Makira

"'Al-Si'la', a fitting title given her duplicitous nature. She belongs to an order who employ disruption and strife to further their ends."

―Roshan describing Makira to Eivor Varinsdottir, c. 880s.^[src]^-[m]

Makira (died c. 880s), also known as Al-Si'la (English: The Hag), was the qahramana (English: stewardess) of the harem in Baghdad during the 9th century.

As stewardess, she was the personal servant and close ally of the concubine Qabiha, who was the Ra's Al-Af'a of the Order of the Ancients in the Abbasid Caliphate. Deeply loyal to the concubine until her death, Makira subsequently followed in her footsteps, joining the Order herself and adopted the cryptonym of Al-Si'la.

After leaving Baghdad, Makira traveled to England, where she allied herself with Sir Edward, Earl of Westerna and manipulated his men into acquiring various documents for her. This made her a target of the former Hidden One Roshan, who eventually assassinated Makira with the help of the Viking jarlskona Eivor Varinsdottir.

Biography[]

Life in Baghdad[]

Basim: "Ya si'la' (treacherous hag), what are you?"

Makira: "Loyal. In Qabiha's absence, I defend her throne from those who would supplant her."

—Basim confronting Makira after realizing she used him for her own ends, 860s.^[src]^-[m]

In the 860s, while serving under Qabiha at the harem in Baghdad, Makira overheard other servants talk about Qabiha's influence dwindling. Realizing these rumors were going to swirl past the harem, Makira knew she had to eliminate her fellow servants Farah and Nasrin, who were responsible for spreading the rumors.^[1]

Basim convincing Makira that they can help each other

One day, a new eunuch, the disguised Alamut Hidden One Basim Ibn Ishaq, arrived at the harem and Makira pretended to know him to allow him entry. However, she soon caught him trying to break into Qabiha's room and almost called her fellow servants, though Basim offered her a deal to save herself from any consequences of having let him into the harem in the first place. Realizing she could use Basim to achieve her goal, Makira tricked him into poisoning Farah and planting evidence to frame Nasrin.^[1]

After giving Basim the key to Qabiha's room, Makira watched as Farah died from the poison while Nasrin was accused of the murder. When Basim exited the room, Makira told him to leave but he asked what had happened. Instantly, she let down her disguise and admitted to orchestrating this event for her mistress Qabiha. She then revealed that Qabiha was staying at the Palace of the Green Dome for her safety before Basim left angrily.^[1]

Understanding that her mistress was in trouble, Makira later tried to protect Qabiha at the palace, but ultimately failed as her mistress was slain by the Hidden Ones, leaving Makira alone.^[2] At some point afterwards, she followed in Qabiha's footsteps and joined the Order of the Ancients, adopting the cryptonym "Al-Si'la".^[3]

Activities in England[]

"Alhamdulillāh! (Thank God!) I have been held hostage by that animal! Come closer, that I may look upon the face of my liberator!"

―Makira trying to deceive Eivor after she killed Edward, 880s.^[src]^-[m]

Two decades after Qabiha's death, Makira traveled to England, where she allied herself with Sir Edward, Earl of Westerna, who had occupied the fortress of Ravensburg. Taking advantage of Edward's anger at the Vikings of the Raven Clan, Makira manipulated the earl to further her own plans. The Saxon mercenaries in Edward's employ often stole the Raven Clan's gear and launched raids with it to frame them. While the Saxons and Edward kept any looted gold and silver, Makira took all writings they found for herself. She also paid to improve Ravensburg's defenses and claimed a cabin for herself.^[4]

After Eivor Varinsdottir publicly assassinated Edward, his guards fled to raise the alarm rather than fight, prompting Makira to leave her cabin. Quickly assessing the situation, she alleged the earl had imprisoned her and invited Eivor over on the pretense of wanting to better see her liberator, all while hiding a dagger behind her back. Eivor remained unmoved by Makira's plea, however, giving Roshan the chance to drop from a tree and kill her. Roshan then looted a scroll from her body and said she would deliver it to Jerusalem, describing its contents as "a seed to plant" for the future.^[4]

Personality and traits[]

Basim: "Do not play the fool, Makira."

Makira: "Why not? It worked the last time."

—Basim and Makira during their encounter at the Palace of the Green Dome, 860s.^[src]^-[m]

Makira was shown to be a skilled actor and manipulator, easily convincing Basim that she was an innocent courtier while tricking him into murdering one of her fellow servants and framing another.^[1] Years later, she also successfully manipulated Edward into aiding her plans, and attempted to deceive Eivor by pretending to have been Edward's prisoner, though the Viking was able to see through her act.^[4]

While serving Qabiha, Makira was fiercely loyal to her mistress and did everything in her power to ensure her well-being; eliminating those who spoke ill of her^[1] and later attempting to protect her from the Hidden Ones.^[2] After Qabiha's death, Makira was inspired to follow in her footsteps and joined the Order.^[3]

Behind the scenes[]

Makira is a character who was first introduced by her Order cryptonym in Shared History, a free expansion for the 2020 video game Assassin's Creed: Valhalla added in late 2022 as a tie-in to the then-upcoming Assassin's Creed: Mirage. Writer Sarah Beaulieu later confirmed following Mirage's release that Qabiha's courtier Makira and Al-Si'la were the same individual.^[3]

In Arabian folklore, a sila is a supernatural creature assigned to djinn or ghouls and is described as being a talented shapeshifter that often appears as human women. They are said to live in desolate parts of the deserts, where they would lead travelers and nomads astray to their deaths.

In Mirage, Makira can meet Basim again at the Palace of the Green Dome during the memory "The Serpent's Nest". Deducing Basim to be there to eliminate her mistress, she will refuse to tell the Hidden One where Qabiha is hiding, but if Basim tails her without being spotted, Makira will inadvertently lead him to Qabiha's study.^[2]