So this is my first attempt at a real Robin Hood story...Djaq, I fear may be a little ooc...anywho as always please be kind in your review they are appreciated but not required. Any and all flames will be used to melt the ice off my car due to the lovely freakish winter weather the midwest is experiencing at this moment in time. Thank you all and peace out!
Djaq held her breath as the soldiers thundered by, hoping with everything she had in her that she wouldn't be seen. Silently, she began to back away from the square. She was almost out when she backed into something, or rather someone. Whirling around she came face to face with one of the two men she actually feared in this world, Guy of Gisbourne.
"Well what have we here?" Gisbourne growled looking down at the Saracen with an air of disdain. Djaq's hand went toward the knife she had hidden in her belt, but Gisbourne grabbed her wrist before she could do so. He twisted it behind her back while pulling up, making her wince in pain; though she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of letting him hear her scream. Her eyes roamed over the streets of Nottingham Town, looking for someone, anyone to help her. She saw Will come around the corner and her heart started beating all the faster.
"Don't do anything stupid," She whispered when she saw Will's face contort in rage.
"Let her go!" Will growled pulling his axe from its holster on his leg.
"Or what, would you like to take her place?" Gisbourne smirked. Djaq seized the opportunity to plant her free elbow into Gisbourne's gut while stomping on his foot. Gisbourne, out of pure shock, let go of her arm releasing her.
"GET THEM!!!" Gisbourne roared to the soldiers closing in. They knew they were defeated even before Gisbourne's soldiers wrestled their weapons away from them.
"What do you want us to do with 'em?" one of the guards asked.
"What do you think?" Gisbourne asked rhetorically. "Throw them in the dungeon."
The guard shoved Djaq and Will into a cell, causing them to crash land on the damp stone floor. They were left alone for most of the day, neither saying much of anything but simply trying to comprehend what had happened.
"How long do you think it will be before Robin realizes we're missing?" Djaq asked breaking the silence.
"Depends on if he knows we're here."
"We could send word…"
"This isn't a place that Marian would come unless she knew we were here, which she likely doesn't since we were in a on a side street. And the only other option—" Will stopped short, Allan's betrayal of the gang was still a raw gaping wound in him. Djaq knew the frustration he felt, for she felt it too. She put a hand on his shoulder, wanting to help but not knowing how especially since she had put him in this situation to begin with.
"Well isn't this a touching scene," The Sheriff snickered. "Gisbourne, you're sure they're Hood's men?"
"We caught them trying to run from the town."
"Interrogate them and found out what you can about Hood's plans since you're informant failed us," he glared at Allan who had accompanied them to the dungeon.
"Yes sir," Gisbourne growled as though having to call the Sheriff "sir" pained him. The Sheriff grinned before leaving the four alone. Gisbourne opened the cell and entered looking Will over before his eyes fell on Djaq.
"Hood has women in his gang?" he asked leering at her.
"He treats everyone equally," Djaq told him trying to back away from him. Gisbourne followed her, forcefully grabbing her arm, "Where do you think you're going?"
"Get off!"
"I think not, you are my captive and I will do as I please with you," Gisbourne smirked tightening his grip on Djaq's arm, causing her to let out a grunt of pain.
"Stop it, you're hurting her!" Will growled landing a punch to Gisbourne's cheekbone. Allan, who was standing close to Will, planted a booted foot in his former comrade's stomach, sending him reeling backwards. Gisbourne turned Djaq loose before stooping to pick up the young carpenter by his collar.
"You will regret doing that."
"Keep your grubby mitts off her!"
Gisbourne then stood and drug Will out of the cell to a room where few returned from whole.
"Will!" Djaq shouted starting to race after him. She couldn't have him tortured for trying to protect her. She was almost to the door when she felt a pair of arms around her middle.
"Let me go!"
"Djaq, you'll only get him killed," Allan whispered holding her to him. Djaq stopped struggling, only to turn around and slap Allan with all her might.
"How dare you! What happened to brothers in arms?"
"Not bein funny, but I'd be right there alongside him if I let it go!"
"Then why don't you help get us out of here," she said in a harsh whisper.
"I'll do what I can…just don't put up a fight."
"So we're just meant to lie down and take it like a dog?"
"Don't cause a ruckus…no matter what, you'll just make things worse on yourselves."
Before Djaq could reply, the sound of Will screaming filled the air. Allan's face paled considerably in the half-light of the jail.
"Help him," Djaq growled through clenched teeth.
Allan closed the door on the cell before going to check on his friend. He entered the room to find Will's shirt absent and his arms tied to a beam in the ceiling, the jailer stood a few feet from him with a red hot branding iron mere inches from Will's side.
"Where are they?" Gisbourne asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. Allan could see the muscles in Will's jaw clenching while he glared at Gisbourne with hate filled green eyes. Upon seeing that the outlaw was not going to answer, Gisbourne nodded to the jailer who pressed the iron to Will's side. The young carpenter lurched and tried to stifle a cry of agony that ripped from his throat.
"Is that necessary?" Allan asked Gisbourne.
"Would you like to take part in this punishment?"
"No, but maybe the girl will talk if you don't kill him now…"
Gisbourne mulled this over for a moment before getting in Will's face. "You've been spared for now, but know that if I do not get the information that I want I will have you killed."
Will glared at Allan, who averted his eyes from his friend's intense gaze.
"And just for good measure," Gisbourne smirked nodding to the jailer who held the iron to Will's bare skin for several seconds.
When it was all over, Will was thrown back in the cell with Djaq who was shocked to see the burns on his torso.
"Will?" Djaq asked helping him sit up.
"'M fine," he muttered.
"Bring the girl," Gisbourne told the jailer who seized Djaq, dragging her from Will. She fought him every step of the way going so far as to cling to every surface she could.
When the jailer finally managed to drag Djaq into the room Will had previously occupied, he moved to the iron that was resting in a bed of glowing red coals however Gisbourne stopped him before he could use them.
"What's your name girl?" Gisbourne asked speaking softly.
"Djaq," She replied wary of the Sheriff's man.
"Djaq you're fond of William there, are you not?"
"What does it matter to you if I am?"
"I would hate to see something happen to him from your failure to cooperate," Gisbourne smiled brushing his fingers against her cheek.
"What makes you think I will tell you anything?" Djaq asked jerking away from him.
"His death will be on your conscience then."
Djaq's heart stopped beating momentarily, knowing full well that he was serious.
"We'll leave you to think it over. You have 30 minutes. Take her back."
Djaq was tossed back into the cell with Will. The guards smirked at the two prisoners before going off to find food for them selves.
"Did he hurt you?" Will asked once they were alone. Djaq shook her head.
"He wants me to betray Robin."
"He wanted that from me too…but he should know by now that we won't do it," Will scoffed, but stopped when he saw her crestfallen look. "There's more isn't there?"
Djaq nodded, "He said he'd kill—"
"Who? Gisbourne said he'd kill who?"
"You mate," Allan's voice spoke up as he emerged from the darkness to kneel beside the cell.
"Me? Why?"
"You're blind, did you know that? Look I talked to Marian, she's warning Robin so can you manage to survive a couple of days?"
"You're helping us?" Will looked up shocked.
"You're still my mates…"
"How long?" Djaq asked.
"No more than two days, if Robin hasn't changed at all."
"But Gisbourne said—"
"Not bein funny, but I know what Gisbourne said. Is there anyway that you can mislead him?"
"Allan," Gisbourne growled. "What are you doing in here?"
"Trying to convince them to give up on this hopeless cause," Allan replied standing up. Gisbourne looked curiously at Allan before nodding to the jailer who opened the cell. He went in and began tying Will's hands to a rope that he'd dangled from the ceiling.
"What are you doing?" Djaq asked.
"Have you thought over my proposition?" Gisbourne asked while the jailer carried in a variety of poles. When Djaq refused to answer, Gisbourne nodded to the jailer who began mercilessly beating Will with them.
"Stop it!"
Gisbourne held up a hand. "You've reached a decision then?"
"Promise not to harm him and I'll tell you what you want to know."
"Go ahead. Where's the camp?"
"Take the forest road until it forks. Take the right handed fork after 1500 meteres turn south for 20 meteres and you'll find the camp."
Gisbourne smirked nodding to the jailer who landed one last blow before cutting Will down.
"Thank you, I'll be sure to mention to Hood that you were the one to give him away."
"You'll have them for company soon enough," The jailer cackled leaving the prison.
"Why did you tell him?" Will groaned from where he'd fallen.
"I led him to a bramble patch," she tried to laugh while sitting on the floor.
"Let's just hope that Robin finds us before Gisbourne gets back," Will said rolling onto his back. Djaq scooted closer, placing his head in her lap and absently playing with his hair.
"So now we sit and wait?" Djaq asked.
"Looks that way, unless you've got a lock pick in a hidden pocket."
"Oh and I've left it in my other trousers," she chuckled before turning serious. "Robin will find us, won't he?"
"He'll come, don't fret," Will yawned.
"Get some rest, I'll keep an eye out for help."
Will closed his eyes while Djaq still combed her fingers through the dark locks of his hair. Soon his breathing slowed to the rhythmic cadence of sleep. She looked at his face; he looked so peaceful when he slept. Her mind wandered to the times in the forest when she'd watch him as he slept while she tried to warm herself next to the fire. She wasn't used to the cold English climate and wondered briefly if she'd been taken as a prisoner for a reason just so she could meet him. Her thoughts then turned towards home and her friends and relatives who likely thought she was dead, like the rest of her immediate family. Her thoughts were interrupted when Will stirred in his sleep. She smiled sympathetically as her eyes wandered over his torso, wincing at the bruises forming. "I'm sorry my love," she whispered.
Several hours passed with no activity and as a result Djaq slipped off to sleep. However, Gisbourne returned in an angry storm.
"You led me straight into a briar patch, you filthy wench!" He roared waking Will and Djaq from their sleep. He unlocked the door and yanked it open wanting nothing more than to close his hands around her throat, which is precisely what he did.
"He must have moved it!" She gasped as the heel of his hand pressed down harder on her windpipe. Djaq clawed at the hand that was cutting off her supply of oxygen.
"Let her go, Gisbourne," Robin's voice growled as he entered the cell.
"Why, would you miss your wench in the camp?" Gisbourne smirked as he continued to choke Djaq, who was losing consciousness quickly. Will kicked Gisbourne in the ribs causing him to hit his head on the wall, knocking him out until they could make their escape.
"Djaq?" Will asked kneeling next to her. She was breathing, thank God. He lifted her into his arms as the rest of the gang rode off to the forest.
Later, after wounds had been mended, Robin and the others went off to make deliveries leaving Djaq and Will alone to recover. Djaq protested this and was paced eagerly until she finally stood still looking out over the forest from a small hill that made up one of the walls of the camp
"Djaq, what did Allan mean when he said I was blind?" Will asked coming to stand beside her. She looked at him a smile crossing her face.
"It would have killed me if you'd died. For you see, I love you Will Scarlett…"
With that she walked back into the camp leaving him to stare after her with his mouth agape at the confession. There would be time to talk later, right now he needed to let it soak in.