SHERWOOD FOREST
The horse hooves hammered across the dirt, neighing and shout rang through the trees.
A woman, clad in gold finery raced ahead, looking constantly back over her shoulder as she drove her hors faster away from the two pursing men in black.
Her heart was hammering in her ears.
Their shouts fell quiet behind her, but she would not slow down.
The forest became thicker, the road winding to the right.
She took the route which seemed to be more of a path than a road and galloped down it for a dozen or so strides.
At an almost flying pace, she reined her horse and dismounted, grabbing a small pouch from the saddle and smacking the horses rear.
"GO!" She snapped and shooed it on.
The horse took off at another gallop, and she dove behind a tree just as the two dark figures raced passed after it.
She peered out from behind the bushes, her piercing blue eyes matched her fair complexion, but not the dark almost black hair which hung in waves from her head.
She stepped out and carefully pushed the package in a nearby log, covering it with Ivy. She lifted her head to take note of the area around her when she came to retrieve it.
The snort of a horse behind her made her freeze.
She stood slowly to her feet, and turned to see the two men in black stood facing her. One held a sword, the other some shackles.
She held her hands out in front of her and batted her eye lashes.
"I suppose I should just come quietly…"
With that she made to sprint past them, but one stuck his arm out and grabbed her.
She struggled and cried out.
"Please don't… please." She whimpered as they tied her arms behind her.
"You know what he will do to me…"
She could feel it already, the sting of his hands on her face and her throat, the ache of his limbs across her body.
The pain…
Suddenly an arrow fired from nowhere.
It scared the horse nearby and it reared, startling the two men.
One shoved away from her and drew his sword.
She heard rather than saw the man be sent to the floor, but as she spun to see the next guard be hit around the head with a bow, she saw an athletically built man in green fight him off.
She felt her insides stir.
The knight in shining armour.
For a woman who had been married since the age of thirteen, she knew nothing of chivalry, or of courtly love.
She was an asset, an accessory…
She knew nothing of any love.
It would later show.
Robin moved his bow to one hand and glared down at the men cowering on the floor.
Even as an outlaw Robin knew everything about courtly love, he longed to shower Marian with useless trinkets and gifts, tokens of love he knew she would not need nor ask for.
One day perhaps.
"Robin Hood." He spat down at the man and the woman let out a sigh as she gazed at him.
"The pleasure is all yours." He continued as the man crawled backwards away from him.
"I think it is time you were running back to your master… now!" He shouted and the two men scrambled to their feet, before riding off towards Nottingham.
The woman started to struggle with her bonds.
She wanted to be able to gaze at this man properly.
To thank him properly.
Robin Hood…
"Allow me." He was behind her, using a borrowed lock pick to release her hands.
He took them and threw them away, just as she spun to face him.
She gazed up at him, and he looked her over.
Her dark hair and blue eyes reminded him of someone he would no anywhere…
A shadow of the beauty he knew Marian held, but still…
She swam in his eyes.
Knowing nothing but cold and possessive eyes she grew almost weak inside at the warm and caring note they held.
She trusted him, or wanted him…
Were they the same thing?
"SO, tell me."
He was concerned.
"Why would Lord Thornton's men peruse you all the way from Shrewsbury?" He asked, leaning on his bow.
She lied quickly and easily, something she knew to be hereditary form her blood line.
"They were not in pursuit of me, they were after my mistress."
She rubbed her wrist and Robin's eyes went over her once more.
She was slim built, features angular, not curved and firm…
He mentally stopped himself from continuing.
Whether he compared her to Marian or not, he knew no servant wore such attire as the dress she had on.
"Your mistress?"
She laughed at him, she hoped it was a tinkling sound, but to him it bared an almost superior sneer. He pushed it from his mind.
"I would not be a very good decoy in my maid's apron now would I?" She gestured to herself in the hope that his eyes would look her over once more.
She had been brought up her whole life to seek the approval of men.
Regardless of her husband, here were one man's eyes she wanted to adore her.
"I was helping her escape."
"Escape from what?"
She spoke the truth his time.
"Her marriage."
Robin stiffened, as a fellow Lord he had met Thornton in the past, but never his wife. He and Robin had never seen eye to eye, and he doubted that their own views on respect for women were the same.
He believed her.
"But he sent men after her, does that not show love?"
He doubted it.
She shook her head, "He has never loved my mistress, nor will he ever, now I must leave…"
Robin grabbed her arm to stop her from turning.
She spun back close to him and made to strike him down, a flash of passion which overtook her.
He grabbed both her wrists.
"Whoa it's alright you can trust me." He said firmly, "I can take you to the road with a horse and you can go wherever you please."
She nodded, feeling his hands, a man's hands for once not hard against her flesh.
"Tell me your name." He whispered.
She did not think twice before answering.
"Isabella."