Rise of the Phoenix

So I am once again apologising for the wait for the update of this story…..being at university I'm constantly piled up with reading and at the moment I am devising a performance for drama so stress levels are fairly high at the moment so I am finding it difficult to try and fit my stories around my work…..I appreciate the wait and anyone that has recently reviewed and added this into their favourites it means a lot…..

Robin Hood doesn't belong to me just my OCs

I couldn't compare the feeling in my body when I woke…pure sickness, nervousness, apprehension and slight doubt circled throughout my body.

I had no luck in finding sleep last night, instead I spent my time praying to my ancestors for some sort of help and guidance…..if anything I would need all the support I could get today, most people were favouring Viktor in the fight. The men looked up to him as some sort of god whilst the women….well I knew what they saw….

Standing outside the doors that led to the arena I became lost in the cheering of the crowd that awaited us…..fellow assassins, assassins in training…my only friend Eleanor, she must be so scared of losing me…my father who awaited me in the stands, I can imagine his face now, proud with underlining fear…..trying to imagine never seeing my father again made me want to cry…but I needed to be strong….

The women that served the assassins were usually wives or family members of the other assassins, they helped to clean the rooms, prepared meals and other duties that kept the barracks in suitable conditions.

At the moment four of them were preparing me for the fight…my beautiful red hair was tightly braided, the end reaching my lower back…my leather armour was fitted on me….the top of it resembled a corset, fitted but flexible, the straps over my shoulders were buckled at the front. I wore simple breaches with leather greaves tied around my lower legs…..the darkest brown leather with lighter brown string that secured them in place.

My thighs were protected with the same material, it was lighter than any metal giving me a better advantage at evading attacks but making me more vulnerable to damage I could receive. Leather braces of the same colour were placed on my arms, the elbow area was protected with a metal couter, the metal had been engraved into a complex pattern. The braces and couter were then finished off with a pauldron. This protected my shoulder area as well as giving my neck some protection as the top of the pauldron had been made with a slight curve.

Looking at myself in the mirror I didn't recognise the person standing before me, instead of being the quiet, reserved girl who did more training than having friends…..I saw a warrior, a strong woman who was prepared to fight to the death.

The women led me to a seat. I sat and closed my eyes as they carried out the final stage of my preparation. Using a tempra paint the women used a small brush to pick up the mixture before painting intricate designs onto my face. The paint resembled the tattoos fully trained assassins had adorning their bodies…..if I passed my test today I would be honoured with the ability to add ink to my skin.

OoOoOoO

With my forehead against the door I listened as the elder assassin or master as we knew him welcomed the people around him.

"We are gathered here once again to welcome two new members who have trained hard over the years and have finally made it to the final stage of their training…in a moment we will witness everything they have been taught in an act of strength, agility and overall performance that will see us either welcoming a brother or a sister into the order" the crowd erupted once again at his words, I took in a deep breath….trying to control my erratic heartbeat.

A heavy drumbeat begun to sound out around me, the crowd continued to shout….but I focused on my heartbeat, listening to the sound in my ears. I touched my mother's pendant that still hung around my neck, the metal was cold and soothing against my skin.

The movement of chains and cogs alerted me to the heavy door being pulled up, the sunlight outside warmed my body the further the door was brought up…..soon my face was hit by the sun, its bright glare blinding me temporarily…I adjusted my eyes for a second before stepping out into the open.

OoOoOoO

Many times I had sat in the seats of the arena….watching in wonder as two powerful fighters fought to the death, it seemed bigger from up there, now standing in the sandy arena gazing around me in awe at how small I really seemed.

Viktor stood before me, his body poised with confidence…every step he took his muscles shook in his arms, clad in a heavier looking armour and with his face adorned in beautifully drawn patterns of paint he stood as a warrior…..the perfect specimen of an assassin.

His green eyes almost transparent in the sunlight. Stopping a few feet before me, he took the opportunity to look around him a large smile on his face when he spotted his friends and female supporters in the crowd. He turned back to me a smirk on his handsome face.

My body language didn't change under his smug gaze instead I held my head up high, a defiance set in my strong jaw.

The loud cheering and shouting of the crowd died down gaining our attention. We turned to see the master assassin stand up once again to address us. Both I and Viktor crossed arms over our chests and bowed to our superiors in a sign of respect.

"I stand before you both…a very, proud old man…..you have proven over the years your dedication and commitment to our cause…..your efforts and training all come down to this one moment…..for it truly counts the most inside of these walls…I give you my blessing and luck to the both of you, and know that your sacrifice will not be in vain"

Gazing at my father's face I noticed the darkness beneath his eyes from lack of sleep…..knowing he had been worrying all night about me….he looked pale and a light sheen of sweat covered his brow as his kind warm eyes gazed back into mine….full of love he managed a weak smile, a small dimple appearing in his cheek.

I managed to return it before the Master gave the signal for the fight to begin.

OoOoOoO

I knew the type of game Viktor played, having trained with him in the past, he relied on his strength and power whereas my smaller frame allowed me to be more agile and quicker on my feet. I was more comfortable wielding two weapons a long sword and dagger.

We began our fight by circling one another, the noise from the crowd a distant murmur in my ears as I focused solely on Viktor. He swung a broadsword, his wrists spinning its heavy weight with ease.

Neither one of us seemed to want to make the first move instead our bodies tense and full of adrenaline moved together in perfect rhythm and timing.

I swung both weapons in quick wide circles, my wrists loosening up with each twirl, the speed of the weapons swooshing by as they cut through the air. Noticing that the sun had moved behind me I took the plunge as Viktor adjusted to the blinding light suddenly in his vision.

The swing of the long sword aiming for the junction of his shoulder was stopped by his own sword, I met his strength head on trying to break his defence, but with one powerful swing of his arm he pushed my smaller frame across the arena gaining an upper hand. The crowds cheer growing in volume as the fight began.

OoOoOoO

"Just give up red….you cannot possibly hope to beat me" Viktor said his chest heaving from exertion. looking up at him I brushed my sweaty hair away from my forehead, my whole body ached from the fight that seemed to of being going on forever. My throat was becoming raw from breathing so hard, oxygen burned deep into my lungs as I gasped in exhaustion.

I was swaying on my feet, weapons seemed to hang limply in my hands as I stared across at Viktor who wasn't in much better shape. His body dripped sweat and his arm bled from my dagger catching him, but still his arrogance prevailed.

"I will only give up, once I'm dead" I snarled at him, spitting a mixture of blood and saliva from my mouth onto the ground.

Smirking at me, eyes heavy with exhaustion he stumbled over to me shouting as he swung his broadsword over his shoulder and down above my head. In a split second both arms flung upwards, the blades causing sparks at the force they were being pushed together with.

My arms ached, the blood running towards the ground causing them to go numb and hurt. Viktor kicked a leg out taking out one of mine so that I was balancing unsteadily on my knee, the impact making me grimace. I was losing distance between the blade and my face but a strong knee to my jaw saw me flat on my back, the force and sound of my teeth clashing making me feel instantly sick.

I couldn't breathe, my vision was becoming clouded and blurry as I lay on my back listening to the vibrations through the ground as the crowd celebrated the 'moment' of defeat. Viktor's frame stepped through the blaring sunlight, his sword arm lax by his side as he looked down at me, no remorse or pity in his eyes. Looking to my right I stretched out my fingers trying to grip my sword which had fell from my grasp when I landed.

Reacting to my subtle movements his large booted foot pressed down heavily on my arm the pain making me gasp out loud and cease my movement. I gripped his toes with the other hand trying to pry it off but he only pressed down harder as he knelt down straddling my torso.

"The problem with you red" he said smiling cruelly "is that you think your special because your daddies little girl….you've lived your life thinking your better than everyone here...…but guess what, your nothing special…...I wish you could see yourself right now, how pathetic you are" bending down so his mouth was near my ear his heavy breathing brushed against my hair sending shivers down my body.

"At least I got to have you red, I can sleep easier at night knowing what my name sounded like on your lips". Smirking down at me, he pulled a blade from his boot spinning it around his fingers to mock me.

I closed my eyes as he pressed the cold steel into my throat, I could feel my pulse thump against the blade as I waited for the inevitable. I thought of my father, of sweet Eleanor the only person who didn't judge me and my only friend.

All these thoughts vanished as my fingers found the hilt of my dagger which lay by my calf. Within seconds my shaking fingers grasped the leather wrapping, holding it strong and steady in my hand I drove the sharp blade into the flesh of Viktor's thigh. The blade pierced the muscle, stopping before it damaged the bone. He howled in pain, his body suddenly unbalanced and teetering to the left, he removed the blade from my throat to steady himself on the ground.

He went to grasp the blade from his thigh and this was the perfect moment to act, turning the dagger in my hand I smashed the pommel of the dagger into his head, the impact throwing him off my body, as we switched positions. Half delirious from the force of the hit, I curled my fist striking him in his jaw, after a few heavy punches leaving my knuckles throbbing and cut I realised that he was now unconscious….fuelled by anger and adrenaline from my near death I didn't want to stop hurting him.

But looking down at him I realised how much I cared for him and the potential he had as an assassin, with the blade pressed to his heart, his strong chest heaving beneath my hands I looked up to the stands at the crowds before me a mixture of blood lust and disappointment…..my eyes settled before me where my father and the master sat.

The master nodded his head in approval giving me the go ahead to finish the fight. Time seemed to stop as I looked back to Viktor and in that moment I made a decision that I knew would bite me in the ass at some point. Pushing myself off his body I stepped over his body taking a step away from him which caused the audience to gasp.

Standing before the master with the blade held in both hands I bowed my head in respect.

"Maith dom máistir ... a fhios agam nach é seo an bealach na fheallmharfóirí…..but I come before you asking to spare his life"

Translations:

Forgive me master...i know this isn't the way of the assassins…..

So I hope you guys can forgive me for the huge delay this story has seen, I've just been so busy at university, essays, performances and presentations seem to be abundant at the moment, I was happy enough finding time to finish this bad boy….so next chapter should see us in Nottingham and we shall see the consequences of Marias change in heart in the fight and if her request will be denied or not….cant wait to finally move this story forward so she can finally meet our very handsome brooding man in black ;)….thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far keep them coming guys I love to hear from you all xx