Fleeting

Things were oddly quiet for the next few days, no Templer activity, the soldiers were behaving, no one had warranted a reason to be Assassinated and even the local street thieves were being quiet. Usually this was not a problem but with three Assassins occupying a small area, all bored and agitated, things were becoming too tense for the acrobat. Which meant Altaïr was also growing more frustrated as she became more listless, he was ready to strangle her – in fact he was certain he would strangle her. What didn’t help was Nakim taking her side!

“There is such a thing as too much rest, Altaïr.” He started one morning; Altaïr could already feel his patience fraying at the edges, “my wife was cooking and cleaning the entire pregnancy, she only stopped to give birth and then carried on with my son on her arm! Letting Azurelle wander around the market isn’t going to kill her.”

“As soothing as your domestic stories are, she is not leaving the bureau!”

“I’m sitting right here! Don’t talk about me like I’m invisible!” Azurelle groused in her little nest of pillows, she threw Nakim a grateful smile at his attempt to help her but they both knew it was hopeless to press the master Assassin more.

“By the way you act, I’d think you were the one pregnant…ah, well, if I stay here another moment I may go mad.”
Before the masked Assassin vanished through the roof, Azurelle called out to him sarcastically, “say hello to the fresh air for me!” he laughed at her comment and went before he was killed. Altaïr turned to her with an angry glare.

“I am trying to keep you safe!” he snapped, “I am trying to keep you out of that Templer bastard’s grasp! Why are you so intent on making things difficult for me?! Can you not see the danger?!” he had raised his voice to her again, he didn’t like doing it, he thought he’d lost his impatience, he had hoped he’d learnt his lesson long ago for his demanding arrogance and desire to be obeyed. But the girl was so stubborn that his patience and understanding was running so very thin!

“All I can see is a prison! And you seem to be my jailer, you’re so intent on telling me what to do all the time that I’m slowly losing the will to live!” she yelled just as angry as him, “I’ve never known anyone so overbearing and controlling! I can’t believe I ever wanted to be in your company in the first place! The sooner this pregnancy is over the better! I want nothing to do with you!” she breathed heavily for a long moment as they glowered at each other, she saw his jaw tighten as he restrained himself, she wanted a reaction though. “I should have never started this thing with you, I should have punched you the moment you touched me! I hate you and I hate your child as well! I hate this entire situation!”

“Fine!” the Assassin hissed, he flung out his hand toward the exit, “Go then! Go out there and get yourself killed for all I care!” His voice was level, his anger so great that he shook with the force of it, “…just stay out of my sight.” He fixed his eyes to a crack in the wall, she seemed stunned but he refused to look at her, even as she stood and shuffled unsurely to where the fountain ran noisily, she half expected him to stop her. The Assassin did nothing, not even as she climbed and vanished from the bureau. He waited until he could hear her footsteps no more and began prowling around the small room like a maddened tiger – he’d tried, he really had!

He wondered himself how he had gotten involved with such a selfish, stubborn, ungrateful child! They had nothing in common! They very rarely agreed on anything, she was disrespectful, trouble dogged her every step, she was too carefree and trusting! He was certain that had it not been for Nazeera the girl would have met some terrible fate long ago! Why, oh why had he ever been attracted to her?! If he could go back…if he could go back he would do it all again.
He would still enjoy her child like curiosity; he’d still enjoy chasing her over the roof tops, knowing that once he caught her she would surrender herself fully to him in any way he desired with little complaint. He reared back his fist and laid into the wall before him, he hit it until his anger abated and his knuckles were bloody and raw before he leant back against the wall and slid down, the weapons on his back screaming down the stone as he went.

“Better?” Malik’s voice rung in his ears, he didn’t need a lecture right now, “I am only grateful that Nazeera is too delirious to have understood that argument.”

“Malik…”

“I have ears, I heard what she said…it was harsh – she had no right to say those things but you must understand why she is angry.” He had been listening to them snipe at each other for the past few days, their bickering had driven the others away and if he had not been taking care of Nazeera he would have locked himself in his room just to avoid them. “You have not exactly been considerate of her either.”

Altaïr scowled unhappily, “what would you have me do? She refuses to see sense!”

Malik sighed; sometimes the younger Assassin could be completely stupid. Everyone could see the problem but him! If he didn’t step back and let Azurelle learn how to deal with her changing body and moods then she would hate him more and more. “Altaïr, do you remember when you fell in the lake and nearly drowned?”

“What does this have to do with anything?”

“Well you do not go near water unless you absolutely must…why?”

Altaïr furrowed his brow, what was Malik talking about? Had he gone completely mad now? How did his completely rational fear of water have to do with his problems? “I don’t understand your point, Malik…stop speaking in riddles!” he received an exasperated exhale from the older man. “I do not go near because I can not swim; it is common sense to avoid a known danger, especially with first hand experience.”

“I know you are smart, novice, think on that for a while and you will realise what I am trying to teach you.” Altaïr stared at him in confusion, what was Malik trying to say? Perhaps he could take a wild guess?

“Are you telling me to go after her?”

Apparently not by the man’s annoyed look. “Oh dear, you have become a moron…there goes all hope for the future of the Brotherhood.”

00

She’d been trying to go out for days, all she wanted was a few hours out of the stuffy bureau and now that she actually had her freedom she couldn’t enjoy it! Because of Altaïr she was angry instead of enjoying the sunny day…because of Altaïr she was feeling ashamed of her behaviour. He was only trying to look after her and the annoying bump - that wanted to be fed again, “you’re going to make me fat!” she said in a disapproving tone whilst lightly stroking her stomach which seemed to have grown over the last few days, perhaps it was all the sitting around doing nothing. If she had been in her own clothing, Azurelle was sure she could have hidden it, as it was she was borrowing her sister’s clothing, apparently she left a change of clothes in Malik’s bedroom, the material was like everything her sister wore; yellow and soft and smooth. It had long sleeves and was fitted over her chest before cascading modestly down to her ankles, unfortunately it showed the bump proudly, the bright colour making it more obnoxious, ‘just like your father’ she snorted.

Sighing tiredly she made her way over to small food stall, it was mostly bread and fruit but it would do, she knew that if she didn’t eat she would suffer for it later with tiredness and a horrible feeling that made her nauseous. After picking a few things and finding out how much the sleepy old man wanted, Azurelle realised she’d left everything at the bureau, how embarrassing was this going to be! Just as the brunette opened her mouth to apologise a familiar gloved hand came into her view and paid. “He let you out all on your own?”

“…you’re following me, aren’t you?” she turned coming face to chest with Bosque, “Listen, I don’t know who you are bu-”

“Friedrich.” She looked up at him in disbelief, was this man mentally challenged, he was all friendly with her one moment and then threatening to kill people the next! “Don’t get angry, surely if I am going to stalk you, as is your belief, you’ll need to know my name.” His grin made her shake her head, it was strange but she found herself with the ghost of a smile on her lips, though it wasn’t the smartest of things to do Azurelle decided to humour the Templer – purely to spite Altaïr.

“So, where are we going to eat lunch?” she watched him purse his lips and stroke his beard, “a roof or a bench?”

“Bench.” He said definitely whilst regarding the small bump, “you are too far along to be scaling walls.”

Azurelle scoffed, “Are you an expert on this?”

“I have four children, I delivered two of them, my daughter was due to have her own child before I was shipped out here – then there is the apprentice doctor thing I have going…” he started to walk and she followed, “I think I’m somewhat of an expert now…I’d place you at either the end of three months or a very early four.” He didn’t lead her far, just to the edge of the market where there were steps leading up to a random building. There they sat in relative silence, Azurelle fingering the material of her dress, “what’s wrong?”

“I-I didn’t think he was…that old…” she frowned, she’d picked up Altaïr’s habit of referring to the baby as male, “I had a fight with Altaïr…I know he’s your enemy but…will you listen to me? Usually I’d ask my sister…” she’d felt so lonely without the older woman to guide her and chat with.

Bosque nodded, “I’m sorry for your loss, I promise you Qiblatayn will pay for his hand in the woman’s death.” He wasn’t a fool, he’d known the slimy little worm had taken matters into his own hands and messed up, he was more than furious with the spy.

“She’s not dead! Nazeera survived…but she has a horrible fever, I don’t know if she can fight it for much longer though. She goes in and out of delirium…sometimes she doesn’t even know who I am.” Azurelle stared down at her lap and fought back tears, why did she have to be so touchy about everything!? “Qiblatayn better pray that you find him before Malik.”

Bosque took an orange from her and set about peeling it, “what was this fight about?” he asked trying to distract her as he handed her a segment of the orange, “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“No!” she sent him an angered look; her worry for her sister erased. Altaïr would never intentionally hurt her! He had yelled at her but he would never raise his fist to her, this she knew absolutely. “He won’t let me leave the bu – house. He won’t let me leave the house; he tells me when to sleep, when to eat, how much I should eat! He won’t let me do anything that requires moving! He seems to think I will smash into a million pieces! Ever since he discovered I was having his child he’s been unbearable! I don’t think we can stand each other if we’re not having sex!” she chewed on her bread viciously.

The German had to suppress a laugh, he’d never seen anyone eat so self righteously before, he made a show of clearing his throat before daring to reply, it could be his head she chewed if he irritated her further. “…he’s just being – ”

“Protective! To the point of being obsessive!” she threw her hands into the air, “I’m tempted to tell you where he is just so you can have a try of beating him senseless! Don’t laugh! I can’t get it through his thick skull that I have learned what happens when I don’t feed his obnoxious baby! Or if I don’t get enough sleep!” she watched the Templer chuckle behind his hand, how dare he be amused by her misfortunes! “I’m giving up an awful lot to have this baby, he could at least trust me to carry his son!” her rant finished abruptly when her bottom lip quivered so much that her voice wavered. She hid her face in her hands, “he told me he didn’t want to see me again…”

“What! Then he is a fool!” the bald man stroked the top of her head, “perhaps you are better off without him! I think I’d do you a favour by ending that filthy Assassin’s life!”

“Could you stop telling me that!” she was angry at Altaïr but it still frightened her that this goliath of a man was going to try and kill the father of her child! “besides, I told him that I hated him, that I regretted ever being with him…I even said I hated my baby…” she hugged her middle as if that would be enough to apologise to the tiny one, she hadn’t meant any of it, she just wanted the man to know how frustrated she was being treated in such a way! “I didn’t mean it…I didn’t plan on any of this happening to me but I accept it…I don’t hate my baby!” she didn’t resist when she was pulled into a one armed hug, “are you only doing this because you want to get at Altaïr?”

“No, you remind me of my daughters at home. There is also another reason…it’s a secret though…if you promise not to cry anymore I’ll tell you.” Azurelle sniffled and wiped her eyes for the man. “Come with me, I can’t tell you out here – I’m too closely watched.” He winked at her look of surprise. Taking her hand, Bosque began walking deeper into the rich district they were on the edges of. They’d only been walking ten minutes when the girl paused with a look of discomfort. “Do you wish to go back?”

“No…I keep having pains…” she took a deep breath, annoyed at how easily she was fatigued.

“Pain in your lower back is normal.” Bosque said reassuringly. She shook her head at him, it wasn’t her back, it was her entire stomach, she’d been having small cramps now and then over the last two days.

“Can he kick yet?”

“…maybe?” he shrugged and waited until she was ready to carry on, “the church is not far now.” He was taking her to the church? She supposed it made sense, he was a Templer! True to his word they arrived at the church in nearly no time at all and he led her up the steps to the slightly ajar door where he stopped and glanced down guiltily, “I am so sorry I had to do this in such a manner.” He placed his hand on the back of her neck and forced her into the church.

Azurelle tried to struggle but he tightened his hold, “You bastard! Let me go!” she hit him with her fists and tried to kick him but he had already pushed her inside and shut the huge door.

00

Malik had his hand holding firmly to Nazeera’s left shoulder, as it was the only place he could hold her down and not hurt her injury, “it’s me, woman! Calm down!” she thrashed and struggled against him, her small voice ranting for him to get away from her. Altaïr came into the room and helped the Dai to restrain her; her skin was like fire in his hands.

“She has strength enough to struggle.” Altaïr said as she tried to push him away, “Nakim!” the masked Assassin came into the room carrying a new medicine from the doctor, this did little more than dull her pain and make her sleep for a few hours. They battled her as gently as they could to try and force the liquid down her throat, Malik tried to soothe her as best he could but she didn’t seem to recognize him and even when they succeeded in treating her, the dark haired woman still muttered for him to save her. Unable to watch her any longer the one armed man left his room to pace his study, he was helpless to do anything for her – he would find the one who had hurt her and he would kill them slowly. Altaïr watched him pace, he could see the murderous intent clearly on the man’s face and he didn’t feel like getting too close.

“Distract me.” He ordered suddenly, his eyes boring holes into Altaïr, “Have you realised my lesson yet?”

“eventually…” he said slowly, “I should back off and let Azurelle learn from her mistakes and by doing this I won’t have to force her into submission.” If she realised she would feel nauseous if she didn’t eat regularly, she would learn to eat before she felt sick. “Do I get to see another day?”

Malik let out a short harsh laugh, he was still angry and he got a strange satisfaction that his behaviour had the great Altaïr edgy, “Well done, but you are still a novice!” he turned to the other man, his eyes alight with worry, “…do you think she’ll make it?”

“Mali – ” a crash came from the next room, someone had hit the trellis covering the roof in their haste to get in and both Assassins drew their blades thinking it was an intruder before hearing the young Abdul’s voice.

“Master! Master! The Templer!” the boy was gasping and heaving for air as he leant on his knees, clearly exhausted, “He –he!” he gulped in a huge breath of air, “I saw the Templer forcing Azurelle into the church!”

Altaïr grabbed the boy by his hood, his heart clenching painfully and making his breath shorten as he barked, “You’re sure!” he snarled and the boy nodded furiously.

“I saw him with his hand wrapped around her throat! He has her, Master!”
000
I struggled with that chapter…can you tell? I started with no idea what to write and then type-puked this up! Silly Azurelle should have listened to Nakim when he told her to not believe her eyes!