The knights stood in the centre of a large chamber at the foot of the highest of the towers in the fortress. Stephen wondered if the outer door had been left deliberately non-descript in an effort to disguise the importance of the room. There were eight pillars circling the centre of the room and each pillar stood behind a statue of the 8 men who had created the order he served. A stone sarcophagus was positioned in the very heart of the room the entire surface of which had been painstakingly carved with symbols, some he recognised others he didn't.

"In there Stephen is a chest but what sits inside that chest will prove I speak the truth to you." Moving to the grey stone giant in the centre of the room William knew this was his only chance to save his son and bring him into the fold, nothing but the truth would work now. "Here lies one of the artefacts retrieved from the farthest corner of Asia, the Knight was gone for neigh on 2 decades but when he returned a little after his 70th birthday he looked no older than 25."

"Do you expect me to believe your nonsense Father? That we will push back the stone and the contents of the chest will force a Volte-face from me?" Stephen scoffed but the hair on the back of his neck was standing on end and the room felt a good deal colder than it had previously.

"Expect Stephen! No I don't expect. I implore you to use your head and ignore what you think you know, believe your own eyes." Reaching forward with both hands the old man leaned against the lid and began pushing it from its bed. "Help me with this damn your eyes I'm not as young as I once was!"

With four hands on the lid it moved aside easily and when William bent over to remove the chest Stephen stood slightly to the side of him waiting anxiously to see what was to be revealed.

Thomas' sabatons clanked on the stone steps as he made a speedy dash down the stairs on an errand for the real master of the Templars. They knew things had gone wrong but they had always anticipated they would and this time they had options already in place but things were getting close to falling apart again. "You two men come with me."

The soldiers fell into step with the man not of any military rank they were aware of but undoubtedly noble judging by his manners and dress besides which Marshal instructed all his personal guards to put themselves as his disposal. He took them to the lowest level of the castle. "The woman is armed and probably wild enough to fly at us the instant we open the door but I'm sure we can handle that." Gesturing with his fingers where each man was to stand he unlocked the door and kicked it open jumping back immediately as though expecting her launch herself at him. There was no movement from inside so he nudged one of the men forward "Shine the light in there and see where she is."

The unwilling man was spared the terrifying peek into the cell of the mad woman because with his words the woman stepped slowly into the edge of the torches reach "He sent you for me, does he think me weakened by darkness?"

"Maria I could lock this door and walk away no doubt someone will commit a crime in a month or two but by then all they will find is your rotting corpse. Speak to me or starve you have a choice."

She grunted and stepped back into the shadows "You left me on Limassol to suffer at the hands of the assassin. In spite of everything I have done for this order I was hounded and then abandoned what could I possibly have to say to you?"

He heard steel in her words but something else, something which gave him hope – reason. "You are right in what you say Bouchard was unfair with you but when I saw you at Masyaf you did not seem to be suffering Maria you looked like you were right at home."

"He kidnapped me and every single time I managed to escape his clutches my own people chased me right back into his hands. Masyaf is home to vipers and vermin, what English woman of breeding could suffer that place if she had a choice?"

"Why did you not communicate that to me or Talbot when we were there?" He moved inside the cell now sure she was willing to cling to whatever offer he chose to make. "You gave no sign of discomfort."

"I planned to wait for the entertainment to distract my captors but your news about my Father put paid to that. I was locked up the entire time you were there and only allowed out during the meal, he assumed my being there made them appear more civilised."

"Do you know he has the apple?"

Her mocking laughter echoed around the cold stone room "Of course I bloody know he has it! He spends all his time staring at it trying to figure out how to make it glow." Now face to face with the foppish little man she continued, "He plans to use it to gain control of the Holy Land then who knows what?"

"He doesn't know how to use it?"

"If he did do you honestly believe you would be standing here talking to me?" Stepping once more into the light of the torch her dirt stained face twisted with bitter amusement. This ass of a man thought he had her on a hook but somehow Maria felt more like she was holding the rod. "What is it you want from me Thomas? I've had more than enough trouble from the sorry excuse for men who serve this order since Robert's death."

"Do you know where the apple is? I suppose tucked away in a dark corner of their fortress." His eyes shone with what he thought was cunning but Maria held her tongue allowing him a little more of the line. "Is it at Masyaf Maria? We need that damn artefact!"

"What's in it for me?"

"Don't you consider your life being spared reward enough?"

A dry bark which on any other day would have been a cynical laugh escaped her arid throat and grinning she moved her face inches from his. "I served in his harem Thomas what fucking value could I possibly place on my life after that?"

The little man's back steps were matched by her own forward ones as she kept her face level with his and for once he managed to look beyond her gender and see the danger that lurked before him. "Well ahem that is truly uh..." coughing he tried to ignore how her eyes had his own trapped, "What is it you want Maria?"

"I want what I had before what Bouchard took from me. I want command of an infantry unit and I want to lead it to Masyaf to tear that place apart one brick at a time."

"I'm not entirely convinced I can grant you that Maria. William is an old fashioned man and –"

"I want that and a knighthood. Give me those things and I will hand you the apple before this morning is over."

"Maria you ask too much. William wants you dead it was I who felt you might have more value to us alive." The men who had been behind him stayed in the hallway unwilling to get too close to the stench from the room and he stepped back to them. "I'm in no position to make such an offer Maria your demands are excessive and unfair."

"Then leave Thomas and be sure to close the door behind you when you do, you've let in a terrible draught."

As instructed he left her alone but within the hour he was back escorting her through the main gates to retrieve the apple. William had grudgingly given him the approval to make a deal with her but had left to attend to the disturbance at the docks leaving Thomas in no doubt that any deal Maria made would be reneged upon at a later time. There were two guards behind her and one on each side which pleased her no end. 'At least he has the good sense to know I'm a threat now.'

"How long will it take to find the artefact?"

"As long as it takes us to get there Thomas but with my hands bound I can't possibly ride so it will be long walk. I sincerely hope you are comfortable in that borrowed armour."

Not missing the quip about his borrowed status the small man scowled but his prisoner was paying no attention to his reaction 'This bitch thinks she can insult me with impunity but she will learn otherwise as soon as she delivers us the artefact.' Nodding to one of the men he instructed him to unbind her.

As he sliced through her ropes Thomas stood next to her warning her "Not to try anything stupid" but Maria wasn't listening to him. From the corner of her eye she had caught sight of Uilleam who was peering out at her from behind a market stall. Shaking her head ever so slightly she hoped he understood her gesture. 'Don't try anything I have this under control.'

Once mounted on her horse a quick glance behind her told her the young man wasn't about to attempt a daring rescue and she let her shoulders relax as her hand slid to her waist to feel what was secreted there. She had dropped the cleaver in the cell right in front of their eyes but that damn wall was full of weapons and Maria had one at her waist and one more in her boot just for good measure. Looking at the young men escorting her she felt real regret that within the hour they would be dead but what choice did she have?

Tahir saw the bullish English boy racing through the crowds and stumbling more than once when he failed to avoid one obstacle or another. When finally he reached the novice assassin he was recovering from a head long roll stopping right at his feet. "I found her Tahir they had her at the city gates her hands were bound but they released her and set her on a horse."

Hope lit up his face, "They let her go?"

"No they kept her surrounded I'm sure she is still captive but she is alive at least."

Tahir looked toward the gate Uilleam had just come from and considered chasing her down but if he made a mistake. If even the slightest harm came to her while he attempted to set her free the Master would invent new ways to murder him besides which Tahir cared about Maria and knew any effort which included the Master would be far more likely to succeed. "We must find Altaïr and tell him what we know."

Stephen stood beside the seawall looking out over the deep blue Mediterranean. The waters were calm and the longer he watched the soft ebb and flow of the small waved the more engrossed he became. What his father had shown him was impossible but he had witnessed the power of the thing with his own eyes. Watched the years fall from his father's face like withered leaves falling from a tree undressing for autumn and yet he still found himself doubting his own eyes.

Most of the other men serving at the fortress had went to get the disturbance at the docks under control and while Stephen felt sure a knight could do with his voice what many other soldiers would have to do with their fist he had opted to stay behind. A young soldier had rushed to his father's side the instant they had exited the tower and William's expression had grown sterner by the second as he learned the soldiers news.

Shoving his hand through his hair he had returned to his son to share the information. "Damn fool peasants are causing all manner of trouble at the docks they think there was a deliberate attempt to poison their water and are showing their displeasure."

"Who can blame them Father? With all the changes in leadership recently they find no stability within either our order or that of the governance of the district."

Marshal senior regarded his son with narrowed eyes wondering if what he had seen had the slightest impact on his thinking. "Then they should take their anger to Masyaf where it belongs it was those bloody assassins who caused all that upheaval murdering Robert, Conrad the list goes on. Now you know what you do how do you feel about those blood thirsty heathens possessing an artefact 100 times more powerful than the trinket I just showed you?"

"What would they do with it that you would not?"

William bristled but kept his composure "For a start we would not be on our way to calm a bloody rebellion son. Do you not see the value in a few good men making decisions for the greater good? And while I live and breathe it will not be those bastards controlling me. That is the choice we face Stephen, the power exists and the only thing you need to work out is whose hand you want steering the ship."

He knew the truth of his father's words but the idea of any man possessing such power was offensive to the young knight. He had declined escorting his father to the dock suggesting that they had more than enough men to quiet the rabble but the truth was he wanted to distance himself from his father and his cunning tongue. He needed time alone to consider his choices and so he now found himself looking out at the ocean wondering which man he would raise his sword to fight.

"Have you seen Maria?"

His heart jumped a little at the low voice which cut like a knife into his meditation and when he faced the man he knew to be the leader of the assassin he was relieved he had shown no outward sign of his surprise."From what you told me she hasn't yet arrived in Acre."

Altaïr looked to the fortress behind them and sighed, he had hoped she had found her friend and was safe. "The novice she was with has informed me she arrived hours ago and with murderous intentions. Could it be possible she has been captured?"

Thinking of his father and unwilling to believe that he would harm her Stephen shrugged his broad shoulders. "It is unlikely she would have allowed herself to be taken quietly and since I have heard no mention of her..."

His companion remained silent and the knight wondered if he doubted the sincerity of his words and about to ask if he did but he was interrupted when the soft spoken man spoke first. "I would ask you to be sure Stephen. My intuition – my gut tells me she is in danger."

Now his turn to stare at the keep Stephen chewed his bottom lip. "If it will ease your mind I can look in the cells and make a few enquiries but I am certain my father would not stoop so low as to incarcerate her."

Altaïr did not share the young man's faith in his father but that was irrelevant since he was going to do as he had asked. "Thank you Stephen. You will find me here in the square when your search is complete."

Not more than 10 minutes passed before the young man came storming through the huge gates with a purpose in his step and fury on his face. Crossing the square to the assassin he never halted his pace expecting the other man to fall into step with him. He made it to the farthest corner of the narrowest street leading off the square - almost the exact place where he had first laid eyes on Maria Thorpe - when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Where is she?"

"Taken but the idiot guards know not where. She was led out of here about an hour ago by the very man I warned you about bloody Thomas I will rip off his head and mount it on a spike for this."

Altaïr's eyes fluttered briefly as he flirted with a rare emotion... fear. She was in more danger now than she ever would have been had he stayed with her. "I will find her Stephen I have talents."

Without pausing for questions or suggestions he set his feet in the direction of the bureau but this time it was he who was halted by a hand on his arm. "We will find her together assassin."

Hard eyes focused on the hand on his arm until the knight removed it "I work better alone."

"That may well be true but fortunately for you I work well in a team and with both of us looking our search will be easier." Seeing his attempt to lighten the mood fell flat Stephen tried another approach, "Neither of us wants this but we both care for her so why not just accept that and get on with the task at hand?"

Nodding his head abruptly he spoke in a similar manner. "Slow me down or get in my way and we will part company." With that he turned on his heels and tried to decide where best to begin since taking this man to the bureau was out of the question. "Do you at least know what direction they took her in?"

Stephen shook his head but a new voice spoke and this time it was Altaïr's turn to be surprised. Tahir was learning... "They took her to the east gate and mounted horses there were 4 guards and one man who Uilleam said looked more like a Lord than a knight even though he wore some armour."

Both men immediately began in the direction mentioned and the younger boys had to scurry to keep up with what looked like an effortless pace.

The assassin felt darkness work its way into his very soul but he shoved it aside knowing if Maria was hurt or worse that darkness would return to plague him. He never expected it to leave after the death of Adha but the Englishwoman had found a place in his heart and brought light once more to the dolorous existence he called a life and to lose her now would certainly assure him of the loveless life he had previously resigned himself to.

Moving within streets of the fighting at the docks, something which would normally had his entire attention he barely glanced in that direction. He had given all to the protection of mankind but now in this moment they would have to fight their own battles his mind would think only of Maria. With his jaw clenched and his feet sure the assassin cut the distance between himself and his love certain that he would face any foe or pay any price to save her.

A/N and we are back. Rusty as hell and still with my wrist in a cast so don't look for regular updates yet but I do want to get this finished. Thanks for your patience and sorry if this is below par I am trying