Altair mostly kept his thoughts for himself, including his deepest worries for the ones he loved. He wasn’t the one who would express himself through words, and everyone he knew settled on the fact that he wouldn’t talk even if they asked. So he spent the last month’s of (y/n)’s pregnancy like that, fear eating him away from the inside. He knew that his mother died while giving birth to him, what if the same happens to his wife? The thought got a hold on his mind.
With the arrival of his child coming closer day by day, he grew restless, not leaving Masyaf for a second and always staying by your side. Even Malik commented on his unusual behavior, suggesting for him to lay down for a second before he does more damage to (y/n)’s well being than good. But Altair didn’t listen.
It was a quiet spring day at the fort, a light breeze swept by the towers, stirring up some dirt at the training grounds and picking up a woman’s scream by the window of the medical ward. Life seemed to stop. A few initials leaned against the wall waiting for good or bad news, fearing their master’s reaction. Since female assassins rarely joined the creed and found a family at the same time, the birth of a child was considered a rare occasion in Masyaf.
Altair paced up and down the corridor, passing by the door that separated him from (y/n). It pained him to hear her cries for help, and he wished he could do something. (y/n) has been laboring for the past few hours, enduring the pain for the seek of their child. However, Altair saw the faces of the doctors, he knew, something was wrong. He waited impatiently until the door opened, revealing the midwife with her lips slightly parted as if she wanted to say something, good or bad, Altair couldn’t decide.
Upright End
“It’s a boy!” The midwife’s features finally settled on a smile. “Both mother and child are healthy.”
Relief ran through Altair’s body as he let out a breathy laugh. The fear he felt for months was gone. New ones will come in its place sure, but he couldn’t care less about those at the moment.
“Let me see them!”
“Of course!” The woman stepped aside, gesturing him towards the bed.
Altair never saw such beauty before, like (y/n) with his newborn son in her arms.
“Hey…” (y/n) looked up as soon as she noticed her husband entering the room.
“How are you?” Sitting on a nearby chair, Altair leaned forward to see his son better. “I heard you… and I was soo worried.”
“I know, but nothing went wrong.” The woman reassured him, gently brushing her son’s cheeks with her fingertips, adoring the new life she created. “He is finally with us.”
“I always wished for a boy.”
“Only to win your bet with Malik?” (y/n) asked jokingly.
“No, even without that. But I won the bet anyways.” Smiling Altair reached for his sons’ small hand, breathing out proudly when the baby gripped his finger. “He has strong hands he’ll become a great assassin.”
“Just like his father.”
“Even greater."
(y/n) suppressed a yawn, only managing to keep her eyes barely open.
"Would you like to hold him while I rest?” She offered her husband what he deeply desired for months.
“Of course.” Altair gently lifted the warm bundle close to his chest, a warm feeling filling his hearth while he did so. Instinctively rocking his body, he kissed the child’s forehead, humming him a faint lullaby.
“My father left me when I was young.” He whispered. “My mother died even before that, but you have to know, I’ll always be by your side. Always.”
Downright End
The midwife’s eyes fixated on Altair’s face before she drew a sharp breath, looking apologetically.
“The news I bring are not good, Master Altair."
Altair’s breath caught in his throat as he noticed how bloody were the woman’s hands are. The substance dripped onto the hard stone floor in an ever slow manner, like if time froze to let in the redness of death.
"The child is alive, but I fear your wife is not…"
Taking a staggering step back, Altair shook his head in disbelief. They must have looked over something, (y/n) must be alive still.
"Tell me the truth…” His lips quivered. “Tell me the truth!"
"I would never lie to you about such matters.” Bracing herself, the midwife kept her voice low. “Would you like to see the child?"
"No… no…” Altair had to lean against the wall as his tears threatened to fall. The corridor suddenly felt too scant, crushing him into pieces. His only thought was to escape from the horrors, away from the pain.
“I have to go…” He tried to reach for something to regain his balance, only to find thin air around his fingers. Suddenly the feeling of loneliness hit him in the chest so hard that he forgot to breathe.
“But Master, your child…"
"Leave me alone!”
He dashed down the corridor, nearly missing the way to his chambers, then collapsed the moment his door was locked shut. The tears brimming in his eyes finally flown free, down his cheek, as he cried, holding himself. His nightmare came true, he lost you, and now he has to be a father for his child all alone. He never even had a father, only for a short time, what will he do? Thousands of questions came to the surface of his mind, and he knew no answers.
Darkness settled outside. As the news spread, the silence grew bigger. Suddenly somebody knocked on Altair’s door.
“Hey, novice…” Malik’s voice was unusually gentle. “I thought you might want to see your child. He is very much like you, I can already tell. Also, this is your last chance to say goodbye to (y/n)…"
Altair closed his eyes to prevent fresh tears forming. A boy. How he wished for a boy since (y/n) announced her pregnancy. And jet, he felt a strange kind of hatred for him. Not as strong as for his enemies or the templars, but still.
"You always wanted a family of your own, Malik.” He said just loud enough so the Rafik could hear him. “Keep him, give him a name, and raise him well."
"Altair, you can’t be…"
"Do as I said… please…"
Malik knew that Altair lost something on that day other than (y/n). He lost his ability to care for others as he used to before, forever.
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