Episode 1
The Mysterious Thief
A lone figure sat on horseback atop a hill overlooking the town of Nottingham. The figure was cloaked, their head hidden by a hood. They urged the horse into a trot, making their slow decent toward the castle. The horse and its mysterious rider passed through the open gates. The horse's hooves echoed on the silent cobblestone streets, alerting anyone that was still awake of their passing, but no one came to investigate.
The rider dismounted when they reached the gates to the castle. Hiding the horse in the shadows of the wall the stranger threw a length of rope over the wall. It looped around one of the open arrow battlements. They began to climb. The intruder reached the top and began to walk along the wall, managing to knock out a few guards with their fists. Unseen or heard, the hooded figure slipped from the battlements, falling gracefully onto the stone of the courtyard. From under the hood a triumphant smirk could be seen. Stealthily creeping through the darkness, the stranger climbed the stairs, slipping into a side passage. It seemed the figure was not a stranger to this castle for they moved through every corridor with ease, knowing exactly where to go. The intruder came upon a heavy door. They pulled a glittering dagger from their belt and slowly opened the door. Looking back down the corridor, they slipped inside. With another smirk they slunk down another passageway and then another and another. Hearing footsteps, they flattened themselves against the wall, hidden by the shadows. A guard walked past, oblivious to the stranger and its motives. The mysterious figure followed the guard down three more passageways before bringing the hilt of the dagger upon the guards head, hard. As he fell the stranger stole the keys from his belt, tucking them safely in the folds of their shimmering cloak. With the passage clear, the thief ran down the last corridor, forgetting the stealth act as anticipation and excitement took over. At the end of the corridor was a large door which opened with the third key the criminal used. The thief slipped inside, grinning now that they had found what they were looking for. Pulling small, empty sacks from their cloak, the mysterious figure hurriedly picked the lock on one chest's and began to fill the sacks with the gold that lay inside.
The chest now lay empty as all the sacks were filled. From under the hood, the stranger's eyes flicked to the other chests that lined the wall. Money for another time. The thief left the room. They walked more carefully now for the money attached to their belt clinked with every step.
The mysterious thief managed to make it through the maze of corridors and unconscious guards before they met trouble. The Sheriff, accompanied by four guards, was walking toward the cloaked figure. Luckily the corridor was so dark that the entourage was yet to see the figure. Unknown to the Sheriff, the thief jumped up, grabbing the supporting beams above their heads. Hiding in the darkness, the Sheriff walked underneath the thief who he was looking for. However one of the bags of stolen gold jingled and the Sheriff paused. Everything was silent. Slowly, the Sheriff's bald head tilted upward. His eyes locked onto the strangers and knowing they were caught flipped from the beams onto their booted feet.
"I believe you have something of mine," Vasey said.
"Finders keepers, looses weepers." Was the reply. The Sheriff's lip curled upward in a mean smile.
"I do not have much patience for thieves and seeing as you are outnumbered, it would be wise to hand over what you have stolen from me or we will retrieve it by force."
"Will you now?" Vasey's eyes flashed dangerously and he took a step forward. The stranger chuckled, taking a step backward. This sequence continued until the stranger had reached the end of the passage.
"You cannot escape thief," The Sheriff said, motioning for his guards to move closer. The hooded thief laughed again.
"I suppose you don't have to be smart to be the Sheriff and may I say you play it so well." Vasey growled and his guards ran forward, ready to capture the thief. However the stranger had different plans. Jumping upward and grabbing the beams above, they managed to knock out two guards by kicking them in the holes of their helmets. The thief released the wood beam, falling on top of the other two guards. The Sheriff gave an angry cry and lunged forward but the thief jumped from the window that lay to their right. They fell stealthily onto the cobblestones of the courtyard. There was an angry shout from above the figure,
"Guards!" Echoed around the castle. The thief sprinted across the yard and up a flight of stairs onto the battlements which was high above the courtyard. The figure spun around to see the Sheriff of Nottingham and Guy of Gisborne standing in front of an entourage of armour clad guards at the foot of the wall.
"He has nowhere to go, get him!"
"I am the Midnight Highwayman. I do believe you will be seeing a lot of me." With this announcement they slid down the rope that was still slung around one of the obtruding blocks of stone. The portcullis began to open but the Midnight Highwayman had already mounted their horse and was riding through the streets of Nottingham toward the outlying villages and Sherwood Forest.
~.~
"It's a woman!"
"It's a man! Why would he be called the Midnight Highwayman?"
"It is a woman, simply the things we hear sound like a woman's doing." Djaq said angrily.
"Well the facts are against you Djaq, it is a man!" Will argued. Will and Djaq were arguing once more about the Midnight Highwayman's identity. Djaq opened her mouth to yell back but footsteps approached the camp.
"Oh thank god, Robin we-" Will started but his sentence died on his lips as everyone's eyes fell not upon Robin Hood but a woman. She scrambled up the slope, her polished leather boots meeting solid ground. She wore a shimmering silver silk cloak underneath a thick, black travelling cloak. The hood covered her face. Underneath her cloak was a richly embroidered corset and a few bags of money hung from her gold buckled belt. Will drew his sword and pointed it at the new arrival.
"Whoa!" The girl exclaimed and lifted her jewelled fingers to remove her hood. It fell back to reveal a beautiful face, sparkling olive eyes and long brown hair that was tied neatly behind her head. Her many rings glinted in the dull morning light. Djaq's eyes widened and she shared a quick look with Little John. He had seen it and so had everyone else. The sheriff's insignia sparkled on her middle finger.
"I'm looking for Robin of Locksley, is he here?" The girl asked, looking around at Little John, Will and Djaq. Little John jumped to his feet and grabbed his staff, wary.
"Who are you?" Djaq demanded.
"Now that would be telling," She said with a flicker of a smirk and a raised eyebrow. No one shared her amusement. "Listen, I'm looking for Robin Hood, there are a few things we need to sort out." She said coolly. Her cloaks fluttered in the early morning breeze, showing a ruby encrusted dagger and a shining sword.
"We don't know any Robin Hood in which you speak," Will told her. She rolled her eyes.
"Oh please! You're his famous outlaws! We're in the middle of a forest for Richard's sake!" She exclaimed with a laugh. Another booted foot hit the wood decking and a sword sliced through the air. The tip dug into the girl's neck and she raised her glittering hands in surrender. Djaq motioned at her middle finger. The sword bearer nodded and dug the sword in harder.
"How did you find us?" Robin asked. The girl laughed.
"It wasn't hard," She said. "The sound simply wafted from the High Road."
"Why are you here?"
"I've come to see you Robin. I would think you would want to see me. But remember, I'm the better swordsman."
"Who are you?" He demanded. The girl said nothing. "Tell me who you are or I will kill you." She gave a small chuckle.
"You won't kill me Robin," She stated simply.
"Oh and why is that?" He spat, digging his sword in deeper. She took a step to the side, turning away from the sword.
"Because I am the only family you have left." Robin stood, shocked before his sword fell to the ground with a clatter. He pulled the girl into his arms, laughing. Eventually he pulled away and cupped her face.
"Oh Annabelle I thought you dead!" He exclaimed, hugging her again.
"NOOOOOO!" Much exclaimed. He had been standing behind Robin the whole time but had now fallen to his knees, his hands covering his face. "Please no, no!" He yelled, looking up through water filled eyes.
"Much stop being ridiculous." Robin scolded. "You remember Much, don't you Annabelle?" Robin asked, turning to the girl. She smirked.
"Oh how I remember," Much struggled to his feet, glaring at her. Will cleared his throat loudly. Robin jumped. It seemed he had just remembered the rest of the gang.
"Everyone," He began happily, throwing an arm around Annabelle and bringing her closer. "This is my younger sister, Annabelle of Locksley."
"So," Annabelle began. "Who's the cook around here?" She asked, grabbing a bag at her feet. Much scowled but stepped forward anyway. Annabelle grinned and from the bag pulled a sack of vegetables and a leg of meat. "I'm hungry," She declared and threw him the food. Much glared at her but set to work immediately. Annabelle dragged her bag over to a bed before flopping onto the straw mattress. "Well it's quite shabby but I can get used to it." She said, looking around at the camp.
"Are you used to the rich life Annabelle?" Djaq asked her.
"I do travel a lot so I do not have a fixed home but usually I sleep in a nice bed, Lords and such." She winked at her as a series of coughs echoed around the camp.
"Annabelle!" Robin cried indignantly, rubbing his throat and staring wide-eyed at his sister. She chuckled.
"Oh Robin you cannot have thought I would stay innocent forever did you?"
"You were never innocent," He mumbled and went to check on the food.
~.~
"Annabelle," Little John began as they all tucked into their meal. "What do you do to be so rich?" Annabelle laughed.
"I do what Robin does," She explained. "But instead of stealing from the rich to give to the poor I steal from the rich and give to myself." Robin rolled his eyes.
"Annabelle never had a heart," He stated.
"You're just jealous because I'm a better thief."
"That's because you've been stealing since you were two years old!" Robin retorted. She laughed as Will interrupted their petty fight.
"Well you won't be finding any business here Annabelle." He said. Annabelle smiled.
"There is heaps of money here; you just don't know where to find it." She threw her empty bowl upon the table and placed her feet upon it. She stared at Will as most of the gang continued their own conversations.
"I've seen you before," She stated, pointing a long finger at Will. He shrunk under her gaze. "Ever moved from Nottingham?" He shook his head. "What do your parents do? Are they rich?" He shook his head again. She sat in thought, frowning. "I swear I've seen you before." Annabelle shrugged. "Maybe you simply look like one of those High Lords." She winked at him and Will turned a deep shade of red. There was a loud coughing fit as Robin choked on the last morsels of his meal. He stared wide eyed at his little sister.
"C'mon Annabelle, we need to talk." He said, pushing himself away from the table.
"Oh now I'm scared!" She said sarcastically. Djaq and Little John chuckled. "Actually I am. His 'talks' are awfully boring." Robin glared at her and, grabbing Annabelle's shoulders steered her out of the camp and away from their laughing companions.
Their feet scuffed the dried leaves that had fallen to the forest floor. Nothing else could be heard. Long had the laughter from the camp died away and the dead silence that now engulfed them overtook the forest. After a while, Robin thought to break that silence.
"What are you doing here?" He stared ahead, not looking at his sister.
"I said: business." She stated, also not looking at her sibling.
"No, I mean here, in the camp? Last time you-" Annabelle sighed exasperatedly and Robin stopped talking.
"Last time we did not meet at the best of times or leave on the friendliest terms but I want to put that behind us." She stopped and turned to look at him. "You're my brother Robin, the only family I have left; I wanted to see you, that's all." He gave her a weak smile and rubbed her arms comfortingly.
"So you haven't found me just because you're in trouble and need my help?" He joked. She laughed nervously as they began walking again. "Annabelle?" Robin growled, becoming serious once more. She averted her eyes, rubbing her neck embarrassedly. Robin gave her a hard stare, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "What sort of business?" His voice was dangerously low. The silent Annabelle shrunk under his gaze. "Annabelle?"
"My usual business," She mumbled.
"You mean lying, cheating and thieving?" She nodded her head, grinning slightly. Robin shook his head in exasperation as they made their way back to camp.
~.~
"Is this all you do?" Annabelle asked in an annoying, whinging tone. Her hands were behind her head and she was resting on Allan's old bed.
"Yes Annabelle, all we do, all night." Robin said, sharpening his arrows. She sighed and jumped from the bed. Everyone watched as she tightened her corset, strapped her sword and dagger to her waist, slipped her boots on and fastened her cloak around her neck.
"I'm going to take care of business," She said and avoiding Robin's watchful eye mounted her horse and took off into the night. Robin sighed as Much sat down next to him.
"I worry about her," He said, still staring at the spot where she had disappeared.
"I know you do Master,"
Annabelle arrived back at the camp just before daybreak. She quietly crept over to her bed and slipped something underneath it before climbing on top and falling asleep.
"Belle wake up," Robin whispered in Annabelle's ear. She remained motionless and asleep. "Annabelle!" He said more forcefully. She stirred slightly, tangling her small body in the blanket. Robin rolled his eyes. "ANNABELLE!" He shouted in her ear. Her hand flew up, smacking Robin in the nose. The camp erupted in laughter as Robin staggered backwards, clutching his nose. Annabelle fell back asleep. Robin glared at his sister as Djaq came over to him, still chuckling.
"Give me a look," She said, pushing his hands aside. "It's definitely not broken." She told him.
"Yes but she will be,"
"Master don't!" Much called from the other side of the camp. Robin ignored him and marched off, taking a bucket with him.
Robin came back shortly afterward, the bucket full of cold water.
"Master," Much moaned. Robin ignored him again and stood next to Annabelle's bed. He raised the bucket. It tipped, the contents falling on his unfortunate sister. She screamed, jumping up in shock. Her legs however were tangled in her blanket and she fell, meeting the hard ground of the camp. Everyone laughed loudly, Robin included. Annabelle groaned and pushed herself off the ground, her wet blanket falling around her feet.
"Robin," She growled, stepping away from the blankets. From the forest floor she picked up her glittering dagger. With lightning speed she threw the knife. It sliced through the air, embedding itself in a plank just behind Robin's head. The camp was silent as both Annabelle and Robin glared at each other. Annabelle began to slowly walk toward him. Robin froze as Annabelle leaned in close. She pulled the dagger from the wood and brought it dangerously close to Robin's ear. She brought her dagger down to her side and broke eye contact. Annabelle turned away without a word and made her way back to her bed where she collected a fresh set of clothes. It wasn't until Annabelle had marched from the camp to go wash and change that everyone let out their held in breath.
"She's scary," Said Will.
"She has always been scary," Much told him, shaking his head. Robin chuckled.
"She has always been fun to provoke." He said.
~.~
Annabelle woke sometime around midnight. This suited her perfectly. She knew that Robin would become suspicious of her if he saw her leave the camp too many times. Annabelle threw off her blankets and quietly slipped from her bed. Having already dressed before she went to bed earlier that evening she threw her cloak around her shoulders, grabbed her bag and weapons and tip-toed from the camp. Annabelle quietly untethered her horse and rode toward Nottingham. She slowed to a trot when she reached a small village. It had been so long since she had been to the manor that she didn't know what town she was tying her horse up in. All she knew was that she had to go to the Leaky Prince Inn. Annabelle opened the door to the pub. Instantly it went quiet.
"It isn't Gisborne boys, it's ok!" Yelled the bar tender. At once the music began, the loud and drunken conversations continued and a fight restarted. Annabelle walked to the bar where the grubby, rotten-toothed bar man stood. He was wiping tankards with a grimy rag and leered at her when she approached him.
"What do ya want pretty lady?"
"I need to see Mr Laynton," Annabelle told him, glancing around the dimly lit pub. The barman's face dropped instantly. He was no longer leering or looking Annabelle up or down. It was obvious Mr Laynton wasn't one to mess with. The barman picked up two wooden tankards and filled them with beer. He handed them both to Annabelle and pointed a grubby finger toward the far corner. Annabelle nodded and walked over. At first the corner table seemed deserted but as she walked closer a tall, hooded figure emerged from the gloom. Annabelle placed both tankards onto the rough, wooden table top. Without a word Mr Laynton downed his in one mouthful.
"You have something for me?" Annabelle asked with her hood pulled low over her face. Mr Laynton stood up and beckoned for Annabelle to do the same. They disappeared into a backroom.
~.~
Robin woke sometime during the early hours of the morning. He had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong. Robin sat bolt-right up in bed. He flung the bed covers off himself and instinctively grabbed his bow and arrow. Robin's eyes flicked toward Annabelle's bed. It was empty. Now Robin knew why he felt that churning sick feeling in his gut. He angrily threw his bow onto his bed and began to pace. He knew he could not tell Annabelle what to do for she would never do what he told her to do but all the secrecy of her 'business' and the late night outings worried Robin. He was afraid she was selling herself. Robin sat on the edge of Annabelle's bed, waiting for her return. But it wasn't until daybreak that she did. Annabelle froze when she saw Robin waiting for her.
"Where have you been?" Robin asked sternly as he stood up to face her.
"Never you mind," She said coldly.
"What if I want to mind?"
"It's none of your business what I do!" Annabelle shouted angrily. A few of the sleeping outlaws stirred in their beds.
"Oh I think it is my business what you do Annabelle. If you don't remember, I'm your brother!" Robin's loud voice echoed around the camp. Djaq woke with a start and Much toppled out of bed.
"You may be my brother by blood Robin, but that's all!"
"I'm only looking out for you Annabelle; I'm only trying to keep what's left of our family together!"
"Ha!" Annabelle laughed with a manic grin on her beautiful face. Will's eyes snapped open and he grabbed his axe, wary. "You have done nothing for our family Robin, nothing! Ever since father died in the crusades you forgot about mother and me! You simply wanted to take over the estate and marry Lady Marian but never remembering your sick family!" Robin winced at the intensity in her voice. "Now you think that we can be brother and sister and to forget what you did before? I don't think so!" She spat.
"I am simply trying to make up for my mistakes Annabelle!" Robin roared. His face dropped and his voice now came in a defeated moan, "Why can't you see that," Little John woke with a grunt. Will pressed a finger to his lips and continued watching - like the rest of the outlaws - Robin and Annabelle's fight.
"You're going to have to do a lot more to make up for that mistake Robin." Annabelle said, glaring.
"I know and if I knew what my decision did to our family I would have come at once!"
"Aha!" Annabelle shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him. "So you admit you had a choice, did you not? You chose your work over your own family. Robin how could you?" Annabelle had tears sparkling in her olive green eyes.
"I'm sorry Annabelle, I really am. That's why I'm trying to stop you doing 'business'. I don't want you to endanger yourself." In an instant Annabelle's sad tears were replaced by angry ones.
"I told you Robin it is none of your business where I go or what I do." She began to turn away. Robin, as a last attempt, yelled after her,
"Mother would not have wanted you to do this!" Annabelle swung around, her eyes ablaze.
"Well we don't know what she would want anymore, do we?" Annabelle turned around and disappeared into the forest. Robin, who was both hurt and angry, glared at all the curiously staring outlaws before sweeping off in the direction of Knighton Hall.
Robin grabbed onto the metal bar outside Marian's house, swung himself up and climbed onto the wooden roof next to Marian's window. He climbed inside and saw a distressful sight. Marian's room was in tatters. The cupboard was flung open and many of Marian's dresses were missing. Her bed was upturned and her blankets strewn over the floor. Letters and little trinket boxes littered the floor and the curtains lay in tangles near the window. Robin, whose eyes were wide with shock, tripped over an upturned drawer as he walked among the wreckage.
"Marian, someone is upstairs!" Yelled Sir Edward. There was a small scuffle and Marian appeared, her sword drawn.
"Whoa!" Robin exclaimed, his hands in the air. Marian sighed in relief and propped the sword against the wall. "What happened here?" Robin asked.
"The Midnight Highwayman came in the dead of night. I had just returned to find him rummaging through my drawers."
"Where were you before?"
"I was delivering food and money to the poor as the Night Watchman." Robin stared at Marian. It was then that he saw a large, purple lump on the side of her head.
"What happened to your forehead?" He exclaimed, rushing over to her. Marian pushed him away.
"I couldn't let him steal all my belongings!"
"So you fought him?" Robin asked, astounded and slightly angry.
"Oh don't you start," She began angrily. "Just because I am a woman does not mean I am completely incapable-"
"I know and I'm sorry," He said quietly. "I am simply concerned is all." Marina let him hug her before saying,
"You wouldn't mind helping us clean up would you?"
"Not at all," He replied with one of his knee softening grins.
"Father," Marian called, walking to the doorway. "Robin is staying to help us clean up."
"I should have known," Was his reply. Marian grinned and turned back to Robin.
"Who did you hear it from, I have not told anyone yet?"
"About what?" Robin asked, pushing her mattress back onto the wooden bed.
"About the robbery. I am assuming that is why you came."
"Not exactly." Robin mumbled as he straightened the heavy cupboard. The drop in his tone alerted Marian that something was wrong.
"What has happened?" She asked, abandoning her empty jewellery box to look at him. There was a short pause.
"Annabelle has returned to Nottingham."
"Annabelle?" Marian exclaimed. "Your sister?"
"Yes. She is living in the forest with us and already we have been fighting."
"Oh," Marian's face dropped and she hurried to Robin's side. Robin wrapped his arms around her waist. Marian dropped her hands to his chest as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.
"I worry about her so much," He mumbled. Marian shuddered as his hot breath tickled her neck.
"I know you do Robin." She said. "You always have and nothing will ever change that." The couple stood, in the wreckage of Marian's room, locked in a tight embrace.
Robin spent all day at Knighton Hall, helping Marian tidy her house. Robin received quite a shock when he saw the old Sheriff. He had a large cut across his check. Apparently the Midnight Highwayman had assaulted him with a brass candlestick.
When Robin returned to the camp that night he found everyone sitting down and eating a meal of pork and roasted vegetables, courtesy, it seemed, of Annabelle.
"Annabelle," Will began, his mouth full of meat. "You have not told us, where did you get the Sheriff's insignia?" He pointed to the bulky ring on her finger.
"What, this thing?" She said, taking it off and holding it up. Everyone nodded.
"I won it," She said simply.
"Off whom?"
"Some tall, leather-clad weirdo," Everyone laughed.
"Gisborne wouldn't have placed it as a bet." Said Little John. "How did you win it?"
"Well," Began Annabelle, scratching her neck nervously. She was painfully aware that Robin was watching her. "He tried arresting me for being a public nuisance or something like that and then there was this disagreement between the two of us-"
"You mean you punched him?" Much asked, clearly amused.
"Yep!" Said Annabelle proudly. "And in the ensuing fight I stole his ring." The gang laughed. Robin, who did not want to get into another fight with Annabelle, turned away and said nothing.