even remember…" Maria said.
"I wouldn't forget someone who made us all fool…" Sir Thomas said. "Now, business… where is the Assassin? I doubt he would let you alone…"
"I don't know… we have parted our way after Ar Raqqah…" She said. "Maybe back at their fortress…"
"Why don't I believe you?" Sir Thomas asked.
"Believe what you want, he isn't with me, fool…" Maria said. "Do you see him anywhere?"
He approached her and picked her shirt, almost knocking her down from the mare.
"I see that the time didn't tamed your tong…" Sir Thomas said, angry.
He released her and ordered his knights.
"Arrest her… we will see what I'm going to do next…"
Maria knew very well this captain was capable of… she saw it before.
Two Templars would escort her back to the Mosul fortress.
X ~ X ~ X
It was night when they finally stopped and mounted camp. They walked all afternoon. Dawn was taken with the other horses and Maria was taken to the Captain tent where he could keep an eye at her.
She was tired, thirsty, and now sitting on the floor, with her hands bind above her…
Maria was glad Altaïr wasn't there or now he would be tortured or dead…
Sighing, she couldn't do anything right now…
"Don't get too comfy…" The Captain, entering the tent.
"Bite me, Thomas…" She said.
He hit her on the face. Maria looked back at him.
"Tell me where that Assassin is and maybe I'll let you alone…" Sir Thomas said.
"I don't know where he is…" Maria said. "And even if I knew I wouldn't tell you…"
"I guess eight years weren't enough for you to forget what happened…" He said cruelly.
Maria remained quiet. She didn't forget what he and five others Captains, including Robert, did with her. Actually, she remembered it almost daily…
"What, the cat eat you tong, now?" Sir Tomas asked.
"I told you the truth…" Maria said instead. "I really don't know where he is…"
Sir Tomas looked at her for a while and without saying anything, exited the tent.
Maria breathed relieved, then looked around. She didn't know how she would get out of this situation… she just knew she had to win time so Altaïr and the others could sabotage the fortress in Mosul…
X ~ X ~ X