Lineage of Brotherhood

Chapter 21

. . . .

Bouchard smirked and pointed toward Altaïr, "You see? Trickery. Venomous lies. The assassins are but vipers." As he moved past Altaïr, he almost winked, amused by the assassin's attempt to sway the minds of his men. "But it shall not save them now. Today, we shall see each of them put to death."

"This is ridiculous!" Maria spoke up, "I was captured! I had to escape so that I could warn you!"

The Grand Master moved down the short row until he stood in front of the woman. "So you claim... Yet I find it strange. You encounter the Assassins in Acre, then suddenly they appear to take Robert's life? You encounter them again, then suddenly they appear here? All the while, you escape unharmed." He looked around to the men that surrounded them, "Surely this cannot be merely a coincidence." The observation drew a few skeptical laughs.

Maria was not to be deterred. She cast a quick glance to the sources of the laughter. "I was more loyal to Robert than any of you. I would gladly see these two put to death." Her words were biting and there was no hesitation between them. If there was any falseness in them, she did a very good job at hiding it.

Armand stroked his beard for a moment as he looked down at her, considering the likelihood that an imminent death had turned her into a very convincing liar. "You claim to have been loyal to Robert?"

Maria nodded, "I do."

"Do you claim to be loyal to me and to the rest of the Rite?"

Again, Maria nodded, "Of course I do."

He considered the matter for a moment longer before speaking, "Loose her hands," he ordered, "Give her a blade." One of the guards followed his instructions, severing the rope that bound her wrists together. A moment later, a short sword clattered against the dirt in front of her.

The guard behind Maria gave her a shove, pushing her over onto all fours, "Pick it up!" he demanded. After dusting off her palm, she plucked the blade off of the ground by the hilt and slowly stood up right.

Bouchard held out a hand toward Esther, "Then exact justice upon his murderer," he said with a grin. "Prove it now and never have your loyalty questioned again."

Maria turned toward Esther, the leather-covered hilt creaked in her hand as her grip tightened around it. She looked down toward the kneeling assassin with disdain as the sword hung by her side. She lifted it up just enough to place the broad side of her blade under Esther's chin, then she pulled Esther's gaze away from the dirt and brought her eyes up to look at her. "Do you recognize me, Assassin?" Esther scanned her face silently, but did not respond. "Answer me!"

By now, even the Templars who wished to see Maria dead were watching in complete silence. The tension had made them forget themselves.

Esther's eyes continued to take in her facial features. She'd already come to recognize the woman as Robert's stand-in from Acre, but there was something else about her that gave her a sense of familiarity. "...I do..." she finally replied. Even her weakened voice carried over the silenced crowd that surrounded them. Dozens of eyes were upon them, waiting to see what would happen.

"Are you proud of yourself? To have murdered your own father?" Judging by the sound of her voice, this had been something she'd been hoping to have a chance to force Robert's killer to answer for some time. If anything, Armand had given her a gift by offering her the chance to avenge the man she served. Again, Esther met the question with silence. Maria raised her free hand and swung it, backhanding Esther across the face, "Answer me!"

The slap knocked Esther over into the dirt. Without skipping a beat, Maria reached down and pulled her back up to her knees. After letting the Assassin pant for a moment, Maria raised her hand to throw another strike.