Four | The Chance to Travel

[eaglesonofnone]

WHO: Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad
WHERE: Within the South Village
WHEN: Roughly Dec. 10
OPEN TO: Nida Nomura, Kate Kelly, and Jacob Frye
WARNINGS: None as yet, will edit if any come up

---

Moving Day:

He hadn't gathered much in the way of belongings here. His clothing, a notebook, his firewood, and some food stores. And, looking around, he realised there wasn't much he'd miss. He'd spent the last day copying down all that he'd written on the walls of his root cellar and then scraping it away so the next inhabitant wouldn't see it. Then, he had begun removing his vegetables. Some of his potatoes had taken a liking to the cellar here and he hoped they'd do so in the new house he'd chosen as well.

When he'd first arrived, he'd been unsure as to what he'd come to find. He'd prepared for many things, but family was not among them. At the time, choosing to live on the outskirts of the village had made sense. He'd seen himself as a line of defense. Now, he knew he wasn't alone in that sort of endeavor. There were people he wanted to watch after, an organisation he needed to keep up - and all of that meant that he needed to be nearer to the center of town, so all of it was closer at hand. And thus, there were a few borrowed containers sitting out on his porch, waiting for him to pick them up and take them to his new home while he went through the house, making certain he'd forgotten nothing.

---

For the Sake of Food:

Most of what he'd needed to carry back and forth to his new house had been food. A root cellar's worth that he'd carefully attended to, to the point where his potatoes had sprouts and there was a chance he'd be able to propagate a few others if they took to this new cellar well enough. He'd let Nida go after enough trips and now had the last container in his arms, already planning how it would all be laid out in the cellar once he settled in. It had been a surprisingly good day. He'd not really gotten attached to the house past the river, but there was still a little fondness in his heart for it. After all, a roof over one's head was still valuable. He was thinking about what he'd miss on this last trip and was nigh deciding that the river was what he'd miss most as he passed the Inn.

---

Home Inspection:

Now that his things were in the house, he was working at making the place livable. There was a decent amount of work to do: linens brought out onto the porch to be beaten free of dust, surfaces to be wiped and swept, a fire to be built. Everything else was delayed until he could finish the basic parts of making a house a home. But one thing did occur to him as the sheets were rippling in the breeze that came through: he wanted to be sure his roof was worthwhile. And that was why he stood at the center of it, testing how it felt under his feet, checking to see if it held or swayed, or if there were any shingles that needed to be replaced. He knew little about such things, but he could surely manage something if it fell short.

Comments

[skyward_eyes]

He'd been out on a nice morning patrol, working on familiarizing himself with the houses, figuring out the best way to approach the new duty he had decided to take on for himself. But it had been a nice long walk, nothing to report, and so that meant heading for a brief lunch before heading out for more foraging, because really he was getting fond of some of the wild plants that he was mincing up and sprinkling onto just about anything for additional flavor.

Which meant he was walking beside the right place at the right time to see a few containers on a porch. Someone moving? No reason not to help out. He changed direction and ran up the brief steps and popped his head into the house.

"Hey there. Looks like you're moving, I'd be glad to help."

Could be a stranger, he doesn't care.

[eaglesonofnone]

"Nida?"

The voice was likely easy to recognise, even Nida's name carrying the Masyaf accent, the 'd' coming out more as a 'dh'. Altaïr peered out from the hallway to see the young man halfway into his house - the house that would soon be empty once more - and his brows rose with surprise before the logic came to him. "You must have seen everything on the porch."

The house was empty, or mostly so, excepting the bag Altaïr was carrying. There was still some lingering warmth inside, the faint scent of the wood fire that had been burning downstairs, and a distinct lack of dust on any of the surfaces. Time would cure that particular feature. Was it sad to see a house go empty? Perhaps. At least a little.

[skyward_eyes]

"Altair," Nida smiled when he heard the voice, and yeah, there was the face as well. Though he was halfway amused at the second before the logic hit Altair. "Actually, I'm just psychic."

It was a joke, and after a moment Nida wasn't certain that Altair would get that. Oh well. He stretched a little bit and then moved back toward the door. It would be a bit of exercise, a nice cool down for his legs, and a work out for his arms.

"So, where am I taking this stuff?"

[eaglesonofnone]

There were a good few moments that it seemed like a reasonable assumption that the joke would pass him by - when he almost protested that had he had such powers, they would be gone now, as his own Eagle Vision was. But then he saw the amusement at the corners of Nida's eyes and it became clear. Though it wasn't a real smile, it was at least a tug at one corner of his lips as he followed the younger man out onto his porch. "To the house numbered thirty-one," he answered. If I am to work with the village watch, I thought it proper to be closer to the town hall, and as Tony and I have been working together, being near the Forge was also a benefit. Out here, though the distance is good exercise, I fear I am too far to be conveniently reached."

[skyward_eyes]

Really, come on, that was a good joke. But Nida shrugged it off and listened to what was being said. All good reasons to move closer. Or so he thought.

"Seems legitimate to me. Should I just carry it all to the porch there? I don't want to be responsible for tracking dirt into the new house."

[eaglesonofnone]

"That would be wonderful; thank you," he said. "Remind me and I will cook for you as soon as my kitchen is set once more. I should have a meal for my friends, besides."

While the things here weren't what he was used to - not entirely - they were close enough that he could make a passable meal. There was still a great deal of meat from the boar that he and Iron Bull had brought down, and the hunters went out nearly every day to bring in more. His concern leaned more toward produce, but little could be done about that at this time of year.

[skyward_eyes]

"Cook?" Nida seemed a bit shocked at the offer. "Well, I admit I won't say no to a meal. So I guess I'll have to remind you."

With marching orders and confirmation Nida headed back out onto the porch and gathered up the first stack of containers, just enough that he could barely see over the top. Don't mind him, he's efficient.

"Anything I should know before carrying this over? You don't have a dog over there or something, right?"

Allergies sucked.

[eaglesonofnone]

A faint laugh and he answered, "No. No animals unless a mouse has taken up residence - in which case, let us hope it is brown instead of icy." Poor Nida.

Altaïr himself picked up a load of firewood, not for the first time wishing that they had carts to borrow, beasts to pull. They did need them, and rather direly, but he wasn't sure how well such a project would work in winter. They also needed other tools: a draw knife, a wood splitter, a plane - all things necessary to make lumber. Nothing could get done without that. He could whittle pegs that could secure the boards in place easily enough, but they needed the boards first.

"I hope to begin a field of rice in the upcoming year." Maybe it was odd how sanguine Altaïr was about living here, but to him, it was just another stage of life, but with more knowledge and less of the rashness of youth.

[skyward_eyes]

"Because I'm so lucky with those?" Nida suggested. He's got the stuff balanced and waits for Altair to start moving with him before he started walking, because hey, no reason not to talk.

A rice field? Somehow Nida thinks Altair's saying that so he can encourage Nida to help with the process. Not that Nida knows anything about those sorts of problems.

"Rice is a pretty good food stuff. I don't know how to preserve it for long term use, though."

[eaglesonofnone]

"That, I know well enough. I'm looking forward to it, truly - I've been missing having rice since coming here." He walked easily with his burden, having slung it across his shoulders like a set of saddlebags. "Already, I have plans for a way to irrigate the field. All I lack is an appropriate plow to begin the field."

But then he paused and admitted, "And the knowledge of how to use a plow."

[skyward_eyes]

"There's probably a book on it in the schoolhouse. My friend Billy spends a lot of time in there, reading the books. Actually, I think I might ask if he's read about it..."

Might give the guy something to look into doing when the spring came. Then again, there was always work to be done, and Altair could read for himself. No doubt that would be a better solution, letting Altair learn it for himself. Or con someone else into learning it.

Nida was not falling for that. He was not a farmer.

[eaglesonofnone]

"That is something I believe one has to learn from experience, but if there are books, I'll have to read them." Or, more accurately, now that his grandson was in the village, ask Desmond to read them for him as reading English still made his eyes cross. "I'm not even certain the village has the appropriate equipment for farming in a larger scale. The greenhouse produces well, but if we are to have rice, the field will need to be larger. And I believe there's been talk of cotton and flax as well, especially as one of the newer arrivals has been speaking of knitting."

At this point, perhaps it was more obvious that this was simple, idle talk. Plans for the future. The state of the village. Things he, himself, had noticed, less things that he intended someone else to look into.

[skyward_eyes]

"It's all Esthari to me," Nida shrugged. He didn't know how any of that worked. He was a reaper of monsters, not food products. "But when it comes to it, if you need someone for backbreaking work, well, I can handle that."

Would even volunteer. Just don't ask him to work with animals. But Nida was pleased to let the man talk. Sometimes you needed a wall to bounce things off of.

"Should have some sort of town meeting."

[relentlessness]

While he's been trying his hand at fending himself, Jacob's given to helping out cleaning up around the inn and doing what he can for others than hunting and slaughtering animals. He does spend some time looking through the village, wandering the woods, seeing what he can find but in the end, he often ends up on a rooftop, imagining that he's more than a handful of feet from the ground.

Now though he's sitting on a roof, back to the chimney and watching the world around him. Casual, one leg bent and wearing an oversized zipped sweatshirt with a makeshift hood on it, and his coat over it. All of it is fairly ratty, and while he hates looking that roughed over but it let's him feel more comfortable.

Arching a brow, watching the other man curiously before he just can't help himself.

"If you fall through," he calls. "I bet someone will be upset you hurt yourself." Nothing said that he might snicker. He just can't help himself, but at least he didn't say it.

[eaglesonofnone]

He'd known he wasn't alone at this height. It was unusual, but he'd decided he wasn't going to disturb the other man's relaxation unless called upon. He hadn't expected that he would be the one called toward. When he looked up and across the way, he raised a hand - his right - in greeting before pacing to the roof's edge with the ease of one long-used to it. "You are correct enough," he agreed, "but I am well-versed in falling. I've not seen your face before. When did you arrive?"

It was the light sort of questioning of one neighbor to another, his tone genial enough even if he wasn't quite smiling. There was at least a look of good humour to his eyes, oddly coloured as they were. Where Jacob was wearing scavenged clothes, for this, Altaïr was in the clothing he'd been gifted before harvest: a white robe, a belt made up of strips of white cotton and the magenta bow the clothing had been wrapped with, his headscarf, and boots that felt natural upon his feet.

[relentlessness]

He watches the other man, taking in the robes, the way he moves with such ease, and he thinks of Connor. So much the same as he was, and yet so different, but knowing that he's not alone, he's acutely aware of of each person he meets. Now not only looking for those that might well be templars but seeing how many of them they've brought to this place.

Reaching up to push back the "hoodie" - brilliantly thought up name there with no imagination - Jacob shifts up onto his feet. Moving easily, drawing his legs up and then pushing himself up into a crouch. Pushing to his full height - such as it was - and then leaning casually back against the chimney.

"Falling is an art," he admits with a chuckle, finding it amusing to speak the truth, even if not clearly. "Though I suppose the distance isn't that much," he says, looking over the edge as if for the first time and shrugging.

Though his gaze lifts back to Altair with a grin. "Not but a week, I guess it's been. Definitely not long enough to find nifty robes," he says, gesturing at him with one hand. "An interesting look. Memorable."

[eaglesonofnone]

Easy enough to jump across to the other roof, landing with a distinctively light step. "They were gifted to me before a harvest banquet," he said, smoothing down the chest with his left hand. His four-fingered left hand.

There was something familiar about him. About his eyes. His colouration. The way he moved, the way he spoke, how his eyes traced over distinctive features. He would not presume, but he did assume his hand would draw some sort of reaction. All the easier to guess who it was that stood before him.

As if his next words would not.

"My name is Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. And you?"

[relentlessness]

If nothing else, that easy leap definitely confirms in Jacob's mind that this is like with Connor. It's exciting, not to mention a bit frightening. What kind of templar unit can grab this many assassins and gather them without any of them having a clue how they came to be in this place?

Jacob opened his mouth to reveal his name, and then he just stops. Not a word. Congrats Altair, you managed to shut up Jacob. For a minute.

"You're Altair? They Altair? I... That's entirely not what I expected," he admits, still just kind of staring, wide eyed, blinking. "Uhmm, right. Name. Jacob Frye. London. 1868."

[eaglesonofnone]

Jacob Frye.

The names immediately connected and he asked, "Husband or relative of Evie?"

If he was her husband, he owed great apology. Truly, no matter husband or relative, he owed apology for the liberty he had accidentally taken. Or, he thought after a heartbeat, did he? She was an Assassin. That made her more free than most women, and he had no doubt that she could have had her measure of him if she'd wanted.

Perhaps it was best not to say at all.

[relentlessness]

A brow arches at that and then he chuckles. "Leave it to Evie to meet Altair before dragging me out of the fountain," he says, definitely amused and not hiding it. "Brother, actually. Twin, in fact," he adds, rocking on the balls of his feet despite their precarious perch.

"How is this even possible?" Because amazing as it could be to meet Altair... "Wait, are you a relative?" Nose wrinkling, not buying that either.

[eaglesonofnone]

Twin. Now that he said it, he could see the resemblance more clearly. Especially in height. Curiously, he stepped forward to find that their height difference was greater than he'd first thought. It was true that few in his home reached his height, but most were closer than Jacob. Hm. Did they not feed them enough in London?

"I doubt we are related," he said after a moment's musing, though he did continue his evaluation. "Unless you are related to my wife. Your sister does greatly resemble her."

[relentlessness]

"Sorry. Not enough clarity," he says with a chuckle, shifting his weight to be able to cant his head back slightly and keep Altair's gaze as he moves closer. "A relative of the Altair. I mean, the number of years it's been, after all. I'm just trying to work all of this out, how it is even possible."

And that has his eyes narrowing, trying to work that out in his head. A brow arches though, smirking.

"If this is leading to talk of my sister being attractive, I'll truly have to point out all of the ways that we're nearly identical," he points out.

[eaglesonofnone]

"You are nearly identical," he agreed, "though you have more scars. You are more brash, then, where she is more subtle. Both useful approaches. Often brashness is necessary when subtlety goes unnoticed.

"But to answer your question." He met Jacob's eyes with curiosity. He'd already heard from Evie that the codex, in some form, had survived for all of the intervening years, and that the years were many. "I am Altaïr of Masyaf, and this place has the odd ability to draw people from many times and many worlds. There are some even farther ahead than you."

[relentlessness]

A brow arches, amused by that assessment. Especially at how acutely accurate it is.

"Or when subtlety is only going to make things worse than better," he notes, but then of course he believes that's the case because he hasn't the ability to be subtly. Up to and including if his life depended on it.

"How is that even possible," he muses, more amused than he is upset about this kind of reality. "It's an honor. I mean... amazing and a bit odd, but an honor."

Because even someone was reckless as Jacob can truly recognize the respect owed to the man before him.

[eaglesonofnone]

He shook his head just a bit. "I have yet to find out how it is possible. I suspect the involvement of a device like a Piece of Eden, but I am unsure. Whatever it is, it holds great power, and all such things are best approached with caution - even for those like us." That last was a light taunt - one he couldn't help but give. "The place where I found your sister seems to be a source of some of these things. People who arrive. Other such things that I've no name for. It is all to be looked into once my plans are more in order."

Easier said than done, and he would admit it if asked. Much had been happening, and he'd been caught up in it as much as anyone else.