The Target of His Heart (An Assassin's Creed Fanfic)

Ch. 24: Imprisonment

"Altaïr?" I looked back at Ada, who's worried expression looked up at me and wondering why I was not responding to her. After another moment, I looked away from her.

"Diana told Abel our location," I stated in a grim voice. Ada, eyes widening, took a few steps back, shock filling her features over the news of Diana's betrayal.

"What did you say?" Alexandra spoke up, her voice slowly becoming one of seething anger.

"That was how Abel came to be Damascus," I continued, "and found us as quickly as he did." She would have punched something based on the look that had appeared on her lightly tanned face, but she held it back and simply ran her hands roughly through her dark hair while turning away from me.

"I am going to kill that low-life..." She muttered in a menacing tone. "I swear I will!"

Ada glanced at Alexandra for a moment before looking at me and muttering, "What about Cynthia? Is she alright?"

I felt my heart shatter even more at the sound of Cynthia's name, causing me to lower my head even further. It took me a moment to look back at her and answer grimly.

"Abel took her." Ada gasped and Alexandra turned back to me. "According to Abel, the wedding was postponed until she was found."

"That bastard!" Ada exclaimed. "How could he do that?"

"Did you at least try to save her?" Alexandra questioned in a low tone, approaching me at a slow pace. It was clear she was trying to stay calm.

“I tried, but I was caught off guard by Diana…"

Ada lowered her head slightly as Alexandra turned away from us again, sighing; crossing her arms over her chest. Looking back up at me, Ada placed a hand on my shoulder before speaking in a small voice.

"I am so sorry, Altaïr…"

I sighed before sauntering past the Swedish woman and over to the closest wall; one that was not covered in blood, before turning around and leaning against it.

"There was nothing I could do," I responded, taking off my hood with a sigh. "I was so busy with the guards, trying to defend myself, trying to protect Cynthia...that I did not keep my eye on her. I should have, though, I truly should have...but..."

Alexandra sighed and walked over to me, leaning on the wall next to me.

"Altaïr, you cannot blame yourself for this. It is not your fault." She looked away from me and looked at the ceiling where the moon shined brightly in the middle of the room. "I know whose fault it is. It is Diana's fault and hers alone. She was the one who caused all of these problems because she could not keep her mouth shut!"

I looked at her before speaking, "You cannot put all of the blame on her."

She looked over at me, surprised that I was defending the woman who betrayed us all.

"How could you defend her?!" She questioned harshly. "After everything that she has done to us! After causing Cynthia to be taken away from us! From you!"

"I know, I know...but..." I paused for thought as I looked up at the ceiling, staring silently at the dim rays. "The way she spoke to her...the way she spoke to me... It sounded as if she did not want any of this to happen at all. As if she did not want to expose us in the first place."

Alexandra rolled her eyes and looked away from me, "And how do you know that?"

"The note..." The gazes of both women fell upon me. "The note that was tied to the rose Diana gave to Cynthia. She never got a chance to read it, and it greatly upset Diana." I looked at the two. "Before making our way here, she showed me the contents of it."