Heat pooled in his face at the thoughts. Not that he really minded but... how? Wait... Malik was sick, he remembered – feverish and incoherent. He took his head in his hands, as if to draw the reason through his skull.
“I know you are awake.”
Meaning, I know you are awake so get your sorry ass over here. And something in Malik's tone had Altair fearing for his life. He remembered what happened but by now, all he could do was praying that Malik did not remember as well. Though when he stepped into the Bureau in his breeches and shirt, he knew for a fact that hope had no place in the room. He caught a fruit from the basket hidden behind the desk – Malik always had kept them here in case a passing assassin would need something before going back to work. The sharp glance sent his way had him stopping in his track and wait.
“Malik...?” Something was off with the man, it was plain to see but he did not know what.
“I told you sandalwood and benzoin.” Malik looked Altair over, making sure that he was being clear. “I, however, did not ask you to get amber on top of that.”
The question, though silent, was written all over Altair's face and Malik had to resist the urge to smile at his cluelessness – at least the fool did not do it on purpose.
“Amber, Altair, is known to be a mix of different elements, Benzoin among them. It is also known to be a powerful aphrodisiac to be used in small quantities.”
At this, the master assassin wanted to run and hide away to Acre. So not only he messed up the incenses but he used a fairly large amount of the stuff. That was bad. And worse yet, Malik had not made a single move to kill him. How could Malik keep a straight face about it when he was positively panicking?
“Malik... I...”
“You are?”
That was bad, when he was stared at like this. Despite what people said back in Masyaf, he knew better – out of the two of them, Malik was the most terrifying when he was staring down at people with that murderous aura. “I'm sorry... I didn't mean for any of this to happen.”
“And how do I know that you did not indeed? I would be more inclined to think you did it on purpose – even you can't be stupid enough to mistake amber for benzoin.” Malik already knew the answer to that. He certainly was not letting Altair off the hook so easily – he made a mistake and he was going to repay it in full. With interest. His back hurt – part of him would have wanted to stay in bed but that nagging feeling that he had been drugged would not leave him alone. However, Altair's expression showed him what he wanted to know: the assassin did not mean it to happen. As the man kept silent, staring at him with a frozen dread etched on his features, he decided to be magnanimous.
“I believe you... what do you remember?” Careful, I might reconsider letting you leave if your answer doesn't please me.
“I woke up around the middle of the night, I don't know why. The air felt weird... and I heard sounds, so I went to check on you.” And you looked like you had some really bad fever. “I remember I tried to ask what was with you but... it started to get fuzzy afterwards.”
[FILL] Incense 9/10
“I know you are awake.”
Meaning, I know you are awake so get your sorry ass over here. And something in Malik's tone had Altair fearing for his life. He remembered what happened but by now, all he could do was praying that Malik did not remember as well. Though when he stepped into the Bureau in his breeches and shirt, he knew for a fact that hope had no place in the room. He caught a fruit from the basket hidden behind the desk – Malik always had kept them here in case a passing assassin would need something before going back to work. The sharp glance sent his way had him stopping in his track and wait.
“Malik...?” Something was off with the man, it was plain to see but he did not know what.
“I told you sandalwood and benzoin.” Malik looked Altair over, making sure that he was being clear. “I, however, did not ask you to get amber on top of that.”
The question, though silent, was written all over Altair's face and Malik had to resist the urge to smile at his cluelessness – at least the fool did not do it on purpose.
“Amber, Altair, is known to be a mix of different elements, Benzoin among them. It is also known to be a powerful aphrodisiac to be used in small quantities.”
At this, the master assassin wanted to run and hide away to Acre. So not only he messed up the incenses but he used a fairly large amount of the stuff. That was bad. And worse yet, Malik had not made a single move to kill him. How could Malik keep a straight face about it when he was positively panicking?
“Malik... I...”
“You are?”
That was bad, when he was stared at like this. Despite what people said back in Masyaf, he knew better – out of the two of them, Malik was the most terrifying when he was staring down at people with that murderous aura. “I'm sorry... I didn't mean for any of this to happen.”
“And how do I know that you did not indeed? I would be more inclined to think you did it on purpose – even you can't be stupid enough to mistake amber for benzoin.” Malik already knew the answer to that. He certainly was not letting Altair off the hook so easily – he made a mistake and he was going to repay it in full. With interest. His back hurt – part of him would have wanted to stay in bed but that nagging feeling that he had been drugged would not leave him alone. However, Altair's expression showed him what he wanted to know: the assassin did not mean it to happen. As the man kept silent, staring at him with a frozen dread etched on his features, he decided to be magnanimous.
“I believe you... what do you remember?” Careful, I might reconsider letting you leave if your answer doesn't please me.
“I woke up around the middle of the night, I don't know why. The air felt weird... and I heard sounds, so I went to check on you.” And you looked like you had some really bad fever. “I remember I tried to ask what was with you but... it started to get fuzzy afterwards.”