Altaïr couldn't keep from smiling at his son's complaint, and ruining the (actually quite chaste) kiss with Maria. But that was fine; the welcome he wanted from her was not one to be accepted in front of their sons, much less the watching public.

"And you will have to suffer through it once more," he said, reaching out with one hand to ruffle Sef's hair again. "It is one of the down sides to my return."