The Eagle and Hawk Of Masyaf

by allseer15

Shahin has a few secrets she's hiding from her fellow Assassins. She's a woman, she can grow wings, fly, and possesses a few unknown abilities. She lives a cautious life unnoticed by mostly everyone until Al Mualim partners her with Altair after his failure in Solomon's Temple. But she's not the only one keeping secrets. AXOC

13. Chapter 13: Tamir

Before I start this chapter I want to thank a reader out there by the username of Skyla123. I want to thank this reader for helping me iron out a few details in this chapter and remind me that I'm slacking off a bit when it comes to Altair's POV(all of which was PMed to me at 2:40a.m. their time. Impressive), which I have been and I'm gonna fix that in this chapter. I've also been being nagged(not really nagged but reminded over and over again) that there isn't enough action in the story(by my little brother no less) and I'm gonna try and fix that in this chapter too because I've been wondering when I should put in the next fight scene.

I did not mention any of my helpers to embarrass them and I am sorry if I did do so.

I don't own any of the Assassin's Creed games or characters. I just own Shahin and the harem women for now.

ONWARD!

p.s. this is a really long chapter. Get ready to sit down for a little bit.

Chapter 13: Tamir

We descended down the zigzagging path in the hill while blending in to avoid raising the suspicion of the guards on the trail. When we reached the bottom of the hill, we left our horses and a few coins at the stable boys so our steeds were cared for while Altair and I were at work. Then we stood in the shadow on an empty stall and regarded the guarded entrance to Damascus.

"Do you see any scholars?" I asked my friend. He shook his head and I took one last look around the outer city market area before sighing. It was nearly empty with the last few people making their way into the city and there were no scholars. "They must have already gone inside the city for the night," I murmured, stating the obvious.

Altair turned towards me and raised an eyebrow, "Really? Because I thought they were just hiding out here amongst the stalls."

I 'pfft'ed at him. "I was just thinking aloud. Forgive me for doing something so human. So how do you suggest we get into the city, Almighty Altair? The rafters?" I motioned to the wooden beams ten feet above the guards' heads that went all the way through the gate/tunnel to the other side. I looked for a way to get up to the rafters as a way to distract myself from my nervousness. I really need to learn how to tease and taunt. I hate worrying, I thought with a mental raspberry. If only there was a book on it. That would really make my day.

Altair shook his head and questioned softly, "Why go over them when you can go through them?" He began walking out of the shadows and towards the bored guards standing watch. He casually walked up to the guard farthest to the left because he was standing a bit out of the other guards' field of vision. I gritted my teeth and kept pace a few steps behind the arrogant man. I didn't dare speed up for fear of the movement catching the eyes of the other guards.

"Altair!" I hissed quietly, and he either didn't hear me or ignored me. Men! I thought with a little disgust. Why don't they ever listen to reason?

The guard he was approaching saw us when Altair was five feet away and opened his mouth to probably demand what our business was, but Altair's hidden blade was suddenly buried in his gut. Altair embraced the man with one arm to hide the action and the guard gasped quietly in pain. Just as quickly as he had attacked the man, Altair released the dying man to stagger and walked past him with me at his side, for the pause it took to dispatch the guard was enough time for me to catch up. My tongue itched to reprimand the older man, but I held it in check to avoid drawing the attention of the guards behind and in front of us.

My body wanted to tense, but I kept it relaxed as we crossed fifteen feet of the entire twenty. It was then that I partially relaxed, thinking we'd made it without being caught.

At least, I was until a hard loud voice suddenly called out, "Who did this? Who killed this man? You two! Halt! You two in the white I order you to stop!" The guards, who were right in front of us, turned to see what the commotion was and came face to face with us.

Damn it, Altair, I mentally growled.

Altair and I moved at the same time. We shoved aside the guards in front of us and dashed through the open area in front of us. Guards yelled and shouted at us to stop which attracted the attention of any other guards in the area. The late hour helped us, for there weren't many people out on the streets to block our path: they were all at home.

I used my superior speed to pull in front of the idiot man and tersely ordered over my shoulder, "Follow me." I didn't look to see if he obeyed before going to a wall and scrambling up as fast as I could, not even thinking of where I was putting my hands and feet. I only focused on a path that would take us away from the guards on our tail. I ran straight across the building's roof and leaped the 7 foot gap easily on to another roof. I heard a thump behind me and a glance told me that Altair was indeed following me. That glance also told me that the first of the guards had climbed up onto the roofs.

I veered right and sprinted across some wooden planks before dropping down on to a lower roof. I ran parallel to the streets and looked for a place to hide and disappear. I didn't come across it until we'd put considerable distance between the guards and us and it came in the form of a very narrow and dark alley. I dropped down into the crevice that was probably only two feet wide.

I hoped Altair didn't have trouble with the narrow space and his shoulders as my feet hit the ground. I bent awkwardly at my knees to absorb the shock in the small space before continuing further into the alley. I had to place my hands on the wall once to swing myself over someone sleeping in the alley before I found a satisfying hiding spot among wooden crates.

I looked behind me and saw Altair running after me, his body turned so his shoulders didn't catch on the rough stone. With the knowledge that he could see where I was going, I got down on to my hands and knees, ignoring whatever disgusting unnamable things on the ground, and crawled quickly through the gap. The space within the stacked crates was more than I thought it would be and had probably been made by someone living on the streets. I turned on to my butt to watch Altair come in. The bigger man had to fold in on himself a little to get through the small opening and only bumped a crate once before making it all the way in.

He grunted as he jerkily turned himself onto his bottom. All that space I was talking about? It was suddenly gone as I found myself pressed shoulder and hip to the man. I felt my face heat at the situation and my face absolutely burned when Altair weaved his legs among mine. Altair sighed in disgust as he looked at his gloves and knees. "Couldn't you have found a better hiding place than this?" he asked as he tried his best to wipe off the dirt and whatever else that was on his person.

I opened my mouth to apologize and nothing came out of my dry throat. After quietly clearing my throat, I tried again but only got a squeak out.

I covered my shadowed face with one hand and looked away when Altair raised his head to look at me in question. "What's wrong with you?" he demanded incredulously. When I didn't answer he took his pack from where he had it on his shoulder and fished out his bladder of water. "Here," he said holding out the water, but it was a little awkward since he couldn't unfold his arm correctly. When he leaned forward an inch to give his arm more room to move I felt his hot breath on my face.

I froze and felt my ears and neck start to burn. My heart raced and my breath caught in my throat before picking up speed for no apparent reason. What's wrong with me? I thought in a quiet panic. Am I sick? If I was why would it come on so suddenly? Is it punishment for thinking Altair was an idiot? I cast a quick prayer up to whatever god was listening promising I'd never call Altair an idiot again, even if he deserved it, if this strange… sickness would just stop. I couldn't think of anything other than the man's body heat, his sculpted lips, which were so close to mine, and his strong heart beat.

Altair finally sat back and held out the water properly now. When I didn't reach for it, I saw him frown in confusion. "Shahin, here, take the water." I still didn't respond, still confused about what was happening to me and didn't know how to respond to the man. He leaned forward again and his free hand came up to move back my hood. "Shahin, what's the matter with you?"

Before I could catch his hand or he could lower my hood I heard the faint sound running and yelling. I reacted on instinct. My hand came up and slapped itself over Altair's mouth as my body shifted forward on to my knees of its own accord. I blinked and almost whined in distress aloud when I found myself straddling one of his legs, my body pressed to his, my hand covering his sometimes uncontrollable mouth, and my golden eyes staring down into his amber ones for once. His amber eyes widened in surprise and I looked away in embarrassment, suddenly finding the dirt ground very interesting. Even through my glove I could feel the heat of his breath and the smooth feel of his lips.

I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to mentally track the loud guards that were running across the roofs, missing the alley we were hiding in. Altair was stiff for a few moments before relaxing and waiting for the guards to pass. I was stiff forthe eternity that was two minutes. It was after I was satisfied that the guards had passed that I pushed myself away from the man and out of the hiding place among the crates. I bit my tongue hard to try and clear away my thoughts and told myself that I was stepping away from the crates to give Altair room to get out, but I knew I was moving away because I didn't like how I felt around that man.

Once he was free of the crate's I asked quietly, "Do you know where the bureau is?"

He shrugged, "Other than towards the middle of the city, no."

I nodded and climbed up the wall swiftly. After pausing at the top to make sure it was clear of guards, I hauled myself up on to the roof and looked for a tower circled with eagles and hawks in the fading light. I spotted such a tower only 75 meters away and began running across the rooftops towards it. I heard the soft sound of Altair's footsteps and jumps as he trailed after me and I could sense his curiosity and confusion at my sudden change in behavior. I ignored him and got to the tower's base. I did a quick scan for archers before beginning to climb the tall structure.

An eagle screamed at the two of us as we smoothly ascended the stone. Once we reached the top we stood on opposite sides of the tower and scanned for a building that had the Assassin's symbol on the roof. That building would be the Assassin's Bureau. It was getting difficult to see in the dusk lighting so I blinked my eyes to eagle eyes. My vision immediate sharpened and lightened a bit as my eyes took in more light and details. I began to quarter areas of the city and scanned each individual rooftop for the familiar symbol. I spotted it a few moments later and pointed south, "There it is."

Altair came around the tower's top and looked where I was pointing. He frowned and looked back at me, "How are you able to see that well in this light? I can hardly see the symbol from here."

I looked at him with my eagle eyes and purposefully tilted my head so the vanishing light caught my face. I pretended not to notice his breathing stop as he took in my suddenly blue eyes. Shrugging casually, I looked back out over the city and blinked my eyes back to normal. "I got lucky, I guess." I looked back up at him and let him see my golden eyes. Then, I began to search the ground for a cart of hay so I could perform a leap of faith. "Come on. The Rafiq is going to close up the Bureau soon if he hasn't already." I positioned myself at the edge of the towers roof before jumping off into a dive, happy that I'd dropped the first hint perfectly into his lap.

I let the adrenalin course through my body before I flipped over and landed in the cushioning hay on my back. I quickly got out and the second my feet touched the ground there was a muffled thump as Altair landed in the hay. I plucked the hay out of my robes and made sure to keep some distance between the man and myself. "You should give me more time to get out before leaping, Altair," I scolded quietly. "What if I'd done it wrong and had gotten hurt? I would not have been able to get out as fast as I could've and you would've landed on me."

Altair scoffed and brushed the hay off himself, "You are a Master Assassin, Shahin. You would not have done a leap of faith incorrectly."

"Do not turn your arrogance towards me. I know that I can still make mistakes."

He shrugged and moved in the direction of the Bureau, which was also towards me. "You said yourself that we should hurry. So let's be on our way."

I danced backwards to put distance between us before turning and setting off at a brisk run down the street. I wasn't running fast enough to warrant more than a cursory look from a guard, but I still kept my ears open for the sounds of the guards since they were still looking to us. Once we were in the general area of the Bureau I climbed up on to the rooftops and began scanning for the latticed roof of the Bureau. I found it after a few leaps and dropped silently into the dark room. There was a light coming from the work room through the door and I moved towards it as Altair came through the entrance.

"Safety and peace, Rafiq," I greeted.

The Rafiq's head snapped up in surprise from the pot he was painting. The middle-aged man squinted at me, but his eyes flared in recognition when Altair slipped in past me. "Ah! Altair and Shahin. I received a letter from Al Mualim about your arrival, but I didn't expect you to get here until tomorrow."

"We made good time while traveling," I replied, answering his unspoken question.

The Rafiq nodded and set down his paint brush, wiping his hands off with a cloth, "Well, it's a little late to start doing any work. Get some rest in the other room. Come to me in the morning and I'll give you a start on your mission here."

Altair and I nodded and left the workroom and moved to the pile of pillows set of a carpet. Altair sat down with a sigh and undid the buckles to his boots. I sat on the other side of the pillows and did the same. I was arranging the pillows in some semblance of a nest when Altair's voice asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

I stopped moving a pillow mid-reach and looked at him. "How do you mean?"

He waved a hand at the space between the two of us. "You're suddenly distant when before you had no problem hugging me or setting a hand on my shoulder. I was wondering if I had done something wrong."

I was silent, thinking over my answer as I continued moving pillows. "Yes, you did do something wrong," I murmured and I saw Altair tense a little. I continued misleading him without batting an eye. "You should not have killed that guard at the gate. It was reckless. And because of your poor decision making the guards now know of our presence within the city. We'll be lucky if our prey doesn't think much about the incident tonight if he hears about it. Remember the second creed, Altair. Use discretion. Blend in. Do not attract attention to yourself. That is how Assassins live as long as we do." I saw his mouth open to defend himself, but I beat him to it. "But that's not why I'm keeping my distance."

His mouth closed with an audible clack of his teeth clicking together. He shoved back his hood and looked me over carefully. "If you aren't angry at me for that, then why are you staying away from me?"

I evaluated my temporary nest and nodded in satisfaction. After glancing towards the work room to see in the Rafiqdisappear into his personal room, I pulled down my hood as well. I nibbled my lip without realizing that I was showing such an obvious sign of anxiety, before answering in a lowered voice. "I feel…awkward. Embarrassed. That's why I'm staying away."

I hoped the man would leave it at that, but I got no such luck when Altair cocked his head in a familiar manner. "Why are you embarrassed?"

I sighed and tucked a few knives into the pillows. "Because I…invaded your space earlier," I answered hesitantly.

Altair scoffed, "That's it? Shahin, you were keeping me quiet so we didn't have to run from the guards all the way across the poor district again. I don't care about it. We're both men and friends. There's no reason to be embarrassed."

We're both men and friends, I mentally repeated while I shook my head and snorted in amusement and sadness. That's what you think, Altair. That's what I let you think. But I wonder how you would react if you knew I was a woman. Would you turn me into Al Mualim for treachery to be put to death? Or would you finally understand me? I felt the weight of my secrets settle on my shoulders and I hunched over for a second, wanting more than anything to tell Altair everything so I didn't have to bear this weight alone. I wanted help. How sad was that? I've lived all of my life alone and with my own skill and power and this man is in my life for a week and suddenly I'm weak enough where I'm considering actually putting my life in his hands by telling him my secrets. How pitiful. I was pitiful.

I pulled up my hood again and laid down in my nest. "I guess you're right," I murmured quietly, staring up through the roof entrance at the stars.

"I'm always right," Altair replied as he fell back on to the pillows, putting his hands behind his head.

"No one's ever always right, Altair," I scolded half-heartedly. My mind was drifting off to examine my reaction in the wooden crates earlier.

My mind replayed it over and over again in my head and I only came up with two possible causes for it. One was that I was sick and it only showed itself when I physically exerted myself or I was embarrassed. The other was something I dreaded as well as wanted.

It would complicate so many things. My wish to help my friend would become mixed. Although Altair was the person closest to me there was still my secrets holding me back from actually…bonding with him. With my secrets, a part of me would always be in reserve and I was content for it to be that way yesterday. I was content to never truly get close to Altair as long as I helped him down this path and was by his side.

But if the second possibility was true than I would forever want to be with him, telling him everything, listening to his troubles, and make sure he was always safe. Even if it meant my own life. I would give everything I had for a man who probably wouldn't realize what I was doing for him, and even if he did I doubt he would return the favor.

I closed my eyes and sighed, realizing that my thoughts had kept me up for half the night and would probably keep me up farther. In an effort to ease my chaotic thoughts I forced myself to admit the second possibility.

I might be attracted to Altair Ibn-La'Ahad.

My mind didn't calm down like I hoped. If anything, it got more hectic.

—Altair's POV—

"Follow me."

It was a surprise to him when he obeyed the order without qualms. He didn't feel the need to snap back at the Master Assassin or the urge to run off just out of spite. Instead he followed Shahin like a good dog. He hated himself for it. He seemed to be hating himself more and more in the past few days and the day of the battle. The same day he had been punished.

Altair was shaken from his thoughts as he watched his friend ascend the wall. He felt a little awestruck at the ease and speed Shahin did it. There were no halts or hesitations in his ascension at all. The Master Assassin moved up the wall like water flows in a smooth stream. Altair moved up the wall and went after the back of his friend.

Shahin glanced back once they had both cleared a gap between two buildings before making a sharp right and running across wooden planks with hardly a sound despite the fact he was sprinting. Altair was reminded of the day that the two of them triggered a trap. Just like that day he marveled at the balance and speed the other man moved with. But he knew that that balance and speed came at a price. He knew that the other man wasn't very strong. Not like him. Well, no one was as strong as him. He was inhumanly strong. Almost like how Shahin was inhumanly fast. It was almost strange how what Shahin lacked in strength he made up in speed and what Altair lacked in speed he made up in strength.

He had been only half paying attention to following the Master Assassin and almost missed it when Shahin dropped down into a small gap between buildings. He followed without hesitation, but grimaced nonetheless when he realized how small the space was. He instantly felt the need to climb out and fly into the wide expanse of the sky, but he ignored it and doggedly followed the, surprisingly hard to see, white back of his friend. He jumped over someone who was sleeping in the alley and saw Shahin glance back one more time before getting on to his hands and knees and crawling into a small hole in a pile of crates.

Altair grimaced again as he tried to make himself smaller and get through the hole, only bumping into a crate once in the process. He grunted at the small space and turned to sit on his bottom. He found himself pressed up against his Brother's shoulders and hips but didn't think much of it as he weaved his legs among Shahin's and saw the dirt and… other stuff on his gloves and leggings. He sighed and talked in order to resist the urge to crawl out of the evil small place and into the blessed open air.

"Couldn't you have found a better hiding place than this?" he asked with exasperation. There was a pause of silence as he tried to wipe of most of the offending stuff off on himself.

And then there was a high pitched squeak that sounded like it should've come from a woman.

Altair lifted his head to look at Shahin, who was now looking away and covering his already hidden face with one hand. "What's wrong with you?" he demanded, not really believing that such a girly sound could've come from a trainedand hardened Assassin. He then figured his throat was dry and he couldn't speak very well and that was why he had made that sound. He pulled his pack off his shoulder and pulled out his bladder of water. "Here," he said, offering the water, or at least he tried to. The space was so small that he couldn't get the bladder farther than his side. He mentally cursed and leaned forward to give his arm more room to move. He failed to notice how his friend froze into absolute stillness as he focused on moving his arm.

When he finally did move his arm and hold out the bladder, Shahin didn't take it. He frowned in confusion, "Shahin, here, take the water." Still his Brother did not move. Altair suddenly realized his friend was incredibly tense and was hardly allowing himself to breath if the quick breaths were anything to go by. He felt a worm of worry work its way into his heart and he found himself leaning forward, reaching to push down his friend's hood to get a hint at what was wrong. "Shahin, what's the matter with you?" he asked.

But before he could do anything, Shahin moved forward with his amazing speed. Altair suddenly found his leg being straddled, his chest pressed against Shahin's, his mouth covered, and Shahin's golden eyes looking down into his. He stiffened, not understanding his friend's sudden action until he heard the sound of guards running across the roofs and their shouting. He relaxed as he realized Shahin was trying to keep them from being discovered.

They stayed like that for two quick minutes, Shahin as stiff and still as a statue, before either of them moved. And when they did Shahin immediately went out the hole and Altair thought he sensed a bit of urgency and desperation in his Brother's escape, but he figured he was imagining it.

He followed Shahin out and saw his Brother standing a couple of feet away, head cocked as he listened for guards.

"Do you know where the bureau is?" Shahin's quiet voice asked.

Altair couldn't remember exactly since it had been a while since he'd been inside the busy city that was Damascus. "Other than towards the middle of the city, no." All Bureau's were more or less towards the center of every city they inhabited so Assassin's didn't have to travel a long distance to reach the safety that was the Bureau.

Shahin nodded before swiftly climbing up the wall, looked for guards, and then disappeared over the edge. Altair followed up and then ran after Shahin again as he made his way to a tall tower circled by an eagle.

Once at the base both Assassins ascended it. Out of the corner of his eye, Altair watched as Shahin practically flowed up the wall and thought that all that climbing and jumping through trees that the man did probably made such a feat easy. May be I should ask Shahin teach me his training routine, Altair thought.

When they reached the top of the tower they took separate side without a word and searched for the Assassin's symbol that marked the roof to the Assassin's Bureau. It was getting dark and Altair was just about to switch to his bird eyes to see better when he heard Shahin's soft voice announce, "There it is."

Altair shimmied around the edge and looked in the direction his friend was pointing. He could just barely make out a darker shadow among the growing darkness and blinked in and out of his bird eyes to make sure it was the roof of the Bureau. He turned to the Master Assassin and frowned in confusion for the second time tonight. "How are you able to see that well in this light? I can hardly see the symbol from here." His friend looked up at him and his breath caught in his throat when the fading sunlight caught the Master Assassin's face and he saw Shahin's eyes. They were a very bright blue. Lighter than the sky in the afternoon. Altair was able to answer his own question thanks to that careless look up at him.

Shahin had used bird eyes.

Altair knew this because Altair had looked at his eyes once when he switched to bird eyes and his eyes and changed color as well; however, his eyes had turn a dark, almost black, brown instead of light blue. He became convinced that Shahin was winged like him as his friend looked back over at the Bureau, replied with an answer he didn't hear, and look back up at him with his normal golden eyes.

Shahin scooted around to an edge that was facing a cart of hay down on the ground. "Come on. The Rafiq is going to close up the Bureau soon if he hasn't already." With that the other man jumped off the edge and into a leap of faith.

Altair, in his excitement, didn't check to see if Shahin had already gotten out of the cart before performing the leap himself. He would've gotten a rush like he always did when he jumped if he hadn't already had a rush from his discovery. He was wondering how he should corner the man into admitting he had wings when he jumped out of the hay, but his wonderings were cut short when Shahin scolded him like a kind parent would scold a normally behaving child. "You should give me more time to get out before leaping, Altair. What if I'd done it wrong and had gotten hurt? I would not have been able to get out as fast as I could've and you would've landed on me."

The man finished picking most of the hay out of his clothes when Altair scoffed at the man's worries and idiocy. "You are a Master Assassin, Shahin. You would not have done a leap of faith incorrectly." He's like a women with his constant worries and scoldings, Altair thought wryly.

Altair did not think the man noticed, but Shahin huffed right then. "Do not turn your arrogance towards me. I know that I can still make mistakes."

He shrugged and moved to walk past Shahin and towards the Bureau, "You said yourself that we should hurry. So let's be on our way."

Altair frowned when Shahin took quick, light steps backwards before turning and breaking out into a run. He narrowed his eyes and ran after his friend. On the way to the Bureau he sped up his face a few times, getting close to the Master Assassin, only to have Shahin pick up his pace and keep the distance between them. Altair refused to acknowledge the hurt that flashed through his heart.

Why would Shahin suddenly be keeping his distance?

He thought that question over and completely turned out the greetings exchanged between Shahin and the Rafiq when they got to the Bureau.

"Did I do something wrong?" Altair found himself asking as they sat among the pillows.

Shahin froze in the middle of rearranging the pillows. Altair couldn't understand why the man was being so picky about his sleeping arrangement, but decided to stick with one question at a time. "How do you mean?" the Master Assassin asked.

Altair waved a hand at the distance between the two Assassins. "You're suddenly distant when before you had no problem hugging me or setting a hand on my shoulder. I was wondering if I had done something wrong," he explained.

Shahin paused a moment more before going back to his rearranging. "Yes, you did do something wrong," he finally answered.

Altair tried to control the urge to stiffen but didn't think he did very well. I seem to be doing everything wrong lately, he thought angrily.

Shahin continued moving the pillows as he explained, "You should not have killed that guard at the gate. It was reckless. And because of your poor decision making the guards now know of our presence within the city. We'll be lucky if our prey doesn't think much about the incident tonight if he hears about it. Remember the second creed, Altair. Use discretion. Blend in. Do not attract attention to yourself. That I show Assassins live as long as we do." Altair opened his mouth to say that the guard was in his way and that they had attracted toomuch attention, but Shahin spoke before he could. "But that's not why I'm keeping my distance."

Altair closed his mouth and ran his tongue over his teeth to sooth the sharp pain when he had clicked his teeth together. He was confused. Why would Shahin bring up something that didn't answer the question he asked? The answer came to him. Shahin had purposefully misled him to get a little revenge in for said mistake and to scold him. He mentally sighed, Shahin may be someone who likes to go unnoticed, but he makes sure he gets in his opinion when he thinks it matters. "If you aren't angry at me for that, then why are you staying away from me?" Altair asked, wondering still at the reason, as he pushed back his hood.

Shahin looked at his arrangement of pillows, nodded, and looked to see if the Rafiq could see them before pushing back his own hood. Altair was still struck at how Shahin looked a little like a woman. It didn't help the fact that his hair was so long, but Altair decided not to mention it so he didn't scare the man into hiding in his hood again.

Shahin wasn't looking at him as he answered hesitantly, "I feel…awkward. Embarrassed. That's why I'm staying away."

"Why are you embarrassed?" Altair questioned with his head cocked to the side, but he had a feeling he knew why.

"Because I…invaded your space earlier," he answered quietly as he slipped a few knives in between his pillows.

Altair had been right in his guess. He scoffed and set about trying to help the man feel better. "That's it? Shahin, you were keeping me quiet so we didn't have to run from the guards all the way across the poor district again. I don't care about it. We're both men and friends. There's no reason to be embarrassed."

Altair watched his friend for a reaction and was surprised to actually get one. Shahin shook his head and sighed before hunching his shoulders. He looked like he had the weight of the world resting on them with the way the way those small shoulders hunched in. And the look on Shahin's face made him want to scoop up the other man and sooth away whatever thought had caused that weary, sad, and desperate.

Altair shook away that very, very strange urge as Shahin's face smoothed out into a mask. The Master Assassin laid down in his pillows and murmured, "I guess you're right." His gaze was distant as he stared through the roof entrance at the stars.

The former Master Assassin fell back against the disarray of pillows and said without thinking, "I'm always right." He put his hands behind his head and stared up at the stars as well.

"No one's ever right, Altair," Shahin reprimanded half-heartedly, and Altair couldn't tell if his friend was already drifting off to sleep or thinking. A quick glance told him it was the latter.

Altair was thinking too. He wanted to know so many things. He had to fight the urge to demand the truth from the man right then and there. Not only would the Rafiq most likely hear, but he knew Shahin would react negatively to that approach. If Shahin felt like he was cornered he would either go into hiding and distance himself, something Altair didn't want, or his temper would flare like it did in the dining hall a few days ago, and Altair did not want that either. So how could he find out if his friend had wings? How could he find out why he felt weary, sad, and desperate?

He fell asleep hours later while trying to figure out those questions.

—Day 2in Damascus—Shahin POV—

I woke up before Altair in the morning. Habit. Damn habit.

I ran a list of curses through my head as I sat up and yawned tiredly. I'd stayed up later than usual. Worries. Damnworries.

I sat there unmoving for a long time. I even think I went back to sleep because it was the sound of the Rafiq moving around in the next room that jolted me back down to earth. I lifted my head and winced when I felt the crick in my neck. I tried unsuccessfully to massage and crack the crick out of neck for a good hour before finally giving up. I grabbed one of my boots and leaned over to nudge the Assassin sleeping next to me. As expected the once sleeping Assassin exploded into action when he felt something touching him and would've stabbed my poor boot with the knife he'd slept with if I hadn't moved quickly enough.

"Time to get up," I announced and tugged on my boot. I would've been amused at seeing Altair blink sleepily and freeze, knife in hand and stopped mid-attack, if I hadn't been tiredmyself. Despite my routine of getting up every morning before dawn, I wasn't a morning person. In any sense. On any level. In any world.

Altair groaned as he sat up and reached a hand for his boots, which passed through empty air since his boots were out of reach. He leaned further and further forward, still reaching, until he finally fell on his face. His boots we still six inches away. I smiled as he groaned, "Why does the sun rise so early?"

"I don't know," I replied honestly, unable to think up of a snippy response.

Altair pulled on his boots and got up. Then we went to meet with the Rafiq.

The middle-aged full-blooded Arabian man looked up from his pottery as we entered the work room. He smiled kindly."Altair. Shahin. It's good to see the both of you. And in one piece."

Altair nodded, still too tired to say anything civil, and I covered for him. "You as well, friend."

The Rafiq looked sympathetically at Altair. "I'm sorry for your troubles." He actually sounded a little sincere.

My friend waved a hand as if to dismiss the matter. In a gruff voice he replied, "Think nothing of it."

The Rafiq went back to designing the pot in front of him. "A few Brothers of yours were here the day before. In fact…" He shook his head sadly. "If you'd heard the things they'd said… I'm certain you would've slain them where they stood."

"It's quite alright," Altair murmured. His shoulders straightened a little and his voice didn't sound so tired as before. I knew his statement wasn't in forgiving his Brothers and I threw him a disdainful look. He held up is hands in a subtle "What do you expect me to do" gesture and I snorted.

The Rafiq seemed to pick up Altair's meaning, for he said, "Yes, you've never been one for the Creed, have you?"

"Is that all?" I asked patiently before Altair could snap at the chatty Rafiq for the question.

The Rafiq shook his head as if to clear it before replying, "I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget myself. What business brings to Damascus?"

"A man named Tamir," I answered. "Al Mualim takes issue with the work he does."

"I'm meant to end it. Now tell me where to find him," Altair ordered.

"Altair," I scolded softly. My friend's tired amber eyes flashed to me and I let him see my face as I motioned for him to calm down. "You're being rude. Try controlling yourself." He looked at me as if I'd just suggested that he give up his profession and become a fisherman, but he didn't say anything back, though the irritation stayed in his eyes.

The Rafiq nodded his thanks to me briefly before switching back to Altair. "Surely you remember how to track an enemy." He said it like a fact instead of a question.

I sighed as Altair straightened indignantly. Why couldn't the Rafiq have chosen his words better? I thought, exasperated.Does he want Altair mad at him? I almost thought that men were stupid again, but I remembered my prayer from last night and resisted the urge, for Altair was a man himself.

"Of course!" Altair snapped. "Learn where he will be and when. But that sort of work is best left for…" He cut himself off before he could say 'Novices'. As I watched I could see how the fact that he had been demoted finally sank in. It wasn't hard at all to read his emotions at this revelation. His fists clenched at his sides and his shoulders hunched a bit. Anger and I was standing a bit behind him, I raised a hand the Rafiqcouldn't see and placed it on his back, forgetting my reason for distance last night and letting my friend know I was here. Altair gave no sign that he acknowledged my action and duly said, "I understand."

The Rafiq nodded and went back to designing his pot. "Go and search the city," he ordered. "Determine what he's planning and where he works. Preparation makes the victor."

"What can you tell us of him?" I asked, keeping my hand on Altair's strong back.

The Rafiq didn't look up as he sighed and replied in a monotone. "Tamir makes his living as a black market the Souk district should be your destination. I would suggest you two seek out the following places: a small souk northeast of here, the madrasah to our east, and the gardens north of this Bureau. Focus on these places and he should become well known to you."

"I assume you want me to return to you when this is done," Altair stated with the faint hint of a growl in his voice.

The Rafiq looked up briefly and nodded before going back to work, "Yes, come back to me. I'll give you Al Mualim's marker and you'll give us Tamir's life."

"As you wish," Altair replied. I remembered him saying such a thing to Al Mualim back at Masyaf and recognized this as Altair's way of saying that he'd do what you asked, but he didn't want to.

Altair turned on heel and was about to exit the room with me behind him when the Rafiq called, "Wait." When we both froze and looked over our shoulders at the middle-aged man. He suddenly looked hesitant, but, after a pause to gulp, said, "Remember, if you find yourself in trouble and the city against you, return to the Bureau. I can shelter you from the storm. Be warned though: if your enemies are too close my door will remain closed until you've lost them. Do you two understand?"

Altair snorted and rolled his eyes. I just rolled my eyes where the Rafiq couldn't see them, but I had to fight the urge to snort as well. "Yes. To bring the enemy inside would compromise the Brotherhood," Altair said with a tone that said, "I already know this. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"We know this, Rafiq," I intoned as well, but I held back the edge that would've demanded if he thought I was incompetent.

The man quickly nodded and went back to his work swiftly. "Very well. Off you go," he said, wanting us gone.

We left without another sound and climbed up the wall under the roof's entrance. Even though it was a little after dawn the hit still hit us roughly, but our thick white linen robes kept us cool as they reflected the heat and allowed any cool air to flow through the slits in our robes that created our coat tails. But I would've liked to release my neglected wings and fan myself.

I turned to Altair. "Where do you want to start?" I asked.

He glanced in all three directions of the places the Rafiq had suggested before replying, "The gardens are closest." I waved a hand for him to lead and he broke out into an easy jog across the rooftops, not quite ready to exert himself so soon after waking up. I was fine with that and followed a few steps behind.

At our slow pace it took us a good five minutes to reach our destination. We crouched at the edge of a rooftop and looked at the people who were milling about the walled in garden. It wasn't nearly as good as the one in Masyaf, but this one was visited much more often and was run by the city, so it was probably neglected most of the time.

We stayed like that for a good half hour, enough time for my legs to cramp up, when Altair sighed. "It's too early. We should try this place again later."

He was starting to get up when I put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down. He turned an irritated scowl and looked like he was about to snap at me before I pointed to a pair of men coming through the archway into the garden, deep in conversation. "Patience is a virtue every hunter needs," I murmured and he scowled at me. "Let's go separate ways and meet back here when we see if they have anything of worth saying."

He didn't answer but instead passed me to go about getting off the roof without being seen. I made my way to a shadowed corner were the building I was on met another and dropped down the 10 feet to the ground. In the process of bending my knees to absorb the shock I sat back and casually pulled one leg up to my chest to appear like I'd always been there when a couple of people glanced my way when they saw a white blur. After they convinced themselves that I had always been in the dark corner and looked away, I got up and nonchalantly made my way over to a trough of water that is refreshed every morning.

I kept an eye on the men and purposefully placed myself in their path. I saw Altair slip into place on a bench so seamlessly that the two occupants didn't stop more than a moment to frown at him before continuing their talk. I tuned my ears to their discussion and began eavesdropping.

"You mean to tell me that your friend couldn't even buy a simple candle?" the younger man in the brown tunic demanded as he looked incredulously at his older companion who was in a tan tunic.

Tan shook his head sadly, "Nothing. Apparently Tamir put out the word that he had failed him and now no one will even consider giving him service."

Brown looked like he couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Surely not everyone refuses him!" He pulled tan to a stop conveniently right in the middle of Altair and I.

Tan looked at the ground, "But everyone does. Blacksmiths, traders, financiers, tailors. They all and more refuse him."

I splashed water on my face and scrubbed any sweat and dirt off to avoid raising any suspicion. "This is ridiculous," Brown growled. "It's all because that damned Tamir controls the entire Souk district. Any who do not fear him work to help the merchant."

Shrugging helplessly, Tan looked around absently to see if anyone was listening in, but obviously not caring someone was. Luckily, he did not see the two Assassins listening to his every word. "Tamir makes money by selling weapons and armor and with the war between King Richard and Salahuddin he has more money and power than ever before."

"So what are you going to do about your friend?"

Another shrug. "I don' t know. May be…"

The man's voice faded as I walked away, satisfied that I heard everything I could from the two. I was just about to go up the roof when a low whistle caught my attention. I looked over my shoulder to see Altair waiting at the garden entrance. He subtly waved for me to come to him and left the gardens. I was curious to see what had made Altair deviate from the plan and made my way through the people to the archway. Altair was standing ten feet to my right, leaning against the wall innocently. Several feet farther down, I saw another pair of men talking. As I walked down the street I saw one man give the other a piece of paper.

Folding my hands in prayer, I mimicked a scholar and looked up from under my hood, watching as the man walked away, eyeing everyone warily and checking his pouch to make sure the paper was still there. Altair innocently walked a distance behind, but sped up his pace when the man wasn't looking. With the ease of practice of years he plucked the paper from the man's pouch without letting the man know. He then turned on heel and waked in the opposite direction on the other side of the road. I felt pity for the random man when he checked his pouch and realized it wasn't there, but turned the corner into an alley and climbed the walls to the roof.

Altair was already standing at our meeting spot with the unopened letter in his hand, waiting for me. I approached him and asked, "What did those men say?"

"They spoke about Tamir's latest shipment. They said it was his largest yet and that this envelope held the entire order. They were supposed to take it to the black market merchant so he could review it to make sure everything had been made."

I raised an eyebrow and allowed for him to see it. "Looks like you got lucky this morning. Two pieces of information in one spot so close together. The Rafiq was right to advise us to look here."

Altair nodded wordlessly and switched out his hidden blade to slice open the wax-sealed envelope. I came to stand by his side as he pulled out multiple sheets of parchment. When wesaw the first sheet, I cursed and my friend whistled in astonishment. Altair raised an eyebrow at me and I dryly looked at him, "Do not tell me you do not realize how large his shipment is." I plucked two sheets out of his hands so all four pieces were displayed for us. From top to bottom in very small writing was each item that was ordered. Each one probably had 40-50 items listed on it and there were four of them.

"I do see how big this is. I've just never heard you swear. I even thought you didn't like swearing," he remarked as he scanned the papers.

"I don't like cursing," I replied with a small sniff. "But I think this warrants it. Does it say who this order came from?"

He shook his head and answered absently, "No. Only that it goes to Acre, which means we can assume it's going to King Richard's army since his citadel is there."

I frowned in confusion and looked up at the man. "But why would King Richard deal with a black market merchant? Doesn't he have a whole line of blacksmiths for his army if his royal armory runs dry?"

Altair frowned too, "I don't know. But it says here in a note that this is all going to Acre. What other power besides Richard would need all this or have the money to buy it?"

"The city guards?" I suggested, just throwing out the first thing that came to mind. He turned and raised an eyebrow at me again. I held up my hands in a gesture that said "What do you expect from me?" when I realized how silly my guess had been. "Hey, it's possible Richard wants his new city properly protected." The eyebrow rose higher and I snatched the papers out of his hands and put them in the envelope and then my pouch, "Forget it. Did you at least hear when the shipment was scheduled to leave?"

The man shook his head and I swore I saw the corners of his lips twitch. "No. The men nor the papers said nothing about a time."

I sighed, "Fine. Do you want to stay here for a bit longer to see if more information comes? Or do you want to move on?"

Altair glanced down into the gardens once before answering, "I think we've used up all our luck in this place. Let's go to the madrasah."

Our pace was a bit faster this time around now that we'd warmed up a bit and we reached the madrasah in only a few minutes. This time we entered the grounds through the ground entrance and looked around for any pieces of information. The courtyard itself was vacant except for a few students crossing it.(AN: Madrasah is an Arabic word used to describe any educational institution. So This is a school.) We stayed there in the shadows, waiting to see if anyone came to us like last time. We waited an hour and still no one worthy of our attention came inside. It was then that Altair nudged me. I looked up and he mouthed, "Listen."

I expanded my hearing and heard what my friend had heard. In the distance I could hear a voice ranting loudly. I couldn't make out all the words and was about to write it off as one of those men who spend all day praising Salahuddin and bashing Richard until I heard 'Tamir' more than a few times. I turned around and scaled the wall we had been waiting against and made my way towards the sound. I lost it a few times when I went the wrong way, but eventually found the source of the ranting as a man standing on a small wooden platform, ranting—no, preaching—about how Tamir was such a good man.

I sighed sadly as I heard the words he was saying and joined Altair in the small crowd in front of the man.

"What?" Altair questioned when he heard my sigh.

I shook my head and resisted the urge to cross my arms. "It's sad how corruption can be spread. This man is practically saying that war is what we need."

He nodded in agreement before musing, "I bet he knows when the shipment is to leave."

I looked at him sideways, "You think so?"

"I guess we'll find out," he murmured as the man stopped ranting/preaching and stepped down from his platform. The small crowd, seeing that the preacher was done, began to disperse in every direction.

I kept pace next to my friend and eyed the preacher. He didn't even bother to check if he was being followed once as he walked down a few small streets and into of small shaded garden that was probably only ten feet by ten feet. The man blew a sigh and went up to a water trough. His hand was just about to dip in the water when Altair's fist collided into the man's head. The man cried out and stumbled, but got into a fighting stance when he saw Altair come after again.

I leaned against a wall and watched the fist fight. Well, fight implies both sides have a chance, which wasn't the case here, so it was more of a beating. The preacher was so pitiful with his sloppy punches and misplaced footing. It was a short fight before the man went to his knees and raised his hands to ward off another blow. "P-please! Stop! I-I-I beg of you!" the man pleaded, blood dripping from his broken nose and split lip.

"Then tell me of Tamir," Altair ordered gruffly. "What is he up to?"

The preacher visibly shook and I pitied him for a moment: Altair could be scary and intimidating when he wanted to be. "T-T-Tamir is going to s-send out a s-shipment t-t-today!" he stammered out, fear colored his face white.

"When and where?" Altair growled and the man whimpered.

"I-In the S-S-Souk Al-Silaah. That is where h-he has the most p-p-power. H-he is to m-meet with a b-blacksmith of his f-f-for the shipment. I-It is his largest s-shipment ever."

"When?" Altair repeated angrily.

The man flinched and answered, "M-Midday." Then the man got desperate and begged, "Please! That's all I know. I swear it! Please just let me go!"

Altair shook his head, "I can't chance you ruining my mission." The man's eyes widened in understanding and fear, but before he could continue begging Altair lifted the man up and buried his hidden blade in the man's gut. If he had stabbed in the neck anyone would've known an Assassin had killed him since that was our trademark kill spot.

I bristled when Altair half-dropped half-rested the dead man on the ground. I approached them and knelt to close the man's fearful eyes. "Be more careful with the dead, Altair."

"He slipped," he defended in an emotionless voice. I shook my head and stood. My friend huffed and said, "Let's head back to the Bureau. We have everything we need to kill the man."

I frowned at the man and grabbed his arm as he tried to pass me. "No we don't." Altair narrowed his eyes on me in irritation as I continued. "You may know where and when your target is going to be, but you have no idea how to use the area to your advantage. Where will you strike from?"

"From behind," he growled.

I gave him a dry look, "You know the Rafiq won't give you the marker with the information you have now."

"He'd better if he knows what's good for him," he threatened.

I sighed and squeezed his arm slightly, "I know you hate doing such menial work, Altair, but you will never reach your old rank again unless you play by Al Mualim's rules. And that means you have no power to forcibly take the marker or threaten a Rafiq."

Altair gave me his trade mark cocky smirk, "Of course I have the power to do so."

I rolled my eyes and resisted the urge to smack the man. "You may have the power, but you do not have the authority. You'd only make things worse by doing this and you know it." He growled, and could tell he was listening to me. "Let's make one last stop at that Souk the Rafiq suggested," I coaxed. "Lots of people will be there and that means lots of information. It'll be quick and then you can report to the Rafiq and be on your way to killing the merchant."

"Fine," he relented and turned to exit the small garden, not glancing back at the body of the man.

We went by streets this time and came upon the busy Souk. (AN: For those who doesn't know a Souk is an open air market.) The sound immediately assaulted my ears roughly. Merchants and stall owners shouted at shoppers to try and get them to come see their wares, people argued, children laughed and caused mischief, and the sound of caged animals screaming animal insults at everyone.

Altair and I weaved our way through the thick crowd and I did my best to stick close to his side, but I got distracted by the most wonderful thing in the world.

Shiny things.

I came to an abrupt halt in front of a stall and felt my eyes widen as I looked over the polished metal jewelry set on the cloth.

The merchant smiled at me, "Ah, young man. You have a good eye for quality. Are you buying for a woman?" I nodded absently. I was buying for a woman. It's just that I was the woman. The man rambled on about each piece of jewelry, its price and value and history, but I wasn't listening. My eyes jumped from one shiny thing to another and I barely controlled the urge to scoop all of them up and bring them back to Masyaf to put in my nest. I don't know if it was the bird part of me or the woman in me, but I couldn't resist anything shiny.

"What are you doing?"

I looked up only for a second to see Altair's dark scowlbefore looking back down at the so, so very shiny pieces of art. "Shopping," I murmured absently. A cloth necklace, a choker, with a metal amulet and a green gem in the shape of a hawk, especially caught my eye. I didn't care that the gem was fake. It was so shiny and I wanted it. Now. I picked it up with quick hands and held it up for the stall owner to see, "How much for this?"

The owner grinned, "You have a good eye young man. Any young lady will be happy with that piece. But it'll cost you 65 gold coins."

I narrowed my eyes at the man, "Don't even try to tell me this is a real gem. This isn't a real emerald and you know it."

The man looked flustered and glanced quickly to see if anyone had heard my accusation before feigning anger. "That's a serious accusation, young man. I should call the guards on you."

I raised an eyebrow, "Oh? And I shouldn't call the guards for the jewelry you've stolen from that stall over there?" I saw athin gold chain peeking out from his pouch and recognized the work form a stall I'd glimpsed a few minutes ago.

The man's face paled and he nervously glanced around. He closed my hand around the choker, "If I give you this for free will you keep quiet?"

I nodded, "Of course."

The stall owner opened his mouth to say something more, but I was suddenly yanked by my arm away. I looked up and narrowed my eyes on Altair, "What do you think you're doing? That was rude to pull me away from him."

Altair threw a glare at me and kept dragging me behind him. "We're here to work, Shahin. Or have you forgotten that?"

I immediately felt contrite and looked at the ground, though my possessive grip on my new necklace didn't loosen one bit. I was actually surprised to find something like this in the poor district, but it was fake, so I suppose that was why. "I'm sorry," I murmured, and my friend didn't seem to hear me. I was about to apologize again, louder so he could hear me, when something glittered in the corner of my eye.

My head whipped around and I instantly forgot everything and focused solely on the shine. I somehow pulled myself from Altair's iron grip and moved through the crows without disturbing any other shoppers to appear in front of a rundown stall. An old man sat behind it and instantly looked hopeful when I started looking at what he had.

"Is there something you're looking for in particular, young man?" he asked in a shaky, soft, but kind voice. I instantly felt something in my heart soften and I allowed the harmless old man to see my smile, but just my smile. I pointed to a bejeweled beautifully crafted hair comb set among other things that looked like they had come from his home.

He leaned forward and picked up the comb, smiling with nostalgically, "This once belonged to my dear old wife. She had such long beautiful black hair and would comb through it every day. She died just last month."

"I'm so sorry," I replied, honestly feeling sorry for the old man. If the gleam in his eye was anything to go by he had really loved his wife and the teary eyes showed he still mourned her.

The old man blinked away his tears and smiled sadly at me, "It's alright. She passed peacefully in her sleep. Just like we wanted to do together 40 years ago. That's when we got married."

I felt a warmth in my chest and knew that the happiness was for the old man. "I'm glad you had such a happy long marriage." I smiled kindly.

He nodded, "Thank you." I looked over the comb cradled lovingly in his palms. "I almost want to say that it isn't for sale. But times are hard. Who would you be giving it to, young man?"

I hesitated before answering, "A girl back home."

"Oh, so you are not from Damascus."

I shook my head, "No. I'm from a village three days from here. My brother and I are here on business."

The old man sighed sadly, "It's always business. Someone your age should be home courting a beautiful lady to live with for the rest of your life. Well, I guess that is what you're doing, isn't it? Tell me. What does she look like? This girl you are courting."

I shifted my weight nervously before replying with my own description. "She is tall for a woman. My height exactly. And she isn't like the other woman. While the others are soft and weak she is hard and strong. She hasn't had a very good past, but she is making the best of the life she has. She has long ebonyhair, down to her thighs and keeps it in a braid most of the time because it gets in her way. But no matter how she fights with it in the morning or complains about it she never lets a blade get close to it." I found myself really getting into talking with the old man when I saw a happy gleam appear in his eyes, although I have never spoken this freely with an absolute stranger. I reasoned away my sudden openness to the fact that the old man was harmless as I continued. "And her eyes are something I've never seen before. She has golden eyes that are unreadable most of the time, but when she smiles they glow like fire." I shook my head sadly as I went on telling him how I wished myself to look. "But the other men do not want her."

The old man frowned. "Why not? The way you describe her she sounds very beautiful."

I looked down at my boots. "Her life before now has been hard. She is covered in scars. There is hardly a single part on her body that isn't scarred, and the other men find that revolting. She also doesn't look very much like a woman. She does not have the…curves a normal woman does. But that does not stop me. I tell her every day that the way she looks doesn't matter to me and that she should be proud of her past because she is stronger than any other woman. It is why she has her hair so long. She wears it as a reminder. A reminder that she is a woman. That's why I thought if I got her a hair comb she would like it."

The old man grinned. "I feel better trusting you with this now. I know your girl will cherish it like my wife did. But there is still a price. I do have to eat." He chuckled lightly.

"How much?"

He stared at the comb for a minute before opening his mouth. But just like before an iron hand closed around my arm and yanked me off balance again. I snarled, angry that my conversation with the kind old man had been interrupted. I glared up at Altair. "What is your problem, Altair?" I demanded.

He glared back and hissed, "You."

I looked back at the surprised old man who still held the comb in hands. "I'm sorry," I called over the loud noise. "I'll try and come back later."

Altair whipped me around a corner and slammed me against a wall. He growled quietly, "You'll do no such thing, Shahin. You are like a woman!" I paled at those words, but said nothing as he continued. "We are here on a mission to kill Tamir, but you seem to have a bad memory because this is the second time you've wandered off to look at woman things." His hand came down and smacked the hand that still clutched my necklace. I looked down where it landed in the dirt as Altair went on angrily. "We aren't here on a shopping trip and you'd best remember that. If I have to tie you to my side then so be it, but we are going to finish gathering information so I can kill Tamir and move on to the next target and the next until I am back at my rank. Is that clear, girl?" he snarled.

I was stunned. There was no other word for it. I felt tears prick my eyes as well as the urge to snap back at him. But it was the fact that he was right that held my tongue. I shouldn't have wandered off to shop. Even if I couldn't resist the urge, I should've been able to. I should've squashed that ridiculous urge like I do flying and ignored the shiny things around me.

I needed to control myself.

I picked up the abandoned necklace and held it briefly in my hands before I threw it aside. I kicked my emotions back into a far, far corner so they didn't become a problem. I cleared all thoughts from my mind until it was a blank slate and nothing would cross it unless it was relevant to the mission.

Just like how I was before I got close to Altair.

I pushed back the pain in my chest until that was gone as well and turned towards Altair to finally answered, "Crystal." I wasn't even trying to sound emotionless and monotone.

Altair froze and looked me over critically. I didn't care. He opened his mouth once, but turned on heel and moved off into the crowd again. I followed.

We found our last bit of information in the form of a conversation again. This one revealed that there was a hole in the roof of the wooden structure that provided shade in the Souk Al-Silaah and that the rafters in the wooden structure were being played in by children or rats.

Altair glanced at me once more before moving away from the busy Souk and on to the roof tops. We ran at a fast pace. Not quite a sprint but something a little less than that. It was still early morning so we had an hour or two before Tamir was due to show up for that meeting. We arrived at the Bureau a few minutes later.

Altair walked into the work room first with one last glance back towards me, his silent shadow.

The Rafiq looked up from his almost fully and intricately designed pot when he saw us from the corner of his eye. The middle-aged man grinned and threw up his hands in a dramatic hello. I thought the gesture was so silly and a waste of energy."Altair! Shahin! Welcome! Welcome!" he greeted enthusiastically.

Altair approached the counter and I remained by the door silently since I was not needed. "I've done what you asked," Altair announced. "Now give me the marker."

I didn't feel the urge to scold or correct the former Assassin like I used to. I was looking around at the shelves full of skillfully designed and painted pottery done by the Rafiq so I did not see the glance Altair threw my way.

The Rafiq raised his eyebrow and set down the tool he was using. "First things first. Tell me what you know."

"Tamir rules over the Souk Al-Silaah. He makes his fortune selling arms and armor, and is supported by many in this endeavor. Blacksmiths, traders, financiers. He's the largest death-dealer in the land."

"And have you devised a way to rid us of this blight?" The Rafiq asked as he went back to work.

Altair nodded. "A meeting is being arranged at Souk Al-Silaah to discuss an important sale. They say it's his largest deal Tamir has ever made. He'll be distracted with his work. That's when I'll strike.

The Rafiq nodded and reaches under the counter, "Your plan seems sound enough. I give you leave to go." Altair takes the white feather and puts it in one of his pouches when the Rafiq places it on the counter and the man continues, "Let Al Mualim's will be done. You may rest here until you are ready." Altair nods and leaves the work room, but not without another look towards me.

I approach the counter and ask quietly, "May I ask you something, Rafiq?"

The man looks up and frowns slightly before nodding, "Of course."

"I was wondering if you could tell me about the group of bandits attacking travelers going to and from Damascus."

Rafiq grimaced and set down his tool to set down tool to turn his full attention towards me. "Those bandits have been causing trouble for everyone. Including Assassins. I'm tempted to request Al Mualim look into the matter to see if it warrants sending out a few men. Rumor has it that these bandits are different from any other because of their numbers. Most bandits either work alone or in groups of two or three. Rumor says that this group has ten men, or twenty men, or a hundred men. You know how rumors are. But if I were you I'd be careful when you head back to Masyaf and when traveling this way in the future until these bandits are taken care of."

I nodded, "Thank you for telling me this."

He waved a dismissive hand, "It's alright. I planned on telling you two anyway about them."

I left the room and found Altair sitting against a wall in deep thought. I sat in my nest and took out the shipment order that Altair had pick pocketed only an hour or two ago. To pass the time I read each individual item that had been ordered and challenged myself to remind it. Because I needed to get better. I needed to improve. I always needed to improve on everything.

I had the feeling that Altair was watching me sometimes, but I didn't care enough to look up. He wasn't a threat and therefore didn't warrant my attention more than this mission demanded it. An hour and a half passed and I'd had half the list memorized by heart when Altair stood up. I tucked the papers away and stood up as well, knowing that it was time to end Tamir's life.

It was a short trip to the Souk, and when we got there Altair dropped down into the streets and I jumped onto the top of the wooden structure to drop down through the hole and on to the rafters. I crouched on the narrow beam for some time, not moving as we waited for Tamir to show up.

My legs were very cramped when I heard an angry voice say, "Your men failed to fill the order, which means I have failed my client!"

There was a noticeable changed in the crowd in the Souk. Some people cowered and left while others came closer to the approaching pair, smelling the blood that would inevitably spill.

Another man snapped back, "We need more time!"

"This is the excuse of a lazy incompetent man. Which are you?" I identified the voice as Tamir as the two men came under the wooden structure next to the small reservoir of water. I noticed that Tamir had guards fanning out around him.

The man he was yelling at, an Arab man in a simple tunic and leggings, replied to the question, "Neither."

Tamir whipped around and practically spat in the other man's face, "What I see says otherwise. Now, tell me, what do you intend to do to solve this problem of ours? These weapons are needed now!"

The Arab spread out his hands in a gesture that said, "What do you want from me?" "I see no solution!" the Arab admitted. "The men work day and night, but your…"client" requires so much. And the destination—it is a difficult route."

Tamir seemed to going a little red in the face as he got right in the other man's face. They were nearly nose to nose. "Were it that you could produce weapons with the same skill you produce excuses!"

The Arab stepped back from the furious black market merchant and held up his hands helplessly. "I've done all I can."

"It is not enough," Tamir growled back, switching from yelling to normal volume in a snap.

The Arab waved his hands at the richly dressed man, "Then perhaps you ask too much."

Tamir's eyes flashed fury and he began to back the Arab up towards the reservoir. In the crowd I could see Altair moving closer to his target. "Too much?" Tamir repeated. "I gave you everything! Without me you would still be charming serpents for coin. All I ask in return was you fill the orders I bring you. And you say that I ask too much? You dare disrespect me?!" Tamir roared.

The Arab began to shake and unconsciously hold up his arms to ward off an attack. "Please, Tamir," the man pleaded. "I meant no insult!"

"Then you should have kept your mouth shut!" shouted Tamir, and he drew his dagger and slashed the Arab across the chest deeply.

The Arab cried out in pain and a murmur runs through the crowd as the man begged, "No! Stop!"

Tamir smiles evilly and continues to slash the man as he falls back. "Stop? I'm just getting started!" Suddenly his face twists into an ugly mask of rage and he switches to stabbing the Arab. With each stab he seemed to punctuate a word. "You come into my Souk! Stood before my men! And dare insult me?"The Arab flops into the reservoir and Tamir leaves the dagger buried in the back of the dead body. Tamir huffs from the exertion and I watch as the once clear water is polluted by the menacing dark cloud that is the Arab's blood.

And I watch this all happen with no emotions. How sick am I?

When a servant of Tamir comes forwards to take the body, Tamir waves him off, "No. Leave the body." The servant steps back obediently and Tamir points a finger to the crowd. "Let this be a lesson to the rest of you. Think twice before you tell me something cannot be done. Now get back to work!"

The people in the crowd move hurriedly to obey the merchant and I draw one of my knives when I see Altair approach Tamir's back. I watch as Tamir straightens his clothes and then turns around right as Altair leaps at the man. Altair plants his feet on his targets chest to push him to the ground and plunges his hidden blade into the man's neck. Blood spurts and screams and yells break out in the Souk. I drop down from the rafters on top of two guards who were running at Altair. I draw a throwing knife and throw it at another guard before engaging in blade to blade battle with a guard. I had to keep them all off Altair while he listened to Tamir's last words, which was easier said than done since it was a dozen against one and more werecoming. As I whirled from enemy to enemy I was miraculously able to hear Tamir talk to Altair.

"Be at peace," Altair murmured to the dying man.

Tamir didn't sound angry at all when he replied, "You'll pay for this. You and all your kind." He said it like a fact.

"It seems you are the one who pays now, my friend. You'll not profit from suffering any longer," Altair responded.

Tamir snorted, a feat with half his throat mutilated. "You think me a petty death-dealer? Suckling at the breast of war? A strange target, don't you think? Why me, when so many others do the same?" I neatly dodged a broadsword and repeatedly stabbed the man in his gut before moving on. I saw a fresh group of guards run into the Souk and silently urged Altair to hurry. If any more came I wouldn't be able to keep them all at bay.

"You believe yourself different, then?" Altair asked, humoring the dying man.

"Oh, but I am! For I serve a far nobler cause than mere profit. Just like my Brothers."

"Brothers?" Altair repeated in surprise and I knew he was thinking of how we Assassins called each other Brothers.

Tamir sighed and seemed to murmur to himself, "Ah, but he thinks I act alone." He coughed a little before telling Altair, "I am but one piece. A man with a part to play. You'll come to know the others soon enough. They won't take kindly to what you've done."

I ducked awkwardly to the side, but wasn't able to fully dodge a sword. It glanced of my shoulder, hitting the armor in my clothes, before dragging down my arm, tearing through my sleeve and slicing into my bare arm. I dispatched him before the guard before he could deal me more damage, but the sight of me injured seemed to rally the other guards to attack harder.

"Good," Altair replied. "I look forward to ending their lives as well."

Tamir breathed out and sounded strangely calmed after viciously attacking and killing a man. "Such pride," he murmured. "It will destroy you, child." I thought for a moment that he sound like Al Mualim: the way he called Altair a child. Tamir let out his last breath and Altair stained the feather with his life's blood.

Then, he looked up and saw how many guards were attacking us—me. I turned and ran at him, grabbing his arm and pulling him with me as I dashed down the street. I heard the city bell ringing for the entire city to hear as I ran up a wall. Once on the roof I let Altair take the lead as we sprinted away from the guards.

We'd been running for a good 15 minutes and still hadn't lost the guards when movement caught my eye. I looked and saw an archer standing on the roof with his bow drawn and pointed at us. Tackling Altair to the ground, I heard the arrow whizz by inches above my head. But, while we had dodged the arrow, our speed caused us to skid across the stone rooftop, off of it, across a 7 foot wide street, and right into a scaffold.

I heard the wood snap and the next thing I knew I was being pummeled by falling debris and Altair was underneath me. One piece in particular hit my head rather hard and my vision blacked out for a moment, but I force my body on to its hands and knees and forced the debris on top of us to fall away. I staggered unsteadily and trip on something as Altair pulls himself to his feet. I try again and have to hold on to the wall in order to stay upright. Altair steps towards me, but he stops when guards seem to rush around the corners from everywhere. Istumble away from the wall and draw another knife and face the 30 guards surrounding us. But Altair doesn't draw any weapons. Instead he steps in front of me. I'm about to demand what was wrong with him when the guards attacked.

I moved to rush past Altair and begin fighting, but Altair catches arm, stopping me. I look up the man up something catches my eye. I look to see golden tendrils appear out of thin air. Blinking, I try to see if I took a harder hit to the head than I thought, but the golden tendrils stay there, swirling through the air. The guards stop to stare as well as the tendrils began to pick up speed, whirling through the air in a protective sphere around Altair that was about 5 feet in diameter. After a few moments these tendrils began to dissipate and color the actual air gold and the guards stared in disbelief and fear.

At least they were until a man, who looked to be the guard captain, pointed at us and shouted, "It's just another Assassin trick! Ignore it and attack them!"

There was a brief hesitation before the first men actually attack again. Three came at us all at once and I moved forwards to intercept when a golden tendril came to wrap itself gently around my hidden blade arm. Even though it was light and harmless now I knew that it could change in an instant. I got the message when it tugged my arm back. It didn't want me to move. I stopped my advance and the tendril faded into the air like the others.

The three guards swung their swords at us, but were stopped dead shortly after they entered the golden sphere. The golden air around the blades glowed brighter and it seemed as if it was holding them still. When the guards pulled back, confused, and tried again, their swords were deflected this time: pushed to the side and into the ground by the same glowing air. The guards tried to back up again but the air glowed around them this time instead of their weapons. They seemed to have trouble moving, as if they were fighting something other than air.

I looked over at Altair and saw his eyes glowing amber. I don't know what compelled me to, but I glanced down at his hands and saw that he was holding them weird. They were in half claws and each finger seemed to be fighting to close into a fist. I then saw the glowing gold attached to each finger like a string and looked at the struggling guards, surrounded by the same glowing gold. It hit me then; Altair was controlling the gold like puppets. I looked down again in time to see his hands fold into fist. Glancing up I saw a golden tendril appear in front of each of the three guards and disappear into their mouths and down their throats.

The three began to choke on nothing but air and their fellow guards stepped back in fear. That terror doubled when Altair released their movements and they were allowed to hold their throats and stumble towards their companions for help. But their companions seemed to forget they were brothers-in-arms and turned and fled. The three guards collapsed to their knees and soon lay on the ground. Moments later I saw the life go out of their eyes as they died of suffocation. The golden tendrils drifted lazily out of the corpses and floated back to the golden air to dissipate again. And then the gold began to condense into tendrils again and flow back into Altair's hands.

The second all of the gold was gone Altair's knees buckled and he would have fallen on his face if I hadn't caught him out of reflex. I lowered him as gently as I could among the scattered debris from the scaffolding and saw he was unconscious. I lifted a hand to his lips and felt the short quick bursts of air that were his breathing. He was panting as if he'd run across Damascus a dozen times. Or just controlled the air itself.

I shook his shoulders in an effort to get him to wake up, but thought better of doing this in the open after a little over two dozen guards had run in fear from us. After awkwardly scooping up Altair on to one of my shoulders, I jogged down the street until I found a ladder and climbed up it. It was easier said than done, seeing how my free arm was the one the guard had cut and Altair slipped a bit if I leaned back too far to climb. I finally got to the roof and took in my surroundings, trying to figure out where the Bureau was. When I realized that it was on the other side of the poor district I sighed, shifted Altair and began to make my way slowly across the roof tops.

I didn't even attempt to jump the gaps between buildingsbecause I knew I wouldn't make it with the extra 180 pounds on my shoulder, so I stuck to the wooden beams and the little gaps where I could just step over them. When I began to tire I made a mental note to add additional weight to my back during training. When I was half way to the Bureau I just decided to find a hiding spot until Altair came around.

I gingerly stepped into a roof garden and tried my best not to drop Altair to the ground, but my cut arm decided it didn't want to carry that much weight and gave out. After my friend was settled I checked his breathing, which had slowed and deepened a tiny bit, before taking out my medical supplies from various pouches. I took out a slave, popped the cork off, and began to spread it liberally over my cut. I almost didn't have enough for the entire thing, but I made it work. The salve stung horribly, but I figured that this pain was better than an infection. I then took out my extra chest bandage rolls and wrapped my entire arm tightly before tying it off. I tested my work by bending and flexing my arm before deciding it was okay for now, though I'd have to change it soon if the blood seeping through it was anything to go by.

I checked the former Master Assassin's breathing again; it had slowed, before looking tiredly at my torn sleeve. A glance out of the slits of the roof garden told me that the sun was just starting to set. I looked at my sleeve again and then towards Altair's unconscious form. It would be impossible for me to sew up the tear one handed with my skill, or lack of thereof. So I began to take off all of my weapons, though I kept them within easy reach, and finally took off my robes. I quickly brought out my sewing kit and set to sewing it. Although I wanted to hurry I made sure I took enough time to make sure that I did the patch work correctly. The entire time I was casting quick glances towards Altair's still body. Without the armor in my robes my chest was a bit more obvious and you could actually see the slight bump on my chest if you knew what to look for through my two tunics.

Once I was done with my robes I glanced down at the torn sleeves of my tunic before taking one off to patch it up as well. That took me another ten minutes and Altair's breathing was beginning to slow into that of a normal sleep. I chewed my lip and decided to risk sewing up my last tunic and quickly switched one tunic for another, my eyes on Altair the entire time to see if he would wake up while I had nothing to cover my chest besides my bandages. And then I quickly sewed back together the last rip.

I was breathing a small sigh of relief as I tied off my thread when I heard Altair's voice call out, "Shahin?" My head whipped around to see the former Master Assassin's head turned towards me and his eyes were locked on to me.

I couldn't get my tunic and robe on fast enough for my liking.

As I was strapping my weapons on again, Altair sat up and looked around with eyes that had sleep fading quickly. "How did I get here?"

"I brought you here," I answered in a monotone. I glanced up at him as I pulled up my hood. "Do you remember what happened?" I asked nonchalantly. I was convinced that Altair had wings now. I had pulled off my healing with the same golden tendrils that he had used to defend us from the if he didn't remember then I wouldn't bring up the fact the he was like me until later. May be on the way back to Masyaf or in the forest when I was training. The forest was the best bet since there was no chance anyone could see or hear us without us knowing.

Altair's sharp golden eyes flicked towards me, but I was testing my hidden blade, so I didn't see the thoughtful calculating look in his eyes. "No," he said eventually. "I don't remember much after you tackled me." He frowned in confusion and demanded, "Why did you tackle me?"

I stood up and looked through the cloth flaps to make sure there were no guards around. "An archer had shot at us. It would've hit you if I hadn't tackled you." I forced a thoughtful tone in my voice. "You must have gotten hit in the head when we flew into the scaffolding." I unconsciously touched thetender spot on my head. It was giving me a pounding headache that just made me want to lay down and sleep.

"Then how did we get away from the guards?" Altair asked and I turned at the expectant tone.

I couldn't help but feel like he was watching my every move. "I dug us out of the wood and after a brief fight, the guards fled in fear." None of what I was saying was a lie exactly. He could've gotten hit in the head, even if I had been covering him. And the guards did flee after a fight, it was just Altair who had fought, not me.

I saw his eyes narrow and questioned sharply, "And you got away unscathed? We had a lot of guards after us." If I didn't know any better I would've sworn that Altair did remember what happened, but why would he lie about that? He would know I was there and saw everything. May be he's trying to cover up for the ability he had shown. I didn't know anything other than that he had his reasons. I let it go because I knew I would confront him about it soon enough. I didn't want to wait for him to come to me; I wanted to know as soon as possible.

I motioned to the patched up cut in my robes and my head, "I didn't."

I saw his eyes go from calculating to concerned in a moment as he approached me. He grabbed my left arm and began unbuckling my hidden blade. "How badly were you hurt?" he demanded, expecting an answer as he glanced up at my head.

I twisted my arm from his grip and unconsciously held it protectively to my chest. "It's nothing more than a scratch. I already treated it with a salve and bandaged it. It wasn't even deep enough for stitches." I quickly tightened the straps that Altair had loosened and jumped out of the garden. The sun was just touching the horizon. "It's getting late and the bells have stopped. Rafiq is probably worried about us."

I didn't wait for him and just set off at a brisk run to cover the other half of the distance to the Bureau. This trip was much faster than when I was carrying Altair, obviously, and we reached the Bureau in just a few minutes.

We walked silently into the work room and the Rafiq stopped his pacing when he saw us. Relief was written all over his face, but he spoke as if he hadn't been worried about us in the couple of hours after the bell had stopped ringing its song. "Word has reached me of your victory, Altair. You have my gratitude and my respect." He took the bloody feather Altair handed him and put it under the counter.

Altair nodded and said with a hint of pride, "Thank you."

Rafiq shook his head and picked up a paint brush to get back to work. "It is a shame that the other Assassins continue to hold you in such poor regard."

Altair's vice went emotionless as he replied, "Rafiq, I do not care what the others think of me." The fact that he made his voice emotionless said otherwise.

The Rafiq raised an eyebrow, but nodded nonetheless, "As you wish, Altair. You should bring news of your victory to AlMualim. I'm sure he has more work for you to do. But it is late. Stay here until morning and rest. You've both had a busy day."

I nodded my thanks and left the room with Altair behind me. I went to the pillows and began fixing my nest as Altair stood a little ways off, staring at me. I resisted the urge to ask him why he was doing that and also resisted the urge to demand where he was going and follow him when he climbed up the wall and disappeared out into the fading light of dusk.

I finished my repairs and sat in my nest to wait for Altair's return.

—Altair's POV—

Shahin is a clever and cunning man, Altair thought as he ran across the rooftops. Never once in his questioning did the Master Assassin lie. He told nothing but the truth, just like he had promised on the road, but he withheld information, also like he had promised.

Despite what he had told the man, he did remember everything. He remembered skidding across the roof, flying through the air, and crashing into the scaffolding. He remembered everything crashing down on them and Shahin's light weight covering his body. He remembered the dread he had felt when he stood up and saw the incredibly graceful Master Assassin stagger for balance with a dazed look in his eyes and fall. That had scared him to a degree. Someone at Shahin's skill level should never fall. And if he looked for it in his memories he could see the cut down Shahin's arm. And then the guards had surrounded them. He felt his respect for Shahin grow when the Master Assassin had stumbled from the wall to face the guards, but didn't need to.

Altair had taken care of them. He didn't know how, he just knows he did.

A part inside of him, something he had never realized he even had, had opened up and spread through him like that Arab's blood had spread through the water. The lump of power had had his hands tingling until Altair was forced to open his fisted hands and allow the golden tendrils to flow into the air. He hadn't been able to think about how he shouldn't be able to do this. He had just reacted and flexed and twirled his hands to manipulate the gold to flow into the air and then he had controlled the air. He was able to feel every single particle of dust and dirt in the air and he was able to feel the air rushing in and out of Shahin's body. When the three guards had attacked he had spread his fingers out in a stopping motion and the air had reacted. It got…heavier. More packed and harder to move through. And the air had stopped the enemy's swords.

The rush of power had made him feel light-headed, but now that he looked back on the memory he knew it wasn't the power, but the fact that he had been struggling to breathe the air he controlled.

When the guards had attacked again he flicked his fingers and the swords were deflected by the air to bury them in the ground. And then he curled his hands in an effort to make a fist. The air responded by getting heavier and harder to move through around the guards, causing them to fight through the much more resistant air. And then he closed his fist and the bright golden air had flowed into the mouths of the attackers and hardened, making it impossible for air to flow in or out of the guards' throats. They had died suffocating.

He had felt the drain on his energy and black spots had begun to dance in front of his eyes. He barely noticed when the other guards had fled as he released his control of the air. The gold tendrils flowed back into his hands and then the drain sucked the remaining energy he had had left and darkness swamped him.

The next thing he knew he was waking up in a roof garden to see Shahin finish sewing a rip in his tunic. It was strange to see the other man out of his Assassin robes. Without the bulky material you could really see how thin and bony the other man was. The tunic he had been wearing looked almost too big on him as it hung around his small frame. And then he had called Shahin's name and the other man had hurried to dress again. And in his dull gold eyes Altair saw a flash of panic.

That had been the first sign of emotion he had glimpsed since that afternoon when he had yelled at the Master Assassin.

He remembered very clearly that moment in the alley when Shahin had picked up the silly necklace that he had once held possessively and carefully and toss it carelessly into the side of the alley and look at him with the once lively, and sometimessparkling golden eyes. At that time they had been almost lifeless and dull, devoid of emotion and thought. Shahin had been a single-minded Assassin from then. Just focusing on the mission.

Altair refused to acknowledge it at the time, but he had backtracked on any progress he had made with his relationship with the other man. He had been satisfied and proud of himself after that, thinking that he had put the Master Assassin in his place and he wouldn't cause any more trouble or delay for Altair. It wasn't until he had been rude to the Rafiq and Shahin hadn't scolded him that he began to grasp what he had done. When Shahin hadn't scolded him in that gentle, kind voice he had known that he had hurt the other Assassin in some way. The realization made him feel sick to his stomach. The other Assassin had done nothing but try and help him and stand by his side when no one else would've. Even with his scoldings and lectures, he knew Shahin had said them kindly and gently so Altair would know he wasn't really angry at him.

He wanted to heal that hurt he had dealt the other man.

Which was why he was currently heading to the Souk they had investigated that afternoon. Most everyone had already packed up their stalls, but he looked and saw that the old man just beginning to pack up his wares. Altair watched as the old man frequently looked around and was obviously wasting time.

Altair jumped down into the street and approached the stall owner. "Old man," he called.

The elderly man turned, hope gleaming in his eyes, but that quickly disappeared when he saw it was Altair. "What can I do for you, young man?" the old man asked kindly, not letting his disappointment leak into his manners.

"I came to get something my Brother was looking at this afternoon," he replied curtly.

The old man frowned in confusion before realization dawned on his wrinkled weathered face. "You are that kind young man's brother! He mentioned you. You were the one who pulled him away from our conversation." The old man frowned at him and scolded much like Shahin did. "That was very rude. Someone might actually take offense if you keep doing it."

Altair was in between snapping at the man for scolding him and nodded in acceptance since he sounded so much like his friend. Altair decided on a middle and snorted softly and saying with a hint of sarcasm, "I'll remember that in a later time. Now what was it that my Brother was looking at? I wish to be on my way."

The old man smiled a bit and reached inside his tunic to pull out a cloth wrapped object. He moved away the cloth and held the bejeweled hair comb reverently. "This is what your brother wanted to buy. It was once my wife's and he wished to get it for a girl he was courting back in his village."

"What?" Altair demanded in shock. Shahin? Courting a girl? Back in Masyaf? What was this senile old man going on about?

The old man smiled kindly, "It appears your brother has been keeping secrets from you. He said that this girl was undesired by all the men in her village because she was covered in scars and wasn't soft like the other women. Your brother said that he wanted to get this comb as a gift for her since she had long hair."

"Did he tell you what she looked like?" Altair asked, planning on searching Masyaf and the village from top to bottom to find this woman that the normally alone Assassin was courting.

The old man nodded and grinned with a few teeth missing. "He did. He said that she was beautiful. He said she was tall for a woman, about as tall as your brother. He said that she had golden eyes that were normally unreadable, but lit up when she smiled. And he said she had incredibly long black hair that she refused to cut. He mentioned that it hung all the way down to her thighs and she normally kept it in a braid. She refuses to cut it because she wears it long as a reminder."

Those words hit Altair like a punch in his gut. "I wear it long as a reminder." Shahin's words rang through his head from the last day they had been on the road. Altair had asked what it reminded him off, but Shahin hadn't answered. "What's it a reminder of?" Altair asked quietly, a feeling in his gut. He wasn't sure if it was good or bad. He just knew it was like the feeling he got when a big storm was coming.

The old man smiled and looked down at the comb. "A reminder that she is a woman. Your brother said she had a very hard life that left almost her entire body scared and that she was trying to make the best of her life and that she didn't have the 'curves' like the other women. So, to remind herself that she is a woman, she wears her hair long. Just like my wife did. Your brother thought it would be a nice gift to get her a hair comb since she care so much about her hair."

Altair didn't want to think about the possibilities this information the old man was telling him had. Long black hair that was kept up in a braid. Gold eyes that were normally unreadable. Scars. A horrible past. That sounded all like Shahin himself. He probably lied to get the comb, one functioning corner of his mind said.

But Shahin said that he never told an outright lie.

If the old man was right Shahin did want to get this for a girl. A girl with long black hair, her body covered in scars, golden eyes, and a horrible past. He thought for a moment that Shahin could be getting the comb for one of the harem women until he remembered the scars detail. None of them were noticeably scared. The only person who fit that description was Shahin himself. That corner of his mind spoke up again, May be he described himself as a girl to get the comb.

But the Master Assassin had said outright that he was getting it for a girl.

So if Shahin was describing a girl, why did the description sound so much like himself?

May be he has a sister, he reasoned and settled uncertainly on that option. Shahin had never mentioned any family and said that he had grown up on the streets of Acre. He probably just didn't think it was important information.

Altair shook his head to clear it of thoughts and resolved to ask the Master Assassin if he had any family. "How much for the comb?" he asked the old man.

"Twenty gold," he replied.

Altair raised an eyebrow and pointed at the comb, "Those are real jewels. It's worth a lot more than twenty gold.

The old man smiled and shrugged, "I know it will be taken care of in the hands of your brother's girl. Besides, twenty goldwill last me a good while."

Altair reached into a pouch and pulled out a small heavy bag. He glanced to see how much was in it before handing it to the old man. He took the comb and folded it into the cloth and placed it in a safe hidden pocket in his robes. The old man looked into the bag and shock colored his face as the Assassin walked away. "Wait!" he called. "This is more than I asked for."

"It's for waiting for me," Altair replied, knowing the man was holding the 50 gold to his chest tightly. It wasn't even Altair's money anyway. It was money that was given to every Assassin when they left on a mission so they didn't have to steal for the things they needed. Shahin had his own bag.

Altair went into the alley where he had yelled at Shahin and frowned. It was pitch black now thanks to the fading light. He blinked to his colored vision and the entire world faded to black now, except for that glowing gold in the shape of a necklace. He blinked his colored vision away and picked up the necklace his brother had gotten for free after blackmailing the merchant. Even Altair hadn't seen that the man had stolen and he had been standing next to Shahin in shock that the other man wasshopping.

He brushed off the dirt and looked at the pendent. It was a metal disk with a fake emerald in the shape of an eagle. His memory flashed back to when he had woken up after his punishment to find a wooden beautiful and skillfully carved eagle and hawk in flight on the table next to his bed. When he asked a healer's apprentice he said he'd seen an Assassin with a cape come in twice in two days. One was to change him into cleaner robes and clean his weapons and the other was to sit by his side and carve something out of wood. It was hard to think that Shahin had carved this. He'd shown no interest or skill in anything artistic, but Altair had taken it nonetheless and it was currently in his room by his bed back in Masyaf.

It made Altair feel more sick when he realized that he had hurt a man who had stayed by his worthless side when he was sleeping without being asked to.

Altair put the necklace in the same pocket the comb was in and made his way back to the Bureau. He dropped down silently to see Shahin's dull golden eyes watching him. The man was sitting in his arrangement of pillows with his weapons arranged around him. Altair thought for a moment about Shahin being a woman, but this deadly image just didn't fight the idea of any woman he knew. He approached the quiet Assassin and pulled out the two objects. He held them out to the Master Assassin, "Here."

Altair watched as those golden eye moved to his hand and he saw something quickly flash in his eyes before it was gone. "Why did you bring these to me?" he asked.

"Because you wanted them. Now take them."

Shahin shook his head and moved a pillow Altair had nudged out of place when he had approached. "I do not want them."

Altair almost growled, but reigned in the urge, "So why didyou get them in the first place?"

"Because I like shiny things and they were shiny," Shahin replied in a monotone.

Altair frowned. Shahin said that he wanted them for himself, but the old man said he wanted to get the comb for a girl. "So, why don't you want them now?"

"Because I should not have gotten them in the first place," was the dull response. "I should have resisted the urge to get the shiny things and focused on the mission." But Altair saw that Shahin's eyes flickered back to the two objects in his hand and he saw the want and lust that flashed in his eyes. Altair blinked in surprise at the intensity of his eyes before they faded dull again. Shahin really did want these shiny things. Altair realized that if he wanted them like that there in the dark where they barely glittered he couldn't imagine the want the man felt when the afternoon sun was high and he was surrounded by the shiny things. He thought that he may be should've asked Shahin's reasons for getting distracted before he lit into him.

Altair crouched, grabbed Shahin's left hand, and put the comb and necklace in it and struggled for the words that would soothe the other man. "It is alright to give into your urges Shahin." He felt like he was on the right track when those golden eyes met his and he saw a faint glow of hope and confusion in them. "You just need to control when and where you give into those urges."

Understanding flared and Altair barely held back a smile when Shahin looked down at the hand that held the treasures. And Altair realized that that's what the shiny things were to the man. Treasure. "Oh," He murmured and began looking over the objects in his hand. But then he looked up his eyes were filled with shame and guilt, "I am sorry for getting distracted from the mission." He saw that that Shahin wanted an apology back, but his eyes were resigned, knowing that Altair wouldn't apologize.

Altair's irritation flared and he opened his mouth, pride bedamned. "I'm sorry, too." Shahin's face went slack in shock and surprise. Altair stood and brushed off imaginary dirt, "I shouldn't have yelled at you earlier. It was wrong of me." He felt that blow to his pride, but accepted it when he saw Shahin smile and push back his hood.

He pulled his long black braid over his shoulder and Altair examined those golden eyes. "…golden eyes that were normally unreadable, but lit up when she smiled." That's what the old man had told him and he saw Shahin's eyes practically glow with happiness. That reminded him. "Do you have any siblings, Shahin?"

The Master Assassin was confused at the seemingly random question and shook his head. "No. I've been alone my whole life."

Altair nodded and sat down in the pillows to take off his boots. "That's what I thought," he grunted as his foot slipped out of the tight boot.

"Why the sudden curiosity?" Shahin asked as he laid back.

Altair shrugged and lied easily, "I just wanted more information on you."

Shahin 'hmm'ed and went back to examining his treasures.

This is interesting, Altair thought as he drifted off to sleep much more easily than the night before. I wonder if Shahin really is a woman.

*blinks and looks up at chapter above*. Oh. My. God. Ho. Ly. Crap. This is this absolute longest chapter I've ever written. And it's taken my three days to finish it which is about 18 hours. This is ridiculous. To explain for the long chapter I'll try and relate to you writers out there. You everwrite a chapter and can just feel when the chapter has come to an end? That's how I can tell when my chapters are done and this one didn't finish until now. Wow. 19,430 words and 30 pages using size 11 font "Calibri(Body)". That. Is. A. Lot. It's a monster! It's Godzilla!

Anyway, you got to see Altair's first ability! I want to give credit to a girl(I think) using the username Alice Of The Forest! Let's have a round of applause! She PMed me the idea of Air Manipulation and being able to change its density and everything and I thought it would be fitting since, you know, Altair is part bird. I may have made his ability more flashy than I intended, but I'm trying to keep the golden tendrils or just the color gold as a constant with all of Shahin's and Altair's abilities. So thank you very muchAlice!

But that doesn't mean I don't want more ideas. I still haven't settled on Altair's second and last ability and I would love it if you readers sent them to me. Any and all ideas are accepted!

And thank you to those who have PMed me already. You all have such great ideas that I stayed up late thinking the past three nights trying to settle on Altair's ability.

So this is a long Author Note so I'm gonna just end it. I hope enjoy this insanely long chapter!

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Safety and Peace, Brothers and Sisters.