Based on a poem of the same name by Alfred Noyes.
The wind was blowing hard. Normally, that fact wouldn't be important, but today was not like any other day. Chrno, one of the most famous highwaymen was riding swiftly down the dirt road. He had just left his mother's house. After giving her money he had obtained, he went to check on his twelve-year-old sister. She had been sick for many years now. Every time he went home, he made sure to spend time with her for he didn't know if he would see her again.
Today, though, she had felt well enough to go outside. Before the day had turned dark, the sky had been bright blue. There were virtually no clouds in the sky. So they sat in the shade of a large oak tree and talked. Eventually they started singing one of her favorite songs. But halfway through she had a coughing fit and he carried her back inside.
He shook his head as to clear his thoughts. Now was not the time to be thinking of his sister. He first had to stop at the inn and then head to the east.
Slowly, the sound of the horse treading on dirt faded into the sound of his hooves clacking on the cobbled stone. He stilled his horse and dropped to the ground. Quietly he walked up to the side of the inn where windows were lined up. Walking by them, he tapped each closed one 'til he came to one that was open. Stopping beneath it, he hummed a soft melody and waited.
A few moments passed before the innkeeper's daughter appeared in the window. When she saw him her blue eyes sparkled and her golden hair danced in the fierce wind. She reached her hand out to meet his and the stood there for a moment, as if frozen in time.
In the shadows, the stable boy watched them. His red eyes were filled with lust as he stared at the girl. He ran his finger through his dirty white hair and listened as the robber spoke to her.
"Rosette," Chrno whispered, "Wish me luck. I found out that a wealthy merchant is coming through from the west. I'll come to take you away from this wretched place in the morning. But if I get caught up, wait for me at midnight-"
"But! -" She exclaimed. "Don't worry," He said with a slight smile, "Not even Hell will keep me from taking you."
Chrno reached up and kissed her hand before turning back to his horse. She waved him good-bye with a slightly worried expression that turned into a smirk. "It's Chrno," She said to herself, "He'll be fine."
She waited for in that morning, but he never came. "Surely he got caught up," She thought as she entered her room to take up the sheets.
Suddenly, she heard a crash downstairs. Before she could reach her door, however, British soldiers crashed into the room. They drank to their hearts fill and tied her to her bed. Efficiently, they gagged her and tied a gun to her chest. The soldiers danced and sang like madmen in her little bedroom.
They untied her for but a moment and held on to her tightly. They then continued by tying her in and upright position. Laughing at her helplessness, one whispered in her ear, "Keep watch for us, and we might have a little surprise for you." Still laughing her kissed her roughly on the lips.
The only thing that kept her going was the thought of Chrno coming to get her. That was when she realized; it would be Hell if he were not with her.
Quickly she tried untying her hands. Again and again she tried until she felt her wrists bleeding. Finally, she heard horses hooves clacking against the cobblestone.
Frantically, she jerked her hands out of her restrain and before the soldiers could stop her, she had grasped the gun at her chest. She waited only until she had seen his face and pulled the trigger.
Hearing a gunshot, Chrno yanked his horse in the opposite direction. He urged the horse onward like there was no tomorrow and disappeared into the distance. The next day, he heard whom it was that was shot.
He jumped onto his horse and headed back to the inn. As he rode he shrieked a curse to the heavens. His violet eyes were bright with malicious hate. Nearly there, he felt a pain in his chest. It sent him hurdling off the horse. He fell to the ground on the side of the rode. His brown cloak stained with his blood.
Triumphantly, the stable boy stood over the dead thief. He removed the red ribbon that kept Chrno's hair in its long braid. A gift from Rosette to Chrno.
My first Chrno Crusade fan-fic. Tell me what you like and didn't like. Review!!