His arrival at the docks was unexpected but Markos quickly recovered from the surprise and arranged what men he had to serve the master. His needs were minimal and his requests were simple – help him find Maria Thorpe or William Marshal as one would lead to the other. It took less than an hour for the men to build a solid enough picture of the Templar and his movements but Maria proved trickier. An English woman fitting her description had been seen arriving at the same docks he had some days before but nobody had seen her since.

Altaïr left Markos and his men to move among the people and make their enquiries while he paid a visit to the Crusader fortresses of the area hoping to find out who was sheltering the man but after spending an entire day listening to small talk and following any lead he came to the conclusion that Marshal was in hiding, probably worried that news of his crimes would follow him from Acre. He returned to Markos hopeful that the local men had met with more success than he had. Markos was outside the whitewashed building waiting for him and came down the road to meet him.

"Alexius believes he has found some of the crewmen from the ship Marshal sailed on but since it is scheduled to depart in the morning he has gone to the tavern to learn what he can tonight." Markos regarded the young man for a moment "You look tired. I had planned to show you where we are going to locate our bureau but I think you would appreciate a nice meal and bed more."

What he wanted, what he needed was to find Maria but he kept his reply neutral, "I have spent days cooped up on a boat rest is the last thing I want my friend. Take me to your bureau."

It turned out the bureau on Cyprus was the first reason the assassin had to smile for days. Everything about it was perfection and he knew Maria would enjoy learning of its location as much as he had - now all he had to do was find her to share the news. The small cottage Markos had placed at his disposal was both comfortable and functional. With a huge writing desk and a decent library at his disposal but the longer he sat staring at the parchment the more he knew he had nothing to say.

The oil lamp flickered and the assassin watched the shifting shadows it threw across the wall. He had retired to his quarters telling Markos he had much to do but he had paced around the room, scanned and dismissed the books and now he was back at the desk thinking about the only thing his mind seemed happy to focus on. His chair creaked as he shifted position to reach for his parchments on the edge of the desk but as distracted as he was there was only one thing he really wanted to see. The sketch was rough, in its early stages but he liked it so far. For some reason he had decided to draw her with the Templar cross on her chest, an adornment her usual grey tunic lacked. His finger traced the outline of her half finished face and his chest heaved. Maria was strong willed almost to the point of obstinacy and she would not look kindly upon him following her here but the knowledge that if she found him she would face William Marshal and whatever men he had around alone horrified him. "You said we are stronger together Maria. Wait for me, I'm close."

The following morning just before dawn Markos awoke him with the news he had spent half the night waiting for - William Marshal had taken shelter in a large house at the very top of the hills. Within minutes the assassin was mounted up and on her trail.

As they approached the fortress Tahir found himself offering a silent word of thanks to Maria for demanding the bodies of her fallen brothers were removed from the grounds. He had spent the journey from Acre to Masyaf explaining to Gwen and Uilleam the basics of the order he served but the sight of dead Christian soldiers littering the ground serving as a warning to any interlopers might have undone all that talk in seconds.

Some of the men guarding the lookout waved to him as they passed but it was the curious looks on their faces which had Gwen chewing her lip. "Tahir are you quite sure we will be welcome here?"

Nodding he grinned "You will turn heads for a while but soon enough something else will happen and their focus will shift." The fact was Tahir believed Uilleam would be the far bigger talking point. The Master had invited him to travel to Masyaf and spend some time with his brothers which Tahir knew was tantamount to an invitation to join their ranks.

The English boy had lived in Acre for most of his life and was familiar with the "legend" of the assassin order. Believing them to be cold blooded killers of Christians and nothing more it had come as a huge surprise to him to learn he had in fact been dealing with assassins all along. He didn't have a great deal of time talking with Altaïr but there was something about the man which stood out. Most of his friends who thought themselves tough would shout and flex their muscles at every opportunity but this man was different. He had never heard him utter any kind of threat or saw him make any show of his masculinity but Uilleam instinctively knew he was likely the deadliest man he would ever encounter. The idea of spending some time at their home and learning how they trained appealed to him on so many levels but the idea of abandoning his life in Acre permanently never once crossed his mind he saw this as a chance to learn some handy new skills and nothing more. Besides since the death of his Mother he had taken to brawling and it was only a matter of time before he would be caught, it was a good time to leave the city.

As they rounded the final bend Gwen was too busy swatting flies from her face to notice the vista which opened up before them. It was Uilleam and his low whistle which forced her eyes ahead. "Oh my..."

Tahir's chest filled with pride when he saw the appreciative looks his home was receiving "We will live in the village but when we have time I will take you to the fortress and show you around." It never occurred to him that wives being shown around the armoury was frowned upon, he simply wanted to share as much of his life with her as he could.

Her head bobbed up and down in a distracted nod and her mouth hung slightly open. "Altaïr is master of all?"

"Of all and more besides since a great many of the surrounding towns look to us for protection."

Gwen had thought them a small band of men who studied and lived together but the sight before her forced her to rethink and added no small amount to her concerns.

They rode the last few hundred yards in silence with Tahir gazing at the cool waters of the river on his left longing to dive in and lose the dust the journey had covered him in. After they dismounted a stable boy led the horses inside for a rub down and a well earned rest when a familiar voice had Tahir turning towards the gate.

"I was wrongly informed that the Master was approaching but you are no less a welcome sight."

The two men greeted each other with friendly smiles and back patting while the English guests hung back unsure what to do. "I see you have some weary travellers in tow?"

He dashed back a few paces and took her hand, "This is Gwen the girl I spoke of before I left Masyaf and I believe you know Uilleam. The Master invited him to come and spend some time with us at the fort."

'Ah opening our ranks to people from all walks of life has begun in earnest...'

Stepping forward he placed a hand on his chest and bowed to the pretty young girl, "An honour to meet you I have heard much about you." Turning to Uilleam he grinned, "I regret you will find no ale within these walls but I believe we can occupy you nonetheless."

The English boy with shoulders like a wall blushed as he remembered how Maria had found him blind drunk and spoiling for a fight. "I'm not normally given to the ale Master Malik it pains me terrible for days after and Maria said she would kill me her own self if she ever found me in that state again."

It should have been ridiculous, the idea that this mountain of boy would fear the slim English woman but Malik felt certain his fears were justified. "I would urge you not to test her on the sincerity of that threat." Leading them through the huge double gates he turned to the English girl who was already drawing all eyes to her, "I'm afraid I am unprepared for your arrival it will take me a few minutes to have someone arrange quarters for you."

Gwen's cheeks flushed the deepest red or perhaps it was simply exaggerated by her pale skin but Malik looked questioningly at Tahir who grinned and then beamed. "Gwen and I were married before we left Acre she will be living with me in the village as soon as we can arrange it." Had the novice been about to offer more his train of thought was interrupted by a loud barking and Malik who seconds before would have doubted it possible watched his face shine more, "Come here girl come and meet your new Mother."

Kaderi nimbly bounded past the women who were standing around the well in ever increasing numbers and leapt into the air just as soon as she thought her landing on him was assured. Tahir's backside met the earth with a solid thump in the dust as the dog cried and yipped, greeting him and admonishing him for leaving all at the same time it seemed. Malik watched the young man as he played on the ground with his dog and wondered what sort of life his new wife was going to have with him until the girl with the wheat coloured hair got down on her hunkers beside them and let herself be properly introduced to the other member of their small family, 'Probably a very happy one...'

Malik instructed Rashid to help the English boy settle into a dormitory before he left the small group behind to return to the fortress. Practically every man, woman and child who lived in Masyaf had found one reason or another to congregate in the square to witness the new arrivals and the assassin passed them listening to snippets of conversations which would abruptly halt when his approach was noticed. It would seem Gwen and Uilleam were not the only ones who would require a settling in period but that was perfectly normal. Far bigger changes than this were in the wind and Malik knew not all of them would be welcomed with open arms but he truly believed the plans they had would make the brotherhood stronger and for that reason alone he would help to implement them.

Stopping midway up the hill when he felt a left hand that was no longer there try to reach an itch on his face Malik sighed, a soft weary sound which did not truly echo what was in the young man's heart. He watched as a woman emerged from the crowd to speak to the young English girl who was in turn taking a few cautious steps forward. From his vantage point on the hill he could not see their expressions but he knew they were smiling. Seconds later another decided to break ranks and welcome their guest and Malik offered silent thanks to the young healer Nijma for making the first move.

Maria had to bite down to stifle a cry when something sharp pierced the palm of her hand. She came to a stop in the high grass to inspect the damage but never had to unclench the fist her hand had formed to know it was a deep cut. Thick rivulets of crimson fluid were already staining the cuff of her tunic. Casting an angry eye over the offending rock she whispered a curse and began backing out of the grass to return to the trees and wait for full dark to make her assault. She had told herself she needed to get closer to the gate to get a better idea of how many men were behind the high walls of the villa but the truth was far simpler and less impressive. Waiting for nightfall in the trees had bored her and so she had convinced herself a perilous trip to the gate was not only a good idea but crucial to her chances of success. Exiting the grass she scrambled back to the trees unaware of the eyes that had been on her all the while.

She stayed on her knees until she was fully covered by the thicker foliage of the grove before she got back onto her feet and began inspecting her tunic to see which part would make a good dressing for her latest wound when she felt fingers coil around her face covering her mouth and a arm reach around her body locking both of her arms against her side.

"Wha ma hell!" Her voice was muffled by his hand but he knew what she was saying. Spinning his body taking them to the deepest part of the forest the assassin ignored the heels painfully slamming into his shins and took his prize to safety.

"Be quiet Maria you have already taken too many chances." He took his hand from her face despite his doubts that she would be able to keep quiet and released his hold on her body. Her arms flailed as she broke the last of his hold and he watched with quiet amusement as she attempted to regain her balance with as much dignity as she could muster.

Stumbling from being dropped her feet did an awkward shuffle as she spun around to face him. Sweeping an arm over her tunic to smooth it then running her hand over her hair she finally had her limbs under control, her temper however... "Do you truly feel that was necessary?"

"A guard on the roof was returning to the west side he would have spotted you had you stayed there much longer."

"I have managed to remain unseen thus far without your help."

"I saw you."

"You're not a guard."

"Do you think they don't patrol the perimeter?"

Averting her eyes she squinted back at the villa and decided to change the subject. "How did you find me?"

"I found him; you covered your tracks with skill."

She wanted to smile at the compliment but the memory of being snatched from behind like a cadet was too fresh in her mind. After all those days of walking and climbing it could have all ended with a whimper. Then another thought occurred to her...

"How did you get here so fast?"

"I was days behind you but once we knew where Marshal was it was a simple matter of navigating the hills. My horse struggled with some of the rockier terrain but we covered the ground fast."

"Your horse, you came on a horse?"

"Yes how else would I have made such an arduous uphill journey?"

Her face coloured purple, "How long did it take you?"

"The best part of the day, I left at dawn."

She closed her eyes, "But every guard on the island is looking for you and there are a great many guards here since King Richard is here and there was a noble wedding not a week ago. How could you possibly pass them on horseback?"

He shrugged unaware of the effect such an indifferent gesture would have on her.

"All those days of walking..." Maria was torn, she wanted to cry, to stab him in the face and scream. Her body ached in places she never knew she could ache. Her wound from Acre still hurt like hell and her buttock would send bolts of pain like lightening down her leg to remind what a poor idea her walking really was. "I could have ridden?"

"A woman on a horse would certainly stand out more but my best guess is that you would have been perfectly safe so long as you avoided the villages."

"I see..."

"You are injured." Reaching out to touch her forehead he narrowed his eyes when he found no source for the blood staining her skin.

"Oh it's my hand."

Remembering her attempt to repair her dishevelled appearance the assassin smiled and caught hold of her fingertips to lift her hand closer to his face. "We should clean this and dress it. There is a small house behind some rocks where we can build a fire and better see what to do."

"A house, a fire...? He is over there and you think I'm going to casually stroll off in the other direction." Not for the first time since he had known her he looked down to his chest as the Englishwoman jabbed her fingers at it. "You might have spared him but you are not my Lord and Master assassin. I make my own decisions and I have decided that William Marshal will die."

Altaïr waited until her fingers had stopped assaulting his chest before he took one step closer to her, lowering his hood and locking his eyes on hers. "You look ready to collapse. I don't know when you last ate but your stomach tells its own tale. We will move to the cabin, tend to our wounds and tomorrow when we are both rested and stronger we will face him together."

Maria stepped forward less than half a pace now almost nose to nose with the man. "This is my mission assassin. I say what will happen and when." Standing still she watched him for any sign of the anger she could see shining out from his amber eyes he, as usual remained steady but by God it was there and she decided to dare it to show its face. "I spent days walking here Altaïr – days! Pain, hunger and cold nights were my only companion. You show up here now after a cosy little jaunt on your horse and you think I will submit to your orders?"

His jaw stiffened a fraction and his shoulders squared ever so slightly. She was so close now she could almost taste the battle coming. The corners of her mouth turned up as she got up on the tips of her toes to look him dead in the eye. "I don't need you here. I don't want you here and I most certainly did not ask for your assistance."

He turned away from her and began walking to the rocky hills behind them. "Come with me to the cottage and we can discuss this because if we stand here bickering we will be noticed."

The promise of an argument was all the encouragement she needed to take up his offer and she followed him to the shell of what had once been a cottage. It was nestled between the trees and a small stream which flowed over the rocks on its path to the down the hill. The building had probably once belonged to a farmer but had been destroyed by fire. There was no roof and the front wall was entirely gone but the wall which would shield their light from William's position was intact. Sitting on a pile of blackened stones she watched him build a fire from the kindling he had collected on their way there.

He had kept his hood down and as the first flickers from the fire illuminated his face she was reminded of how much she had missed him and all those promises she had made to herself not to let him go again. But she had walked here and he had ridden up demanding she let him be the man and take control! "I know you're angry so you can stop trying to hide it."

He stayed on his knees but straightened out his back to better see her. "I am angry yes but I am also relieved and frustrated. You think these past few days were easy for me? Not knowing where you were or if you where safe." He could have told her about the storm at sea or about the guards he had fought when he was spotted too close to Limassol castle but those were not the things which had troubled him...

Tossing a small rock into the nearby water Maria scoffed at his words, "You came here to find your little woman and nothing more. It bothers you that I can survive without you just as it bothers you that I don't fall at your feet every time we meet."

"You think I followed you here to try to win you back?" His expression was incredulous and his voice - although still soft – was slightly louder than normal. "We are stronger together were your exact words to me and yet you left me almost immediately after you spoke them. Tell me Maria how is it you can ask something of me when you are unwilling to offer me the same consideration?"

Maria shifted on the rock "I eh well I suppose –"

"You profess to value respect and equality but you show little of either to other people." Getting to his feet he moved to her but stopped short of towering over her. "I came here to help you finish a battle I should have ended in Acre not to assume command of your plans or your life. You have made it perfectly clear you have no wish to remain with me and I am tired of trying to change your mind." She opened her mouth to speak but he found he had more to say, "We will fight this one last battle together and when it's over you will be free to go where you wish with my blessing. You were right Maria, you are not cut out to be a wife – you are much too self absorbed."

Her heart dropped like a stone to the pit of her gut but her head stayed erect and her eyes never left his face. "I did tell you as much did I not?" Altaïr made no reply instead opting to rummage around in his saddle bags to find something for them to eat and when it felt like she could do so without it seeming like a retreat she moved to the slow flowing stream and pulled her blade from her belt to cut off a piece of her tunic and bandage her hand.

Submerging her hand into the cool water Maria smiled sadly and closed her eyes. She never heard him approach but when she felt his fingers wrap around her wrist and draw her hand from the water she felt a lump in her throat.

"This needs to be cleaned and covered." The timbre of his voice was gentler than she would have expected and Maria knew if she opened her mouth to speak her aching heart would leap from her throat and betray her.

She never spoke as he tended to her wound but her silence told him more than her words ever could. It should have been satisfying to see her humbled but the assassin took no pleasure in it and he decided to end her discomfort. "How is your side, have the stitches held together?"

Her eyes briefly met his before darting off toward the river and the assassin had to force himself not to take her in his arms. To see her so unsure of herself was difficult but he had said his piece and meant to keep to it. He wanted her by his side for the rest of his life but not at any price – she had to be willing to share herself fully with him. He sat a moment longer waiting to see if she would speak but her gaze remained averted and he let her hand go, "There is some bread and I'm boiling water for tea."

"Altair, please listen." Her fingers caught the flap of his robe and held him beside her. "I can't wait until tomorrow I have to go in there now."

"Maria I understand your desire to end this but it would be wiser to wait."

"I can't wait, its already taken me so long to get here I can't simply sit here minutes from him and bide my time."

She was still holding his robes and from her position on the ground she looked almost as though she were begging. The assassin tugged her hands free from his robes and pulled her up to her full height. "Tell me why."

She began relaying the conversation she had with Stephen on the road to Acre and when she told the assassin about the piece of Eden she paused briefly waiting for him to tell her how foolish she was being but if anything the news that the Templars had an artefact made him listen more intently. "I know it's ridiculous to believe William could use it to heal Stephen or to help him cheat death but he said that the scar on his father's hand seemed to improve and I have to be sure. Altaïr if he has my friend under the control of one of those hellish things I must free him."

The image of a distraught William Marshal bending over his son's body came to mind, "Not so ridiculous Maria but you should have told me what you knew."

"You were unconscious and in no shape to travel or fight what else could I do?" And had she added that nothing else on earth would have taken her from his side she would not have been exaggerating but Maria was not the sort of women to be so forthright with such flowery admissions. "Altaïr please try to understand, I must do all I can for him, he would do no less for me."

The assassin flicked a tongue over his lip and nodded "We move around the outer wall and kill those guards first. The more we can kill before we are discovered the easier it will be to get to him."

A/N thanks so much to DanAlaya for the advice I really needed it.

Final chapter should be posted within the week :D