Fork in the Road (Altair/Assassins Creed)

Chapter 65

Hana sat within the haystack of the ramparts, situated within the turret of the Tower of Faith. After her conversation with the Mentor, she had taken his advice to seriously consider the proposal from Altaïr.

She remembered that he had asked her in the infirmary, and she realized that he must have gone to the Mentor to offer the same upon his abrupt exit.

Hana now understood that her feelings for the man ran deeper than she had thought. Feeling that hollowness inside of her, when Al Mualim had merely asked her how she would feel if Altaïr were to marry another... Hana dreaded to think how she would truly feel if that news were true.

She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes, before letting out a huff in frustration. She wanted to marry the Master Assassin. She knew that now... but there was part of her that felt that Altaïr deserved more than what she could give, even if she was still a virgin.

But he had told her that he loved her.

Hana allowed herself to close her eyes and imagine a home with herself and Altaïr. She knew how safe she felt with him when they made camp on the road, and she smiled upon realising that their home together would be one huge sanctuary for the both of them. She imagined kissing him by their door as he left on assignment, and greeting him the same way when he returned. She imagined sharing a bed with him, lying side by side and being able to kiss him again and again, knowing that they would be safe from gossip, rumors, and she would be without shame. Hana imagined giving herself to him, knowing that he would be kind and gentle with her and she felt her body relaxing under his imaginary touch.

Opening her eyes, Hana was disappointed when she was once again alone in the dark ramparts. She lay back in the hay, propping herself up against the stone wall and sighed.

As if he had known that she had been thinking of him, the familiar robes of the Master Assassin appeared at the top of the ladder and Altaïr pulled himself to his feet and made his was towards her.

"Where are you off too?" Hana asked, referring to the travel bag that dangled from his shoulder.

"I'm not." He said, allowing the bag to dangle from his fingertips as he held it out towards her. "I thought I might find you here."

Frowning, Hana took the outstretched bag from him, and peered inside. Looking up at him gratefully when there was a folding up blanket, some bread, a water skin, and an orange.

"Thank you."

He sat quietly in the hay beside her, waiting for her to finish her food before he spoke. "Al Mualim told me that you saw him this morning."

She nodded, "I did."

"He said that he told you of my offer. Are you now considering me?"

"I am." She murmured, her face heating.

"He told me... of what you said." He began, "How you would feel if I were to marry another, and I wish to tell you that I would feel the same way if you were to accept Darim or... Abbas."

"You would?" She looked to her right, where he sat in the hay beside her.

"I would." He nodded. "Now, I am not here to sway your mind in my favor, however, I must respond to your reasons of denying me. You believe me to be proposing because I feel guilt over what happened at the inn, however, I already told you months ago, that I thought you interesting when we first met. I was sent to find you and you were listening to a musician on a rooftop in Damascus. My feelings for you have grown considerably stronger since then. I am undeniably in love with you, Hana. You say that you feel dirty, unclean, because you are not a virgin, yet, I do not base your worth on purity. You are so much more than that. You are ambitious, you are determined, you are strong, and you are tenacious. You are kind, caring, funny... and you are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon in my entire life."

"You are the only man to ever say that."

"Then marry me."

She blinked up at him, and looked down at her hands with a small smile. When her eyes returned to meet his amber gaze, she felt connected to him in a way that she knew she would never feel with another man.

"I will not be cruel or unkind. I will never harm you or force you to do anything. You are my equal now, and you will continue to be. You are worthy of being part of the Order, and even as my wife, I will never disallow you from continuing. You will not be a kept woman, you will have as much freedom that you have now; more if you wish it."

"What would you ask of me, if I were to accept?" Hana asked, looking up at him.

"I needn't ask anything." He replied, "All I want is you. To be free, to be happy, to be safe... to be my wife."

Altair's amber eyes gazed into her own with such an honest intensity that Hana found her heart thundering inside her chest. She felt a warmth spreading within her, one that made her feel safe and loved and she wished nothing more than to feel this way for the rest of her life.

"Marry me, Hana."

A smile appeared on her lips, and she watched as hope lit up his eyes, "I will."