Pets Galore and Baby Darim

Masyaf, Syria

"All I'm asking is to journey below to the village for items" Maria explained exasperatedly since being locked up in a fortress was driving her insane after many months. Given the fact that she was ready to pop any day now, she wanted one last walk that wouldn't leave her bored out of her mind. There were only so many books she could read and livestock to visit before she found life tedious inside Masyaf's walls. She really thought the fortress would keep her mind rooted due to its safety but a month prior, that glass overflowed. Being an active woman, she longed to travel the land and see sights most women wouldn't be able to. Why did impending motherhood call for light walks and no strenuous work? The female body should've been designed better by nature in her opinion. Templars and a pregnancy had put an abrupt end to her journeying and she sighed aloud, "Being pregnant is not a sentence to isolate me."

"You could fall and where would that leave you?" Ilias asked calmly since he wasn't letting her go out under any circumstance and always turned to possible scenarios to make her think. The child was the grand master's and he wouldn't allow anything to happen to it or risk Altaïr's ire. Maria narrowed her gray eyes since she'd always managed to put Altaïr under her thumb since stubbornness was his downfall but Ilias didn't hold any of it. It was hard for her to pinpoint his weakness to make him tumble since he was so eerily calm and rarely prone to anger- he was a damn conundrum!

"I'm not careless, I-" she began irritably but stopped a second later when she felt something rip inside of her, leading her to touch her stomach with worry. What just happened? A second later, her water broke and covered the floor with translucent liquid as it landed with a wet plop. Maria could only stare in bewilderment to the sudden change in her pregnancy and cursed her luck. Really? Now, of all times?

Ilias wore the same expression toward the puddle and the shocked Maria to state amusingly, "Well, it seems the baby doesn't want to wander today either."

"Very funny" Maria shot back with a sharp tone since having a child had not been in today's itinerary and knew she'd never see the outside of her room for weeks. She'd really wanted a few more days to herself before she began motherly duties and rocked a newborn in bed. How would she bear the endless poop production? She would have to make do with the pictures stored in her memories and live again through those. Her robes had practically been soiled and she hoped the pains that burned with the strength of hot coals wouldn't leave her room worse for wear. Or worse, her. She clenched her fists in irritation to the thought of being bound to a bed rather than a fortress and declared curtly, "I wish I could beat Altaïr for putting me in this bind."

Ilias placed the comment on the impending motherhood category since his friend wasn't there to offer support and calmly said, "I'll . . . have someone clean this up."

With that said, he grabbed Maria's arm carefully to lead her back to her room for the birth. He never had many interactions with the fairer gender but Maria held herself confidently like any man and held no daintiness. A perfect example of her independency was her feeble attempt to pull away from his grasp to stand upright on her own and Maria sighed, "I can walk, Ilias."

"For now" he reminded since impending childbirth wouldn't make it easier along the way and they exited the building to head to the left. Thankfully, nobody paid the two any attention since Maria had become a common face over the last six months and she was grateful for not drawing a glance. Being in the company of either Ilias or Bashir had removed the constant eye of suspicion over her and she wouldn't press it. She didn't need gossip spreading about her wetting her skirt in broad daylight and winced when she felt her first contraction. This day would not bode well for her but she'd bear it with a head raised high rather than wallow in misery.

He took the emptiest paths towards the housing wing of the fortress and kept her out of sight as he took on the responsibility of caring for her. Normally, this would have her fussing as he took away her independence but she would make an exemption for today. Maria had slowly grown to be an acquaintance since she spent most of her time in the library below his temporary workplace and turned to him for conversation to pass the time. Some saw her as standoffish due to her serious demeanor but Ilias saw through the mask since she was a woman living among men and had to maintain that foothold. It was an admirable trait to have in his opinion but society placed women in the home rather than walking side by side along men as partners. Their footsteps picked up dirt from the paths in their haste to lead her to her quarters and Ilias promised, "I will fetch a midwife and our doctor to care for you."

"I can't have a baby now, I wanted to explore" she sighed with disappointment since she was caring for two now and her shoulders sagged to the lost opportunity. Was it too much to ask for a single day enjoying the open outdoors? She couldn't help but peer over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure the paths were clear of anyone that could see her rear end. Being known as the woman who wet her skirt was not a good reputation and she murmured under her breath, "People are going to see my wet robe, you know."

"There's rarely anyone around and I know these paths" he pointed out calmly to keep her stress level down to a minimum and opened the wooden door by its metal latch to pry it open. He ushered her inside first like any gentleman and Maria's tense shoulders relaxed when nobody was in view in the hallway. It was practically deserted- thank goodness! Ilias noticed her relaxed stance as her pinched face smoothed to clear away her visible worry and he smiled sympathetically, "You must learn to trust me, Maria. I've known these passages since childhood and wouldn't lead you astray."

He was surprised to hear her soft voice as they continued walking in the silent hallway when she admitted, "I do trust you . . . please believe me."

It wasn't often that she uttered those words but they served to reinforce their friendship since it wasn't every day that an assassin helped you through childbirth. Since it was the middle of the day, the hallways were empty of the wing's inhabitants and there were no issues leading her home. Maria lived on the second floor since everyone clearly didn't want her on the first due to easy escape attempts. Ilias, however, seeing that she was expecting a child, decided to compromise by placing her on the second rather than the last fourth floor. He wasn't about to push the poor woman into an early delivery. She appreciated everything he'd done for her but she always wondered if it was for her wellbeing as a friend or per Altaïr's orders.

Maria hadn't exactly had a whirlwind romance with the man that left her longing for him and preferred to keep him as a partner in crime (with benefits, if the need arose). Altaïr was a good man but there were instances that left her grasping her hair to his odd quirks (why wear imported white fabrics if you'd spend a day washing it?!) and doubted he'd become husband material. He had left her on a rooftop in Acre with absolutely no information on where to be found, after all. He'd been honorable by offering to marry her to protect her reputation but Maria believed she was strong enough to care for herself and her baby. Nonetheless, she considered herself lucky for having Altaïr in her life because shelter would've been impossible if they'd left on bad terms. She acknowledged she could be a bit tenacious but Altaïr had seen past that and he'd become a good acquaintance to rely on. She'd make sure to include him in their child's life and hoped that he was safe wherever he was since she couldn't protect his back like she used to (hopefully, Malik and the foreigner would do so).

Her wooden door creaked open as Ilias pushed it and Maria waddled inside as sweat began to accumulate on her brow from the walk with contractions beginning to discomfort her. Bed was a glorious relief to her since walking seemed to aggravate her contractions and wanted to be off her feet. Ilias allowed her to get settled in as he left to retrieve the medical team to help and Maria watched the door close with a small sigh. She didn't want to be left alone for this, no matter what she said, and longed to have someone by her side to comfort her. Although her family had disinherited her for leaving, Maria couldn't help but want her mother to offer words of advice. Anything was better than the suffocating silence of the room as she suffered through her contractions.

"Ugh, I must be delirious" she muttered grimly since her mother had said nothing in her favor when her father cast her out for divorcing her husband. She would be a better mother by letting her child explore all of their options in life and love them, even when they made mistakes. People were only human, after all.

Being alone in the room, she decided to change her clothes and slip into comfortable robes before everyone returned. Hopefully, delivering the child wouldn't be too bad since she'd borne wounds worse than birthing a little human.

She was absolutely stupid for believing that childbirth could ever match a wound given by a weapon. Children were ten times worse than that! By the time Ilias had returned, she had twisted the linen sheets into resembling rope and felt inclined to rip the child out of herself for the horrible pain. Where was Altaïr when she needed to kick him in the groin? Oh, how she hoped somebody or something granted that mercy to her.

Being among strangers didn't make her the least bit comfortable and the pain coursing through her entire body heightened her suspicion of them. She recognized the doctor that treated her but the older woman was a mystery to her. What if she was a Templar and recognized her? What if-

"Maria, stop glaring murder at them" Ilias calmed with a steady voice that broke through her hormone induced distrust as he sat beside her and placed a cool hand on her sweaty back. The difference in temperature was bliss against her hot flesh and she wished he would've rubbed circles to dull away the pain in her spine. Being a respectable woman, she refused to so but listened to his advice. Oh, how she wished somebody would place a cool cloth on her head.

"Everything will be fine" the plump midwife assured the expecting mother as she placed clean sheets on a nearby chair since labor was not quick or clean. Maria was ready to snap that she better think again because what she was enduring could only be called torture most foul. The doctor, someone she thankfully recognized, had cared for her pregnancy throughout the months so she'd have to place her trust in him. Otherwise, she would've been eyeing the man with the same critical eye as she had with the woman. She was glad that Ilias would stay-

"Ilias, it's time for us to begin but we will call you if anything happens" the doctor informed as he finished washing his hands at the water basin and the assassin nodded quietly. Well, that cut her thoughts short with a rusty sword. Ilias stood up with a sympathetic glance at Maria since it was time to make his exit but admitted privately that he would've preferred to stay. Although she didn't appear visibly frightened, her eyes gave away her conflicting emotions as she clutched the sheets distressingly with white knuckles.

"Wait, where are you going?" she questioned swiftly with worry mixing into her normally steady voice as she watched him move towards the door to exit. In an uncharacteristic move, Maria's left hand shot out to grasp the back of his white robes in a vice grip to keep him rooted beside her. Forget propriety, she wanted the only person she trusted in that fortress to comfort her when she needed it the most.

"Men aren't allowed in a room during birth" he replied regrettably and her eyes widened since she didn't want to be by herself to endure the torture of labor. Being more akin to walking in a man's shoes rather than a woman's, Maria had only known about a wedding night and being a wife when she first married. Childbirth, on the other hand, was completely new to her and she was left in the dark as she learned everything along the way. Ilias disentangled her hand from his clothing but squeezed it to offer both his support and condolences at having to leave her alone.

"But . . . you can't just leave" she murmured quietly with insistence but he assured her everything would be fine and he'd be outside the door like he promised. Maria would've rather had him inside where she could see him and clutched the sheets tighter as she stared at her pregnant belly. This was not how she'd expected her delivery to be and refused to look at his retreating back. The door closed shut to signal that he'd left her alone to fend for herself in this birth but she'd handle it as best she could. The midwife offered a faint smile as Maria kept quiet about her worries and assumed Ilias was the husband of the distraught Englishwoman.

Maria's fair cheeks flushed even pinker when the midwife commented softly, "I'll make this as easy as it can be but I assure you your husband won't be far."

Husband? She thinks. . .well, nowadays, I'd be stoned for having a child out of wedlock, Maria pondered as she found herself in a sticky predicament and decided to seize the assumption as an opportunity. Altaïr was nowhere to be found on their continent and Ilias had become the person to confide in when she needed a helping hand. It also helped tremendously that the latter man didn't glare most of the time and didn't leave her alone to fight off bats.

"Yes, now would you kindly get this baby out of me?" Maria asked with a pained grunt as another contraction struck and hated the incapacitating sensation. Oh, she wanted to curse Altaïr's name for this and kick him in the groin to make sure he could never father more children with other women.

It was past midnight when Ilias heard a faint cry on the other side of the door and shook himself out of the quick nap he'd tried to grab while waiting. The long hours had turned tedious as he stayed posted by the door and occupied himself by either reading or pacing to pass the time. Despite all of that, his tired eyes threatened to close shut as he leaned against the door. It wasn't his child but he worried for both mother and newborn just the same after months of watching over Maria. Altaïr would be satisfied with his commitment but Ilias didn't mind keeping her company since her quiet demeanor was agreeable to his own.

He waited until the door was opened to await the news since he couldn't enter until the child was cleanly tucked in a blanket. Ilias was in no hurry since he would've been useless anyway and more than likely, winced at the sight of a child being born. He'd seen animals being born in the village below and if it was similar to that . . . he was best left outside.

"You may come in now" the midwife invited kindly as she opened the door to allow him inside and Ilias implemented his assassin training by walking cautiously. After hearing so many shouts and cries from Maria, he expected a bloodbath inside the room but everything had been placed in a basket for disposal. It didn't even appear as if the room had borne a child minutes ago as Maria lay comfortably in her bed underneath the blankets but her round face was tinted pink with exhaustion. She never wanted to endure childbirth again for as long as she lived and was glad to be done with her pregnancy altogether. Now, she could rest comfortably in bed for as long as she wanted and take a warm bath when she was able to.

Ilias didn't care in the slightest about being mislabeled as her husband since women weren't really permitted in Masyaf unless it was ordered. For Maria's sake, he pretended in order to protect her reputation as a respectable woman since unwed mothers would bear a horrible stigma in any settlement. The doctor, Adil, knew the true nonexistent relationship between the two but said nothing to protect their brotherhood since the villagers were kept out of their affairs. He assured that the birth had gone smoothly without complications but if a fever arose with Maria, Adil needed to be called at once.

The swaddled baby in a white blanket was handed to Ilias as they cried throughout the room, little pink gums showing as the newborn's red cheeks puffed in fussiness. The midwife happily informed him it was a healthy boy and Ilias approached the tired new mother to return her son back into her rightful arms. Her long raven hair was frizzy in its long braid and her hairline sticky with damp sweat but her gray eyes were focused on the wriggling baby that held black hair similar to her. Seeing more similarities in skin and hair color, Maria expected a daughter that would one day bear her resemblance but Ilias informed her proudly, "You have a son."

. . . All right, a son that looked like her- it was all good.

"Damn right I do" Maria smiled weakly as she watched his little chubby limbs flail and wondered how a form like that fit inside the human body. The baby whimpered as she held him close to her chest and smiled fondly at seeing the little troublemaker that kicked her insides. She might not have wanted a child with Altaïr in the slightest but was hopeful she'd make a life on her own with her son. He was a handsome boy already in her eyes and traced a fingertip over his clenched fists as he whimpered. She leaned back against the pillows with a sigh to watch her newborn adjust to his new world and corrected her previous words, "I mean, his name is Darim."

"Darim Ibn-La'Ahad" Ilias tried out since his friend would be pleased to know he had a healthy son but Maria tried out her own last name in her mind: Darim Thorpe.

It had a better ring to it.

Malakal, South Sudan

"I never thought I'd say this but I'm getting tired of only seeing the river and desert" Vivian mumbled lethargically as she hung off one of the sides of the canoe with a pout. The scenery failed to change as they traveled south as the desert environment and sparse areas of vegetation failed to catch her interest. She longed to be the nervous woman that eyed everything with suspicion or the chirpy historian that didn't allow anything to escape her sight. Now, she hung limply from the side like a noodle as Altaïr allowed her to rest while he kept rowing and Vivian longed for ice cream.

"You and I both" Altaïr agreed with a frown as he rowed the boat, dressed in his assassin pants of gray but wore the sleeveless brown tunic with his armor and other fabric layers underneath it. The humid climate of Sudan had finally forced Altaïr to alter his robes for a lighter weight and sported the change after Vivian had sewed the new outfit for him. Of course, he'd fidgeted the entire time she took his measurements (he would never let her sew him trousers) but she'd been able to sew it while in camp or on the canoe. Vivian was proud of her first creation as she'd worked alongside him to make a perfect copy of his white robes and the color blended seamlessly in towns while complementing his sunkissed skin. If only she could've made him strut like a model down the runway but alas, she was keen on living. As for the awesome robes that he'd donned for the past years, he carried them neatly in his pack and wore them around camp when he wanted to feel comfortable. Apparently, dressed from head to foot in layers of clothing was comfortable for him while Malik's version was a simple tunic with breeches.

The trio had now counted a total of ten months on the road, give or take a few days, and the enduring warm weather had turned Vivian's beige complexion a shade darker from the sun exposure. Both Malik and Altaïr had now clocked in their birthday card to turn twenty-eight while Vivian turned twenty-two as the year 1193 was in full force. Since Roman calendars weren't used in their area, she pinpointed the month as either May or June. She couldn't believe she was close to spending her first year in the Middle Ages and was actually living to tell the tale. Well, she almost pushed it when she made a paper triangle hat with a drawn smiley face for Altaïr's birthday many months ago but survived unscathed. The man turned into a mewling kitten when you cooked him food, especially lamb, and she'd taken note to prevent a meltdown.

"I would really like to see some rain" Malik commented with a woeful sigh since he'd borne heat waves that he didn't think were possible. The fact that mosquitoes buzzed more frequently near the riverbanks were incredibly annoying and Vivian was on high alert. They couldn't catch malaria or yellow fever in the middle of nowhere since the cure would be very hard to find since they weren't anywhere near quinine. Instead, Vivian had taken to using garlic and lemon juice as a natural repellant while washing their clothes in rosemary infused water. The men had to hand it to their little bookworm because otherwise, they'd be bedridden and awaiting death during the first month of mosquito season. They'd literally encountered a thick cloud of the buggers when docking at the riverbank and had bolted madly to make their camp further inland.

Vivian whimpered under her hood as her cheeks were rosy pink from the heat and lamented, "I miss ice cream . . . why was I hurled into such an archaic era? At least Ezio could've made me gelato with a come hither look- all you give me are ferocious looks."

"I am so tired of hearing about Ezio's and his greatness because he's nothing but a sleeping mat for lusty women" Altaïr grumbled apathetically since the man failed to leave Vivian's list of fictional heroes and was ready to chuck his hood into the river. He knew his era wasn't the best when compared to any future century where everything was better and the heat wasn't making it better. If he had the power, he'd blast himself to a breezy isolated island where only he and his falcon lived. Okay, he'd invite Malik along but only if he didn't nag him.

"And you're not?" she grinned mischievously as she mimicked his gruff tone by deepening her vocal tone to low timbre and wagged her brows to flirt, "Maria, although we were enemies and all, let's roll in a bale of hay where we play find the hidden blade. This time, it's the one in my pants."

She received a whack from his oar to her left leg for her brazen comments while Malik hid his laughter with snickering. Whenever she spoke of others in a humorous setting like that, he had no issue, but involving herself in it. . .he turned into a papa wolf. Vivian's fingers rubbed the wet skirt over her legs to spread the cool water over her hidden skin and she smirked slyly, "Ha! I welcome the wet splatter, my friend. Now onto Adha: Hey baby, we already know each other amicably so let's-"

"Who in blazes is Adha?" Altaïr asked incredulously since the name failed to register in his mind at all. He never tried to ignore that he shared a past with Maria, both antagonistic and romantic, but he'd never heard of the other woman. Had Vivian decided to throw in fictional women to further humiliate him? He wouldn't put anything past that witty badger.

Her green eyes blinked comically underneath her hood, resembling an owl in the darkness, and believed she'd heard wrong. The curvaceously pretty woman was in a game, after all! Her brow furrowed with confusion and she supplied helpfully, "You know, that woman that was supposed to be the holy chalice itself? A POE? You were tracking her down like a madman on sugar because you were apparently madly in love with her and had to rescue her. Well, it didn't say you were madly in love but I'm obviously exaggerating for comedy points."

Her shoulders sagged as she looked at the assassin closely as he faced her while rowing over the side. She had his full attention and she was inclined to believe he was being truthful on the matter but his piercing stare was quite hard to decipher. Hers hands fidgeted over her knees as she furrowed her brow and sighed for a little help, "I can't. . .it's hard to tell your happy face from your 'everything is at peace' face. Even your rage and mild rage is hard to discern!"

"I think you're mistaken for another game or one of those horrible fanfictions" Altaïr stated calmly with a faint smile because it sounded ridiculous in his head. Women informants of their order were very careful since they were rarely utilized and when they were, nobody noticed them. They were everyday women and if they ever required help, an assassin would be nearby to keep their identity secret. They never led them close to Templars themselves, only their lackeys or informants. He flicked his thumb towards the dai, who decided to douse his white hood with water from the river, and stated matter-of-factly, "I've never met anyone by that name, you can as Malik."

"He's right and I know everyone" he piped up amicably with a confident smile since he socialized more with their brotherhood than Altaïr. Whenever the man had been invited to venture to the village, he made up an excuse, or when they drank, he left to study in the library. The man could've truly been the monk he dressed as if he'd been a civilian. He smirked mischievously as he glanced at the mystified Vivian and added in slyly, "He's also very horrible with women. He left his journals everywhere so I pretty much knew the ones he swooned. . .which sadly, weren't very many."

"How dare you read my diary-" Altaïr exclaimed indignantly with mortified shock about his past writing back in Masyaf before 1190 and quickly corrected his words to sound masculine, "Journal- my journal?!"

"It wasn't hard to find. . .and you left them open" Malik pointed out flatly to his tendencies to run out of their shared room to head downstairs to eat in the dining hall. It's not like he actually looked for them, they were right there on his friend's bed! He really didn't want to know about his first kiss and how his head hit the poor village girl in the nose. As a boy, his friend thought romance meant killing a chicken and bringing it back to your significant other as proof of providing sustenance but it backfired horribly. Why? Because most boys wouldn't butcher the biggest family hen that provided the village with eggs. Needless to say, Malik spent a week hearing Altaïr's miserable woe about losing the only person in the world who would ever love him . . . at fifteen. There was no question as to who was the sanest and mature out of the two but there had been many days when he'd wanted to stuff a sock in Altaïr's mouth (and still did).

Vivian couldn't believe her ears and coughed as she was flabbergasted by the strange yet joyous news. Oh, she could hear a hallelujah choir somewhere! She'd read about the game and its plot, sounding completely absurd to her as to how a person could be an item of power. Even as a wielder, they'd have been able to escape Templars due to its phenomenal powers. Quite honestly, it had sounded like a Sue story straight out of fanfiction- especially when Altaïr acted OOC by blurting out an assassin's password of all things in public. Yes, he'd been teeming with arrogance by that time but the private snafu in Solomon's Temple varied to a public scenario.

Altaïr blinked awkwardly to the eerily wide smile on her face and she gushed with relief, "Oh, thank goodness. It was such a strange game they attached to your awesome name for profit. I'll spare you the horror and tell you the whole point was about rescuing a woman that claimed that and she told you to kill this traitor that was your second-in-command and-"

"We killed him- shot him off his horse and he broke his neck" Malik quickly informed as he relaxed against the side of the boat to hear this conversation. Vivian winced to that painful death since she'd rather die from a wound than have her neck broken. After seeing way too many Bruce Lee movies, she wanted to avoid such a death.

Vivian formed a circle with her lips as that piece of history varied from her own timeframe but continued on, "Apparently, you were madly in love with her and didn't hesitate to show off your fancy acrobatic moves of bodacious awesomeness-"

She hesitated as he shot her another irritated glare as she treaded near her exaggerated narrator's voice and cleared her throat, "Then you were super melancholic about finding her after she was kidnapped into a boat- again! You'd think the woman would've stuck close to you or stuck to a safe zone rather than let you go after the villain. Of course, you promised this super dramatic and romantic 'I'll find you!' and the game ended. We later learned she died so what the hell was the point of the Chalice in the first place?! I can rest happy knowing that only Maria has been deemed worthy of 'Altaïr's Seal of Love' so my ovaries can cry happily."

"There is absolutely no way a human can have the powers of an extinct race that could surpass mine and wielding a piece will save you out of the toughest binds if you're a descendant" Altaïr commented swiftly as he shook his head to the ridiculous idea and hoped they hadn't made him bed that woman as well in the game. Didn't that game company have enough material with showing the conquests of the sexual deviant known as Ezio? Did they have no respect to grant him a celibate life? He began rowing again to rid himself of that annoying fact but couldn't help but rant, "It is absurd. How dare they make lies about my life? It's hard enough living day to day but they don't put those grueling moments into the game. Not even my own descendants wield POE-like abilities or claim to and not every human can use one of their items. It's blasphemous, it's-"

"An irresponsible writing team that wanted to give you a hot girl to play 'hide the soap' with?" she offered sarcastically with a sympathetic face and his own fell to her crude words. With the passage of time, Vivian had become rather liberal with her tongue but words relating to sexual relations unsettled him. He preferred it when she was witty and eager to please him (platonically, of course) since she was more manageable then. She hugged herself with joy since attempting to do that on him would have her swimming with the hippos and grinned, "I'm beaming with joy to know that wasn't true. Oh, if only your fans could hear of it- some would rejoice, others would cry blasphemy for being robbed of a nice rear end. Not as nice as Miranda Lawson's never-ending debut in Mass Effect gameplay but-"

"Vivian, what have I told you about commenting on people's bodies" Malik lectured gently before his friend snapped at her and she smiled innocently. She loved having a wingman that would protect her from being verbally mauled by the stern eagle.

"But the pri-i-i-ize!" she emphasized dramatically as she bit her bottom lip in reference to her favorite game besides Assassin's Creed. What would await her in Mass Effect 3? Or AC 3? Wow, she was waiting for a lot of trilogies, wasn't she? Was Facebook still popular? Would her comfy Snuggie survive through the years? Had reality TV finally been blocked off the air to stop killing the remaining brain cells in American society? If not, she was perfectly fine where she was. Then again, she longed to see her sisters and hear her father's voice- life had become a catch 22!

Altaïr ignored her outrageous facial expression as she resembled one of the beggars that harassed him and asked curtly, "Has there been anyone else I apparently saved and bedded in return?"

"Nope, there's been quite a few changes from the game- plus, you're grouchier than stoic digital Altaïr" she chuckled softly and liked this guy better than the digital copy due to his quirks since the man was human, after all. He had slowly changed from the figurative crab he resembled to become a bear that only lashed out when poked and she found herself enjoying that transition in their odd friendship. She smiled wittily as the man rowed and could already see the stern glare on his face since his shoulders were squared in annoyance. Months of familiarity had allowed her to pick up his body language for deciphering and she piped up, "You're much better than the written Altaïr, rough around the edges without the stiff personality. Plus, Ubisoft seems to whiten your outfit with every game. Don't they know that it's baby gray in high definition with all the dust-"

He stuffed a piece of torn fabric into her mouth to silence her rambles and took the chance to state, "I've heard enough about my game life inconsistencies for today, Vivian. I wouldn't leave my target alone to kill one single man when their entire group can spring upon the person. It's careless and irresponsible."

Vivian spit out the wad of cloth with disgust as lint stuck to her tongue but it didn't deter her from adding in brightly, "Don't forget that we have no circuses in the Middle East. History dates them only within Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire and even then, they were scarce and only went to fairs or towns in Europe. They only began to flourish in the 14th century, that's way into the future! And second, Europe- not Syria!"

Altaïr couldn't help but smirk to her outraged tone about historical inaccuracies as she rambled, "And sewers? We had no sanitary systems until the 1900s to prevent disease in crowded cities. If we had sewers, why the hell would we need outhouses right now? I'd kill for a toilet right now! Diseases wouldn't have ravaged life so much from the benefits of having sewers! Historical cultures like Crete only had runoff storm drain systems- those existed- but never, ever any sewers that transported you under buildings like in the modern days!"

Empty of the hot air building in her head about the questions that plagued her after playing, she lay back against Altaïr and smiled at being allowed refuge. Usually, he flicked her off like a flea or growled but he simply kept rowing as she shared his sentiments about that fictional tale. Her slumped body reminded Malik of a sleeping drunk as she huddled against the assassin and she whimpered, "Thank you for saving my sanity by never having done any of that. You are even more awesome now."

"I would've certainly lost mine if I had witnessed it" Altaïr remarked with amusement and tightened his grip on the oars when the current shook them slightly. Hmm, it hadn't been strong at all that particular day as the recent sunny weather kept it calm and decided it was a random occurrence.

Malik, however, noticed a shadow lurking in the water that wasn't from their boat and nervously alerted, "Altaïr, you might want to row faster."

"Why-" Altaïr began but the water erupted from behind to show a hippopotamus . . . and a mad one, at that. Its little purple ears flicked back in rage as water dripped from its large body and its large jaws parted to show its two long yellowed teeth on its lower jaws. As if that wasn't frightening enough, the spacious area of its mouth would've chewed Vivian in one bite.

"Crap, we didn't run over their baby, did we?" Vivian asked fearfully as she bolted forward to a safer spot to row and gave it all she had to escape. Altaïr didn't really care why it was mad, he just wanted it gone! They'd expected to fight crocodiles when they'd traversed the Nile in Egypt but never a hippopotamus in Sudan.

"A little faster, Altaïr!" Malik shouted hurriedly as the creature was gaining speed toward their boat and was only a few feet away. It tiny brown eyes had targeted their little boat for annihilation and Malik was not about to be its first meal. Dying at the mouth of a hippopotamus was not the way he wanted to die and used Vivian's walking stick to poke its upper jaw in an attempt to make it leave. Quite frankly, it only served to enrage it further and he longed for his left arm for the first time since leaving because he really didn't want to be swallowed if the boat lurched forward.

"Oh my god, row the boat!" Vivian screamed frantically when the hippopotamus bit into the end of the canoe to clamp on for the ride and she didn't want the animal to tip it over. If it did, they were done for. She thought of handing over her oar for an extra swatting weapon against the beast since Malik's jabs weren't making it release them.

"I am rowing, you banshee!" Altaïr hollered back swiftly as wariness trickled into his voice and she used all of her strength to row until her shoulder joints ached. Malik decided that prodding it in the face was not helping in the slightest and abandoned that plan as he yelled at the animal to leave them alone. It wouldn't understand a single word but it helped to vent his frustration on it, especially when staring at possible death in the eye. He had to do something courageous to save his comrades; otherwise, they would all be thrown into the river and that could be a death sentence.

Unsheathing his hidden blade, he swiped a gash across their purple snout to draw blood but it was enough to catch the animal by surprise. He was careful not to harm their nostrils but he was determined to prove he wasn't a defenseless meal and maintain dominance over the hippo. True, he wasn't small but snakes killed humans with ease every day so he'd be the furious snake this time. He added another shorter swipe since he didn't want to kill the poor animal but if it didn't let go-

"Go away!" Vivian shouted shrilly with all her might to see if it would help and dropped her oars to rip open their food pack. Altaïr protested angrily for the abandoned post since the lack of help would slow him down but Vivian grasped a small wooden jar to open it. She crawled over to Malik as he leaned carefully over the canoe and grabbed hold of the boat to pour acidic lemon juice over its eyes from one of their food jars. The hippopotamus decided to abandon the fight as it growled angrily to the stinging in its reddening eyes, receding back into the foaming water and Altaïr rowed faster than was humanly possible.

Vivian returned to her spot to join him and together, their little canoe- which now sported teeth marks- carried on upstream to southern Sudan. She didn't want to hurt the animal but she also liked living so she had to make the sacrifice. Her poor heart was pounding like a jackhammer in her chest, threatening to spill up her throat, and she tried her hardest not to hyperventilate from that horrible situation.

"Ubisoft can definitely use hippos if they ever put you in a game based in Africa, that's historically accurate" Vivian commented weakly as she tried therapeutic breathing to calm her heart and rooted herself directly in the middle of the boat rather than the sides. Hippos were frightening up close and she decided to never see one in a zoo or television show ever again to avoid nightmares. Malik, however, would rather tangle with a wild cat that he could fight on land rather than a creature of the murky water. Was it too late to switch to land travel?

Altaïr decided to break the suspenseful silence that enacted after the ordeal and slowly drawled, "You threw away the lemon juice, didn't you?"

When Vivian didn't reply, he took it as positive affirmation to his question and groaned miserably, "Vivian, you know I use it on cucumbers!"

"I'd rather live than marinate food for you in heaven" she pouted with a dry tone since she wanted a decent grave for her future children to visit one day rather than be crapped out as a hippo's lunch. That was not the best way to go out of the world into whatever afterlife existed- if any. Being eaten alive by wildlife was not on her list of top ways to die and stood by her decision to dump the lemon juice. If he didn't like that, he could lump it and join the hippo.

She waved a hand to regain their calm and witty aura once more and piped up impishly, "Besides, isn't this," she motioned the distance between them with one hand and grinned, "more important to salvage than a bottle of lemon juice. You can't replace what we have."

Malik quirked an eyebrow to her last comment and Vivian quickly corrected, "Comedy wise, Malik, comedy wise."

Altaïr wasn't impressed by her humorous word play and decided to play her game by baiting with an apathetic voice, "No, I'd rather have the lemon juice. It doesn't prod or nag me."

"I hope you get eaten alive by a hippo" she muttered flatly but smiled underneath her hood, bringing a smaller version to his face. Yep, they were two peas in one crazy pod now.

Altaïr was gathering firewood one afternoon to prepare for their supper fire when he noticed a round little creature with small quills on its back in the grass. It laid there hidden between blades of grass and he doubted it was a baby porcupine since he would've undoubtedly been chased away by an angry hissing mother by now. It wasn't bigger than his palm but it stirred his curiosity enough that he called over his right shoulder to Malik, "What is this creature?"

"Don't touch it, I'm not going to be patching you up for scuffling with wildlife again" Malik ordered swiftly as he pulled off feathers from a dead pheasant inside a bowl and briefly glanced in his direction. Everyone knew that wildlife and Altaïr made a potent concoction fixed to explode and Malik would rather have help preparing supper. On the ground, a small four-toed hedgehog lay bundled in the grass and Altaïr was threatening to poke it with one of his firewood sticks. Did the man know nothing about safety when dealing with animals? Malik exhaled through gritted teeth to his careless idea and hissed sharply to draw his attention away, "What did I just say?"

Altaïr quickly put away the stick with the twig bundle to hide his intent and defended hastily, "I only wanted-"

"Anger it, have it bite you, and nag about how unfair life is?" Malik finished sarcastically since his friend failed to listen to his warnings until it was too late. Truly, he felt like a father sometimes as Altaïr carried an innocent curiosity for nature that sometimes became too much to handle. He'd grabbed a sleeping bat on a branch believing it was leathery fruit (that time, he screamed and avoided eating fruit for a week), was bitten on the finger by a bird for trying to touch it, and scratched by a rodent when he'd poked a stick into its burrow. Yet, throughout it all, he learned nothing about his mistakes. Being their amateur medic, he'd nursed cuts, bruises, rashes, and lacerations all from Altaïr alone. He didn't mind doing so but hearing him drone endlessly in rants about the horrendous cruelty of nature led him to stating firmly, "Finish your task."

Altaïr let it be . . . for now.

After sunset, the group began to cook their meal as the weather provided breezy temperatures to dry their sweaty clothing and Altaïr noticed a stirring in his peripheral vision. The strange lump began to move around in the grass and curiosity bit him once again to investigate. Surely, one look couldn't do harm? Quietly, he snuck away from his friends as they pan fried the pieces of herb marinated pheasant while lentils cooked in a small pot. Altaïr was growing tired of lentils since dry foods were necessary to prevent food poisoning that the spoiling of the fresh provided but Vivian craved them without cessation. Her mother had served them when she was little, remembering helping her add little tomato slices with pride, and it always served her as a reminder of home.

He found the little creature rustling between the blades of grass and kneeled down to observe its slow movements. A tiny round black nose sniffed the air and he caught sight of two tiny glittering eyes on its face, reminding him of an assassin he once knew. He could never get the name right but the pointy nose and beady eyes led him to dubbing the man Beady. He was never very good with names in his youth and had gotten Kadar's and Malik's names reversed when they met for the first time. When he'd attempted to call Kadar 'Short Stack' and Malik 'Grouch-O', the latter threatened to hang him by his underwear outside the grand master's door.

"Didn't I tell you to leave it alone?" Malik called out in attention when he noticed the man's lingering over the grass and shook his head. He used his fingers to turn the pieces of sizzling pheasant while Vivian boiled her lentil soup but Altaïr had decided to explore on his own. There really wasn't much for him to do that day since his weapons were clean due to the lack of enemies, the tents were already set, training had finished earlier, and he'd write in his journal later on if he felt the need. Since Vivian wasn't available to trade jokes with and Malik couldn't give him attention, he sought it elsewhere.

Altaïr waved a hand in dismissal as he leaned over the little creature and found it oddly charming in its own manner. It was so small that it could've been picked off by a hawk or wildcat for food if the tree canopies didn't shade the area protectively. A rabbit had a better chance of survival than the little animal and watched its body flatten against the ground when quick footsteps headed his way. Could it shift forms like a butterfly? Since he didn't receive a kick to his spine from the newcomer, he pinpointed the person as Vivian. She clasped her hands together over her gray skirt as she leaned down towards the grass to grin cheerfully, "Hey, Shmoopy! Is Grumpy Bear bothering you?"

Altaïr realized she was talking to the animal and stared at her with bewilderment as he wondered whether she crossed the line to insanity. They had been traveling for quite a while in isolation and Vivian's different time frame could fracture her sanity. Yet again, she was an oddball most of the time anyway. Vivian merely smiled with fond warmth in her eyes as she wrinkled her nose to imitate the animal and clasped him on the shoulder to inform, "He's a little hedgehog that wanders here every night. The leftovers from our food attract insects and voila, we give him dinner too. I feel bad we have to leave soon and he won't have his little morsels."

"Hedgehog is its name?" he asked curiously since he'd never seen the animal in his travels and thought it was rather cute. It seemed harmless enough and if Vivian could approach it without hesitation, so could he.

"Yes, but I call him Shmoopy" she grinned proudly with delight and he sighed to her outlandish names. Nobody in their right mind could understand her like he did. While he tended to approach wildlife for a closer look, she simply nicknamed them since she didn't have his awesome set of skills that would prevent her from being mauled or gored. He directed a deadpan stare to show he found the name atrocious but Vivian paid him no mind as she declared enthusiastically, "He has the cutest little face and when he moves, he goes like this."

She proceeded to wiggle her hips to the sides in wide angles and stuck her butt out in the most comical way imaginable. Somewhere in the future, dance was being butchered by her amateurish moves and he balked to her erratic dancing. Was she trying to imitate constipation? A hedgehog mating dance? He stood up straight to halt her immediately and chastised her horrible dancing skills with a scowl, "Don't shake your butt ever again! You'll blind me, scar Malik, and kill Smoo- whatever he's called!"

"If you were one foot smaller, I'd kick you in the twiddle-diddles" she retorted with a humorous pout to rile his feathers a little more and watched his narrowed eyes widen into bewilderment. Sometimes, he felt the absolute need to hit his head on a tree to be rid of her strange jargon. Her eyes darted up and down his frame as she observed him for a split second before declaring uncertainly, "Then again, that would kill your future spawn and we can't have that."

Tapping her foot, she waved a hand when she couldn't think of an alternate punishment joke and sighed in defeat, "I'll, uh, get back to you on that."

"Vivian, I think you need to eat and stop being delirious" he chastised since the lack of hiking or traveling to villages in the last two weeks was leaving her full of energy. He usually had her running laps or practicing her defense tactics to leave her lethargic but Vivian carried an optimistic cheerfulness that failed to cease even at her weakest. There were times he was certain she was energy itself!

"I think you should both get over here and help" Malik insisted firmly since he only had one hand to cook with and couldn't prepare the bird or stir the lentils at the same time. He wasn't an octopus! The two had left him behind to prepare an entire meal alone while they fawned over an animal and he called out with a commanding tone, "That poor animal's frightened by the two giants arguing over it."

Vivian leaned down to smile in farewell so she could return to help her friend and whispered, "Feast well tonight, Shmoopy."

She pulled Altaïr along by the wrist since the man would've undoubtedly decided to poke the hedgehog and didn't want Shmoopy to bite him in self-defense. Nobody, man or animal, wanted to be poked like a piece of meat. He fought against her for a few seconds because he wanted to stay but conceded when she kept tugging. What was she? His mother? He wondered if the African continent contained any badgers to compare her to because she was an insistent little creature. He stepped back with great reluctance to give the hedgehog its space and Vivian mused aloud, "You think we could be a quartet? Malik, the Tremendous, Altaïr, the Bodacious, Vivian, the Badger, and Shmoopy, the Hedgehog?"

"Go cook that dead bird" he ordered flatly since she sucked the fun out of meeting new wildlife that didn't want to kill him. Vivian imitated kicking him from behind when his back turned and headed off to help Malik prepare the food. The assassin remained behind to stare at the little critter and wondered how his faithful Rafiki was faring. Knowing his falcon, he would be clawing out eyes and screeching at anyone that dared to defy him. By the creed, he loved that bird.

He missed smoothing over Rafiki's feathers when one was out of place to keep him immaculate and felt the tendency to do the same with the hedgehog. His trip was hardly half-finished and here he was, homesick for the familiar like a sentimental child. Malik caught his wandering hand once more as Altaïr leaned down absentmindedly and sharply chastised, "Get back here for the last time before I spend the night hearing your wretched groans of 'why'!"

"Shmoopy will come to us later on so don't worry!" Vivian reassured as the little animal scurried between the blades of grass to head in her direction. Altaïr could only watch its sudden movement and realized it knew her by voice since it was connected to food. Really? He was maimed and bitten by wildlife while Vivian lured them with food for exchange in pacification. She stirred the lentils with a smile as she remembered her mother turning on the radio to have the music keep them company while cooking. Since that modern convenience was nonexistent, she lured the little hedgehog by making her own tunes,

"Shmoopy, I know what you need
You need your little hedgehog socks
For your little hedgehog feet
Shmoopy, I know what you crave
You want to kill bugs all day
But you have to behave

Shmoopy, you're lookin so good
You look like you want,
Some hedgehog food
Shmoopy, you're lookin so fine
You look like you might
Just start munching
So I'm gonna let you roam free, boy
I'm gonna lure in yummy bugs for you, yeah"

He sighed aloud to her mothering (it was bad enough with Malik's fathering) and returned to camp to exclaim with a little envy, "You're spoiling wildlife!"

"Would you rather I skewered them with a hidden blade?" she replied cheekily as she used a wooden spoon to gently stir the lentils and inhaled the herby aroma. The glow of the fire brightened the hue of her eyes as she grinned impishly and pointed out easily, "You slice and dice them while I coddle with love- it's ingrained in our personalities. Would you have it any other way?"

No, no, he wouldn't.

Another month later brought them immense relief as they finally entered South Sudan's tropical forests that offered them shade when they made camp. Of course, this brought waves of mosquitoes when they landed in the riverbanks but Vivian had saved her handy mosquito netting for her tent. Altaïr had torn his after punching his belongings into his pack one too many times and she'd sewn it carefully for him to keep him protected. The drastic change of the landscape brought the group joy as it told them they were halfway to South Africa and hadn't gotten completely lost on the way. The harsh humidity with the glaring sun had given way for lukewarm mornings that brought breezy cool winds with rain every few days. The trio had never been happier to have their skin drenched and the assassins had laughed with amusement when Vivian hugged them joyfully during the first downpour. It was a welcome change as the rainy season would last for quite a few months and they hoped it would stay until they reached Lake Victoria.

Vivian currently scribbled into her journal with her little piece of charcoal as she'd made a makeshift 'living fort' out of sturdy sticks for the framework and banana leaves to serve as the roof since the tents were under the safety of the trees. Altaïr had made a roof over their tents, which were huddled together side to side, to protect them from incoming rain in every camp. Since waterproof tarps were centuries away from being made, they had to use the environment to survive. Vivian didn't mind since the incoming water kept them hydrated as she collected it on an open clearing inside a bucket with a cheesecloth on top to prevent contamination.

She sat in her comfortable brown breeches and tunic as she wrote of her current journey, Today is a good day. Malik found edible fruit in the nearby trees and Altaïr will be hunting something for tonight. The climate has changed as we've reached mid-July and I find myself surprised by how much time has passed and yet, I feel as if I've just left Masyaf with a cranky Altaïr. He's always a little grumpy when he's hungry or when he feels he's failed himself but it's his way to relieve stress so it's all right. He's not the same man I met at the start of our journey and well, let's just say I've grown to admire him as the hero he is. He's not perfect but each little flaw just makes him more balanced in my eye since he is human like anybody else. I'm mending some of his socks since they're the only thing that gets ripped nowadays and I don't mind (screw gender roles, he's Altaïr). During our scuffles with Templars and constant travel, pretty much every article was ripped somewhere. We haven't seen any of them recently since we've been traveling by the Nile rather than the spice route or by sea-

"Vivian, you're not sewing" Altaïr's voice interrupted from across camp as he'd been mulling over his sketches with Malik regarding upgrading his hidden blade. His art had improved rather well over the months as Malik's artistic mind educated him on fixing everything from his scribbly lines to mediocre shading. His subjects no longer appeared horribly mutated but he'd raise hell if anybody mentioned his previous work.

"Hush, you'll get your cozy socks by tonight" she silenced his complaint with a small smile and watched him frown as he returned to work.

He didn't like it when he was at a loss for ideas and she took the easy road to pacify him. She ignored his comment and continued writing into her journal, I'm sewing his highness's socks and he's told me to pick up the pace- playfully, of course. He and Malik treat me respectfully, more than anyone I've met in my travels. I sound like a person straight out of the Little House book series but . . . I've grown a little used to this simple way of life. I like exploring and seeing sights I never would've visited in a hundred years and to be beside my new friends, it really is a lifetime opportunity. To see the continent of Africa in its young and untamed glory, I almost wish I could see the west coast of the states during this time.

"Vivian, I want some cucumbers with the skin on" Altaïr interrupted her writing once more as he'd become hungry for a snack and liked the way she showered them with salt (used sparingly due to its high cost). He'd never admit it but the woman knew how he liked his food and favorite snacks as she cooked carefully rather than his way of simply dumping in ingredients to hope for the best. Unlike Malik that told him to do it himself, Vivian didn't mind and he often found himself relying on her for help to prepare food. During his travels with Maria, he'd actually been the better cook since she'd rarely cooked as she masqueraded as a knight so they were both out of luck for decent food. He'd eaten food cooked beyond recognition and charred meat that was still cold on the inside but he'd survived it. Vivian, on the other hand, cooked for a household of four when her father wasn't able to and prepared her sisters lunches. Altaïr had eagerly fit those empty seats and wasn't keen on releasing his hold until she left his realm. He loved a woman that could cook for him, not because she had to, but because she cared for him enough to do so.

She couldn't help but laugh to his child-like requests as he kept tabs on her despite being heavily focused on his work. The man definitely knew how to multitask. She knew why he was poking her towards fury with his irritated tone because he wanted her to admit what weapon to improve and how. Of course, she wouldn't horribly alter the time space continuum and told him to figure it out carefully. She would go explore through the brush to find some of the cucumbers since many wild things that grew were pretty edible. The trio thanked their lucky stars for finally finding food to be self-sufficient and could harvest a few extra things when they did need to find civilization for trade.

"Maybe lengthen the blade? Reinforce it against breaking?" Altaïr mumbled over his thoughts as he'd gazed into apple every once in a while to learn about modifying his weapons. He didn't trust its powers and wouldn't fall prey to depending on it, limiting his exposure to ten minutes. The ankh held a different aura when he wielded it as he witnessed fragments of history more than its true power that eluded him. Without Templars to fight, he couldn't really use them against anyone to reveal their offense mechanisms.

Vivian had paused her scribbling to hear his mumbles to make sure he was headed in the right direction and resumed writing once more. Her brief pause told Altaïr that she'd been hearing him all along and perceived that she was probably writing about him. What else could she be writing in that thing? The endless shrubbery? The rainy gray clouds in the distance? The water bucket? Of course not! She was more than likely writing a lustful tale between her and Ezio to escape reality- why else would she be smiling? They were probably trampling all over him in their lusty adventure since he was being cranky and laughing all the way, leaving him alone to wallow in loneliness. How dare they just cast him aside like a dirty washrag? He was ten times better- wait, why did he even care about her and his annoyingly handsome descendant?

He didn't like being ignored or left in the dark, especially if he was being mocked in writing and demanded hastily, "Are my socks done?"

"Altaïr, pressing me about your little socks won't make me tell you what you need to do" she stated calmly with a motherly tone that caused him to frown because he wanted to have the upper hand. Must he dance like a little monkey to pry answers from her? Malik jabbed him in the side with his elbow to do away with his cranky tone since a smile went a long way rather than a scowl. Vivian compared Altaïr to a rooster with its feathers in a bunch as she eyed him with amusement and smiled gently to disarm his mood, "Do you still want that snack to fuel your brain's little cells to work harder?"

He grumbled under his breath since her nice demeanor usually caused his good conscience to scold him for being rude and muttered, "Yes, please."

His hunting for the night didn't fare well either after taking too long with figuring out his improvements. With the tropical climate bringing rain randomly, the clouds blotted out the sun faster than he could take cover and it caused the days to shorten as sunset arrived rather fast. Vivian enjoyed watching the sun set in the low cloud cover as the golden orb tinged with red faded into the green land and bid farewell to the silver sky as it turned reddish pink to bring dusk. She didn't wander far from camp since predators lurked deeper where the forest became so dense that she needed to cut into it so she stuck close to their temporary home.

That night, Vivian's life took a downturn when Altaïr dropped a familiar brown ground squirrel she'd seen wandering within the tropical forest. The familiar backyard creature had easily found a spot in her heart as she'd given it a name and enjoyed watching it when she wandered around camp. Tonight, however, she'd stared in horror as he'd sat down to skin it after bringing in his bleak catches. Her fingers clamped over the log she'd been sitting on as she reeled in shock and declared frantically, "Rigby!"

Altaïr's head shot up to her grief stricken expression, stunned when she reached down to grab the dead squirrel from his hands to scold, "Squirrel killer! You killed my Rigby!"

Had she gone mental?

Malik had heard about the little squirrel she'd seen while foraging for food and asked carefully, "Are you sure it's him? Maybe it's one that looks similar?"

"Yes, he's just missing blood, bones, and his internal organs . . . but it's him!" Vivian lamented woefully as she held the dead animal in her arms, careless about it having fleas. Altaïr winced visibly because it was food rather than a pet since they moved constantly. Goodness, she'd named just about every animal in the past week alone! She held the small dead animal in her hands with disbelief since the poor squirrel had been flattened to the point that he resembled paper. What in the world had he done to it? She waved her dead Rigby in emphasis and demanded the truth about his death from Altaïr, "Why does he resemble a crepe?!"

Malik had to admit he'd never seen a catch so bizarre and Altaïr sighed exasperatedly to admit listlessly, "Well . . . I was hunting for a monkey-"

"We don't eat monkeys!" Malik yelled swiftly with disgust to that horrible idea since there was plenty of normal wildlife like poultry, hares, and fish around them. Why in the world would he decide to hunt for a monkey of all things? How was that logical in anyone's mind? He really longed for his arm at this moment because he wouldn't have hunted game like a maniac.

"It threw fruit at me!" Altaïr justified his actions with a sharp snap since nobody made a fool of him and it would take a few washes to be rid of the pink color splotched over his back. Vivian felt faint at hearing this since not only was Rigby a victim but a poor monkey had almost been killed? He frowned as he noticed their disapproving expressions and continued to explain himself, "I slipped in my footing on a tree branch due to the rain from earlier and fell down . . . on an innocent squirrel that was eating its fruit. I'm pretty sure its death was instantaneous because, well, I'm not exactly light or small. Frankly, I'm surprised its eyes didn't pop out-"

"Poor little guy . . . get him, Rigby!" Vivian sniffled upsettingly before using the flattened squirrel to hit him over the head for his insane hunting tactics. If he'd left the monkey alone, Rigby wouldn't resemble a legal envelope right now! This time, Malik let her have at it since the man shouldn't have been climbing trees in the first place.

Altaïr batted her pesky strikes away since he didn't want fur on his robes and snapped tightly, "If you don't stop, I'll give it a good burial by kicking it across this forest."

She ceased her hitting because in the end, it wouldn't bring back the poor squirrel. It was gone and with it, the familiar feeling of home as its foraging reminded her of watching other squirrels in the yard with Penelope in her lap. She handed him the dead animal as rigor mortis had set in to make it completely stiff and sniffled, "Fine, you can cook it . . . he would've wanted it that way. Since we're surviving on a day to day basis, I'll use his pretty fur for something. His death will not be in vain, he will be remembered valiantly as both a friend and neighbor-"

"Are we having a eulogy for an unknown squirrel?" Altaïr asked with incredulous disbelief to what he was witnessing as it ranked high on his abnormal moments list. The squirrel wasn't even human! Vivian did indeed bring the strangest mysteries and moments into his life but this was a bit too absurd. Malik decided to shush him in the easiest way by smacking the back of his head and Altaïr yelped painfully, "Ow!"

Vivian restrained herself from striking him with the squirrel again (could he be anymore callous?) and Altaïr stated sharply, "With the way they reproduce, I'm pretty sure his siblings are in this other group over here. Maybe even its kids- they probably inbreed."

The assassin motioned to the small pile of three squirrels, apart from Rigby, that he'd caught since his hunting had been incredibly lousy. He blamed Vivian's late snack, his long studying, Malik's nagging, and the rainy weather- all of it- on his bad luck. Malik buried his head in his hand since his friend wasn't seeing Vivian's viewpoint to show her empathy and sighed with irritation, "Oh my- do you have no sense of mourning or compassion? I thought you learned that back in Masyaf!"

There were times Malik wondered if Altaïr's redemption quest went in one ear and out the other. This was one of those times as Vivian stared at the little mound of dead squirrels with a face laced with sadness and disgust.

"I never included animals in it, except horses and birds" he answered offhandedly without pausing to think before he talked and Malik sighed to his lack of discretion. Altaïr had never been the type of man to brush bad things under the rug or beat around the bush with the truth and it tended to backfire in specific instances. Malik was pretty sure this was one of the reasons why Maria refused to tread on a romantic road and sighed aloud. Altaïr's opinions would never match Vivian's as only those two animals were exempt from his self-imposed rule and he pointed out the harshness of reality, "I had to put my first horse down at age ten-"

"Stop, please . . . just stop" Vivian pleaded quietly since she didn't want to hear about death anymore and headed for her tent to lie down to forget everything. She'd never really expected Altaïr to kill off one of the animals she'd attached a name to but he survived off the land and didn't have similar cares to worry about. Was she too soft for his world? The quiet solitude of night drained her energy and she decided to fall asleep tonight without dinner because eating her animal friend would've made things worse to bear.

Malik appeared absolutely disappointed in him since he'd expected him to respect Vivian's distress over her little forest friend. Since the two were often left in camp while Altaïr headed off on his own in the morning, she'd disclosed her attachment to the animal as it reminded her of home. Now, the remnants of a lost home literally lay flattened at his friend's feet in the form of a shabby rug. Altaïr returned Malik's stern expression but the assassin conceded a minute later when the dai failed to move or say anything. Why did it unnerve him completely when he did that? He hated feeling like a child caught on the wrong side of an argument because Malik held an aura fit for a father and he muttered listlessly, "Let me guess, I'm to offer an apology."

"I'm glad you understand that, at least" Malik stated grimly since he wouldn't have to nag him to see Vivian's side of the story and pointed to his squirrel catches. He'd never eaten squirrel in his life but when they needed to survive, he'd swallow whatever was edible. He decided to leave the man be since he'd decided to take his advice and added in a quick reminder, "Finish skinning your game quickly and remember that Vivian carries respect for animals, no matter how small."

"She didn't show care when she hit me with her dead friend!" Altaïr shot back grumpily as he grabbed his one of his catches, not Rigby since it was flattened to a pulp and would better serve as leather. Vivian might be small but her strikes had certainly become stronger under Malik's training- ugh, she'd better not have left clumps of fur on his clothes. He shut up when Malik's frown turned into a glare because he'd been ready to mouth off about the dead squirrel and groaned miserably, "All right, you won't hear anything more from me."

Altaïr had never been one apologize easily but he found himself doing so with Vivian for the second time in their friendship. It was absolutely ridiculous as to what he had to ask forgiveness for but this was for Vivian's sake, not his. As much as he hated to admit to himself, he didn't want her angry at him nor would he want to intentionally hurt her. She helped him maintain his sanity as well as question it with her quirky antics and the intentional cold shoulder left him feeling melancholy. He was never melancholy before that crazy little badger entered his life and it took all of his strong will not to prod her to talk. There was nothing he could do but wait and bide his time. . .until tomorrow because they had to travel all day.

So, like an impatient man that needed to fix this new bump on the road without having to walk hundreds of miles for a new wagon wheel- he decided to use the wilderness. The woman enjoyed watching wildlife from a safe distance and the open landscapes so he'd seize the opportunity to right his wrong. Malik allowed Altaïr to forage with Vivian (after a few, ahem, begs) to determine whether she was mad at him because he never knew with that woman. After airing out his blankets and finding a new hedgehog inside, he'd tugged along a reluctant Vivian that had barely gotten dressed. Aghast to her horrible morning breath, he allowed her to freshen up like she'd originally requested and the two headed out afterwards with him in the lead.

He'd caught sight of the herd earlier in the morning as he searched the perimeter for any intruders and knew she'd enjoy the sight. Vivian was completely at a loss to where he was leading them since he barely foraged for anything as she scrambled after him. Every inquiry or exclamation was silenced with a 'hush', 'come along', 'no questions', and 'stop kicking the back of my kneecap'. They reached an open clearing that was reminiscent of any African landscape on the National Geographic or Animal Planet channel. The sweet smelling grass shined under the sun as constant ingestion by herbivores kept it trimmed throughout most of the area and trees could be seen in the horizon as not a single cloud lay in the sky. The blue sky seemed so large that Vivian almost believed it could swallow them! In the distance, Altaïr caught sight of the large animal he'd only heard of through tales from travelers that were written in library archives and Vivian's mouth.

He held Vivian back as she'd been pulling wild weeds that could serve as salad later and picking berries from nearby bushes. Unlike him, she'd actually followed him under the pretense that he sought food and she was going to find some after the long walk. She didn't get to ask about his abrupt stop when he grabbed her by the elbow to lead her to the border of the forest, hiding behind the concealing bushes to point into the horizon. They would remain in the safety of the dense forest to protect themselves since they steered clear of grasslands and he ordered hastily, "There. Look at them."

Her face broke into an awed smile and lit up in amazement to the animals she was seeing before her eyes. Elephants. Free and wild African elephants- a herd of females! She loved elephants; their family bond and herd dynamics matched the care of humankind to their children. Unfortunately, her species had shamelessly hunted them for profit until they'd become endangered. Was there anything they wouldn't do for money and power? Ever since she'd seen and read about Echo the elephant alongside her father, they had been her number one animal. There were no words she could say as the sight left her speechless and her hands shook to the beautiful landscape before her. Is this how the first explorers had felt?

"I'm sorry about the squirrel" he spoke softly to smooth over his mistake since his reaction to her distress hadn't been kind. He had a long road ahead as he learned about humor of all types but he never meant to hurt Vivian. She was certainly kooky but she was his kooky friend. He took the open wicker basket from her trembling hands before it fell and murmured sympathetically, "I didn't mean to sound callous, especially if the animal meant much to you. All I can offer is this in return."

"It's not your fault- you fell" she forgave easily since she'd been surprised to find that he'd fallen on that specific squirrel of all things. Maybe it was fate deciding it was time to pull Rigby from the living world and into the next. She'd probably blown the whole thing out of proportion since he'd no idea she'd watched the animal during their stay. If he went about hunting down her nicknamed wildlife friends, she'd be worse than she was during PMS.

She sighed softly as the wild elephants flooded her heart with warmth and admitted quietly, "It reminded me of the ones around my home, they're brown and Penelope liked to see them skitter across our backyard. She tried to leave bits of bread for them once and a water dish . . . it just reminded me of home. I haven't thought about it in a while and when I do, it stirs a lot of locked emotions. I miss my home terribly, Altaïr, but my mother said to always make the best with what you're given."

He admired that quote of her mother's since Vivian never uttered a peep about missing home and didn't often consider her viewpoint of everything around them. To him, this was untamed land that needed careful trekking but to her, it was another world altogether. She handled her situation with a stiff upper lip to avoid being a burden, helping him with whatever he needed, and took each day at a time with humorous optimism. He said nothing but their gazes met in understanding as they stood together as a team to tackle on the world together.

Motioning with her hand to the elephants in the distance, she smiled broadly to state breathlessly, "But this . . . this is beyond anything I could imagine in my wildest dreams. They are beautiful majestic beings- just look at them!"

The group of five elephants with their two calves pulled grass with their trunks as they ate away without a care. Humans would not bother them for a few centuries yet and Vivian latched onto his arm with extreme joy to gush genuinely, "Oh, thank you. A million times thank you."

"It was no problem" Altaïr replied quietly and kept an eye out for wandering animals that could take them by surprise if they dawdled. He allowed her to watch the elephants to her heart's content but said nothing about her hold on his arm. She really held no strength to complain about and he brought her to brighten her spirit, especially after hearing the truth behind Rigby. After all, she didn't hesitate to help him and it was time he returned the favor.

There was a little elephant beneath its mother as it found shade from the glaring sun for the moment while they grazed peacefully. It was rather cute in its own way as its large ears fluttered against its face and he suggested amicably, "We could call that little one there Rigby II or something similar. I've never been very good with names and was lucky to find a decent name for Rafiki."

"I was thinking more along the lines of Altaïr the Mighty since it's a growing elephant" she said playfully with a twinkle in her eye as her gaze briefly met his before returning to the young elephant. He'd gone above and beyond what she'd expected today after their previous quarrel and treasured his apology gift. At the most, she'd expected him to carry in a living angry bird to give as a consolation gift or money for candy. In his own way, Altaïr was growing into a compassionate man that could socialize without scurrying off to daydream about assassinating or the creed. He'd definitely beat his old five minute marker at Masyaf when he'd chucked potted plants to get her to leave as they stood together now in amicable terms.

"I see no problem with that" he agreed with a reserved smile when her head rested against his bicep (goodness, she was short), her hand eagerly pointing to each movement the little animal made. It was a small token for his memories since he'd never see these lands again but Vivian had managed to pry him away to bask in the natural beauty of the world. He made no move to protect his personal space as she leaned against him and allowed her to do so with a small smile.

A/N: Yowza, this is probably the longest chapter I've written for this story but baby Darim needed to be popped out into the world without anything too graphic to shock the viewers. Maria is now a proud mother of a baby boy but I pretty much expected her to deliver her child with suspicion since she has been a woman on the run (hopefully, I did her justice). As for Vivian and Altaïr, animals can both bring them together or destroy the peace. Alas, poor Rigby stood no chance against a six foot tall man falling from a medium sized tree (I can't let Connor have all the tree climbing skills). In the next chapter, we'll have more of their crazy adventures as Altaïr finishes his swimming lessons.

Thank you so much for the many reviews, I loved them all!

ShizukaRen-Hime: When I fly, I pack everything so meticulously tiny to stay organized that when I remove my clothes out of luggage, they're so horribly wrinkled. By the end of a trip, I just chuck everything inside without a care. Vivian's such a humorous gal but she definitely gives it her all for Altaïr, which he appreciates. You're correct on that subconscious thing since he'd never let anything happen to her and may have overreacted to protect his quirky little friend. He's not comfortable with a seductive Vivian since it brings the realization that- tada! - she's a woman.

SnowingLeaves: lol, I'm sure Vivian will have a book ready about taming the man by the end of her tale.

Noveltycourage: Yes, there will be a romance blossoming between our feuding duo that will leave Malik exhausted to their craziness. We'll see in later chapters what Maria thinks when she meets Altaïr in Masyaf.

ihas no clue: Altaïr has never been a man to shy away from all kinds of questions while Malik maintains his gentlemanly behavior. I think Vivian's rubbing off on him more than he is on her. Lol

Dolce Latte van Crème: That chapter was definitely one of my favorites to write since Altaïr was so uncomfortable in that scenario to the point he sought reassurance from Vivian. And yes, Vivian will meet our strong Maria much later on in the story and more than likely develop a girl crush from her gender defying awesomeness.

xVentressx: I have the ending outlined but not exactly how far Altaïr and Vivian will be in their relationship but it's still a long time till that. We'll definitely be enjoying many more of their crazy antics.

Sleepingsnowwhite: Thanks so much for loving it and I love your avatar pic, it's so pretty.

KrnYong: Vivian is definitely a worrier when it comes to Altaïr and although he fusses like a madman, he loves the coddling deep inside his fortress of a heart. As they spend more time together, he'll allow her to slip with her bold talk since he's a pretty straightforward guy himself but he stammers in romance. Her first seducing tactic did go horribly awry when the first guy ran off but the next guy did bite the bait and I'd imagine the days at camp helped to mold her new persona, especially if she coached Altaïr on how to behave. The poor guy was a nervous wreck, lol. With the romance, he'll be humorously awkward at acknowledging the emotions since Vivian won't be eager to roll around in the hay like Maria and will keep trying to knock sense into him. At the same time, he'll be damn cute luring the stubborn badger with his romantic tactics.

Hanane EL Mokkadem: Thanks, I'm glad to make my readers cackle like mad and leave their sides in stitches!

Lostwithoutdoubt: You're right about Malik holding the awesomeness medal of 'determination and best sidekick'. The man has a strong will to bear Altaïr's nagging and Vivian's witty jokes that usually lead the two into a humorous playful quarrel that drive poor Malik insane. I'm pretty sure that without him to be the glue to their group, the two would've destroyed each other within a week of leaving Masyaf. Somewhere, Vivian would be dancing jigs for money and he'd be sporting a black eye elsewhere- they were just so antagonistic at the start. Vivian won't be returning to Masyaf but she will be meeting Maria outside of it since she'll be working for their side while Darim is safe in the fortress (can't keep a strong willed woman like her locked up). And alas, there is no Malik without Altaïr but the former man definitely puts him in his place with a simple stern glare since he's the most levelheaded and Altaïr knows that. There's no way I could've had this story without Malik since he keeps them all together as the father bear of the group.

Next Time: Two Peas In A Pod

She pressed her palm lightly against his left shoulder blade and suggested helpfully, "I also give friendly massages to ward away muscle pain."

Altaïr was dubious of her therapeutic claims since she crafted good lies out of thin air and he was left either flustered or furious. After what happened in that brothel many months ago, the little historian was capable of anything. Vivian pressed her palm where the nape met the shoulder, leading him to lie down immediately to the tension released in that move. All right, maybe she wasn't the quack he originally believed her to be. She kneaded the tightness bundled there since the man was always stiff in posture and explained, "I've been reading all about it. Malik and I have been practicing, not on each other since he's pretty gentlemanly about keeping me proper. He likes to use it on the nerves while I go for the muscle since. . .well, it's not exactly new that each training session leaves me in a puddle of my own goo of crying flesh."

"It's not approved for a half-naked man to be in the company of a woman-" he began to decline since Malik would lecture him about maintaining Vivian's virtue. Frankly, that crafty badger was anything but innocent and wouldn't be surprised if he saw her running naked for fun in a creek.

"Altaïr, any thought of ever marrying you went out the window when you snored on the first day" she shot back sarcastically because she wasn't itching to do the horizontal tango and hopped off his back to pop hers. The resounding pops caused his eyes to widen as she stretched with an arched back but Altaïr told himself he'd nag her if she whimpered in pain. She rolled her shoulders as she felt the muscles of his upper arms ache and pointed out matter-of-factly, "We're not anywhere near civilization so I can claim this piece of land in the name of Sub-Zero and call it Lego Land with the imperial rule that anybody named Altaïr will be a manservant for life to anyone named Vivian."

"You love making a mockery of my time" he muttered flatly as he stood up to wipe the dirt off his knees and palms to end his workout. Vivian hadn't provided much resistance to his pushups and would have to find heavier weight next time.

"Goodness no, that would be hypocrisy on my studies" she chuckled softly since Altaïr was a serious persona with humor but there was no question as to whether she respected him. How could she not when he saved her life more than once? Not to mention, he was her knight in shining armor when he squashed bugs that were too fat for her feet to squish. Who wouldn't love their own personal bug killer? She smiled earnestly to her grumpy companion and stated, "It might not be the safest or civil of times but it has you and Malik. . .that makes it worth my wile."

Well, maybe he could try it this once.

Five minutes later, Altaïr lay on a linen blanket over the dirt in his tent with Vivian standing on the center of his back. Whatever he'd originally believed had been completely correct after all. His right cheek pressed into the cloth as her small feet left red indentations on his shoulders and he growled heatedly, "I'm beginning to believe you lied to me, treacherous badger."

"No. . .just highly exaggerated my qualities" she restated with her crafty wordplay but sat down to straddle his back, facing forward towards his head. She'd been head over heels in joy that he'd actually let her touch him (in a platonic way) without fearing for her life. What fan wouldn't enjoy giving him a back rub as they molded his skin like putty? It was absolutely fantastic! His frequent growling, however, reminded her that he wasn't feeling 'fabulous' and she spoke slowly, "Before you hurl me across the field, tell me where the knots are and I'll do my best to knead them away."

"That's better" he agreed with thinned lips since she'd literally been trampling him under her feet and was thankful she didn't have a heavy weight. Still, he wasn't keen on having her on his back as he played a horse so she'd better try her best or he would hurl her across the field.

Ten minutes later, Malik walked by the assassin's tent and paused immediately when he heard sharp grunting from inside. Well, if the man wanted to exercise or take care of a few urges- gah! He didn't want to blind his mind with that ghastly thought. When Vivian's voice mixed in with the grunting, Malik's brotherly protectiveness arose because nobody would harm the historian or sully her honor. How dare Altaïr decide to turn a charmed eye towards her? Had he no shame with a child back in Masyaf? With that in mind, the honorable dai stormed into the tent with valiant courage to face whatever carnal act was-

He found Vivian digging her left elbow into the lowest part of Altaïr's left shoulder blade to deliver some tough love on a stubborn knot that failed to budge. It needed a lot of elbow grease to do away with it as she gave it her best shot. Altaïr, on the other hand, had painful red welts from the other previous massage areas over his back and was holding onto a blanket for support. Malik could clearly see there was no pleasure at all in that face as it resembled torture while Vivian balanced herself on his back. She hung on like a stubborn barnacle as her pink tongue stuck out from between closed teeth and mumbled firmly, "C'mon, you. Turn into mush!"

"Go back to the previous move, you're killing my muscle!" Altaïr demanded swiftly with a painful yell since her strongest touch turned out to be too much. He'd never have believed her arms could carry any serious strength and wanted her off immediately. His white knuckles thrashed against the blanket as she brought the mighty assassin down with her horrible massage skills and grunted painfully, "I didn't think you could be strong in any way. Get off, you little imp!"

For that, Vivian used her right finger to deliver a wet willie to his right ear and laughed to the disgusted exclamation about being sullied. How dare she put that dirty finger in his ear canal without permission? Had she no shame?! Malik decided to exit before they realized he'd walked into that bizarre scene and decided it was better left alone. As long as the two weren't locked in an amorous embrace, he was fine. He liked being sane and would not join their eccentric behavior because the two were definitely reflecting each other's personalities.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope to see you all next time!