If I Surrender

Interlude 6

I found myself outside the next night. Ezio was sound asleep in bed, where I wished to be. I tightened my bracers as I waited, mentally going over what all I had brought. I did not trust this assassin that I was meeting so I was armed to the teeth. This could very well be a trap. I touched the bowstring that went across my chest, reassuring myself with its presence.

"You came." A low voice came from my side, surprising me a little. I gave a small growl - how did he always manage to sneak up on me!? I looked over to Altair and he watched me, motionless.

"I am here." I replied gruffly. I was much too tired to deal with this nonsense. I didn't see why we couldn't just meet during the day. But, I held my tongue. I wanted; no, I needed to know more about the Pieces of Eden. "What's next?" He did not reply, merely tipped his head toward an alleyway before heading down it. I clenched my jaw and touched the hilt of my sword, prepared to take him down if he attacked me. I briefly wondered if I even could take him down.

"I will not attack you." Altair said from up ahead and I glared in his direction. He glanced back, meeting my green eyes with his own silver. "I have already shown you trust that you may not deserve. You are at my back, girl, and I trust you to not stick a knife in it." I let my hand fall from my blade and he looked back ahead, ignoring me as we walked. I scowled after a moment, realizing that he called me girl.

We arrived in what appeared to be an abandoned courtyard. Altair sat on the ground and gestured for me to sit in front of him. I complied, crossing my legs beneath me as I sat. I waited for him to speak but soon grew impatient as he stared at me.

"Well?" I asked harshly and Altair closed his eyes, breathing out evenly.

"You have no patience." He gave a short sigh before opening his eyes. "I see that you have brought Epirus tonight. Would you lay it out in front of you?"

I narrowed my eyes at the request. "I don't think so." I wrapped my fingers around the golden bowstring and glared at him, daring him to try and take it from me. He gave me a severe look and I frowned, feeling a little chastened by the look. But I did not give in, glaring at him. Altair reach inside of his robes and I tensed, expecting a weapon to come out. He rolled his eyes at me as he withdrew a spherical object. The light blinded me for a moment but my eyes adjusted and I could see the golden object more clearly.

Altair set it in front of him and I expected it to roll away but it did not. Altair looked at me before saying, "This is an Apple of Eden. I believe your allies are searching for one."

"How?" I asked, struggling for words. "How did you know that?"

He glanced at the apple and back up to me. "It showed me." My fingers loosened on the bowstring and I shrugged the bow off and set it in front of me. The two Pieces glowed briefly before shimmering lightly. I looked back to Altair, more apprehensive than ever. Just who was this man, sitting across from me. His fingers ghosted atop the round apple-like object. "You wouldn't understand," he whispered and I looked up at him surprised. Did I say that out loud? I wondered but he shook his head. "When I have physical contact with the Apple I can hear the thoughts of whomever I wish."

That was amazing, I thought but then I realized what he was saying. "Stay out of my head."

He barked out a rough laugh, it sounded strained and humorless. "I merely need to know where your alliances are." He gave me cold look. "It seems to be in your bed."

I glared, upset at the hidden meaning in his words. "I am not a whore, Altair. I don't need to read your mind to know that's what you think of me." He shrugged a bit and that fueled my anger a bit more. "I love Ezio, despite what you think. I trained him to be the Assassin he is today. He stands by my cause - he understands what's at stake if he ignores the call."

Altair, who was listening passively, snorted. "Do not fool yourself with these delusions. You truly believe he fights and kills because he believes in our cause? Are you so sure that he is not simply doing this all for the sake of revenge for his family." I sat there, wide-eyed. He knew more than I had expected but I felt angry. Not for me, but for Ezio.

I was visibly shaking when I retorted, "That may have been the reason why he began down this path but I do not believe that is why he still fights."

"And why is he fighting? For you?" Altair snapped and gave a cold laugh. "Do you honestly think that he's changed his ways for you?"

I stiffened, understanding what he was implicating. I snarled and snatched the bow from the ground as I stood. "Fuck you, Altair. Quit pretending like you know anything about Ezio. Or me."

"Quit running from the truth, Aria." Altair said as I turned to walk away. I stopped, clenching the bow in a fist. Epirus spoke to me, 'Aria, do not let him get under your skin.' Flashes went through my mind. Altair and a woman... Maria? Hugging. Kissing. Happiness. Elation. Sadness. Furious. Pain. Crying. Death. I shook my head as the visions faded, feeling a little dizzy.

I turned and looked down at the man still sitting on the ground. Our eyes met in a fiery gaze as I said, "Do not think that my relationship with Ezio is anything like yours with Maria."

Suddenly, I felt the wind knocked out of me and I found myself on the ground. Altair hovered above me with a murderous expression on his face and a tip of his blade on my throat. I could feel the press of the cool steel against my throat, pressing harder and harder.

"Do not ever mention her again!" He said lowly, a dangerous tint to his tone. I suddenly felt afraid for my life. He looked as if he was ready to kill. The tip of the blade faltered for a moment and he sighed, pulling it away and rubbing his face. "You are just a child... You don't understand." He gave me a pity filled look. It was more emotion I had witnessed from him in the entirety of knowing him, though honestly, I had only met with the man a few times before this. "I see the path you are on. You will be hurt - heartbroken. I hoped to bypass that but I know, now, that it is impossible. You will have to learn for yourself." He sat back on the ground and I laid there for a moment, catching my breath. I shouldn't have said anything, it was petty of me to bring it up.

I sat up, scooting over to sit in front of Altair again. The man did not look up from the apple placed in front of him. I sat the bow between us again. "I am sorry, Altair. I was upset and said something that I shouldn't have. Please, let us move on from this." He did not reply and remained still. I sighed, "I trust you. I need to know what you do..."

Altair remained silent and I almost stood to leave, thinking he was done with me. "I will tell you all that I know. But first, you will need to know more about me." He said as glanced up, his silver eyes flashing in the moonlight. "My name is Altair Ibn-La'Ahad." I felt the air leave my lungs at his words. He continued before I could think more on it, "I was born in the year 1165..."

A/N: Hey everyone! After everyone's sweet and caring reviews, I have decided to continue on with this story! You all are so nice and supportive - thanks so much to everyone that sent me a kind review or pm. I was feeling really down but now I feel so much better. I've posted two 'interludes' today and I will be working on the final interlude today after work! Then we get to move on with the actual storyline. I haven't really decided if this will be continued on to Brotherhood or Revelations. What do you all think? Anyways, I hope you all like them both. This last one really begins the plot twist I have been dying to put in. See if you can figure out what's going to happen :) Thanks for reading and for being so, so awesome! See ya next time!

Also... I have begun another kind of story. It is still Aria/Ezio/Dante/Nico/Altair and so on but it is told from a different angle. It is going to be about Aria being a Duchess and being apart of the brotherhood in another way. It's a little dark but I think once it gets going you will be able to see how Aria develops from a happy kid to a troubled adult. Please, give it a read and let me know what you think! It's called: Revolution. Thanks again! :)