Hawks and Eagles

A Hawk's Honor

It was late evening when the city of al-Rahman was bristled by chaos. The guards were on high alert, the bells in every tower resounding throughout every corner, the streets filled with the shouts of the people. You climbed onto the rooftop of the safe house, crouching forward until you reached the edge. The guards were in the distance, someone having caught their rage.

Then your eyes caught sight of him, standing against a wall in some alleyway's shadow, his eyes locked on yours. Altaïr gripped his leg, dark red seeping between his fingers, staining the white of his vestments. You scanned the area around him, your abilities as an Assassin alerting you to the encroaching guards. You would have to draw their ire away from both the safe house and Altaïr.

You ducked back into the comforts of home and grabbed the composite bow from its case. You grabbed no less than ten arrows and made your way back to the rooftop. It would be unwise to kill them so close to home, unwise to let yourself be seen by them, but there was little choice now.

You leapt across the rooftops towards the clamouring of guard armor, finding that there were only six of them on Altaïr's trail. There were more, somewhere else in the district but these were the only ones that mattered for now. Once they were out of the way, you could safely harbor Altaïr away in the Bureau.

You stood tall on the corner of the building, breathed evenly before letting loose the first arrow which cleanly pierced through his skull. The guards froze briefly before they scattered but not before your next arrow took down the second guard. One of them managed to spot your presence and he alarmed the others moments before you released your third arrow, aiming too low and piercing only his abdomen. Your second arrow hit him before he hit the ground, ending his suffering.

The remaining three rushed at the foot of the building, ducking beneath the scaffolding nearby. You patiently waited, knowing that one of them would grow bold enough to make an attempt to kill you. An archer was amongst them and he was the first to be bold, leaning out to take aim. You were faster, drawing back your bowstring and letting it slap freely. The arrow hit his heart and made desperate men of the last two. They both leapt out and made attempts to climb up the building towards your position. You managed to take out one with an arrow, the other having climbed onto the building with you.

His short sword was drawn but he didn't get the chance to use it. You grabbed his wrist, pulling him fastly forward, grappling his neck, and sinking the hidden blade securely into his spine. His death was quiet and clean, and you gently laid him at your feet.

You hesitated, examining the orderly destruction, before leaping down to find Altaïr. He had moved from his spot in the alley, shuffling his way down the dusty street towards the safe house, blood smearing across the stone walls he leaned against.

You jerked his arm around your neck, bow clenched awkwardly in your hand, and hauled him down the road. You almost muttered your irritations but quickly swallowed them. He thought you were a brother, a fellow Assassin of some kind. He was about to be rudely awakened to the truth. But for now, you had to get him safely inside. You had to get yourself inside and your home off of the guard's radar.

Altaïr grunted, shoving you away once you reached the alley next to the Bureau. He bared his clenched teeth, forcing himself to painfully scale the wall, his bleeding leg slipping out beneath him a few times, his arms straining to make up the difference.

Stubborn, you shook your head.

You easily jumped along the cracks and crevices, reaching the top before him. You turned around and pulled the disgruntled Assassin by the hand and steadied him back on his feet, despite his under-breathed griping.

"I did not need your help," Altaïr excused as he limped towards the opening in the roof.

You huffed, hardly surprised at his arrogance, and too bitter to hide your identity from him any longer. You jerked down your scarf, spitting, "You nearly led an entire watch of guardsmen to my doorstep and you dare pretend you had everything under control."