Ok! Chapter seven is up! Sorry it took so long. Had some problems and stuff but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. Anyways I hope you like this one! I have switched back to Alera's point of view and this is where some action starts! Read and Review and I hope you guys like it!

-Aena Firestar

Chapter 7

Damascus

We rode on through the Kingdom non-stop. I knew Àlkimos was strong and willing. He never gave out until we got to an oasis. It was near a village and pretty much right outside Damascus, but we had to stop. I was tired and so was Àlkimos. I lit a fire and it got dark. The temperature dropped quickly. Àlkimos laid down and I sat up against him. I ran through my thoughts. Doubt was ever gnawing at me.

"What if he's not in Damas'? What then? What will you do?" the voice of doubt said in my head.

"He has to be in Damas'. They would not have changed the uniforms I'm sure. And if he isn't in Damas', then we will go to every city and look for him." Said my voice of determination and reason

"What if he's already dead?" said the voice of uneasiness and nervousness

"We don't know that yet." Said my voice of hope. The doubts were silenced. I wrapped myself in a blanket and was soon warm. I ate a little food, and my eyes started to get heavy. I soon fell into a peaceful, but guarding sleep with my hand on my sword.

I awoke early the next morning and packed everything up and we were off again. My mind was permitted to wander. The fact that Àlkimos had been with me for so long let him learn the way to Damas'. I've had numerous missions in Damascus and I always took Àlkimos with me. It was like having the horse on autopilot. He knew where he was going. I trusted him, and I know he trusts me. I let the reigns go and he sped up, knowing he was completely free to go as fast as he wanted. I just held on to his mane and let my mind wander. For some reason, the first thing (or person) that came to my mind was Altaïr. I realized, that the last time I actually saw his face was when I first came to the fortress. "Ten years ago. I'm pretty sure he has changed a lot." I thought to myself. He hasn't seen me either. Our hoods were always up whenever we saw each other. We never spoke, just silently passed by.

I snapped out of my thoughts and realized Àlkimos had slowed to a trot. There were guards everywhere. We were at Damascus, but they had obviously doubled the watch for some reason. Maybe it's because of the approaching war. I put my head and eyes down. I slumped my shoulders over so my robe and clothes would scrunch up. I was trying desperately to hide my womanly figure. It worked well enough. Àlkimos stopped at a shady spot next to the outside of the walls. He started to eat some hay. I slowly got off of him. "You know the drill Àlkimos." I whispered in his ear. He snorted and stomped a hoof. I patted his neck and turned around to see what I was up against.

"Help me!" not even ten seconds into me getting here, and a person already needs help. "I mean honestly! These people need to learn how to fight!" I thought to myself, however I did feel sorry for the old man, and I felt my bloodthirstiness kick in. I remembered how long it had been since I killed someone. Time for some practice! As I slowly advanced closer, I realized it was a scholar. Those guards surely were complete idiots for attacking a helpless scholar. As I got closer I heard the guards talking. Shouts of 'We'll teach you old man!' and 'How dare you address us as such!' came from the foul guards. One was standing in front of the fight. I slowly walked up to him.

"What do you want? Go away. This does not concern you." He said harshly.

"Oh but it does concern me! See, you are one of those arrogant, bastards who thinks he can get or take anything he wants. I know the kind all too well." I said. I smirked under my hood as Altaïr flashed through my mind. It added a little more fuel to the fire as well. I looked at the guard, my long blonde hair blowing in the wind. He caught it. His face scanned me. He saw my womanly figure and his face turned to complete and total shock. Hidden blade… Jugular… Death. Three simple steps that had him lying, unmoving and bleeding profusely on the ground. The other guards saw me and stopped harassing the man.

"Kill the woman!" one said. He rushed at me and I drew my sword out and slashed it across his chest. He fell to the ground, writhing and cringing in pain.

"Who's next?" I said calmly as I flipped my sword. One other came running at me. I cut his leg and he fell to the ground. I stabbed him right in the center of his gut. Two more left. Both came rushing at me. I evaded them quickly and fluently. I turned around and stabbed one right in the center of his back. Then I cut the other one's calf and he dropped to the ground. I sheathed my sword and drew out my knife as quick as lightening. One quick slice to the throat and his lifeblood was let loose. I quickly sheathed my knife. I looked around. It seemed just a bit ironic, because at that moment a crowd of people poured out from the city gates. I quickly stole away to the shadow of the wall. I looked around for the scholar and he was standing a ways away in the shadows as well. He waved me over.

"Come my child!" he said.

"Yes sir." I ran over to him quickly. He looked at me up and down and stopped at my face. My eyes were the only things shrouded by the hood.

"Indeed! You are a woman! I cannot believe this to be true, yet here it is, plane as day! Thank you my girl. This kindness will not go un-rewarded. Name it and I shall grant it." He said. I smiled. I put a hand on the old man's shoulder.

"Grant me safe passage through the gates whenever I want it, and we are even." He smiled.

"So it shall be done! Come, I'm sure you would like to get your business underway." I followed him to three more scholars. I bent my head down and laced my fingers together. They began their walk into the city. They passed by the guards. They paid no attention to us and let us pass. As soon as I was in, I left them and joined the crowd.

Damascus was still the same, the sounds, the sites, everything. I made my way through the people. I was in the poor district so there weren't a lot of people, but there were a lot of guards. The poor district was always riddled with crime and strife. Thugs roamed the allies and corrupt guards were posted everywhere. It was easy enough. I never drew attention to myself, so I wasn't in trouble… sometimes. I knew I had to head to the rich district because all the high guards guarded the rich and the royal there. It was going to be a long day, and a long walk.

I went down a dark alley and tried to avoid the sick man that was talking to himself and swinging his arms wildly about. I tucked and rolled under his flailing arms. I scaled the side of a building, making sure no one was looking. As soon as I got to the roof it was like my eyes opened wide. I could see everything. About a half a mile away I could see a tall tower with a perch on it. "Perfect place for eagles, and for me." I thought. I started to run over the rooftops. I jumped from one to the other. I dropped down on a ledge and stood on a low roof. I was about to jump across, until I heard voices. I stopped short at the edge. I looked down and saw two guards talking to each other.

"Listen, he may not be the richest man, but he knows his way around a good trade." Said one.

"I know. The different weapons he brings are all for different causes. I've been to one of his 'Private displays'. I never had enough money to buy any but he had a lot." Said the other.

"I heard that Tamir also sells his arms and armor to royalty. Why, just the other day I heard a rumor that he gave some to Salah Al-Din and his men. Saved their hides in a battle."

"That is about as close to royalty as you can get. I bet he got a gracious reward for that."

"Well, I better get back to my shift. I heard that some people found some bloody bodies of guards lying around the entrance, whoever it was is in the city now so we had better keep a look out." And with that they departed. "Great, they are looking for me now. Well, at least they don't know what I look like." I thought. I breathed a sigh of relief, and continued on my run through the roofs. I was in the middle district now and guards were stationed on the roofs. I didn't really want to waste all my throwing knives, plus, I was OK with throwing knives, not the best. I dropped down in the crowd. Gasps came from a few people. I didn't really care. I just kept walking. Merchants were shouting out their so-called 'bargains' and 'reduced prices'. You had to give them credit; they were pretty good at selling stuff to people. Suddenly, I heard a cry.

"Wait! Stop! I've done nothing wrong!" said a girl. She sounded about my age, maybe a little younger. I started to swerve through the crowd and look for her. I looked down an ally way and saw her. Three guards total. One was standing there, trying to look menacing so no one else would try to help her. The other two were tossing her about and touching her. No girl should have to go through that. I sped down the ally, which was oddly enough, somewhat busy. I knew I was going to attract attention but I couldn't stand by and watch those guards. They could do worse stuff to her if no one tried to help. I ran straight up to the guard. He held a hand up.

"Hey, what are you-" Slice. My blade cut him off. I slashed it across his throat. He fell dead. People screamed and ran. The usual. I just ignored it and dove back into the wonderful sensation known as bloodthirstiness. The other two guards ran at me. I cut the leg of one, punched him in the jaw, whipped around and stabbed him in the back. One other guard came around from behind and grabbed me. I back kicked him in the crotch and as he crouched in pain I sliced his throat. I sheathed my sword and ran to the girl. She looked a bit shaken but no physical harm was done.

"Thank you. Another minute and they would have made off with me. There is no telling what they would have done. I will go home and tell my brother of this. Thank you again." She said. She turned around and sped off. I turned around too and started to slowly walk off. Amidst all of the screams and shouts, one caught my ear.

"There! There he is! Assassin! He's the one that killed them!" they said. I looked back. There was a whole convoy of guards there. I estimated about ten. I felt just a little bit nervous then. They started to run towards me. I turned back around and took off. I was actually a bit glad that they thought I was a man. I didn't want everyone to know I was a woman or else I would have had to kill them all. The guards would have been on the look out for a woman in a white robe. I particularly didn't want that to happen because then I would have to get a bandage wrapped around my breast to make me flat chested and that crap was uncomfortable.

I darted down an ally-way. My senses were on high alert and my adrenalin was out of control. I scaled a building, but I could still hear some close behind. I realized I was getting farther and farther away from my perch and from the rich district. I had to figure out how I was going to cut a corner without them seeing me. "Break the line of sight! Break the line of sight! Break the line of sight!" My head was screaming at me. I was desperately searching for a place to hide, but nothing was there. So my only option, for now, was to try and out run them.

Oooh! Bit of a cliffhanger huh? Who will save her? Will Altaïr come in and save her? What will happen? Read the next chapter and find out!