Perilous

Chapter 1: Fear

"Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway."

- John Wayne

France 1190

A long and strange shudder ran down her dirt clustered spine and she opened her honey colored eyes due to shock. She sucked in a deep breath and her long finger nails stabbed at the stone slab of a bench. Another jolt ran through her as a drop of stale water dripped onto one of her hands. She growled lowly and turned her head up to the ceiling, the motion caused her bundle of tight and tiny curls of brown to curtain down her back. "Great.." she muttered sarcastically to herself, "Is this even water…?" She shook her head and a droplet of water slithered down her cheek. She reacted quite violently and rubbed her hands all over her face, "Ew. A noblewoman does NOT deserve this. Pas du tout." Or should she even call herself that now? The only positive point about this cell was that she could climb up near the roof of it and pull out a block of gray stone and be graced by air and sunlight, sometimes even rain. Though, since she was on the top cell of the fortress, the stomping of patrolling archers got on her nerves quite a lot. She missed it. Her home, she may still be in her native land, France…but they took her away, the Crusaders…or what they called themselves, Templars. Tumbleweed was her name…well, not really her name. Her Mère and Père called her that, before they died most gruesomely. She sucked in a sharp breath and tightly ran her fingers through her tumbleweed like hair (think of Princess Merida from Brave XD). She was fighting the urge to sob uncontrollably, when they first threw her in here after hours of beating and confusing questions that she had no answer to, she had slammed against the walls..cursing and screaming. The young woman and her parents were going to celebrate her 20th birthday when her life literally ended. She clenched her fists and stood up pacing around the damp and dirty cell. She hadn't washed ever since they bought her here, it was disgusting and her slightly torn once beautiful dress was giving her the urge to rip it to shreds. The young woman strutted over to a barrel of water and stared down at her reflection, disgusted with the sight. Blood and dirt caked a cut cheek, but she was still beautiful indeed. Honey colored eyes and brown silky hair with slightly sun kissed skin. Her eyebrows were slightly naturally arched and a tad bit thick making her slightly babyish features look even more baby like. The young woman's cheeks were forever stained with a natural pink blush and her cheeks were high and sharp. If she could smile, dimples would indent the corners of her full pink lips..but that is IF she could ever again. Suddenly, she was feeling claustrophobic so she used the stone bench/bed as leverage and stood up on her toes as she counted a few stone roof blocks and pulled out a certain loose one, a few budges and she pulled it out which caused her hand to lurch uncontrollably until she set it back down on the now damp bench. Then she stood back up and sucked in deep and long breaths of fresh air. The pitter pattering of light rain against her face was soothing to her. The woman opened up her mouth and took in as many drops as she could. Still, she could not understand why her parents were killed and why she was taken away.

France 1190 (a few days ago)

"Dans le manoir, dans le manoir (into the manor X2)! Come in already, girl." She muttered lightly, her French accent ringing lightly in through the parlor room. After her white Siberian Husky, Diamond, entered the manor she closed the door behind her. She kneeled down next to her beauty and rubbed behind Diamond's ears, looking into her icy blue eyes. "I wonder why they wanted me to go to the marché (marketplace)..?" Diamond cocked her head to the side, and stuck her tongue out. "Don't we have enough groceries as it is?" Diamond seemed to have whimpered in response, sensing her mistress's confusion. The finally 20 year old girl laughed lightly and patted the dog's head before scooping up her basket of goods and heading towards the kichene…cycene (kitchen, in modern terms)..whatever those maids called it! The aroma of flowers engulfed her as she passed by the salle familiale (family room). The stone walls of the manor seemed solemn, but everything in it lavished the area with joy and excitement. A maid bowed and took the groceries, before she could leave, the girl tugged on the maid's sleeve. "Where are my parents, manquer femme de chamber (miss maid)?" The maid set the basket of groceries down and toyed with the woman's dress until the trumpet sleeves were in the correct position and then smiled brightly, "Well, Madame Girard, I am not suppose to tell you this, but I would look outside, dans le jardin (in the garden)." The woman smiled lightly and then as she was about to leave the maid pulled her back and began fiddling with a piece of her tumbleweed hair and the collar of her bliaut or fancy form fitting gown. These dresses usually reached the floor which was a pain to the young woman for she always had to pick it up, the sleeves near the elbows were tight and as it went down her arm, the sleeves formed a long or trumpet sleeved effect. The young woman rarely put her hair up, it was always down in a voluminous bounce down her back. The grey color and the white trim of her bliaut went well with her flawless complexion and slightly sun kissed skin. The woman pursed her lips and after a while of getting irritated, she started flailing her arms around, "I think that is enough fixing for one day. I like the way I look and so do you." The maid tsked loudly and put her hands down, "As you wish, Mademoiselle Avril." Avril gave the maid one last sneer before whipping around and heading towards gardens with Diamond at her heels.

Avril picked up her dress as she passed by a few French guards, their red helmets and chain mails glistened in the sun. The red cross smacked right in the middle of their white tunics. Soon she was outside and taking in the hot summer sun yet again, she wondered when it would rain, the weather was starting to dry up her roses. Hopefully the gardener had a trick up his sleeve or she would indeed be angry. "What could she possibly mean by out here? There is no one in sight." She huffed and crossed her arms angrily across her chest, "When I see that couché salope (lying bitch), she'll be sorry." Avril turned around and began to walk away when she heard large amounts of shuffling, then as if on chorus, there were loud screams of: "Joyeux anniversaire (Happy Birthday)!" Avril whirled around in utter and complete shock, a wide dimpled smile gracing her features. There were tears in her eyes, she put her hands up to her mouth and looked around as everyone started laughing, soon the violinists were playing a joyous tune and people were gathering in large groups for dancing. Avril scanned the crowd until she found her parents, they stood there, with open arms. She bit her lip and then ran colliding into them. There were happy laughs and grunts from both of them, she looked up at them and shook her head. "So this was why you two wanted me to go to the marketplace?" Her Father, Girard, laughed and patted Avirl's head, "Of course, ma chère enfant (my dear child). How would we have gotten this party sorted out for you?" Avril shook her head, words couldn't tumble out so she just shook her head, then her Mother turned towards her with all her beautiful elegance. "Thank your Père, Avril. This wouldn't have happened if not for him." Avril smiled brightly and hugged her Father yet again, "Thank you, Daddy. For all of this." Her Father chuckled and patted the curve of her back, "Ce n'était rien, un peu (It was nothing, little one)." Avril smiled and looked up at her Father and Mother one last time before they went off to go socialize with the other noble people. Avril's father was a big business man who had many links to many other people and he worked with all them to ensure that his business worked perfectly. Girard attended many parties and meetings, working along with the information of how business was fairing and not against it. Avril's mother had been a noble woman of a fairly once known family, she married her Father out of love and together they ran the business together, helping each other here and there. Soon they had given birth to Avril, their only child.

Avril slowly walked around, taking the party in, there was a jester here and there…cracking jokes and doing flips. A tap upon her shoulder brought her back to reality and she turned her body to face a very handsome childhood friend. Avril smiled and welcomed his embrace, "Oh, Reymond. It's so nice to see you. I feel like it's been forever." Reymond had a full head of blond hair, near his eyes a few locks of his hair curled naturally, his green eyes scanned her face before he chuckled loudly and raised his eyebrows in question. "Avi, it's been about 24 hours since you last saw me, you're just being dramatic. As usual." Avril opened her mouth to speak but gently pushed him away from her embrace and crossed her arms across her chest, "So you didn't miss me?" Reymond rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, purposely squishing her to his broad chest, he was about 6 feet while Avril was only 5 feet and 6 inches. "That's not true, who wouldn't miss your ridiculous amount of ranting and raving?" Avril hated it when he did this, he knew it bugged her so he did it to her whenever she was about to start her 'ranting' as he called it. After a while of being squished, she was having the need to suck in some oxygen, she jabbed at his chest, "Ok! Ok…stop trying to kill me, I need my air too." He chuckled and then released her when he knew she wouldn't be saying anything for at least 5 minutes. After she sucked in as much as she needed she narrowed her honey orbs at his green ones and pointed a finger, "You-" Reymond yet again squished her to his chest, letting out loud chuckles, she thrashed against him, trying to fight the urge to giggle. Soon everyone had grown quiet upon hearing silverware against a goblet, the duo had paused for a second and then she shoved him until he let go and fixed a few locks of her hair before giving her attention to none other than her Father, he was getting ready to announce a toast. Her heart seemed to have melted, he was doing so much for her already. There was a pat on the curve of her back and she looked up too see Reymond smiling at her Father. Maids and butlers scurried around and handed everyone goblets, soon everyone held their glasses up. "I want to give a toast, for my beloved fille (daughter), Avril." Avril smiled and held up her glass, "20 years. Has it really been 20 years..?!" A few chuckles here and there, "Time seemed to have passed by so quickly. In 20 years, my beloved little one had grown so much, and yet…she still hasn't left her parents sides. She remained loyal and took care of us. In 20 years, I had witnessed her crawl, walk, speak, laugh, cry, read, write, dance…and so much more. I want her to know that I love her." Then her father wrapped an arm around her mother. "Avril, WE love you. We all wish you a Happy Birthday." Avril's father and mother raised their glasses up to their lips and sipped, there were chants of "Birthday" and everyone had their lips on the goblets. After the toast was officially over, clapping from all directions enveloped her.

Reymond twirled her around one last time before resting his palm against Avirl's, they slowly circled each other before they both twirled and locked into a dance formation, slowly they turned and stared at each other. "So I hear you forged a new sword…a perfect one none the less!" Reymond smirked and nodded, they stopped dancing and he pulled her aside to sit down on a bench, he untied his sword from his regalia and let her hold the sword, safely in it's sheath. Avril pulled a little of it out and smiled at the intricate swirling patterns that lined the strong Silver. On the hilt, there was a birthstone of January, a Garnet, encrusted into it. Reymond was a famous blacksmith's son, Fabron. Reymond's father's name meant blacksmith, so that was also interesting. Reymond Fabron. After Fabron was to grow of age, Reymond would take over as head blacksmith and continue his Father's legacy. So far, in Avril's opinion, Reymond was doing an excellent job. "Your Père doit être fier (father must be proud)." Reymond nodded and gently took back the sword, "He's quite proud actually, it's actually something I like to do." Avril nodded and then rubbed her arm while looking around at the still dancing guests, where was Fabron, she had said hello to him just a while ago. Suddenly, Reymond blocked her view and kneeled down in front of her, he gently held her hand in his and smiled arrogantly. "Avril. I have an important question to ask of you." Avril stared down at him with a bit of shock and a lot more confusion, 'Why is he kneeling down like that, he better not try to embarrass me!' Avril narrowed her eyes and raised a brow at him before looking him up and down. "If this is one of your crazy schemes or jokes, I swear, I will personally find any humane way to kill you." Reymond let out a loud chuckle and shook his head, "No it's-" Suddenly, the clanking of armor and yells of soldiers echoed throughout the garden. Avril looked at Reymond with confusion and he helped her up, both of them shuffled past the crowd until they couldn't move any further. Avril stared at her Father as he gently pulled his Mother along until they were face to face with the leader…or whatever. She narrowed her eyes, "Can you hear anything?" Reymond tsked and shook his head, "Barely, come on. We're going to have to push through this crowd. Use your amazing assertive skills to get past this crowd." Avril opened her mouth to speak but just ended up glaring daggers at him before yanking his arm through all the while apologizing as she made her way towards her parents, "Excusez-moi, fille d'anniversaire arrive (excuse me, birthday girl coming thorugh)!" Reymond chuckled and then muttered a little comment, "Birthday girl and FRIEND." Avril shook her head and yanked on his arm again, "No time to be making jokes..Reymond." Suddenly, the crowds of people started to scream and shove, Reymond fastened his arm around her waist and looked around at the mass confusion, "Rey! What's going on! M-My parents. I have to make sure they are ok!" Reymond yanked her back as she tried to escape, "Are you crazy! From what I can see, the soldiers are attacking US. We need to hide!" Avril yanked back and shook her head, "I don't care! My parents may be in danger! Please Reymond!" He sighed and then stared her in the eyes until he began wildly yanking her through the screaming people. Soon they were in ear shot with the soldiers and her parents, "SEIZE THEM! THEY ARE LIARS AND BETRAYERS! SEIZE THEM!" Avril could see her Mother and Father being dragged away by the French guards, she shook her head and screamed out, she yanked free from Reymond and ran towards her parents, she came up towards one of the men, she recognized him…or did she. Yes, it was him, he was probably making his way out of France….it was usually what he did, she remembered seeing him before with her Father. Avril tugged on his chainmailed arm and shook her head, "Stop! Please! What are you doing to them! They have done nothing! Please Mr. De Sable! Ple-" Suddenly, it was like the lights were knocked out of her, she was literally seeing stars. The pebbly pathway connected with her back sending up painful tremors throughout her spine. She gasped and then quickly sat up, desperately sucking in the air. Avril touched her lip, it was bleeding due to the backhand slap. Robert de Sable smirked deviously down at her and held up his hand, the guards that had been pulling her parents away stopped, she glowered up at him and wiped a bit of blood off of her lip.

Reymond cursed out loud at the scene in front of him, he couldn't believe it. The bastard actually dared to touch Avril, he actually hit her! Rage and hatred swept throughout his body and a hand rested at his sword sheath, he watched from the sidelines as party guests continuously blurred his line of sight, he sighed sharply and began to roughly push people out of the way, "To hell with it."

Avril watched as Robert de Sable kneeled down to her level and raised an eyebrow at her, his hand gently went to her face and he caressed it. She fought the urge to rip his hand off and bit down on her lip, not caring if it stung badly, she was building up saliva and blood. "Maybe if you didn't come forth so desperately this wouldn't have happen, you should have just ran away." He mockingly referred to her bleeding lip. She finally built up enough saliva and blood and venomously spit the mixture right at his eye. He slightly jolted at the reaction and closed his eye, using his index finger to wipe away the disgusting spittle. Then he opened his eyes and glared back at the girl, he quickly reacted and wrapped his hand tightly around her neck, squeezing it tightly. Avril huffed and clawed at his arm, trying to get him to release his death grip on her. Avril made choking noises and gasps, "Maybe we should just kill you too." There was a scream from her Father, "No! Leave her out of this! She has nothing to do with this! Release her de Sable!" Her mother was sobbing and trying to claw her way out of a guard's grip but the man had just held her back as if he was playing with a harmless kitten. Avril closed her eyes, if felt as if her lungs would burst and pop, her chest felt as if it was collapsing painfully on her, from afar, there was a sudden war cry as Reymond lunged at Robert with his sword in hand. With quick reflexes de Sable threw Avril on the ground and she lay there in a heap with her hands on her neck, chokingly sucking in as much oxygen she could. The grip of de Sable's hand had caused a deep red print on her neck, it throbbed painfully and burned just slightly. Yet, she still got up in time to see Reymond block an attack from Robert. But still..he was too slow. De Sable grabbed Robert's sword and twisted his hand until he jerked his own sword into Reymond's gut, there was a painful scream as he fell down in a bloody heap. Gasping and hyperventilating for air, she knew if he took out that sword…the blood would just come gushing out and he would immediately die. Avril shook her head and ran towards him, "REYMOND! NO! NO!" Robert de Sable easily countered and grabbed her by the arm and began dragging her away from her childhood friend. "I said let go you bastard! REY! REY! NOOO! Libère-moi vous racaille (release me you scum)!" Despite his attempt on dragging her away, she pulled and yanked on him, she even fell to the ground once and as he tried to pull her up again. The painful scratching of knee against ground rang throughout de Sable's ears…soon the smell of copper and tears drifted through his nostrils. He finally pulled her up with a surge of strength and began to drag her away.

Avril continued to yell and claw, she even bit de Sable bit but he would not budge. Reymond grew further and further, all she saw was him raise his arm towards her direction…beckconing her to return to him. Then all of a sudden, her screams resided as she saw a hooded figure jump from seemingly no where, he kneeled down next to a passed out Reymond and looked up at the frightened woman with what seemed like anguish. Avril saw nothing but a bridge of the nose and a thin line of lips…the man pulled up his hood and she saw a flash of familiar looking eyes. HIM! It was Reymond's father?! Fabron! She clawed yet again and yelled out towards him, "Please don't let him die! PLEASE!" And that was the last that Fabron had heard of her, she was gone within minutes and he was left alone to his son. He couldn't believe it..they had captured Girard and Bellerose…but what of Avril, what of Reymond? He pulled back a growling and barking Diamond..he knew she was calling for her owner.

That very day, Avril was taken to a fort within France…though where she did not know where. They pulled out her parents and dragged them to the gallows. Avril was front in center and de Sable made sure she was watching each and every detail. She seethed and wailed, she even tried to escape and cut her parents free but de Sable held her back. He made her watch the way the executioner wrapped the nooses around her parents neck, he made her watch the way they wearily smiled at and he made her watch the way their finally dead bodies flailed and hung limply against the line. They were dead. All that was heard was the deafening screams of Avril and the curses and spitting. She bit a guard until he bled but still, she was not able to escape. They threw her into the highest cell in the fortress and that was where she resided…and for how long? Who knows. She missed her parents, she missed her friends and she missed Reymond…was he even alive?

France 1190 (end of flashback)

Her eyes snapped open yet again upon hearing a yell from outside her cell, it snapped her away from her only outage, she stuck her head back into reality and glared at the guard who questioned her of what she was doing. "I was getting air, comme vous pouvez le voir, vous niais stupide aveugle (as you can see, you stupid blind ninny)." The Templar seethed with anger and opened up her cell, grabbing her by the forearm. "For all we know you were probably trying to escape." Avril rolled her eyes dramatically and snapped her honey orbs up at him to find him glaring at her thorugh his red helmet. "Right, now that is just rude. I may be skinny, but we all know that removing one block of stone isn't going to get me anywhere." He gripped on her arm tightly and growled at her, 'Alright, so my amazing sense of sarcasm isn't wanted. Man, these guys are as boring as a tree stump.' He dragged her along but she pulled back a little bit when she realized where they were going, de Sable's quarters. "W-why are you taking me here again? I told you fous (fools) that I know nothing!" The guard yanked her forward and pushed her into the room, "That is not he reason you are here for." She turned towards Robert as he addressed her with a grin on his face, she folded her arms across her chest and glowered at him, "Then why am I still here? If there is nothing you need of me, I should be freed. I know nothing. Typical military life, having no respect for noble peo-" A fist slammed down on a desk and she jolted slightly but still kept her ground. "Tu vas la fermer pendant une seconde, putain (will you shut up for just one second, you whore)!" Now she was seething, he had NO right to call her that, none. Did she look like a WHORE? Avril was a noble woman. NOBLE. She will not stand by and just let him speak to her that way, she opened her mouth to snap back but de Sable held up a hand and quickly continued, "I have decided not to kill you, I will spare you. But.." Avril sighed deeply, 'But…the famous, but.' Robert looked back up at her and folded his hands behind his back, he walked up to her and stonely stared down at her, "You will work for me as a secretary..maybe more like a maid. You will do what I say and no one will be there to stand up for what you believe is right." At the top of his lungs he yelled for woman, "Marie!" The woman came bustling in and he pointed at Avril as if she was a nothing more than a pile of manure. "Get her cleaned up and uniformed, I can't stand seeing her like that…it's disgusting." Avril's mouth gaped open into a big "o", now she was extremely offended. "But you already have a secretary..maid..whatever! Why need me?!" It was like a hiss escaping her lips. De Sable smirked deviously at her and then raised a hand and shrugged most nonchalantly, "Who says I can't have more?" Avril sneered at him and spit on the floor before Marie rested her hand on her back and gently pushed her out, 'That dirty slug. He's going to regret ever toying with my life.'

Soloman's Temple 1191

Avril sneered down at the ground, it had been a year with that filthy cretin and she still wasn't able to strike back and get revenge. She was filled with pure hatred and wanted nothing more than to watch him die a horrible death..just like her parents had died. They threw tomatoes and disgusting things at their dead bodies last year when they died..she wanted nothing more than for Robert de Sable to die. She looked back up through the so called Soloman's Temple…it was gross, and old, with collapsing stone pillars everywhere…she didn't even know why she was here! Why was she told to come with him when he didn't even tell her what he was coming for! And why bring all these soldiers, it's not like they were going to get mobbed. 'What a bloody coward.' She rolled her eyes. A cape was slung around her shoulders and she wore leather pants with ankle high boots and a short woman's black tunic. A soldier was snickering with another and taking glimpses at her as they quietly traveled through the temple. She gritted her teeth in annoyance and turned her head sharply at the men which caused her tumbleweed like hair to cascade around, "What are you serpents regarder (snakes looking at)!?" They immediately stopped staring and stared straight ahead, their weapons drawn and their eyes darting around every corner. What was with this place anyway, why was everyone on edge? Over the year, she had gotten used to the fact that the soldiers wanted nothing more than to bed her and throw her aside, but then again, over the year, she had shown everyone that she was someone that shouldn't be taken so lightly. Avril lashed out many times in the past and that had created a kind of hatred between her and some of the guards, most of them steered clear out of her path, but some dared to trek behind her and she would show exactly how she felt. Robert de Sable turned towards a certain soldier and rubbed the back of his neck, "How much further?" The soldier looked down at his worn out map and then back up at de Sable, "Not much further." Robert de Sable nodded and then sneaked a peek at Avril who was seething right back at him, he smirked and then turned back around, continuing on. Oh how she longed to stab him with a dagger. Too bad she didn't have any weapons on her.

Avril stayed further back a few feet..they were quickly strutting away and she was slowly walking behind them…taking in the temple for the first time. It was so ancient and very fascinating actually, well, now that she had momentarily gotten her anger out of the way. A certain sound of stone falling off a ledge got her attention and she swiveled that way, she narrowed her eyes..there was no one here but her. Avril cocked her head to the side and then her eyes widened as she realized someone was yelling for her. Probably de Sable. She whirled around on her heels and began to run down the corridor. "I'M COMING! I'M COMING, arrêter l'obtention de votre pantalon dans une torsion fous (stop getting your pants in a damn twist)!" She took one last glance and then ran ahead until she was flanking the soldiers once more.