Hi guys! You are probably going to kill me for this chapter but I like it and enjoyed writing it and I hope you guys like it too! All I ask is that no death threats be made! ;P After all, sexual tension is called 'tension' for a reason right? 'Tis all building up and will come all in good time my friends. Till then you shall read! So as my saying goes…

Read, Review, be merry!

-Aena Firestar

Chapter 13

The Midnight Lesson

Altaïr didn't follow Alera. He knew she needed some alone time. He felt bad for her and he was mad at himself for even bringing that up. "That night must have been horrible for her, whatever happened." He thought.

"It's a good thing you didn't follow her." Came a voice. Altaïr turned around to see Kalin.

"I didn't mean to." He said.

"I know. Alera is very sensitive about that. She will threaten or cut down anyone who teases her about it or brings it up. She doesn't want anyone to know that it is her weakness. She has strived to prove she is more than meets the eye." Said Kalin.

"She is a lot more than meets the eye." Said Altaïr thoughtfully.

"And what do you mean by that?" said Kalin with a defensive tone. Altaïr looked at him and searched for words.

"She just has a lot of spirit. She is good at what she does." He said. Kalin nodded, softening up a bit.

"She has been trying to prove herself for ten years. She finally got her satisfaction and the respect of Al Mualim and the Assassins. If she let anyone see her when she is vulnerable or crying, they might lose respect for her and call her soft."

"Everyone is human. People cry all the time. I can promise you that these men have cried once in their lives. I will admit I have cried."

"You are one of the few who admit and think like that. I admire your boldness and truth. The only people Alera have ever trusted are Malik, me and Al Mualim of course. She has no family to run to, and she feels alone. She fears no one will ever understand her pain, therefore she thinks no one can explain, teach her, or help her." Altaïr looked at him. "There is only ever one rose that grows in the desert, and she is alone. She just waits there for the right person to come along and take care of her and help her and give her what she needs, and all she needs is love and understanding." Altaïr studied Kalin. He was soaking all of this in.

"Why are you telling me all of this? Are you not worried that I might use this all against her?" he said. Kalin walked up to him.

"The reason I tell you this is because you might be the one that can help her. I've seen the way you look at each other. She is starting to trust you. You could get her to open up to you and you could help her. But, if you do use this information against her, either she will kill you, or I will. A fair warning don't you think?" said Kalin. Altaïr nodded.

"I promise not to use this against her. I will try to help her, however I can." Said Altaïr. He put a hand on Kalin's shoulder. Kalin smiled.

"Thank you, brother." Altaïr nodded.

I woke up. Even though it was dark in my room, it was pretty bright. I looked out the window and it was a big beautiful full moon out. I looked down into the courtyard and saw that no one was there. I also saw a tree with my name on it. "Time to practice throwing knives." I thought to myself. I had to do it when I was alone, because I wasn't all that great and I didn't want anyone to find out that I wasn't good with them. My aim would be so off sometimes and I couldn't have that. I pulled my hood up and put my throwing knives on and my short sword (just incase) and I opened the door. I looked down the hall left and right. The torches on the wall were lit up and gave me enough light. I slowly shut my door behind me and ran down the hall.

I slipped through the gate and into the courtyard. The water in the fountains was quietly trickling and crickets were chirping softly. I heard a night bird call out somewhere in the distance. It was so beautiful. I looked up at the sky and saw all the stars out and the moon. I breathed in the cool night air. I walked down the steps to the training part of the courtyard. I chose a scarred up tree and took my stance. I breathed in and threw a knife from its sheath, only to see it bounce off the tree. The handle hit the tree, not the blade.

"Great. I'm going to be here for a while." I whispered out loud to myself. I walked up to the tree and picked the knife up. I went back to my standing place and took my stance again. This time, I tried a different tactic. I closed my eyes and breathed in, and then I opened them, breathed out and threw it. The knife hit the tree, but on the edge. It chipped off a piece of bark and the knife flew to the side. I sighed. "Damn it." I walked back and picked up the knife. I did the same thing, only thought about it and meditated a little longer, and then, I threw it. It chipped and bounced off yet again.

"So close." Came a voice. I turned around and threw a knife by the blade, not by its handle. The white hooded figure ducked and the knife bounced off the marble pillar he was leaning on. He stood straight up. "Well, that would have been good if I hadn't ducked. You would have gotten me right between the eyes." I realized the smooth, deep voice.

"Oh my god. Altaïr I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you. You startled me. I didn't think anybody was up this late." I said. He turned around and picked up the knife and brought it to me. He came close and handed me the knife. I looked at him and took it and sheathed it. I turned around and went to the tree, and picked up that knife. I started walking back to Altaïr, but then noticed something... The moonlight made his white robe have an eerie glow about it. I looked down at my sleeves and robes and saw it too. I looked back up at Altaïr. He looked so intriguing and mysterious. I walked all the way up to him.

"Why are you practicing in the middle of the night? Wouldn't it be easier to practice during the day? When you can see?" he said. The last sentence had sarcasm on it. I smiled.

"Yeah, about that. I have to practice in secret. If you were standing there as long as I think you were, you saw how bad I am. I don't want to risk practicing during the day, and you better not tell anyone about this." I said. I pointed the knife at him. "Remember what's at stake if you do." He laughed softly.

"Yes, I remember, but why would I tell anyone? It's just you and me, Alera. I'm not heartless." He said. I saw a bit of hurt in his eyes. I looked down, realizing how harsh I sounded.

"I… I know you aren't. I'm sorry." "God, guilt is a horrible feeling." I thought. I rolled the knife in my hand. I saw Altaïr bring his hand up. He put it on my chin. His hand was rough and calloused but I didn't care. He was gentle with me. He pulled me up and I looked at him. He had gotten closer, a lot closer.

"You don't have to Apologize, Alera. I understand." He whispered to me.

"No. I… I mean… I've always been too harsh to you." I sheathed my knife and put my hands on his shoulders. "That's why we always get into fights. I don't mean to be, but I guess I've just gotten used to not trusting anyone and having to snap at people. You don't disserve the things I say to you, Altaïr."

"Alera, I understand what you're going through. Your past has caused you to be like this. I don't know what happened, and I will not pry you for information, but I know how you feel. I used to be like that, so you have no need to worry. I forgive you." He moved in closer. "He… He understands me. I can't believe it. Nobody has ever understood the way I felt. I'm glad he understands." I thought.

I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I looked down and wiped it away with my sleeve. "Hopefully he didn't see that!" I thought desperately. *Altaïr saw the silver tear that rolled down Alera's cheek. He remembered what Kalin had told him, so he acted like he didn't see it, but he wanted to wipe it away for her. He wanted to hold her. He was so close to her.* I could feel the warmth coming off of his body, which made me realize just how cold it was outside. His hands slid down to my waist. I ran mine down his broad shoulders and down his muscled arms.

His grip on my waist begged me to move in closer to him and I obeyed. I wrapped my arms around him and closed the space between us. He had pulled me into a warm hug. I rested my head on his chest and he rubbed my lower back with one hand and my shoulder with the other. A thought flashed through my head. "What am I doing?" I blinked the thought away and blinked the tears away.

"The Desert Rose is often left alone, waiting for some one to come along and take care of it, but you are not alone Alera." I looked up at him and he looked down into my eyes.

"What did you just say?" I said completely astonished. "That was beautiful, and he knows my nickname." Altaïr just smiled at me. "That… was beautiful. I didn't know you knew my nickname."

"Of course I do. It fits you well." He said with a smile and a gleam in his eyes.

His eyes were beautiful in the moonlight. I felt a wave of something wash over me. I had chills run all up my spine. "Don't get too involved! Don't get into something you can't get out of!" screamed my brain. My heart raced. He then put a hand on my left wrists and rubbed my symbol scar. I had a small in-take of breath at his touch. My pulse went crazy and my skin twitched and chilled up. *Altaïr smiled to himself at how her pulse sped up under his touch. He was so close to her, but he knew he shouldn't do this just yet.* "What the hell are you waiting for? Make a move!" screamed my heart. I leaned in closer. He ran his hand up my side and I had another chill and quick breath. He stopped and drew one of my knives out half way. He still rubbed my scar. He then rested his forehead on mine.

"Let me help you with your knives." He said to me in an almost whisper. I felt myself get a little weak. "That voice." I closed my eyes and regained myself. I sighed a relief. "Thank god for a distraction." He took the knife from its sheath. "Turn around." He whispered. I turned around and faced the tree. He came closer behind me. He put the knife back in my hand. "Now, I saw what you did when you were aiming for the tree. You're reading too much into it. You think too much, and don't act quickly enough. It has to be a quick reaction not a slow, planned reaction."

"Ok. Just show me what I need to do." I said. He moved in closer and pulled me into him. I caught my breath as we met. He wrapped his left arm around my waist and ran his right hand down my arm to my hand. My cheeks flared up. I was just glad my hood was up and he was behind me.

"Look at how I'm standing. Take this stance." He said softly to me. I looked down and followed his footsteps. "Now, do you remember what you did when you threw the knife at me? It was a quick, one motion movement. You didn't think; you just acted on impulse. Do you remember how you grabbed the knife?"

"By the blade, not by the handle."

"That's right." He said. He held my hand and twirled the knife around to where I was grasping the blade. "Now, here comes the hard part. It has a little bit to do with your hips as well." My heart was racing again. He pressed up against me and turned my hips to the left. "When you're standing still, you can use this as an aim. Line your right arm up with your right side. When you throw the blade, stop right before your arm goes past the right side of your body. If it goes past, the knife will fly out of control." I could feel his breath on me. It was fluttering my hood just slightly. I realized I was warm. I was practically wrapped in his arms. "Lets try it." He said. He moved my right arm to my sheath (as an example to drawing my knife) and then I whipped my arm around. He guided me and held me steady. The knife stuck right in the center of the tree.

"Wow. I did it." I said. I was really shocked. I turned my head to look at him. I looked up in his eyes and he looked down into mine. He smiled.

"That was pretty good." I looked back towards the target. "Now, try it without me." he said. "Oh shit, I am going to embarrass myself." I thought. He moved away from me and the cold air hit my back and sent ice up my spine. It felt like someone threw a cold bucket of water on me. I tensed up. I felt Altaïr get back behind me, cutting off the wind. "Don't tense up. It makes your movements less fluent and flowing." He said softly. He rubbed his hands slowly up my back. He then rested them on my shoulders and squeezed them to loosen me up. I felt another chill run up me. I pulled my shoulders forward.

"Hey! I'm ticklish there." I said. He laughed a little.

"Sorry. But I'll remember that the next time you threaten me." I looked back at him and smirked.

"Then I will never let you touch my neck again." He laughed.

"Were you going to let me touch your neck again if hadn't said that?" he said playfully. I didn't say a word and looked back at the target. I felt him squeeze my neck again. I turned around and my knife clashed with his hidden blade. We were pretty much inches from each other.

"Don't start something you can't finish." I said playfully. He smirked at me.

"Throw the knife Alera. And quit stalling." I smirked back at him and narrowed my eyes. I turned around and threw it without directly aiming or thinking. I stopped my arm at my right side and the knife slung out of my hand. It hit just a few inches below the other knife. I looked back at Altaïr.

"How was that?" I said. He walked over to the tree and pulled the knives out. He came close to me (inches away) again and put the knives in the sheaths himself.

"Not bad." He whispered. I smiled. "Now that we are done with that lesson, I think you should go to bed. I think we should both go to bed." I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, Altaïr. I knew you were bold but I didn't know you were that bold." I joked. That's when he caught himself.

"Oh… That came out wrong… I meant we should go to bed… Separately! Not together… Damn it... I should just stop talking..." He said with a nervous laugh. I couldn't help but laugh at Altaïr. The badass assassin was actually tripping over himself! "That is so cute." I looked at him. He glanced at me…was that?… Shyness? I giggled again.

"It's ok Altaïr. I like it when you trip over yourself. I think it's cute." I said with a smile. He smiled back and stepped closer.

"Well, you know normally I don't do that." He said softly. "And he's back ladies and gentlemen." I thought. "Anyways, we are leaving for Acre tomorrow; you're no use to us half asleep." He said jokingly.

"Neither are you." I said. He smiled. "But I rather like the idea of sleep right now. A nice warm comfy bed sounds good. I'll see you in the morning then." I turned and walked up the steps with Altaïr close behind.

"Alera," we stopped at the gate going into the fortress. I looked at him. "Goodnight and sleep well." He said softly. I smiled.

"Goodnight Altaïr. Sleep well." I turned and went through the door leading to the hall. I went back into my room and took my weapons off and my boots and all my other garb. I put a white tunic on and some brown pants. I climbed into bed feeling quite happy and satisfied with the progress I made tonight. The last thing I had on my mind was Altaïr and then sleep over took me.

You like? Hopefully so! Ok, the instructions on knife throwing are made up so DO NOT TRY AT HOME KIDS. Ok then so maybe I should stick another random disclaimer in here… Don't want the feds coming for me… Again. ;P joking, joking. Anywhose… I don't own anything having to do with Assassin's Creed… I only own the people and things you've never heard of! I thank all of my followers and favoriters and reviewers and all the people having to do with this story! And a special thanks to Cameechan and Lucifer's Daughter who gave me my 'fix' of reviews when they were scarce. Till the next chapter…Read, Review, be Merry. :D