The events of the world outside of [i]Le Stinche[/i] did not fall upon the ears of those trapped inside it's walls, certainly not those in its depths. Elena was oblivious to the grand chess match going on between the Assassins and the Templars in the Italian streets, or at least, to the severity of its nature. Whispers could be heard between the guards outside her door as they switched their posts, but even these morsels of information were not enough to even intrigue her on finding out more. The dark cell was the only thing she knew for days, no company to break the deafening silence except for when her rations were delivered to her through the metal slot of her prison cell or she was questioned by a Templar guard. But even the Knight Templar who sought to break her allegiance did not visit her, which left her wondering what grand plan he was plotting next for her. 

Alessandro's experience had been slightly better, but only in the way that his amenities were made fit for recovery of his injuries. At least he had regular company, so far the doctor came to check on him three separate times that he could consciously remember. Apart from that, nurses had been sent in to change the dressing on his wounds as well. This was as good as it got, for the rest of his time was spent locked up alone or ignoring the interrogation of the [i]ignobile[/i] Templars with a silent brooding stare. 

All of their isolation came to an end when the cells were cracked open and each was told they were to be escorted to the yard for recreational time. Elena was shocked to find she was being allowed out of her confinement... weren't the Templars worried that she would make a mad dash at the first opportunity? Nevertheless, she was not about to pass up the opportunity to trade the smell of bile and filth for fresh air and sunlight. 

The chains were of course kept on her feet and hands as she was roughly removed from her cell. Her muscles ached from days of little movement, finally getting to stretch them as she filed into the line with the other prisoners brought her some relief. Looking around to get her bearings (as for when she was brought down here, she had been knocked unconscious) she noticed the high ranking Templar standing with a man who seemed to not be taking orders from him, but instead giving them. So, the Templars couldn't pull all of the strings in [i]Le Stinche...[/i] maybe there was hope for rescue after all. 

Elena's eyes caught the Templar's as she shuffled her shackled feet in unison with the other prisoners. Her face showed some exhaustion, bags beneath her eyes and a pale tone on her once olive skin. Eyes, however, still lit with passion and fire, which she locked in a deadly stare at the Templar as she was pushed forward. 

[hr]

Once out at the prison yard, Elena had to squint as her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the daylight. She heard a quick, sharp whistle and immediately knew its origin. Eyes scanning rapidly until she found his face, a large smile grew upon her own when Elena saw Alessandro standing about the yard with some of the other prisoners. Alessandro returned the smile with a large toothy grin of his own. Elena had thought him to be as good as dead, not trusting the word of the Templar that they had saved him and provided the medical care he surely had needed. It seemed she was now proven wrong. 

What she wanted most was to run up to Alessandro and greet him with an embrace, however she was still being filed out by the prison guards with the other criminals and being lined up so that they could get one last check on them she supposed to make sure nobody was going to kill each other out here. Just as she was about to be given the okay to roam about, a familiar moniker echoed throughout the yard, and what quickly followed could only be described as [i]caos.[/i]

[hr]

Elena's first thought was that she and Alessandro were finally saved. The Assassin's had finally found an opportunity to come and free them from their captivity. Eagerly, she looked over towards Alessandro, only to realize in horror that the Assassin who had already found his was to her companion was about to plunge his blade into Alessandro's chest. She let out a scream, watching Alessandro counter the Assassin the best he could as the prison guards closed in on him. Turning, Elena came face to face with another familiar blade as it made it's way towards her. 

"[i]Fratello![/i] Stop!" 

But he did not stop. Instead, he continued forward towards her with his blade aimed at her heart. She drew her chained hands up in defense, but before the Assassin could make it two more steps in her direction, the Templars blasted him from the side and saved her from a deadly strike. With her own life out of immediate danger, she looked over towards where she last saw Alessandro seconds before. The prison guards were doing their best, but the trained Assassin was making quick work of them. Alessandro was fighting hand-to-hand with the Assassin and pleading with him to drop his weapon as Elena began to run towards the fighting pair. 

"Drop your weapon Brother!" 

Again, the Assassin did not stop. Moving as fast as her shackled feet could carry her, Elena ran and jumped on the Assassin from behind. Using the chains from her handcuffs, she pulled around his jugular to subdue him as Alessandro held down his hands. After a few brief moments, he fell to the ground, unconscious. 

Elena held back the tears that threatened to break through after killing one of her own. She could not cry. Not now. Her attention turned back to the Templars who were handling the other attacker, and saw that they had managed to handle themselves. Elena looked to Alessandro before leaning onto him. 

"Are you alright?" 
"[i]Si.[/i] And you?"

Elena shook her head. The Brotherhood had turned against them. For what reason? She did not know. What she did know was that she and Alessandro were not considered Assassins anymore. They were considered traitors to the Creed. That meant there was a bounty on their heads for all Assassins. Elena straightened up and looked at the high ranking Templar, the one who got her and Alessandro into this mess. 

"Because of you! You [i]bastardo![/i] Our family turns its back on us!" She shouts. Alessandro puts a hand on her shoulder and holds her back. 

"Elena. They, too, fought to save us. They could have let the Assassins kill us." Alessandro says quietly to her. 

Elena huffs and blinks several times, remembering the split second the Templar charged in to save her from being taken by her own. Her gaze falls to the ground, and she swallows down a hard lump that has formed in her throat. Never in her life has she been caught in a position such as this. Now, she must do what she can to ensure survival, for the Assassins will surely strike again.

Her head comes back up and she meets the stare of the Templar again. 

"Perhaps I was wrong about you."