Fork in the Road (Altair/Assassins Creed)

Chapter 22

They soon approached a small village, although, not the same one as they had stopped in on their way into Jerusalem. Hana looked at the map Malik had made for her to see if this one was safe to stop in. It wasn't.

"We can't stop here, can we?"

"No." Altair replied, although he continued to steer his horse in the direction of the stables.

Hana frowned, "Then why are we going towards it?"

"We left before the horses had breakfast this morning." He replied, "We should stop for a short time so that they can eat some hay and drink some water." He glanced towards her, "And see if there are any red helmets for you to practice on."

She was nervous now, Malik – although he hadn't told her any scary stories about the unmarked villages on the map – had told her that they weren't safe. "But..." She bit her lip nervously, "Will the horses not last until we reach the next village?"

"They will." He replied, "But it's kinder on them if we stop now, then their breakfast is only half an hour later than their usual time."

So stop they did, and Hana took the opportunity to try and read some of the book that Altair had given her to practice with. She struggled, and although the Master Assassin helped her when she asked – he was quite impatient with her. Which he wasn't oblivious to the fact that she had noticed. Hana decided not to ask for his help any longer, worrying that she would really get on his nerves and they would argue. No, she did not wish for that to happen!

In any case, she barely got to the end of the second page before they found themselves running away from a large group of Saracens. Doors were suddenly slammed shut as they were pursued through the streets.

"Follow me closely." Altair informed her, "And whatever you do, do not engage in combat. There are many of these guards, and they come swarming like ants to replace the ones that have fallen."

She nodded her response, not wanting to waste her breath speaking when it was needed for running. She followed the Master Assassin along the streets, now understanding why Malik said this town wasn't safe for stopping in. Not only were there many guards, but the villagers were incredibly self-preserved and every single door was shut to them. They couldn't even dart into a tavern and lose the guards by exiting from a window in one of the many rooms!

Hana panted, they had been running with the Saracens hot on their heels for what felt like hours even though it had only been a few mere minutes! But that was when the inevitable happened.

Altair shot down an alleyway – pushing a mad man out of the way and dodging women carrying clay pots - and Hana was a little too far behind him to get past them before the mad man was back on his feet. He shrieked and grumbled something audible, but completely indistinguishable before his bony arms shot out and Hana was pushed backwards and into the woman leading the tribe of pot carriers. She heard the pot smash seconds before she and the other woman tumbled to the ground. Luckily, the woman was unharmed, but had obviously not seen how Hana had been rudely shoved into her. She raised a finger to blame her of the actions caused.

"Watch where you're going!"

Hana tried to push her way past the mad man once more, but to no avail! She was shoved once more, this time into a second clay potted woman, and then into the wall. The women then fled the scene upon noticing the guards running into the alleyway with their swords drawn.

Hana gasped and made a bid to follow, but the vagrant shoved her backwards and into the oncoming Saracens! She squealed, but it was no use. The man would simply not let her pass! Having no other option but to disobey the Master Assassin, Hana drew her sword and turned to face the fifteen guards running towards her.

Her heart pounded in her ears; she was so badly outnumbered that she felt herself quaking in her boots. She swallowed what little saliva she had in her dry mouth to try and moisten it, but nothing. The late-teen then raised her blade up against the one coming down upon her, seconds before the guard fell at her feet – a small blade protruding out of his neck. Three more dropped like flies before they could reach her, and Hana took the opportunity that Altair had given her, to barge her way past the mad man, he pushed her back twice more before she was finally able to slip past him.

Hana panted for breath as she scrambled up the side of the building, spotting Altair's form standing on the edge of the rooftop throwing knives at the Saracens who tried to climb up the side of the brick. She dived inside the first roof garden she could find, to which the Master Assassin joined her not a moment sooner.

"I told you not to engage in combat!" Altair scolded her in a harsh whisper from the safety of the roof garden.

"I know." She replied, feeling tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, but I panicked! A man got in the way and I couldn't get past to follow you, then he shoved me into a woman carrying a pot and I knocked her over, and he just kept pushing me back – they were right behind me and I couldn't-"

He cut off her words by placing a gloved hand over her mouth, "Please, stop talking." He sighed and removed his hand, "I know some villagers are stupid and it's frustrating, but they are innocents. You cannot blame them for-"

"-But it was their fault!" She defended herself again. Upon noticing a different expression curl at Altair's lip, the younger girl knew that she was putting herself in the dangerous position of arguing with the known short-tempered Master Assassin. She did not want her potential friendship with him to be ruined... nor did she want to argue, she hated arguing. "I'm sorry." She hung her head ashamedly, "It won't happen again."

"No." He agreed in a stern tone, "It won't."