Okay, so I went back and edited this. I wanted to finish this because it's ben sititng around since i was 15. I'm now 20 so i think it has potential and deserves to be read. I don't know if i'm going to bring marrien into this...i'm not even sure right now if that's how you spell her name so feel free to correct me. anyway, enjoy. the next chapter is in progress, just editing.:)

The sun shone brightly throught the window that morning. Jocelyn shut her eyes tighter, rolling over in hopes for a few more minutes rest... but it didn't come. Her

horse, Guinevere, whinnied loudly from in the fields. Jocelyn huffed and sat up quicker than lightening. She scratched her head. She was sure she would not be

sleeping any longer.

"Jocelyn, time to feed the animals." her mother's voice echoed throughout their tiny house. Jocelyn already had her thin white work dress on and her shiny

strawberry hair was pulled back in a tiny piece of leather.

"I'm coming...!" she sweetly answered. Jocelyn went to kiss her mother good morning and rushed out the door.

The sun warmed her skin and refreshed her weary body as a breezed whipped her hair about her face. In the field grazing stood Guinevere, her dappled gray fur,

while a bit dirty at the moment, relfecting hints of the sun. She swatted a fly or two before realizing Jocelyn was appraoching.

"Good morning, Gweny." She cooed as she poured a small amount of oats in Guinevere's feeder. Her gray tail swished happily as she trotted toward Jocelyn then

proceeded to nuzzled her face, causing her giggled slightly. Guinevere had been her friend since Jocelyn was five. She would never give Gweny up. Jocelyn turned

to go to the well to get her horse some water, but she was stopped.In the distance, but growing dangerously closers, Jocelyn heard the stampeding of something

all too familar. Her mother poked her head out the window and saw the signature black horses of the sheriffs brigade and hastily walked outside.

As the scruffy face of the sheriff came into view, Jocelyn found herself holding her breath. The Sheriff Of Nottingham was a noted grade "A" bully. Ever since King

Richard had left and his cousin, Prince John, put the sheriff in charge of carrying out his law, Nottingham began to fall into despair and bankruptcy. To see him

galloping down your lane was as if seeing the plague.

"Morning Lucinda; Jocelyn" The Sheriff's voice darkened at the mention of Jocelyn's name, as if he had just uttered the most foul curse word ever known to man

(which he more than likely had done, anyway. None would put it past him.) The sheriff always had a, for lack of better word, fondness for Jocelyn's mother, Lucinda.

However, because of Jocelyn and her late father he never could get close to her. Jocelyn knew now that his window was opening. Lucinda loved her husband and

thought of the Sheriff as a beetle under a rock, but no one could doubt the Sheriff's power and influence now.

"How are you, Sheriff?" Lucinda asked placing a protective arm around her daughter. Jocelyn accepted it graciously.

"I'm fine, my dear. Just collecting the debts." He smiled cheerfully at Lucinda, but that only made Jocelyn feel sick. He would always make a move on Lucinda while

simultaneously robbing the both of them blind!

"Now you know I hate to do this part of the job (The two ladies doubted it very seriously) but due to newly passed Livestock laws, for every horse a person owns, i

ts five shillings. Which brings your total to eight shillings." He made a few marks on a small roll of parchment and lifted his head to grin at Jocelyn. They knew of no

new livestock laws, but in Nottingham laws would rise and disappear faster than a northern wind. Jocelyn could only stand there wrapped in her mother, but her

mind was racing. They could never afford this and the Sheriff knew it.

"We don't have that kind of money! That's not fair!" Jocelyn protested. The sheriff just jotted down in his receipt book now, not even acknowledging her exsistence.

"That's the law, but for you Lucinda, since you've had a recent tragedy , I'll give you till next tax time to pay me the five shillings, plus the eight you'll owe me then.

Good day." He smiled as he collected the three usually paid. Jocelyn"s chest burned and her eyes began to water up as the Bain of her existence rode away.

"Mother... will we have to get rid of Guinevere? How will we eat?" She mumbled, heart-broken. Lucinda sighed. It broke her heart almost as much as Jocelyn's heart

was broken now to see her daughter in so much pain. She was all she had left now.

"I don't know, my precious... I just don't know." she began for the house. Jocelyn couldn't help it. She ran over to the oak tree which she usually use for shade and

buried her face in her hands. For about a minute, she wept, but then she heard a cracking sound...

He sat in the tree watching the sheriffs every move. He saw the expression on the both their faces- "seems the taxes were raised again" He knew only all too well.

As the sheriff rode off with his posse, Robin, as he was called, watched as the girl's mother go into the house, then witnessed the breaking point of the girl, whom

ran over to the tree.

Robin held his breath, careful not to be noticed, and leaned over to watch her...she was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Poor darling" He whispered. He was just beginning to admire the radiance of her strawberry hair in the bright sunlight. The flecks of gold in the strands and the

milky color of her skin when his thoughts were drown out by a cracking noise.

"oh, this won't be pleasant.!" He thought as the limb snapped beneath his weight.

!THUD!

He hit the ground and suddenly became aware of an earth shattering pain in his right wrist. He gasped, but quickly put a stopper to any other notions of weakness

that would embarrass him in front of a female stranger. So, quite steadily, He sat up and said the first thing to come to his mind...

Robin's Words: "Hello...I'm Robin"

Robins Thoughts: " Oh My Good Lord In Heaven!! I'm in serious pain!!"

Jocelyn quickly tried to dry her eyes and tried to make sense of what had just happened.

"Robin?! What were you doing in our oak tree?"

Robin's Words: " Oh, you know, just-hanging about-"

Robin's Thoughts: "What on EARTH does it matter. I just feel twenty feet from a tree and I'm in GREAT...PAIN!"

Robin continued to smile at Jocelyn, and Jocelyn couldn't quite figure out exactly what she was to do now. Robin wished desperately she would ask if he was alright

from the fall, notice his swelling wrist and offer for him to come inside for a remedy-that way he didn't have to reduce he masculinity by asking for her to fix his boo-

boo.

"That was a nasty fall, are you okay? Please, let me help you up." Jocelyn gestured, as if Robin's thoughts were being shouted from his mouth instead of in his

head. She still couldn't figure out why he had been hiding in her tree, but he seemed honest enough and after all, he was hurt(which she soon found after

attempting to take his right wrist. It was swollen to a horribly unnatural size now. The truth about the tree was, however, that he had been following the sheriff all

morning keeping track of everyone who had been cheated out of their hard earned pay)

She lead Robin inside to boil some water to soothe the pain of the sprain. She introduced Robin to Lucinda, who did not ask the questions that plagued Jocelyn

earlier with the tree) and placed a hot cloth on Robins injury.

"Thank you for your hospitality, dear lady. Its much appreciated." Robin thanked Lucinda. Lucinda smiled, pleased witht the politleness of this young man. Jocelyn

had busied herself with tasks in the kitchen now, kneading dough for tonight's dinner. She flittered slightly about, glancing at Robin occasionally.

Robin grinned softly.

"Your daughter has a beautiful grace about her, Miss Lucinda." He mentioned, as if it were light dinner discussion, to Lucinda. Heat rushed to Jocelyn's face. She

couldn't move- completely immobilized.

"What was that all about? What kind of comment is that? Was it a pass toward her? How dare he! And to her MOTHER!" She felt emotions in her swirling that she

never even knew existed. Then, Jocelyn slowed her heart and began to rationalize. "all he did was look at me. Heaven knows it is not against the law (atleast not yet)

to look at someone. And what's more, a person most certainly may compliment someone as they wish. How silly of me to get so excited about a stupid look". Lucinda

offered Robin a bath since he looked so filthy, like he had been living in the forest for months now. Then it happened- Jocelyn let her word vomit fly.

"Why do you look so filthy, anyways. Don't your parents make you take a bath?" She couldn't help her bluntness. Jocelyn's mother scolded her for her rudeness.

" I don't have any parents... there was a fire..."for a second the light in Robin's eyes seemed to dim. He seemed lost in thought, but quickly snapped back. "I live in

the forest, now." Robin knew this was not all entirely true. His mother had died in child birth and his father was alive when he had left for his excursion to Arabia to

fight for King Richard, but when he was told he was of no use because of his age and sent home, he returned to find his home destroyed and his house keeper

blinded-and his father murdered.

Now Jocelyn felt the awkwardness of what she had said. She apologized, but Robin didn't seem angry or sad.

"Robin, we could let you stay in the barn for a while. No one should go without a home" Lucinda offered. Jocelyn gasped, but was able to quickly turn it into a

cough. Robin smiled.

"Thank you, but I must decline" he said. Lucinda looked almost hurt, but persisted. Robin couldn't see abandoning the forest and the other men who were there

helping him with his cause, nor could he see putting these two ladies in harm's way because of him. If he stayed here he would surely be captured and they as

well-

"However" Robin brain began to work. "If I stayed here I could pay them rent and help them out. If I stay in the barn all the time and I'm careful not to be seen, I may be

able to make it work. I'll have to tell the men tonight, however."

"Very well, but I'll only stay if I can pay you seven shillings in rent." He proclaimed. Lucinda and Jocelyn's eyes grew as big as saucers. Normally with their nature

they could never accept such an offer from someone so young and homeless, but times being what they were now, if he could deliver they would be crazy to

refuse. So they were all in agreement. The three of them ate a small dinner (they were not expecting three tonight) and Jocelyn went to the barn to set up a cozy

spot for Robin on the barn.

Robin stood watching Jocelyn make his bed in a hay bed. She thought about the compliment he had given her earlier. She took a deep breath.

"You have very nice arms." She said turning to face Robin, who raised an eyebrow, but smiled all the same.

"I beg your pardon"

"I just wanted to repay the compliment you gave me..."Jocelyn shifted uncomfortably. "And I wanted you to know you have nice..arms"

Robin grinned. Jocelyn was now blushing and feeling quite stupid now. All Robin could think, though, was how cute she looked. Jocelyn quickly bid Robin good night

and walked as fast as she could out of the barn.