Assassin of the cross

Assassin of the Cross-6

The Damsel of Cyprus

THE SHIPS ENTER A STORM, lightning crackles everywhere, rain is smashing against the ship's crew like wet projectiles. The Crusader's ships are rocking and rolling like toy sailboats; they can be smashed just as easily. Robin has the stunning realization he may not make it to the Holy Land. Twenty-five ships are blown off course. One hundred and seventy-five ships reach Crete, they slingshot off of the island. Robin and the archers are nearly knocked over as they experience a massive rocking of the ship. Robin clambers up to the deck. The archers, knights, then Templars gather on deck too. The Captain of the guards stands at the head of the gathered masses. “Some of the king's ships have landed in Cyprus, including the one carrying his sister Joan, along with his wife-to-be Berengaria.”

The ships gather off the coast of Cyprus. There is a castle atop a cliff-side above them. King Richard is staring upwards towards a castle at the top of the cliff. “I need a skilled Archer. I have a note.”

Robin steps forward, “What is the message?”

“'I demand the release of my men, women, and money.' That is my message.”

The briny spray of the ship's surf hits Robin on the face. Robin wipes the saltwater out of his eyes, then he steps up firing an arrow with the note attached into the window. An arrow hits the knight standing next to Robin. Robin hands the note to the Captain of the guard. The Captain of the guard reads the note, “The note says, 'I refuse.'”

King Richard draws his sword pointing it to the shore. “Prepare for invasion!”

One hundred and seventy-five ships flounder off the beaches of Cyprus. Fifty knights led by King Richard launch an amphibious assault by skiff. Richard leads his knights to storm the beaches braving a storm of arrows. Robin fires his arrows as archers rain death on the enemy. There are arrows flying back and forth while the skiffs land. The knights on horses leap off the skiffs led by Richard the Lion Heart in full armour. They fight Isaac's forces on the beach driving off the army. The rest of Richard's forces land on the blood-soaked beach. Richard is squatting on the sand; his armour soaked in a b****y mess.

King Richard turns his gaze to the Captain of the guard, “Exercise the men along with their horses for twenty minutes, then we ride! We go to war with the false emperor Isaac Komnenos who dares to deal with the enemy!”

The archers set up targets, The knights duel with the Templars. They ride the horses for twenty minutes. The Crusaders take off on a lightning dash to catch up with Isaac. They ride five miles past the citadel. Richard and his army quickly surround Isaac at night, surprising Isaac's forces. Richard seizes the camp with little bloodshed. Isaac takes his horse to try to escape but Richard rides after him.

Richard catches up to Isaac, dismounts him, then kills Isaac's standard-bearer. Isaac is a decently tall man. He has long brown hair with a moustache accented by a short beard. He has fair skin as does his forces. Richard duels Isaac. Richard beats the crap out of Isaac. Robin watches the duel with the other archers. The two opposing armies watch the combat side by side. Everyone is taking bets. Richard clashes swords with Isaac. Richard swings but Isaac ducks beneath the blade saving his head. Robin turns to one of Isaac's men, “I bet on King Richard.”

“Sic Semper Tyrannis!” Richard shouts.

Isaac swings his sword horizontally. King Richard parries the blow. Isaac thrusts his sword.

Richard parries the thrust to his left, gets in close, he strikes the butt of his sword across Isaac's jaw. Richard bats the sword out of Isaac's hand. King Richard grows angry. “Pick up your sword!”

Richard throws Isaac to the ground. Isaac crawls away. Richard rams his foot into Isaac. King Richard shouts, “Get up!”

Isaac is cowering on his knees. “Show mercy!”

“Don't be a b***h! Do something!”

Isaac crawls towards his sword but is kicked again.

“I said pick up your sword and get up!”

Richard clashes swords immediately as Isaac stands back up. Richard kicks Isaac's shin causing him to lose his balance. Isaac stabilizes himself with his sword, but Richard uses his own to bat the other out from under Isaac. Richard has disarmed Isaac again. Isaac falls to the ground. King Richard points his sword at Isaac's throat. “I offer terms.”

Robin collects his money. Pope looks to his team leader. “How far can you fire, Robin?”

“If you do it properly you can fire an arrow a mile away.”

“Can you hit anything a mile away?” Bishop asks.

Robin shrugs his shoulders. “I don't know... can you hit anything five feet away?”

Everyone laughs. Robin continues, “King Richard is not a b***h. King Richard gets things done.”

King Richard stands before Isaac. “Come with me to the Holy Land with your army. Together we can fight Saladin.”

Richard holds out his hand in friendship. Isaac holds up his index finger. “Hold that thought.”

Isaac runs off to a mountain fortress in the distance.

King Richard strokes his red beard. “I think I have been tricked.”

Robin chimes in, “You were tricked, my king. You were.”

“Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha!” Isaac laughs in the distance.

Richard is wroth with anger. “I am going to burn this s**t hole to the ground!”

Richard sieges the coastline of Cyprus. The people of Cyprus love Richard. One of the ship's projectiles hits a castle wall cracking it open, the forces go ashore. Robin leads his team of Priest,- -Bishop, with Pope following from the rear up the hillside path. Reaching the top, they file into the castle climbing into the castle over the fallen stone.

The team starts killing all the mercenary forces inside the castle walls. Robin makes his way to the top of the tallest tower. He finds a well-dressed woman in the top room. She is slender, has long flowing brown hair. She has sharply arched eyebrows, elongated facial features that make her even more desirable.

“Who are you?” Robin questions.

“I am the daughter of Isaac. I am the Princess of Cyprus.”

Robin smirks. “Correction. You were the Princess of Cyprus. Now you are my prisoner.”

“If you treat me well, I will show you what is stored in this castle.”

“Agreed. Show me.”

The Princess of Cyprus leads Robin to the treasure hold. The Princess of Cyprus motions her arm. “Behold the Treasure of Cyprus.”

Robin looks to Pope who is standing next to him. “Pope.”

“Yes, Robin?”

“Go grab the other forces. They need to see this.”

“I understand. I will take only a moment.”

Pope leaves. Robin turns back to the treasure. “You all understand what this means right?”

“No. What does this mean?” Bishop says.

“We are all getting paid,” Robin quips.

The Treasure of Cyprus is brought onto the ship. Robin takes the princess back to the boat. Robin presents her to King Richard.

“Who is this?” Richard inquires.

“The princess my king.”

The princess is dreading her fate, she looks it. “What are you going to do with me?”

King Richard puts his hands on her shoulders. “I will take you to your father.”

Richard spins around to his men. “We march on Isaac's fortress!”

King Richard marches his army to Isaac's mountain fortress. Richard stops outside the front door. The princess is displayed by Robin. King Richard's voice booms.

“Isaac Komnenos! Surrender, or I will personally rip your doors down then throw you to my army!”

The Mercenaries of Isaac lower the door to surrender. King Richard marches his soldiers into the fortress. King Richard marches into Isaac's personal quarters with several knights.

“Isaac. We have your daughter, the Damsel of Cyprus. Surrender to me now!”

Seven swordpoints press upon Isaac's neck. Seven points of blood trickle down his throat as Isaac's eyes behold his terror of Richard the Lion Heart. Richard has Isaac's back literally pressed against the wall.

“Do not put me in Irons.”

Silver chains are quickly forged and clasped onto Isaac. Richard, Isaac, Robin, along with the Knights Templar are together in a circular room with a throne in it. Over on the wall to the left is a mural of a shooting star surrounded by several round silver saucer-shaped stars.

Isaac asks Richard, “What are you going to do with my country?”

“I am going to add it to my war chest. Templars!”

A Knight Templar arrives. “What do you need?”

“I need 100,000 Byzants for Cyprus.”

The Knights Templar discuss this among each other, then the Knight Templar Richard is negotiating with turns back to him. “We can give you 40,000 upfront; we will give you the rest once we reach the mainland.”

Robin watches King Richard shake hands with the Templars. King Richard turns to Mercardier. “Bring me the archer that captured the princess!”

Robin is brought before the Lion Heart. Richard speaks to Robin, “You are the one who captured the Damsel of Cyprus.”

Robin kneels. “I secured Joan's dowry in Sicily, I recently shot your message into the castle window, as far as the princess is concerned, I had a team of archers behind me. They follow me, I follow you.”

“That window was a small target in a high far away cliff. You are truly skilled with a bow.”

“I am skilled with bow and blade,” Robin says.

“A large boast for an archer. Shall I see how skilled?” Richard asks.

Richard motions for a Templar to step forward. Robin fights a Knights Templar. They duel with their swords.

This Knight is skilled, I'm better.

Robin sheathes his sword, grabs the Templar's arm, throws the Templar to the ground pressing his foot on the knight's back. Robin wins.

Three more Templars attack. Robin is put through his paces this time. Robin sweeps his first opponent's legs. He grabs the arm of the Second Templar using it to sword fight the third. Robin shoves the knight he holds into the knight he combats. Both opponents crash onto the ground.

The first knight rises. The second and third knights rise. Robin backs up as the three foes coalesce. The three combatants brandish their blades, Robin reaches for something next to the wall. The swords are quickly knocked out of their hands by Robin's arrows. Robin wins again.

Robin senses a small bit of him was betrayed in all this nonsense. Robin stands passively as a squire runs up to him, kicks him in the shin really hard, then runs away. The pain is sharp, throbbing, twisting.

“Impressive,” Richard remarks.

A messenger strides into the room. “Geoffery of Lusignan arrives with his brother Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem.”

Guy of Lusignan egotistically enters the room. He is a large man with a large forehead, long brown hair, sporting facial hair. He wears a black tunic with a purple cross over his mail.

His brother, Geoffery, is not quite as big, but not small by any means. He has short black hair complemented by a goatee. He wears a black tunic with a golden cross over his mail too.

The two kings meet to discuss things as Robin tends to his shin. The women are reunited with Richard.

Richard is wed to Berengaria in the chapel of St. George. Robin is standing in close attendance to the bride and groom. Joan is the bridesmaid. The Chapel Priest stands at the head of the church. Richard and Berengaria stand before the Priest with their hands held together.

The Chapel Priest performs the ceremony.

“We gather together today, in the Chapel of St. George the Dragon-slayer, to see the marriage of Richard the Lion Heart to Berengaria of Navarre. Marriage is not to be taken lightly. It is a unification of two souls bound together for a lifetime. There is nothing Holier than matrimony. It is not easy; you must put in the work for the marriage to be successful. But the love between husband and wife is by definition: a joyous cause for celebration, which is what brings us here today. Richard, do you take Berengaria to be your wife and queen, to have and to hold, to cherish and protect, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for as long as you both may live?”

King Richard nods his head. “I do.”

The Chapel Priest looks to Berengaria. “And do you Berengaria, take Richard as your husband and king, to have and to hold, to cherish and obey, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, for as long as you both may live?”

Berengaria looks into Richard's eyes. “I do.”

“Then by the power invested in me by the Holy Church of Rome, I pronounce you king and queen. You may kiss the bride.”

King Richard kisses Queen Berengaria. Robin begins clapping followed by everyone else in the chapel. King Richard addresses his men in the church, “The others wait for us in Acre. We set sail now.”

Queen Berengaria shouts, “To Acre!”

Robin shouts, “To Acre!”

The entire chapel shouts, “To Acre!”

The forces set sail for Acre.[2]

June 1191 A.D.

Robin is in his bunk when the king's messenger arrives. “The Lion Heart wishes to see you.”

Robin meanders to the king's quarters. There is a large bed with silk sheets. Robin notices there is a prodigious amount of alcohol along with several empty bottles littering the floor.

Robin expected to meet the Lion Heart but finds Berengaria in his stead. Robin immediately bows. “My queen.”

“I saw you in attendance at my wedding.”

“It was a privilege to be there.”

Queen Berengaria uncomfortably turns her back. “I feel Richard only married me to please his mother.”

Robin stands up. “The Lion Heart turned the entire fleet around and conquered Cyprus for your freedom. If that is not a gesture of love, I do not know what is.” Berengaria turns around and faces Robin again. Robin lowers his gaze to the queen.

“I suppose you are correct. Richard is a courageous man and I know I could not do better for a husband.”

Queen Berengaria looks at Robin and grows annoyed. She points to her face.

“Robin, my face is up here, not down there.”

Robin raises his gaze and looks into his queen's eyes.

“Queen Berengaria, may I be so bold as to inquire something?”

Queen Berengaria smiles at Robin. “It depends. What do you wish to know?”

“What are King Richard's goals for the crusade?”

“The three main objectives are regaining the Holy Cross, the capture of Jerusalem, then reopening the spice routes. However, Richard considers those to be prizes. The true goal is freedom.”

Robin is puzzled. “Freedom?”

“During the fall of Jerusalem, the brave hero Balian of Ibelin defended the city for five days. He managed to negotiate the ransom of many people in Jerusalem. Richard's father, Henry the second, paid most of the ransoms. Balian promised payment for the rest of the people in Jerusalem but Saladin refused. He took fifteen thousand people, making them slaves.

When Crusaders take cities, they allow the people to leave with their belongings. Saladin demanded payment, fine, whatever, but then he enslaved the rest. Richard tells me the mission in the Holy Land is to free slaves. The problem is that Saladin has near-complete control of the Holy Land.”

King Richard steps through the door behind Robin. “That is where we come in.”

Robin bows again. “My king.”

Richard points to the door. “Get out. Now.”

“As you command.” Robin swipes a bottle of wine along with half a wheel of cheese. He goes into a different cabin with its own bed. The Princess of Cyprus has her back against the wall. Her eyes are wild, she is clearly frightened. “Are you going to r**e me?”

Robin shakes his head. “No. I am going to feed you. I have some cheese and wine. I wanted to dine with some female company tonight.”

Robin sets a plate, a knife, and two cups onto the floor. He cuts the wheel of cheese then pours his purloined bottle of wine.

“It looks delicious.”

“Nothing but the best for a princess. I am treating you well.”

“You honour our deal.”

“Let us say grace.”

Robin and the princess bow their heads.

Robin says grace, “Please bless this food and drink. May it give us continued strength to continue the Holy Crusade. May the princess and I return to our homes safely. In the name of the Holy Trinity, Amen.”

Robin dines with the Princess. Robin bites into a slice of cheese. The Princess has some cheese as well. They drink their wine. The Princess chews her food. “This is good cheese.”

Robin smiles. “I am glad you are enjoying this meal. I am enjoying your company.”

“When will I be free?”

“When your ransom is paid.”

Robin finishes his wine. The Princess grabs the bottle. “Have some more wine.”

The princess pours some more wine for Robin. Robin raises his glass. “Don't mind if I do.”

Robin drinks more wine. The Princess lifts her gaze upwards. “I miss Cyprus.”

“What do you miss about it?”

“Swimming n***d during sunset.”

Robin's shocked face betrays his cool front. “You did things like that?”

“Being part of royalty does not remove one from humanity. I like having fun every-once-in-a-while. Don't you?”

“Yes.”

“What do you do for fun?” The Princess asks.

“Explore.”

“I want some more cheese.”

Robin cuts another slice of golden cheese for the princess. Robin cuts another piece for himself too. Robin asks, “Do you need more wine?”

“Maybe later. Why are you on Crusade?”

“We fight the enemy over there, so we don't have to fight them at our home,” Robin says.

The princess looks sideways at Robin. “That sounds like dubious logic to me.”

“We have been invaded then enslaved by Muslims for four hundred years. Why do you think Cyprus has had to build so many castles?”

“I didn't realise that's why so many castles exist. It makes so much sense now.”

Robin and the princess eat more of their dinner.

“Here is another cup of wine for later.”

Robin pours more wine, handing the cup to the princess when full. The princess takes the cup.

“Thank you. You can have the rest of the bottle if you want.”

Robin clasps onto the bottle then drinks it down, before he passes out drunk. The princess grasps the knife from the plate, she raises it to stab her captor in the head.

Unexpectedly, Robin begins to speak, “Mariazzz. I will return. I lovezzz.”

The princess puts the knife back onto the plate and pushes it away. She sets Robin's head onto her lap then cradles it as she brushes his scalp. The next day, Robin wakens. He raises his head from the Princess's lap. The Princess wakens as well.

The princess leans her face over Robin's, “You're awake.”

Robin's eyes shift right to left. “I must have passed out.”

“Who is the woman who you speak of in your sleep? Maria?”

“Maria? Oh. Her. She gave me something before I left.”

“What did she give you?”

“Her heart.” Robin sits up.

“She must be a strong woman to do that. She must worry for you.”

Robin stretches his arms. “I believe she does.”

“Do you love her?”

Robin thinks for a moment. “I do.”

“Does she love you?”

“She must if she gave me her heart.”

Archer walks in on them.

“King Richard says that the Damsel of Cyprus will stay in Joan's company until you are able to ransom her.”

Robin stares at Archer then looks at the princess. “I understand. Farewell princess. Thank you for providing me company.”

Archer gestures to the door with his thumb. “Return to your quarters, Robin.

CHAPTER IV

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