asgardmeridiem | JUNE INTRO MINGLE

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JUNE INTRO MINGLE

Who: Newbies and anyone who wishes to greet them!
What: Getting used to the city
When: Days 274 and forward
Where: Anywhere in town!
Rating: PG-13 tops! If it gets worse, move to a private log please.

[Please include your location and the IC day (ex. Day 275) in your top-level comment or your subject line when starting a thread! It can be any welcome hall, major attraction, or just out an about in any district. For newbies making a top-level thread, you may include your character's name/canon/house in your subject line if you'd like, to make housemates easy to find! :) If a God is needed or wanted, please ping the mods and depending on availability we might be able to throw them in where asked.

Also, keep an eye on the event schedule for June! If you're ICly introing during an event, make sure you take that into account. Thank you!

Have fun!]

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Obviously it is not the same for him. [There is a sigh here, and he continues.] When I had first arrived in Asgard, it had just become the year 1500. My sister arrived soon after me, but she was ahead by four years, and was in the same position you are right now.

[He's used to this, really. After being here for eight months, things like this slowly become a part of daily life in the city. It's... something he doesn't think about much, just does.]

It happens like that here. Those who took us from our homes don't treat time as a path that must be walked. But when I saw you, I never dreamed that you'd have experienced so much more than me.

[Two years isn't such a great span of time, but much can happen in two years. It's a somber realization, and one that Altaïr suspects will take some time to sink in. But it could have been much, much worse. Maria could have arrived here only to find him as the arrogant fool he'd once been. He doesn't even want to imagine what would have happened if the gods had plucked her from when she swore her loyalty to Robert de Sable.

He shakes his head a little. Self-indulgent reflection can wait; now is the time to help her fully come to grips with the situation.]

But many of us also get the chance to meet those we're connected to more distantly. Like Ezio. [He nods at the Italian.] He's an Assassin, Maria. Like me, he leads the Order in his time. Alastair is also one of our brothers. And this shop holds the bureau of the Assassins in Asgard.

Ah, so Signore Ezio and Master Alastair took one look at my cloak and thought me a Templar.

[It's all a bit much to have to deal with, these differences in time and place, in the events that she holds dear to her heart that her husband has no idea of because, for him, they have yet to come to pass. To hear that this Italian man, Ezio, is from four hundred years in their future is eye-opening enough; that he is an Assassin who distantly succeeds Altaïr in his time is even more surprising and a fateful coincidence, she things.

As overwhelmed as she might be about the whole situation, she tries valiantly to claw some control back with a wry smile as she nods her head towards Ezio, and then a little more hesitantly at Alastair who she is not quite sure if she forgives yet. Her wrist still hurts.

She squares her shoulders and composes herself, and as she has done so many times before in her capacity as mistress of Masyaf, she takes her husband's arm and tucks her hand neatly into the crook of his elbow. For a moment she thinks it might be worth remembering her manners and introducing herself properly, but then again...]

In that case it is a very good thing that I am no longer one or else this might have turned ugly.

[Alastair raises his hand slightly from his position on the counter.]

Actually I have no idea what a Templar is, Ezio just said you couldn't leave the shop.

[He frowns a little his hand lowering again.]

Is your wrist all right, by the way? I'm sorry about that. I can fix it if it isn't.

[He's about to throw another look at Maria, especially for the words "I am no longer one," when Alastair speaks up. And that causes Ezio to blink for a second. Oh. Oops. To be fair, they have never truly had any Templar show- and the one that did didn't stay very long in Asgard.

He turns at that, and gestures.]

The Templar are our enemies back home, Alastair. The ones who wish to impose freedom through order and mindless obedience. We seek to keep free will where it is, even if there are consequences from what others choose.

[He pauses, turning back to Maria and finally delivering a look of "...that does not seem promising." Sorry, he has a hard time believing that due to a certain group of assholes called the Borgia.]

[Altaïr nods, appearing oddly agreeable.]

In my time, we used to believe them simply an Order that took up arms for the Lionheart's Crusade, but I learned differently. Which is why when I traveled to Jerusalem to kill their Grandmaster and found a woman disguised as him, we tried very hard to kill each other.

[There's a faint look of something like fondness in his expression. It isn't that he's recalling a good memory, exactly, but perhaps one that is less disagreeable than it should be. He nods at Maria to continue; after all, it is as much her story as his, perhaps more so.]

And one of us very nearly succeeded.

[There's a certain degree of fondness to her expression too.]

But it turns out that my husband's capacity for mercy is considerably greater than mine. I would have been perfectly happy at the time to cut him down where he stood, but he spared me my neck so that our paths could cross again, and they did. He went on to take the life of my former master and take command of Masyaf, and I found myself out of favour with the new Grandmaster and struggling to find passage to Cyprus when our paths crossed again.

[She turns to Altaïr with a small ghost of a smirk on her face.]

And then I believe I kicked you down a ladder at some point trying to escape from you.

I was distracted by pirates at the time and you took advantage. And after I was charitable enough to cut your hands free.

[It occurs to him they may be giving Ezio and Alastair the wrong impression.]

We'd caught wind of suspicious activity on Cyprus, and I traveled there myself to learn what the Templars were up to there. I thought she might serve as bair or a source of information, so I brought her with me. Not exactly willingly.

[Of course, even then there had been more. But he's not about to go into detail on the first stirrings of attraction he'd felt for the Templar woman who'd practically been spitting on him.]

I saw signs that she might be able to look beyond the false peace that her so-called brothers would force upon the people, and thought that our goals might align.

As they did. Eventually.

[After numerous escapes and nearly as many times that she'd simply run off without him.]

Eventually.

In time I came to realise that it was not so much the Templar cause that had my loyalty but the man who had offered me my chance to get away from my place in life and my station and provided me with the means to go on crusade and prove myself as a knight rather than a hallbound noble woman stuck darning shirts for the poor. It was not until he had died that I began to truly see where the concerns of the Order lay. With Robert dead and the Templars seeing me as a liability and a traitor after walking away from an encounter with an Assassin with my life, I realised that they had no loyalty to me and so they would no longer have mine.

[Very lightly she gives Altaïr's arm a squeeze, imperceptible unless someone might be paying specific attention to what her hands are doing.]

I was fortunate to meet a very patient and forgiving teacher who was able to show me the various other roads that were available to me, and in time it seemed the best path for me to follow was one aligned with his.

[Very briefly, there is a look of uncertainty, before Ezio simply listens. He trusts Altaïr, and for now, while everything else is a bit of a mess, he'll hold onto that.

Still, the thought of a Templar changing their views, and their ways, to learn and follow as the Assassins do... it is encouraging, but also almost impossible to fathom with the Templar he has back home.

A taut smile is one he gives her, not out of wariness, but one that says he is trying to accept how different she is compared to home. A nod, and he breathes out, tries to think of a way to word himself without sounding offensive.]

Capisco. You must forgive me, a Templar turning away from their values to join the Assassins is unheard of in my time. Even if it were possible, none of them would ever do so.

[He may not be able to read minds, but Altaïr thinks he knows some of what Ezio is thinking right now, from his expression and his words and the simple knowledge that, were their positions reversed, he would not find it so easy to believe, either. He can't blame Ezio for his reluctance to believe.]

It's decidedly uncommon in our time as well. But if this is a ruse, it's an exceedingly convincing one that's been maintained for a very long time.

[A half smile comes with these words, ones he doesn't seriously consider as truth.]

I've not been blinded by infatuation, then or now. You can trust Maria as you trust me.

[He gives a nod to the youngest Assassin.] My apologies for shouting, Alastair. I was shocked to see her here. But you did no wrong.

[The explanations and stories go by in a bit of a rush for Alastair, but he manages to catch it all. He supposes it makes sense they wouldn't have talked about the Templar here much so far, since there apparently haven't been any before. Still, he wonders why they didn't explain it. It seems like a pretty big deal.

Oh well, that's been... mostly rectified. He'll ask for a more detailed explanation later. For now he looks to Altaïr and nods in return.]

I understand. Thank you.

[He looks at the assembled group.]

So is everyone satisfied now? Should I open up the shop again?

['No, you can damn well heal my wrist,' the more crotchety part of Maria wants to snap, but she should show some contrition even if she had been wrongfully attacked on suspicion of being a Templar. She checks her tongue and turns her head to the younger man.]

If the offer is still there to see to my wrist I would appreciate it.

[This all seems so ridiculous to her, she's not entirely convinced that this isn't the result of some strange dream but the pain in her wrist seems to be pretty compelling evidence to the contrary.]

Oh, yes of course, I'm sorry.

[Alastair hops off the counter and walks over to Maria and takes her wrist gently. With just a moment's concentration, he heals her, and the pain melts away.]

There, that should do it.

[Altaïr watches Alastair use his god-given talent to heal Maria, but he doesn't doubt that it's successful. Afterward, he turns to Ezio.]

If you've any questions, brother, ask them.

[For a moment, his brow furrows. There are so many questions he's wanting to ask, yet none of them seem to be willing to be spoken. They sit on the tip of his tongue but seem to die before he can properly say them. Everything is still a bit confusing and happening all at once, so he isn't sure what questions he can ask, without something messing up in the process.

After a long moment, he recomposes himself, a sudden thought popping into his head. There is a half grin, another pause, and Ezio looks back at Altaïr.]

So is this the "flower" of your life, fratello?

[GUESS WHO REMEMBERED THAT DOODLE OF YOURS, GRANDPA.]

[Maria shoots Alastair a small half smile of thanks before Ezio speaks, and the phrase is so bizarre and unexpectedly, well, floral, in its sentiments that she has to laugh.

Flower of his life. Ugh.

She rolls her eyes, completely amused by the idea as she chuckles. As if Altaïr would ever refer to her as something so banal.]

I should hope not! I'm hardly the floral type.

[Contrary to his wife's reaction, Altaïr glowers at Ezio. Of course, now he remembers what little he'd known of Maria...which had been nothing beyond the fact that she was a woman Altaïr had drawn and preserved for history. But still.

There's no point in chiding Ezio for his absolutely unrepentant grin, so Altaïr just casts his gaze to the side, meeting no one's eyes.

He is not blushing, but if he were the type of man to do so, he would be.]

Yes. She is.

[There is a chuckle, and while he does not show it outwardly, Ezio does see the look on Altaïr's face. There is a nod towards Alastair, to let him know to reopen the shop- and with a quick tilt of his head, he looks back to Maria.]

Will you be the one to guide her to the back, or should I?

[Basically ALTAIR ARE WE GONNA DO THE THING

THE THING THAT MEANS BRINGING HER TO THE BUREAU?]

[Maria has the distinct impression that she's missing something here, especially when it seems that her husband might in fact be embarrassed.

Huh.]

Well, what say you my flower?

[Doesn't mean she can't get in on this action, it's far too rare an opportunity.]

[Ezio, he is going to have a talk with you later. Or not. Probably not.]

Perhaps we should both go. I'd like to explain our work with the Brotherhood here as thoroughly as possible.

[And maybe that will distract her from the flower thing. Don't ruin his anniversary surprise, Maria, he was going to frame it and everything :T ]

[He's so shaking in his boots, Altaïr. But no let it slide, that's a good idea.

Ezio looks back to Alastair at that, and nods a little.]

Alastair, watch the front. If you need assistance, ask one of the others to help and they will do so.

[He'll lead them to the back and then slowly up into the Bureau, to the fourth floor and where things may look rather familiar to Maria as she enters. He waits for Altaïr to arrive and then looks at him.]

Where should we start, Altaïr?

[The walk to the upper levels may give Maria time to further gain her bearings, although that smirk just now indicates she's already gotten them quite well enough for his taste.]

From the beginning, perhaps. Although you know more of that than I do.

[Or at least remembers more.]

Maria, we may have been brought here as part of someone else's war, but the people of this world can use our help in other ways. As can our fellow travelers. We work in secret, but we bring the creed to those who will accept it.

[She's not offered a seat but decides to take one without invitation. For all the differences in this strange new land, the Bureau is comfortingly familiar in its set up and even decor. In truth, she half expects Malik to come grumbling through the door at any moment with an armful of parchment.

But that is not the case. They are a very long way from home.

She pays attention to what Altaïr has to say. Of course he would continue his work here: he was the Master of the Brotherhood and champion of its creed. As long as it existed, he would live it. In all the years she has known him there has not been a day that has passed where he did not work towards furthering their cause.

She understands this, that this is who he is, but as comforting as it is to know, she is still unsettled.]

And this will help speed us towards being sent home?

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JUNE INTRO MINGLE

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