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Title: Intercept Chapter XVII
Author: Shadowwright
Game: Assassin’s Creed
Characters|Setting: Malik al-Sayf, your sister, you, Unnamed Assassins, Unnamed Templars|Jerusalem, Third Crusade
Disclaimer: I am not the creator of the characters listed above or the Assassin's Creed world. Any simularities between real life people and any characters are completely coincidental. This piece has not been written with the purpose of selling anything in order to make money, it is written only to entertain fans of Assassin's Creed. While everything is permitted, not everything is beneficial for underage readers and I write for a mature audience.

You woke during the early morning hours to your younger sister insisting that she needed to use the chamber pot. You walked her to the commode and waited. When you got ready to put the pot back inside the commode, you felt the urge to vomit. When you were done throwing up, your little sister said, “(your name), are you alright?”
You said, “Yes, I am fine. Let us go back to bed.”
At a more decent hour, you and your roommate got up and you showed your little sister to the eating area. The two of you sat down next to Malik and your little sister gave you an odd look when you leaned into Malik’s bosom. She said, “(Your name), why is your tummy so big and swollen?”
Both Malik and you just about choked. Your little sister said, “Is that why you were sick last night? Are you sick with something?”
You gave Malik a look like you were considering making him give an explanation for your stomach and you could hear soft laughter from others sitting in your circle. Your little sister said, “Why is everybody laughing?”
You said, “You ask so many questions. Malik was sending me to see a physic yesterday when I paid to free you.”
Your sister said, “Oh. So, the doctor is going to tell you why you feel sick and why your belly is so round?”
The laugher around the circle grew somewhat louder. What was worse was that Malik was laughing too. You pinched Malik on the leg. “Malik will be sending me to see the physic today. We will wait and see what the physician has to say.”

After breakfast, you met with Malik with your little sister trailing behind and holding onto the back of your Initiate’s robe. Malik’s smile reached his eyes when he handed you a pouch of coin. “This time, I hope that you will make it to the physic’s…no bringing home stray waifs.”
You said, “I hardly consider my sister a stray waif.”
Malik said, “Of course not.”
You said, “Could you watch over my sister while I visit the physician? I do not want to raise suspicion if my sister appears to be owned by someone other than the person who purchased her yesterday. Especially if we crossed paths with Sir Armand Brouchard.”
Malik nodded and said, “Perfectly understandable. I will watch over her.”
You look back at your little sister and said, “It is time to spend time with Malik, (your sister’s name).” When Malik tried to look at her, your sister buried her face in your robes. She mumbled, “He’s scary.” You rested a hand on the back of your sister’s head and said, “Malik has been very nice to me. He has been nice to you, letting you stay here. Why would someone like that be scary?”
She peeked at Malik and then looked up at you. She said, “alright. I just do not want to be alone right now.”
You said, “Well, you will not be alone because Malik is here.”
She made a face and said, “I meant being here without you.”
You said, “You will get bored waiting at the physician’s.”
She looked at her hands and said, “Alright.”
You led your sister around the counter to where Malik was. He pulled a stool over for your sister to sit on. Malik looked at you and said, “I’ll send a couple of other brothers to go with you…just in case you have any problems.” You nodded and saw two of your brothers enter the room. The three of you left together.

For the most part, things were uneventful on your way over to the physician’s home. You had gone to a physic that Malik had suggested who practiced Middle Eastern medicine versus European. The physic did confirm that you were expecting a child and that the child was several months along. He seemed a bit concerned about your weight and the weight of the child being low. At the end of the appointment, your brothers and you started off back towards the bureau. You were not even half way back before a Templar knight dismounted his horse and eased his blade in its sheathe. As the knight said, “Good afternoon, what have we here?” You saw a few other knights step out of the alleys and draw their blades. Your brothers and you had been walking in formation like monks and you tried to maintain the masquerade for now. The first Templar Knight approached you and looked you over. “To what order do you belong?” Before you could answer he pulled back your hood to reveal your long hair.
The first Templar Knight said, “A female monk?” He grabbed your chin and forced it upwards. “Wait, I remember you. I remember your mother too. You were so much sweeter than she was…being untouched.”
You spat in his face and saw red. You heard your companions draw their blades and you felt your hidden blade punch through the knight’s neck. You seem to watch the fight from a distance through a crimson veil and the sounds of screams seemed far away. Your response to a Templar knight charging you was not far from the instinctual response of an animal. You dodged the swing of his blade only to return a swing of your own short sword that took the man’s head clean off. When you lopped off an opponent’s arm, you gave no pause and no quarter.
You were not aware of where your brothers were on the street as you continued. You only knew bloodlust and the pound of your pulse in your ears like the drums of war driving you forward in your frenzy. Your world was full of wrath. You dodged, attacked, blocked and counter attacked until you could not find an opponent. You wandered around a bit as though looking for more targets and became aware of someone calling your name behind you. You looked at them and saw hooded individuals holding their hands in front of them and speaking in calming voices. You became aware of the fact that you were panting and you had blood all over you. You could feel it grow sticky in your hair and down the sides of your face and throat. You looked down at your hands and your feet. You said, “What have I done?”
You looked around checking to make sure that you had not cut down a fellow brother. You heard one of your brothers say, “Give us your blades, (your name). We need to take to the roofs before we can head back.” You cleaned your blades on the cloak of a fallen Templar before surrendering them. You were trembling the whole time. “What…what happened?”
The same brother to whom you surrendered your blades said, “You went beserk, (your name).”
Your voice shook when you said, “What happens now?”
He said, “We go back to the bureau and let Malik decide.”
You followed your brothers up onto the rooftops and as you ran along side of them you wondered what Malik would say. You wondered how you could ever let your sister see you like this…in these blood soaked robes. When you arrived on the roof of the bureau, you were told to wait. The brother with your blades disappeared through an opening in the roof. He was gone for some time before returning to the roof. He said, “Malik has moved (your sister’s name) to one of the novice quarters inside. He wants to see you.”
You lowered your gaze and nodded. Then you dropped through the opening in the roof into the bureau. Malik had come out from behind his desk and looked disturbed. Malik said, “Your name, what has happened?”
You said, “We were ambushed by Templar knights.”
Malik said, “So I have heard. Why are you covered in so much blood?”
You shook your head and said, “Malik, I do not know.”
Malik said, “Did you know that your own brothers had to get out of your way to avoid being struck down? Did you not know them?”
You said, “Malik…no…I…all I remember was that the Templar knight who stopped us in the street…he said he recognized me…he claimed I had been so much sweeter than my Mother…being untouched. Malik, I do not remember much after that.”
Malik said, “I am told that it was a blood bath…that you wandered around as though confused after there was no one left to fight. Your brothers had to ask you to surrender your blades for fear that they might be attacked. (Your name), they claim a madness came over you!”
You winced and said, “Malik, nothing like this has ever happened to me before.”
Malik nodded and ran fingers through his hair. He said, “I need to decide what to do next. What did the physic say?”
You said, “That I am pregnant.”
Malik closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “For now, I am demoting you to novice.” Malik looked over at one of your brothers and he sounded pained when he said, “Take (your name) to our quarters and bind her.”
You said, “Malik, No!…please! I would never hurt anyone here…”
Malik clenched his jaw and said, “We do not know that yet.”
You struggled against the hands of your brothers as they took hold of you. They escorted you to your quarters and had to force you to the ground onto your stomach before they could bind you. You screamed out and cried in rage. Someone stuck a gag over your mouth. Once you were secure, Malik told them to leave. Even though you were bound, Malik sat you up and wrapped his arm around you. You squirmed and he said, “No, my beloved. Do not struggle. I am sorry. I do not want you to harm yourself or others.” He kissed your blood caked temple and said, “I am going to try and clean you up at least.”
There was a knock at the door and Malik said, “enter.”
A novice brought in a bowl and a pitcher of water. They set both down near Malik and left the room. Malik let go of you. He poured water into the bowl and then dipped a clean rag into the bowl. Malik started to wash the blood off your face and neck. The water in the bowl turned deep red before he was done. You whimpered against the gag and Malik removed it. You said, “Malik…please…do not keep me like this.”
Malik’s voice sounded strange when he said, “Someone is going to the physic about a sedative. Something that will not harm our baby…something to help…”
You sobbed, “Malik…I never meant for things to be like this.”
Malik continued to wash your face and neck and said, “I know.”
You said, “Malik, will I be put to death?”
Malik dropped the rag into the bowl and pulled you close to him. He wrapped his arm around you and he pressed his face against your back. You thought you heard something like sobbing. Malik’s body shook as he held you.
You said, “am I an animal…a monster, Malik?”
Malik said, “No! You are not a monster, (your name). You are very ill. We will find a way to help you.”
You said, “What if there is not a way, Malik? What if this happens again?”
Malik just held you as you began to sob. He said, “We will wait and see. You are my beloved…that has not changed. I will always love you, (your name).”