Thank you for reviewing the previous chapter: Dom380, Guest, elalsb, NZgleek91, J0EBLACK, LoveSKINS94 and gllover22.

Posted: 26/1/14


Chapter II – Arundell Castle

As Quinn rode up to the small town of Arundell she could clearly see in the failing light the huge castle sat on the hill, that over shadowed the fields and houses around it.

The castle had one main tower, and a keep like front. Quinn knew, like many grand castles still inhabited across the English land, that it would have a centre courtyard, and that the building in front of her was deceptively larger than it appeared. No matter, it was just a case of finding the bed chamber of the Dukes daughter, which would be the best place to strike.

As she had travelled from the port of Portsmouth, word had reached her sensitive ears that a banquet was being thrown at very castle she needed to stow away into. At first that sounded like a perfect opportunity to strike. With many new faces at the castle she could disguise herself as a guest or a guest's servant, as some wished to travel with their own. But then word reached her that her majesty, Queen Elizabeth I, would be in attendance too, and the young contracted killer realised the number of guards would have doubled, if not tripled to protect their Queen.

It was too late to turn back. If she got back to the Rosario Cruz and they tried again another day, they would look more suspicious and were sure to be spotted by the Royal Navy. So she had to go through with this plan or turn back indefinitely, which wouldn't go down well for her with the Russian Count waiting for his prize back in Nyenskans.

She had already scoped the area out that morning, and gone back to the inn she had stayed the night at to prepare her final arrangements for the strike.

As she closed in to the base of the hill she climbed off her horse and took the bundle off the back of the saddle. She would have to change if she was going to gain entrance to the castle. Quinn Fabray might have a reputation, but she didn't have a face or a known name, making disguise easy. She changed from her white hooded outfit, in the style of some kind of military uniform, to a simple servants dress. She tied a strip of material around her head to disguise her short hair for simply being tied up. She then gathered her instruments of death; her cross bow, her two pistols, her sword, and her throwing knives, and bundled them inside her clothes before hiding them firmly between two rocks, praying that no one found them, or she'd have to hunt them down to get her belongings back. She left the horse there too, using the same rocks to trap its reigns so it couldn't escape. She hoped too for the horse to still be here when she got back.

With only her wits, her hidden blades beneath the sleeves of her dress, a rope wrapped around her middle under her clothes, and a cloth wrapped around a small bottle, tucked in a pocket she had fashioned for the dress, she walked into the town, then up the hill to the castle and to where last minute touches were being added to the castle for tonight's festivities.

As she approached she spied a cart delivering flowers, and immediately realised this was her chance. She followed it closely, through the open gate, and into the courtyard where several people were running around, rushing to complete their task. Quinn kept her head down when she saw who she assumed was the Duchess.

The woman with long dark hair stood centre to the main doorway, her figure just about visible by the torch lit area. She was ordering her staff around and they were at her mercy doing as she told them. As the cart stopped the Duchess ordered her servants to take the flowers inside and arrange them as she had already specified. Quinn blended perfectly.

The driver of the cart, quickly ran round and opened the back. As Quinn was the closest he blindly handed her a couple of vases. She took them and played scared like the rest of the others running around her. She followed another vase carrier straight towards the main door, trying to hide her face next to the vase, just in case.

"You!" was called directly to her as she tried to pass the Duchess. Quinn froze but didn't panic, "You girl, you just stand there? Come here when I talk to you." With those words her fears were confirmed, she had been targeted. She obediently walked to the Duchess and presented herself.

She looked the older woman in the eye, but it was not returned, the Duchess' eyes did not leave the bouquets of flowers. "Yes, your grace?"

"These flowers must be of the finest quality, these ones will sit on the table against the back wall, by her Majesty's seat at the head of the table," she picked at one of the broken leaves removing it from sight. "Everything must be perfect," her breathing was ragged, she looked tired, and her guest of honour was about to arrive at any moment, by the sounds of that fear.

"Of course your Grace, you have exquisite taste." She complicated lightly.

"Good, now quickly inside," she ordered, while Quinn's mind muttered that the flowers would already be inside if it wasn't for her slowing the process down.

As she slipped inside an older servant, a male one, who was surprisingly short, took the flowers from her, "I've been looking for these ones, stupid girl." Quinn shook her head, amused to herself as the items were taken away from her. Even though he was a servant himself he had a hold over the younger ones. Everyone fought for a step higher in the hierarchy.

Now free of the items she had planned on dismissively leaving on the nearest table or spare floor space, she could slip away, directly up the stairs in the grand entrance hall. While the Duchess was downstairs preparing for the evening, Quinn could only imagine the dutiful spoilt daughter was doing the same in her room, probably with the help of some maid, preparing herself to look perfect for her family tonight.

As Quinn rounded one corner she heard voices, one was of an older woman "What is the problem, girl?" ... She crept closer to the edge of the dark corridor to hear, and to get a peek, at the situation.

A young girl servant with the blonde hair just sighed, tiredly, "Lady Rachel has had me running back and forth all day. 'Abigail, Abigail, Abigail'," she mocked her Lady, "I should change my name."

"And will that prevent you being at her beck and call?" the older maid chuckled.

"I suppose not." The girl, known as Abigail, deflated, as she fiddled with a strip of material in her hand. The material was something she had had to fetch to fix another item for Lady Rachel.

"Then you better hurry along," the older woman encouraged kindly, "you know how this family is favoured by the Queen, that very dress Lady Rachel wears tonight was a gift from Queen sent by her tailor."

"I best not spill anything upon it then," Abigail muttered dryly.

"You're head will find itself on a block if you do, and not by the order of her Majesty." The older servant jested before she and the younger one parted ways.

Quinn smiled with satisfaction, this Abigail could lead her to the 'Lady Rachel' her target. The hidden young woman stayed in the shadows as she waited for the old maid to pass by, once the coast was clear she stepped lightly but swiftly to catch up with 'Abigail'. She took the bottle and cloth from her pocket and doused the cloth with the liquid without even looking. She just kept her eyes on the girl she was following and the surrounding area too. She kept her ears eager and listening out too, for any tiny noise that might indicate someone coming towards them.

Abigail narrowed in on one large door, and Quinn silent but deadly a few feet behind her could read that it was the door she was looking for. It was like a 6th sense, she just knew.

As Abigail's hand brushed the door handle Quinn stopped her, but she didn't tackle her, she used her voice, "Um, sorry can you help me?"

The younger girl, the Lady's maid turned away from the door, "I must help Lady Rachel," she explained with some urgency, before she furrowed her brow. There were hundreds of staff at the castled but seeing them everyday Abigail tended to recognise all. "You must be new here."

"They hired extra hands for the event tonight," Quinn explained timidly, while keeping her hands with the damp cloth behind her back, "I've just gotten myself somewhat lost."

"Oh, I see. It can be a little confusing for the new servants," Abigail removed herself from the door and slowly approached Quinn. "If you go back down this hallway, then take a left you'll find yourself-" her words were cut off by Quinn's hand clamping over her mouth with the cloth tightly against her nose and mouth, making her breath through the drugged material.

She struggled momentarily, her eyes widening before she relaxed and went limp in Quinn's strong arms. With one problem solved Quinn quickly dragged the girl to another door, a smaller one. She cautiously opened it to find to her luck it was a small storage room. She dragged the drugged girl inside and closed the door behind them, dropping the drugged cloth to the floor for the moment. She then took the lengthy strip of Fabric the girl still had clasped in her unconscious hand and ripped it lengthways to give herself tree long strips. She twisted the fabric to strengthen each strip before tying one round the girls ankles, then another round her wrists while her hands were behind her back, and then the last one she tied across her mouth in a basic attempt to gag her.

Quinn knew she would need something thicker for her long term captive, to help keep her quiet. But for Abigail, this would do, it was only a matter time before the Ether she had inhaled from the cloth would wear off.

Once poor naive Abigail was secure, Quinn picked up the cloth again and ventured back out, towards the door her target waited behind. She closed in slowly and calmly opened the door, then closed it behind her. She spotted the key in the lock. She slowly turned it ensuring she wouldn't be disturbed.

The room she entered was over sized and lavishly furnished; it was more than anyone would need for personal living space, let alone a bedroom. She quickly spotted the movement on the other side room, where a brunette woman was sitting at a dressing table.

"Finally, Abigail," she sighed. "How long does it take to fetch a piece of cloth?" The woman huffed. Quinn just rolled her eyes to herself, she hadn't expected any less from this character that had so many people doting upon her. She continued across the rug laid floor to her target, "At least respond when I am speaking to you," The brunette complained. She looked swiftly to her maid, only she did not make direct eye contact, like her mother. It was as if their servants were so far beneath them they dare not look them in the eye. Instead the 19 year old with the title looked straight to the cloth in her hands, "Will that be enough to fix the tear," thankfully it was a tear to an under garment, not her dress. And, also thankfully, it was to a not too intimate undergarment.

Quinn wanted to roll her eyes again. If this girl had looked any harder she would have at least noticed that the person standing in front of her was not wearing the same dress as her maid, Abigail.

And then suddenly brown eyes finally met hazel, and those orbs beneath their slowly furrowing brow spoke to Quinn... confusion, accompanied by a tiny amount of fear. Quinn smirked before stepping forward and clamping the cloth over Lady Rachel's mouth.

She screamed but it was muffled, she slapped at Quinn's arms but Quinn did not release her hold, she tried to move back but the intruder had an arm wrapped around the back of her, holding her close, she didn't even realise when this woman had placed that arm there.

Then everything went dark for Rachel, and life would never be the same again. It was time for Quinn to complete the second part of tonight's task. She picked up the limp body of the 19 year old and places her on her bed. Quinn then wrapped her inside her bed sheet before going over to the lead lined window. She took the chair and smashed the glass. Luckily being on the far side of the building from the event the smashing and breaking of glass and lead wouldn't be heard.

She then took the rope from around her middle as she looked out the window. The rope was thin and not very long but it would be enough to get her and the Lady to the ground. Once her dress was secured again she tied the rope off around the stone pillar separating the two window halves. She then went back to the bed where the still younger woman lay, hopefully breathing beneath the bed sheet that hid her.

Quinn knew this would take a lot of upper body strength and it would be so much easier if she wasn't in this dress. At least she was still wearing her heavy knee high leather boots.

...

"Welcome back aboard, Q" The captain greeted as Quinn finished her climb onto the deck of the Rosario Cruz with her captive over her shoulder. She'd left the sheet she had wrapped the woman in, in the row boat she had stolen from the shore to make her final journey to the ship, just off the port.

"Good to be back," she nodded and breathed heavily.

"She's still out?" Brittany looked at the 19 year old girl with the title, slung over Quinn's shoulder

"She stirred a few hours ago, but I had more Ether," it was the most sufficient thing she could acquire to keep the brunette quiet. She had kidnapped her over 24 hours ago. It would have been ideal to catch the ship the same night as the kidnap but she had to travel from the town of Arundell, and then it was better to ensure the cover of total darkness to board the ship near the busy port of Portsmouth. It was Quinn's keen eye that let her see the Rosario Cruz floating just off the coast, away from the direct sailing routes of the passing Royal Navy ships.

If they were to be spotted by one of the Navy's ships, Quinn wasn't sure how the average sized frigate would fare in the dog fight.

"I'll take her below deck, secure her in my room, you make sure you get us clear of the ports." She ordered the Captain, knowing that was a bad idea but she was tired. Escaping hadn't been as easy as it may have seemed.

"I know how to do my job Q, just make sure she doesn't cause any trouble," Santana shot right back.

Quinn just shook her head to herself as she headed below deck, stepping carefully as to not lose her footing or harm her precious cargo as she made her way back to her room in the corner, directly under the Captains quarters. She heard orders being shouted above, she hoped it wouldn't draw too much attention to them. When she got to her room she placed the girl on the floor, propping her up in the opposite corner of the room to the bed. She then took some rope; some of her own that she'd left on the ship with some of her other belongings.

Once she secured the Lady's wrists together she secured her ankles together too, just as a precaution. Lastly she fashioned a thick enough rag to make a better gag. She couldn't stand the idea of this woman screaming the entire journey... that would just be annoying.

As soon as she tightened the band of cloth the Lady started to rouse from her forced sleep. Her eyes warily opened to the dark room lit by a single candle on the desk next to her. When she made out the dark figure of the person looming over her she remembered what had happened.

She tried to scream but it was muffled... though not muffled enough to prevent Quinn from flinching slightly. The candle sat behind the hooded woman so it illuminated Rachel's face but kept herself as a silhouette. It was going to be some time before they sailed into Nyenskans so Quinn felt it was best if there was some communication. She grabbed the candle holder and bought the flickering flame closer to them, illuminating both their faces.

"Stay calm, stay calm," she hushed, hoping to settle the other woman. When Rachel just struggled and squirmed Quinn grabbed the brunette's bicep with her free hand and shook her slightly. "Calm," she ordered with more authority, as she bored her eyes into Rachel's wide and panicked ones, "I'm not going to hurt you." Her smooth tone and something about the way she was looking at Rachel made the Lady calm, just enough to be still and silent on the surface. Inside she still wanted to scream and run. This wasn't a normal situation for Quinn, yes she had 'escorted' people before, but that was shorter distances, and often the woman being 'kidnapped' complied because they were in on the plan, and it was elaborate dramatics for two young people in love to unite, but this... this was so very different and she could feel it. "My name is Quinn. I have been contracted to escort you to a man of Russian nobility, in Nyenskans. I understand that you are confused right now, please understand that no harm will come to you if you comply and behave," she said softly, she didn't want to harm this woman, it would mean losing money if the cargo was damaged when it met its receiver, "Do you understand?"

Rachel struggled to swallow her nerves with the material gagging her, but she could hear just fine, so she nodded slowly.

"Good, I shall tell you more in time. Right now I can only imagine what is going through your head, and I know you will do your best to outsmart me. Let me save you the time and say that you can't. The less you struggle the easier this will be for the both of us." She said with more confidence. Quinn was just saving time and hassle with these warnings, hopefully the noble girl would get the message quickly.

The bound woman tried to speak but of course it was just muffled. Quinn let out a thoughtful exhale... then she placed the candle back on the desk behind her. She tentatively reached out and behind Rachel's head. The brunette flinched, thinking the worse, but it didn't deter Quinn. She reached for the knot on the back of the cloth... she paused with her arms either side of the Lady's head. "You scream then this goes straight back on, understand?"

Rachel nodded quicker that time. Quinn continued, she unthreaded the knot and removed the gag from her mouth. Rachel ignored the dryness in her mouth and spoke desperately, immediately.

"Please, please let me go," she begged quickly, "My father can pay you, more money than you can imagine, if you just let me go."

That was true, he could probably pay more than Quinn was already being paid, but the Duke would have her life before she saw such money.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" Rachel squeaked when her captor didn't answer or comply with her deal.

"You're the person the count who hired me requested," Quinn answered blankly as she stayed where she was, crouched in front of the tied up younger woman.

"I am not some... some Count's 'request'," she spat with disgust; she was adamant that she wasn't some item to barter, "I am Rachel Berry!"

"Yes, I know." Quinn rolled her eyes and backed off. She pulled the chair out at the desk and took a seat.

"I am the daughter of the Duke of Norfolk!" Rachel added when Quinn seemed unaffected by the name.

"That's nice," Quinn just sighed. When Rachel had begged she thought she might have been quick to label her, but now she was flashing her name like it would save her, when really it was the very thing that had got her in this mess. If her family hadn't been so important and she hadn't had her portrait hung in some Royal Portrait gallery then she wouldn't have been found by some crazy guy in Russia.

Rachel started to grow angry now as she watched her captor just prop their legs up on the table "You have no idea what you have done. My family is a favourite to her majesty the queen of England-"

"-So I've been told-" Quinn attempted to interrupt with another dry comment.

"-I have dined at Hampton Court. Her majesty will have your head for this!" As she snapped with her words Quinn turned in her seat letting her feet fall back to the floor with a heavy thump. She then leant forward in her chair bearing down on her captive.

"Miss, my head is on the block in 14 countries already. England just ticks another one off the list." She told her lightly, it really didn't matter; only it did. She liked her infamy, even if they did not have her exact name or her face; she was just a wanted phantom.

"You're not listening to me!" Rachel protested, loudly.

"Honestly, I don't care what you have to say, I was trying to be nice and let you breathe but if you're going to keep making this noise..." she sighed with faux reluctance as she took the gag off the table.

"No, no!" Rachel's new begging sounded submissive. "Please," she tried again as Quinn just closed in and re-secured the gag around her mouth.

"I'll give you some time to calm down, I beg you don't hurt yourself while I'm gone," she left the young Lady with her thoughts and the lone flickering candle before she went back on deck to see how their planned silent escape was faring.

When she got there she realised they'd already escaped the sea between the mainland and the Isle of Wight and had weighed anchor. She didn't realise that much time had passed since she had secured her cargo beneath deck.

"You've got a screamer there Q." Santana commented lightly as she stepped down the steps from the quarter deck.

"And not in the good way." Brittany, who was following her Captain, added unnecessarily.

"When will we be casting off?" Quinn asked blankly, mostly ignoring their comments. She would have to be more careful with the brunette in future, now that she knew how well her voice would carry.

"First light," Santana told her simply, "I'd sail now but I'm not familiar with the waters, don't want us run aground on some rocks I didn't account for." She unnecessarily excused.

"You speak English well." Quinn complimented, it was a late compliment as she had already noticed how well the Spaniard spoke English.

"I speak French too, it was essential for the trade routes I was travelling as a child," she explained quickly, though she was impatiently lingering really. She wanted to get away to her quarters, with her first mate. "You speak good Spanish, Q." she complimented back.

"Yes... I lived there at some time." She muttered dismissively.

"How did your escape from England go?" Santana asked as Brittany tugged at her hand towards the door to her room. She was intrigued to know, it wasn't often they had someone with Quinn's reputation aboard their ship.

Quinn huffed, amused to herself, it hadn't gone as smoothly as she's hoped, but at the same time she wasn't at all surprised. "Terrible, I had guards, the Queens Guards, and the hounds after me."

"Queen's guards?" Brittany asked before her captain could, with a furrowed brow.

Quinn looked out across the dark waters that shimmered with the reflection of the moonlight. "At least two of her personal guard, I saw them, they were leading the search as they tailed me with the hounds. The Queen was at Arundell Castle, arriving as I was leaving with the girl. I was not seen but... it got close. Just glad I spotted you as quickly as I did in the moonlight." She wouldn't tell the captain all the details, like the ones of the guard she killed when he unknowingly cornered her, how young he was and how quickly and effortlessly she had take his life... and how his body might not be found for some time. "Who is on watch?" she asked, actually looking to the Captain and her First Mate this time.

"Puckerman tonight," she pointed to the quarter deck where he stood looking out, his hand on the hilt of his sword, a scowl on his face, "though he's not alone, he has the keenest eye of all my crew and we need it in these waters." She complimented her Quarter Master out of his earshot.

"Very well," she nodded to them both, "I bid you goodnight. Captain, First mate Pierce."


Thanks for reading.

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