Altaïr smirked with triumph as Abel looked over his injured and bleeding shoulder, spotting the Assassin first before shock filled his pain-stricken features. Guards began to swarm the scene – the same guards hired for the previous wedding. Some of them stood near me in order to protect me, yet I did nothing as a response. Instead, I chose to stand there, while others surrounded the injured man that was my husband. Although I tried to hold them back, only a single tear rolled down my cheek as I watched Altaïr slowly begin approaching the altar, a feeling of relief and happiness overwhelming me. The people that remained at their seats began to speak to one another, wondering what was going on. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see both Robert de Sable and Maria Thorpe on their feet, hands placed against the hilts of their blades as they cautiously watched the Assassin approach the altar, approaching the bride and groom. Said Assassin simply ignored their hardened gazes as he stopped several feet away from Abel and I. His gaze locked onto me for a moment, sending me a reassuring look, before moving to the injured man that was my husband.
“How…how did you get here?” Abel asked him through gritted teeth, pain lacing his voice. “I thought...I thought the guards had locked you and the others away days ago!”
“A good friend of mine was able to help me escape,” Altaïr spoke. “It would seem your guards were powerless to stop us from making it here.”
I smiled lightly, knowing that it was Malik who saved him and the others just in time and brought them here. Silently outraged, Abel simply growled in response as Altaïr returned his gaze to me once again. A small, barely noticeable smile graced his lips. My heart felt as if it had skipped a beat as he stared at me with those mesmerizing dark eyes of his. I had missed looking into them after what seemed like years.
“You dare crash this wedding, Assassin,” Diana spoke up as if she, too, was outraged, but it did not sound as if she was very confident in her words. “You realize that you could be killed for doing something like this?”
“If that is the case,” he spoke up, not looking at Diana for even a second, “then you should know,” He pointed up toward the building as he went on, “that I did not come here alone.”
In an instant, my gaze as well as the gazes of the civilians and guards shot up toward the rooftop that Altaïr once occupied. Green eyes widened with surprise just as gasps arose from the crowd. I immediately spotted the familiar figures of Ada Haksson, Alexandra Benedek, and Malik standing atop the building, standing tall like leaders prepared for war. However, like Altaïr, they too were not the only ones who loomed over us. Surrounding the location and looking over each one of us were at least three dozen Assassins standing tall and with pride. The winds brushed against their robes, and they held their blades tightly in hand. My jaw dropped at the sight before me, utterly surprised and shocked that Altaïr was able to bring this many Assassins along with him. Each and every one of them, with the exception being Ada, Alexandra, and Malik; appeared to look like a group of eagles watching over their prey, waiting patiently before swooping in for the kill.
“That...that is...impossible…” I heard Diana mutter, shocked by the suddenness of their arrival. Abel was speechless, unsure as to what to say on the matter.
“I do apologize, Abel,” Alexandra called out as she, Ada, and Malik leapt off the building, “but Ada and I came here to rescue our friend from careless men like yourself.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You bastards just don’t get it, do you?” He hissed, getting to his feet. “You were all supposed to wait in your cells until I killed you all off! That way no one can stand in the way of my glory!”
The crowd gasped at his words, shocked that the person they looked up to, they praised, would say such a thing to his own “comrades.” I smirked, knowing that this was my chance to prove that Abel was not the man they had desired for so long. Taking matters into my own hands before it was too late, I quickly removed the veil that sat atop my head, throwing it to the ground carelessly, before taking a few steps forward.
“Now do you see what kind of man Abel is,” I shouted to the crowd, grabbing their attention immediately. They all stared at me, confusion and shock clear on their faces, as I continued, “He had imprisoned my own friends, accused them of false treachery, and threatened to eliminate them! Innocent people behind my back! Behind your backs!” The crowd gasped again, conversing between one another. “He has never cared about anyone else but himself since the day we had met, since the day he was introduced as my fiancé to you! He plans to use this glorious land of ours and destroy it with his unspeakable greed, his excessive pride, and his lust for power!” I paused to allow the startled citizens to take in the information given to them, while Abel’s gaze hardened. “I have been trying to tell you all of this from the start, yet you disregarded it all and sided with Abel while he used you and your trust behind your backs! He has lied to you, and making him King will only ruin this land!”
“Enough of this, Cynthia!” Diana exclaimed. “Abel is not the man you think he is! He may not be as great a man as we have made him out to be, but he is not as evil as you think!”
I turned to glare at her, anger building up inside me at her words.
“So says the backstabbing traitor,” I hissed, watching her flinch with hurt a bit. “The only reason you say that is because you are much too upset with what happened to trust me anymore!” I paused as I looked away from her. “Besides, we did not do it to hurt you. We did it because we thought it was the right thing to do.”
“I understand that now!” She retorted in a pleading tone.
“Do you?” Alexandra spoke up, moving past Altaïr and stopping just a few feet from the altar. “Do you understand, Diana? Or are you just saying that because you want to keep us on our good side?”
“I am serious! But...” She trailed off and looked away, almost as if she was looking at someone else.
“But what?!” Alexandra shouted. “Out with it!”
Diana remained silent, frozen in her spot for what seemed like forever, before looking at her, and then at me. Her expression had drastically changed in a matter of seconds, and her words greatly affected me.
“I...I do not associate myself with murderers,” she spoke in a low voice. Then, she pointed an accusing finger at me. “Especially when the bride is too busy sleeping with one!”
My eyes widened with horror before narrowing with anger. The crowd reacted with gasping, chattering, and raised questions. Each of them were just as shocked and surprised at the words that Diana had spoken as I was. Clenching my fists angrily, I clenched my teeth to resist approaching and hitting her. How dare she speak of something as personal as that, especially in front of people I know, people who have looked up to me and respected me? They saw me as a worthy ruler, a kind-hearted woman, but with Diana speaking of this it would change, as if I were some whore? Even though her words were true, she had absolutely no right to speak of it so openly. And to refer to Altaïr – to refer to us – as murderers when in reality it was untrue had crossed the line. For just a second, I believed she had truly changed. For a split second, I thought she was different. But it was as the back of my mind told me: I was wrong. Now, there was no doubt in my mind. Diana was my enemy, a Templar...and she had to be disposed of once and for all.
“Is it true, Milady?” One of the civilians, an old woman, asked me, her voice filled with worry. “Is what she speaks true?”
Before I had a chance to respond, Diana cut in, though she seemed to hesitate at first.
“Yes! It is all true!” She said. “She claims that she is doing what she feels is right for the Kingdom, when she herself, is the unfaithful one!”
“Enough, Diana!” I shouted. “It is none of their concern!”
“Oh, but it is!” She retorted, her eyes filling to the brim with...regret? “What she has not told you people,” She looked at Altaïr, “is that she is telling lies about Abel in order to hide the fact,” She pointed at the Assassin, “that she is sleeping with that Assassin, the Assassin named Altaïr Ibn-la’Ahad!”
The crowd reacted with gasps and murmurs. Now, they were devastated over the news of this sudden truth, yet it angered me even further than before. Glancing at Altaïr, I noticed his expression toward her was blank and unchanging, not saying a word to retort to the words she had spoken. Even though she had given away such personal information, he did not look ashamed at all. I growled angrily, no longer accepting Diana’s behavior. She was acting like a child and had to be put in her place. I turned to one of the guards closest to me and quickly began approaching him. I tore off the sleeves of the once beautiful dress along the way before stealing his blade. Shock filled his features at my sudden action, but before he had a chance to react or say anything, my fist collided with his face, knocking him into unconsciousness. The crowd reacted with shrieks and gasps over my sudden action, yet I ignored them as I used the blade to cut off part of my dress, changing it to stop at my knees. (Thankfully, I was given the option to not wear uncomfortable shoes for the occasion.)
Turning back to the other guard that was standing nearby, I pulled out the small dagger that was supposed to be securely on his belt while he was distracted with what happened. Turning toward Diana, I swiftly threw the blade at her, just like Altaïr had shown me back in Damascus. Within seconds, the blade embedded itself into her shoulder, causing her to shriek in pain. People shrieked as she fell to her knees, gripping her bleeding shoulder much like Abel. Afterwards, I turned back to the horrified faces of the crowd.
“What she says is true,” I shouted calmly. “I have slept with the Assassin. However it was not as constant as Diana has made it out to be.” I glared at her for a moment as she watched me, pain filling in her eyes. “It was only once, once and no more. I did it not because I wanted to lie to you like Abel has for so long, but...” I hesitated, trying to find the right words. “...but because... because I am in love with him! And I am not ashamed to say it out loud!”
People began chattering amongst themselves as I continued, “Altair is twice the man Abel will ever be in any lifetime! You may see him,” I pointed to Altaïr for a second, “as a murderer, a killer, but that is not true. He does not do it for the pleasure of it, the thrill, but to protect you, the innocent people who are mistreated by others! I love him because he shares the same goals as I do; to protect those who are unable to protect themselves. He may not look it, but he just as determined as I am to keep it up, to bring peace where people may be free from those who seek to control!” I looked at Altaïr, finding that he had returned the gaze. “What he is – who he is – does not matter to me, and it never will! I love him with all my heart and soul, knowing that what he does is for the good of the people,” I looked over to glare at Diana, who had gotten to her feet, “and I will eliminate anyone who would dare to speak ill of either him or the Assassins!”
With that, my feet began charging toward her, holding the stolen blade tightly in my hand, and swinging it at her with as much strength as I could muster, but at the same swift. Unfortunately, she was able to leap back and dodge it, only giving me the chance to slice the front of her dress with ease. Realizing this, she tore off the rest of the outfit – it stopped at her knees as well – before turning to the guard closest to her and stealing his blade from his sheath. The crowd watched with horror as she turned to face me, gripping her newly acquired blade in hand.
“I do not want to hurt you, Cynthia!” She said, eyes narrowing with what appeared to be guilt. “All of this could have been avoided if you did not fall for him!”
“What choice did I have?” I questioned angrily. “He was sent here by his Master, yet he is forbidden to kill those who are innocent. He has had many opportunities to finish me, but he did not because he knew this fact. Also, he and I shared similar goals of protecting the innocent!” I felt my blade lower slightly as I looked at him, who had his hand on his blade just in case he needed to intervene. “Over time, I slowly started to become close to him, not realizing that I was falling for him at the same time.” I looked back to glare at Diana. “How could I not fall for someone who was not only twice the man Abel ever could be but treated me and my people with at least a little respect?”
She glanced away, toward Altaïr I presumed, but looked at me quickly.
“I do not want to fight you Cynthia.” She lowered her blade. “We are friends...remember?”
The grip on my blade tightened even more at her words before I muttered.
“You should have thought of that before opening your mouth to Abel.”
With that, I dashed toward her again, swinging my blade once again and making an attempt at slicing her. She quickly blocked the attack with ease, parried and pushed it away, before gracefully spinning out of the way as I swung my sword again. Turning to spot her standing nearby, I watched her glance past my shoulder, glare at someone or something, and turned to run away from the wedding. Growling at her cowardice, I quickly began chasing after her before the crowd went into a complete panic, making an attempt at escaping with their lives.
“Cynthia!” My father’s voice rang out. “Cynthia, come back!”
As much as I wanted to listen to him, my mind told me to keep chasing down Diana and end her like the traitorous dog she was. The sound of blades crashing against each other was soon heard in the decreasing distance, knowing that a fight had broken out. Yet, I continued to run after the French woman, my legs barely pausing for a breath as I turned a corner in order to keep up with her. Knowing the others fairly well and how capable they were at using their blades, they would be alright on their own. With the amount of guards and Templars that were present, however, it made me wonder. How long would they be able to hang on while I was away? I quickly shook the negative thoughts out of my mind. They are going to be just fine, I told myself as I made another turn, passing by very few civilians along the way. I am sure of it.
After what seemed like an hour, I watched her slide to a stop. She, then, turned her head to find me sprinting to her before quickly running onto the bridge that led into the next district. Picking up the pace, I, too, slid to a stop, but instead of continuing, I noticed her panting form standing on the bridge, facing me and holding her blade tightly in her hand. Her auburn hair, which was held back in a ponytail for the wedding (but due to the running some of it came out), shielded her blue eyes from view even though it was facing the ground. Panting, I slowly raised my blade and pointed it at her.
“So the coward...has stopped running away,” I spoke in between breaths. “I suppose that means...you are ready to accept your inevitable fate.”
Without a word, she looked at me as she took in deep breaths, her eyes filled with pain and guilt. She was silent as she looked in the direction in which we had just come from before looking back at me.
“Cynthia...listen to me,” she spoke up, panting a bit as well. “Everything that is happening...it is all a mistake.”
“And why should I listen to you?!” I snapped angrily. She flinched as I continued, “You betrayed us, the people who trusted you and were willing to give up our lives for each other! You left the city and brought Abel to Damascus all because you could not take the truth.” My eyes narrowed. “I felt guilty for not telling you; truly I was from the bottom of my heart. But when you stood with Abel, like his damned pet, I realized that I should not have felt that way at all.”
“No, Cynthia,” she cut in, taking a small step toward me. “You should have felt guilty,” She lowered her head, “because I felt the same way.”
I growled, no longer wanting to hear more of her lies.
“I don’t want to hear any more lies from you! You will be silenced for betraying the people who took care of you for so many years!”
Before she had time to react or say anything, I bolted toward her, swinging my sword downward. She was able to deflect the attack, yet I was able to attack once again before she had a chance to move again. Instead of going offensive, she remained on the defense, deflecting and blocking all of the attacks that were thrown at her. Her expression turned frantic, as if she were trying to find a way to push me back and away from her. However, I was not going to stop until I ended her life on the spot, showing her what would happen if she betrayed those who worked so hard and diligently at protecting her. Suddenly, though, while I raised my sword in the air, Diana shut her eyes before swinging her sword, slicing my stomach. I gasped as she, regretfully, kicked my stomach and knocked me onto my back, landing on the ground with a thud. Sliding a bit from the force, I quickly tried to get to my feet, only to find the tip of Diana’s blade stopped me short. Green eyes widened for a moment before turned into a death glare at the French woman. Her eyes, though, still held on of guilt and regret, one I did not believe in the least.
“Cynthia, please, give me a chance!” She told me. “Give me a chance to explain everything!”
“No enemy of mine deserves a chance to say anything!” I shouted, taking my blade and clashing it against hers.
Shocked, she did not have enough time to move as I drove my blade through her side. Shrieking a bit, she pulled away, holding her injured side and giving me time to return to my feet.
“If only it was aimed for your heart...” I muttered as I balanced myself.
She stared at the blood seeping from her wound before looking back at me.
“Cynthia, please! I did not mean to tell Abel anything! I swear!”
“Why should I believe anything you say to me right now?!” I questioned, charging at her once more and bringing my blade down on her. “So far, you have only given me an incentive to end your life right now!”
Due to her injury, she had a little more difficulty trying to hold me back and defend herself. However, she still had the strength to hold on for a little while longer.
“Because...” She strained to speak due my pressure against her blade. “Because...Abel...he...”
“Out with it if you want to live longer!” I shouted, applying more pressure to the blade. Her next words shocked me to my very core:
“Because Abel raped me! He kept raping me until I spoke of your whereabouts!”
My arms suddenly felt heavier, as if rocks had suddenly fallen on me, as my eyes widened with horror. Diana’s eyes shut tightly, holding back tears that had been begging to fall for much too long. The pressure that was once applied to Diana’s blade disappeared like the wind as I took several steps back, speechless. Anger and the desire for revenge was replaced entirely with shock and horror as I watched her turn away from me. The tears she tried to hold back slowly began falling down her cheeks, while the tip of her blade fell to the ground.
Raped? I thought, unable to comprehend her words. That could not be possible. I knew for a well known fact that Diana was very strong, strong in her sword fighting and strong with words. She could never fall to any kind of torture thrown at her, for she knew how to hold herself true to any secrets that she promised to keep. She was as strong as an ox. However, one fact remained clear: she had never been with another man before. She had never been in bed with another man nor had she ever slept with anyone. The experience, I assumed, was so traumatic it caused her to speak. Watching her shrunken form, one thing crossed my mind: How could Abel do this to her? How could he have gone so far as to rape Diana just so he could find out where I was hiding? It was inhuman, unrealistic, horrifying; so much it frightened me. For so long, I believed that Abel was a brute, but now with the newfound information in mind, I knew for a fact that Abel was a monster, a hell spawn, a demon.
“I...know what you are thinking...Cynthia...” Diana spoke, looking back at me with shameful eyes. “And I want to tell you that you are wrong...”
Disgust filled my face not at her but at her words.
“How could you say that?” I asked her. “After everything that he did to you?”
She looked away from me, trying to find the right words to say, before slowly looking back at me and saying.
“After he raped me...someone came in...and told me something that...that made me see Abel differently, differently from what we had believed for so long...”
“What are you talking about?” I questioned in a low tone. She was about to continue, when the unthinkable happened.
Forest green eyes widened with shock and utter horror as I watched an arrow fly from out of nowhere, piercing Diana’s neck. It ran through her cleanly and fluently as if it were still flying through the air. Her blue eyes widened with shock as blood seeped through both openings like a river, dropping her blade and raising her hands toward the arrow sticking out of her neck. Turning my head for a split moment, I spotted an archer in the near distance, his bow aiming toward her. Instead of trying to chase him down and kill him for what he had done, I looked back at Diana and watched as her back collided with the stone railing of the bridge, clawing at her neck in a futile attempt at removing the arrow. However, she did not stop moving and soon found herself falling over the edge. Without thinking anymore, I dropped my blade and tried to run over to grab her, but by then she was already falling backward into the waters below. Thankfully, I was able to take hold of her forearm, but was immediately pulled in with her, plunging into the cold water of the river within seconds.
Thinking fast, I pulled her near limp body toward me, holding tightly, before swimming back up to the surface. Even in the water, her body felt a lot heavier than while on the surface, but I was barely thinking about that. Once I broke through the surface, I gasped for air and quickly swam to the edge, gripping Diana tightly along the way. Her blood began leaving a small trail in the water, yet she was still persistent – although weakened – with pulling the arrow out of her neck. Pulling myself and Diana to the shore, which took me a moment to get out completely, I quickly pulled her away from the edge, dragging her a few feet, before collapsing onto my knees. Panting, I moved her so that her head was lying on my lap. Her blood continued to flow out of her neck, staining the once white gown, yet I no longer cared about that. My mind only focused on the dying woman.
“Diana! Diana, speak to me!” I exclaimed, fearful of touching the arrow as I did not want put her through anymore pain.
She was gasping for breathing, clawing at her neck for what seemed like forever. Knowing what she wanted, I swallowed the lump in my throat and took hold of the arrow head side of the stick, snapping it off and pulling out from the other side. Blood began to pour out of her neck faster than before, which forced me to tear off part of my dress and wrap it around her neck, holding it together.
“Stay with me, Diana! Please!” I exclaimed as the blood began seeping through the once white garment.
“He did not do it...to hurt you...” She spoke, still gasping for breath.
I looked her with curiosity as the warmth of the blood licked at my hands.
“What do you mean?”
She inhaled deeply before continuing.
“It was because of her...She brought him...she brought him so much...so much pain...” She inhaled again. “Because of her...he...he took out his pain upon others...upon you...”
“Who?” I questioned. “Who are you talking about...?”
“C...” She started, inhaling again in an attempt at staying alive for a little while, before uttering one name, a name I did not believe had any importance to me, “Clarice...Clarice...”
I stared at her for a long moment, still holding the dampened dress particle against her neck, before looking forward, staring at nothing but the buildings as I thought deeply. Clarice? Who was Clarice? I had never heard of someone named Clarice before in my life. However, now that she supposedly played a role in this sick little game, she was someone I had to know. She had something to do with the way Abel treated me and everyone else around him, the reason why he was so selfish and greedy. She was the creator of this chaos, and the only thing I wanted to know was her reason why. Why did she start all of this and for what purpose? I knew that I had never met her before in the past, yet the emotions that were embedded into Abel's mind sprouted from her, from Clarice herself. If she was as bad a threat as I was making her out to be, then she had to be eliminated. Unfortunately, since I did not know her personally or heard of her until today, there was no place to start looking.
Shaking my head, I looked back at Diana, who was turning paler by the minute.
“I...do not know anyone by that name...” I told her, eyes saddening at the sight over the fact that I was losing her.
She nodded once, coughing only once, before speaking.
“I know...I know...but...” She looked me in the eye, “...but she knows who you are...” I felt my body tense at her words, yet remained silent as she closed eyes, inhaling again. “You know…I always thought we would be friends forever, Cynthia…” she said, opening her eyes again. “But after everything that has happened, I...I am not surprised by your anger...”
“Diana...” I murmured, yet trailed off.
“As a last request...” She slowly spoke, her blue eyes turning hazy. “Please...have it in your heart to forgive me. I did not...mean to speak of your whereabouts in Damascus. To Abel himself. Honest to God...”
I felt tears well up in my eyes both at her words and the feel of her skin turning cold.
“I should be the one...who is begging for forgiveness, Diana.” I said, my throat starting to hurt as I choked back tears. “I should have told you before what was going on, not keep you in the dark for as long as I did.”
For once in what seemed like a long time, a smile, though weak and fragile, appeared on her face, before muttering a small, “I had forgiven you at least a day after the argument, but I was unable to tell you...because Abel’s guards had kidnapped me and dragged me back to Jerusalem...”
Now, a smile danced across my face as tears started to stream down my cheeks.
“Then rest, Diana, with a clear conscious,” I told her, “for you have been forgiven as well.”
With that, her smile grew even more as she murmured a small “Thank you...” before closing her blue eyes and exhaling her last breath. Within seconds, she grew limp in my arms, her soul leaving behind the carcass of its prison and up into Heaven. Releasing the pressure that I had applied to her bleeding neck, I sat on my knees, watching her face turn into a pale white as death overcame her. Her body did not move, it did not twitch, it just...lied there lifelessly. She just...died peacefully. More tears began streaming down my face as I gripped my torn dress.
I started to tell myself that her death was my fault, that her blood was on my hands because I was stupid. I started to believe that she had died because of my selfishness to keep her from speaking out. I had refused to say anything to her for fear that she would tell someone when we were not paying any attention, who would in turn tell someone else. Knowing her hatred for the Assassins all too well, she would have done so in a heartbeat. However, it would be in order to keep me safe from harm, since we had known one another for so long. It would not be out of spite or hatred, but protection of the people she cared about. However, I was stupid; stupid for keeping the information away from her and not speaking. In turn, it cost her her life, her dignity, her pride.
That was what I started to tell myself, but it soon transformed into something else. My anger for her demise was now aimed toward the demise of Abel, the man who had started all of the problems, both personally and politically. Rage coursed through my veins as I moved her head to let her lie on the floor. Slowly, I, then, got to my feet, clenching my fists to bleeding point. It was his fault that all of this happened, that Diana was killed. It was he who had kidnapped and raped her, not I. It was he who forced her into telling of our whereabouts, not I. It was he who forced her to do his bidding and make it seem as if she had betrayed me, not I. Inhaling, I wiped away my tears of sadness and looked toward the bridge, spotting my blade lying on the floor. With a newfound motivation, I quickly walked over to it and picked it up, gripping it tightly as I turned around and began walking back to Diana’s unmoving body. When I loomed over her once more, I watched her lifeless, blood tinted face for a moment, engraving it in my mind to make sure I would not forget it when I ended Abel’s life on the spot.
“I swear, Diana...” I spoke. “Abel will not live to see another day. That is the least I could do so you may at least have your dignity again.”
With that, I walked around her body slowly before sprinting back in the direction in which we had come from, the direction of the wedding, the direction of the man who will die this day.