Inspired Music: Jesper Kyd- "Sailing To Constantinople" and Immediate- "Believe"
Lake Victoria
"Where's the assassin?"
Bashir covered his face with his hands for a few seconds before removing them and exclaiming cheerfully, "There he is!"
"Where's the assassin? There he is!" he repeated dramatically to emphasize the archaic peek-a-boo version to bring joy to his little buddy. Unfortunately, it did not have the desired effect.
A frightened cry echoed from the receiving party as baby Darim did not enjoy having a face randomly appear before his eyes. His chubby limbs flailed with irritancy as the two month old child sought the one person that provided him with protection and warmth. His blue eyes refused to glance at Bashir as the young assassin had appointed himself babysitter for the day but it was not going as planned.
"Don't you trust me by now? You've barfed and pooped on me enough to be named my brother" Bashir sighed aloud since Darim was not becoming used to his presence but wouldn't quit until he was. He wanted Altaïr to be proud of his progress after taming Rafiki as a partner in crime and would add the stubborn baby to the list. He gripped one of his bare little toes as they fidgeted and smiled to preen, "For one so small, there's a lot of fight in you."
Ilias entered the inventor's laboratory with disbelief written across his face and approached the young man to demand, "Bashir, why do you have a baby in possibly the worst room in Masyaf?"
Bashir blinked with confusion since his office space seemed pretty safe and drawled slowly, "I thought the armory was the most dangerous place."
"All right, second most dangerous place" Ilias corrected hastily since nobody ventured to his level and crossed his arms for an answer. Altaïr wanted him far away where he couldn't blow up anyone and having his son there would be a cause for alarm. Maria had entrusted him to care for her child when she was unavailable and since they both trusted Bashir, allowed him to be with the child for a few hours.
"I thought he'd find it fun" Bashir explained innocently since there were books, containers, weapons, and other knickknacks he'd picked up along the way. Science was such a broad subject to peruse through and the mathematics, not to mention chemistry, for concocting everything from weapons to poisons was fascinating! He picked up the crying baby to place him against his chest to rub Darim's back and smiled at his superior, "There's pointy weapons, colorful dust with different reactions, prototype gadgets- everything a child would find interesting!"
For the first time in his life, Ilias found himself deadpanning at the young assassin because everything he named was liable to kill the child. He was not going to risk Maria's ire since the woman was still settling into motherhood after surviving her first month nursing a newborn and waking up at all hours of the night. Being a new mother, she was still wary of her own decisions since she'd never had a person depending on her for complete survival and would do her best. He held out his arms to collect the child and Bashir groaned regretfully as he handed over little Darim, bringing an end to his babysitting day.
His groan shifted into an outrageous tone when Darim turned from a fussy baby to a cooing one in the master assassin's arms as Ilias held him close. The older assassin held his little digits and spoke to him in Arabic to accustom the child to the language of the land since Maria stuck to English. Bashir couldn't believe the child had already turned into happy putty in Ilias' hands and ran a hand through his short black hair to sigh exasperatedly, "That child is fickle."
"No, he's just smart enough to cry when madmen bring him into a lair riddled with traps" Ilias replied with an amused tone despite his straight face since the baby had become accustomed to his daily presence. He understood that motherhood, just like fatherhood, was no easy transition and would help Maria in any way he could. Abbas was more than ready to demand that she be kicked out a week after delivering Darim but Ilias had put his foot down concerning Maria's permanent stay at Masyaf. He could only wonder how far Altaïr was into his trip because he had quite the adorable son waiting for him.
"It's not- ouch!" Bashir protested the safety of his workspace but yelped when something sharp jabbed his back. He turned around to find a sharp piece of iron that he'd been working with the blacksmith to forge into a new type of crossbow. Ilias' black eyebrow rose in affirmation to his previous statement and the younger man quickly defended, "That was just one random instance."
Ilias shook his head as he headed towards the door with baby Darim, who had taken to batting his square chin, and remarked nonchalantly, "By the way, there's acid dripping onto the floor from a broken glass cup on the far right."
Bashir sighed aloud to his miserable luck of the day and proceeded to tidy up his workspace before something else went wrong. He tended to forget about his side projects when another venture excited him and the arrival of baby Darim had kept his free time occupied. The baby wasn't taking to him at all but Maria encouraged him to keep trying since she trusted him.
Ilias headed for Altaïr's workspace since he had a meeting scheduled soon with the Egyptian branch of the assassins. Their order had slowly spread to branch over north Egypt and was currently penetrating into the south before turning west where Templar activity was on the rise. He found the quiet in the scholars' library soothing for working and Darim peeked up at him with his darling blue eyes to coo affectionately. As the days grew into weeks, he fell in love with the small child since Al Mualim had banned bonds between parents and children so he had never known his parents. Altaïr had done away with the old tradition and Ilias couldn't see how forming bonds with your own children could weaken you. Now, children would be allowed to be nurtured and taught alongside their parents without fear of being separated by their own brotherhood.
He tickled Darim's clothed side as he ascended the main stairway and smiled warmly, "You've ensnared us around your finger, you know."
Darim merely blinked with his black lashes and settled against his arm since he could always fall asleep without worry with Ilias. In his young mind, his mother and Ilias were one unit while Bashir was the goofy cousin that visited every other day. His blue eyes lit up when he saw his mother sitting on a nearby chair with a book in hand and although she had undereye circles of exhaustion lining her round face, she looked positively radiant to him. Maria heard his familiar cooing and glanced away from her book to see her son calling out to her with a waving hand that beckoned her. She'd headed out to have an hour for herself after nursing him earlier and couldn't help but feel like a human cow due to how fast she produced milk. There were so many changes in her body that had begun occurring after the birth that surprised her but she was taking it in stride to prevent being drowned under it all.
"Hello there, my little Darim" she cooed sweetly as she scooped him from Ilias' arms to plant a soft kiss on his fair forehead. Although he was two months, her characteristics were dominant as he held her black hair and blue eyes. She could only wonder if Altaïr's physical traits would appear in him later on but she was happy with her son. Holding him close against her shoulder, she smiled tiredly at Ilias since he'd been a blessing in disguise for her and sighed, "I thought motherhood would get easier but I swear it's like my body's falling apart."
"Don't tell me you're worried about the baby weight left over?" he asked with light amusement since her old figure wouldn't return overnight. Although he hadn't known Maria before her pregnancy, her shoulder width told him she wasn't very big and she looked perfectly adequate to him. That wasn't to say he'd been looking at her inappropriately but a child physically changed you before and after a pregnancy.
She shook her head since that would be rid from her body with training once she was rested enough to begin sharpening her skills again. Goodness, how she missed swinging a sword and knocking a man's teeth out! Sitting back down in the wooden armchair, she leaned against the back and touched her limp braid of black hair to admit sullenly, "My hair hasn't stopped falling out and it's been weeks now. I'm worried I'll be bald by next month."
"I don't think Darim will mind if you go bald and we assassins love our hoods for more than just camouflage" Ilias spoke gently to lighten her worry since Maria really didn't have another woman to speak with. It was fine to be a single woman in an age where she was meant to be cooking inside a home but now that she was a mother, she needed a similar ear from one of her own gender. It was bad enough to feel alien in her body when she was pregnant but now that it was over, the sensation had not ended. If anything, it felt worse because Darim was no longer the cause and it was suffocating to feel like another person altogether.
She hated losing her foothold over the confidence she exuded to maintain her strong spirit in the harsh world. All she had to comfort her was her darling babe and she would put aside her own worries to keep him safe in his new world. Closing her eyes, she blocked away the negative thoughts on her appearance but heard Ilias speak quietly, "Motherhood is a test and you will overcome all aspects of it."
The corners of her lips turned into an appreciative smile as she kept her eyes closed and Ilias suggested hesitantly, "I might not be a woman but. . .well, if you ever need an ear to hear your worries, I am here. I will never judge you and you can confide in me."
Her blue-gray eyes opened to meet his brown hue as she found someone to empathize with her and whispered faintly, "I would truly appreciate that, if you do mean it."
"I do" Ilias affirmed kindly since Maria's tough outer shell had melted enough to allow him to view the vulnerable side now that she'd entered motherhood. He hadn't met many women in his life due to the laws outside of their order but she was a strong heart. At the moment, she was battling with her own body to find her old self but she would win in due time.
Maria was grateful to find a true friend after years of only encountering pretentious individuals who only wanted to improve their social standing by association. Darim whimpered against his mother's neck since he wasn't sleepy and wanted to see more of his new surroundings now that he'd begun to travel out of his room. She tickled the soles of his bare feet with a small smile as Darim cooed and put Ilias' offer to the test, "My breasts are double their normal size and every sound from Darim has them leaking milk."
Ilias' stoic face cracked at the seams since he'd never expected to hear such descriptive words about that particular area of a woman. Maria eyed him to await his response to her bold words because she really did want to get it off her chest (no pun intended) and he cleared his throat awkwardly to state, "Well, it seems I will be tested as well."
A total of twelve months of travel finally brought the trio of wanderers to the start of the largest river in the world, Lake Victoria. The sight of witnessing the large river branch into a lake, larger than it was in current times, was a relieving sight that brought a weary smile to all of their faces. They had traveled for so long with the expectation of seeing the lake and when they did, it just reminded them of each single day that had led them there. Malik was joyous to know he'd survived without being driven insane by Altaïr while the other man pondered over his personality changes since dragging Vivian along for the ride. Vivian, well, she was just happy to see large lake that beckoned her to swim in it until she was squeaky clean.
"We should find an inn since we will be here for at least a week or so figuring out where this item is" Malik advised the two as he observed the atmosphere of the surrounding area of the lake and it did not carry the hospitality of Giza. There were traders about which would give them enough cloth and hygienic materials, farmers bringing their harvested loads which meant food for sale, and spice merchants that carried all sorts of herbs and spices. The mouth of the lake was packed with numerous merchants in their shops or wagons as they traded their goods, beckoning all newcomers to visit their shops.
However, the fact that Altaïr could see slavers holding their public auctions and keeping their private collection by ropes didn't sit well with him. He'd heard and seen slavers- some were bearable by offering decent necessities to indentured servants but others would sell their own families for coin. People that were weak or handicapped made the best choices for housekeeping types since strong slaves were for royal families within kingdoms or elite members of society. It sent a chill down his spine to witness the forlorn defeated faces of human beings being treated like animals. Behavior like this is what made the core beliefs of the Templar order since free will (which Assassins protected) could twist down a dark path. He would be extremely cautious while wandering the area and advised Vivian carefully, "Keep your face covered and never stray far from me when we land."
Vivian covered the lower half of her face to hide her features since her male oriented clothing and taped chest would keep questions at bay. Plus, her light skin would stand out a bit among the caramel, olive, and brown tones as African and Middle Eastern cultures gathered there. There might have even been a few merchants traveling from Asia by sea as well. She was a bit satisfied to see no European ethnicities since the Templars they encountered were mostly of that majority but one couldn't be too cautious. Hopefully, her stature would make people believe she was an adolescent boy but slavery held no age restriction.
"The POE's supposed to be near the Kenyan border, from what your map showed" Vivian added in helpfully to steer the captain of their little boat to the east since seeing people dressed in rags didn't make her comfortable. She had been lucky to find Altaïr when she wandered Jerusalem and if she hadn't, she would've probably been killed by an animal, sent to jail for being too liberal (and an outspoken woman), or died of starvation. It was hard to see how others could think themselves superior enough to control the self-will of others and never thought she'd find herself facing slavery. The image burned into her mind was heinous enough as she glanced away from the poor people and she suggested shakily, "Would it help us to look on the other side? Maybe for something more cheerful?"
"If it keeps us closer but I will lock our door from the inside to ensure safety" Altaïr agreed wholeheartedly and rowed away from the crowded western side of the lake to head southeast. He didn't want to risk losing Vivian within the hour since it wasn't Giza and Malik's physical handicap could have someone thinking he was their next cash cow. Malik could handle himself without issue but Vivian would be his main concern because losing her would be problematic (and worrisome- but he wouldn't admit it). This was a new area they were dealing with and it wouldn't be a walk in the park as he mumbled, "Hopefully, our money will be good here or we'll have to melt it down for trade value."
The trio was more than ready to cross the lake on their little boat despite the ferries driving traders across the lake but they didn't have money to waste. They were happy to leave the crowds to row their canoe east to the Kenyan border but they didn't have the manpower to outrun the ferries. It became apparent rather quickly when the large wooden boats surpassed them within seconds and a few delved too close for comfort. Altaïr grit his teeth in annoyance because it didn't take much for one to peer over a boat and see there were other people on the lake. Didn't they have navigation officers onboard?
"Go faster" Malik insisted when a boat nearly hit the end of their canoe as it appeared ready to burst with passengers. It seemed that the lake was a bustling trade center for many lands and arriving in the middle of an afternoon meant everyone was bustling to either go home or confirm deals. Vivian could only feel like a tiny compact car in the middle of a freeway as big wooden ferries pushed by and caused rippling waves to rock their small boat. Didn't they see them?
"I'm giving it all I have, they should learn some manners!" Altaïr yelled with irritancy and accentuated the last words to echo across the lake as he eyed the passing boats. What kind of captain would recklessly ignore a little canoe on its own? Was it because he didn't want to pay with his hard-earned coin? He'd rather drown than pay them to carry him on their 'mightier than thou' boat and kept rowing towards the east.
Vivian's cheeks were red with embarrassment as she rowed since she never felt tinier in her life as large boats passed by. If that didn't make her feel sluggish as she gave the oars all she had, she didn't know what did. The trip turned worse when they rowed away from one boat heading east to give them the path and inadvertently crossed into the other lane for a boat heading west. When people started snapping at them over the edges of the ship, she wished to ignore the words she heard in perfect translation. Altaïr was strong enough to allow the words to roll off his back since he didn't understand the multiple dialects (only the Arabic language) but she whimpered worriedly, "Oh god, they're yelling at us like angry bees. Bees!"
"Can you tell them to stick it where the sun doesn't shine? I speak Arabic, you sheeps!" Altaïr continued yelling angrily when another boat passed them on its return trip and he waved the paddle like an old cranky man. Malik felt the strong tendency to facepalm since he could do nothing but watch Altaïr shout indignantly at people while Vivian appeared to shrink with each passing second.
Altaïr caught her trying to resemble a little fly on the wall and narrowed his eyes to lecture firmly, "Don't let anyone minimize you. You have a right just like anybody else and shouldn't be shrinking away because somebody deemed this their lake."
Vivian already felt out of place in the archaic era and women were already minimized as it was. Altaïr was absolutely correct about never admitting defeat and Vivian emerged from her figurative turtle shell to don her mad badger pants. The handy unexplained gift of understanding languages would help and she'd aid her friend since he appeared ready to burst. Besides, it was always her dream to blast enemies away with humiliating fear alongside the 12th century Batman. Using Altaïr's rage to fuel hers, she yelled out to any incoming ferries that treaded closely to their little boat, "Show some respect for the little guy! Doesn't your captain know how to steer? That's right, I own this little boat and proud of it because I can go anywhere I please!"
Altaïr found himself impressed that she listened to him and their noise allowed them to be ignored by other boats as they finally took notice. Malik felt like a man with two harking parrots on his shoulders but he was stuck going along for the ride and didn't have the luxury to abandon ship. Vivian poured every ounce of energy into her rowing as she pretended to be a little tugboat in the early 20th century and had to pull the ocean liner called Altaïr. It brightened her day after seeing the type of trades occurring on the land and the horrible captains with 'lake rage' (as she called it).
"Move away! Go around! Around!" Altaïr yelled furiously when passengers from one boat decided to wave their hands in the air towards their boat. The assassin was not about to be bullied from the only path heading east and wished a rogue tidal wave could've carried the blasted boat away. Unfortunately, they weren't anywhere near the ocean so he was stuck paddling onwards with his pride intact but slowly disintegrating with each sound aimed towards the canoe.
Ugh . . . they would have to trade their little boat soon.
"What is this? The river revolution of the boating industry?" Vivian shouted indignantly since she'd never encountered this many boats in her life. She lived close to the water back in Berkeley but what she was enduring now was plain ridiculous! Wherever she looked, one boat covered her line of sight and cursed arriving at this hour of the day. They would've arrived sooner but Altaïr wanted all of his clothes to be spiffy so he'd bleached his white robes under the sun for an entire day while she and Malik were ready to chuck him into the river. Today, it seemed they might just do that after being caught in a madhouse of sea traffic.
When a rabble of passengers laughed at them on a ship heading to the Ugandan side of the lake, Altaïr scowled heatedly and snapped, "At least I own this boat! What say you?"
"Altaïr, would you-" Malik interrupted since it was best to concentrate on the road ahead of them because yelling at boat tailgating you could cause another collision up ahead. Unfortunately, his words were cut off as the master assassin managed to infect his rage into a pint-sized historian with a motor mouth.
"Kiss my ass, you bleep on bleepity bleeping bleep" Vivian's words to passerby boats were so outlandish that even Altaïr balked at her coarse language. Where had she even learned such words? She shook one fist at a small boat that thought they were made of big stuff to strut down the current without offering a spot for their little canoe. The people that had leaned against the side of the boat no longer peered at their wooden canoe with mirth and she added in for safe measure, "And go blankety bleep, you bleephead!"
Like her mother once told her: 'It wasn't the size of the dog that mattered, but the fight in it'. Vivian could certainly be small but she'd run into a brick wall repeatedly until one brick gave way because she was no quitter. Malik stared with blatant disbelief to what she'd just done and almost fell out of the boat when Altaïr smiled (yes, smiled!) to compliment, "That's my badger!"
Vivian grinned proudly for earning her first public compliment and tried to high five him but failed since he'd no idea what it was. Instead, her arm hung in midair as the high five failed to land on the boggled assassin and her victory was short-lived. She lowered her right hand to lightly pat the back of his shoulder and sighed with humorous lament, "We'll retry that later, it's all good."
Malik would be the first in history person to get profanity sickness on a boat as the two became a united front against gawkers.
Xxx
After finding a rental spot for their canoe at a nicer (more homely) inn than the others on the adjacent shore, the trio piled into their rented room after a long day of rowing. They had finally finished their entire Nile journey and after yelling their way across Lake Victoria, were immensely relieved to grab their bags to continue their journey for a temporary stay at the lake. Vivian placed her packs on the stone floor of the decently sized room to smile perkily at her comrades, "Could you imagine if we'd started at the end of the Nile? We would've been the first foreign people to journey its entire length . . . probably."
She shuffled deeper into the room that was made entirely of stone but unlike Giza's or Cairo's that had been furnished, their room held little furniture. There was a table for eating and for double usage as a desk while two wooden chairs were tucked underneath the table. There was a stone table contraption off to the left that appeared like a giant limestone brick and left her scratching her head as to what it could be. On the floor, there were reed and dry grass mats ready to be used as bedrolls during their stays but she would've preferred a hay filled mattress. It didn't look overly cheerful to Vivian but she tried to keep the mood zesty when she found a small object in the far corner and grinned, "Look, we have a little stool of our own!"
"How can you still talk after all those words out there? You were so innocent once" Malik sighed with dismay to the young woman that had shifted into a capable persona since journeying with them. Vivian merely smiled innocently since she could never bear disappointing her big brother figure but Altaïr stirred emotions that made her soar like an eagle. They weren't the platonic type of feelings that Malik earned in her heart and Vivian treaded carefully around the friendship line with Altaïr. She wasn't there to poke the time-space continuum out of existence because of an innocent attraction that seemed to be flourishing and would keep herself restrained emotionally. The dai turned to the assassin in question as Altaïr chucked his belongings onto the strange stone slab and Malik declared with a lecturing finger, "Now, you're like him."
Altaïr merely smirked since Vivian was bearable now that she'd worn him down to her level and replied with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders, "It's not so bad."
"You're constantly shrouded in danger and arguments" Malik pointed out when he caught an admirable smile from Vivian because Altaïr would not be leading her anywhere safe with his shenanigans. When had she begun smiling at the assassin? Weren't the two usually pointing frowns at each other until the biggest one won? She had turned from a small lamb to a curious moth but Altaïr was the bright enticing fire ready to scorch her into burnt ashes. He stepped between the two to cut off whatever knowing look they were sharing and stepped into his big brother role as he insisted firmly to his friend, "She's meant to stay an innocent lamb."
"I eat lambs" Altaïr stated bluntly because she was no longer the nervous little woman that had trailed behind them in apprehension. She could hold her own in defense and didn't irritate him as often as she used to so Vivian was deemed acceptable as a friend for him. Vivian shook her head since the man had an insatiable appetite for food and wasn't as finicky with it as he was with his clothing. He sidestepped past Malik with a haughty expression and placed a hand on top of her head as she blinked comically to the physical contact. Hmm, it seemed she would have to work her way from being patted like a loyal hound to a pat on the back like a human being. To Altaïr, it was the safest move to avoid any cheeky jokes since he was terrible at flirting banter to put her in her place and declared, "You have shown that you've upgraded from such a feeble- and delectable- animal. Therefore, you are now . . . a goat."
"A goat?" both Malik and Vivian asked in stunned confusion to his odd ranking.
Altaïr shrugged his shoulders since it was decent enough for her and pointed out, "You might have the rage of a badger but you don't have the physical attributes."
"If this is your way of getting me to paint myself like a badger, forget it" she stated flatly because a goat was not cuter than a lamb nor did they hold any spectacular strength to bask in. They were cute, true, but she didn't have large chocolate eyes or the droopy ears that flicked. Altaïr had a terrible sense in picking names and she decided to subtly retaliate by grinning enthusiastically, "Although, I would look a little more badass-"
"You're not painting yourself" both men ordered to blow out that idea from her mind and she pouted since she always liked turian clan markings in Mass Effect. Curse those smexy aliens and their subvocal voices! Why couldn't she strut around the world like a tough battle-painted Nord from the Elder Scroll series?
Vivian snapped her fingers to feign disillusion to her thwarted plan and muttered, "Crab apples!"
Her shoulders squared as another thought popped into mind and she eyed Altaïr skeptically to demand swiftly, "Wait, did you just call me a goat in looks? They might be cute when they bray but I do not look like one. . . do I?"
Altaïr decided to forgo torturing her this time and yanked the stool from her hands so she could continue unpacking her belongings. Otherwise, she'd be searching for a reflective surface to double-check that she hadn't begun to resemble livestock and he would be tempted to place a bell around her neck. Since there were only two chairs next to the table, he placed the stool between them and smirked at Vivian with emphasis that she'd be sitting on it. She flicked him off with her middle finger for the first time since meeting and scurried off to unpack her sleeping blankets while leaving behind a bewildered assassin. What in blazes did that mean? He was ready to poke her like fresh clay until she told him what that finger signal meant but Malik shook his head to stop him. Apparently, he'd had a small 'Vivian' moment and Altaïr would not be treading anywhere near her personality traits. The world could only handle one Vivian walking the earth.
"Let's all make our beds and go to sleep, I am tired" Altaïr stated simply since he'd been rowing without stop since they left their camp in the morning and it was now the late afternoon. Lake Victoria had not been easy to row across its length and he wanted to rest his arms if he was to start investigating by the early morning. Vivian pulled out her blankets in agreement since she'd only felt thirsty after yelling so much and Altaïr muffled a snort when she fell over onto her back. Honestly, her packs were fat enough to burst after everything she collected from their travels. Malik sat down on one of the wooden chairs to pull open his pack by its drawstring since he had a knack for a snack and dug through the leather pack for some dry cheese to gnaw on.
Like a mouse on a hunt, Vivian's nose rose as she heard chewing and a delectably familiar smell but Altaïr forced her head back down to focus on fixing her bed. The woman ate just about anything at all hours and he was not about to have supper when he only wanted to sleep. She assembled her linen blankets and one of wool over her simple bedroll but she halted when thunder erupted above them. Altaïr jumped in effect to the sharp noise that rang in his ears and seconds later, the sound of raindrops splattered over the wooden roof. He clenched his fists since he'd been waiting to collect rainwater for refilling his backup canteen since last night and grumbled exasperatedly, "Oh, now it pours? Honestly!"
"Did you just jump?" Malik asked with an amused smirk that caused the other man to frown since thunderstorms apparently made Altaïr uncomfortable. The assassin didn't say it aloud but every time the heavens crashed with loud noise, he sprung into his tent to wait it out with the speed of lightning. Vivian found it humorous since the assassin was as human as she was and his flaws pertained to nature since he could not control them, no matter how much his glower power affected others.
"Didn't our elders teach you not to talk with your mouth full?" he chastised swiftly as he quickly began ripping out his bed sheets to fling them onto the wicker mat. Vivian sighed under her breath to the poor treatment of the only objects that kept him healthy during the night and knew that if Pixar made a movie through the mindset of those sheets, they'd be plotting a diabolical assassination.
Malik resisted the urge to kick the footstool in Altaïr's direction because the angle was perfect for a lower back strike. Rather than risk a raging eagle chasing him down the inn and possibly being kicked out by the owner, he stayed his hand. After all, tomorrow was another day. Vivian pulled up the wooden latch to open the single window to catch a view of the large blue lake and smiled at the cool air flowing in. It was a fresh unpolluted breeze that tingled her damp scalp and she breathed in deeply as the surrounding background of the forested area provided a relaxing ambience.
"Well, at least the rain will give us a cool night" Vivian commented happily with optimism and leaned against the windowsill since she was too short to peer out with her torso. Resting her hands on the smooth stone, she watched the wind rustle the leaves of every tree towards the east and the stillness of the land told her they would be in for a stormy night. She couldn't hear any wildlife and since they'd chosen the farthest inn from the busy trade posts and people scarcely walked by. Her eyes widened when a flash of light touched the land in the distance in the form of a thin line- lightning! She'd never witnessed lighting since the cloud cover over Berkeley kept it from being seen from her home but thunder was always heard. A second later, the natural companion followed with another rumbling ruckus that caused Altaïr's shoulders to tense and she declared gleefully, "I just saw lighting over the hills to the east! Isn't that exciting?!"
"No, you'll probably draw it closer with your enthusiasm" Altaïr grumbled sourly since thunder made his skin crawl uncertainly and felt the need to dive underneath his covers for shelter. Vivian shot him a small glare over her shoulder since the moment was a first for her but Altaïr was grumpier than a cat soaked in water. He ordered her to shut the window before cold drafts were allowed inside and she obeyed since disobeying would earn her a lecture. When Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad lectured you, it was worse than physical torture since it lasted over an hour and he chewed into you without remorse. Not to mention, when he started quoting scripture from the Brotherhood's tenets . . . you were in for a lo-o-o-o-o-o-ng ride.
Vivian sat on the floor to pat down any lumps in her bedding to prevent any back aches since the Middle Ages provided plenty of them. However, she did love the clucking of hens and chickens whenever she awoke as they substituted song birds nicely. She lay on top of her makeshift bed, kicking off her leather shoes, and curled herself up in a fetal position become comfortable. After a year of travel, she'd become accustomed to plopping down in her clothes to fall asleep instantly and still wore them the following day. Boy, did she miss having a simple washing machine and decent fabric softener.
To Altaïr, she resembled a dozing dog but he'd become accustomed (and almost immune) to her odd way of sleeping. There were no beds for them this time, except for a wicker mat on the stone floor, and Altaïr could already see it would be an uncomfortable sleep. His blankets weren't plush at all and his bedroll would be the only thing providing cushioning to his bones. Hmm, should he have risked danger by choosing one of the other cozier inns closer to the trading posts? No, his two companions would've literally dragged and kicked him across the lake for even daring it.
Malik decided to make his bed since the sunlight lingering in the sky from sunset would soon disappear. He could read a book by lighting a wax candle that lay half-melted on the wooden table but his friends were ready for sleep. He didn't need much to be comfortable, unlike Altaïr, and arranged his blankets neatly around the wicker mat and his bedroll. Altaïr narrowed his eyes incredulously when the dai tucked the ends of his blankets around both items since his personal way of sleeping was simply rolling into them and stuffing the ends under his feet. Malik caught his bewildered gaze since he took his time with everything he did and pointed out simply, "I believe in propriety, Altaïr, even away from home."
The assassin punched his pillow for emphasis that he could care less since he took priority over the decency of his sleeping environment than bedding arrangements. He didn't want to sleep over a filthy wicker mat after taking squeaky clean care of his fabrics but would have to risk it as he nodded approvingly to his makeshift bed. To Malik, he'd never seen a more awful bed in his life as the blankets simply lay atop one another in a random disorganized order rather from slimmest to thickest. Altaïr caught Malik's deadpan expression to his bed this time and the assassin defended snippily, "I'm not a maid nor do I care."
"You should when you marry and your wife realizes you're a slob of epic proportions" the dai replied matter-of-factly since his manners were impeccable in public and in private while Altaïr was the same inside and out. Altaïr decided to indulge his inner child (maybe his inner Vivian if he dared to think so) and leaned over to pull out the bottom left corner of Malik's blankets. The dai slapped his hand away swiftly for daring to transfer his messy behavior over to his side of the room and chastised him, "You keep your contagious hands to yourself!"
Malik proceeded to fix what the man ruined quickly but kept strict vigilance in case he decided to pull out another area from his mats. Altaïr conceded the battle since he was the early riser out of both and he could always take advantage by either pulling out all of the blankets or tying the ends in knots underneath the mats to trap him. Either way, it would bring a littler irritancy into the dai's life and Altaïr felt rather mischievous that day. He looked to the other mischief maker of the team since Vivian was the only one that was actually in bed and asked curiously, "How is it?"
"Not bad . . . I . . . I can't feel my shoulder" she answered earnestly with a disappointed pout but shifted to lie on her back once her joint began to sting. He snorted to her previous words of compliment about the small room and Vivian bit her bottom lip when her shoulder began to ache from its previous position over the stone floor. She huddled deeper into her blankets until they touched her nose to resemble a gopher and she mumbled miserably as she looked to him for help, "These beds are really bad- not lumpy hay bad but limestone bad. Where's a Mary Sue with an anachronistic name and neon purple hair so I can pulverize her into a meat bag and use her as a mattress?"
Altaïr scoffed as he sat down on his bed to test her opinion and groaned painfully when his tailbone struck the tough flooring. Well, Vivian hadn't lied. He recoiled from the pain shooting up his tailbone and glared at Malik when the dai snorted to his impetuousness rather than being careful. The master assassin resisted from grasping his throbbing tailbone but glared at the floor as the annoying culprit as he protested, "The bare earth is softer than this!"
"Given this is all we can afford- make the best of it" Malik replied flatly since he could fall asleep just about anywhere, even while standing if he was really exhausted. After adjusting his blankets to support the bends of his spine, he was perfectly fine laying down for bed while his two companions were rubbing their poor vertebrae. He wasn't finicky over his arrangements and had become used to sleeping on the bare ground during assassination missions while Altaïr always gathered better accommodations, either by nature itself or stealing sleep inside a private barn.
Altaïr crossed his arms as he sat straight in his spot and declared snippily, "I most certainly will not-"
"Please don't go downstairs to argue because you'll blow your scholar ruse" Vivian dissuaded with a soft whimper because dragging him away from a quarrel and leaving the inn was not desirable at all. Why couldn't he have Ezio's natural charisma to play his cards right? Instead, Altaïr either threatened to skin you or unleashed his glower power to crush you into submission. Most of the time, she watched with admirable awe from the sidelines but she really wanted to have a roof over her head that night.
"I agree, keep your mouth shut for all our sakes because we finally have a decent roof over our heads" Malik agreed from his corner closest to the strange stone block that the dai was pretty sure was either a table or bed of some kind. A hard floor was nothing to be concerned about when there were worst things in the world (like being one of those poor slaves across the lake) and would focus on the brighter aspect of life.
Altaïr grumbled in his spot because he wasn't getting the decent lodging he imagined and muttered curtly, "Even a scholar would be maddened by this floor."
"I think a scholar would reflect on his current situation and learn from it" Vivian piped up since her historic knack was analyzing everything she encountered in the new historic land. Her logical modern-day side was sobbing into a little curled ball for the shoddy living conditions in bedding alone but this was a learning experience in itself. She curled into a smaller ball as she laid on her left side with the hope that movement would help ease her into sleep. Oh, who was she kidding, her body would feel like it had been hit by a bus come tomorrow morning.
Altaïr hissed to her optimism because he sought agreement with his opinion and shooed her to sleep with a wave of his hand, "You know nothing, little badger."
"And yet, I'm not complaining" she smiled innocently from her spot because where logic was concerned, she should've been the one nagging about the room. Altaïr narrowed his eyes to her comment because he liked reigning supreme over Vivian to maintain his indomitable aura but it seemed she was more resilient. He wouldn't have that because she admired him, not the other way around, and decided to bear the horrible flooring. She yawned softly into her hands to head to sleep and he watched one green eye poke out from between her bundle of blankets as she murmured, "Good night, eagle boy- ouch!"
She rolled onto her back immediately after hearing her shoulder joint pop against the stone floor and whimpered, "How do they keep customers if they leave with shattered bones?"
Altaïr watched the lump known as Vivian whimper underneath the messy blankets and restrained from poking her to ire her one last time. If he accidentally poked something feminine on her body, he'd never hear the end of it or worse- have to bare his derrière as promised. As the days passed, he sought her company more than he had during their first months together and deemed her adequate to have as an admirer- platonically, of course. He would never focus on the fact that her physical features were agreeable and her cheerful demeanor kept the loneliness at bay. He decided to tease her in the verbal form (for extra safety to his dignity) as she fiddled inside her bedding and smirked to utter with a spooky tone, "Maybe . . . they don't leave at all."
Vivian chuckled to his attempt to frighten her, her black mop of hair peeking out of the covers as one emerald eye joined it, and scoffed, "With two badass assassins by my side, I'd feel bad for them if they dared to try."
Altaïr found himself surprised when a low chuckle threatened to escape his throat for the very first time and swallowed it instantly. He covered his slip by faking a short cough and placed a hand over her head to push her back underneath her covers to end the conversation. The sound that had dared to make its way up his larynx was not familiar to him and left him with more questions than answers.
What had just happened? Why had he allowed letting it surface? Most importantly, why was Vivian the one that kept luring it out of him?
Altaïr's mind hadn't relinquished the desire for soft bedding throughout the night and he'd wriggled in his sleep like a caterpillar until he bumped into a soft mass. Over the hours, he huddled against the mystery lump of plushness until he barely felt the twinge of pain from the hard floor as he slept on. The assassin was on cloud nine while the lump noticed throughout their deep sleep that something was wrong with their natural pressure. Being smothered by a heavy beast was not what they sought in their sleep so the huddled lump decided in its subconscious that enough was enough.
An hour before the crack of dawn, Vivian jolted awake when she could no longer bear the painful weight that had pulled her from sleep. She realized that she wasn't sinking in imaginary mud but she might as well be in reality. On her stomach, her right arm was uncomfortably wedged between her bosom and the floor while her shoulder blades ached from the weight of one mighty snoring bear- aka Mr. Parkour himself. Apparently, he'd managed to roll himself onto her to substitute her as his new sleeping mat and she couldn't believe the lousy beginning to her day. Forget the handsome assassin on her back, her poor limbs were aching with every inhale of his mouth as he flattened her like a crepe. She would not be Rigby!
"No way, man, I will not be the crappy sidekick that gets the bad end of the stick" she groaned miserably and tried to shrug him off but the man was heavier than anticipated. Curse those well-sculpted muscles that eluded the eyes of many! She decided to take the road less traveled and pinched the end of his nose to jerk him awake since pushing him off was out of the question.
He coughed as his airway was sealed off and awoke to find a wriggling historian underneath his frame. How had he- oh, now the plush lump of softness made sense. He'd almost flattened Vivian into a flat cake. . .hmm, he didn't know whether that was necessarily a bad thing. It was a bit embarrassing to know he'd used her as a bedroll but turned even more mortifying when she leaned back against him to escape. Years from now, he would wish that particular event never happened and could only pray that the unknown Desmond never saw it.
Vivian's hand tried to push him away as she wriggled underneath him for freedom but while he tried to contain her frantic movements, her hand wandered into personal assassin territory down below. His eyes widened in shock where her hand landed because he did not wear his layered robes or armor to bed and she yelped with mortification, "Ah! I touched something! I touched something!"
She channeled her inner Superman and yanked herself out of that tight spot after accidentally feeling . . . well, she was glad her lady parts didn't hang. Her entire face was red to match a cherry as the lingering sleep was knocked aside and she refused to look at Altaïr, hyperventilating the embarrassing ordeal. Great, she'd just gone where no AC fan had gone before and where Maria managed to in Acre. This was not how she wanted her day to start and had lived better believing he had the anatomy of a Ken doll! She felt blood rushing to her face since this was one experience she hadn't counted on and snapped quietly, "This is what happens when you use people as beds, hands land on your hidden blade and it was entirely accidental. I did not fondle you . . . willingly."
He was ready to shoot a retort about being sullied but realized that yes, he had been the one to crush her during sleep. Was it really too much to ask for a decent bed in an inn of all places? Nobody could sleep on stone! As for the latter part . . . ugh, it was embarrassing enough. Was it too late to wear armor to bed? He raised a hand to show everything would be fine and there didn't need to be a fuss about it. It was a simple honest mistake and he'd done the same unwillingly when he'd entered her tent weeks ago. Although, that sudden touch. . .no! A million times no! This was Vivian!
He raised his hands to calm her down and stated quietly to avoid waking Malik, "It's all right. Go back to your bed and we'll sleep for the rest of the time."
"You won't roll over and crush me again?" she asked tentatively as she massaged her sore shoulder and slowly crept back to her ruffled blankets. She didn't want to reenact the same event hours from now and eyed him suspiciously.
"I'll try my best not to" he replied tiredly and slumped back onto his awful bedding after enduring a lousy sleep. If he'd slept over Vivian for hours, he could only imagine how many aches she already had because she was lighter and smaller than him.
"Good or I will have to kick you there" she insinuated innocently as she eyeballed the exact area she'd accidentally grazed and curled into her fetal position. The tips of her ears reddened because she didn't want to look or know about that vicinity of his person for the rest of her days. Thankfully, the hard stone floor took away her attention as she tried to make herself comfortable and muttered irritably, "Jeez, how do people sleep on this?"
"Easy, you use others as pillows" he replied sarcastically because his own did absolutely nothing to help and she nudged his ribs playfully with her elbow. She found the soft spot between two ribs and he batted her hand away with an empty threat, "Don't make me crush you into paste."
"But I'm small and insignificant, like a ladybug" she smirked mischievously with an innocent voice because her current sleeping pose made her half his size. He sighed under his breath because he would never hurt her and hated that she knew it. She was weaving herself under his skin like said bug but it wasn't for the worst.
Altaïr sighed under his breath since the woman could trade endless quips with him and wasn't ready to start this early in the morning. If anything, he wanted to clear his mind from what had just occurred in personal territory and muttered, "Let's salvage what sleep we can."
"I hate to say this but we might need to imitate badgers" she muttered despondently with a pout and stretched fully onto her back when the bedding hurt her shoulder. How did other visitors bear the stone floor? The wicker mats did absolutely nothing for her! She groaned pitifully to the pain settling into her joints since Altaïr had crushed her into a pancake for several hours and mumbled, "How is Malik bearing this?"
"He can sleep through a snowstorm" he replied flatly since his friend was known to sleep through rough storms that could tear roofs off. Currently, the dai was snoring away blissfully as he slept on his back while the other two suffered sleep deprivation and muscle pain. His brain required sleep for making plans and since Vivian normally carried more energy than he did, he decided to concede to her. Rubbing his tired eyes with the backs of his hands, he yawned softly and sluggishly asked about her idea, "What's your plan?"
"You use both pillows over the bed, sleep on your stomach and I'll sleep on top next to your side" she explained confidently since she'd partaken in enough slumber parties with her sister in their living room to sleep comfortably. The stone floor was horrible to lie on but if they piled their bedrolls, the wicker mats, half of their blankets, and pillows- it could work. She handed him the items so they could get a move on and fought back a yawn as she wiped one watery eye, "Don't tell me to go first, I don't have a flat chest and you'll crush me- not to mention, private goods will be exposed for touching."
He didn't listen after that to avoid blushing for the second time in years and moved their pillows over the bedrolls and placed his blanket on top. He lay down on top of everything to test the comfort level and Vivian watched him mold himself against the bed. He reminded her of a caterpillar as he made precise grooves to accommodate his body shape and she joked impishly, "This would make for a perfect spanking joke."
"Don't make me spank you" he shot back to silence her but groaned at the double entendre and punched his pillow for the mistake. Vivian merely eyed him with amusement in her eyes as a perfect joke lied inside those emerald pools and he nagged her, "Don't answer that. I acknowledge that I fell right into that one."
When she plopped down to drape herself over his backside, she used half of her body to prevent suffocating the man. His body heat and her blanket from above were enough to keep her cozy, and in return, the assassin. Her head rested on the curve of his shoulder blade, her hands grasping his shoulders to keep a cozy hold as she curled her legs against his side.
She feigned a blissful sigh of awe as she settled her cheek over his right shoulder blade and felt a familiar lub-dub under her fingertips over the left. Altaïr's smooth face of rare peaceful relaxation broke into a grumpy frown when she whispered sweetly, "I can feel your heartbeat. I am one with you, valiant assassin."
He was ready to chastise her words because he never allowed anyone as close as she was unless it was dire (and stone flooring was). She was right about the breach since nobody had ever spoken about hearing his heartbeat but Vivian quieted herself this time with a low chuckle, "I just wanted one last jab since we're stuck in this position."
"One day, Vivian, you will have your own frustrating admirer" Altaïr sighed under his breath with misery to his early day and wondered if he could chuck her at Malik. Nobody said he couldn't rob everything for himself and leave her hissing in rage. She snorted to the humorous idea since her bookworm self was enough to ward off men but she'd love to have a little minion create mayhem with her. Hmm, she could even name them Cheeseburger in tribute to the food she longed for the most. Well, that, or Lasagna- they were both pretty damn good.
"This is pretty nice" she replied as she resembled a ferret curled up against the assassin and snuggled against him with glee. Oh, if only she could break herself into millions of microscopic pieces and allow fans to switch into each mini Vivian to bask in the same warmth. He groaned woefully underneath her curled frame and she chided with a cheeky smile, "Don't make me spank you because rest assured, I will grope this time. My inner 16-year-old fangirl will give me a high five for venturing further into assassin territory."
"Vivian, you're banned from talking" he snapped swiftly to the idea since his layers of clothing were only one for sleeping and Vivian was bold enough. Frankly, he was surprised the mischievous imp hadn't attempted to do so before but she held physical restraint due to his upbringing. He . . . wasn't as repulsed as he should've been when he thought about it. Ugh, maybe he was becoming delirious after endless travel and hours baking in the sun.
A/N: It seems Mama Maria longs for female companionship and Vivian would love to babysit little Darim while she heads off to kick Templars' asses. Aside from that, our favorite trio is in Lake Victoria and we can see their stay will not be overly cheerful as it had been in Egypt. Altaïr and Vivian are slowly realizing that their new behavior is not the type designed for platonic friends but Altaïr, being a late bloomer, will be the last to realize it. Malik can clearly see it developing while Vivian tries to block her own attraction while Altaïr, well, they'll be in Mozambique by the time he does. Lol
Thank you for the numerous reviews for the last chapter, I hopped in glee!
AutumnKrystal: I'm glad you'd love to reread this story again when it's finished, which shouldn't be anytime soon. Lol. The relationship of Vivian and Altaïr definitely brings a dose of physical pain from the laughter they stir with their antics and Malik displays our emotions to what we think when we see the two. He's our poor window into their world despite Vivian being the time traveler. Lol
Daphii: I hope my odd rendition of their travels match the history in Ancient Africa since it's such a huge continent with rich history. I love that my readers can relate to my stories, whether by Vivian's character or the trio's travels.
NoNeedToAsk: We all love updates. I hop with glee when my alerts for other stories pop into my inbox. Lol
WhatTheCensoredXD: It's no problem, I'm glad you liked all of the chapters as we begin delving into some premature Vivian/Altaïr romance. She is quite the little scamp with her good-natured jokes but he'll end up loving that crazy badger like nobody else.
Hollownature: Oh, don't worry, they'll be plenty of material for Malik to use as they continue traveling. He'll definitely be chaperoning the two, mostly Altaïr, to keep the two from being alone together. Vivian will be greatly reluctant to even acknowledge Altaïr's feelings out of fear of tearing him off his 'destined' path since he needs baby Sef to be born to keep everything balanced. It will be one of their obstacles throughout the story in later chapters.
Haniipop: I live to make people laugh with this story so I hope you enjoyed all of the chapters leading up to this one.
KrnYong: Yes, our cranky Altaïr has begun changing for a more emotionally balanced and dare I say, a little mischievous. The two will definitely become awkward with each chapter but we'll also see how Altaïr's determination for the POE can stress his relationships. I noticed it in Revelations with Maria and Darim so I want to use that with Vivian when he begins pulling away from her after developing a trusting friendship over the year.
Polinka123: I loved the 'no need to kick her anymore' line and thank you for the information about tomatoes, I fixed the mistake. I twisted the 'proportional' from your review into adequate as Altaïr described the close friendship he developed with Vivian but he's not going to delve further. Lol
Hanane EL Mokkadem: Thank you!
xVentressx: I hope this one didn't kill you since the two had quite the hilarious moments.
Anonomon: Thank you, I'm always ecstatic to see the 'best AC fanfic ever' in humor from my readers.
Lostwithoutdoubt: Haha, Altaïr might have the show but Malik won't sit by as the sidekick since he does have his own dominant attributes to contribute. I'd like to think that his team will grow enough to be leaders in their own right since Malik did end up overlooking the order when Altaïr headed off to Asia. I'm glad you asked about Malik's reaction to their developing relationship because Vivian will be asking him to dissuade Altaïr's feelings by stressing his child and Maria back at Masyaf. Vivian won't be a Sue that will happily jump into bed with him because she respects Maria and wants Darim to have a complete family. Also, the fact that she could be tinkering with the past frightens her so Altaïr will grow incredibly frustrated by the brother bear known as Malik. lol
Sachikothepeacock: Thanks for already shipping the two, I've never been the type for making fast romances since it's not believable with Altaïr's background. Now that we're 30+ chapters in, it will.
Kismahaz: Has it really been two years? My goodness, it has! Thank you for following the story loyally for so long, I appreciate my original readers that stuck on since the start. Hearing that the characters are perfectly canon and balanced is always delightful, along with everyone's acceptance of our quirky Vivian.
RandomCitizen: They'll be hearing numerous stories along the way and while Malik enjoys them, Altaïr will always be skeptical critic trying to poke holes at logic. The next chapter will show it. Lol
Next Time: The Badger and The Eagle
She ignored his grumpy antics completely since he withered in the sun like a vampire sometimes and smiled perkily, "Gather close for Vivian's story time."
Malik chuckled but Altaïr groaned miserably to another farfetched story, leading her to swat him on the knee. She grinned widely with a clap of her hands as she spun her tale with a dramatic voice, "Legends tell of a legendary warrior, whose assassin skills were the stuff of legends! Ezio traveled the land in search of worthy foes to free oppressed people. One day, he journeyed to a small inn to eat a humble meal but found it overrun with evildoers- dozens of them as their evil shrouded the place in darkness! They threatened him with a painful death but the warrior said nothing. . .for his mouth was full."
Altaïr sighed to the dramatic pause in her tale as she raised her hand to shush him and she continued, "But then he swallowed and spoke, 'Enough talk, let's fight' and shakaboey- he was off like lightning striking the earth. He was so deadly and fast that enemies would go blind from overexposure to his pure awesomeness."
The master assassin was incredibly skeptical at that point about his descendant and Vivian grinned with admiration, "The evil Templars scattered and the bullied people rejoiced, praising his skills as well as possible repayment but he said, 'There's no charge for awesomeness . . . or attractiveness'. It mattered not how many foes he faced, they were no match for his bodacity. Never before had an Italian assassin been so feared and so loved. Even the most heroic heroes of the Brotherhood bowed to him as master. The great La Volpe stood by his side and courteously invited him, 'We should hang out' and Ezio valiantly replied, 'Agreed'. But hanging out would have to wait because when you're facing the ten thousand Templars of Demon Mountain-"
"There's no such mountain!" Altaïr objected incredulously to the horrible name for a piece of land and she sighed exasperatedly. Was there any story that he wouldn't try poking holes into?
"You're a negative Nancy with story time, eat your vegetables" Vivian ordered with a firm tone since he never hesitated to bite into her stories for inaccuracies. The assassin glared at her for being brushed aside like a little moth and she continued with a dramatic voice, "And so-"
The assassin arched an eyebrow and challenged smugly, "Show me the mountain."
"It's in the land of Po Panda" she shot back indignantly since she'd no idea how much geography he knew of China and wasn't about to have her film parody ruined.
Thank you for reading and I'll see you all next time with more humor from the trio. Please review if you can, I love reading your thoughts on the bodacious trio. :)