literature

My story with Altair

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   I scaled the wall, smiling as I heard the intake of breath from an onlooker below. I stood and stretched. This was my place. The roofs were mine. The sun shone on my back, warming me and filling me with the same feeling of freedom I often experienced when I stood on top of things.
   I remember hearing a cry from somewhere to my left, followed by angry male voices. I ran towards the edge of the roof and jumped, catching the ledge of another roof. Quickly, I ran towards another wall but did not scale it. Instead, I peered over it, and what I saw made me gasp in shock. A guard and a man in a white robe were locked in combat, high above the streets of Jerusalem.
   I remember the guard threatening the man. “You will pay for your sins!” he cried. I remember the man laughing at the guard’s frustration. “Ala rislika.” I heard him say, before the guard grabbed him by the scruff of his robes and threw him to the ground. Without thinking, I pulled a knife from my boot and threw it at the guard. It pierced him in the head, and he fell, dead.
   The man’s eyes turned towards me as he noticed my presence. He got slowly to his feet and sheathed his blade. I remember him coming towards me, walking slowly but with purpose. He was not intimidating, and yet I was afraid of him. I turned and ran, jumping down to the streets below. “No! Wait!” he cried, and then he was running after me.
   I pushed through the people, trying not to knock down the jar carriers and failing. The guards would surely notice me sprinting down the streets but I didn’t care. He was after me, and he was getting closer.
   I needed to make it towards the gate. I needed to get out of the city. But I was getting tired, and I could still hear his boots thudding on the cobblestones behind me. I tried to run faster, to lose him. And finally there was the gate! I sprinted as fast as I could towards it, racing past the guards guarding its entrance.
   “Please wait!”
   I kept running. I was more frightened then than ever. Somehow I knew he was going to get me, and when I heard the sound of hooves behind me, and felt his arm around my waist lifting me into his lap, I had already surrendered. I think he was shocked at my lack of a fight. Perhaps he had expected me to hit him and scream for help. Maybe I should have. I don’t know.
   All I knew then was that I was exhausted. He was talking to me, telling me he meant no harm. He said many things, but I had tuned out, not wanting to listen to his voice. Somehow, his voice took away my freedom. He was taking me away from what I loved. He slowed the horse down to a walk, and the lack of noise from the horse’s hooves on the dirt forced me to hear what he was saying. I remember cutting him off.
   “I want to know who you are and where you’re taking me.”
   “So you can speak. I thought you were mute. Who I am is of no importance just as yet. But as for where I am taking you…Have you heard of Masyaf? There is a fortress there that serves as a home to many. That is where we are headed.”
   “But who are you to take me away from Jerusalem? By what right do you take me away from my home?”
   “No right. Nothing justifies my taking you, except that I saw something in you. Exceptional skill that would have gone to waste. Skill that can be harnessed and made better at Masyaf.”
   “Take me back then. I want to go back.”
   “No. What have you got to lose if you come with me now? If you don’t like it, then I could always bring you back.”
   “I don’t want to go anywhere with you.”
   “I know you don’t.”
   “Then take me back. Please.”
   He looked down at me, and there was something there in his eyes, but it was gone as I looked into them. He looked away, concentrating again on the road.
   “No.”
   “Please?”
   “Please stop. I can’t turn back now.”
   “Why?”
   “Look over my shoulder. Don’t make it obvious. Just a casual glance.”
   I did as he said, trying hard just to look as if I was adjusting my seat. What I saw puzzled me. A captain with three of his men was walking behind us. They were looking at us with slight suspicion, but other than that they seemed ordinary to me. I turned back to the man.
   “What’s wrong with them?”
   “They suspect me. If I move any faster than I am now, they will attack.”
   “What have you done?”
   “It doesn’t matter. Please stop talking to me now. I need to concentrate.”
   “But you never told me your name.”
   He looked down at me again, “But I did. Weren’t you listening?”
   “No, I guess not.”
   “Altair. And you?”
   “Nabila.”
   “Well Nabila, you might want to change your seat a bit. You’re going to hurt your back if you stay like that.”
   And that annoyed me. Who was he to tell me what to do? But he was right. My back was starting to hurt me. I shifted this way and that, trying to make myself more comfortable without leaning against him. In the end, I think he got frustrated by my movements. He let go of the reins and adjusted me himself, pulling me against him, just like I hadn’t wanted. Then, chuckling to himself slightly at my look of annoyance, he returned to his concentrated state of getting us to Masyaf.
   I remember being very bored and wishing I could get down and run. I hated him more than ever then for taking me. I cursed him under my breath, wishing him all sorts of ill. I think I was so bored that I fell asleep against him. I don’t know how I allowed myself sleep while on a horse and especially while I was in his lap. I think his quiet presence comforted me almost, despite my hating him. So I slept.
   I woke when it was almost sunset. We were still on the road. I looked around, trying to see if I could recognise any landmarks. I couldn’t and realised that I was further away from my home than ever, in a place I did not know.
   “Where are we now?”
   “We passed the road leading to Damascus about an hour ago. I would say that we are very near Masyaf. We will be there soon.”
   I realised I had been holding my breath in hope that we had gone back, and let it out slowly. He heard me and looked down at me again. I think he knew what I was feeling. I think he felt my ache for freedom. How could he not? Every particle of my being ached for the feeling of the wind in my hair, for the sun to shine on me.
   “I’m so sorry.”
   I looked up at him and regretted it as soon as I did. His face was full of genuine regret and I found that I was beginning to forgive him. But I didn’t want to. I wanted to hate him. There was something else in his face too, but again he masked it before I could realise what it was. I looked away.
   “Being sorry doesn’t take me back.”
   “I promise you, that if you don’t like it then I will take you back myself.”
   “But why bring me here against my will in the first place? You could have spoken to me about this fortress. Told me about it before you took me so that I could make up my mind whether I wanted to come or not.”
   “I wanted to. You never gave me the chance, remember? You ran away from me.”
   I was quiet. He had made a valid point and I could not argue against it. I had run, and till now I did not know why.
   “What is Masyaf like?”
   He looked down in astonishment at my sudden curiosity. In truth, I didn’t care what it was like. I already wanted to get away from it. I had asked simply so that I could hear his voice. It did something to me, calmed me; made me less angry. I was tired, and did not want to be angry anymore.
   “It’s…hard to explain. It’s a fortress with many people living around it. The fortress is on a hill, and overlooks the town below. The town is beautiful. The people all look after one another. We’re all very close in the sense that the other assassins…”
   “Assassins?! You’re an assassin?”
   He smiled sheepishly, “That slipped.”
   “That’s fantastic. Splendid. I’ve been kidnapped by an assassin.”
   “Kidnapped is a strong word.”
   “It’s also an appropriate word. Take me back right now. Or do you plan to kill me if I resist?”
   “I don’t plan to kill anyone. Hear me out please.”
   “Like I have a choice.”
   “I was born in Masyaf twenty-five years ago. I was taken from an early age with the consent of my parents into the fortress to become a trained assassin. The Master was…strict in my early years. He would…beat me for my failings. That was his way. As I grew older and more skilled, he took to me. I became his…favourite student. I’m not proud of his favour. It earned me a lot of infamy with the other assassins. I became arrogant. Only recently have I humbled myself, and learnt that arrogance only leads to problems.
   “Being an assassin does not just involve killing people without mercy, as most people think. We kill some people; a minor sin, for a greater good. The people we kill can and are often planning to corrupt the peace in the empire in some way. They are often corrupted themselves, and kill innocent people out of lust for power, greed, or arrogance. These people must be stopped. Assassins are the ones capable to do it. We are silent and get the kill done with as minimum disturbance as possible. In this way, we remove harm and do not cause harm ourselves.”
   “Then what you do is good?”
   “Yes. I know you doubt us and our motives. Doubt me. I understand.”
   “It’s strange.”
   “What?”
   “To hear it from the perspective of someone from the other side. For so long I’ve believed that you assassins were evil. That you all killed without mercy, and for your own gain and no-one else’s. It’s just strange to be told differently after believing the opposite for so long.”
   “I see.”
   “I presume you kill who your Master tells you to kill. Am I right?”
   “Yes.”
   “Do you feel any…remorse for it? That you only killed this person because someone else willed it. Don’t you judge for yourself whether someone deserves to be killed?”
   “We often do. We try and find out as much information about our target before the assassination. This way, we can judge for ourselves whether to let them live or not. If we think that the person does not need to be assassinated and can be handled in some other way, we talk to the Rafik of the city and ask his opinion.”
   “Rafik?”
   “Yes. They are located in bureaus in each city. We need to get permission from them after collecting as much information as possible about our target, to begin an assassination. Their opinions are valid, and they can send letters to the Master asking him what the best course of action would be.
   “Can I ask you something now?”
   “Yes.”
   “Am I not human? Do you believe that I am hollow because I take the lives of men? Do you believe that I am without emotion; that I do not feel any form of regret for the lives I have taken?”
   “I don’t know.”
   “You killed the guard on the roof.”
   “He was going to kill you.”
   “So you took his life. Do you feel any regret for it?”
   “Only a little, because he may have had a wife, and children that would miss him. But…I don’t know. He was going to kill you.”
   It was now almost dark. He steered the horse towards a river and stopped. He then lowered me gently to the ground before dismounting. I watched him tie the horses reins close to the ground so that it could eat and drink. He removed its saddle and placed it on a rock. Then he came towards me.
   “And what if he was going to kill me? You don’t know me. I could be anybody.”
   I was silent.
   “And that is what makes us human. That we are able to feel for our victims, and the people they can or are harming. Even if the victim is someone we have never met, and likely never to meet.” He paused and looked away from me, into the distance. “Come and rest a bit. We’ll continue on our way at dawn. There is still a few hours if we continue at this speed and the horse needs to rest.” He turned and walked towards a large tree, obviously planning to sit under it.
   “I want to run.” I whispered.
   He turned, his eyes meeting my own, and nodded.
   Without looking back, I turned and ran. My body ached from the long ride but I didn’t care. The feeling of the wind in my hair filled me with such joy. I jumped around a bit, squealing like a little girl. Then I spotted a house a few metres from me and immediately ran towards it and scaled it. I climbed to the highest point on the roof and stood, looking around me, seeing the mountains in the distance. How they rose so majestically towards the sky.
   I sat then, and held my knees to my chest. Why does he trust me? How does he know I won’t run away? I could easily. I even thought about it for a bit. Where would I go? Back to Jerusalem? It was tempting, I admit. A few hours passed while I sat there. He never came looking for me.
   Slowly I rose, jumping down to the ground. I walked towards where he was, but kept my distance. I saw him, back leaning against a tree, head bowed down. I did a small twirl. Even the sight of him could not dampen my spirits. I walked towards the horse and stood before it. It lifted its head to turn its beautiful eyes on me. I stroked its muzzle, wondering at the feel of the soft skin under my palm.
   “Come sleep.” He whispered.
   I jumped in fright at his voice, and turned to look at him.
   “Sorry.” He mumbled.
   “How did you know I wouldn’t run away?”  I asked, as I went and sat beside him.
   “I didn’t.”
   “Then why let me go?”
   “I couldn’t bear to see your face. You looked so pained when you looked at the mountains. It made my regret for taking you worsen.”
   He turned his face to look at me and I saw that he was being genuine. Again, there was something in his eyes, and I shivered from his gaze.
   “You’re cold.” It was a statement, and before I could respond he had moved closer to me and wrapped his arms around me. Somehow though, I didn’t feel uncomfortable by his presence against me. We spoke of many things then. Mainly about me and my childhood. I told him that I had escaped from my orphanage when I was ten, and had lived life on the streets since then; learning the use of knives and daggers from watching guards I snuck up on train.
   I tried asking him about himself, but he was very defensive. He told me a little about his bringing up but that was all. He didn’t answer most of my questions, so I stopped asking them. He then asked me something again, and I gave a vague answer. What was fair for him was fair for me.
   And soon, my eyes felt heavy from fatigue. I remember him leaning down, brushing my ear with his lips and whispering, “Sorry”. And then I slept.

   I woke and saw him adjusting the horse’s bridle. He turned to look at me and gave me a small half-smile before turning back to adjust the horse’s cheek strap. I got to my feet, my muscles screaming in protest from the long ride and uncomfortable sleep. I hobbled towards where he stood and stroked the horse’s neck as he put on its saddle. He then got into the saddle and pulled me up into his lap again.
   I leaned against him as he steered the horse back onto the road. I looked up at the sky. It was skill dark, but the horizon was pink and blue with the first rays of the rising sun. I sighed and turned my head to look past the horse’s head, at the direction in which we were headed. A few people were emerging from their homes to set up their stalls for another day of bargaining and haggling. Exhausted soldiers were exchanging a few words with their replacements before going into their tents to sleep. In the distance a captain stood mounted on his horse, surveying the camp and making sure his men did not slack off in any way.
   “There are a few things you need to know about the Master.”
   I looked up at him and noticed the intensity of his distant expression.
   “Which are?”
   “Speak only if he gives you permission to do so. You need to be a good judge of when to talk. Think before you talk also. Don’t say anything you’ll regret later. His hand is rough, and he won’t hesitate to give orders to have you flogged if he thinks it necessary.”
   “He seems very harsh.”
   “He can be if he thinks you don’t respect him. But you can easily earn his favour. You have an advantage that I did not have when I first entered the Brotherhood.”
   “And what’s that?”
   “Your age. He used to be hard on us because we were young and foolish and believed being an assassin was something fun. He’ll treat you with a little more patience because you are older. Please don’t compromise that advantage.”
   “I’ll try.”
   We rode in silence for a while. I was beginning to get drowsy with boredom again. I closed my eyes and huddled closer to him. I felt the arm he was using to hold me get a little tighter around my back.
   “How did you sleep?” he asked.
   “How do you think?’
   “Not very well seeing as you’re still tired.”
   “I’m just bored.”
   “Get down and run a bit.”
   “What?”
   He looked down and smiled. “You heard me.”
   He stopped the horse and I jumped down eagerly. I turned to run ahead but before I could, I heard him mumble. “Don’t go too far.”
   I turned, meeting his eyes, and nodded. Then I took off. I sprinted as fast as I could, twirling as I went. A lone soldier saw me and mumbled, “Pathetic” but I didn’t care. I ran back to Altair, beaming from ear to ear.
   “Want to race?” I asked.
   “That would be unfair.”
   “Come on. I don’t mind.” I pointed to a haystack about fifty metres away.
   “If that is what you wish.”
   He kicked the horse into a trot and I took off. I was ahead, but I don’t think he planned on letting me win. I heard him as he made the horse go faster and sure enough he raced past me. Then I had an idea. I turned sharply and climbed the cliff to my right. I ran forward while remaining hidden behind the rocks to where he had stopped the horse. I saw him look around for me. He got off the horse and walked back to where he had last seen me. Quietly, I jumped down from behind the rocks and mounted the horse. I nudged it into a walk and followed him.
   “I think she may have gone that way.” I called out, and pointed to the mountains.
   He turned to look at me and walked towards me, laughing as he did. I dismounted and led the horse to him. He took the reins from me and mounted, pulling me up again.
   “No more games.”
   “If that is what you wish.”
   “It is.”
   We rode in silence after that. We passed another camp full of Saracens and I felt him tense as they watched us. I knew now at least why he was so anxious around soldiers, and pitied him his infamy. I became increasingly drowsy as we rode on and felt the first hint of sleep begin to take me. I huddled close to him, and closed my eyes, letting sleep take me.
I've always wanted to write a story about Altair ever since I played Assassin's Creed. This took me a couple of hours, which is less than I expected. I hope you like it.
Leave a comment if you want me to continue it. Suggestions as to how I can make it better are welcome too.

By the way, for te people that know me, I used my name in this, but the girl isn't actually me. So don't get ideas. :D


OC description (Nabila): [link]
© 2008 - 2024 sye93
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redstrikerborg's avatar
very cute story :) i wouldn't change a thing