Fork in the Road (Altair/Assassins Creed)

Chapter Sixteen

Hana's eyes widened in awe when she and Altair stepped into the streets of Jerusalem and out from the cover of the Scholar's. Although the Poor District was dirt ridden, it was still an amazing sight to behold for everything was so new and exciting to her.

"Watch out!" The Master Assassin grabbed hold of her sleeve and pulled her out of the way of an oncoming cart seconds before it ran Hana over. The cart owner was quickly running after it, obviously he had been knocked out of the way by a vagrant and lost control of the cart.

The copper haired female looked up at Altair thankfully, before continuing to look around her. She hopped over a pile of muck before following the Master Assassin through the streets and down an alleyway so that they could climb onto the rooftops without anyone taking notice of them.

She was happy that he gave her time to look around, not only to get her bearings of the city but to feed her curiosity of the districts. He would even point things out to her, "You see that tower up ahead?" He asked, pointing to a large cathedral with grand circular windows. "It took me hours to climb to the top, and once there, I slipped – luckily I fell into a hay cart beneath."

"You could have died!" She exclaimed.

"I could have." He agreed.

"How did you hold on for so long?"

"Practice." He replied easily, "Back in Masyaf, have you been to the Tower of Faith?" He questioned, to which Hana nodded picturing the tower with the three leap platforms. "At the bottom there is a pole to walk across which leads up to a watch tower. Rather than walk across it, I climb beneath it."

"But if you let go, you'd fall to your death."

"Well, that's how I trained myself not to let go." He moved off again, leaping across to another roof and waiting for her when she did the same and stopped to look down at the colourful bazaar down below them in the square.

But it wasn't until they were at the top of the Bureau did Hana realise the reason why the Master Assassin was patient with her on their way to the Bureau. She remembered the story of Solomon's Temple, and she remembered who Altair had said the Jerusalem Dai was.

Altair was stalling his meeting with Malik.

Perhaps she should lead the way, or just go in first and see Malik before Altair went in to see him. Or maybe Altair wanted to speak with Malik first without Hana there?

She turned to face the Master Assassin, "Do you want to go in first?" She asked.

He looked up from the gap in the roof, and turned to look at her before shaking his head, "You go in." He said, "I will return later, I have somewhere I'd like to go first."

She nodded her head before descending into the Bureau, and by the time she had turned around to look back up at the Master Assassin, he was no longer standing above her. She took a deep breath before rounding the corner into the main room, to be greeted with a calm, and handsome face. "Hello?" She asked timidly.

Malik looked up, and a small smile appeared on his face, "Ah, you must be Hana? Safety and peace."

She nodded her head in confirmation, and walked further into the room when he gestured for her to take a seat at the small table. "Yes, safety and peace. I'm here with-"

"-Altair." He finished the sentence for her, nodding because he had already known. "I understand you were partnered with him on your last mission."

"Unexpectedly." She said, "But yes."

"And how has he treated you?"

"Better than most others have. He's defended me and supported me when they have not." She replied honestly, hoping that her good words would make Malik change the topic at hand, and he would give her some advice on how to manage her way through the districts.

Malik appeared to be surprised of her words, "I'll be honest with you, Hana. I do not like him. But that does not mean I will have you be in danger, or leave you to figure things out on your own if you are stuck. If you need anything while you are here, anything at all, do not be afraid to ask for it."

"Thank you, Malik." She smiled appreciatively of his words. "Altair said that you would be kind to me."

"You thought I would be like others?"

She shrugged, feeling awkward all of a sudden. "Jabal wasn't very accepting or encouraging towards me, so I asked Altair if you and the other Rafik would be the same. He gave me reassurance that Jabal would be the worst. He said that, although you two did not see eye to eye, you would not treat me the same merely for working with him. He said you are more honourable than that."

"Eye to eye." He scoffed and rolled his eyes, Hana felt herself tensing a little. "It is more than that, Hana. It's best not to get in between us."

"I won't." She said awkwardly, hoping that the conversation would end there.

He raised an eyebrow at her tone, "You have already spoken to Altair about Solomon's Temple."

"I did not ask." She replied honestly, tensing up a little more at his statement. She really didn't want to get into what had happened between them, it was none of her business and she did not wish to get off on the wrong foot with the Dai. "He asked if I had heard the story, to which I said that I did. I do not meddle in things which do not concern me. I do not like confrontation, so I ignore it along with any jibes that come my way."

"And you are right too." Malik replied, "If Altair did the same and did not rise to the occasion, then he would have been a completely different man. A good man."

She did not say anything as a response, for she wished the conversation to turn to something else. She wanted the Dai to be in a good mood for when Altair arrived, "Altair said you're a cartographer? May I see some of your work?"

Malik smiled, appreciating the fact that she wanted to see his work, "Of course," He waved his one hand to bring her towards his counter before he ducked underneath to grab a book that held the contents of his work inside. "Are you interested in Cartography?"

She shrugged, "I don't know." She replied, "It sounds interesting, but I don't actually know what it is. I can't read or write, but I like looking at new things."

"Cartography is the study and practice of making maps." Malik stated, opening up a large book where many maps had been bound into place. "I've done many for Jerusalem. Here-" He handed one over to her. "You do not need to read or write to understand them, I promise you. They display an accurate layout of the city in case you need to find your way. Put it in your pocket; keep it."

She looked at the piece with a smile on her face, "It must've taken you a long time to complete, thank you."

"They do." He replied, "When you've finished your assignment here, I will give you one for Damascus and another for Acre. If you like, I can make one for Kingdom for you? I know a lot of Novice's tend to get lost on their travels. I know I did a few times."

"That would be very kind of you, Malik. Thank you." She looked at the work he had done in the book and frowned down at the small words, "What does it say?" She asked.

"I've labelled the different Districts," He informed her, pointing each separate one. "And there are a few places you can go to hide if you cannot get back to the Bureau through an injury. We have allies in these places; someone will be able to contact me through a messenger to let me know where you are. It is too late now, but perhaps tomorrow I will go through the map with you and help you read it."

"Thank you, Malik." She smiled softly, "Altair's tried to help me read, but he doesn't have a lot of patience-"

He waved a dismissive hand, "-It's fine." He said, "As long as you know where you are going and who can help you, word will reach me somehow." He pointed towards a bowl of fruit and a jug of water on the table that she had been sitting at previously, "Now rest, you must be tired from your journey. There is plenty of food if you're hungry, and help yourself to more water."

Hana was more than happy to sit down at the table, especially when she spotted a couple of oranges sitting in the bowl.