Erm, us again :/

Basically Wheelie91 gave me a 600 word prompt and I went from there. This is probably the most farfetched we've gone so far, started off AC inspired, did a bunch of research, anywho... enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, duh.

Posted: 24/1/14

Chapter I - Prologue

The year is 1587, the month is February. England is at war with Spain. Queen Elizabeth the 1st sits on the throne of England, while Phillip II stands opposite as the King of Spain. The Queen has just signed the death warrant of her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. The first National lottery has been established and been in circulation for 20 years, by the English monarch, taking advantage of gambling to fund the Navy. The first flushing toilet is yet to be installed at Richmond Park for the Queen, by her Godson. And this year will be one that two young women will never forget.

...

Grand Duchy of Moscow (Russia)

The young woman of 24 stepped into the dark, dingy bar, on the outskirts of Nyenskans (St Petersburg). She kept the hood of her ancestral uniform up, hiding her face as she stepped round the tired drunk, then the jovial drunk, making her way to the dark corner where her assumed contractor sat.

She had received an anonymous note, from a passer-by in the street not far from the bar she had just walked in to. The message had been simple; it gave the address of the place she now stood, a time of meeting, and three words:

'Experienced courier required'

It was quite obvious that the man hiding in the corner was the one that wished to speak with her, he was the only one looking at her as she walked in. Her clothes disguised her well. If people gave her a second look they'd notice the curves to her body, but otherwise she was often dismissed as a teenage boy.

How this man had found her she was unsure. But she had a reputation to certain groups of people. Many wanted her dead, many wanted her services. Unless she'd walked into a trap, which almost never happened, this one had a job for her.

As she neared the table he looked her up and down, then kicked the chair opposite him out, and nodded to it. She just cautiously placed one hand on the top of the chair back and scanned her eyes over him, debating any threat.

"You are looking for someone to deliver something for you?" she asked.

"To me, yes." He spoke English well, from what she could already tell, but he had a thick Russian accent. She had travelled Europe since she was 15, she knew languages and land, and she knew how to look after herself. "I have something delicate I need picking up, from England, and bringing back here to me," he told her, "I've been looking for someone for the job, when my ears had heard one of you had arrived in the city last week I realised this may be my chance. But I wonder if you have had much experience in this area of... work. I know you are one to get results but those contracts come to swift ends. I fear this... this might not be to you."

He didn't know too much about her then, if he didn't think 'Courier' came under the list of services she provided, "I have smuggled before, and the cargo has always reached its destination unharmed."

"Good... good... as I said this... item is priceless to me," The young woman was smart, but she couldn't decipher his code, she didn't understand his smirks, or his distant day dream gazes as he spoke of the 'item', "Shall we continue?" He gestured again to seat he'd pushed out, that her hand still grasped.

She continued to be cautious as she accepted the seat. She kept one hand low, beneath the level of the table. She took one of her pistols and pointed it across from her at his crotch, just in case he tried to pull something. "Go on," she nodded for him to continue.

He leant forward in his seat, in the better lighting she got a clearer look at his face. He was older than her, maybe nearing his thirtieth year. He was well groomed and looked after... and after further thought she believed she recognised him. He pulled out a slip of paper from the inside of his cloak like garment wrapped around his shoulders, "On this parchment, I have written a number. If it appeals to you we will talk some more, if not you may go and I will find another, someone more capable."

She smirked beneath her hood, "I assure you, no one will be more capable than I."

"Very well," he slid the scrap of parchment cross the table, presenting the figure to the woman, her eyes lit up at the number, before she calmed again. "Does the figure interest you?" he asked impatiently, wanting an actual answer.

"It may. Let us talk some more." The money involved intrigued her very much, she was ready to say yes, she just needed the final details. England was connected by direct shipping route to Nyenskans, it would be a simple journey, no matter what she was carrying.

He smiled, pleased that the outcome was positive so far "Very well. I desire a woman"

"I am not an escort, I am something far different," she told him quickly. Maybe his English wasn't that good and there had been a misunderstanding. Besides, she'd chop it off before she ever touched it.

"Excuse me but I did not mean you. I am looking for a young English Noble woman. She is nearing 20 and yet to marry. She lives in the town of Arundell, south west of London, at Arundell Castle. I wish to make her mine." He confessed with a smooth voice, as if he was already taken by this young vision he had in his head.

"So why do you need me?" Why not just acquire her hand, himself. Although wasn't everyone at war with one another at the moment?

"Stupid girl." He sneered as he was snapped out of his daydream, "I cannot just ask for her. But I have been in love since I saw her portrait not but one year ago."

She leant back in her chair and nodded slowly in understanding. This woman he wished to acquire was not so easily attainable. Her home might have been a clue. "... She lives in Arundell Castle... Noble woman. What sort of title would I be dealing with?" she had to know how far up the food chain she would be striking, how many guards would stand in her way and how many would come after her.

"Her father is the Duke of Norfolk. The family are favourites to her majesty the Queen of England." Well with a title like the Duke of Norfolk that was no surprise, that was the title of the prime Duke in the country of England. "But if you feel this is too big a task for you..." he trailed off because he wasn't getting a response. He pulled the slip of parchment, with the payment figure on it, away. I didn't get far until a knife pinned it to the table, nearly pinching the man's fingers too.

"I didn't say that," she assured him. She'd become silent because she'd already started planning the kidnap, and the retreat. She'd have expenses of course. "... I'm in."

He tried not to grin, but failed. His eyes lit up like torches too, "Good. Once you have her, you will deliver her to me. Do not try and trick me, you will lose. I will have my people confirm that you have her before we meet again," he warned before pulling a pouch from inside his cloak and dropping it onto the table, making that satisfying 'clink' noise of metal coin against metal coin. "You get one tenth of your payment now. The rest when you deliver her to me. And she must come unharmed. I do not want to find a single bruise or cut upon her perfect skin. She must not come to harm from you or anyone else, understood," he said with underlying anger, all a warning for how much his 'love' must not come to harm.

"Yes, understood," she nodded, not afraid, she'd seen and been in far scarier situations than opposite a man so in love it made him angry.

"If she is harmed, the payment considerably drops," he further warned.

"Understood," she just nodded again without any real emotion, distracted by planning in her mind, all hidden by the shadow of her hood. "One last thing," she said, stopping him from leaving "Whose estate will I be delivering her to?"

"Count Weston's Estate on the opposite edge of the City," he said lowly as he looked around them. A man in his position should not have been in a place like this, it was undistinguished.

She smiled a secret knowing smile. She thought it was him, Count Brody Weston, a man she had seen in portrait before, "Very well, Count Weston, it will be a pleasure doing business with you."

"And I am sure it will be a pleasure completing business with you, Miss Assassin," he bid her farewell with the hopes to see her successful and soon, before venturing out into the cold Russian night.

...

England – Arundell

Despite the amount of people in the dining hall the room was silent. The young Brunette sat centre side to the long table while her parents sat at either end. Servants lined the edge of the hall, there at their master's beck and call. The Duke of Norfolk, also known as Hiram Berry was a kind enough man, his servants were to consider themselves lucky that they worked for him and his wife. Shelby Berry, formerly Corcoran, was also I kind woman, when she got her way.

Like many ladies of the house, she wanted things done to her specifications; if things did not go as she planned her husband might blame her. So at a time like this, with a very important event approaching, she was a little more stressed than normal.

"Rachel, are you feeling well?" her mother asked, getting her attention off her plate and to the woman. "You haven't touched the boiled capon or the Peascods, they're your favourite," she spoke as though she was disheartened, like she had slaved over the uneaten food rather than ordered someone else what to do.

"I'm afraid I don't have an appetite of this moment, mother," she politely declined the offerings.

"At least drink something, you haven't touched the Hippocrates Wine," which was expensive enough with the tonne of sugar that was in it.

"I have no thirst. I went riding this afternoon, perhaps I am just tired," she suggested meekly. She wished to return to her room, to continue reading the book she had found in their library, one her parents probably wouldn't wish for her to read. She loved them, and they loved her, but sometimes she feared they were too over protective.

"You did not ride alone, I hope." Her father interrupted, worry evident in his voice.

"No, one of your men, Samuel, he accompanied me." She assured him. Her father had many guards but the three newest showed such promise. They were all young, around Rachel's age, and hired to keep Rachel protected at all costs. Their names were Sam, Finn, and Jesse, and they had already proved to be talented young men.

"Yes I saw you leave this morning," Shelby added dryly as she eyed her daughter. "I told you, a Lady should ride side saddle."

"But I feel as though I will fall off when I ride like that," she explained, it was not comfortable, nor did it make any sense to her.

"Rachel," her father scolded lightly. "Side saddle is most appropriate for you, we cannot have you riding like a man of all things."

"Yes Father," she bowed her head, "Sorry Father," she started to poke at her food again. "Father?" she asked again, once she knew he'd be calm.

"Yes, my dear Rachel," he said softly, giving her all the confidence she needed.

"I was wondering, seeing as cousin Leon, who is but 14, is taking lessons in Archery, I wondered if perhaps I could too," she asked hopeful, that hopefulness brimming her bright eyes.

"Rachel" The father let out a long sigh, whilst Shelby did too. Fencing had been a definite no, too. It was just unacceptable. "I-"

"I understand." Rachel conceded. Leon was a boy, and he was allowed, she was a young Lady... so she was not allowed.

"Don't be disheartened Rachel," Her mother assured her "The banquet this coming Saturday-" but three days away "- promises to be one of the parties of the year," she beamed with excitement.

Hiram sat up straighter in his seat and looked to his wife with excitement, "You mean?"

"Her majesty has accepted the invitation, and will attend our banquet. She has been to Portsmouth, to see the launch of the latest Naval vessel-"

The details weren't important, what was important was the preparations they needed to make now. "Will she wish to stay the night before journeying back to London?"

"I am unsure, but I already have some of the servants preparing a room for her" Shelby confirmed. Everything would have to be perfect.

"We will need every guard on duty that night then," As the Duke and Duchess spoke they missed the mixture of deflation and excitement of the servants in the room. Some of them would get to see her Majesty, which was exciting; others would be on edge because if anything went wrong, it might be there head on the block. The night had to run smoothly.

"And Rachel?" the girl tore her eyes from the staff, invisible beings to her parents. She didn't realise how much of their conversation they had missed until her mother had her attention again, "Earlier today a gift arrived from the tailor, Walter Fish," she grinned and Rachel couldn't help but mirror the expression, "it is the most wonderful shade of red, I think you will look lovely my dear."

Okay, now she was just a little bit excited, she had the most perfect dress for the occasion. Perhaps attendance of the banquet would be high and she would meet the perfect male suitor. One who would sweep her off her feet, maybe onto the back of his steed where they would ride off together, into the sunset, towards their own life, one that differed from this one.

"Oh, my dear before I forget, on Monday I shall be travelling to Southampton." Hiram interrupted Rachel's latest daydream by informing his wife of his latest venture.

"Very well, I will have the servants pack, who will be travelling with you?" she asked, but she already knew who he'd take.

"I believe I shall take Leroy," it was no secret between them, that Hiram did love his wife but not as a man should love his wife. But she cared for him, respected him, and most importantly she appreciated what she had in life, so she kept quiet.

Of course neither adult knew that their daughter was aware of what went on behind the great scenes her parents performed.

...

The Channel

Quinn wasn't entirely sure how she had found this captain and her ship. But when smuggling the daughter of a Duke out of a country, it wasn't likely that she could hitch a ride on just any old craft. So a certain type of ship was what she needed, captained and crewed by a certain type of people. And you didn't find many brave, or stupid, enough to sail in the waters owned by one of the strongest Navy's in the world. But Quinn had got lucky... or so she'd thought when she acquired the assistance of the Captain and Crew of the 'Rosario Cruz'. A bunch of pirates who were sailing around in the English channel smuggling between England, France, the holy Roman Empire (which in a few centuries would be known as Germany, Austria, and a few other countries), Norway... and, well, anywhere they could get to without being caught.

"So, you gots a plan Q?" The Captain, Santana Lopez, yelled from her place at the Helm of the ship. The woman wore a corset styled top, that tapered to her body. She wore trousers, like the men and female first mate, and the female passenger aboard the ship. Atop her head proudly sat a sun shading hat with a ridiculous feather tucked into the hat band. Her blonde first mate, who stood by her wore more similar clothes to what the crew wore, only it sat snug to her curves, and no hat, she just left her long blonde hair to flow.

She was a good captain, her crew respected her, but Quinn feared she was crazy for sailing in these waters. She had hitched a ride in Poland when she met the captain at one of the usual dock taverns, Lopez said she'd be in British waters soon, so with fair payment she would do what she could for the blonde woman.

"I have completed my plan, yes," she yelled back. She had just finished working out the minor details in her room she had paid for below deck, and ventured up top when the captain spied her. "At sunset we set sail around the Isle of Wight to drop me off on the main land the other side. You sail away and return at midnight two days from now when I will be ready to be picked up, with my cargo. You will weight anchor and wait for me, I will acquire a row boat and meet you not far from the coast line," they had already been hovering, sailing in circles in the channel near the Isle of Wight, knowing this would be the drop off point.

Portsmouth and Southampton, two very busy ports sat the other side of the small island, on the south coast of England, shielding them while they waited to sail. If they dared to sail while it was dark, and if they remained dark themselves, they would have more success sailing through the busy area undetected.

Unfortunately it was both the best and worst place to land. The Isle of Wight itself was heavily fortified in case an attack should happen on the two ports the other side, but the entrance to the mainland on that other side allowed good resources for the young Assassin to use in the actual obtaining of her target.

"You make it sound simple Q..." Santana had never met this woman before, but she had seen and heard of people like her. Quinn seemed to be an individual though, working for profit only. She was an individual with a reputation across Europe, like Santana wished to have before her dying day. "So... you're gonna go get the Duke of Norfolk's little Princess?"

"She's 19, she's hardly little." Quinn corrected as she wandered across the deck and looked across the sea to the land mass that looked close enough to touch. She wondered if she would ever see endless ocean again, in her more recent years she had stuck to coastline sailing, in areas of close together landmass. She wondered how much of this world she would get to see. Would she let these 'contracts' lead her forever?

"Puckerman," The Captain called over to the Quartermaster.

The muscular man with the ridiculous hair and ridiculous ear ring came to a relaxed attention next to his Captain, "Yeah Captain?"

"Take the wheel," she offered it to him, and he eagerly took it.

The captain didn't miss her first mate pouting that the Helm hadn't been passed to her, but that changed when the Captain took her hand instead and lead her down onto the deck to join their paying passenger. She released her hand at the bottom, but the first mate didn't mind, she just stayed close to her captain, hers in more ways than one.

"You haven't heard about her then? Or seen her portraits" She wasn't exactly a princess, not if you asked Captain Lopez, but they could always tell as an outsider, through stories, and the various portraits that her parents loved her with everything they had. Something not many in this crew were familiar to.

Quinn Fabray pushed her hood back so she could take in the sea air fully, the rough wind immediately sweeping through her short hair. She looked back at the Captain, and the closely following first mate, and raised an eyebrow "No... should I?"

"She is loved Q, like really loved, people are going to miss her," Quinn had gathered that much so far, though she wasn't sure what was so spectacular about this woman that so many could respect and love her. She was the daughter of some titled man. Titles meant nothing, not to Quinn. They didn't protect you, or save you. A title didn't mean that ever one did love you, she imagined if this respected daughter's parents lost their titles, this girl would have nothing... nobody to pick her up. You couldn't be loved by everyone. "Her father dotes on her... we should all be so lucky." Lopez mumbled under her breath as she looked out across the cruel mistress of the sea.

The first mate perked up, wanting to share her thoughts on the target "It's like, her parents have sent her to the bestest schools, and she speaks really good and-"

"Unlike some" Quinn mumbled, amused to herself.

She suddenly found a knife being pointed into her side, just between two of her ribs. She kept confident though, she already had one of her wrist blades pointed towards the Captain, it wouldn't take much and she'd have her in the same position. "Watch your mouth Q, that's my first mate you're talking about," the words were growled lowly and with fiery anger right next to her ear.

Quinn stepped away, removing the point of Captain Santana's dagger from her side. "First mate in more ways than one I presume," she dared to say, with another smirk. When the captain lunged she stepped back and raised her hands with faux surrender, "Not going to judge." No, she definitely wouldn't judge after the few one night adventures she had had in her time.

As Santana read the meaning of Quinn's statement in her hazel eyes she lowered her knife and tucked it back into her belt. Meanwhile, the first mate still had ideas and thoughts to share. "Anyway the Dukes daughter, she's supposed to be really pretty but tiny, everyone says its funny how tiny she is and... well she shouldn't be too heavy to carry."

"Thank you for that, first mate Pierce" Quinn tried to hide her sarcasm, and she managed it well this time.

"Have you even seen Arundell Castle?" the Captain asked. She had travelled through towns in the south of England as a child with her father, when laws and conflicts permitted it.

"Have you? You don't seem the type to step foot on land much," Quinn asked defensively. No she had not seen the castle in person, but she had seen portraits of it when she was in London. Some of her contracts had needed her to be at some rather fine establishments, and parties across the country. One took place in a gallery in London, where she had seen a landscape painting of the castle.

"I have travelled Q, you gots to get out there and see the land once in a while," Captain Lopez's eyes wandered to the distance, like she was looking into her past. "My Papi was a merchant, a great merchant. I was to inherit the business as I was his only child... everything was going to plan until the war between England and Spain broke out, and his ship was sunk. Myself and Puckerman, and a few of the crew survived... my Papi did not." She kept the story short and she did not cry, even if she wanted to.

"That was only two years ago" Quinn said, not that she was worried this woman was an inexperienced sailor.

"Yes, it is still fresh in my mind. But I and my crew have worked hard to create our reputation, and our strength, and now I'm the proud owner of this 36 gunner, and its family," Santana said proudly, gesturing to her ship and the crew who both feared and loved her. The captain could turn sometimes, just as Quinn had seen.

"Impressive," Quinn had to admit the use of the word 'family' intrigued her about the captain, she had lost her father, and the merchant ship she was to inherit, she had lost her family, so she created a new one.

The captain just smirked back at the woman with the blonde hair "Not as impressive as your reputation, Q, wanted in 13 countries?"

"14" She corrected with a cockiness, she was proud that she had enough reputation to be wanted for murder and theft in 14 nations, all of which were tightly packed together making it impossible to relax. She liked that though, she lived for those breath taking, rapidly heart beating, adrenaline rushing moments.

Santana just raised an eyebrow, "The number grows."

"And after my next mission it shall be 15, without a doubt." she said proudly. The Duke of Norfolk was the position of the number one Duke in England, stealing his daughter away would ensure a death sentence in this country too.

"What I don't get is why doesn't the Duke of Norfolk live in Norfolk?" The first mate, Brittany interrupted with another of her random thoughts.

The captain slung an arm around the other woman and pulled her into her side. "Good point, Brittany. These English are just weird."

Thanks for reading.

Thoughts?

Random History crap: Peascods is like a fig like veggie burger, capon is a bird... I doubt vegans existed in this part of the world then, it just wouldn't be doable lol. Hippocrates wine is red wine with a lot of sugar in it, and sugar was like gold back then.

Arundel castle in Arundel in West Sussex is spelt with one L, but in the time set of the fic it was spelt with two. (just in case anyone knows it and though I'd spelt it wrong)