Assassin of the cross

Assassin of the Cross-5

Occupation of Messina

ROBIN JOURNEYS TO AN archery area at the English port. There is a massive fleet of ships rocking in the waves off the coast. He walks past Knights Templars who wear white tunics with red Templar Crosses over chain mail. Many are in different circles, some are training, others are laughing it up. He travells past Knights Hospitallers who wear black tunics with white crosses. They are all gathered by a blue tent silently standing there. One Hospitaller comes out of a blue tent caked in crimson. He shakes his head. The other Knights Hospitallers ram their swords into English soil in frustration before kneeling to pray to the makeshift crosses.

Robin passes through a crowd witnessing a Knight Templar duel a Knight Hospitaller. The Knight Templar has the advantage, he knows what he is doing, he just keeps advancing, his enemy is off-balance. The Knight Templar bats the sword out of the Hospitaller's hand.

“Yield,” Says the Knight Templar.

The Knight Hospitaller rolls beneath the sword quickly pulling his knife, he presses it to the Knight Templar's neck as he stands up.

“Yield,” Threatens the Knight Hospitaller.

“I yield,” Says the Knight Templar.

Robin claps for the brilliant demonstration of combat. Everyone applauds. Robin continues onwards to the archery area. The target is a post set up by the ocean's shore near an anchored ship. He meets the Captain of the guard. He has a pointed nose with blue eyes along with flowing blonde hair. He wears a white tunic with a black cross. He has mail underneath the tunic, Robin notices he wears black boots with black gloves. The Captain of the Guard looks at Robin. “What is your name?”

“Robin.”

“Position.”

“Archer.”

The Captain gestures at the target down the range. A small piece is missing on the right edge.

“Try to hit the target at fifty paces. Anyone who hits the bullseye serves on our king's ship. You get three arrows to hit the target.”

Robin stands fifty paces away. He draws his bow turning the wheels, then fires an arrow. There is a loud THUNK as the arrow hits the bullseye.

Robin looks at the Captain of the guards. “There.”

The Captain is stunned. “You hit the bullseye!”

“Do I serve on the king's ship?”

“Nobody has hit the bullseye. Do it again.”

Robin draws another arrow turning the wheels, then fires it. The arrow hits the bullseye again. The Captain is in disbelief. “Again!”

Robin hits the bullseye a third time. Robin turns to the captain. “Did I do well?”

The Captain of the guard pulls out a paper, he starts scribbling furiously. “Go to the archer's quarters below deck. You are leading a team of our finest archers. Take this parchment.”

Robin is handed a parchment. Robin boards the large ship floating off shore. Robin steps below deck. He enters a wooden room with many bunks. He spots a redhead wearing a green tunic with a black cross. “Is this the archer's quarters?” Robin asks the man.

“Do you see any bows or quivers laying around?”

Robin nods his head. “Yes.”

“Then yes. This is the archer's quarters.

“I was told to give you this.”

Robin hands Archer the parchment. Archer opens it then reads it. Archer examines Robin. “So, you're the one. Let us find you your team.”

Robin follows Archer. They arrive at a bunk. It has four hammocks with a banner of the Orion constellation hanging on the wall. Archer swings his hand towards three men. “These are your bunk-mates. Meet them. Know them. They are your team now.”

Robin watches as Archer leaves. “I didn't even get to know his name.”

The man with black hair wearing a white cross on his blue tunic speaks, “That's Archer. He's like that.”

Robin stares at him. “Who are you?”

“Pope. The other two are Priest and Bishop.”

Pope is the eldest, followed by Priest, and then the youngest, Bishop. Priest is not so much a man as he is a mountain of muscles. The muscular redhead has many small red crosses displayed upon his white tunic. He wears one black glove. Bishop is the blonde one with the black cross on his red tunic. Pope and Bishop are about Robin's height, they all rise to around Priest's shoulder.

“Who are you?” Pope asks.

“Robin. Are you of the church?”

“We are brothers raised by the church. Now we are archers in King Richard's army.

We are brothers raised by the church. Now we are archers in King Richard's army,” Priest says.

“Technically we are not brothers by blood, but we were raised as brothers,” Bishop says.

“You are here to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land too?” Robin asks.

Priest tugs on his tunic three times.

“We must make our pilgrimage.

We must make our pilgrimage.”

Robin raises his right hand with his index finger half raised. “Did you just? Anyway, I am here to lead you.”

“Did you hit the bullseye?

Did you hit the bullseye?”

Robin stamps his foot. “Stop repeating yourself!”

“I can't.

I can't.”

Pope waves his hands. “It's all right. Priest has a demon mirroring his speech. We three are all going to the Holy Land so we can exorcise it out of him. We are all sinners in need of cleansing, that is why we all seek forgiveness in the Holy Land, that is why Priest was spared from the fire.”

“They say the light of the Holy Trinity fills those who visit the Holy Sepulchre,” Robin replies.

"Why do you have wheels on your bow?" Bishop asks.

"Power." Robin replies.

King Richard leads his army across Europe to Italy. The army sails boats to Sicily.

28th of September 1190 A.D.

Arriving in Sicily King Richard leads his army into the city of Messina. Riding on a horse

Richard the Lion Heart is a large man around six feet tall with blonde reddish hair. Three golden lion buckles glint in the daylight. Chainmail creases and folds underneath his crimson gambeson, blinding light bounces off a steel helmet with a golden crown upon it.

As the army marches down the road; Robin bounces repetitiously.

What are you doing? Pope asks.

“I think I see some green men,” Robin says.

Bishop, Priest, and Pope snicker.

Richard's horse gallops across a group of peasants practicing falconry. A raptor cries as it lands on the arm of the peasant.

“Magnificent bird,” Richard says.

“Thank you, sir,” the peasant says.

“Give me the raptor,” Richard says.

“Why?”

“Because I want the bird,” Richard says.

“Well, I want a dirty limerick about my life,” The peasant says.

“Give me the bird!” Richard shouts.

The peasant flips the bird at Richard. Richard takes his sword and lops off the offending finger. The peasant screams as he drops to his knees. He clasps his tiny stump. Richard takes the falcon. The other peasants begin to grow angry. They all extend their middle fingers towards Richard. Richard hands the falcon to Mercardier, who takes it and bows. Richard rides off in annoyance.

There are several screams heard, Robin marches by a patchwork of b****y fingers on the side of the road. Robin slides his thumb against his draw fingers.

Richard is on horseback leading his army towards Messina where he unsheathes his sword.

King Richard stabs his sword in the air. “We go to war with the usurper King Tancred of Lecce! By God's calves, I shall reclaim my sister!”

Richard's army invades Messina. Robin marches with the army on King Tancred's castle led by Richard. The castle is located within the center of Messina. King Richard shouts upwards to the castle.

“Tancred! Release my sister Joan, only then will my army leave Sicily.”

Tancred walks out with Joan. Tancred has a fit body, short hair, with a moustache. Joan is a small feminine woman wearing a silken blue dress. Her golden hair cascades over her shoulders.

Joan grows excited. “Richard! You have come for me!”

“I am taking Joan with me along with her dowry. Try to stop this from happening, and I will slay you myself.”

Tancred lowers his head submissively, then waves his arm.

“Take her. Go.”

Tancred releases Joan. She rushes over to Richard quickly hugging him.

“I demand Joan receive her rightful inheritance,” Richard says.

“Very well,” Tancred replies.

Three wooden chests overflowing with Byzants are brought out by six Sicilians.

“This is a pittance of her full inheritance,” Richard says disgustedly.

“It's all she deserves,” Tancred sneers.

Richard angrily storms off with Joan in tow.

“Raise the English banners, we occupy Sicily!”

The English banners are raised. Robin and his men spend some time with the locals. Robin spends most of his time at the local Pizza Inn run by Mario. One day Robin is bringing his men to try Mario's Pizza when screams ring out nearby.

Four of Richard's knights are sexually assaulting the local noblewomen.

“Let them go.

Let them go,” Priest demands.

“Mind your business archers!” Yells one of the knights.

Priest looks to Robin; Robin nods his head. Priest, Robin, Bishop, and Pope fire their arrows narrowly missing the knights.

“What the s**t!?” One of the other knights screams.

“We're not any archers. We're the best,” Robin says.

The noblewomen escape the knights. Robin along with his men wind up in the stockades for a day.

“Well. That just happened,” Robin says.

“Shut up,” says Bishop.

4thof October 1190

Robin is with his men attending mass in a local church. Robin spots a stained-glass window of Joseph of Arimathea capturing the blood of Christ with the Grail.

Joseph is wailing in tears as the crucified Christ's tongue hangs outside of his mouth.

The Clergyman is giving a sermon. The Clergyman is clean-shaven, has silver hair offset by black eyebrows. He wears his black frock with a certain disdain.

“... and on the third day, Christ rose from the dead. This miracle was witnessed by Christ's most devout disciple Mary Magdalene. In the name of the Holy Trinity, Amen.”

“Amen,” Robin says.

The Blood of the Saviour seems like Pizza Sauce. Joseph of Arimathea in his red and blue robes resembles Mario. Mario is winking at Robin, while Jesus licks his lips. Robin makes the sign of the cross then leaves. He goes into the city with his team. It's pizza time. The locals are taunting Robin and his men.

“The crusade will be over by the time your army reaches the Holy Land. Why don't you give up?” The local says.

“Veni, Vidi, Vici,” Robin responds.

“You Crusaders will be remembered as monsters,” says the second local.

“We will be remembered as the men who saved western civilization.

We will be remembered as the men who saved western civilization,” Priest says.

“What was that?” asks a local.

“Sounds like English double talk,” says the second local.

The locals start laughing. A tear rolls down Priest's eye. Bishop loses it, he fires multiple arrows into the crowd.

“Damn,” Robin remarks.

Richard's army uses the provocation to begin sacking Sicily. Mass chaos and looting erupt.

“What do we do now?” Pope asks.

Robin realises where they are, so he begins ordering his men, “Take everything purple that you can find.”

Robin and his men start taking all the purple items in Sicily. Robin rushes into a garment store. He grabs many bunches of purple silk. He stuffs it all into a chest then carries it out.

Robin sets the chest down in a nearby alley. He glares down the street. A caravan of chests is being driven through the streets out of the city. Robin spots purple silk hanging from one of the chests. “More purple than most kings can afford!” Robin shouts. “Bishop. Guard this chest with your life! I am going after the motherload!”

Robin takes off down the street climbing on top of a building. Robin starts shooting the caravan drivers. The front driver realises what is going on then takes off fast. He begins making serious distance. Robin peers across the rooftops at the distant driver. “I gauge the distance as about a mile.”

Robin gets on his back, putting his feet against the bow. He draws an arrow back with his hands, straining the wheels while aiming with his feet. He releases the arrow. The arrow sings for a mile then pierces the driver through the back of the head. Robin drops onto the street, moves it over to a cart, He observes the dark red liquid dripping off the arrowhead sticking out of the driver's neck. Robin twists inside as he opens the wooden chests. Inside he finds twenty thousand gold ounces, Purple silks, along with other treasures. He realises he is alone; he must guard the treasure by himself. Robin listens as an army coming down the street echoes in its call for blood. The shadows of the massive army dance across the walls.

“I'm dead.”

Robin grabs an arrow drawing his bow. It turns out to be an army led by King Richard.

King Richard looks upon Robin. “I see you seized Joan's dowry as it was being transported out of the city. Well done archer!”

Archer pops out from the crowd. “I did it!”

King Richard turns to Archer. “I wasn't talking to you.”

“Oh.”

Men from the army grab the chests, pulling them off the carts. Richard begins shouting orders. “We construct my fortress now!”

The massive wooden fortress Mategriffon is constructed on a hill overlooking Messina. Its assembly is amazingly quick. As Richard occupies Mategriffon, Robin finds himself on sentry duty.

It begins to rain. Philip the Second of France marches towards the fortress with his army. Philip the Second has short wavy brown hair a pronounced nose wearing blue robes covering chain mail. Robin fires an arrow that lands in the mud near Philip the Second's feet.

“That was a warning shot!” Robin shouts.

“I am King Philip the Second of France! I demand to speak with your king!”

“Wait a few moments. I shall bring him.”

Robin hurries away to seek out his king, the pattering of the rain drops smashes against Robin's Hood. Everything sounds wet. A hundred archers are gathered at the walls of Mategriffon, itching for an excuse, while Richard walks out in front of his fortress to discuss things with the French King.

"Why are there only English banners flying over Sicily, Richard? I arrived nine days before you did,” Philip the second says.

“We only carry English Banners,” Richard says.

“I demand that French banners should also be displayed.”

“Feel free to raise them,” Richard answers.

“I do not approve of your occupation of Messina.”

“I do not need your approval,” Richard says.

“Regardless, I have sent my cousin the Duke of Burgundy to warn Tancred what you are up to.”

“Do what you want, for now, I shall do the same,” Richard says.

The two kings part ways. Richard re-enters his fortress. He addresses his men in the fortress, “Behold! We have a view of all the city of Messina below! We have my wooden fortress Mategriffon! We have an Army! We head to Messina!”

11th of November 1190 A.D.

King Richard organizes his Army in a way that surrounds Tancred's castle. Tancred hesitantly walks out the front gates then stops. Richard walks up to Tancred. “I suggest a separate peace be made between our two countries.”

Tancred is shocked by this. “A separate peace? But what about the pope?”

“Oh. f**k that guy!”

“I agree.”

A single tear rolls down Pope's eye as he watches them from the crowd.

“I guarantee Joan's twenty thousand gold ounces, I also promise a similar sum to the Lion Heart contingent on a betrothal,” Tancred says.

“A betrothal between who?” Asks Richard.

“When your three-year-old nephew, Arthur comes of age, he will wed one of my daughters,” Tancred answers.

The two kings shake hands. Documents are signed. Joan puts her hand on Richard's shoulder. “What now dear brother?”

“We wait out the winter in my wooden fortress Mategriffon!”

“Richard! Wait!” A woman’s voice rings out.

Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine marches up to Richard with a younger woman in tow. Eleanor has red hair with striking blue eyes. She wears a white dress concealing her small bust. The young woman has long brown hair, she has green eyes complimented by a lovely smile, she is slender with long legs, gifted with a large bust. She is wearing a green dress accentuated by a purple cloak. The beautiful woman stares at Richard, while King Richard is bewildered by this turn of events. “Mother? What are you doing here?”

Eleanor presents the young woman to her son. “Richard, Meet Berengaria of Navarre. I have chosen her for you as a wife.”

Berengaria presents herself to Richard by curtsying.

“Mother, I am on crusade. I do not have time for this.”

“The marriage with Berengaria will bring a dowry that can help you finance your efforts in the Crusade. You will wed her, bed her, then sire grandchildren for me, therefore for England.”

King Richard looks at his mother, then to Berengaria. “How did you even get here?”

“I have travelled over the Pyrenees to escort Berengaria to Sicily. You will do this for me.”

King Richard lowers his head in defeat. “Very well. As you wish it, mother.”

Berengaria approaches Richard to take his hand. Richard clasps Berengaria's slender fingers in his rough grip. Richard's focus is on her hand, he slowly raises his eyes to hers.

“So, Berengaria, do you know I can build a wooden fort out of sticks and blankets?”

King Richard's army spends their time holding jousting contests, archery tournaments, hand-to-hand combat, the games include all of Richard's men. They make camp during winter.

25th of December 1190 A.D.

A feast at Mategriffon on Christmas Day seems to seal the improved rapport between the two lovers. Robin serves goose to Richard and Berengaria. They sit at a table with a Christmas Tree in the room. Richard and Berengaria can't take their hands off of each other. Robin takes a bite of the goose.

Berengaria addresses Robin, “Soldier, have you ever been in love?”

“My woman is back in England,” Robin responds.

“Do you miss her?” Berengaria asks.

“Every day I ask why. Why am I here when she is there?”

King Richard is somewhat provoked by this statement.

“Then why are you here?”

“Because I remember why I fight,” Robin responds.

Richard and Berengaria clap then Robin's motioned away.

Robin grabs a metal cylinder from the pantry. He heads back to his barracks returning to his men. Bishop notices the metal cylinder in Robin's arm. “What's in the container?”

“Sherbet ice cream,” Robin responds.

“What's sherbet ice cream?” Pope asks.

“Delicious

Delicious,” Priest replies.

“Sherbet ice cream is something Alexander the Great once ate,” Robin informs his men. They grab their spoons beginning to eat the cold ice cream. Robin addresses his team, “Merry Christmas, men.”

“Merry Christmas, Robin.

Merry Christmas, Robin.”

“Merry Christmas,” Pope remarks.

“Merry Christmas. I can't think of a better way to spend it,” Bishop adds.

10th of April 1191 A.D.

Richard burns down his wooden fortress. The burning fortress roars like hellfire. His Army boards two hundred ships at Messina.[1] Richard is standing on deck as he strings a note to the falcon's leg. Richard allows the raptor to soar.

The ships take off to sail to the Holy Land. Priest, Pope, Bishop, huddle together with Robin in their quarters.

“What do we do with our riches?

What do we do with our riches?”

“We divide the purple in four ways. If anyone in our squad dies, we distribute the remainder evenly among the survivors,” Robin says.

“Good enough for me,” Bishop says.

“Me too,” Pope adds.

“I like this arrangement.

I like this arrangement.”

Archer enters the quarters, his footsteps noticeably creaking on the floor.

“You four. What did you manage to sack? I raided a chest of silver coins myself. Everybody else took the gold before I did.”

Robin stands up. “We took neither silver nor gold.”

“Then what did you take?”

“We took silk, pillows, bracelets,” Robin replies.

Archer strokes his chin. “Couldn't get anything very valuable huh?”

“We took purple!

We took purple!”

Robin opens his wooden chest revealing his purple silk. Archer's face has a look of astonishment. “Purple! You have purple!”

Robin nods his head. “Yes.”

Archer processes this for a moment. “My God. You four are the richest soldiers in the army now.”

The sound of thunder crackles in the sky. Robin looks up to the ship's ceiling. “Lightning! We are entering a storm.”

CHAPTER III

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