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Great Mentor,

I have heard of the tragedy that befell Masyaf, part of me wishes I was there in attempt to aid my brothers, but part of me also knows that if I was there I would do little to cease the slaughter.

You have done much for me already Al Maulim, you allowed my family to live within your protective walls and close to me while I worked in the Brotherhood. Let it be known that I feel no anger towards anyone for the death of my wife and son, I cannot speak for my daughter though and can only hope that comforting words in a form of a letter might aid her. But I must ask for you for one more favor, my daughter is still a spirited child, I do not believe she could be taken as a wife at this time and properly cared for. Please, Al Maulim, find some sort of use for her amongst the Brotherhood while she matures? I know most women are indeed betrothed by her age, but with my line of work I did not take the time to find her a proper suitor.

If this is not an option, I must then ask that you remove me from my current assignment so that I may properly guide my daughter.

Safety and Peace,
Yunus Karim

Al Maulim paced in front of a young girl, she looked to only have been sixteen at best, in this society she would have been late for marriage but still available. The mentor saw that she was well mannered since the moment that she entered, Abbas had led her to him and she had followed directly behind him, like a shadow. And then when Al Maulim greeted her, she responded with the upmost respect and in kind, bowed, and kept her gaze downcast. Her headress hid her mouth and nose, her hair protectively tucked away. And Al Maulim could tell that she had cried recently as her eyes were still a tad bit red. She was quite beautiful, Al Maulim would admit, of what he could see anyways, her clothing hugged her form just enough to reveal a modest, lean form, she had slight broad shoulders which told him she did some sort of labor - he was curious as to what but supposed it was none of his concern.

"Do not look so worried, Nadia Karim, I have known your father for some time, I wouldn't dare betray his trust by shunning his daughter from Masyaf," he said.

He could see her shoulders relax slightly in relief as she gave a nod and spoke once more, "my father has told me of your kindness, but my brother has spoken of the discipline you bring upon the brotherhood. One that is needed of course, and one rightfully feared."

He chuckled at her flattery, "have I not seen you with the healers?"

"Evet (Yes), my father felt it was a good practice for a woman," Nadia answered, still get to lift her gaze even though he was now standing directly before her.

"It is," he agreed, "have you ever been to Jerusalem?" She shook her head, "with you able to wed, the brotherhood may no longer use your services. But, I won't turn away from a master assassin's child so coldly...you shall travel to Jerusalem and aide a Dai there, he has recently been injured and I fear that he might be struggling. Do anything of him that is required, he's an honest man, I know him well, so you have nothing to fear. Can you do that for me, Nadia?"

"Of course, anyway that I may do my part," she responded politely and Al Maulim nodded, told her to prepare to leave, and dismissed her with a 'safety and peace', which she returned and then turned and left.

Returning to her home, Nadia stood in the doorway awkwardly, her gaze falling to the place where her mother and brother had died. She remembered her mother shoving her underneath the counter, rushing to hide elsewhere before the Templars burst into their home and- she had scrubbed at the blood stained floor for hours, almost the entire day until an healer found her sobbing as she scrubbed roughly, her fingers were currently bandaged from her abuse to make the blood disappear. Nadia quickly walked out of the main room and entered her small cramped bedroom and began packing, as ordered. She packed only what was necessary, she didn't want to be a bother to anyone and so didn't want to bring many bags and seem as though she, well, had a lot of baggage. She passed her brother's room, his door remained tightly shut, but she entered her parents bedroom and collected any valuables that Nadia did not want a thief to obtain. The last thing she packed was a small dagger, her brother had given it to her once he saw how the other boys flirted with her as she grew into her body.

There was a knock at the door, jolting her from her thoughts, "One moment, please." She said as she grabbed her head dress and quickly covered her curly locks and his her face once more, only her hazel eyes peeking from between the two cloths as she went to the door.

A young man was there, it pained her how he looked so much like her brother, Rashik. The image of him racing in, giving a shout of rage at the sight of his fallen mother and immediately fighting Templars, how fluidly he had moved, like a dance, and then how it came to an abrupt end as he miscalculated and a sword was shoved through his chest. He had fallen to the triune after a disgusted kick, and Nadia had covered her mouth in shock as she looked into the lifeless brown orbs of her brother.

"Ms. Karim, I am here to escort you to Jerusalem," he explained, his voice was gentle and kind as she nodded her head.

"I was just finishing, forgive me to keep you waiting," she said as she left the door open for him and moved back to her room and collected her bags, lifting them herself and carrying them outside. Nadia noticed she did not give her a name, and though this bothered her a bit, she supposed it was not her place to request for any information - he was already doing so much by escorting her all the way to Jerusalem.

"No need to ask for it, you have not kept me waiting long," he said as he attempted to take her bags, she stubbornly declined. He settled for holding the door open for her instead and led her to a horse, she froze mid-step.

"We are riding on just a horse," she questioned, though she was able to keep her tone neutral her eyes betrayed her by widening just a bit.

"Yes, it is too far to simply walk, it's an entire days trip, I assure you traveling by horse will make it easier and hopefully quicker," the young assassin insisted as he put her bags on the horse. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded in understanding though she still did not want to go anywhere near the horse, she decided to give one last longing look to her home, then to Masyaf. The assassin waited patiently as he saw her shoulders slacken slightly, as though defeated. He shuffles nervously, "My lady? Are you ready?"

"Yes, thank you," she added as he helped her up, the horse swayed a bit and Nadia clutched onto the saddle for dear life as the assassin easily leaped on from behind, trapping her before he clicked his tongue and the horse set off without further encouragement.

Chapter One: Malik, the Enraged Bureau Leader

My dear Abba,

Please do not worry for me as that shall only cause concern from me, I fear with the distraction of me you shall not fair well with your assignments. I'm taking mother's and Rashik's death as best as I can, I will not lie that both deaths pain me. I wish I had been a boy, maybe I could have done something, instead of a weak girl! But there is nothing I may do except wish and entertain my thoughts with "what if"s.

Al Maulim was generous and kind, he has allowed for me to be cared for as long as I care for a Malik Al-Sayf. I do not understand why a grown man needs caring after, but I did not question the man's orders, and hopefully neither shall this Malik person.

Safety and peace, but most importantly with my love,
Nadia.

The trip had been long and tiring, and the assassin, who introduced himself as Nimid, found it quite difficult to pass by guards with Nadia jumping each time the horse made a sudden snort or bobbed his head anxiously. Her back stayed tense and firm the entire ride, obviously intent on not touching him more than what was necessary, he understood this well; he wasn't her husband. Their culture strictly explained how woman were to only be exposed to the touch of their husband, they were just property basically. Nimid figured that she would soon go tired or her back would cramp and she would relax against him, but she did not slacken at all, not even when she slept, she had dozed off once, her eyes completely closed. She had wobbled backwards and the moment that she realized what was happening, she straightened once more on the horse, her white-knuckled grip never slackening on the horse's saddle either. Now that they were int he city, both were forced to walk, pulling the reigns of the horse gently along and weaving through the crowded streets, though they parted at the sight of the massive horse trotting along behind.

Both were worn and exhuasted, eager for an afternoon rest, but both were stubbornly refusing to show just how tired they were as they marched onwards. "We're here," Nimid announced to her, and he saw the slightest flicker of relief as he removed her bags from his steed, she took them before he could insist on carrying them any further. They entered a small enclosed garden, the doorway into the bureau still hidden as best as possible behind some trees and bushes, not many entered this garden anyways. Nimid produced a key, it had been given to him by Al Maulim to enter the bureau - he would return it to the Mentor the moment he entered Masyaf; he opened the door and gestured for her to enter first, which she kindly accepted, shuffling in and giving a soft sigh as the shade cooled them off almost immediately.

"Safety and peace, brother," Nimid said as he stepped through a doorway, immediately bowing to a young man. Nadia flicked her gaze around curiously, but immediately dropped them at the sight of a man, keeping her gaze to the ground much like she had when speaking with Nimid and even more so when she was speaking with the great mentor.

"Safety and peace, novice," Malik said his tone was harsh and cold, his dark gaze fell upon the woman who stared intently at the ground, he immediately assumed that it was because of his arm and narrowed his gaze at her, "you must be tired from your journey, rest and we shall speak of your assignment when we have much needed privacy." His tone was like ice, Nimid didn't question the Dai, but nodded in thanks and moved towards the usual entrance towards some pillows and rugs to rest. The Dai moved around the counter and approached her quickly, "You. What business could you possibly have with me?"

Malik watched her produce a letter, quickly as to not waste more of his time. He snatched it from her hand, a bit annoyed that she still refused to look up at him, instead staring intently at the ground as though it was one of the most interesting things in the world. He opened the letter and read it, the woman did not move, didn't even shuffle uncomfortable, simply stood and waited. His hands slowly began to clench the letter in his hands as he grew angrier and angrier. Finally unable to take no more, he rounded on the woman, "Seriously? Does the great mentor think so little of me that I cannot care for my own well being," he hollared at her, as though she was in on this decision, she didn't move, didn't look at him as he yelled, and that angered the Dai further, "Well, woman? Out with it! What use could you possibly be to me? Hm?"

"Assassin Al-Sayf, please, I assure you I can be of some use towards you. I can heal," she explained.

"No one here needs healing," Malik snapped back.

The Dai saw a flicker of fear at his anger, but it was quickly gone as there was a slight pause before she went on, in a bit of a smaller and more timid voice, "I cook, I clean-"

"Any whore off the street can do that," he yelled once more.

"Dai! I do not mean to impose, but please, this matter is to be taken up with Al Maulim himself, not with her...she is only doing her job," Nimid had returned at the yelling, he moved to put a shoulder on Malik, but the Dai glared at him angerily as though daring the young assassin to touch him. Nimid dropped his hands before continuing on, "there is no point in barrating the young lady, when she was simply following orders, no?" He said gently, Nimid had only spent a couple of days with the woman, but the way her shoulders were tense and how she had taken the slightest step back, she was obviously on guard due to the Dai's unexpected anger.

Malik said nothing for a while, glaring at the woman who continued to stare intently at the ground. Finally he broke the silence, "Fine. I do not have a lot of room left though, you may take the empty supplies closet."

She gave a small bow in thanks and then asked him in the same timid voice, "may I assist you with anything, hadritak (sir) ?"

"No. Leave me," he growled before returning behind the counter and watching her scurry off to the supplies closet that he had indicated earlier and entering it, leaving a crack for her to move around quietly, Malik glared in hopes to hear some sort of shuffling noise so that he might snap at her to be quiet, but none came. He hurriedly began writing a letter to Al Maulim, demanding a reason as to why the woman was now residing with him, he sent it out by a pigeon immediately before returning to his work on his own, but his mind was elsewhere as he tried to continue drawing his map of the holy land, but soon had to simply stop in fear of messing up his work, and instead read until Nimid was ready for his assignment.

My wonderful Nadia,

I wish I could be there to hold you, you have become too wise and far too accustomed to the assassin ways, it is unfair to you. I knew I never had to worry about you, but I always do anyways, it's what us fathers do best. Our children could be living under our own roofs on some remote island and we would still worry about them.

I know the former assassin, Malik Al-Sayf, I trained him even. He is a good man, though I have heard that his attitude has grown rather sour since his loss. Nadia, he has gone through much, please be patient with him. I'm certain you two shall get along well once you get to know one another. Hopefully I shall be back in three weeks time, we shall speak of marriage then.

With much love,
Abba