With her pounding in her chest Amelia rode hard with Belle and Tom as she saw the gates of Monteriggioni in sight, pushing her horse forward the three sprinted into the safe haven as Amelia pulled hard her reins to make her horse trot back to her men that manned the door on the ground.
"Barricade the door! Prepare for siege!" with a nod the men ran to relay her orders to the others as soldiers and thieves burst into action.
"Tom!" she called for the young boy as she turned her horse to seek him out "Go to the villa, tell Maria to get the cities siege plans out" with a confident nod her apprentice jumped his horse and running towards the villa.
With heave her men pushed the giant door that to close shut the door of Monteriggioni as she jumped off her own horse and climbed the stone steps two at a time with Belle following her as she rushed to the front of the tower that housed the door looking out into the fields that surrounded the city.
"Lia?" Belle called out to the redhead
Green eyes darted across the land as she sought out any sign that the Wicked Witch "She's out there. I can feel it"
The usual tranquil city of Monteriggioni was thrown into chaos as citizens where sent into their home and vendors were quickly shut their shops as soldiers transported cannon balls from the armory to the ramparts that surrounded the city. Their first line of defense. Whatever Zelena had planned she would have to get through the shield that had protected the city for centuries first.
They had at least two hours tops until Zelena would come. The only remaining Master Assassin had gathered every faction leader to the villa's study to go through plans if the worst happened. With the plans lied out on the mahogany desk with Le Beau, the thieves leader, Maria her caretaker and the Madam of the brothel, Lance, the mercenary leader, Belle and Thomas as she gave out orders to defend the city for long enough to get every innocent soul out of this place, even if it meant her childhood home would be torn apart at the roots.
"Maria" she addressed her caretaker first "Gather the girls, go door to door, have everyone ready to leave and head for the villa. I don't want any civilian on the main stretch up to the villa. Keep the back street's get people out through their windows if you have to, but keep It as quiet as you can, I won't have any civilian casualties. Bring them down to the sanctuary" the woman gave a sharp nod to the Assassin before leaving.
Amelia turned her attention to the map of the town and pointed to the main gate with her index finger.
"Cannon fire will be useless on the flying monkey's, once Zelena gets the shield down we face any soldiers them at the front door. I want archers on the town walls for any stray monkey's bring the little bastards to the ground" Le Beau gave his lady a determined nod understanding her plan.
"Lance" she went to the mercenary next "Get your men armed and ready to fight, we open the doors for them to meet our shield wall, slow them down, even If we have to give them ground, make them work for it"
"Take thieves and help the girls before back me and Le Beau on main street to sure up the numbers, I need every man on the ground getting civilians to the villa" Both men nodded leaving the study to get to work.
"Tom" she looked to the boy "When the time I need you to help anyone you can get them to sanctuary, until everyone is in the villa, once the town is empty of civilians get to the villa yourself keep anyone that isn't us out" Tom nodded to the redhead understanding his part of the plan
"We need to get a message back to the others, Snow and David will help" Belle tells the Assassin
"They'll be walking into a slaughter if they come here, what good would they be if we're stuck in here while they get killed out there. Our only option is to escape even if we have to give up the city as a price" but her answer didn't seem to resonate with her old friend as she refused to listen to reason. Taking Belle by her shoudlers the green eyed Assassin made the librarian look at her "This is the only way Belle. I need you to guide everyone into the sanctuary, behind Altair is a switch which will open a door to a passage way that goes about a mile north of here. direct the townspeople down and follow after"
"Lia…." Belle tried to call out to the frantic Assassin only to get stopped not willing to hear what she had to say.
"Follow Senu, she'll guide you back to the palace, go straight there"
"W-What about you?"
"I'm the only Assassin here, I need to be out there. We've protected the people of Monteriggioni for centuries, I can't let them down now" at that Amelia pulled the book on the bookcase behind her opening the entrance to the sanctuary, before turning back to her.
"Gather the rest of the codex's to Snow and the others" Amelia instructed the brunette "Whatever happens Zelena cannot get to those" at that the Assassin rushed out of the study leaving the librarian to call after the Assassin.
"Lia!"
It was the quiet before the storm as she stood with the mercenaries at the barricaded gates of Monteriggioni. The gentle wind carried the sound of scuffed footsteps on the stone ground as civilians headed for the villa behind them. Hushed words of encouragement filtered through the heavy air as they heard the small cries of scared children and babe's were carried away by their mothers and thieves.
The mercenaries were tightly packed a hundred feet from the barricaded gate with swords and wooden shields as they awaited the first sign of the enemy from outside the walls As archers running into position on the wall's ready to kill anything with wings.
The sky above them was a miserable grey as Amelia noticed a lone figure fly through the sky. The using her vision she zoomed on of the figure to see Zelena perched on a broom smirking straight at her before she summoned a green fireball in her hand before she through it at the shield.
The small projectile packed a wallop it sent a large tremor throughout the whole city "Incoming!" a voice boomed from the wall "Foot soldiers!"
Amelia looked straight to Lance who met her gaze straight away, she must have looked scared as he gave her a reassuring nod of encouragement from her friend.
He had been loyal to her for for so long, Asking for very little over the years. She was even surprised how quickly he decided to follow her back. He had grown close to Red over the last few weeks in Stroybrooke. He admitted his feelings for the she-wolf over a drink one night, she tried to encourage him to leave knowing how fleeting love could be, but he stayed. And now she didn't even know he would survive the fight ahead. He was going to be here until the end.
"Shield Wall!" Lance's voice doomed through the silent streets as Amelia stepped back into the next to the strong mercenary that had served her well over the years as well as Storybrooke. Crouching down she placed her wooden shield on the ground up right as the mercenaries behind her place their shield on top of hers and the first, and so on as they created a strong wooden wall the strength of 50 men behind it.
Her breath came out on quick pants as her heart began to beat faster as adrenaline pumped through her veins. To her right was Le Beau who was looking straight at her waiting for her next order as the green fireball kept on hitting the shield above them she could hear arrows flying through the air as the screeching of the fling monkeys were heard coming straight for the shield. Trying to break it down from above.
"Open it" she ordered Le Beau
"Open the gate!" his voice reverberated within the wall as they heard the wood barricade being lifted from it's place and dropped on the floor as the gates were forced open. Green and black uniformed troops poured into the town as they funneled through straight to the shield wall
A loud battle cry rung out from the wall as heard running footsteps of enemy infantry run into the town. One they got close enough the first of Zelena's soldiers were met with spears that had been placed between the shields. Once close enough Amelia and the mercenaries threaded their swords through gaps hitting whatever they could to take down the first wave of soldier that hit them.
Amelia's boots slid back from the force as her men strained around her to push back "Hold!" Lance bellowed to his men. But it was futile as one of the swords scraped past her cheek splitting the skin only for it to kill the mercenary behind her before it disappears as quick as it came. He fell along with his shield as a few others in the wall had been killed.
"Step Back!" in unison the wall took a step back allowing the soldiers more room "Step back!" Le Beau shouted again as they repeated the action as they heard arrow whiz through the air giving the wall the reprieve, they needed to hold on as long as the could.
"The thieves are here" Le Beau stated with a relaxing breath
"Break the wall, regroup further down by the blacksmith, defend the villa for as long as you can" she ordered the man just as sickening crack was heard above them making them all pause to look through the gap to see a crack in the invisible shield that surrounded the town became visible for the first time in centuries as it flickered once, twice and then nothing.
A pause of silence filled the town before flying monkeys swooped down from the sky above them. The wall broke from the distraction sending Amelia onto her back as hell broke loose around her. Her vision spun as she heard monkey attacking her mercenaries as Le Beau called out a full 'fall back' to his men as she pushed herself onto her feet grabbing her sword that she managed to drop in the fray.
Pushing herself up she stumbled until she lazily pushed her blade into an unsuspecting soldier from OZ before pushing him onto the ground dead. Feeling the familiar adrenaline, she usually felt when she killed someone run through her veins. Her energy picked up as she fought off soldier after soldier, even managing to kill a monkey or two until she and the OZ solider flinched pausing their fight as the corner of a stone building seemed to explode sending bits of rubble their way. The soldier held his arms out to protect his face allowing her to plunge her sword into his stomach before a piece of the building smacked the side of her head.
The momentum sent her on her knee's in a painful heap as her vision blurred and her ear's rung out. She couldn't make up from down as she reached up and touched the side of head where she was hit only to make her wince in pain before pulling back to see red liquid covering her fingers. From the corner of her eyes a flash a green sent her world spinning one again as she lands one her side as her eye's fluttered shut sending her into a pit of darkness.
As she felt herself coming back her heavy eyelids opened to see the blue sky that mid behind the thick black smoke that rose into the air above her as she took in a sharp breath, flying monkeys continued to sour above them raining terror upon her home. Either side of her were mercenaries with their fair share of injures to their face as they dragged her across the cobblestone ground.
She felt like she was moving when she forced her heavy eyelids open to see she was in fact moving. Either side of her her shoulders has been slug over the mercerizes as they practically carried her through the streets. Her boots dragged across the cobble stone as she tried to move them to start moving.
"Basta!" ("Stop!") she yelled at the mercenaries that were dragging her along making them stop "I can walk myself!" she tells them as they step back to see her back on her feet.
"Look out! There's more! Everyone retreat to the villa!" the mercenary announced as she looks ahead to see a groups of green uniformed soldiers rounding the corner. She and her two mercenaries were quickly backed up by three more to equal their number's. She couldn't fight like this anymore. Her head was spinning, God knows how much blood she had lost.
But she would have to fight, even if she didn't see the sunset that evening. The Villa was only around the corner. They could do it. Together.
After fighting through two groups of soldiers Amelia and the mercenaries finally came to the steps leading up to the Villa. Relief filled her chest only for it to quickly drain away as she recognized the figure slumped on the rim of the fountain.
Dashing forward her knee's met the ground as she took Lance's head into her hands. His eye's had rolled up to the back of his head as blood tracked from a wound on his head. He wasn't breathing as she took a hold of his leather tunic and shook him only for her fingers to meet s set of three deep claw marks on his chest. A breath hitched in her throat as it finally dawned on her.
"No" she whimpered mournfully as her eye's stung from the tars that threatened to fall from them. He was gone.
"Milady, we need to go, there's more soldiers" a mercenaries voice brought her back into reality
Giving the man a silent nod he backed off giving her the space to say goodbye "Requiescat in pace amico mio"("Rest in peace my friend") she bid farewell to him as she gently closed his eye's shut.
Pushing herself off the ground she and the men climbed the stone stair until they got to the top. Once they got the top the courtyard was littered with soldier's and in the middle of it was Belle with a dagger in her hand doing her best to keep one at bay.
"Lia!" she called after the assassin. At that she sprinted forward and easily parried away the soldier away from the librarian before killing him, she turned to the brunette "Where's Tom?"
"He ran off round back when more soldiers came" Belle tells her
"Stay close, this day isn't over" Amelia says to the brunette as the pushed forward to follow the path to the side of the villa where they came into contact with a group of soldiers Tom was struggling to fight by himself "Andare" she orders her mercenaries forward to relieve the teen of the soldiers, she herself finishing off a couple of them for good measure.
Quickly checking over the teen they push forward again rounding the corner to the gardens where they saw a group of soldiers with a defenseless Maria in their grasp. One soldier was holding her with an arm around her neck while the others grouped rounded on her.
Flicking out her phantom blade she took a breath as she aimed the blade straight for the soldier who was holding Maria, not giving him a chance to cause any more harm as she launched the blade straight into his head, making him drop dead onto the ground, freeing Maria, but alerting the soldiers around them to their presence.
The group easily cut through the soldiers, Amelia hardly having to fight as the made the final push to the study to make their escape. Running into the room they were greeted with Le Beau and a stocky mercenary holding a large broad sword in his hand guarding the bookshelf that had opened a the secret passageway to the sanctuary.
"I will hold them back!" he announced to them running out of the room as Amelia guides Maria into the passage
"We thought you had been killed Lady Amelia" Le Beau tells her in greeting
"Not yet" she replied as Belle and Tom followed the woman through as the redhead stood on the threshold.
"Where does this passage lead to?" Belle asks the assassin
"North. Senu will find you and guide you back to the castle. Tell them what happened" she says before looking at Tom "You ready?"
The teen nods despite swallowing the brick he felt in his throat to the redhead's secret plan "Ready for what?" the young brunette asks her friend in confusion
Amelia's eyes met hers as the redhead made a step back into the villa "Tell them I'm sorry" at that Tom using his weight to push down a stone in the floor down which triggered the shelf to slide across to dived them.
"What! No!" Belle protested loudly as she tried to pull the wall back her fingers only for it to lock back into place before the the teen pulling a large wooden bolt across ,securing it in plave. And permanently blocking them from Amelia on the other side.
"Belle we need to go" the teen tells her
"Did you know about this!?"
"Yes!" he suddenly exclaims at the brunette with tears shimmering in his eyes he lost another teacher "We need to go now!" the teen didn't give the woman a chance as he grabbed her arm dragging her down the stairs to the safety of the sanctuary and to their eventual escape from the doomed city.
It was over. Monteriggioni had fallen to the Wicked Witch.
It was over the second she heard Tom close the passage off severing it's people from it's city forever.
The bittersweet taste on her tongue was that despite that now her childhood home now lied in ruins, none on it citizens excepts for the ones that stayed behind to fight had escaped to somewhere she knew would be safe in the hand of the royal couple and the former Evil Queen.
Small skirmishes only remained when she emerged fro the villa, with exhausted mercenaries fought off the straggling soldiers. Once the fighting had finished she perched herself on the edge of the fountain that sat below the villa were its waters were tinged red, with Lance's body still sat on the other side as she waited for the woman responsible for the destruction around her. Bodies of both sides laid around her with a few dozen monkeys sweetened the bitter taste on her tongue. The small victory was that they did go down without a fight.
Her gauntlets rested on the edge next to her as her sword had been discarded on the ground at her feet as she watched dark smoke billowing into the blue sky as building were left with permanent scars. The once vibrant and full of life main street she had brought back to life all those years ago was now a waste land.
Time escaped her mind as a ploom of green smoke appeared before her as the Wicked Witch appeared to revel in her victory over the assassin that had rejected her for her sister all those years ago. The only bonus Zelena got out of this was that she was able to hurt her old teacher's only family.
"It's over Zelena" she calls out to the Witch as she stood up from the edge "There's no one else here, the codex pages are gone. Whatever your're plan here was, it's failed"
"Oh you really think I was only after some dusty old pages of nonsense" the witch rolled her eye's at the assassin as she slowly approached the battle worn assassin until she came a whisker away from her face.
"Then what was this for exactly?"
"To send a message, dearie, one you will never forget" Zelena ginned as the Assassin jumped feeling something constricting her throat, her emerald eye's widened in panic "You should've chosen me" Zelena seethed "I would've made you untouchable. Goodbye Amelia" at the the Witch let go of her hold on the assassin letting her fall to ground in front of her as she desperately gasped for air to enter her lungs, turning on her heel the Wicked Witch simply walked away from the assassin knowing she had won.
"You'll lose!" hearing the words leave the assassins lips Zelena stopped and turned back to see her still on her knee's.
"Will I?" she questioned her as she turned back to the woman on the ground "I have your Uncle, you ran away from other's as fast as you could. I'd say you've brunt a few bridges to get where you are today. What's my disadvantage?"
"It's in...your nature" she panted out as she caught her breath "Why do you think I chose Regina? You lacked conviction, you still do" an angry griminess etched the witches face as she disappears from the ruined city in green smoke to make her intentions clear to those in the Dark Palace leaving the defeated assassin to her ruined city.
Amelia would rue the day she every told the Wicked Witch of her weaknesses.
They all would.
AN: Thanks for reading!
Flashback chapter today. This chapter is based/inspired from the Siege of Monteriggioni sequence from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.
Hope you enjoyed!
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