Hello errrrrbody! I am back with my next chapter! Woo! I am so proud of myself! This one DID NOT take about a month. You should be proud of me! Anyways here we go! ;D

Read, Review, be merry!

Aena Firestar

Chapter 16

Jerusalem

"Altaïr and Alera. Have you news for me?" said Al Mualim. We both stood before his study. He paced back and forth in front of the great window. The sun shown through, and it was about midmorning. We had gotten back at dark and went to sleep, so we were now before him, ready to tell him what went down and to get the next person.

"Garnier de Naplouse is dead." Said Altaïr.

"Excellent! We could not have hoped for a more agreeable outcome." I had never really seen Al Mualim so happy.

"And yet…" started Altaïr. "Uh oh." I thought.

"I hope you know what your doing." I whispered to him.

"What is it?" said Al Mualim. He looked at us.

"The Doctor insisted his work was noble. Looking back, those who were supposedly his captives seemed grateful to the man. Not all of them, but enough to make me wonder. How did he manage to turn enemy into friend?" I myself was puzzled with this. Now that Altaïr had mentioned it, he was right.

"Leaders will always find ways to make others obey them. And that is what makes them leaders. When words fail, they turn to coin. When that won't do, they turn to baser things, bribes, threats, and other types of trickery. There are plants, Altaïr. Herbs from distant lands that can cause a man to take leave of his senses. So great are the pleasures it brings, men may even become enslaved by it."

"When my father taught me about herbs, so that I could heal myself, I remember some type of plant or liquid I read about in a book that could make you feel pleasure. They would give it to slave girls so they would be more appealing and men would take it when they would go to prostitutes. They would either put it in your drink, or they would slice your wrist open and pour it with the blood so it would go straight to your blood stream. Some people, I read, could get addicted to it and even die from too much of it. It's a horrible drug." I said. Altaïr looked at me.

"So you think they were drugged, then? Poisoned?" he said. We both looked back at Al Mualim for an answer.

"Yes, if it truly was as you describe it." He said.

"Herbs. This seems a strange method of control."

"Our enemies have accused me of the same."

"The promise of Paradise…" said Altaïr.

"They think this is a garden, overflowing with women and pleasure." As Al Mualim said women, he pointed to me. "They think I drug you with rewards, tempt you."

"They do not know the truth of it." Said Altaïr.

"Which is how it must be."

"But if they knew the truth of it, that all we seek is peace…" I said.

"Then they would not fear us, and we would have no hold over them." said Al Mualim to me. I nodded.

"I understand." I said.

"Go, it is time you continued with your work. Another rank is restored to you, Altaïr, as is a piece of your equipment. We'll speak again when the next has fallen." Said Al Mualim. Altaïr walked up to the desk and got some extra throwing knives. We walked back to the stables. Alario was waiting on us. I leaned up against Àlkimos' stall door.

"So, can I ask you something?" I said.

"Yeah." Said Altaïr. He turned around a looked at me.

"Where's Malik? And what has happened? You keep getting a weapon and a rank restored to you. All the Rafiq's have been talking about you redeeming yourself. Altaïr, what happened? I mean, did you do something bad enough to where you got everything taken away from you?" I asked. *Altaïr's heart dropped. He wasn't prepared for this. He didn't know how he was going to tell her.* He walked up right in front of me.

"Can I tell you about it when we get to Jerusalem?" he asked.

"Yes. But you have to promise. I'll tell you my story if you tell me yours when we get there. Deal?" I said. I held my hand out. He grabbed it and pulled me closer to him.

"Deal." He said coolly. I smirked at him and he shot one back. We saddled up and were off again.

Alario flew right above us as we raced on through the valley. Altaïr and I raced a couple of times, but we mainly kept it at a steady pace so we wouldn't run our horses too much. The sky soon clouded over and gave us some peace from the sun, and then we came upon Jerusalem. We stood on a hill that over looked the city.

"Talal is somewhere in that mess." Said Altaïr.

"Yeah. And also somewhere in that mess are poor slaves who need to be freed." I added. Altaïr and I looked at each other, but it wasn't just any particular look. His eyes were soft and he smiled at me. I smiled back.

"I'm glad you're with me, Alera." He said with a sweet, deep tone. He reached over and placed his hand on mine. I put my other one on top of it.

"I'm glad I'm with you, Altaïr. After all, you need someone to watch your back." I gave him a mischievous smile. *Altaïr wasn't quite expecting that reaction from her but was half hoping for it. He saw her smile at him and his heart fluttered a bit. He looked into her alluring blue eyes and he saw that familiar glint in them. His heart ached for her, but he still had a few more thorns to get through until he could get to the rose he wanted.* "Let's go. Maybe while we're here, I can find some traces of what I'm looking for." I mumbled. We pulled our horses around and slowly walked down the hill. We kept our heads down and didn't make eye contact with anyone.

As I was looking down, I noticed that the grass was very green. Which is slightly strange… "Maybe this place was built on an oasis." I thought. I shook my head and shoved the thoughts to the back of my mind. Gotta concentrate. I let my eyes roam upwards and saw a shady place for our horses. I pulled Àlkimos to the right and we stopped in the shade of the wall. I got off of him and made sure there was water and hay in the trough. I patted his neck and kissed his cheek. He snorted at me and I smiled. I looked up into the slightly clouded sky and saw one lone eagle flying in a circle above us. I knew it was Alario. He called out to let me know he was all right, and he just kept circling us. I went underneath Antar's head and stood beside Altaïr.

I looked around and observed. There was a cemetery over on the other side across from us. About three scholars were there, talking in a circle. I leaned over.

"Well now, would you look at that?" I said quietly to Altaïr. He turned to me and smirked.

"What?" he said.

"The scholars don't need saving! It's a new record. No guards or anything. Just an open door."

"It seems a bit off though…" said Altaïr.

"Yeah, it does. We should be careful." I cautioned. At that moment, the scholars started to move for the city entrance.

"Lets go." Whispered Altaïr. We cautiously walked up behind them and bowed our heads. We followed them in silently. I felt the eyes of the guards on us…watching us carefully. Damn! Why do the scholars always have to walk so slow? The tension of Altaïr and I getting caught hung so think in the air, that you could almost cut it with a knife. Finally we passed the few pairs of guards. The scholars turned a corner and we broke the line of sight. Altaïr and I stopped and looked at each other. I let a breath out that I didn't realize I had been holding. "Nervous much?" he picked at me. I lightly hit him in the arm.

"No!…" I said defensively. He raised an eyebrow. "Maybe…" I said with a half smile. "But that's only because the tension was so thick!" I added. He smiled and we started walking towards the bureau. We turned a corner and headed towards the back alleys. "Could you not feel it? It was so thick that you could almost cut it with a knife!" Altaïr looked at me and smiled and laughed a bit. "What?" I said with a laugh in my voice.

"You!" he said finally. "Your little excuses and defenses. You're so cute when you're flustered. It makes me laugh."

"Oh, so now your making fun of me. Greeeaaat." I said sarcastically. I stole a glance at Altaïr who was still looking at me. He smiled and then I couldn't hold it any more. We both laughed. It felt good. I hadn't really had a good laugh in a while. We turned another corner and entered the very back of the alleys, then my laughter died. Altaïr and I both stopped laughing as we looked ahead of us. We froze in place. It's amazing how something so warm and joyous and heartfelt can be, in the blink of an eye, replaced with fear, hatred, and cold bloodedness.

"Well, well, well. Look what we 'av 'ere, boys! This must be our lucky day. Not one, but two filthy Assassin's!" said the Templar with a heavy English accent. He was the one that was at the front of the group. There were five of them. Five Templars. I took a step back. I had never been faced with this many Templars. I took a half step back and glanced at Altaïr. He stood his ground. He clinched his fists.

"Alera, get behind me before they see-"

"Ah, yes. There is the li'el flower that Robert talked about. The only girl in the order." Said the Templar, cutting Altaïr off. I could hear the wicked smile in the Templar's voice. I wrapped my arms around me in a desperate attempt to hide my bust and figure.

"Well, sweetheart, if you didn't want us to find out that you were a woman… and a very beautiful woman at that," I could see his eyes through the helmet. They wickedly ran over my body. I'm pretty sure he was mentally undressing me, which made me want to murder the guy even more. "Then you shouldn't wear such tight clothes and straps." He chuckled and so did the guys behind him.

"Alera, get behind me." whispered Altaïr. I went to step up closer to him.

"Ah. I wouldn't do that if I were you, flower. If you come quietly, we'll be sure to give your boyfriend, 'ere, a quick death."

"Like Hell!" I said through my gritted teeth.

"Now, now dearest. Mustn't make too much of a fuss. Come along now, like a good li'el slave girl."

"Over my," I stepped up closer. "Dead," step "Body." I took my last step and turned it into an aggressive stance. I was standing right beside Altaïr.

"Talal awaits in his holding chambers for you. I have specific orders not to kill you. Robert says 'e wants you shipped and treated like a good, proper slave should be treated. You shall be well fed, well clothed, and sleep in a good soft bed, with the master of course." Said the Templar. The others behind him chuckled again.

"You will not touch her." Said Altaïr. His low, deep voice held a menacing growl to it. He grabbed my hand and pulled me around behind him. I felt the cold metal of his hidden blade. It retracted and grazed my wrist, but I wasn't worried about that.

"Last chance, Desert Rose. Let us cut you, or you will be pulled from the ground by force." Said the Templar. The others behind him drew their blades, and he drew his out half way. I put my hand on Altaïr's shoulder. He still had his fingers laced with my other hand.

"I'll say it again, Templar." Altaïr spit out the word like venom. "You will. Not. Touch. Her. I will give you a chance to leave with your lives intact. Desert Rose stays with me, and you leave and call off your hunt for her." I could feel his muscles tense and his grip on my hand loosened, which was a sign that he was about to attack.

"I don't take order's from filthy Assassin's!" yelled the Templar. He drew his blade all the way.

"Alright! Alright, I'll go." I said before either the Templar or Altaïr could spring. I let go of Altaïr's hand and walked in front of him. Altaïr grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him.

"What in the hell are you doing? I refuse to let you go. They will have to get through me! We can take them!" he said. I looked in his green eyes. They were filled with fear, and shock, and pain.

"Well, what I do with my life isn't really for you to decide is it?" I said with a smirk. I winked at him. "Trust me." I mouthed silently to him. I saw a spark fly up in his eyes then. The slightest smile tugged at the corner of his lips, giving me the sign that he understood. Just as soon as the smile was there, it vanished. I pulled my wrist slowly out of his hand. His index finger grazed over my symbol scar and I had little goosebumps run up my arm. I turned to face the Templars.

"That's a good girl." Said the Templar.

"Fuck you bastard." I bit back. He lunged at me and grabbed my arm. "Well that's gonna leave a bruise." I thought as his grip on my arm tightened. *It took damn near every ounce of his energy not to cut the bastard's throat. Altaïr saw how the Templar grabbed Alera. He wanted to cut his head off. He was struggling and fighting with himself, but he knew he had to wait for Alera's signal to attack.* The Templar twisted my right arm around behind me and held me by my waist.

"Alright boys you know the drill. Kill 'em." He said. The Templars rushed forward.

"No!" I screamed. "Altaïr!" I struggled in the Templar's grip. I saw the men attack him. He had his blade drawn and was fighting them off. If I was going to act then it had to be now. I stopped struggling and played the weak girl. The Templar ran his hand down my neck and stopped above my chest.

"Such a beau'iful Rose. I don't know why Robert waited so long to pick you." He hissed in my ear.

"You must be his right hand man. Well, you know that scar that run's down his face?" I said.

"Yes. What of it?" said the Templar.

"Every Rose has its thorn, my dear Templar." My hidden blade slid out and I thrust it blindly behind my head, but I felt it as it met with something. The grip on me loosened and I turned around as best I could without withdrawing my blade from him. It hit him square in the neck. Exactly what I was aiming for. Blood spilled onto my shoulder. I pulled my blade out and he clutched his neck and fell back. Blood pooled around him and it had soaked into my shoulder. I looked down at my hidden blade and blood slowly dripped off of it and onto the ground.

"ALERA LOOK OUT!" screamed Altaïr. I turned around and saw a Templar and his sword inches away from me. I jumped back,

"AHHH!" I screamed in blinding pain and agony. I was a split second too late.

Oooo! Cliffy! I know you hate me but I just had to. XP Do not worry my friends! Tis all not in vain for I am preparing the next chapter! Huzah! Safety and peace until next time. ^.^ Read, Review, be merry!