Fleeting

It was Nikeel who had screamed, his eyes had grown so large that Azurelle feared they would fall out of his sockets and he would not stop yelling! She looked at Altaïr nervously, what could they do? They couldn’t hurt him! The people in the other room could be heard getting up and yelling for the guards outside. “Scream.” Altaïr muttered under his breath, Azurelle looked at him in confusion for a split second before understanding his plan and following through with what sounded like a scared scream. The Assassin winced; his ears would be ringing for hours! Pushing her away roughly he escaped through the large window.

“There he is! Get him!” the acrobat landed on the soft bed of the room, she glanced nervously out of the window where the yelling was increasing – what if he got caught?! “Sister! Are you alright, did he try to kill you? Did he hurt you?” Nikeel was looking her over with a great deal of worry in his boyish features, behind him Gyani was also giving her the once over, he couldn’t afford for her to be injured. Some of the guests were asking her ‘what happened?’, ‘was it an Assassin?’ and ‘what did he want?’ they were crowding her, their words jumbling into one and then there was Nikeel who sat beside her shaking her slightly because she would not answer him. Finally Nazeera cut through the men, not realising how relieved Azurelle was to see her, she jingled her way forward, the bangles and jewels adorning her arms and the yellow silk sari she wore making the noise, the black haired woman shooed the boy away and wrapped her arms around her sister.

“Gentlemen, why don’t you retire back to the other room, the Assassin is gone – probably skewered by an arrow,” she silently hoped that was so, she’d seen Altaïr when he’d first checked the room; Malik was a dead man. “It was probably a thief!” Nikeel objected loudly to her suggestion, he continued to claim that it was an Assassin. Nazeera glared at him and hugged the brunette closer to herself, “Stop it! You’re upsetting her!” she cuddled the girl and rocked her gently, “don’t cry, silly, he’s gone now.”
Azurelle frowned; her sister was taking this act a little far wasn’t she? They had managed to convince everyone to leave them alone and that everything was going to be fine.

“Are you in trouble, my friend? An Assassin in your home!” both women perked up, Qiblatayn was talking to the man who employed them for the day, “ah! It does not matter, I know people, people who will erase scum like that! If you are truly worried my friends will be here in just a few days – you can talk!” he continued to talk to the man but Gyani suddenly appeared in front of the two women and they lost sight of the lanky man.

“We are done here, our employer says everyone’s too tense now…still, we were paid in full; not a complete loss” he sighed deeply, it was almost as if he were disappointed that they didn’t get to finish, “You.” He said to Azurelle, “don’t you dare get any tears on either of your costumes!” with that said he left the room; perhaps he could convince their employer to reconsider.

They sat quietly for a moment until they were certain no one else would come, Nazeera leant back, her head tipped so she could stare at the ceiling. “That was close! I told that stupid boy to leave you alone, ‘oh but what if she’s sick in her hair’” she imitated his voice, clearly annoyed at him for blowing their entire plan – and just as that bastard Qiblatayn had taken a sip of his wine! “Beautiful touch with the tears, I didn’t know you could act so well!” she clapped Azurelle on the shoulder and grinned, she was quite proud of that little performance; they’d even got some information to give to the Brotherhood!

“W-why am I crying?” she burbled out, her hands touched her cheeks and she couldn’t understand why they were wet! She wasn’t sad, she wasn’t hurt, so why was she sitting here with tears streaming down her face?! She began pulling up her knees but let them go suddenly as they brushed her stomach, it was flat and she couldn’t see or feel anything strange. “Altaïr…he…he said – no…oh no!”

Nazeera frowned and sat up. Surprised to hear her sister’s confused words and then her sudden denial of something Altaïr had done, what had he done? The only thing Nazeera could think of was that the Assassin had called off the affair with Azurelle and that she was now upset. What an idiot! He could have done it somewhere else, maybe chosen his words better – what had he said to her?! “I can’t believe that fool! What did he say to you? If I had known he was going to break it off with you today, I’d have been here!” was that why Malik had sent Altaïr, so he could have a moment to break the girl’s heart!

“Today?!” Azurelle stood up and spun to stare wide eyed at her sister, “What do you mean? ‘Break it off’?! What are you talking about?” her outburst shocked the other. “Tell me!”

“Malik told me that he was going to stop seeing you…when I went to the bureau earlier, I didn’t expect him to do it right away!” she watched Azurelle shake her head in disbelief, her sister had bullied Malik into ordering Altaïr away from her? Looking like a child who had lost its mother and didn’t know where to look. The older woman suddenly felt ashamed, had Azurelle really liked Altaïr so much? If so, what right had she had to force them apart prematurely? “Azurelle, I’m sorry.”

“What are you apologising for?!” she yelled suddenly, “We were just fooling around with each other; we’re not even in love! You don’t even like him! I didn’t expect it to last but now…if…if what he said…” she paced the room, Nazeera looked at her warily, confused at what it was she was missing, her sister suddenly yelling, “he’s wrong!” before she climbed onto the window ledge, there was a lower balcony below where she could reach the street.

“Azurelle, you’re still in costume! Azurelle!” the darker woman ran to the window and could only watch the girl mix in with the passing crowds. “…Balls!” she ran out of the room and down the stairs, she had to go get that stupid girl before she got in trouble!

00

The Assassin stalked across the roofs of Jerusalem, thoroughly annoyed at his failure because that is what it was! If he had been paying attention he would have not been taken by surprise by a boy who couldn’t tie his boots properly on most days! For a moment he was angry with Azurelle for distracting him – until he realised that he shouldn’t have been playing around with her in the first place... he stopped not too far from the bureau entrance, his hands uncurled from fists as he looked at them like they were foreign to him. They shook. His well-trained eyes couldn’t see the tremor but the tingles felt all too real. Had he really held in these hands the beginnings of a life – one that was his?
It was strange, he could take lives and save them, he never really thought twice about either; they didn’t affect him directly. But this…this was something else!

He checked his surroundings making sure no one saw him as he slipped through the hole in the roof of the bureau. His feet had barely hit the floor when Malik called him from his work area. Malik looked up at him expectantly, his brows furrowed when Altaïr produced a clean feather from his pouch; why hadn’t he killed the man after interrogating him? “What is the meaning of this?”

“He would not drink his wine and then that weed of a boy walked in and alerted the entire place of my presence!”

“How did you get caught by him, of all people?” Malik yelled, “I cannot believe this! I sent you instead of Nakim because you’re more experienced! Are you completely stupid?”

Altaïr licked his lips nervously; this was not going to go down well. “I was distracted…” Malik waved his hand for Altaïr to continue his schoolboy excuse, “Azurelle wa – ”

“Damn you, Altaïr!” he spat angrily, “we agreed that you’d leave her alone!”

“I know!” he yelled back before taking a breath, there was no point starting a fight over this, “I know…listen, about that.” He walked into the other room, sat on one of the pillowed rugs and waited for the near silent footfalls of his companion to come closer. The older Assassin stood before him and waited for whatever was going to fall out of Altaïr’s mouth next, he watched as the man pulled off his hood and rested it on his crossed legs, his hands rubbing through short hair in a stressed motion, he looked lost. “I can’t just stop contact with her – be quiet and listen!” Malik’s mouth snapped shut at the request; it was a request, Altaïr was calm and no anger was in his voice. “She’s pregnant.”

The Dai’s mouth dropped a fraction; he wasn’t sure what to say to that…what could he say? “You are sure it is yours?” Altaïr sent him a glare so fierce that he took a step back and raised his arm in an apologetic fashion, “Sorry! Stupid question, this is Azurelle after all…of course you are the father.”
Altaïr flinched, ‘father’, it wasn’t something he’d thought of. Not even while he was roaming around the east; in India he’d stayed at an orphanage full of small thieves that knew how to get hold of rare texts for him, not once had he felt fatherly – mostly because they kept stealing his things! In china, Maria had nearly adopted a baby while Altaïr was learning how they made stronger weapons by mixing metal with other things; he had given her a lecture on how she was too young to be tied down with a baby. She’d even asked him his opinion on having a baby – he’d said, ‘perhaps when I start to grey’. Never once had he thought of ‘settling down’. Malik interrupted his thoughts, “Are you sure, Altaïr?”

“Yes,” he looked at his hands again, “she’s showed signs and…in my hands…”

Malik shook his head; Altaïr had the most bemused look on his face, almost like he was in awe of something that he also feared. Malik could swear he could almost see the ghost of a smile, “so what will you do?” he asked as he sat down beside him. The Assassin thought for a long moment, relieved that Malik was not yelling at him for his negligence and because his friend seemed to understand his dilemma. “You cannot abandon her.”

“No.” he agreed readily, “however I cannot tie myself to her either.”

Malik nodded, “that would not be fair on any of you; a loveless marriage for the sake of a child…your son would hate you.”

“Or daughter.” He nearly choked on the word. “Obviously I will provide for her and the child, maybe a home in Masyaf – she would not be far away and neither would we be in each other’s pockets.”

“Sounds like a shamed mistress story, Altaïr.” Altaïr was about to retort but a commotion outside on the street distracted him, someone was yelling to be released, did the soldiers have nothing better to do than grab women in the street? “That is Nazeera’s voice!” snapped Malik as soon as he realised. He stood up before Altaïr had even reacted and was already on the roof by the time the other had gotten up; he may have only had a single arm but his skills were not wasted away during the time as Dai.

0

Nazeera swore at the men holding her, dirty soldiers with dirtier minds and groping hands. One held her by her bare waist, his hands drifting into the bottom half of her yellow sari – she’d never wear this stupid costume again! “She is a lively one! She dresses like an eastern princess!”

“Ah, but my friend! She has a whore’s mouth, wouldn’t you agree,” they laughed loudly; everyone around them pretended nothing was happening, if they interfered they would certainly die! “Tell me, habiba, how much do you charge?” he began laughing again until Nazeera landed a hard strike with her knee to his groin, he went down with a pained groan and the other men chuckled.

“Call me ‘habiba’ again and I’ll castrate you!” she struggled with the one holding her when another man began to grope her breast through the choli blouse she wore; he brushed his thumb over her lips and yelped in pain when she bit him. He back handed her roughly, annoyed when she gave him a look that said, ‘what did you expect me to do?’ by this time the furious soldier on the ground had recovered – a little – he took no time at all to pull her long legs to rest on his hips. Nazeera clenched her eyes shut and waited for the inevitable…nothing. The soldier did nothing except release her legs and stand there.

After a moment, he turned his back to Nazeera, her eyes widened when she saw the silver throwing knife protruding from his back, in front of the soldier was the hooded form of Malik; with a quick flick of his wrist, the soldier fell, blood spraying from his neck like a macabre fountain. His dagger glinting in the sun was all the warning the second soldier got before the angry Dai shoved the blade into his stomach and pulled it all the way up to the man’s chin. The one holding Nazeera shook as he watched his fellows slaughtered in the blink of an eye, he was going to die and in his desperation decided to use the woman he was holding as a hostage, his own weapon started its ascent to her throat when he too let out a grunt, dropping the sword and reaching behind him, he fell to his knees and looked up at Altaïr who was retracting his hidden blade as if he’d done nothing at all. “Habiba.” Malik said and offered her his hand to get up because at some point she’d fallen on her backside.

“ASSASSIN!” there was a collective sigh between the three as they were forced to run down an alley, Malik ran up the wall of the nearest stone house and pulled himself up onto the roof, Altaïr was right behind him, Altaïr only stopped to offer a hand to Nazeera so she could come up with them. She glared at his hand as if the very sight of it was offensive until Malik looked down from his perch, “now is not the time, woman!” she jolted up straight at his reprimand and, grudgingly, took Altaïr’s hand.

“Did you open your purse and give Malik back his testicles?” the younger Assassin asked with a smirk. Both she and the other man swore at him, the older Assassin smacking the back of his head harshly. They only went over a few roofs, Nazeera was not well trained in free running or, according to Altaïr, jumping more than a foot, they dropped into another alley, its only occupant was an angry drunk groaning unconsciously. It wasn’t likely the guards would come this way; the small passage was well concealed from the street’s view. Malik gently touched the mark forming on his lover’s face, a frown deep set upon his lips as he muttered his regret on not making the soldiers suffer for touching her. She leant into his touch and told him to shut up.

“Why are you wearing a sari?” Altaïr asked, shattering their quiet moment together.

“Gyani chose the costume for me to dance in – I had no time to change because Azurelle ran from me in tears!” she marched up to him and pulled herself up to her full height, it hardly affected the Assassin as he was at least a head taller, she jabbed her finger into his chest and the jewellery around her wrist clanged loudly, “What did you do to her?! No! Better yet! What did you say?! Because I assumed you’d told her it was over.”

“I didn’t.” Altaïr said coolly and unintentionally annoying the woman further.

“I didn’t bloody know that! So now she’s upset about that too!” she jabbed him again and he caught her hand in a tight grip, he suddenly found his wrist in Malik’s hand – a silent warning. “Why was she upset?!”

He said nothing, the Dai looked at him expectantly, “what did you say to her?” Altaïr’s jaw tightened and he shared a quick glance with Malik who seemed to understand immediately, “you told her!” he cried incredulously – surely his friend was more tactful than this! “You blurted it out?!”

“I was surprised!”

“So you said, ‘you’re pregnant’! Smooth, brother, very impressive!”

“What?” both men turned their heads to the woman who, they’d forgotten, didn’t know. Nazeera’s brain slowly went through everything that had changed about her baby sister over the last month – or was it longer? Pieces of her memory slotted into a puzzle she’d not even contemplated and came to the same conclusion Altaïr had earlier that day. Her little sister, the girl she had raised, was having a baby – she was having Altaïr’s baby. She was out in the Jerusalem streets, barely clothed, alone and maybe a little frightened. Nazeera could have spent this time yelling and screaming at the man, calling him every name she could think of, threaten him and hit him but that wasn’t going to help her sister. “We must find her. Now!” she gave them both a look, telling them to move their arses.

“It would be better to split up, I’ll search the poor district, and I’ll tell Nakim and Abdul to keep an eye out too. Altaïr, take Nazeera with you to the market, she usually hides out in the roof gardens, try not to kill each other and don’t let her get raped.” Malik turned and began walking towards the poorer district, there was somewhere he knew she haunted often, if he could find her first it might be less traumatic for her than facing the father of her child and an over protective older sister.

00

Grey eyes stared up through the wooden trellis to the sky far above, purples and reds marring the blue as twilight descended. She was sat on the stone bench of a long abandoned street garden, the people who lived here were too busy begging to socialise in the small square court, she liked this little place, she could practice all she wanted and no one would bother her or tell her she was doing it wrong. She’d met Altaïr here, she recalled that he had hidden from a roaming English soldier, a deep gash on his shoulder preventing his victory, she’d nearly somersaulted off his face because he’d appeared so suddenly in front of the wall she used for leverage. He’d nearly stabbed her in the foot but opted to duck instead once he realised she wasn’t an immediate threat. Then they’d met again a week later, then again the next month, two weeks following that meeting he was in her bed, another month, a week, three weeks, a day…two days in a row…a month again. They always met accidentally and made it a rule to never seek the other out.

And now, now he wasn’t interested anymore, now he was going to never see her again and she was carrying his child! Was that why he was leaving her? Because of a baby? Briefly she wondered if he’d continue their fling if she no longer was pregnant, the thought was banished from her mind, spat out like a bad taste and stoned to death before it was allowed to settle. She wouldn’t kill this child – her child. She was pregnant! She was going to have a baby, she’d be fat and it would hurt! She hadn’t wanted for this to happen but the only thing she could do now was try to be responsible and pray that she made the right decisions. In her hands was a green apple she’d been fidgeting with for a few hours now, while she’d been wandering aimlessly a woman at a fruit stall called her attention, she’d given Azurelle the apple and smiled fondly at her as the old woman complimented her glow and asked her how long she’d been pregnant for. Up until that point she hadn’t believed it, she’d thought Altaïr was wrong, maybe teasing her! Except, he wouldn’t fool around with such a subject.

She couldn’t do this on her own! What would Nazeera say? She’d probably tell her to leave and never come back or to get rid of it because it was part of Altaïr. Nazeera hated the Assassin so much! Suddenly angry with herself for dwelling on such things, Azurelle threw the apple with all her strength at the stone wall, slightly satisfied when it exploded on impact – for such a caring old woman, her apples were quite bad!

“Here you are.”

She squealed and snapped her body upright on the bench, “Malik! You scared me!” he stood there silently, watching her rub her face with her hands in a tired fashion. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you, I heard you were not wearing much and I wanted to see.” She laughed at his response, stood and did a little twirl for him, “Very nice.” Malik strode to her side and looked down at her face, around her eyes the skin was a little blotchy from tears and there were miniscule traces of blue on her face, “what is this?” he asked and tried to wipe the flecks off with his sleeve.

“Oh, paint, make-up actually. I thought I’d washed it all way.” She wiped at her eyes furiously, she had looked a terrible mess from crying, the blue had streaked down her cheeks and neck and all she could do was wash it all off.

“Did you cry so many tears to wash it off? If I had known, I would have gotten a bucket or something to save them in – they have to be better than the water in the wells.” He smiled as she laughed again, she was a brave girl, and she’d get through this little trial. He reached down and gently felt over her stomach; there it was…the cause of so much trouble.

“Malik…is it true? Because no matter how much I feel around I’m not finding anything! It’s as flat as it’s ever been!” she’d never really paid attention to her body, she was happy with it and confident enough to wear tight fitting clothes, she couldn’t understand what it was that the Assassin’s were finding!

“You forget that Altaïr and I are Assassins, master ones – not that I am bragging or anything, but I can beat Altaïr in a swordfight any time I want!” Azurelle giggled again, she believed him, anything Malik said she’d believe; he was as good as her older brother and she trusted him completely. “We have a better sense of feeling, we are trained to notice changes, no matter how tiny, and that is why I can feel the curve of your child inside you and you cannot yet. It is true.” And that was that. He effectively had the final word and brought the curtain down along with more of her tears.

“Maliiik!” she wailed as he pulled her against his chest and allowed her to cry, “I’m scared! I’m so scared, Malik!” he shushed her gently and told her it was alright to be scared. She had every right to be frightened, she was young, she didn’t entirely understand what was going to happen to her, only that there would be pain and then a screaming baby that would be helpless if she didn’t look after it.

“It is going to be fine, Nazeera will help you, so will I…and Altaïr will make sure you have everything you both need, we all will, I promise you.” Right now he hated Altaïr for having a hand in this, for making this girl cry and making her scared. Had he not taken any precautions? Why wasn’t he careful! As if his thoughts had summoned the hazel-eyed Assassin, Altaïr and Nazeera appeared at the entrance of the long abandoned garden. They’d followed Malik, as he seemed to have a direction in mind and so they followed from a distance before losing him for a few minutes. Azurelle sensed the other eyes and looked out from Malik’s damp chest. Nazeera stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the girl, telling her she wasn’t angry, that she wasn’t going to let anything happen to her, all the while stroking her sister’s short hair to soothe her.

Altaïr reached his hand out to stroke an exposed cheek, before he’d even touched her; Azurelle had sobbed and turned her face away burying it into the woman’s neck. His hand dropped like a stone in water, he couldn’t blame her really. Malik had removed his black robe and wrapped it around the acrobat, he placed his hand on Altaïr’s shoulder, the younger Assassin actually looked hurt that she would not accept his touch, “she will come round, just make sure you are there when she does.”

000

Ta – DA! A little bit angsty, but not too much, I think this would be my reaction if I got pregnant (that’s assuming I ever let anyone touch me ever again ‘cos men are scum of the earth – not that I’m bitter!) I’d probably cry, and be terrified before thinking, ‘i’ve made my bed and now I shall lie in it!’ no pun intended! And no porn either…sad times!