Title: Slayers of the Past - Robyn

Author: Red

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns characters and concepts related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Author's Note: I was thinking about all those other Slayers aside from Buffy and I thought it would be interesting to write about a few of them. This is my first idea and it's based on the legend of Robin Hood, which you may be familiar with. The story may not be historically accurate so I've estimated dates! I don't know if this is that good, so let me know, and if I get enough feed back I might write some more. Thank you for reading!!

Sherwood, England, 1309

Thunder roared ominously in the sky and vast, dark clouds gathered high in the leaden sky above the small township. The air was thick with a sense of dread and apprehension, unbeknown to many of the townsfolk who slept peacefully in dreamless slumber.

Lucille rushed towards her village desperately pushing through the undergrowth that coiled round her ankles. Trees swayed violently above her in the rising wind and with no moon scudding through the sky as a guide, her journey was awkward and perilous. She alone knew of the danger that awaited her town each time the sun sank below the horizon. They had to be warned, before . . . before unspeakable horrors could be delivered upon them.

If she could just keep running long enough to reach safety. But a stray branch fell into her path and she tripped, ripping her dress. With a frightened gasp, Lucille leapt to her feet and stumbled back along her path. And there between the trees, she saw the most welcome sight! Safety. Just a few more paces and then . . . Hands with long, curved nails closed around her throat and yanked her backwards, muffling her screams. A grotesque creature leant over her and jerked her cruelly to her feet.

'What do we have here?' It growled. 'A Watcher? And what better person to kill when the Slayer has fallen!' Lucille eyes grew wide with terror. She knew her death was imminent, but all those innocents. If only they realised . . .

The creature leant towards Lucille's bare and dirty neck and sank its fangs deep into her flesh, stifling her groans of pain with a filthy hand. After a few seconds, her heartbeat slowed and then a few long minutes later, the vampire dropped her bloodied corpse to the leave strewn ground. It stared at the town, then sniffed the air. Approaching sunrise. There was always tomorrow, and the day after. Without any interference. With a final, disdainful look at Lucille's body - what a lovely present for the townsfolk the following morning - it turned and loped sinuously into the forest at a slow confident pace.

* * *

Several miles away from Sherwood, a woman screamed in agony and gritted her teeth.

'Make it stop!' She wailed. 'Please!'

'Not long now, me luv', the cheerful midwife said. 'Not long!'

With a final roar, the labouring woman delivered her first child into the world and gasped for breath, completely spent.

The portly midwife held the child up and announced it to be a girl. The light of sunrise streamed through the window illuminating the scene - a beautiful young woman holding her newborn child in her welcoming arms. A small robin whistled on the sill and the mother looked up, then down at her child, who gurgled softly.

'Wot you goin' to call 'er then?' Interrupted the midwife.

With a look at the small brown bird on the sill, the mother said 'Robyn'.

Sunnydale, California, 2001

Buffy Summers stared at her Watcher, Rupert Giles.

'A book? You want me to read this?' She said, holding up the large, heavy volume entitled Slayers of the Past.

Giles cleared his throat. 'Well, with your extra training I thought it might be helpful for you to learn more about past Slayers. How they lived, fought and died.'

Buffy wrinkled her brow. 'Okay then. It might be quite interesting.' Resolved, she settled down at the large table in the Magic Box and began to read. A while later, she looked up, surprised. 'Giles, it says Robin Hood was a Slayer? Doesn't anyone realise that Slayer equals female? Honestly!'

'Well, you'd be startled at some of the rumours and legends that sprang up regarding Slayers. I do remember reading some of the stories about a Slayer named Robyn who had her story made a legend by local tales.' Buffy shrugged but looked quite intrigued, so she continued to read the story of Robyn the Vampire Slayer.

Author's P.S: Does anyone think I should continue?