Up Onto The Overturned Keel

Time moves much too quickly, as it always has. As it always will, I suppose.

I write you with news that Masyaf has fallen. I have fled to Jerusalem while I await word from Tazim that he and his assassin’s have overthrown the corrupt leader Abbas and Masyaf is ours once more. I am safe here, brother. The abandoned bureau remains left unchecked. Kept supplied over the years. However safe I am here though I must admit… I am not safe from my own mind within these walls. From the memories of you. From the memories of us. They have never left me, but here old scars resurface as fresh wounds. Here, I cannot hide from them.

(Inta habibi…)

Your soul, brother…. It lingers in this place. There is not a corner of this bureau that remains untouched by your presence. At night, I smell the incense smoke as it dances in little swirls down with the cool night air as you keep watch. Can still hear your quill scratching quickly against parchment as you so skillfully map the routes in and out of the city. I can still hear the echoes of your voice here in the still of the night. Word of disdain. Of hurt. Of concern. Confessions of guilt. Confessions of love… whispers of desire against my skin, late in the night as the city sleeps.

(Inta omri…)

I can still feel the warmth of your body as you creep into the bedroll, ever so careful not to disturb my slumber. Still I can feel your fingertips artfully mending my skin after battle. Still feel the drag of the thread through fresh wounds. I can feel those fingers moving deftly down my body. At first so hesitant but then… with great need. I can still feel your lips as they hover over mine before that first chaste kiss and still feel your breath as it ghosts across my skin. The rough stubble of your chin as it drags down my jaw and neck… your mouth working down the planes of my body. I can still see the hard umber depths of your eyes. See them soften more and more each time I stepped foot here. See them clouded with love and with lust. I can still see the hurt and resentment after that last meeting before you left Masyaf for here… for good. Before the correspondence went silent.

(Inta albi…)

You must know… There is not a day in my life that goes by in which I do not regret the choices we had to make that day. The choices that would lead to your demise and ultimately my own. I longed for a simple life away from the duties of Masyaf. Away from prying eyes. Away from the responsibilities of Grand Master. I longed for a life with you by my side and safe. You must know… I’d never have chosen this life if it wasn’t the utmost necessity. To keep you safe…

(Inta roohi…)

I will await Tazim’s correspondence until the end of the dry season but then, I will have to move on from the pain of this place. From you.

Safety and Peace, Malik.

Your love,

I made some prayer bead bracelets so that i can give regular prayers as offerings to the gods (here's a tutorial on how to make them).

I wanted to do separate ones for the gods i work with, so i made one for Odin and one for Freyr (but i'm still working on Freyr's prayer). For Odin, i looked for pearls that kind of look like eyes (and for Freyr i found some that look like flowers).

Prayer for Odin:

I wanted to keep the prayer short so i could easily remember it, so i wrote 9 short verses, one verse for each bead of the bracelet:

"Odin,

Allfather,

I honour you, Wanderer, and your company on all my journeys,

I honour you, Knowing-One, and your wisdom,

I honour you, Hanged God, and your self-sacrifices,

I honour you, One-Eyed, and your gifts to humankind,

I honour you, Sorcerer, and your powers,

I honour you, Raven God, and your winged companions,

I honour you, Commander, and your battles,

I honour you, Wise One, and your words,

- The Sea Will Claim Everything, Jonas Kyratzes

My truest love, 

𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒚𝒋𝒂 ; 𝒈𝒐𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚, 𝒘𝒂𝒓, 𝒔𝒆𝒊ð𝒓⚔️💛