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Title: Intercept Chapter XXIII
Game: Assassins Creed
Characters|Setting: Altair ibn La’ahad, Malik al’Sayf, Jibal of Acre, Labib, Maria, Abbas, you|Masyaf, Nearing the end of the 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.

It was a total of three days that you spent being called to the library to answer the same questions. Even though you harbored thoughts of grabbing books off the shelves and hurling them at Altair, you did not act on them. What you were was tired and as mad as a spitting cat when Altair called you to the library on the fourth day. This time Malik was there along with Labib, Jibal of Acre and Maria. When you went to stand next to Maria, Altair began to speak.
Altair said, “I have called both Maria and you to the library because I believe that we have been able to figure out what happened.”
Maria crossed her arms and said, “Well, it is about time.”
Altair gave Maria a look and you determined that you were not the only one who had been subjected to days of perpetual questioning. Maria sounded like you felt. Altair said, “To keep this investigation impartial, Labib questioned Maria, Jibal of Acre questioned Abbas and I questioned (your name). As far as we can determine, either Abbas had someone slip the codex pages and the Apple into your packs or Abbas did it himself. I would speak of what is to happen to Abbas and the brothers who drugged (your name) before all of the brotherhood. I brought you both here to let you know that neither of you are under suspicion any longer.” Altair stepped forward and offered Maria his hand. He said, “Maria and (your name), you are free to go or stay. Maria, if you choose to go, then it is my hope that you would choose to travel with me.”
Maria scoffed and turned her head away.
Altair sighed.
Malik came and stood beside you and he looked like he would like to talk to you very much. You were less restrained by any sense of decorum and you turned and wrapped your arms around him, burying your face in his chest, where you could breathe in his scent. You felt Malik’s hand brushing the back of your head, then noticed that Altair was calling your name and trying to get your attention. You looked over at Altair and wiped tears from your eyes. Altair smiled and said, “I wanted you to know that word has been sent to Alamut and your brother and sister will be returned here to Masyaf. I am sorry that I had to send them away. I know that it must have been hard for you wondering if you would ever see them again.”
You choked back a sob.
Malik kissed you on the cheek and whispered in Arabic, “Be at peace, my beloved.”

One thing that could be said to be true of Altair was that, once he discovered who had commited an injustice, he was quick to meet out justice. Everyone had gathered out in the courtyard of Masyaf castle. Abbas and his accomplices were dragged before Altair. Altair spoke to all the brothers about how Abbas had implicated both Maria and you in the theft of Assassin manuscripts and the Apple. Then Altair went on to tell how Abbas had convinced two brothers to drug you down in the cells so that Abbas could try to rape you. Abbas screamed out his denials of doing any of the things for which he was accused. Instead, he claimed that you had tried to seduce him. Few paid Abbas much attention. Altair declared that Abbas and his accomplices would be taken to Alamut, where all of them would be imprisoned within the cells. Altair explained that because Assassins protected the free will of others, rape would not be tolerated. Altair said, “That which is permitted is not permitted at the expense of someone else’s free will…especially when it comes to their own bodies.”
Aside from Abbas’s continued yelling and screaming, there was a palatable silence and hard looks on the faces of your fellow brothers. A few of their faces looked outright dark like perhaps they harbored thoughts of doing murder in their eyes. You began to consider the fact that Altair may have determined that Abbas be imprisoned at Alamut so that Abbas did not wind up dead in his cell here. Abbas and his accomplices were subsequently placed into the back of a horse drawn wagon that then made its way out of the front gates of Masyaf castle. You thought that would be last time that you would ever see Abbas. You were mistaken.

Malik led you away from all the others and the two of you walked along one of the walls of Masyaf castle. At first, neither Malik nor you spoke. He just held your fingers interlaced with his. Finally, Malik broke the silence.
Malik said, “(Your name), why did you leave me?”
You said, “Oh, Malik. I am so sorry. I was so confused! I never meant to hurt you!”
Malik released your hand and brushed your cheek with his fingers, saying, “what confused you so much?”
You said, “I did not know if I loved you only because you had taken me from Jerusalem.”
Malik shook his head. “(Your name), did I ever force you to be with me?”
You said, “The first night in the desert, you told me that you would be damned if you allowed me to share a bed with any other.” You looked down at your hands.
Malik inhaled sharply and sighed. “What about when we were together in the Hammam? Did you not choose to come to me?”
You said, “Yes, I did.”
Malik said, “I do not understand this confusion that you feel.” He gestured towards his amputated arm and said,“do you have doubts about me because I am not whole?”
You said, “Malik, no! You are as whole as you need be!”
Malik pressed his forehead to yours and you felt his hand on the back of your scalp. “Oh, (your name), you must learn to be decisive…to commit to your choices with all your heart. Then you can defend whatever your will is from a position of strength and no one will shake your resolve.”
You said, “I am trying, Malik. I do love you…just the way you are.”
Malik said, “(Your name), do you love me enough to commit yourself to the choice of marriage to me?”
You inhaled and then said, “Yes, Malik. Oh…yes…the answer is yes! I thought you would never ask.”
Malik said, “I do not want to wait. I want to be married today. Do you know any priests…rabbi…which would we need?”
You said, “I am not sure. And no, I do not know of any priests or rabbis in Masyaf. This is the heart of hashashim territory and there are not many among us who choose to be religious.”
Malik said, “perhaps we could send out some brothers to find one among the retreating pilgrims leaving Jerusalem…”
You said, “Malik, you can not be thinking of attacking a whole entourage of pilgrims! People could get injured or killed!”
Malik shrugged and said, “They are only Templar.”
You said, “Templar who are leaving and do not need to be provoked into staying. I would expect something so brash from Altair.”
Malik said, “Once I would have agreed about Altair but not now. Tell me, how would you borrow a priest by diplomatic means, (your name)?”
You said, “borrow a priest? Malik, we would not even make it half way to Jerusalem before the sun goes down. I think this makes this a moot point.”
Malik laughed.
Then both of you laughed together.
Malik said, “fear not, we will think of something.”
You said, “how have other assassins gotten married in the past?”
Malik paused, smiled and said, “we have not.”
You said, “What? Why a sudden break with tradition?”
Malik said, “for you…and…I want to keep you for myself.”
You said, “Oh, is that how it is! You know, if we get married, then every young woman in Masyaf, who is attached to an assassin, is going to want to get married too.”
Malik said, “What do I care about what every other young woman in Masyaf will want? I know that I want you.”
You crossed your arms and said, “Maybe Altair can provide us with some ideas. where would we hold the wedding?”
Malik said, “I can assure you, my beloved, I do not need any ideas from Altair. As for the wedding, what about the library?”
You smacked Malik on the arm and said, “What about Maria?”
Malik shrugged and said, “What about Maria? I do not want to marry her. I think Altair might object.”
You laughed and said, “No. Maria might know a priest that she could write…then the priest could come and do the ceremony.”
Malik said, “Maria is going to invite a priest here without Templar escort how?”
You said, “hmmm….I see your point.”
Malik said, “also, the priest would never get here before sundown. So that makes that a moot point.”
You toss up your hands and said, “alright, I concede!”
Malik said, “You concede what?”
You said, “the fact that I cannot come up with any ideas that are going to work for this before the sun sets. Hey! I do have a good idea!”
Malik said, “what is it?”
You said, “We just sleep together until I can get a mission that will take me into a town with a priest or rabbi. Then we just go together and get wed then.”
Malik said, “is this your clever way of trying to get another mission out of me as soon as possible?”
You smiled and said, “guilty as charged. But it would work!”
Malik sighed and said, “we travel together to Jerusalem to see how the Templar exodus progresses. While we are there, we get married. Until then, we keep each other warm at night.”
You smiled and said, “I like that idea.”
The two of you left the wall and Malik guided you out through the front gates of Masyaf. The two of you walked down to the Hammam and spent a good portion of the afternoon being quite intimate as you both took turns bathing one another and making love.

At dinner, Malik and you announced your intent to marry. In turn, You were caught offguard by the surprised responses you received to the news. Jibal of Acre stood up, raised his cup and declared, “(Your name), you have broken my heart! How ever will I recover?” Others started laughing. Malik threw some food at Jibal and told him to sit down.
Labib said, “Malik, how did our little bird ever get you to commit to that? Are you sure life in captivity is for you?”
Everyone laughed again.
Malik said, “Labib, what would you know about marriage? You have never been married!”
Labib said, “this is because I am smart enough not to get myself caught in that trap!”
Altair stopped laughing when he saw Maria’s expression and Altair almost choked on his wine.
You said, “Maria, I know that our marriage will be in Jerusalem but could you put off your trip east in order to be my Maid of Honor.”
Maria said, “Of course, (your name)! Though I do start to believe that so many things of late have managed to distract me from my progress east.”
Altair just smiled and took a drink from his goblet.
That evening, you tried again to share a hookah with Malik. Maria wrinkled her nose at you and you started coughing. You were surprised when Maria said, “let me have a go at that.” You replied, “are you sure?” You past the pipe over to Maria and it was not long after she put the end into her mouth and inhaled that she began to look a little green. Maria took the pipe out of her own mouth coughing and sputtered, “oh no…no, I do not think so. Really, Altair? How can you and your men tolerate such a foul habit.” This time everyone was laughing at Maria instead. Maria could not pass the pipe back towards Malik and you fast enough. In fact, she experienced a sudden need to get to her feet and run out of the dining hall. You looked at Altair and said, “Is she going to be alright? If she is made so sick by it…maybe I should go check on her.”
Malik took the pipe out of your hand and said, “I think that Maria will be fine.”
Altair got to his feet and said, “I will go make sure.”
Altair stepped out of the circle and made off in the direction in which Maria had disappeared. As you watched him leave, Malik drew your attention back to him. Malik said, “(Your name), come and rest your head on my bosom.” Everyone else had left the dining hall and the oil lamps sputtered for need of oil by the time Malik and you got up to head back to your room for the night. As you started your way down the hall, you said, “Malik…”
Malik said, “yes, (your name)?”
You said, “I am my beloved’s…”
Malik said, “and my beloved is mine.”