A Question of Loyalty

Donahue let out a groan as he remembered the meeting. It clearly hadn't gone as well as he had hoped it would.
"Small minded religious fool... He wants Lilith and little Samael out of the city as soon possible or he'll have them nailed to crosses." Donahue took a deep breath, trying to calm himself a bit. The audacity of the commander to speak with a knight noble in such a manner... "Officially, things are going good here. The old fool won't do anything about De Naplouse as he is supposedly doing God's work. I say we let the Assassin kill that butcher" Donahue said with a sigh.

Nasrin's eyes widened a bit at the suggestion. She had no love for the Doctor, but surely he was working here for a purpose. Would letting him die negatively impact the Templars as a whole?
But Donahue had been the one to suggest it, and Nasrin trusted his judgement. If Garnier's life was what it cost to be able to track this Assassin, maybe the ends justified the means.
"Then he'll be our bait. Let's hope what we sacrifice matches what we could gain. In the meantime, we should get ready. If this Altaïr is as good as they say, we'll need to be quick and silent if we want to follow him successfully." The choice was not one she had ever thought to need to make and even now she wasn't fully confident in her dicision. Looking to the hosptial and hearing the screams of people inside weighed on her, though. Maybe letting this man die would harm the Templars, but it would do more good for the people around her.  "Let's get out of here, unless you have something else you wish to do?"

Donahue looked around them for a moment, and scratched his head as he wondered if there was anything else they needed to do, but nothing came to mind.
"There's nothing that I need to do" Donahue said with a small sigh before turning to face Nasrin, "Is there anything you wish to do, miss? Perhaps a stroll by the harbour, or a trip to the market? You have your freedom here, after all." Donahue actually just wanted to spend some time with Nasrin and perhaps get to know her a bit better as he had realised that he hardly knew her at all which was a shame considering how much he seemed to like her.

Nasrin was glad that her face was mostly hidden,
so her expression couldn't be seen. She was so used to being all business when on an assignment, but the promise of being able to go wherever she wanted without orders was something she couldn't pass up. Aside from that, Nasrin liked the idea lof spending more time with Donahue. "Perhaps we could go to the harbor? I've always loved the sea."

Donahue smiled at her answer, he loved the sea, and he enjoyed spending time near it whenever he could. He held out his hand to Nasrin with a small subtle smile.
"Would you walk with me, miss" Donahue asked sweetly as he dipped his head in a show of respect. He looked up at her before looking back to the floor. It was up to her now, he would respect whatever she decided to do.

Nasrin chuckled warmly, reaching out to take the knight's hand. She had met few men as honorable and respectful as Donahue, and he continued to surprise her. "I would love to." She grinned, enjoying the warmth of his hand against hers. "Thank you for this, Donahue. Really." Her words were soft and genuine, two things that were almost foreign to the spy.

Donahue smiled when Nasrin took his hand, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
"Thank you, Nasrin, you honour me" Donahue said softly before gently leading her down to the harbour.


The fresh sea breeze was a welcome change to the typical scents of any city of the time. There were people fishing, and ships were being either loaded or unloaded. Donahue stood close to Nasrin, a small smile on his lips. Whenever he saw someone that looked like they could be a threat, he tensed up slightly, and rested his other hand on the hilt of his sword.

Nasrin couldn't help but smile when they made it to the docks of Acre. She'd removed her naqib, letting her eyes momentarily drift closed as the breeze tossled her hair. When she opened her eyes, her gaze lingered on the horizon that seemed to extend out forever in front of them. It had been so long since she'd seen the sea, since she allowed herself to marvel at it's beauty. It had been even longer since she had felt the warmth that had built in her chest as she'd taken Donahue's hand.
The Knight was so different from the other members of the Order; he seemed to see her as a woman, not just a tool in the Templar arsenal. She wondered if Donahue knew how much it meant to her to have someone else looking out for her. "When I was a child I used to play along the docks," she remembered with a smile. "I came to know many of the fishermen and dock workers that way. And sailors would tell me stories of the places they'd seen." The admitance was nothing essential, nothing that would truly compromise Nasrin and yet it was still almost difficult for her to say. It was her way of letting Donahue know that, for their short time spent together, she trusted him enough to let him see that part of her.

Donahue watched Nasrin remove her niqab, and smiled when he saw her face once again not because of her beauty, but because of how happy and at peace she was in that moment. To see someone so free, so content even with nothing, he couldn't help but smile. Donahue listened to Nasrin as she spoke, paying attention to every single word that passed through her lips before turning his attention to the ocean.
"The sea is a beautiful and mysterious mistress, is she not? She holds so many secrets, secrets that she will not easily share. When she shares her secrets, they are precious and kept close to the heart. Empires rise and fall, wars are either won or lost, humans are born and they die, yet she... she remains constant." Donahue looked to Nasrin with a small smile before turning his attention to the ocean once again. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes for a moment as he took in the various scents of the harbour. "For as beautiful and mysterious as she is, she is just as dangerous, if not moreso. Drawing men in with her beauty and her haunting song before killing them... I can only hope she does not have the same fate planned for me" he said with a small smile. The way he spoke, it was uncertain if Donahue was talking about Nasrin or the ocean.

Blush threatened to creep onto Nasrin's cheeks at Donahue's words. "I don't think you need to worry about such things.
Something tells me that the sea has no quarrel with you." She glanced towards the Knight, holding his gaze for a moment. She had to admit that he looked handsome in the light of the harbor, like he too had found some peace there. "Really I can't thank you enough for this." She was pensive for a moment, golden eyes studying the Knight. Not for weaknesses or deceptions, simply to see what he was thinking.

Donahue looked at Nasrin with a warm smile, allowing her to read him. He had a softness in his eyes, and a look of adoration as he looked at Nasrin.
"Then I shall do my best to keep her satisfied. I would never seek to quarrel with the sea" Donahue said with a small smile as he gave Nasrin's hand a gentle squeeze. He rubbed the back of his neck for a moment as she thanked him. Had this really meant so much to her? "You're most welcome, Nasrin. It was the least I could do for you." Donahue thought for a moment before looking to Nasrin with a sly smile. He raced to the edge of the docks, where he sat down and removed his boots before dangling his feet in the water.

The challenge in Donahue's eyes didn't go unnoticed, and Nasrin soon was chasing after him towards the end of the docks. The action brought back memories from her childhood, and she found herself laughing as she ran. When they reached the end of the dock Nasrin followed Donahue's example, dipping her feet into the water. She rested her hands on either side of her, letting her fingers brush up against Donahue's.

Donahue smiled happily as Nasrin's fingers brushed up against his, and rested his hand on hers. This moment was a pleasant change from the usual conflict, orders, and seriousness that they lived under. He looked to her with a small smile before looking out over the ocean.
"This is wonderful, Nasrin... It-it's been a while since I last had something like this, let alone felt like this... truely at peace" Donahue said quietly before looking to Nasrin.

Nasrin returned the smile. It had been . . . almost too long for Nasrin to remember since she had someone to trust. Someone whose company she enjoyed. "It's the same for me. In my life . . . in my line of work . . . trust is a luxury. One always needs to be on their guard. There is no peace that lasts long." It sounded so fatalistic, she realised. "It's good to have someone to trust."

Donahue knew all too well how she felt. They were in the middle of a war, and misplaced trust could be life threatening. Trust in the weapons you forge, trust in the steel you smith, for she will never betray you. Armor your heart. That's what his father told him, and those were the words that he lived by.
"Unfortunately, that is our sad reality. Death comes for those that do not deserve it, and peace is fleeting." Donahue looked into Nasrin's eyes, a certain warmth in his own. "I swear to you, Nasrin, in the names of all the old gods, that you can trust me. For as long as I live, I will protect you" Donahue said quietly, hoping that nobody else had heard him. In that moment, he had revealed something to her that he could be executed for if anyone else found out. Donahue was a heathen, a believer in the old gods.

Nasrin was at a loss for words, not only because of the promise but because Donahue had chosen to share something as deeply personal as following the old gods. It was a dangerous admission - one that could get him killed should the wrong person hear it - and he had trusted her with the secret.
"Donahue . . ." she kept her voice low, "I don't know what to say." It was so strange to have someone care for her, to have them lay bare something so important without her having to put on a mask to get it. She found herself thanking fate that she happened to meet Lilith and Donahue that day in the streets. She already felt closer to both of them than any other members of the Order.

Donahue gave Nasrin's hand a gentle squeeze as he smiled before looking down at the water beneath them. He gently swirled his feet about, enjoying the sensation of water flowing between his toes.
"You really don't need to say anything, Nasrin" Donahue said quietly, "I trust you, Nasrin." He watched a fish darting about excitedly causing him to chuckle a bit. He always loved fish, they were fascinating to him.

Nasrin grinned, seeing the fish that Donahue kept his eyes on. Meanwhile, her focus lingered on the Knight. Saying that he trusted her . . . she wondered if he knew how strange of a phrase it was for her to hear. It meant a lot to hear it from Donahue.
She turned her gaze back towards the horizon, watching the sun cap the waves of the sea in silver light. It was some time before she spoke up again, content to have sat there for hours. Still, that was a luxury for another time. "I suppose we should head back to Lilith's. Tell her what we've learned."

Donahue turned to face Nasrin when she spoke, and he nodded in agreement. He really wanted to stay at the harbour with her, but he knew that she had a point.
"I guess you're right, Nasrin, we should probably get going" Donahue said with a sad sigh as he hung his head. He pulled on his boots, and stood up before holding his hand out to Nasrin to help her up. He seemed to be a proper gentleman, even though he was a vicious warrior. When they returned to the barracks, he would return to his usual cold self.

Nasrin looked out to the horizon one last time as she stood, a choice being made as she watched the water. She trusted Donahue, and he trusted her, and he had given her this moment of peace when he didn't need to. Nasrin laid a hand on Donahue's shoulder, then she pressed her lips against his cheek. It was a thanks in some ways, but also a sign of closeness. "Thank you again, Donahue." She said, before heading down the dock, steeling herself once again.

Donahue was shocked by Nasrin's action, and gently placed a hand on his cheek where her lips had been, causing him to blush and smile. He watched for a for a moment with a beaming smile.
"Yer welcome, lass" he said with a chuckle before following her closely. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to fight at a moment's notice. To most, he looked like a knight going about his business, but he just wanted to protect Nasrin. Whenever some soldiers passed them, they would nod to Donahue, one or two even bowed slightly to him.


Back home, Cullen was entertaining Samael with some simple tricks or by tossing throwing knives into a post. The young boy laughed happily, clearly entertained by Cullen's desperate attempts to keep the boy entertained. Lilith was writing and reading various letters or orders, occasionally cursing as a result of some letter.

Nasrin was wary the entire journey back to Lilith's home, scanning the crowd for any sign of Assassins. There was always a possibility of one lurking around every corner, or watching from the rooftops. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be any following as the pair made their way back to  Lilith's house.

The spy breathed a sigh of relief when the two reached their destination. Turning once more to see if they were being followed - and seeing no signs of such - Nasrin stepped inside the house. She smiled at the sight of Cullen trying to entertain Lilith's young son, settling in from the long and eventful day.

Donahue approached Lilith with a sad look in his eyes, and gently rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Lilith... You and Samael... you need to leave the city. The commander wants the two of you out of his city or he'll have you nailed to a cross" Donahue explained, his voice trembling as he spoke. Lilith wrapped her arms around Donahue, and hugged him tightly.
"It's alright, Donnie" Lilith said in a soothing voice, trying to calm him. "I've planned for this. Samael will be sent to live with your mother and sister. It will be safer for him."
"I agree. Don't worry, mum will take great care of him." Donahue poured a glass of wine, and handed it to Nasrin before pouring himself a glass.

The air had very quickly become solemn, leaving Nasrin to observe from the side. How could the Templars do this to the family of one of their best operatives? The spy took a sip of the wine, her brows knitting together. "I'm so sorry Lilith." It was all she could think to say. She couldn't imagine how difficult it would be to say goodbye to a child . . . had her own mother been forced to give her up in a similar way?
She pushed the question from her mind. Best not to think of such things, not when there was a mission to think of. "We'll finish this business in Acre as quickly as we can so we can get Samael out of here."

Lilith took a seat on a pile of cushions beside Cullen, and took Samael into her arms, gently stroking her son's head as she smiled warmly.
"It's quite alright, Nasrin. He needs to grow up amongst his own people, to learn the old ways. Morrigan raised Donnie into a fine and noble man, and I have no doubt she will do the same for my son" Lilith said with a warm smile. She thought for a moment as she watched her son. "Be careful, Nasrin. I can look after Samael for a few more days, but you need to be careful out there. Donahue, you also need to be careful."