Fork in the Road (Altair/Assassins Creed)

Chapter 8

"Get up, brother!" Altair's Target growled, "You have had my whores, in my bed, now get up! I have news!"

The grunt from above them, signified that the man was awake, "What?"

"I fought with an assassin yesterday." Hana held her breath, she knew what was coming next, "It was a woman. A young one at that."

"Really?" They felt weight shifting above them as the fat man rolled onto his side. Altair grunted into the female's shoulder when he felt the man's elbow through the mattress, in the centre of his back. "I take it you've caught her?"

"I was going to bring her here and enjoy her." He said, "But she escaped. I don't think she's after my blood."

"Then why would she be here?" Fatty demanded, "Who else could she be after?"

"You, brother."

"Why didn't you inform me of this during our meeting this morning?"

"Because I saw her in the Rich District no longer than thirty minutes ago, crossing the rooftops. She's obviously heard about your move from your shithole in the Poor District. I'd never forget hair as red as flame."

Her Target chuckled from above them, "A red head? How exotic! Let her come." He stated, "If she has a nice face, I'll lay her down and ride her before she has the chance to draw her blades."

The other Target chuckled, "Why do you think I was going to bring her here and not put her with the other slaves?"

The mattress suddenly heaved as a pair of bare feet appeared before the two assassins under the bed. The two brothers chuckled before the youngest dressed and they left the room. After waiting a few moments to ensure that the two had gone, Altair pushed his weight off of Hana so they could scramble out from underneath the bed and stretch their limbs.

The female couldn't meet the gaze of the Master Assassin, and she blushed once again. She adjusted her robes and turned for the door, but she stopped when the latch lifted. It was then that she noticed the cloak that the man had removed still laying on the floor by the bed.

As the door was pushed open, she was too slow in joining the Master Assassin in hiding, as a thick hand grabbed hold of her robes - pulling her backwards.

"Well, well, well..." But it was the voice of Altair's Target that spoke against her ear. "You came to visit my brother a little too keenly. Although you are in my chambers..."

She brought her elbow up, right into his gut. Stomping on his foot and spinning out if his grip, Hana landed a good punch to his jaw before kicking him right in his chest - knocking him backwards, and onto the bed.

"A little eager for me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he rubbed his sore jaw.

Although he wasn't as big as her Target, Hana realised that his weight would still trap Altair underneath the bed. Her distraction gave the man the opportunity to reach forwards and drag her onto the bed with him, and Hana grunted in pain when his fingers clawed at her hood and robes - catching her skin and leaving marks trailing from her cheek, down her neck and as low as the top of her bound chest. There was the unmistakable sound of ripping fabric, and cold air caused her bare abdomen to shiver.

"I want to see your face while I fuck you." He sneered, his hands grabbing her by her knees to pry her legs apart. As she went to kick him, he caught her by her foot - turning her leg outwards and down as he pushed himself between her thighs.

Hana began to panic, her rapid breathing was evident of that. She reached backwards towards the side if the bed - the man was too strong for her! She needed to free Altair! - hauling herself off the side after clamping her thighs around the Templar, Hana dropped them both onto the floor. She caught the back of her head on the stone, which gave the Templar the opportunity to grab the waistline of her breeches. From the blurred vision Hana had, a white figure stood over the Templar. There was a flash of silver and crimson, and all of a sudden the weight on top of her had gone.

Altair brushed a white feather across the man's bleeding neck and put it safely inside the pouch in his belt. He then came to the females side, and helped her sit up, "Are you alright?" He asked, gently.

Hana nodded and reached up to touch the scratches on her face and those that could be seen from her torn robes, before clutching her throbbing head. "I'm glad it was your Target and not fatty."

And then the door opened, "It's just a cloak, brother! What's taking you so-"

He caught sight of the two assassins, and the pool of blood in which his brother was laying in and opened his mouth to call for the guards - but quicker than Hana had ever believed she had moved in her entire life – she had drawn and launched a throwing knife at the man and watched as it embedded in his forehead.

Her eyes widened to match his, shocked at how good her aim had been and as he sunk to his knees and fell onto his face, dead.

She was incredibly impressed with herself, but knew a shot like that was certainly by pure luck and would probably never happen again.

Hana swayed a little, dizzy from the knock on her head, but managed to pull a feather from her pouch as she stumbled to her feet and crouched before her Target to stain the pure white plume crimson.

"We need to leave now." Altair stated, pulling the female onto her feet.

She nodded her agreement, she could see double with her vision, and she couldn't do anything but watch as he struggled to drag the body of her Target far enough out of the way so that he could close the door to the chambers. He took her by her elbow and turned for the window, peering out of the frame to look both up and down.

"It's quicker to climb." He frowned then, turning back to look at the female carefully, his palms on either side of her face as he stared deep into her eyes before pulling back her hood to touch the lump on the back of her head. "Jabal should have something for you when we return to the Bureau, for now drink some water." He handed her the flask from his own belt, as he turned to look out of the window once more. "Even if we stop in a roof garden for your dizziness to pass, we must leave this mansion now."

So leave they did, Altair attaching his flask back to his belt before he hopped onto the windowsill, pulling himself onto the first, second, third handhold, before he pulled himself onto the flat roof. Hana followed, slowly, the Master Assassin managing to grab hold of her forearm before her hand slipped on the bricks.

The female's head was swimming - throbbing painfully. She felt nauseous from her injuries and from taking another life; she was tense from her near rape experience; cold from her torn robes; yet warm from the hold Altair had on her.

They ducked into the first roof garden they came across just as bells began to toll in the distance. She held her head in her hands and rested them on her knees. She felt the Master Assassin gently touch the back of her head once more, "Unfortunately we cannot move until the bells stop tolling," He began, "On another note, we still have the supplies Jabal had packed for us this morning."