To those who have read the other one that was deleted: Sorry about that, I had to put a different beginning in it, because my parents didn't like it... So again, sorry. Anyway, read, enjoy, and please review...

Part 1

Chapter 1

1188, August 9,

Sherwood Forest, England

Robin slipped through the trees. The glade that he had found in Sherwood years ago, would always be there, but Marian could be impatient. He needed to be there today. They had been meeting there for years. Nobody had claimed it but them, and so, it belonged to them. Not really though, King Henry owned it, but that didn't matter. Plans had been forming in Robin's mind for the past week. He was going to teach her how to shoot. The art of archery was one thing that he could master with no trouble. Okay, so he wasn't perfect but Marian wouldn't be either. She'd get the hang of it soon enough though. She could beat him soundly racing up the Great Oak (The name for the mammoth tree in the middle of their glade). He had never once managed to make it to the top first. The thought of being beaten by a girl didn't bother him, though, because Marian wasn't a normal girl.

The feeling that he was being watched crept over him. A shiver went up his spine. Sherwood was dangerous. He had always known that. But risk was the fun of everything. A small sense of protection came from the bow that hung on his back. He took it off, strung it and held it at his side. This relaxed him, in a way. It always helped to have weapon handy, although he had never used one in self defense before. On top of that he doubted he'd be able to shoot at a person even if it was in self-defense, even if the person didn't have his best interests in mind. He'd probably hesitate and miss. He needed to get over that before...well, just soon. He didn't like to think about his near future.

He heard leaves rustling to his left, and a faint whispering. This caused him to stand still, listening. There it was again this time another overlapped the first. Robin reached back and pulled an arrow from his quiver. He nocked it to the string. He stroked the fletching with his right thumb, there wasn't any reason to, but it was an odd habit of his. At least when he was nervous.

An arrow whizzed through the air. He could hear it as it sang right beside his ear. It planted itself on the tree behind him. He dashed behind that tree since it should've shielded him from any other arrow coming from the same direction. He drew back the string a third of the way, preparing to shoot back. Another shaft found it's way above his head. He wondered if the archers were trying to harm him, or just trying to scare him to kingdom come with their accuracy. If it was either they were coming close.

He scanned the dense forest, searching it for movement. In the darkness of the trees, it was hard to really see anything. If some one wanted to hide, they wouldn't have try very hard.

"What a prize this one is." Someone laughed. "Sherwood is simply crawling with children today." That stung. He was sixteen, far from a child.

Three men , dressed in simple clothes and in desperate need of a bath came toward him. One climbed down from a tree, one from behind a brush pile, and a third from behind an old beech. All three of them carried thier own bows each with an arrow nocked. He drew his string all the way, and aimed at the first he had seen, his eyes daring him to come closer. They in turn drew their own. "I'm not sure which more rewarding, the girl who fancies herself a man or the earl's son. We can get more ransom for this one, for sure. Then again the girl's not being held for ransom is she?" the second said. Of course! There was their reason. Ransom money, his father's silver. "Put down your weapon, boy, you're outnumbered." Robin did so, a bit reluctantly however.

Although they wanted ransom for him, he knew that as for the girl they had mentioned... well, it was safe to say that her's would be a different fate. Unless he did something— Wait, what had they called her? 'A girl who fancies herself a man,' that was it. Oh, crap. This couldn't be happening. He had no choice now, he had to help her. The 'girl' was Marian. He knew of no other women who came to Sherwood dressed as men, no one but Marian would do that. He knew he would protect her, but how?

The men approached him. Their eyes glimmered, and they were smiling, which displayed the third one's loss of teeth. They gestured toward his bow, he understood. He took off his quiver, leaned it against a tree, and unstrung his bow. He put the bowstring inside the quiver, and traded it for the leather sleeve, that he stored his bow in and then he left it with the quiver.

"Should we just leave his trash here then?" asked the man with so few teeth.

"It's not trash," said the third, speaking for the first time. "They're perfectly good weapons, for a kid." Another insult. They knew as well as he did, that his bow was of a very good quality. It wasn't a child's weapon. It was better than theirs, he could tell by looking. "But, as we have no kids to use 'em, leave it." The dispute cleared up, and they took Robin south. They weren't very smart men. Anyone would know to blindfold a prisoner before leading them off to a hideout. If he wanted to he could turn them in. He knew he wouldn't, since if he did, his father would find out. Never again, would he see Sherwood.

During the long walk there Robin tried to think of a plan to save Marian. The thought of having to save her was strange, she could defend herself on her own, he knew that and so did she. But this time it would different, this time, she couldn't defend herself. Afterwards, he knew they would kill her and fourteen was just too young for somebody like her to die. He had to think of something, anything. A thought struck him: What if they had already... A swelling anger began to grow within him, he suddenly wanted push the three men on to make them go faster. He needed to be there.

--*--

Marian sat, tied to a tree with a gag in her mouth, for the moment forgotten. Her dark hair was out of it's braid, loose on her shoulders, she hated having it like that, always in her way. She almost wished they'd get it over with, how long could anyone wait for their life to be destroyed? Knowing their life would be destroyed? It was early afternoon now, she had been there for at least an hour. Nothing had happened, but she knew that in the end she'd have lost her honor. If they decided to be merciful, they might kill her afterward. She was pretty sure that she'd prefer that to living with those memories.

All these thoughts left her feeling defenseless, which was new to her. She should be up fighting her way out, but it's hard to fight when you're tied to a tree with a gag in your mouth. After so many years sneaking away to Sherwood, plotting with Robin, and shattering anything that got in her way, she wasn't used to sitting back and letting destiny decide for her. She shaped her destiny, molded it how she liked it.

One of the outlaws had been set to keep an eye on her, the rest were consumed in their business, talking in low tones about whomever they intended to attack next or whatever it is outlaws like these discuss. She would want their lifestyle if it wasn't for the way they did things. "You know, girly," the outlaw said to her. "You won't be alive tomorrow." Like she hadn't noticed. "Such a young, pretty little thing too," he continued, picking up a few strands of her hair. Marian glared at him, her emerald eyes piercing him with her fury. "I don't see why you have to be so upset—" Marian had managed to kick him firmly in the stomach. He dropped her hair, his face revealing his anger.

Suddenly he slapped her face so hard that her head was knocked back against the tree. A bump began to form on the back of her head, she could feel a little blood running down her skull, and her face was still stinging. Marian looked away from him, so he wouldn't get the pleasure of her pain, but this seemed to anger him more. He grabbed her hair and yanked her around to face him. "I'm not going to let you get away with that!" he screamed at her, his face close to hers. His breath stank of stale ale and rotten onions. She wanted to curl up in a ball and stay that way. "Hear me?!" He slapped her again.

"Be careful over there!" some one called. Marian meant to look at the ground, refusing to meet their eyes, but something caught her eye. On the other side of the camp, being held by three men, one without many teeth, was Robin. He looked horrified, and ready to hit something himself. She wasn't sure why she looked away, maybe she was ashamed, but she couldn't meet his eyes. Never had his hazel eyes looked so dark before, usually they were much more full of excitement and a readiness for adventure. Not now.

Oh yeah, and I may use modern or American words or terms every once in a while because I find it easier to communicate with the reader this way. Again, I ask you to review!! See that button down there? No, a little to the left...um, too far, to the right. THERE!! See it now? Good, just hit it, and off you go.