Addiction

Beware contains violence and death.

Another update has arrived! And for even more news, the final chapter is already in the works. That’s right, we’re almost to the finale. Will this chapter end in another cliffhanger? You’ll just have to read and find out. *Evil cackle*Altair and Adah have been through so much in these past chapters so I hope with the ending that is soon to come, it will be one that’s well enjoyed.

+++

An orchestra of pain and death chimed out into the cold, crisp night air above the city of Masyaf now set ablaze from fallen torches throughout the city. The flames seemed to roar with life from the dry, withered hay bales scattered about, illuminating the city and exposing the remains of blood and gore from a battle no longer hidden by the darkness of night.

In a wet, crumpled heap before the wrought iron fortress gates, Adah lay on her side writhing with each flare of pain threatening to tear her lower abdomen in two. Her fingers dug into the soft earth beneath her as she waited for the blinding pain to subside. This was not how she envisioned giving birth would be! Her breathing slowed as the last surge of pain crested its peak, finally allowing her scrambled mind time to try remembering Muntasir’s words of what to expect when the time came. But to her frustration and lack of better judgment to pay more attention to his words, she could not remember much of it and silently cursed herself for not visiting the old healer more often.

Slowly she curled her legs beneath her and sat up, brushing the tangle of ebony locks out of her eyes, the expression of anguish and pain plastered across her features.

Where could she go? Was there a safe enough haven to allow her time to even bear this child? And more importantly, what was happening to Altair ? Was he even still alive?!

Her mind seemed to be running in circles around her own thoughts as chills of cold, sweat and fear crept up her arms and neck. Child birth was becoming more and more like nothing of what little had been explained to her... Finally the bothersome pain subsided completely and Adah let out a heavy breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Her teary vision, blurred and unfocused, looked up at the large iron gates of the Assassin’s fortress when the stomp of heavy footsteps from the path behind her drew her wild eyes to them. She moved to stand but paused and took another look half hoping it would be anyone other than the enemy...

A tall, shadowy figure emerged from the darkness. Faster the figure moved up the dark dusty path behind her, too fast for her tired legs to react until the owner of the steps eventually emerged. Adah’s eyes narrowed to see the figure more clearly only to have them widen twice their size. The light flutter of hope in her chest burst into dead weight as a tall man armored in deep crimson and gold stepped into the light, revealing uncommonly pale skin, long fair hair and frighteningly bright blue eyes.

Hesitantly, she scooted backwards as this strange man approached, the rapid pattern of her breathing signaling the beginnings of a panic attack the moment her eyes caught a bounce off the long broadsword held tightly in his left hand. The closer he moved, the higher the blade seemed to rise.

She shook herself free of the darkness emanating from behind the blue of his eyes and choked out, “Wait, please...” Her hands rising as fresh tears streamed from her hazel eyes. “I am with child, there is no need to hurt me!”

And to her surprise, he stopped. His blue eyes shone down into hers as he stared directly in her face with a veil of emptiness masking his thoughts. She looked cautiously back and forth between the haunting void like expression in his eyes and the long broadsword held above her head, unsure which of the two were actually worse. She swallowed hard as her heart continued to pound in her throat.

“You do not have to do this...” she then whimpered quietly near his boots and recoiled against the brick of the walkway.

After a short pause, the man before her chuckled and flashed an unsettling grin before turning to speak behind him in a language she did not understand.

“Why must they always plea in vain before they are to die? It is with more dignity to accept your fate.”

Adah watched in horror as three more men garbed in a similar fashion emerged from the dark pathway their leader had just appeared from.

“We do not have time for these ridiculous games of yours, Sébastien... Just kill her and end this charade so we may take what we came here for and return to the docks of the mainland as quickly as possible!” stated a shorter, thinner man from behind his tall oddly shaped iron helm.

“What can I say?” the first man with blonde hair stated and smiled as he glanced back at her again with a malicious grin, the tip of his blade easing beneath her chin to raise her gaze to his. “I enjoy watching them suffer...”

After a moment, the blade gradually dropped from her neck just as the sadistic smile faded from his face.

“Yet destroying this little one seems... “ Sébastien paused again in a low voice, watching her recoil as the cold blade slipped lower over her breasts. “...a waste of such alluring young flesh.”

“I’ve had enough of this! We are not here for slaves, we are here to follow orders and retrieve the Piece of Eden for the captain! If you refuse to follow suit then step aside!” shouted the shorter man from behind his helm, pushing Sébastien aside and drawing his own blade as he approached Adah.

Sébastien moved in front of him, turning his back on Adah at his feet. “I believe trading her back home will earn us a much greater profit! Besides, I did not travel all this way just to return home empty handed.”

Adah watched in terror as the two men continued to argue amongst one other, the strange men behind them glaring impatiently in silence. She snuck another quick glance back at the path beyond the gate, not daring to take her eyes off the suspicious men for too long. Quietly she inched backwards and away from them until she heard one shout out her slowly progressing escape. Adah shrieked. Jolting up from the ground with burst of energy she was unawares she had, she took off through the iron gates, blared past the training yard, and tore into the library. As a fresh swell of pain became stronger as she moved, Adah grabbed onto the nearest bookshelf to hold herself up. Refusing to look behind her, she cried out from the throbbing and teetered along the bookends to steady her tracks to the garden at the back of the library, her other hand clutching tightly below her swollen belly to ease the ache.

The pain was so strong, almost crippling! But she refused to spare the time. In haste she trampled through the empty library, her eyes instinctively looking up at the balcony for Altair , almost praying he would emerge from between the bookshelves to protect her even though she knew he would not.

Adah whipped around to the thin gated door she’d just run into when the sounds of clanking armor echoed with the wind. She held a hand over her mouth to quiet her gasping breath. Gathering her nerve, she wobbled up the steps to the garden entrance and pushed through the rickety gate with only one destination in mind...

The Houri’s chamber.

Before she knew it she had pushed through the women’s door around the corner and slammed it shut, quickly dropping the wooden crossbar down into place to lock it shut. Adah’s hands clasped together and a silent prayer slipped past her lips as she backed away from the door in hope that the bar would hold should it be discovered.

Suddenly the weight of a hand fell on her right shoulder as another came around to clasp over her mouth to muffle the squeal.

“Do not scream...” whispered a soft feminine voice behind her ear. Adah nodded slowly and turned around as feelings of relief washed through her already frazzled nerves the second she locked eyes with Sameera.

“We are all so worried! You must tell us, what is happening out there? Are you alright?” Sameera questioned as she looked into Adah’s fear stricken eyes then down at the large wet stain drenching the red cloth covering Adah’s thighs.

Slowly Adah looked around the room at the familiar painted faces of the virgin women huddled together as they stared back at her from the corner of the room in fear. Suddenly she grabbed her stomach and cried out, leaning against the wall before slumping completely to her knees in pain. Sameera jolted down to her side and locked hands with one of Adah’s in a tight grip.

“Adah... I fear you are about to give birth, aren’t you?” Sameera asked timidly and glimpsed back to the other women with a worried expression after Adah managed to respond with a small nod. Sameera sighed, the uncertainty and hopelessness evident on her soft face. She looked down with wide eyes at Adah’s shaking fist in her hand as her friend tried to cope with what looked like an unbearable pain. Quickly she took off her thin white scarf and wrapped it around Adah’s shaking shoulders and held her tight to try and ease the torture she was trapped in.

“I-I do not know what to do...” Sameera finally admitted to break the silence.

After a long moment, Adah let out a heavy breath of her own and leaned forward against the woman before her for any kind of comfort she could get.

“Sameera, I’m so afraid! Outside... They dress in a way I have never seen, they are intent on searching for the Piece of Eden!” Adah cried in distress, gasping as her emotions overwhelmed her from the previous events just minutes before.

“Who are ‘they’?” Sameera asked as the nightmare began to envelope her too. Adah looked up through her watery filled eyes and shook her head, wincing from another small tremor of pain winding its way down her hips. “I do not know, but promise me...” she said as she looked into Sameera’s dark brown eyes glimmering with a small shimmer of light that resembled hope. “Promise me you will not leave me!”

Sameera’s grip tightened on Adah’s hand then placed her other on top of it and smiled with a small nod. Unfortunately the comforting moment between them did not last long however, when a loud crash and splinters of broken wood from the door crashed into the room from the kick of a heavily armored boot. Adah shrieked and darted directly to the farthest corner of the room with Sameera close at her heels in fright. They huddled together as the other women scattered about, screaming in terror.

Adah felt her heart drop to her feet when the room quickly filled with the men she prayed she’d left behind. Their armor clanked noisily as they rushed the room, several of them grabbing up the women roughly as they tried to flee and shoved them down to the floor near the door. Sameera and Adah watched together from their seated position in the corner as the same tall burly man with oddly blonde hair stepped into the room and surveyed the scene. His blue eyes stopped directly on her.

“Men! Line them up near the door... They will indeed sell for a hefty price!” Sébastien called out.

Adah stared up in surprise when she heard his words clearly spoken this time in her own language. Sameera crawled in front of Adah and spread her arms out to either side to shield Adah from his view as he approached. The man trekked forward and reached down to snatch Sameera from the corner by her arms, her bare feet kicking out from under her long white dress as she was dragged over the broken pieces of wood now littering the exit and towards the door. Wide hazel eyes remained glued to Sameera as she fought against the monster towering over her.

“Please no... We are mere virgins. We are sacred to the Brotherhood and would make poor slaves! We have never worked a day in our lives!” Sameera cried out as she stared this blue eyed man in face.

The man glanced over at Adah’s trembling form in the corner then back to Sameera. “Virgin? So I must look like a fool to you.”

“But it is the truth, I swear to you!” Sameera beseeched then tugged angrily to get away from his grip bruising both her upper arms from the rough, cold chainmail covering his hands.

“Then what do you have to say about her?!” he then snarled in her face, gesturing to the pregnant Adah wedged in the corner across from them, his eyes observing her changed physique. She said nothing until he called out for the other men to seize her young friend as well.

“NO! Do not touch her, please! She is not one of us!” Sameera shouted. His grip did not lessen and she spit in his face, her eyes then widening with fear at what she had just done.

“Spoiled wench, you dare to disgrace me? But why am I surprised? The barbaric Assassin’s of this city are all you have to learn from!”

He let loose a spiteful chuckle under his breath. “Well, where are they now? If you truly believe they will be able to save you once our Captain has seized the device from your Master then you underestimate the power it possesses.”

Sameera glowered at him, thrashing about in his grip to be released.

“The Holy Land will fall under the command of our Captain and your will shall no longer be your own once the orbs influence has taken control of your minds.” Sébastien continued with annoyance. “This little city and its pathetic self righteous rebellion will be burned to the ground by day break.”

“You cannot force the people to succumb to your belief’s...” Sameera disagreed in a hard voice.

“Ahhh but we can and the Piece of Eden gives us that right to do so. Unfortunately none of you will be here to witness that glorious moment when our Captain uses the device to overthrow King Richard and his belief in Christianity. So resist as you may but all of you will be returning with us to be sold to the highest bidder who, rest assured, will teach you to silence that loose tongue of yours...”

Sameera cringed when he dragged her up against him by a strong arm around her waist, the cold iron of his crimson armor rubbing harshly into her side.

Burying his nose into her neck as he pressed her tighter against him, he inhaled her scent and his fingers skimmed down to the cleft of her breasts. “Or I may just keep you for myself...”

“You disgust me... Release me now you BEAST!!!” raged Sameera loudly, her chestnut locks falling from her bun as she kicked violently against the dark armor covering his legs in vain.

Furious with her disobedience, his hand reared back and struck her hard against her cheek. The remaining Houri pooled together in silence on the floor at the door as the fiery woman raged on.

“I would rather let my soul ROT than be forced to serve the likes of you!” she snapped after a quick recovery.

Unable to stop herself, Sameera dragged her nails quickly down the right side of her attackers face, making sure to scratch his eye along her path. He reared back and cried out in alarm, still refusing to let her go. Fueled on instinct, Sameera reached down and pulled the small curved dagger from the strap at his thigh and raised it against him. His men behind him moved to grab the swords at their waist but stopped when their leader grabbed her wrist and twisted it tightly, the soft crushing sound of several bones permeating the air until she dropped the blade at his feet. Adah wept as she heard her friends cry of pain tear through the silence. The large brutish man grabbed Sameera’s neck, his grip becoming tighter until the sounds of her scream were reduced to silence.

“STOP!” Adah exclaim from across the room as her heart fell to her feet while her friends writhing gradually began to cease until Sameera’s hands released their grasp on his wrist to eventually fall limply at her sides...

Her mind was screaming for help from someone, anyone! Unable to force her legs to move, she wept as she watched the life drain from the young woman’s body from afar, little by little. The room was quiet as Sameera felt her vision begin to fade to black, her eyes flitting to Adah’s sorrowful expression one last time as a single tear slid from her eye...

Adah fell to her knees, the hurtful prick of the broken wood poking into her calves, but she barely noticed as her own tears poured freely from her eyes. Her friend was being murdered right before her eyes and all she could do was glare in shock as the world around her continued to crumble at her feet. And just like every other unfortunate event to happen in her life, Adah was powerless to stop it...

At last, the large hand around Sameera’s slim throat loosened its grip as the tall man slowly lowered her now lifeless body to the floor.

Blocking out the tremors of labor still wracking her body, Adah continued to stare on as if in a trance when that soft light of hopefulness from before faded completely from Sameera’s eyes just before Sébastien reached down to close those empty orbs.

“Such a waste...” Sébastien announced despondently as he picked up his dagger and stood, staring down at Sameera with a cold expression.

He turned around to face the other fearful women gripping each other tightly on the floor near his men’s feet, the sound of weeping filling the chamber.

“Let her be a lesson for the lot of you...” he then added before turning to head back out the door. “Gather them up and lead them out of this god forsaken place. The sooner the Captain gets the orb, the sooner we can head back to our homelands.”

One of the shorter men stepped forward, raising the iron visor at the front of his helm to speak without obstruction. “But sir! What about this one?”

The clatter of his boots stopped at Adah’s side and she cowered as he reached down to grasp her under the arm. She went limp and let herself be pulled. None of them had touched her so far, but right now she felt as though she had already been beaten as the devastation of Sameera’s death drained her psyche.

“The condition she is in only makes her more trouble than she is worth... Just bring her out here!” Sébastien called out as he exited the door and entered the garden.

Adah panicked as the heavily armored man began to tug her small form across the floor by her arm, her eyes locking on Sameera’s still body as she was dragged past and out the door. She was laid on the cold bristly grass when her arm was released, watching in tears and fright as the rest of the Houri were led out into the morning cold to face a terrible fate. A fresh shock of pain coursed up her back and stomach, forcing her to curl over once more, clutching her abdomen.

“Listen up!” Sébastien’s called to his men, his voice booming loudly across the garden. “The child this one carries undoubtedly belongs to an Assassin and if he’s still alive, he will come looking for her... And when he does, he will lead us directly to the orb.“

The short soldier stepped forward once more. “What if he is already dead?”

“Then it is simple. We will kill her...” he shrugged in response. “Now tie her up and we will use her as her bait.”

Adah’s hazel eyes met with Nadidah’s horrified expression as she sat opposite her across the grass. She looked on as Nadidah was forced to lie on her side while her hands and feet were bound with a thick rope behind her back.

Nadidah’s charcoal eyes stared back as she observed Adah’s shaking form then she gestured with her eyes towards the open gate of the fortress not far from where they sat. Adah looked confused for a moment until Nadidah became more urgent and made a small noise of desperation. Finally Adah glanced curiously at the soldier still tying Nadidah’s wrists before cautiously looking to gate as the other soldier’s tied the remaining Houri. Suddenly Adah scrambled up from the ground and darted through the passageway just as the blonde soldier turned back and noticed she was gone....


+++


Ducking the swing of a soldier’s long sword, Altair quickly sidestepped him before the soldier could regain his footing. With steps as fluid as his movement, he then darted behind the soldier and kicked back of the fighter’s knee to force him to the ground. The adrenaline roared through Altair ’s ears as the forgotten stimulant of adrenalin during battle ignited every nerve within his body. The minute the soldier fell to his knees, Altair jammed the length of his blade down through the soldier’s armored shoulder, severing it deep into the chest. The agonizing cry of the man at his feet went unheard as it mended with the city noise.

Jerking his scimitar free, Altair gave a quick survey of the battle behind him. His men were still holding strong as the invading army’s numbers were being diminished slowly but surely. But even as he watched the fiercest of fighters fall around him, his mind couldn’t resist wandering to the woman he was forced to abandon when she needed him the most.

Altair growled in frustration. Searching for Adah now was not an option. Plus leaving his men to fend off the intruders alone in order to secure the safety of the orb at the fortress could lead to disaster for the people of the city.

In effort to contain the menace for now, Altair took off towards the nearest home standing by the gate. Sliding the sharp blade of his scimitar between his teeth, he then climbed up the side to the roof. Once he crested the top, he reached over his shoulder and threw his short blade towards the thick rope pegged to the ground that held the tall wooden gates open, cutting it clean through.

“SEAL THE GATES!!” he called to his archers still picking off the heavily armored soldiers from their perch above in their respective towers on either side of the entrance.

If these men were foolish enough to storm into a city dominated by Assassin’s then they must be just as foolish to think they would leave these gates alive. He then called out to Malik who jumped down from his perch above where he’d scrambled up for a better vantage point with the archers.

Altair slid down from the rooftop quickly with ease and promptly instructed Malik to find Adah. Whether that meant overturning the entire fortress, he honestly didn’t care. He had to find her before it was too late... Assuming it wasn’t already.

He watched with scimitar held tightly in hand as Malik darted off and grabbed a handful of Assassin’s to assist him in his search while the rest continued to defend the city that was their home.

Before the archers could lock the gates into place, the heavy wooden logs suddenly tore open, knocking them off their bindings as a large brown steed galloped inside. The racket of splintering wood forced the confrontation before the gates to come to a grinding halt as fighters of both sides paused to examine the scene.

Altair turned and stared as a broad shouldered man, strapped head to toe in battle worn armor of black and gold hopped down from the horse. He frowned under his white hood as he caught sight of the heavy spiked mace strapped to the man’s waist.

Flanked by another large group of what appeared to be more of these foreign soldier’s, he immediately began issuing orders from behind his iron helm. “Continue to scour the city! Leave not one home or dungeon unsearched and by the end of this day, the Piece of Eden WILL rest in my hands!”

Altair slipped back behind the home near the gates and scaled his way up to the roof, slinking quietly along the rooftops. His mind was working feverishly as all the pieces he’d found over the last month slowly began to mix together and a malevolent smirk pulled at his rounded lips. Had the elusive man he had been searching for all this time just stepped boldly into his fortress? Could he truly be this willing to throw his life away and walk willingly into his own coffin? Then so be it. Altair took a deep breath as a futile attempt to calm the rush of anger and frustration that had festered inside him all these months of endless searching only to come up empty handed.

The grin faded from his face as Altair felt his knuckles crack around the hilt of the scimitar still held firmly in his grasp. His eyes focused solely on the man below him that was hastily issuing orders as his usually calm demeanor melted away and his emotions boiled into that only known as hatred. He knew he should never hold a grudge or feel anger or resentment towards his targets, but this man had done more than threaten his own life. He’d threatened his fortress, his men, and what little loved ones he did possess.

Slowly the man in black and gold moved down from his horse and took the large spiked mace from his waist and stepped forward, the clank of his heavy armor sounding with each step.

“Wait!” he called out with a raised glove. stopping his soldiers one final time. “Be on your guard. The Master of the Assassin’s lurks somewhere within that fortress atop the hill... I want you to bring him to me.”

He then pointed in several directions as the group of soldier’s behind him then split off into different groups to fight their way in and begin their search.

Altair stabbed the tip of the scimitar into the wood of the roof below his feet and felt the tenants of his Creed trickle off his shoulders like the heat of the sun beaming down upon him on a hot day.

Once the soldier’s were dispatched, the man in black proceeded up the path to the fortress, his mace held firmly out at his side. It appeared he may have underestimated the Assassin’s of Masyaf. More than half of his men were already dead... A creak from above one of the small home’s lining the path managed to capture his attention. He stopped, listening for the same sound as his uncertainty urged him to twirl the spiked mace at his side to prepare for an attack.

After dipping into the shadow of the homes chimney that was cast from the rising sun, a pair of golden brown eyes stared down over the roofs edge, locking again onto the portentous figure in black.

Upon hearing no further response, the now uneasy man resumed his path towards the fortress, his pace slowed to remain on high alert.

Now was his chance. Hurriedly stepping out from the shadows, Altair leapt from the edge of the rooftop with a practiced grace as the tiny shink of his hidden blade sprang from the gauntlet of his extended wrist.

+++

Gasping as several pains shot down her side and underneath her swollen belly, Adah called out for help as she struggled into the city through the townsfolk scattering about in fear. Her calls for help went unheard while she clutched at her side. Hoping to lose any pursuers from the fortress in the crowd, she wobbled about and held herself up against anything crossing her path. She couldn’t stop. To protect herself and unborn, she must keep going, must keep fighting! The tears leaking down her cheeks dried in the cold air as she tore through the city, thinking of only Altair and the aggressive pain wrenching into her side.

Suddenly the idea of running anywhere wasn’t as appealing as it was a few minutes ago.

She lost her footing and fell to her knees from the pain that was growing constant. Her eyes darted in every direction, praying to catch a glimpse of Altair among the scattered Assassin’s far off near the entrance gates as they continued to let loose on a killing spree. She skid to the left to avoid the commotion and entered the residential district, slipping between two houses and running straight for the back door at her right. Hopefully someone was home, God help her she prayed that someone was not too afraid to come to the door! Her nails clawed at the dried wood of the old rickety door, her screams for help all but shallow winded cries as she pounded on the door in fear. Suddenly it lurched open to her shock and she collapsed on the cold living room tile.

When Adah looked up and locked eyes with the last woman she expected to see at this door, it was as if the chaos outside had gone quiet as the cries of the city in panic now fell on deaf ears. Adah grit her teeth and closed her eyes as the ever present promise of misfortune reared its ugly head the moment she realized that yet again, she ran for that old rickety house at the bottom of the hill that was once Bushra’s home. To her dismay, the incident between her and this woman flashed before her eyes like so many other forcibly forgotten memories that resurfaced no matter how hard she tried to forget... It was the same woman who told her shoo and that she had no money to support a common whore.

Of all people to run into in her most dire time of need, of course it would be none other than her... She did not know this woman, nor had she ever cared to. But yet again it appeared fate’s ridiculously wicked sense of humor was going to make sure it had a last laugh before this horrifying night would ever come to an end.

She gripped the wet fabric below her stomach and wept on the floor of this stranger’s home, feeling as though the world too, was turning its back on her just the way everyone else had done her entire life. Although this time she wasn’t going to allow it, couldn’t stand by and watch it crumble to sand, seep between her fingers and toes and blow away with the next passing wind.

She’d already lost Sameera and with the danger skulking around outside these walls, Altair ’s soul could very well be drifting somewhere right alongside Sameera’s for all she knew... But if she did not get help from this woman, her and this child would follow right behind them.

Adah brought her slick hand to her face to see the odd liquid from her dress in more light and frowned as a small tear trickled off the end of her nose. This child was coming and time was running out for them both.

“I need your help...” Adah strained out in a small voice, forcing her spiteful emotions and pride aside for the time being. Now was not the time to care what this woman thought of her seeing as there was someone much more important in need of this woman’s help to be brought into this world.

Slowly the short, seemingly bitter older woman looked Adah over all the while keeping her distance, her unfeeling eyes raking over the young woman’s shaking form. The poor thing seemed thoroughly terrified and was clutching underneath her enlarged stomach as she struggled to regulate her breath.

It was better not to get involved... Masyaf was being attacked right before their eyes and now a strange girl was laying on her floor in distress, ready to give birth at any moment. She moved to back further away, but made a start when Adah reached out and grabbed her ankle.

“Please... I’ve no one left! Do not abandon me too...”

To her relief, the woman’s frown softened. After the longest moment, she sighed and crawled down next to her. She grasped Adah’s hand in her own after giving her a small nod and said, “You certainly could not have picked a more terrible time for your birthing knots to break...”

“It is not as if I had a choice.” Adah groaned out, grimacing as another labor pain zipped up her side.

The woman’s olive stare scanned Adah’s face as she brushed several stray wet strands of hair away out of her eyes. “There is something very familiar about you... Where have I seen you before?”

Quickly Adah turned to her in puzzlement then winced. If she did not remember that dreadful occurrence, then she certainly was not going to jog her memory. Besides now was not the time.

“What is your name?”

“Ah-Adah,” she choked out with a strained breath and cast her eyes downward. “And I am sorry, but you must be mistaken... We have never met.”

She frowned under the woman’s probing eyes searching her closely, reminding her of a certain Assassin that often did the same and she averted her eyes.

“Very well, I am Hessa.”

Suddenly Adah cried out and the woman snapped back to her senses not a second too soon. The ache in Adah’s lower belly was slicing her down the middle.

“Listen, you must do as I say. I want you to lay back now and do not move from this spot!” Hessa ordered.

Adah watched when Hessa then jumped up from the floor to lock the back door and disappeared behind a long ornately designed rug that covered the passage to the kitchen at the head of the house. Before she knew it, the woman soon emerged not moments later with several large white cloths, two small bottles filled with what looked like some medicinal herbs, and a small wooden pale filled with fresh water.

Adah began to writhe on the floor from the pain, wiggling when the woman forced her to lay back and once she knew what was to come next she cried out, “Wait! On second thought, I do not think I am ready for this! It is too soon.”

The woman sat at her legs and reached down to shove Adah’s dress up past her knees, forcing her squirming thighs up and apart. “Most of the time we never are. Thankfully I have done this many times before in my family as I was growing up. You’ll do fine.”

Willing herself to do as she was told, Adah closed her eyes and tried to relax when the press of a cool, wet cloth was dabbed to her forehead. She forced herself to take several deep breaths and felt a cloth being draped over her thighs then bunched up around her hips as she lay lax over the cool tile beneath her. But the calm moment was short lived and almost immediately everything below her belly button curled up into knots and wound up her lower back.

She let out a harsh shriek.

Hessa’s brow wrinkled, gnawing at her lower lip with worry when Adah’s body went taut. “It appears your time may have come sooner than we thought. Now I am sure you will hate to hear this, but I will not lie to you, Adah. This will not be an easy task and I just pray that you are capable of pushing when I say. ”

Adah’s eyes closed tight and she grit her teeth in pain. This is just the beginning?! Never would she have imagined this would cause so much pain! If only she could go back to a time when all this began, before that night in Jerusalem to tell herself to steer clear of the Bureau where she’d caved in and gave herself to Altair . She heard Hessa’s voice ordering her to push, but she just couldn’t. It felt like her back was being stabbed at an angle and the knife was twisting its way through her front. Her fists balled up in the cloth beneath her, shaking with stress.

Hessa reached forward and grabbed her chin, Adah’s eyes popping open to make her focus. “You must do as I instruct! Now brace down on your lower body and try to push the child out, Adah. It is the only way.”

“I cannot do this! It hurts!” Adah wailed, wanting nothing more than to close her legs and curl over on her side again.

“Look, this child needs your help whether you want to or not! If you think this is difficult now, not pushing is going to make this much worse!” Hessa argued with a stern expression. For this child to be coming so soon, it was a wonder that this young girl managed to land at her doorstep at a time like this. The city outside was teeming with danger, yet she knew if she could make it this far, she would survive this too.

Adah began to sob, her chin quivering from the terror and frustration of the past events. She just could not do this! Her body was shuddering with an unrivaled pain and even still her mind kept wandering to thoughts of Sameera. She had always hoped to be here when the time came... And now she was gone and what’s worse, she had not even had a moments respite to grieve for her!

But she had to do it, for her unborn and for Altair ... Enough time had gone by already since this began and Hessa was right. The more she hesitated, the worse it became. After a long moment of debating within herself, Adah finally pushed herself up and tried desperately to tighten her muscles and push as Hessa had instructed.

At first it seemed as though nothing was happening and this had all been a dramatic waste of time and energy that Adah was running out of. She groaned in frustration, ready to throw it all away when slowly but surely, the sensation of something within began to move and tear at her insides little by little. She swore it felt like her insides were burning!

Hessa continued to urge her on, her own excitement building as she prepared herself at Adah’s open legs for the birth.

Adah’s back went rigid as the torturous pain seemed to heighten to a new level unseen with every push. She just wanted someone to lull this horrendous pain away no matter what they must do.

“You are doing well, very well.“ Hessa encouraged. Her hands gripped Adah’s wriggling knees to help hold the girl still as she tried with all her might to bring this baby into the world.

“Push Adah, push!”

“I am trying!!” Adah snapped. But every time she pushed, the more tired she became.

By now Adah was almost to the point of bawling with each heart wrenching spasm. The breaks between contractions that she had been gifted with earlier were practically nonexistent now. Her spine seemed to twist with agony and she screeched as she fought to shove the child from within.

Just when Adah thought she could not take anymore, Hessa’s face brightened and she smiled. “Oh, I can see it! You can do it, you must hurry Adah!”

Giving it her all, Adah gave one final push and collapsed to the floor, struggling to regain her breath as the pain that had been threatening to wrench her insides into smaller pieces these past few hours slowly began to subside.

Hessa’s smile widened, her olive eyes lighting up now that she was finally able to tug the small screaming infant from its surprisingly quiet mother.

“Marhaba, little one!” she exclaimed excitedly and laid the baby a top a soft, already prepared cloth. Immediately Hessa grabbed the small bottles and extra cloths to work diligently at cleaning the tiny baby up. “Adah... Come take a look at your son!”

Slowly she looked back to Adah’s still form when she heard no response. “Adah?”

She paused, her eyes growing wide with worry the moment she looked down and saw the dark stain of blood spreading all too quickly along the cloth from beneath the young girl’s legs.

+++

To Be Continued...

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the final chapter to Addiction coming soon!

The Rusty Peach