Music Inspiration: John Lunn- "An Ideal Marriage"
The Badger and the Eagle
After a quiet morning that allowed Altaïr to snooze a while longer while Malik headed downstairs, the two companions snuggled like bunnies to regain lost hours. Vivian and Altaïr were incredibly sore after their lousy sleep while Malik merely stretched to get the knots out of his muscles. He pitied his companions since they slept in the worst positions possible (couldn't they sleep on their backs?) and had kept from laughing aloud when he found them curled up like squirrels on their bed mats. Since the two hadn't appeared to be doing anything lecherous, he allowed them to sleep without interruption since they had rowed without stop until reaching the lake.
Thankfully, the inn had a decent public bath for use but his habits of being an early riser gave him the advantage of cleaning up in peace. He always found it surprising how much dust a person gathered when they were simply sitting in a boat and doing absolutely nothing. When he returned to their small bedroom, he decided to wake the two as Vivian tried to shrink against Altaïr's larger frame with a sleepy whimper. The assassin reacted in the same manner by hugging his pillows closer and inadvertently smothered Vivian as he shifted towards the mat.
Malik merely watched them shift with the similarity of two little piglets in the mud and although they looked comfortable in their makeshift bed, it was time to begin their mission. He doubted he'd be able to pull them away from their warm beds by pointing out their jobs for the day and took a different route to rouse them. As Vivian curled her legs towards her stomach to snuggle up to the assassin, Malik pointed out with a hint of amusement, "Vivian, your head is right underneath his armpit."
And just like that, she lost her sleepiness.
After his companions awoke to bicker about bathing dibs, Malik ordered Vivian to head in first due to her gender since they were hiding it for her protection. She'd jabbed her first dibs at Altaïr with glee, adding a little happy jig with her feet until he threatened to chase her out. Malik didn't intervene as the past year had turned him from unofficial bodyguard to a normal person as Altaïr failed to harm Vivian in any form. The two had become very good friends to a point that Malik wondered if anything else lied underneath their close friendship. Altaïr wasn't the type to be open with the opposite gender and the lack of continuous exposure to them tended to make that possibility smaller. He couldn't decipher anything but friendship from his friend so far but when he observed Vivian closely, he noticed little covert looks and reddening ears from the historian.
For the moment, however, he would say nothing about it since it wasn't his business to pry into the affairs of his friends. He wasn't going to poke the fire with something that could be false and inadvertently cause awkwardness between the two. It didn't take very long for him to fix his bed while his two friends ate in their room rather than downstairs to avoid mingling with locals. Malik's 'romance' sense tingled when Altaïr attempted to swipe morsels of her food, leading her to whimper about lost nutrients possible for her petite frame, and he offered his own plate. This, in turn, led her to mumble sheepishly that six foot tall assassins needed decent calories too for saving the world. The dai had been accustomed to seeing their playful joking but touching or grazing forearms had been lacking until that very moment. When Altaïr teased that little badgers needed food to power their rage, the light but quick graze to his forearm by her hand made the dai wonder about the two. The fact that his friend didn't chastise her immediately or jump away only spearheaded further questions. Despite the gloomy outlook of the society around them, Lake Victoria was quite picturesque scenery for lovers looking for romantic seclusion- not that he would tell them that. Needless to say, he was more than happy when he pushed those thoughts away to return to the task at hand after their breakfast.
"So, how are we going to divide this land for exploration?" Vivian piped up with excitement to begin their mission and couldn't wait to explore as she had in Egypt. True, Lake Victoria didn't hold ancient architecture that had withstood centuries but there was untouched natural beauty on the land. She was more than happy to pull out the map Malik had made as he created a map of the general area wherever they traveled while adding each new place to a larger separate map. Vivian always admired his delicate artwork as he carefully stroked each line over parchment to make a perfect line every time.
Altaïr held down the opened map with two books so they could use their hands for strategic planning as he eyed each drawn area. Malik had yet to fill in what each little store consisted of but since they'd just arrived yesterday, he'd sketched the land fast. The dai would sketch and jot down important features of the lake on today's outing to construct a more detailed map since they couldn't walk around blindly.
"We will explore while you keep a lookout at this location and signal us if anyone gets close" Altaïr stated and her look deflated as she was placed on guard duty on their side of the lake. He decided to begin with the area closest to their inn before venturing closer to the west where the slave auctions were held, along with the majority of the crowds. This area wasn't like Egypt where she could walk around on her own and worried for her safety as he stated, "You're a woman so you can't exactly walk around without a man in tow."
"I could play a man" she suggested impishly and was surprised when he chuckled softly, wondering what he found so amusing that he needed to actually laugh. The man never laughed around her since his chuckles were quite low to match with his tone of speaking. When he found something amusing, he uttered a mere 'heh' or 'hmm' rather than her amused laughter that often resembled diabolical 'ha-ha's. What had she said to cause such a new phenomenon? It was almost big enough of a change to go into her journal!
"Your height would barely fit a teenage boy, much less a man" he pointed out with mirth and patted the top of her head for emphasis to their height difference. Well, not everyone could be six feet in height. Her eyes narrowed for the little jab since she could always find ways to make herself taller or crazy enough to ward away people from seeing her true gender. Altaïr really didn't want her treading anywhere dangerous without him and tried to make light of his true feelings by stating smugly, "Remember to have a snack ready in a few hours."
Vivian had half a mind to leave her footprint on his butt for the sexist comment but she had to fit into the gender role of women for the time being. Where was Maria so she could vent about the wonders of modern day women's rights in her country? If he would've been any other man, she would have gone through with that plan but kicking an assassin never boded well for anyone's lifespan. Altaïr pulled a different map from his pocket that he'd prepared after breakfast with the help of the innkeeper and pointed out the areas of interest. He wasn't heading in blind to explore and would have Malik add the information to his own map later on.
"This is the most populated area so you and I will investigate for anything suspicious" Altaïr informed Malik since he wanted to keep Vivian away from any dangerous folk during their stay. She lacked offensive skills and was small enough to be overpowered by men since women were an extreme rarity unless they were slaves. He highly doubted her walking stick would offer protection and he wasn't confident that she could handle the halberd she'd found until at least a few more months. His plan for the day only included the two but he'd make up something ridiculously important to keep her at home and told Malik, "Afterwards, we can scope out these other three areas of the lake shore for anything suspicious."
Vivian peeked between their shoulders since she wanted to be involved in the super-secret planning but Altaïr caught her head poking in. Her green eyes were almost comical as they followed his moving hand eagerly and he put a stop to that curiosity by stating firmly, "Vivian, as much as I would like you alongside us or on your own, this place does not make me comfortable to do so. You'll be staying here or in the canoe at all times to protect our belongings."
"You're worried about me?" she sighed softly since she hoped to contribute in some small way that didn't mean snack duty but understood his concern. There were real dangers in the world that he protected her from and she'd abide by it. He didn't need to nag about safety until he was red in the face like he used to since a year had given her enough exposure of the world to trust him. Also, it felt rather heartwarming to have his concern after having the value of a flea on the beginning of their journey.
Malik's brow rose in curiosity since he could use Altaïr's answer as proof whenever he whined about her but the other man caught his look. He wasn't open with his inner emotions, not unless it was dire, and wasn't about to step into sticky gunk worthy of future blackmail. He glanced away from the two to take a sudden interest on the large map spread over the desk and restated swiftly, "No, I'm merely-"
Vivian frowned since she'd expected a kind 'of course' or a half-assed 'meh' to validate the time they'd recently spent together. Or was he trying to maintain his badass outlook by denying friendly affection? She could only compare the man to a puzzle at times like this but she wouldn't take his words to heart since he had a tendency to avoid eye contact when he lied to her. Altaïr had to decide between the lesser of two evils as she awaited an answer and declared nonchalantly, "Sure, why not?"
"I'm still deciding whether it's spit in your food worthy" she debated as she eyed him suspiciously but he balked at her threat and snapped his head to face her. Had she done that previously with his other meals? He was ready to demand whether his food had been sullied by bodily fluids but she snapped her right hand at him in the form of a claw.
He remembered that odd movement of hers from Egypt and sighed aloud to chastise, "Don't start doing that crazy crab dance."
She hadn't really been trying to imitate the crab-like alien from Futurama and attempted to prod his nose as she defended, "It's not a crab! I've been trying to imitate a turtle."
"Lady, that wasn't a turtle- maybe a drunken one" Altaïr chided smartly with a smug smirk and she narrowed her eyes to his valid point. Her antics were designed to be uniquely humorous but she'd never been awesome with imitating animals. Well, maybe a baaing lamb. However, she hadn't expected to derail into another species completely and her shoulders slumped for bringing shame to turtles everywhere.
"Are you two done having your morning spat?" Malik asked calmly to nip their morning routine in the bud since they had to cover a lot of ground. The two were playful birds with a piece of bread when they met each morning and it had only grown steadily with each day. Altaïr directed a small glare towards him for daring to add him into Vivian's madness of the morning since she was the instigator. Malik failed to say anything because his friend followed her playfulness rather than rebuffed it.
"Not yet, it brings us luck" Vivian piped up cheerfully and attempted to prod the man's nose but his dexterous swats prevented her from doing so completely. After the sixth swat, she gave up since it only wasted time and proceeded to scuff his boot with hers. She might be able to reach his head with his skyscraper height but tapping his nicely polished boots was possible. She smiled broadly to her success and peered up at the impassive man to declare chirpily, "I am the Frodo to your Aragorn."
"Never in my life have I met a more impertinent creature" Altaïr stated frankly to the dai since she could never cause a dent in him physically but he was no longer annoyed that she tried. It was never any type to cause harm but more of a distraction to keep him from mulling over grim thoughts. There were often times that he wondered how life would've been without the little scamp and although it would've been quiet, dullness would've been at an ultimate high. He moved away from the desk to roll up all of the maps and handed them to Vivian for safekeeping as he ordered with a hint of amusement, "Let's go, you deranged turtle."
She smiled to his words as she became his perky companion, rather than a chagrin, once more and reminded nonchalantly, "Badger, eagle man, I . . . am a badger."
There was absolutely no way she'd be a goat.
Vivian couldn't stay cooped up in their small bedroom for very long and rereading her journal from start to finish had left her with hours to spare. It always humored her to read the first entry about the broody and harsh assassin that wanted to leave her on the side of the road by the end of that first day. With nothing but time on her hands, she occupied herself by sketching a few images to keep her skills sharp to prevent losing them. She'd begun sketching a few with Altaïr after becoming accustomed to his face long enough to sketch each detailed contour. It wasn't easy when the man lived under his hood 24/7 but she managed to memorize his features after a few weeks.
In the end, being cooped up alone had slowly trickled in the discomfort of isolation in an unknown place. She didn't particularly enjoy being left alone without the only two people she trusted in the world and each noise that echoed into her room kept her on guard. For the first time, she created a one man act as she built a story around a baker stationed in Bavaria and used different voices in varied pitches to ward off anyone that might decide to be a lookie-loo in their room. There was nothing for her to do without her friends around and faking inhabitants in her temporary home helped keep people away.
When the two men returned, they found her reciting a song in the middle of the room, "I've studied species turian, asari, and batarian. I'm quite good at genetics- as a subset of biology- because I am an expert, which I know is a tautology. My xenoscience studies range from urban to agrarian; I am the very model of a scientist salari-i-i-i-ian!"
"I've studied ancient Babylonians, Incas, and Egyptians. I'm nitpicky with Akkadian and Assyrian empires- both antiquated periods of Mesopotamia- because they are the oldest of civilizations. My historic studies range from Paleozoic to Holocene Eras and from the Thule culture in the west to the Jomon period in the east. I am the very essence of a dedicated histori-i-i-ian!
Had she gone insane in the four hours they'd left her? Vivian had been completely engrossed in her singing that she failed to hear the men pop open the door but not the resounding footsteps. She turned around with fear and embarrassment on her face but the former left when she recognized her friends. Both men were stunned to find her singing in an empty room with her ridiculously catchy lyrics and Vivian wrung her hands in mortification for becoming enthused with her one-man acts. Malik's initial surprised turned to amusement since he'd originally expected her to heckle Altaïr for leaving her behind once they returned. Altaïr, on the other hand, wasn't surprised at all by her self-entertainment and merely headed to sit down on a chair to relax for the moment.
"How, um, how was the search?" she asked awkwardly as her voice began with a squeaky edge and cleared her throat to sound normal. Ignoring her mistake of guarding the door, she decided to forget everything that happened and handed Altaïr a pitcher of water with an empty cup so he could drink. If she fed him enough, he'd forget all about it . . . she hoped.
"Not well, we can't find anything out of the ordinary so we might have to delve deeper into the forest around us" Malik informed as he grabbed a nearby towel from the table to dab his forehead. The weather was humid that day as the sun was hidden away by cloud cover and rain would undoubtedly fall later in the afternoon.
Altaïr finished drinking his fill of water and handed the empty cup to his friend so he could replenish himself as well. He stretched the joints of his ankles to rest his legs from the long walk but he wasn't finished yet, telling her quickly, "Get your things ready for a hike and a canoe ride."
Vivian hurried with the speed of a cheetah to gather her daypack and stuffed their important items inside to avoid having them stolen while away. He didn't have to wait long for her to chirpily declare she was ready to 'roll out' and ignored her future jargon to head out once more. Their search would lead them over the water as they planned to cross to the southeast side of the lake. Unfortunately, he didn't count on Vivian's giddiness to sing to carry over from their room to the open lake. He refrained from smacking his head with the soaked oar when she began a tune twenty minutes into their trip:
"I can show you the world
Scary, itchy, candid
Tell me, Altaïr, now when did
You last let your heart decide?"
"Woman, I told you I'm not singing nor abiding to it!" he intervened swiftly with narrowed eyes since he wasn't about to spontaneously break into song but Vivian ignored him. Their stay in Lake Victoria would be the last trip spent on their little canoe so she was making the best of it. She doubted she'd be able to make the same kind of music while riding a camel since their trotting would cause her voice to hitch with every bounce in its step. They had shared numerous songs throughout their travels, especially at the Valley of the Kings, so she wouldn't be thwarted so easily.
He muffled a growl when she grasped his shoulders from behind and continued cheerfully,
"I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
With every ridiculous blunder
On this super slow canoe ride
A whole new world
A new eccentric point of view
No one to tell us no or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming"
"You're dreaming, Vivian" he disagreed to end her little musical before she gave him a headache and tried to swat her away by nudging her with his shoulder. Unfortunately, the little gnat wasn't budging from his side and he shot a glare to the laidback Malik as the man simply listened on. Altaïr swore the two were in cahoots when it came to her music since he'd joined her once, not to mention strategized a plan to trap him between them to unleash her upon him.
Vivian waved her right hand in an arch over the clean blue lake as Altaïr rowed alone and went on,
"A whole new world
A frightening place I never knew
But when I'm poking you, it's crystal clear (he growled when she poked his shoulder)
That now I'm in a whole new era with you
Now I'm in an archaic world with you
Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feelings
Forever dirty and endlessly stealing
Through an endless hot azure sky
A whole new world
Don't you dare jump out the canoe!"
"Woman, don't tempt me" he growled irritably as he hoped her song would finish soon while Malik found amusement with her humorous compositions. If he managed to get the dai near shallow water upon their return, he would chuck him into it for causing him this torture.
Vivian simply whacked the top of his hooded head with a gentle hand and continued, "A hundred thousand things to see-"
"Don't hold your breath, it'll get worse" he snorted since living in his time was not flowers and sunshine as Vivian found delight in the wilderness around them. He protected her from harm as he took her under his wing but his world could be a very cruel place despite the natural beauty. She had already experienced a few unsavory incidents but he admired her persistence to keep optimistic about the world.
"I'm gained my gumption scar
I've come so far
But afraid to go back
To where I used to be"
"An overpopulated cesspool of people incapable of wilderness survival?" he asked dryly since his little friend knew absolutely nothing about self-sufficiency or wielding a small weapon. Every skill that she used in his world was learned through either he or Malik and it made him pity the modern world. Had technology overrun the average man to become listless and sedentary rather than alert and active? Vivian ignored his sass and continued with the end of her parodied Disney song,
"A whole new world
Every turn a mortifying surprise
With new horizons to pursue
Every moment deadpan worthy
I'll chase Templars anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you"
"No" he stated flatly to reject the clever rhyming in her song and he growled when she swatted the back of his head in retaliation. Her attempts for alluring him to sing or accept her tunes would not succeed, no matter how much she wore him down like waves upon an icy glacier. Her personality might have been able to make him accommodating to her quirky ways but he wouldn't coddle her like Malik and make a break for a musical career. Vivian, nonetheless, ignored his refusals after growing immune to his words and sung her last lines of the crafted song.
"A whole new world
1193 is where we'll be
A thrilling chase
A frightening place
Either way, it's made
For you and me
And let's not forget to get Malik la-a-a-aid."
"Vivian!" both men remarked since they were all happy believing nobody had reproduction parts or urges. It was bad enough for Altaïr already after accidentally seeing her half-naked in her tent and the fact that women were lacking in his life didn't make it any better. The same could be said for Vivian since she didn't need a half-naked Altaïr strutting around camp as he exercised and inadvertently cause her ovaries to implode to the image.
As each day passed and with her close proximity to the man, she tried to ignore the fact that the man that normally caused her to sigh exasperatedly to his antics made her laugh instead. He was no longer a living copy from a game but his own unique person that had slowly grown from that stoic shell to one she could call a friend. Despite of the fact her feminine hormones were targeting the testosterone filled Adonis traveling in her midst, she hoped he found her a pleasing friend too.
"Stop smiling like that" Altaïr chastised when he caught the sappy smile on her face and she glared immediately to quiet him. Their relationship wasn't perfect by any means like other friendships but it certainly didn't lack for adventure.
The trio's search over the lake and the surrounding area near the shore of the eastern side didn't yield anything of value. Malik had already planned to mark each area they visited on his map and by the scenic view the canoe provided, he would make notes of the unexplored terrain. The forest area surrounding the lake remained unexplored as the trade settlement was the main attraction and expansion into the untamed land hadn't begun. If the item could be lurking underground within the forest, they would find it before anyone else ventured into it. For now, however, the humidity had begun to lessen and the shady area provided by the clouds overheard allowed the trio to have a picnic at the lake. Vivian had happily thrown together a small meal out of their remaining provisions since Altaïr promised to buy food from the merchants the following day. With different trade ships flowing down the Nile and other adjoining rivers, she was certain there would be a variety of goods to buy.
She'd brought a thin blanket to use so insects wouldn't climb onto their plates and had served the equal portions of food with cheer. Despite the archaic times, she managed to create a normal picnic that was common for her own time frame. Altaïr would've preferred eating inside where danger would be low and insects wouldn't be flying near his food. The people of Vivian's time must have been deluded in thinking a meal in the open was safe since an arrow could've shot him dead at any moment and he'd blame Vivian when he lay dying.
"See? Isn't it better to have lunch out here?" she piped up proudly with a bright smile aimed to the cloud cover overhead as it provided decent shade. The rainstorm would undoubtedly arrive much later in the day so for now, they could eat without a worry. If she miscalculated and it did rain . . . well, there were trees a few yards away.
Altaïr batted the gathering flies that were threatening to land on his piece of scrumptious lamb and frowned to mutter flatly, "Not really."
"Breathe in the fresh air! Look at the view!" she continued jovially, ignoring him completely and bit into her leafy greens with a ravenous chew. She never tired of eating fresh vegetables during her travels and it reminded Altaïr of a rabbit chewing grass as she smiled cheerfully. Sometimes, he really did have the urge to draw her as a humorous caricature since her expressions were downright ridiculous.
"There are flies trying to dive at my food" Altaïr grumbled again with his disapproval of having an outdoor picnic because it left him vulnerable in the open. What kind of assassin took a picnic when enemies could surround him? He had half a mind to grab the picnic basket and row back to the inn to eat his meal like a normal human being.
She ignored his grumpy antics completely since he withered in the open like a vampire against the sun 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. Wasn't it enough that he withstood her song torture? Life was not making it easy for him since he arrived at Lake Victoria and he bit into the marinated lamb chop with a ravenous bite. He might not like picnics or Vivian's awful foibles but he would have his stomach's fill for the day no matter what. His hasty chewing slowed for a moment when he noticed a hint of lemon and pepper, leading him to abide Vivian since she knew what he liked. Hmm, that crafty woman was beginning to know him too well.
Vivian 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 mind-blowing 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 their mentor! 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? Sometimes, she swore the man bit into her stories since his carried no drama and pure monotone suspense. She would've loved to act out his stories since his past was a mystery to her even now and he was a good storyteller as well (if only he'd add emotion to make them phenomenal).
"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. How could one rebuff the awesome tales of Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi? 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 to keep riling her further 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. She was almost inclined to recite the tale of Scrooge as a jab to his grumpy demeanor but the hawk-like glare set on his face told her to immediately forget it. Ezio might have the charms but Altaïr had glower power to cry you into submission (she blamed the amber speckles within his light brown eyes). With her last stand of defense broken through, she looked away to continue her tale, "And so, the mighty warriors-"
Their picnic was disrupted by two strangers that spelled evildoers galore and Vivian sighed dismally, "Of course, we had to get our own bandits of Evil Mountain."
"I thought it was Demon Mountain" Malik corrected as he kept a calculative eye on the approaching newcomers and Altaïr growled to their off-topic conversation. Vivian covered the lower half of her face to hide her feminine structure and fed herself under the cloth like a mouse sneaking morsels. Strange men with an ominous aura or not, she was going to fill her belly with food that day.
Her green eyes observed the men dressed in neutral hued linen garb as leather belts adorned their waists. A chill slivered down her spine when she caught sight of rope hanging from them, along with metal bands that could only resemble archaic shackles to handcuff unfortunate people. Although their skin tone was dark to resemble men of African descent, she couldn't tell whether they hailed from the north or east Africa (the latter which was known for its slave trade). All she wanted was a decent meal and wanted to avoid any scuffles in this new settlement. She was glad to be sitting between her friends since she lacked anything to defend herself with, unless you counted a wooden plate, and tried to appear as tiny as a bug.
"May we help you?" Altaïr asked calmly to portray his scholar farce and nodded to the men. With numerous merchants about, he wasn't certain what language they would be speaking since Arabic was his natural tongue. English would come as a second but even then, he didn't know it perfectly. He hoped that Vivian would help translate their words in case they spoke neither language.
"We just came from the slave auctions and couldn't help but notice your servant" the tallest of the two spoke in Arabic and the assassin relaxed since this would help him gauge the two better. Altaïr was surprised they would think he was the owner of a slave and although he expected them to point towards Vivian, they focused on Malik. What could Malik possibly exude that would qualify him as such? The thought was heinous enough for any living being and he was stunned when the merchant asked with interest, "How much did you pay for him?"
Altaïr shifted his gaze between his two companions and Malik withheld a frown when the men pointed to him like cattle. Apparently, speaking about enslavement was an everyday thing around those parts and Malik had half a mind to eliminate them where they stood. Unfortunately, they couldn't bring attention to themselves but he'd try to free people when the shroud of night could cover his and Altaïr's tracks. Altaïr had stiffened in restrained outrage but his posture slackened slightly when Vivian's hand touched his back to keep him levelheaded. The shorter man that sported a hood over his head against the sun tried to bargain with Altaïr, "We could give you a good bargain if you'd ever like to sell him. It's rare to see an Arabian for sale but most are like him, lacking a limb or two."
Vivian glared at the floor before she uttered something that would give away her gender and simply clenched her fists to the horrible derogatory comments. Her dai friend could kick anyone's ass with or without his current handicap, hating how demeaning the world could be throughout the centuries. Altaïr cleared his throat to decline the offer with forced courtesy to prevent a validated butchering, "My brother and I could never depart with my best slave. He's a good housekeeper despite missing a limb and good pack mule, especially during travels. There are times when his slacking in the morning tires me but I don't have the time to train someone new."
"Well, if you do decide to, we're in the northwest camps but there are good bargains here if you seek another" the first man suggested with a final nod as he pointed to the west where they'd seen the auctions during their arrival. Altaïr thanked them for the tip and the two headed off to the docks further east that would return them back to the opposite side of the lake. Vivian hoped she'd never encounter those kinds of people for as long as she lived while Malik burned holes into their backs with a glare.
"At least you're a good pack mule, I offer nothing" Vivian piped up sweetly to lighten the mood since she took that title in their team as the little tortoise. Frankly, she was surprised she hadn't won the award for living pack mule of the year or been dubbed 'Donkey'. She already had an ogre named Shrek and a suave puss-in-boots with Malik by her side. Nonetheless, the new land gave her a feeling of unease since it carried none of the friendliness of Giza and knew she couldn't explore without glancing over her shoulder continually. The fact that Malik's presence could be sent through the gossip chain between slavers didn't make her feel any better. She looked to Altaïr with worry about their temporary stay on the lake since she expected a little peace and admitted softly, "I don't like this place."
"Me neither" he agreed quietly as their laid-back mood was dampened by the fact that real human beings were being auctioned off close by. Although it was common in Altaïr's time in specific areas and a few lands in Vivian's, none of them were comfortable with the idea. He smiled faintly at Vivian to make his team feel at ease as he swallowed his pride and suggested, "Why don't you continue telling us about Demon Mountain?"
Vivian smiled appreciatively as he allowed her that freebie and Malik agreed with interest, "Did they actually kill ten thousand Templars?"
Vivian shifted her sight away from her friends, inadvertently answering that she was but continued nonetheless, "Maybe I exaggerated but anyway, as Ezio and his loyal assassins faced the mighty horde. . ."
Altaïr tore off his muddy boots as he sat on the flat stone in the middle of their bedroom as he allowed his feet to breathe after hours of walking. His body relaxed for the first time as his shoulders slumped and he stared at his bare feet to grumble flatly, "All that walking for nothing."
Their search had yielded nothing and only served to cross off areas they checked but Malik had reminded him the artifacts were old. They had found the ankh within an ancient temple and this one could be buried under the earth after centuries of never knowing that an ancient civilization had once dominated the planet. Altaïr wasn't looking forward to digging holes throughout the lake and wondered whether he could use the items in his possession to find it.
Vivian leaned forward on her left leg as she stretched her hamstrings and grinned humorously, "At least you stretched those nice hamstrings and burned off fat."
"Fat keeps you alive when you can't eat" he rationalized since his body was constantly in motion and needed cushioning for his muscles like any other person. Vivian scoffed since the man ate more than Malik and his expression fell to her little exercise cool-off as she wagged her brows in enthusiasm. She could be quite ridiculous in any setting and refrained from throwing one of his boots at her as he stated dryly, "Your ways kill a piece of me every time I see something like this."
In rebuttal, Vivian turned around to smack her own butt as she gave him a perfect view of it and chirped smartly, "Deal with it."
He gave no acknowledgement to her silly display and kept the fact that she had green grass stains all over her butt to himself. It was easier to ignore her by staring at the stains rather than the female anatomy aimed towards him and stated simply, "I'll head out early tomorrow but I need to remap the area-"
"Malik's already doing that, he's the geographic brains in this operation" she interjected firmly and strode forward to lightly press down on his shoulders. Well, she attempted to since she had to stand on the tips of her toes to add force into her push. The assassin, however, didn't budge under her grip and merely quirked an eyebrow as she grunted, "Relax for the night, you've been nothing but tense since arriving. I know this isn't the best place to spend our weeks but we have a good head start, maybe even a clear win, so breathe for a moment before you drown yourself."
A light bulb went off in his head and he practically threw Vivian aside as he declared energetically, "Swimming! Why didn't I think of it? Maybe there's an old submerged structure and-"
She lowered the famous white hood over his face to halt his sudden motor mouth immediately since he'd barely returned home. He swatted her hands aside and she ignored his ruffled look as he fixed his hood just the way he liked it- covering his eyes just enough for a natural ominous glare. Vivian was undeterred by it when his health was concerned and jabbed a finger against his chest as she ordered nonnegotiable, "Eat, bathe, and come back to that thought afterwards."
"Vivian, you never touch an assassin's hood" he chastised huffily and touched the start of his hood to hide like a turtle once more. She gently swatted the pointy front that resembled an eagle's beak to ruffle his feathers further but he batted her hand away. Did she have no respect for his clothing? He'd worked himself to death to attain his rank and wouldn't allow the little badger to pester his robes, especially his beloved hood.
"I thought that was the hidden blade" she teased with a double meaning whose euphemism wasn't lost on him and he swatted the side of her head for the unsavory joke. Vivian whimpered as she held her head with a pout but he knew it was all for show since he'd stopped attempting to knock her unconscious. She knew how to turn his most valuable belongings into something lecherous and he was better off not knowing any of it! A sharp glare silenced any more mischievousness and she raised her hands peacefully to state with concern, "All joking aside, you were hiking for quite a few hours so please, eat. I know you want to find this POE but it will be dark soon and it's not going anywhere anytime soon. It waited for eons wherever it is so it can handle a few days but your body can't."
He remained silent to her motherly heckling but she kept her firm stare locked on him that distinctly told him she wouldn't back down. The silent eagle glared down the stubborn badger in one last attempt to have his way but she squared her shoulders to show her dominance in this decision. Altaïr relented since she would undoubtedly fuss over him if he didn't and backed away from her in defeat as he grumbled, "Fine, but only because you nagged me."
"I nag because I love" she justified matter-of-factly but was glad to hear of it, squeezing his right shoulder with a fond smile. Being faced with affection, Altaïr winced internally on how to react and simply patted the top of her head to return the same care. It would be rude not to, correct? Months ago, he would've made her scatter with a glare alone but he refused his facial muscles to do the same now. The corners of her lips shifted from a content smile to a thin line when he ruffled her hair into a puffy mess but Vivian earnestly admitted, "You're my friend and I always look out for those I love."
He wasn't able to reply as Malik came in with a small basket of biscuits in his arm to last them through the night. Vivian was quick to leave Altaïr's side and scampered over to grab one of the fresh biscuits to bite into it with hunger fit for a carnivorous dinosaur. Altaïr shook his head to her eagerness to eat since they'd had lunch six hours ago and teased sarcastically, "Honestly, Vivian, you eat enough for three people."
"Never insult a lady . . . and you knew this before we left Masyaf" she pointed out with smug smirk since she held no shame about her appetite and closed the door behind Malik. The dai chuckled to her nibbling and placed the basket on the table with books strewn over it from their search. Altaïr helped to organize them all into one stack to clear the mess since they had yet to set their last meal on the table.
"You two can never have a cease fire at night? It's like a ritual" the dai sighed hopelessly before chuckling at Vivian as she smiled impishly at Altaïr. The assassin merely told her to keep eating to prevent more sass from leaving her mouth. Malik looked over the rolled up maps that belonged to him and asked with amusement, "I hope Altair's chicken scratches didn't touch my maps?"
"I keep telling you, that drink spilled accidentally" he fussed about his recent try at drawing where his fruit drink fell onto the table to leave a horrible violet stain. Malik had yelled pretty well for about two minutes about 'novice all over again' and 'this is why you should never have nice things', along with 'I should rip off that hood'. It was pretty fascinating for Vivian to see the calm dai lose his cool for a brief moment but he was better at dissipating his anger than Altaïr. While the latter man roamed the land like a mad tiger, Malik merely occupied himself elsewhere and had left to look at the camels for sale. They would need to purchase two (or in Vivian's kleptomaniac mind, steal) before they left and he wanted to see which would be best.
Altaïr scowled at the two that dared to mar his developing skills and pointed out, "And my skills have vastly improved since then."
"Shifting from a square to decent box and a stick figure to an anatomically incorrect person isn't vast" Malik stated dryly with a cocky grin since his maps had been carefully drawn and mutilated by unworthy hands. He would have a little more fun before forgetting the incident since the purple drink had covered a quarter of the map and Altaïr's uncoordinated dabbing had only spread it further. Altaïr grumbled under his breath as he became the butt of more jokes, leaning against the table with a frown, and the dai ordered simply, "Until you can draw a human face, we will keep improving your hand."
Vivian grabbed the bundle of leather books to replace them in Malik's 'cartography' pack as she called it and met Altaïr's apathetic gaze as she passed by to tease, "I suppose not all badass assassins can be awe inspiring artists."
"When I draw you being kicked by a horse, I will rub it in your face" he shot back snippily for having his art criticized and it stirred an amused grin from her lips. It reminded her of his similar reaction to being asked about his swimming skills, or lack of, and how hard he fought to avoid the topic. Just as he learned to swim, she was certain he'd grow talented enough to draw the numerous sketches in his codex that delighted her eyes every time she played the second game. Altaïr sat down with a disgruntled mumble as he shooed the two away and motioned to the basket of fresh biscuits to state, "I will be eating now so no peeps out of you two about drawing."
Vivian and Malik eyed each other for a moment before remarking about his skills,
"Stay away from the charcoal."
"You're better at writing."
Altaïr's glare pretty much summarized 'screw you, guys' to them for their lack of confidence.
Four days later. . .
Malik had headed on below to take a quick bath after their search left them with nothing concrete in hand or clues to investigate further. While her friend took advantage of the free bath included with their stay, Vivian took advantage by plucking her dried undergarments that hung down the rear window to hide them from view. It was the easiest way to avoid any awkward questions since women dressed very conservatively and she'd become accustomed to their style since it offered natural sunblock. However, the lack of air flowing over her covered skin was quite annoying when she traveled under the sun and longed for an alternative that wouldn't have her stoned.
As she folded her laundry, she hummed to another old Disney song to keep herself company,
"Al-ta-iiiiiiiir
I killed you off many a time in games
Is that why you're so mean?
That gleam in your eyes is so-o-o-o familiar a gleam
And no, I'm not being a stalker
Nor a Mary-Sue walker
Al-taaaa-iiiiiiiir
Yes, I know that you-u-u-u
Will whack whack me on the he-e-e-ead
Once you hear this song
And if I know you, I know what you'll do
You'll shut me up at once
The way you always have but never in my dreams.
Al-ta-iiiiir
You're not the heroic Ezio-o-o-o
But you take the auditory out of Auditore
When you yell at me-"
She wasn't able to finish her little homage tune when the grumpy man himself burst through the door after finishing his search. After she and Malik had insisted that they regroup and begin tomorrow, he'd left them on the shore and headed off on his own on the canoe. Normally, she would've been worried but he'd left in such a huff about finding clues that she was more worried for anyone he encountered. Whenever the man was pissed, somebody's ass would undoubtedly be kicked repeatedly until they needed a new tailbone.
She gasped with surprise when he entered the room in soaked robes that stuck to the contours of his body and rained droplets onto the floor. Malik had warned him about heading out when the cloud cover grew darker by the hour but the man had refused to listen to any of their reasoning as finding the item took priority above all else. Mother Nature had taken care of his defiance and now, Altaïr resembled a wet cat with alluring contours as he stomped by.
Vivian understood his need to find the piece of Eden but there were times she worried that he became almost obsessed in his search. There were no Templars in their vicinity and it was best to be prepared than run around in circles. Unfortunately, Altaïr refused to listen to logic as he tried to imitate a bloodhound and Vivian could only shake her head in disappointment to his appearance. He would have to find new clothes to wear for tomorrow since the lack of sunlight wouldn't dry anything and chastised with a motherly wag of her finger, "What did I tell you earlier, young man? Now see what happened to you!"
"Can I skip the lecture?" he asked flatly since his current condition was enough to tell him he'd been brash in heading off alone with rain on his tail. When there were pieces of Eden concerned, his logic tended to fail as he became focused entirely on finding it. He couldn't risk allowing the Templars or their agents to find any of them, especially when they could be right around the corner. Lake Victoria wasn't like the small settlement where he'd eliminated the small squad by infiltrating the brothel and he needed to be careful.
She nodded quickly since his health came first and grabbed his travel pack to order hastily, "Take the clothes off before you catch a cold!"
"Get out of the room then" he shot back indignantly since he wasn't disrobing with her inside and grabbed his belongings from her hands. He might trust Vivian as a friend but he wasn't about to be showing any bare skin around the woman. It wasn't because of her gender but he was a very private person that didn't walk around gallivanting with his bare body. Vivian shook her head to his fussy tone but left to grant him the privacy so he could remove the wet clothing.
After ten minutes, she returned to find a half-naked assassin airing out his robes by an open window and she rushed quickly to shut it. The wooden panel slammed against the windowsill from the force as he held his wet clothes in his hands, aiming a heated glare for her interference. Vivian matched the same glare with her own ferocity since his wellbeing was her main concern and hissed worriedly, "Are you insane? Leave that drying over a chair before you catch your death."
Altaïr growled low in his throat but conceded to his smaller companion since the cold clothes were bothering his skin. He stomped over to the chairs to hang his robes over them (the outer layers over one and inner layers over the other) and Vivian fought the urge to roll her eyes to his dramatics. Honestly, it was like caring for a child- a handsome six foot tall man with no shirt. . .
"Put a shirt on, you'll catch pneumonia!" she barked worriedly and grabbed the white tunic lying on the stone table-thing to push it over his head. If he wasn't going to put in on willingly, she'd dress him herself. Altaïr had never been dressed in his entire life (he didn't count baby diaper days) and snapped indignantly at being manhandled by a petite woman. How dare she touch him and enforce her dress code on him? It was quite a sight to see a six foot tall man batting away a five foot woman as she waved the tunic like white flag and demanded firmly, "Would you stop fighting and lean into my enraged embrace?"
"Never! It defies everything I stand for!" he shot back defiantly since he didn't need a maid treating him like royalty or to be mothered. Vivian, unfortunately, was not a being that tired easily and the two were equally matched in stamina as they fought their staring match. Every time he tried to dodge her, she sidestepped to prevent him and kept batting him with the tunic as she tried to pull it over his head. The neckline was large enough to place over his neck but he fidgeted every step of the way since he wanted to dress himself. The small woman didn't relent as she pushed him against the flat stone slab, pinning him in place with no way out, and he hissed with outrage, "Vivian! By the creed, you're a tiny horse!"
She kicked him in the kneecap for the short joke and it was enough to make him fall back onto the stone . . . well, they still hadn't figured out what it was. Her eyes widened in surprise when he grabbed the white tunic to balance himself but Vivian wasn't strong enough to support his full weight. He fell with an angry cry of surprise onto the tough stone but managed to avoid hitting the back of his skull on it as Vivian tumbled after him. She landed awkwardly from the momentum as he dragged her along for the ride and her cheeks turned pink to her position atop him. Well, this was an unfortunate change of events.
Luckily, her chin landed at the end of his bare sternum and her inner fangirl spontaneously combusted into a pile of goo when his bare skin radiated heat into hers. Who wouldn't curl up to touching the badass assassin known as Altaïr? Nobody had ever dared to touch him and lived! Scratch that, only the people he bedded did but she wasn't treading anywhere near that without running off screaming. She smiled sheepishly from her new spot as she glanced up at the enraged man glaring holes into her and chuckled nervously, "It's a good thing I didn't land lower."
"You're still in an uncomfortable position- between my legs!" he stated sharply with emphasis as she breached all boundaries of his body and his glare was enough to tell her to scram. She receded quicker than the waves of the sea and stood up to stare at anything but him. All she'd wanted was to make him wear a decent shirt so he wouldn't die and received way more than she could handle with the man. Her hands had landed on his lower stomach when she'd fallen and he was not lacking in hard rock muscles so she could prove that theory correct. He was also smoother in skin texture than she expected. . .was the room getting hotter?
"You didn't have to call me a horse" she muttered softly as he fixed the tunic over his shoulders and rubbed the tip of her shoe against the floor. Well, at least he listened to her about coy clothing and blocked her view of that perfectly taut torso. She cursed her female hormones and lack of dating for ogling him with abashed shame but it was extremely hard not to when he was sitting right there like a lollipop with her as the kid with a sweet tooth.
"And you didn't have to dress me like a child!" he pointed out as he pulled the end of the tunic over his bare midriff to smooth it out the way he liked it (without creases). She raised her hands to show her surrender since she only sought his wellbeing and having achieved that, headed for the door. Altaïr could already tell he'd reacted wrongly as the frustration left his body and watched Vivian retreat with haste like a cub from a lion. He truly didn't mean to scare her off or leave her with resentment, leading him to usher her back with a wave of the hand as he sighed, "Come back, I'd rather fight you now than later."
"You're so broody lately and it's not the breezy weather because I love it" she remarked about his recent attitude and crossed her arms as she turned around to face him. Gauging the ruffled eagle from her position, she slowly inched closer to his position with caution since he could be a ticking bomb at times. Recently, he'd begun to shift from his usual grumpy self to a more snappish man that had begun to remind her uncomfortably of the old Altaïr. She admired his determination but sometimes . . . she worried it could border on obsession.
"I'm focused, there's a difference" he corrected swiftly but patted the stone slab in invitation to prevent souring their friendship. Although he was determined to find the artifact, he wouldn't be tearing into people to find it. She sat on the furthest left end to maintain a safety zone if he decided to resemble medusa herself and he sighed to her visible reluctance, "Vivian, I am not going to fight you. Besides, women should be proud to be called horses."
"As much as I like horses, I don't want to be considered a steed" she stated matter-of-factly since women were pretty much doormats in their era. If they were living in the old west of her country, she wouldn't mind imagining herself as a crime fighting horse. Unfortunately, her own good uses at the time were to simply carry her fat packs and wasn't keen on that cartoonish image. There was also another mental image that burst into mind when she considered herself a horse and pointed out dryly, "I don't want the mental image of you riding me and yelling hi-yah ingrained in my mind. It will turn into embarrassing and erotic roads with that picture."
"Part of me is inclined to believe you want both" he spoke simply since her mind was crafty but he wouldn't ponder about that in the slightest. This was Vivian- a cheeky woman with no charm whatsoever! It had been enough that they'd fallen into awkward moments in the last month but he'd douse himself in frigid water before deciding to have a keen eye on her. That wasn't to say she was horrible to look at- wait, why was he still pondering all of this?!
"That part needs a lobotomy" she countered swiftly as her fingers brushed back strands of loose raven hair to cover her reddening ears. She didn't need him to know how easily he could fluster her. It was worrisome since months ago, she could chide him with sexual innuendo but it had slowly begun to affect her with their continuing interactions. There was no way she could develop anything but friendship for him and decided to imagine him with beaver teeth every time he talked. Her gaze softened as she decided to pry into his inner thoughts and asked curiously, "Why are you so grouchy recently? I am trying my best to help you, even if my methods are questionable to your icy fortress."
"Look, I spout angry nonsensical things when frustrated so excuse all of it" he muttered flatly since he kept digging himself into holes with her and it was best to drop it. He had flaws just like anybody else and his tended to be anger since it didn't take much to rile him. The fact that Vivian pressed into his personal space with innocent care for his wellbeing seemed to affect him more now that he was searching for the POE. He trusted her just as he did Malik but with her continuing presence around him, he tended to lash out to project his frustration. He didn't want that to interfere with their friendship and murmured apologetically, "I don't mean to become angry with you. You just happened upon me on a frustrating day when I'm cold from the rain and crankiness easily follows."
Her shoulders sagged as her feet kicked against the slab of stone and she admitted meekly, "I worry about you, Altaïr. I've never reached this far into your tale so questions always arise, along with increasing my concern. I know I can seem overbearing at times but it comes from a good place in my heart that really doesn't mean to be irritating."
"I appreciate it but I can take care of myself" he stated quietly to lessen the chastising blow on her caretaking ways since he'd never really had them. It was comforting to hear the words as they sat together without quarreling about it and appreciated the confession. He'd become accustomed to patching himself up, being patched up and moving along, or chastised for lacking in good health due to active missions but he'd never experienced being cared over. He doubted any assassin without a spouse had that caring aspect in their lives since they were trained from birth to be solitary.
There was no question whether he could handle himself and it amused him that she worried for him rather than herself. After all, he was the dangerous of the two and her petite frame (not to mention lack of weapons wielding skills) made her susceptible to injury. Their time together stirred worry on his part since the witty woman was no longer someone he wanted to be rid of and he admitted freely, "I'm used to this harsh life but I worry for you. I could crush you in a single accidental motion and I came pretty close to flattening you to extinction a few days ago."
"I'm not that small" she squeaked embarrassingly and cursed the tone of her voice because it didn't help at all! Who'd want to go into battle with a squeaker? She cleared her throat to be rid of the flustering voice since his concern sent the figurative cow in her heart soaring over the moon in happiness. It was the first time he'd admitted anything remotely sentimental and she smiled earnestly to gaze at him, "Like I said many times before, I'm quite difficult to kill. I'm like a Pokémon whose special ability is life regeneration or +10 attack damage when in your presence."
Altaïr released a long sigh of dismay to her future jargon, "Vivian, honestly, sometimes. . ."
His hand covered hers to offer a comforting squeeze and she smiled to the physical contact between them that wasn't induced by fighting. Her other hand laid over his to squeeze it with thanks for the support since he wasn't the type to shower you in praises or give you a high five of awesomeness. The fact that he'd decided to engage in physical contact rather than chastise her about her Pokémon comparison spoke volumes for their friendship. She'd never imagined having her hand in his, observing that it was smaller due to her short height but smiled to the radiating warmth. They were hands that ended lives and saved others while staying put from wringing her neck when she got cheeky. Her knuckles could feel the rough callouses on his fingers as he enveloped her hand like a protective cavern and Vivian fought her hardest not to giggle with glee.
She treasured him immensely, more than she could ever freely admit, and stated quietly, "Despite our humorous squabbling, you keep me sane and on my toes. Don't get sick on me anytime soon because it's bad enough with my monthly pal around to cause mayhem. I can't take care of you if I'm a dragon ready to munch on peasants and Malik would knock you over the head for whining."
He smiled faintly to her unbelievable transformation into a living banshee every month and replied sincerely, "I'll try my best for you."
It was words like that that made her little heart skip a beat and her ovaries implode.
"Are you blushing?" he teased with amusement as he noticed the pink tint on her cheeks and attributed it to their hand holding. Despite it would look badly for them since they weren't a courting item, he liked the feel of her smooth palm against his calloused one. They contrasted each other greatly but it was those same traits that bonded them into balance. He didn't have any romantic inkling towards her (the frigid lake would keep that in check) but it felt nice to have physical contact in support. It had been lacking his entire life and for the first time, he found someone who offered it freely with only his wellbeing in mind.
"No! Your hand merely burns with the intensity of a fire" she defended hastily as she turned darker and pulled her hand out of his to gently pat him on the shoulder. Yes, a platonic and hearty pat on the shoulder shared by awesome bros in battle would be far better than hand holding. Words could barely form on her tongue as she stammered nervously, "Y-You should, um, get that looked at."
With that said, she exited their bedroom to roam the hall for a few minutes and catch her breath. Raindrops clattered against the closed windows of the empty hallway as she leaned against the wall while inside the room, Altaïr looked to his empty left hand. His missing ring finger only served as a reminder to oath of commitment he'd taken for the brotherhood and against creating relationships. He'd never held a woman's hand (except while bedding one) and Maria had only allowed him to walk close in a sign of trust but never more. Yet, Vivian didn't mind reciprocating his curiosities as they traveled together and he was almost inclined to ask her again for her hand. The thought was enough to spark a warm flutter in his chest and he stilled immediately because the same had happened while traveling with Maria. He knew just where that road had led and he wasn't about to allow the same with Vivian out of worry at disintegrating their friendship.
A/N: We can see that Vivian loves to smother Altaïr to death despite he can take care of himself. Also, they're rather hilariously cute together as they try to ignore what's already happening between them. I always love writing the chapters with a singing Vivian since it makes the readers laugh and Altaïr ready to beat himself. On another note, I dedicate the 'Once Upon A Dream' parody to ShizukaRen-Hime who helped create the song in a previous review- it came out awesome! They'll be exploring the lake once more in the next chapter but Altaïr's tendency to protect himself will backfire when it's directed at Vivian.
RandomCitizen: when it comes to stories, Malik will be the common man and react like we would while Altaïr. . .well, we saw how picky he can be about logic within tales. Malik could definitely use a lady (permanently) but for now, Vivian will keep reeling them in for him.
MockerDelight: Thank you so much for loving the story, especially one for an entire fandom, and I try my best to please!
bebasantos56: Thank you for being such a dedicated reader since day one, I love hearing from my first readers. I'm glad to help you gain insight for better writing since I've been just the same with other writers so it's an endless cycles- plus, I'm a helper by nature. Lol. Don't worry, the Altaïr/Vivian romance will keep snowballing now that they're in Lake Victoria.
KrnYong: Bashir totally wants to play big brother but Darim's like 'no way' since all he sees is his mother and Ilias. Lol. The mighty unflappable Ilias is a hilarious nickname since he's definitely more levelheaded and calmer than Altaïr. I'm pretty sure Altaïr would've winced or told Maria to never again mention female anatomy and its post-pregnancy wonders. I've slept on hand weaved straw mats before and the only annoyance in the noise but thankfully, I've never slept on straw like Vivian or 12th century folk. Malik will definitely push his 'big brother' role to the limit since the two will be quarreling as Altaïr's search borders a little obsessively in the upcoming chapters. We can see the two are already in the first stages of denial as they try to avoid the fact neither of them is horrendous despite the lack of decent hygiene. Lol
Tachibana Natsu: Thanks for liking the story!
xVentressx: Thanks for the dedication, I appreciate it.
MiyukiShiyouku: Lol. Maria and Ilias have a certain two peas in a pod flair that Altaïr and Vivian lack.
Lonerwolf1015: For the brothel reaction, I wouldn't see Altaïr longing to be touchy after having his personal space breached unwillingly so Vivian adapted to make him feel comfortable. Lol. Fast forward to Lake Victoria and the two are trying to ignore the fact that they can stand each other for more than they actually expected. We'll be seeing more hilarious sexual entendre in later chapters just to see him squirm.
Eravel: Lol. There has never been an easier way to tumble the granite assassin like having Vivian sing about him. I've definitely heard music from Epic Score and Immediate (I love the latter) but I'll be checking out the other two to add more music to my playlists. I'm glad you love the story and having Malik as the handsome 'woman' was really hilarious since it gave Vivian ample time to loot food. Lol
Lissa: Thank you for loving the story and I usually update within 2-3 weeks on the weekends. This time, I took longer since I worked an entire week without a break so I was pooped. lol
Next Time: Breaking of the Fellowship?
He skipped forward to avoid any more intimate drawings and found a chicken, followed by a smiling man that oddly resembled him but wore a more elaborate outfit- was this Ezio? He swore that man filled her mind more than she admitted. What was it about the man that allured her? Grumbling under his breath, he flipped forward about three pages (why did he need so many?) but found empty pages afterwards as Vivian hit her current end. He ran through the rest of pages with a lazy stare since he had nothing else to do but stopped when a new page of sketches appeared.
His brow furrowed as he found four different angles of himself drawn onto the paper. Each focused on different features of his face and he had to admit, her skills were far better than he could've done with his own face. He turned the page to find the page split into four square section and his robes were detailed from the hood, chest, and legs in two different views. What had she drawn that for? He found himself washing clothes on the next page and scribbles in the English language pointed to certain areas of sketch. What was that little badger doing? Curious, he flipped the page and blinked with surprise to find a panoramic back view of himself gazing into the Valley of the Kings. The back of his robes were highly detailed as the previous pages and he could distinctly see the sealed tombs. The next page depicted him meditating in the center of a field- had she followed him? No, he would've found her.
The next page held a detailed portrait of his head and shoulders without the white robes. He was taken aback to the close view but after a year on the road, could see how she managed to grasp each detail. The question was: why him? Where were the Malik images to balance it out? He'd already seen the numerous Ezio sketches in earlier pages so that was balanced. He flipped through the rest of the book but found nothing else, just the majority at the start and the six pages in the far center of the book. It caused an uneasy feeling in his stomach as he gazed at his hand drawn image due to its intimate perspective. How long had she been drawing him without him knowing it? His lips curved in a faint smile at seeing the dedication in her work since nobody had ever bothered to write, much less, draw him.
The door opened to reveal Vivian with a charcoal piece in hand but her eyes darted between her book and the assassin instantly. She swallowed nervously as her private drawings were discovered by the model himself and hoped he wouldn't jump to the right conclusion. Being pinned with spying or breaching privacy would be better than him realizing that she'd begun to harbor feelings for him. How could she possibly explain that without fracturing their friendship? Keeping a straight face, she managed to keep her voice even and piped up, "Find anything interesting?"
"You've been drawing me" he stated quietly as he scrutinized the drawing, almost demanding it answer his question. He wanted to know why she'd chosen to draw him and why he wanted to reject the warm feelings it surfaced within him.
"Not any more than I have Ezio" she grinned cheekily but she was going bonkers on the inside as her mind craved the book back. The man was incredibly sharp and if he picked up a whiff of her affection, everything could fall out into the open. She wanted her book safely in her hands and tried to keep her voice steady as she asked, "Finished perusing?"
He didn't answer right away and she approached him quietly, peering at the sketches to state softly, "You offered a very good model for my skills but if it unsettles you, I will stop."
"My hair isn't scruffy, it is cut short and grows downward" he stated simply as he pointed to random areas or tiny mistakes to dissipate the disturbing warm feeling in his chest. He didn't like it and after experiencing it once with Maria, he didn't want it back anytime soon to prevent another fiasco of his love life. It was best to reject any possibility of seeking female attention to keep his mind clear on his goal and this was Vivian. Out of all women, why Vivian? She was his companion only and he'd best remember that before he made a fool of himself. He cleared his throat to lie through his teeth to protect himself and rambled on useless reasons, "My eyes are too close together and I frown more than that- it's practically a natural glower. Not to mention, my cheekbones are higher and my face is slimmer. I'm not Ezio, Vivian. Keep a steadier hand and you might make these good."
He handed her the book to exit the room quickly to escape the tight feeling in his chest that replaced the old warm one. Lying wasn't good but it was a decent alternative to the uncertain truth. What could he say? That nobody had dared to do such a thing and it was strangely heartwarming that one chose to.
Thank you for reading my story, dear readers, and may you all be safe on your wanderings in life. I'll see you next time and please, leave a review if you can. :)