"We are the first ones on shore, the first ones to fall. Aiming for heaven though serving in hell. Through the gates of hell as we make our way to Heaven." Inquisition Motto.

Chapter 4: The Greek Huntress

Three hours of being confined in this cage surrounded by two dozen hostile men, Jeanne lamented to herself. It was Roen all over again. She brought her head to her knees, trying to banish the memories.

It won't turn out like that, I promise. Emily tried to reassure.

It still didn't help her feel any better. She felt a hand on her shoulder, causing Jeanne to peek her head up.

"You're not alone this time, ally," Artoria said resolutely. The confidence behind her eyes made Jeanne smile slightly. Maybe they had a chance.

For a moment, she could picture Emily in front of her. She's right. We have your back. Emily said, giving her a thumbs up. Inhaling sharply, she trusted in God and her friends. Things were going to be different.

"How much do you think I'll get for you?" The knight rode up with a smirk. "The English brought you 10,000 gold pieces. Maybe burning the witch a second time will be 20,000."

"You are a traitor to your own king. Have you no honor?" Artoria countered with a cold and disgusted look. "You betray your own people for gold."

The knight shrugged, "I was adopted into the Valois family with my first capture of the Orlean witch. I'm sure to marry into the royal family after this."

Hearing the word 'witch' made Jeanne wince slightly. It still stung.

"You, though. I'll kill you myself." smiled towards Artoria. "Enjoy your last night." He galloped off towards

"Who was that?" Artoria asked with an annoyed tone.

"Lionel of Wandomme… I surrendered to him the first time."

Artoria nodded as he looked towards the knight, "Well… we shall have his surrendering to us."

The cart came to a stop by a clearing along the road surrounded by the forest trees. A fire was started as the soldiers went about pitching their tents and making their supper. There was much merriment and celebration at the second capture of the Witch of Orleans. Taunts and gestures were made at the two in the cage during the long hours of the night.

Thankfully the Lord provided them with a supper before this whole ordeal. "It should be in Paris at about noon." Jeanne sighed, looking out of the cage.

Do you think you can bust out of the cage when I tell you? Emily asked

Jeanne looked at it. It was a bit loose, and the lock was a bit rusted. 'Most likely.'

When I give the order, I want you to smash through and take the closest guards. Artoria will be taking the wagon and searching for your weapons.

The Maiden looked at the King, who gave her a nod. Jeanne felt her confidence come back with resolute fire. How could the Maid of Orleans and the King of Knights be defeated together?

"It has been a while since I used my bow." The huntress said as she pulled back the bowstring. The camp was at ease; the men had just eaten, they were happy with full bellies, safe and protected, nowhere near the front lines. They captured two of the biggest threats to them.

They had nothing to fear except for the darkness itself and how it would bare its fangs around these foolish soldiers.

Peering down the arrow from her spot, she found two soldiers relieving themselves by a tree.

A whistle filled the air as one of them caught an arrow to the back of the head; the man fell forward. His compatriot turned halfway only to receive an arrow to the temple, pinning him to the tree. Blood spilling onto the ground.

She exhaled as she dashed to the next location. There she could see a small soldier drinking with two of his friends. The huntress notched three arrows and with a glint animal coldness, and she released them. In quick succession, the men dropped to the ground with light thuds.

"Go check on Philip; it shouldn't take this long…" one man ordered

Now the time was essential as she chased her prey from the branches above. Her target was nervous as the man drew his weapon, waving it around half hazard with a torch in the other hand.

"Philip! Where are you" he whispered above him; she quietly lowered herself down, dangling upside down from a low branch. "Here." She whispered as she reached out, and with a clean yank and twist of his neck, the man crumbled to the ground.

Wasting not a second, she scurried back up the trees and made her way to the final perch. There she tied her two short blades around her waist and dropped to the ground into the bushes.

Apparently, a guard heard her and started to make his way to her. That was when she lunged out of the bush, slicing the man's neck open like a whirlwind, blood spurting out of the gaping wound, as he gurgled the last moments of his pitiful life away.

His friend saw her but couldn't say anything with an arrow through the mouth.

Now she got the camp's attention. "We're under attack!"

Jeanne saw a man who got impaled by an arrow. All of the guards stood there stunned until someone shouted that they were under attack. Suddenly the men formed a circle around the wagon, trying to find their assailant that struck from the night.

Arrows started to rain from the sky, pinning the soldiers down. Some of them had the unfortunate fate of being shot in the foot. Artoria braced herself as Jeanne gave a mighty kick, smashing the lock and charging out like a mad bull.

Leaping out. Jeanne tackled the soldier next to her down, and with a fist to the face, knocked him out with ease.

"Here!" Artoria tossed her the white banner as she drew her mighty famed blade of Excalibur.

"THEY'VE ESCA-gahhhhh!" The man-at-arm didn't have a chance to finish the sentence with Excalibur being impaled through his back. He fell to the ground with a sharp kick of the blade of King Arthur.

The two mounted soldiers reared their horses and charged with their lances out.

To Jeanne's amazement, a young woman with unkempt brown and green hair dropped from the tree and landed on the end of one of the horses. She tossed one man off while stabbing the other one with a short blade under his armpit. He slumped over and fell to the ground.

As quickly as she came, she jumped off the horse while Artoria was slicing through soldiers left and right with her sword. Nimble and accurate, despite her heavy-plated armor. Truly a master of the sword arts.

Jeanne found herself surrounded by three men. The two charged shields raised. She shot the end of the banner towards the unprotected soldier, causing him to stumble. With all her might, she took aim swung.

The banner connected, cracking one soldier's plate, sending him to the ground and stumbling the other. That was all she needed. Like a marksman with the bow, she aimed and connected with her target. The butt end of her banner connects with the helmet. With the soldier stunned, she swiped him off his feet with ease.

The last soldier stood there. It was Lionel of Wandomme, the man who captured Jeanne under the Burgundian banner. It would be easy to kill him.

The man who led them showed up wielding a longsword. "You witch! You killed all my men…"

"I never wanted this." Jeanne frowned as her gaze followed the dead and dying men around her.

"Lies!" He cried out with a lunge of his blade. "You blood-thirsty monster!"

She steadied herself and whirled her banner, preparing for the charge.

Time slowed. It felt as if time stopped. Milliseconds seemed to be minutes as she watched the blade make its way to her. Stepping out of the way, with a gauntlet grabbing his elbow and a sharp upward yank, the man dropped the sword with a sickening snap that filled the air. She then threw him to the ground, boot to his throat, and spear tip to the neck.

"I don't wish for further bloodshed," Jeanne sighed with a frown, "You will leave this place."

"You foul witch!" He weaseled-faced man hissed with the uttermost venom.

The Maiden shook her head as she pressed the spear point deeper, drawing blood. "I have no desire to kill you. You will leave this place." He continued to squirm. The Burgundian squirmed for a few seconds before accepting his fate.

Meanwhile, Artoria pulled Excalibur from the back of an unfortunate soldier. With a flick of the wrist, the blood was wiped off her blade, "Unless you want to deal with my friend, who openly said that she… ermm he.. would kill you."

The man studied Jeanne then looked over to her companion; squirming slightly, he raised his hands in surrender. "Fine."

Jeanne stepped out of the way, kicking his sword away as the man picked himself up and started to run. "Your mercy might cost us," Artoria said as she sheathed her blade.

"Possibly, but I don't kill if I don't have to." Jeanne frowned as she made the sign of the cross for all of the fallen.

"That's a noble sentiment, but we're at -"

A gust of wind swooshed their hair as a young woman clad in brown leather armor landed beside her. She pulled her bow back and released the arrow in a fluent motion like water from a waterfall.

"No!" Jeanne shouted as the arrow flew.

"Be at ease." The stranger said as she looked off in the distance.

A whistle in the air and a sharp shout filled the air. The man collapsed to the ground with an arrow in the back of the leg.

The hunter smirked as she slung her bow. "You might not want to kill them, but I think it would be wise to slow them down."

Jeanne raised an eyebrow, impressed with the skill and composure of the archer. "My thanks. Your assistance was well-timed." Artoria offered her hand

The hunter turned, studying the King. "Artoria Pendragon. King of Camelot. Calm, composed, loyal, honor-bound."

Artoria smiled at the appraisal.

"To a fault. Lost Camelot due to political intrigue and naivety. Was rumored to be a ruthless and cold-hearted ruler."

Artoria's smile quickly faded as her hand fell to her side.

"Hey… I understand that you saved us, but you don't..."

The hunter turned to face Jeanne. The cold, almost cat-like eyes studied her up and down. "Jeanne d'Arc, war hero of France, Helped king Charles assume the throne. Kind, gentle, and steadfast."

Here comes the second half.

"Naive and incompetent to politics. Stubborn. And illiterate. Self-proclaimed pacifist. Illiterate peasant."

Jeanne instantly frowned.

You're fine how you are.

Clearly not, she bawled her hand into a fist.

"It is considered rude to insult people you just mean." Artoria pointed her blade at the huntress. "Who are you." She stated rather than asked.

The hunter brushed past the King, "Atalante." She said as she walked past, ignoring the blade. "If you wish, you can deal with their friends, or you can follow me."

The Maiden and King looked at one another. There is no way this can be our third ally.

It is… she is a world-renowned huntress and was known for looking after the poor.

She didn't seem like it. Settle… settle… she tried to calm herself. Jeanne hefted the banner, followed by the hunter, Atalante.

Artoria followed behind, her hand close to the blade.

"Are you well?" Artoria asked Jeanne

She raised an eyebrow, "I could ask you the same thing."

"I… I… had a lot come up with her assessment.."

"Do you think we can trust her?" Artoria asked.

Jeanne's mind started to play. Someone by the Sereagent Voleta Nikomedias was in the army. A sniper? Ah, hunter, of course. Quiet, blunt, to the point. Confident in her skills doesn't trust others.

Many disagreements with Emily and Ava. Led to shouting?

Yeah… I'm not proud of that.

Yet the feeling that Voleta watched over them. Like an eye in the sky. Their guardian angel. "I believe we can."

The King hummed to herself as if having a discussion with herself, or more like with Ava. "I.. agree, but I do not appreciate her sour attitude."

They followed the hunter through the forests and down a rather steep rock face. Upon reaching the bottom, a small cave with a campfire was found. The hunter rested her bow on the side before sitting down. She ripped a chunk of a rabbit that was roasted on the fire.

Taking a bite, she raised an eyebrow. "You can sit."

Jeanne was the first, noticing how Artoria lingered. "Atalante, thank you for the rescue."

The green-haired woman frowned with a shake of the head. "Thank my guardian, I don't tolerate fools."

"Wait just a second…" Artoria protested calmly

"It was on the advice of my guardian I should intervene. To be honest, I feel like it was her sentimental attachment to you. It is a weakness."

Jeanne felt her anger start to flair up. "You should stop lest you provoke a response," Jeanne warned.

Jeanne calm down… please.

"You are in enemy territory. You go into a settlement and share bread with a wiseman."

"Priest." Jeanne corrected through gritted teeth.

"And thus, you allowed yourself to get surrounded, and you went in with little information." Atalante crossed her arms, "Didn't you do any reconnaissance?"

The King crossed her arms, "I could not. I was unconscious."

The hunter smirked, "You allowed yourself to be captured."

"Wait.. no, just hold on." Jeanne tried to interject, "Emily and I had to… heal… her."

Atalante was not impressed, "So you allowed yourself to wander into enemy territory by accident only to come across. That's luck. But neither of you shouldn't have been in that position, to begin with."

Jeanne stood up, grabbing her banner, "I did not come here to be insulted by you. We were supposed to be allies, but I do not wish to be allied with a person like you." She stated bluntly, with a sense of pure anger emerging. This came from not only her but Emily as well. Emily was rather pissed off at this newcomer.

Artoria bowed her head with an annoyed look, "God be with you. You certainly need Him." She stood up and followed behind Jeanne.

"Ridiculous. It's like she's never done a good thing in her life." The Maiden's grip on her banner tightened.

I didn't appreciate arrogance either.

Artoria walked beside her, scanning the area as they walked in the forest. "She was rather hostile, to begin with."

"We don't need her," Jeanne murmured. "We were fine on our own."

"Indeed."

I don't even care… we aren't working with her. Voleta should have tried to reason with her.

Hey guys!

New chapter. I hope you guys liked it. I'm a bit unfamiliar with writing fighting scenes, so I kinda hope this was a half decent attempt

So, I kinda picture Atalante not being a very sociable person, especially how she was betrayed so many times. Being abandoned as a child, and while her time with Jason would have opened her up slightly... her reunion with her father only to use her as a political tool would have probably messed with some people's heads. Then the race and getting cheated... and her death, all of these factors would naturally make her a closed-off person.

That being said, I always enjoyed Atalante. Also let me know how you think of my Jeanne and Artoria, this is my first Fate story after all lol.

Leave fav, follow and/or review. Any and all ideas, questions, feedback, theories are great.

Reviews!

Dan: I do like that double edge sword about Artoria. I legit can't wait to explore that in her own arc. Also this was just a small taste of Artoria and Jeanne dealing with nobility. I imagine Artoria would especially harsh towards the Burgundians considering they were waging a civil war against the rightful French King. I imagine that would disgust her. Jeanne... I imagine she would do her best to not any ill-will towards either of them because... well, she's a Saint. You know, love your enemies, but on the other side of it, she would definitely struggle with the whole 'hey you sentenced me to burn as a heretic,' thing. Always a pleasure friend and thank you for the review!

As for our third companion oh boy XD

Anyway, stay safe out there. Love you all!

Sauron