Clean version of "Stray"
"Stray" by Steve Conte from the anime series "Wolf's Rain"
Stray! Stray!
In the cold breeze that I walk along
The memories of generations burn within me
Been forever since I cried the pain and sorrow
I live and die, proud of my people gaining
I'm here standing at the edge
Starin up at where the moon should be
Stray!
No regrets 'cause I got nothin to lose
Ever stray!
So I'm gonna live my life as I choose
Until I fall..
Stray! Stray!
Stray! Stray!
In the white freeze, I never spoke of tears
Or opened up to anyone including myself
I would like to find a way to open to you
Been awhile, don't know if I remember how to
I'm here waiting on the edge
Would I be alright showing myself to you?
It's always been so hard to do..
Stray!
No regrets 'cause I got nothin to lose
Ever stray!
So I'm gonna live my life as I choose
Until I fall...
Stray! Stray!
Stray! Stray!
Stray! Stray!
Is there a place left there for me
Somewhere that I belong
Or will I always live this way... ?
Always stray
No regrets 'cause I got nothin to lose
Ever stray!
So I'm gonna live my life as I choose
Cause all things fall
Stray! Stray!
Stray! Stray!
Stray! Stray!
Stray...
I had sat in the cell next to Robin and his men for over three days now. I knew that unless something was done, and soon, Robin and his men would hang for their crimes against the crown. Prince John would not stop until he got what he wanted, and he wanted to kill Robin and his merry men; however, the only thing better than seeing Robin killed right out would be to see him suffer over an extended period of time. See what he wanted, needed, but always having it just out of his grasp. What I was about to do would break Robins heart, and mine, but it was the only way to save the ones I cared about, to help them continue the fight for good, for King Richard until he could come home and take back the throne from his brother Prince John and King Philip of France. I looked around me, trying to memorize everyone's face, to assure myself that this had and would work.
"Arianna?" I turned around to face whoever it was who had called my name, it was Robin. He had walked over from the group to squat next to me here in the corner furthest away from the group. His voice was ever steady, but his eyes gave him away, he was concerned about me. I was usually jumping in with ideas for escape when we were in this type of situation, but since we had been thrown in here and given the news that Robin would be tried for treason I had been unusually quite.
"Arianna, you're awfully quite tonight." He left the question unasked, but I knew him well enough to know what he wanted to know. After a few moments of composing myself, I spoke. I kept telling myself that I would not let my voice waiver; I had to remain strong, for him, for us.
"I am all out of idea's (liar! my mind screamed) plus the smell of you men is something awful over there, it's a little better over here….Robin, be honest with me, are we going to be able to get out of here alive?".
He took a deep breath and sighed, running a hand down his face, his eyes glistening in the torch light, not a good sign. I had only seen Robin cry once before, and that was when he thought Marian was dead. We were doomed; Robin would be forced to watch as the men were beheaded, and me possibly raped and then beheaded, only then would John probably have him hung and quartered. His severed head mounted on a pike out front of the castle to remind people of where treason would get you.
"I can't honestly tell you right now, Arianna. It looks pretty bleak at this point, I'm sorry".
"Robin, it's not your fault. Please understand that no matter what happens it was not your fault. Know this, that I will always love you, and wish that we could have grown old together". I kissed him with as much passion as I could muster and wished with all my might that there was another way, any other way to save them. As the kiss ended Robin looked at me with confusion in his eyes.
"Arianna…"
"Guard!" I shouted before Robin finished speaking, I couldn't let him change my mind, it was now or never. "Guard," I shouted again. 'Where the hell are they when you need them' I thought to myself.
"Arianna! Stop what are you doing?" Robin shouted at me.
"Robin, what's she doing, has she gone mad" one of the men asked in panic.
After what seemed like ages, one of them came into view. He didn't look to happy to see us, especially me. That might be because when we first met, he was the one I gave a black eye to, elbowed him in the ribs, and kicked him where the sun doesn't shine, or was that his fellow guard member they looked all the same. But that's what he deserved, trying to capture me along with our merry gang; didn't those guards understand that no matter how many times we met, I was not going to come along nicely?
"What do you want whore?" He asked.
'Whore, anything but you jackass! However I am sure your mother was a whore, you ill mannered tub of guts.*' I screamed inside my head at him. "I want to speak with Prince John, tell him…tell him I want to negotiate…please" It couldn't hurt to start being nice at this point could it?
The guard just started laughing; he at one point had to hold onto the bars of the cell to keep from falling on the floor and rolling around. As he was laughing Robin grabbed a hold of me and spun me around.
"What are you doing? Whatever it is you are planning Arianna please don't do it. I cannot lose you!" He shouted.
"Robin I have to do this, I will not sit around and watch you die!"
I pulled out of his grasp and turned my attention back to the guard. "Guard are you not going to go tell Prince John that I wish to speak with him?"!
"You…negotiate! You're a woman, women don't negotiate. Besides, what's in it for me?" the guard asked me slyly
"She won't give you anything, because she is not going to talk with Prince John, not if I have any say in it" Robin all but snarled at the guard.
"What is it that you want in return for delivering my message?" I asked the man, already knowing what he wanted and praying against all odds that he asked for something else in return.
"Arianna, you cannot be serious! Stop this madness now, we will find another way to escape. Please listen to me!" Robin franticly begged me.
'Oh Robin, if only there was another way, I would gladly stop'. I thought to myself as I prepared for the guards reply.
"I want to use you! I want to use you until you beg and plea for mercy you horrible woman! Just think of it as payback for what you have done to me the past years every time we have met".
"You will not lay a single finger on her! I swear if you do I will disfigure you so much that your own mother won't recognize you. That is just my promise to you, not including what my men would do to you, when they go their hands on you!" Robin shouted at the guard as he pushed me behind him. That was one of things that Robin did, always try to protect me.
I was able to maneuver back in front of Robin and face him as I spoke calmly to him "Robin, please do not make this any harder than it is".
I then turned to look at the guard "Deal. Now go and give Prince John my message!" He donned a sinister smile, and turned and left. As soon as he was out of sight I collapsed to the floor. I could not believe what I had done. I knew that if the guard ever did get his hands on me, I would not survive the night.
"Arianna, what have you done?" Much asked me.
"I have just started the ball rolling on negations on getting you all out of here. Soon Prince John will grant me an audience, and I will be able to free everyone of you!" I stated
"But that guard…" Little John started to ask.
"Is not the one to worry about. I did not tell him when I would fulfill my end of the bargain. I could fulfill it in a day, a week, or even years from now".
The men were talking rapidly around me, but I could no longer hear their voices, I could only see the pain in Robin's eyes. He would never forgive himself for this; he would never understand I was doing this to save them, to save him! My life didn't matter, England would not mourn my death, but it would mourn Robin. Maybe this was the answer to why I had been lured into the past, to save Robin and his men.