• Black and white

    Part 2: the plan


    The next day Altir awoke to the birds singing and the sun shining through the window. He went down stair to the kitchen and found that Leonardo was already up and cooking breakfast.
    “Good morning assassin,” he said
    “You may call me by my name.”
    “Which is?”
    “I apologize, my name is Altir.”
    “Then good morning Altir. Would you like some eggs and bacon?”
    “Yes, thank you for the offer.”
    So they had breakfast together and did their daily routines. Altir exercised, read, and went to town. Leonardo had a job to do in town. He had to protect a farmer that the templars were after him for supplying assassins with food and a place to stay. After that he went to the market and bought meat, fruit, vegetables, milk, and coffee beans.
    When he got back to the house he found Altir training in the back yard.
    “Done with you job already,” Altir grunted as he slashed his long sword at a pole stuck in the ground.
    “It didn’t take long for the templars to show up,” Leonardo replied.
    “It never does.”
    “No, not usually. I’m going to the blacksmith to get my shield repaired if you want to come.”
    “Yes I was thinking about going to look at a new sword this one is a little out of balance.”
    “Follow me then.”
    They made their way through town and soon arrived at the blacksmith.
    “Hello Leonardo,” the smith said.
    “Hello Jonathan,” he replied.
    “What can I do for you today?”
    “I just need my shield repaired.”
    “And you sir,” the Jonathan asked nodding towards Altir.
    “I was looking to trade my sword for a slightly more balanced one.”
    “Well let me take a look a your sword,” he said extending his hand towards the hooded man.
    Altir unsheathed his sword and handed it to the blacksmith. He looked it over and checked the balance. He set it down on the counter and said, “This is a good sword and I don’t think you would like to lose it.”
    “Well what can you do to balance it,” the assassin asked.
    “I only have to shorten the blade I won’t charge you for this, because you are Leonardo’s friend.”
    After that was done they went back home to discus their plan.
    “How do we get the assassins and the guardians to work together?”
    “We only have to convince two people.”
    “That might not be as easy as it sounds”
    “The assassins will listen to me.”
    “And the guardians to me. But can we convince them?”
    “There is only one way to find out.”
    They agreed to go and try to convince the assassins and guardians to work together. Altir had to travel a good distance so Leonardo had a little time to plan. As Altir traveled he got a little side tracked. When he came into a town, he found that some of the guards treat the citizens poorly. He went into town looking for guards that weren’t treating the citizen’s right. He found them trying to collect taxes from a homeless man.
    “You won’t get any money from him, so just leave him alone,” Altir said
    A tall thin guard turned to him and said, “This is none of your business so stay out of this.”
    Altir slid the hidden blade out from its secret sheath, and jumped on the man and slid the blade into his neck before he hit the ground. The blade slide back into the sheath and Altir drew his sword ageist the other two guards. They advanced and drew their swords. Altir lunged at the first one who jumped back in the nick of time. The second one tried to bring his blade down on to Altir’s head, but he blocked and smashed the but of his sword into the guard’s hand causing him to drop his weapon. He stabbed him trough the heart and swung at the other one who was already running away. He didn’t bother to case the guard, instead he handed the poor man a few coins and headed on his way.

    It had been a few days and Leonardo was going to confront his master about working with the assassins.
    “Master, I wish to speak with you.”
    “Go on.”
    “The last person I was assigned to guard was an assassin,” he started. “I have talked with him and think it best that you consider working with the assassins in a joined effort towards our cause.”
    “And why would that be,” his master asked.
    “More would get done at one time if worked with the assassins instead of independently,” Leonardo replied.
    His master began to pace the floor wondering why one of his best guardians would propose such an idea. He went to his desk and took out a peace of paper and ink, and began to write. When he was done he turned to Leonardo handed him the paper and said, “Take this to the assassins bureau that this Altir went and deliver this message to his master.”
    “As you wish master,” he said bowing slightly.
    Meanwhile Altir tried to do the same thing with his master. He was told that if the master of the guardians wanted to do this he would send a dispatch, most likely Leonardo, and that he was to wait for a week and if it didn’t come he go and find his friend.