Chapter Text
Shams woke up in the Masyaf’s infirmary again, his whole body hurt but the pain in his heart was the most agonizing.
The scene of Al Mualim Stabbing his brother kept repeating in his mind, the red flowers that bloomed on his white robes, the stirring of his brother’s body when he called out his name, the assassins that heartlessly watched his brother’s life slowly slipping away.
The healer noticed he was awake and tried to feed him medicine but was scared away by a fuck off from him.
After the healer left the room, Shams just stared at the ceiling, having no motivation to move. He didn't even notice as the door of the infirmary opened and a person with dark robes entered the room.
"Not drinking your medicine doesn't bring him back to life." Malik scolded.
"But it could take me to him." Shams responded, still staring at the ceiling.
Malik sighed, moved a stool to the side of his bed and sat down "You know well enough that Altaïr wouldn't want that. He would want you to live a good life."
"I can't imagine a life without Altaïr beside me," Shams shouted, took his eyes off the ceiling and looked at the man who was sitting sideways beside him, tears blurring his vision. Blinking to clear the tears, he saw the particular pattern on Malik's black robes.
"Hah, of course, you wouldn't be sad about Altaïr's death, no one would be in your way to success, no one to take Al Mualim’s attention from you, you're a Dai now, I bet you convinced the teacher to execute Altaïr." Shams snapped, everyone close to Altaïr and Malik knew the latter was jealous of the former. Shams had tried to moderate between them before but it was useless. Malik would benefit the most from Altaïr's death.
"Shams Ibn-La'Ahad, I do not stand such accusation! I may be many things but I'm not a backstabber! I didn't like Altaïr but I didn't wish for his death either!" Malik stood up and turned to face him, giving Shams a full view of his body only then did Shams see Malik’s lack of left arm.
Sense of guilt and dread filled his whole body, coming to the full realization of what horrible things he had said to his friend and brother.
"Malik. I… I didn't… I didn't realize…" Shams stammered, trying to find the right words to apologize but nothing came to his mind.
"No need, I know better than to let words of an injured and mourning person affect me." Malik raised his hand, his remaining hand to stop him, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath then sat on the stool beside Shams' bed again.
They stayed silent for a while, both not knowing what to say then Shams broke the silence.
"What happened? After the temple, I mean." Shams asked, remembering the fight in the temple. It was a tough fight, they were both greatly outnumbered and injured, they may have had a chance if Altaïr was with them but his brother was locked outside of the temple, Malik’s arm was wounded and Kadar was just a novice on his first mission.
Shams might have been able to get away if he was alone, he was nowhere as good as Altaïr or Malik when it came to close combat, no one was as good as Altaïr but Malik was closely behind him but he was the best when it came to stealth and hiding. Since they were children, orphans, Shams knew he could never match his brother in combat, so he focused on stealth and the art of war to support his brother from the shadows.
When the temple started to collapse, he quickly came to a plan, he gave the treasure to Malik and pushed him through the entrance before it was blocked. Still, it gave de Sablé an opening to injure him, sword impaling him he fell to the ground but before de Sablé could finish the job something unbelievable happened.
An explosion of light filled the whole temple, blinding everyone. The last thing Shams saw before passing out was a bright human figure walking toward de Sablé. He doesn’t know why de Sablé didn’t kill him but without Altaïr here Shams wished he had done it.
“Altaïr and I reached Masyaf not long before De Sablé, we got the news of the siege as I was giving the treasure to Al Mualim. You know the rest” Malik said then turned around and walked toward the door “get more rest, Altaïr was devastated as he heard you might have been killed back in the temple, try to live for him.”
Shams stared at the closed door “That selfish bastard” He didn’t realize when his consciousness faded into darkness.
*****
It took a few days to recover before Al Mualim summoned him. Al Mualim was with his back toward him.
“Teacher” Shams said, his voice lacking the warmth it had before when talking with Al Mualim.
Rashid ad-din turned around and looked at him in the eyes for a few seconds, the look made Shams uncomfortable so he lowered his head.
“I understand how hard it is for you to be in my presence after your brother's passing but I do not feel remorse about my actions, your brother broke all three of our creeds tenants and endangered all our brothers, do you understand?”
“Yes… Teacher.” Shams didn’t raise his head.
“Good, the healers told me that you have recovered enough to travel again. I have a new mission for you, I need you to gain the trust of our brothers in Alamut castle and their mentor Nur al-Din Muhammad. I have heard concerning news about, something about connections with templars. I need to investigate him for me”
“Would he be suspicious of me if you sent me there?” Shams asked.
“You will not be sent there as a master assassin but a newly conducted one so be mindful of not appearing too skilled. Is everything clear?”
“Yes, master”
“Good, make sure you are on the road before the sunrise, now you are dismissed” Al Mualim turned around again and waved his hand in dismissal.
*****
Desmond woke up with the feeling of being watched, not surveillance cameras watching him but an actual person looking at him. He barely resisted his instinct of attacking the person watching him, trying to make himself appear as sleepy as possible he finally opened his eyes.
“I gotta say that’s a little creepy, Doc. waking up to you standing over me.” Desmond said while raising up from his laying position. “You’ve been watching me sleep?” he pointed at the cameras.
“We are always watching you. Now get up, we’ve got a lot of work to do.” Vidic said while walking out of the room.