No one would dare touch Belle. She was protected beyond measure by anyone her father could order around. She always had a chaperone unless she suck out from under their eye, and since they would be killed if her father found out, he would never be told. She was smart enough to remind them that whenever they caught up to her, or when she found them after she had her fun.
She wasn't cruel, she just was in her rebellious teenage years. Sixteen and beautiful with long blonde that went to her waist, and was where her pride was born. She was strong too, her father had made sure she was able to protect herself from outlaws. She was trained in archery, hand-to-hand, throwing knives and sword fighting, all of which she loved. She could even take down her father's accomplices, all of which learned when she was thirteen she was not to be messed with.
Her father was the Sheriff of Nottingham, she wasn't ignorant to his power-hungry nature, she knew all about it. She wasn't as cruel as he, she did what was in her power to give poor people food, and coins she could spare without her father noticing.
She was the apple of his eye, adored her, and made sure she had whatever she wanted, he would say the cruel things he did were for her, for her so she would be taken care of, she told him she didn't want to be associated with it.
She hated that wherever she went, she was treated with fear, she was nothing to be feared, she wanted to help people, so a week after her sixteenth birthday, she got clothes that fitted her in a way that made her look more like a man, hard for her since she had a very womanly figure, they were black, so she could sneak around in the shadows.
She got this idea from her friend, Marian, who she found out to be the Nightwatchman nearly two months ago after she helped her escape from the hands of Guy of Gisborne, who she was stealing from. She scolded her for going in with no backup, Belle scolded her, telling her that if Robin Hood didn't show up Belle couldn't have helped her.
But now, she was in danger, she could be killed easily, but she couldn't find herself minding, she craved danger in her otherwise boring life. This was it, and it was also helping the poor. Two birds, one stone.
"Will you take me out?" She had asked Marian the day before.
"If you can meet me in the forest, I'll see you at sunset." Marian told her. "Don't get caught. This is your test to see if you can keep up."
"I'll use you as my alibi, Guy will let me out if I say I'm going straight to your house." Belle told her. "I'll say that I'm spending the night. My father won't notice."
"I'm your excuse, what if he comes knocking while we're out?" Marian asked.
"He won't show until dawn at the earliest." Belle told her. "We'll be fine."
"All right, we'll do it." Marian had told her.
"Us Sheriff's daughter's have to stick together." Belle agreed. "Though mine is a bastard, he's still the sheriff and my father. Funny how that is."
"If it wasn't for you I would have a lot worse done than my hair being cut off." Marian had said. "It's easy to say you have not followed in his footsteps."
Belle remembered that, and it gave her hope, maybe she wasn't as evil as he father or aunt. But she still loved her father, there was nothing she could do about it, she just did. He treated her like a princess, buying her gowns and letting her ride whenever she wanted, though he would not let any man court her to this date, she knew it would have to be coming soon; she was getting old. Sixteen was far older than many who have been married. She dreaded her father's choice, he would surely be like the Sheriff.
"Guy," Belle smiled, leaning against a cold stone wall, her hands behind her on the small of her back as she saw him approaching.
"What do you want Belle?" The dark man asked, raising a black eyebrow.
"I was just on my way to Marian's, and I thought I should at least tell someone." Belle told him, a teasing edge in her voice. He liked her like that. Teasing and playful, and not looking at him like he was a monster. She was innocent in his eyes, completely innocent. "So you know I'm not kidnapped or anything."
"Should I send someone to take you?" He asked, stepping close to her so if he reached out his arms he could pin her to the wall if he wanted. Belle may be strong, but the much larger man could easily overpower her.
"No, I'll ride." Belle told him. "You know nothing will happen to me. I always have my knives."
"I would still like to take you." He stated, his eyes softening a little bit.
Belle smiled. "You said you were going to send one of the goons."
"I changed my mind."
"Really?" Belle said, advancing on him so they were nose to nose, or well, nose to chest, but he was peering down at her. "And I can't imagine why."
"Should I call someone to saddle the horses?"
"What do I have to do to go by my self? Distract you long enough for me to knock you out?" She said this in a light teasing voice, as she made sure there was at least a little space between their faces. "I can be very distracting."
"I can think of a few things." He tried to kiss her, but she turned her head so he hit her jaw, though he kissed his way to her ear.
"Uh-uh, Father will kill you." She told him. "I'm his little girl after all."
"Do you want me to take you there?" He whispered in her ear.
She smiled, and turned her head to kiss him. Mostly it was for show, he may be cruel to others, but he was nice to her, since she became beautiful at least. Before that he treated her like a child. She didn't forget, but she did know how to get what she wanted. He was beautiful, though. She remembered thinking that when she first saw him, though the admiring turned to annoyance when he opened his mouth. He was all black hair and blue eyes. It didn't help that his fashion only knew a monotone of black. It made him look mysterious. It made him look evil. It made him look like someone needed to best him.
"Can I go? Father won't notice." Belle whispered, after she kissed him softly.
"I will be there in the morning to collect you." He told her, standing up straight.
"You make me sound like a possession." She objected, backing away from him. "Goodbye."
"Belle, wait." He called after her.
She turned around, though she still backed away. "No waiting. You'll get your reward for collecting me in the morning." She winked at him. "Goodbye, Guy."
She quickly made it to the forest where Marian told her to go, her saddlebags full of another dress and her dark clothes to change into for their late night activities, along with things she would need to spend the night at Marian's house, since they would probably get in early in the morning to give Belle enough time to change, and maybe sleep for a while before Guy came to get them.
Belle loved the forest. It was beautiful and, as her father said, full of outlaws. She didn't care, she knew if they knew who she is, they would use her as leverage against him, but with a dagger in her boot, and a bow and quiver of arrows on her back, she doubted it, until she heard a voice.
"Well well well, what have we here?" A male voice asked, from somewhere in the trees.
Belle turned her head, going to her ankle for a knife, as she searched the trees for where the voice came from.
"Don't even think about it." It said, as her eyes found the short man, a bow already trained on her.
She sighed, raising her hands above her head. "Hello, Robin Hood."
"You know the drill, Little Sheriff." He said as his gang came out of the trees five of them besides Robin Hood. A small troupe.
"I have no money on me, nor jewelry." She told them, not sounding bothered by them. She was lying, though she did have some money on her. "I am on my way to visit Marian, would you like me to send a greeting for you?"
"Robin, leave Belle alone. She doesn't have anything you need." Marian said, as she brought her horse between the arrow and Belle to stand between them. "Where are your clothes?"
"I couldn't get out of the castle without being seen, Marian." Belle whispered to her. "I have to get changed."
"Get off your horse." Marian replied as she got off her horse.
"Marian." Robin groaned. "What are you doing?"
"I believe I'm helping a friend." Marian told him, holding up Belle's cloak to cover her as she changed. "Now, would you please leave?"
"She's the Sheriff's daughter!" Alan said. "She's probably got loads of money on her."
"Shut it," Belle told them, as she looked over her horse's saddle at him. "I'm nothing like him." She said, shimmying out of her dress. She already had tight black trousers on underneath her dress. Easier for her to change. She pulled on her black leather top with silver clasps down the center of her torso before putting on a velvet cape.
"Ooh, baby girl's got a temper." Alan said.
Belle took out a blade and threw it at the tree next to his head.
"I suggest your mouth stays shut." Marian advised. "She gets scary when she's upset, and you're upsetting her, Alan."
"I'm sure little miss privileged is never criticized." Alan replied. "She almost killed me!"
"I don't miss, if I wanted to kill you, you would be dead." Belle told him, taking her cloak from Marian and putting it back on. "Marian, can we go now?"
"Marian, can I talk to you for a moment?" Robin asked.
Marian looked between them. "Five minutes," she told Robin, before flashing Belle an apologetic smile.
"Hurry." Belle told her, frowning.
"I will," she said. "Alan, would you watch my horse?" She said as she passed him.
Belle stuffed her dress in her saddlebag, before getting back on her horse, holding her mask in a belt at her waist.
Alan was watching her as she straightened her reins.
"You're drooling." Belle snapped, not even looking up.
"Are you sure the Sheriff's your father?"
"Positive."
"Then you should thank God that you look like your mother." He told her.
She had to fight the urge to kick out and hit his jaw with her boot, but it was so tempting, before flashing him a smile. "Are you calling me beautiful?"
"No-"
"I think you are, don't even try, you're already on my father's to kill list." Belle told him, enjoying the red tinge on the outlaw's cheeks. "Though that would make it all the more fun..." She bent back so she could lay down, the saddle biting into her back. In her clothes, if she were standing she would look like a man, but how she was laying now, her curves were more pronounced and she knew that Alan was at least taking note of it, since the others were still shadows in the trees and not in the clearing.
"You're conceited, you know that?"
"Yes, I am, thank you for noticing." Belle told him.
"It's not a complement."
"Really? Because you make it sound like one."
"I'm sure you get enough complements."
"So you do think I'm beautiful!"
"I never said that."
"It was implied."
"Stop your bickering, you sound like an old married couple." Said a large man from the shadows.
Belle scoffed. "I'm just a girl, I don't know better."
"You're old enough to get married." Alan muttered.
"Oh, just notice that did you?" Belle teased. "I'm afraid you're rather thick, it took others mere seconds."
"Actually I noticed when you were getting changed." He told her, before his shoulder getting hit by the heel of her boot. "I didn't mean it like that."
"Sure you didn't." Belle said, sarcasm leaking into her voice as her horse took a few steps forward. "How long do their little trysts usually take?" She asked the tall man.
"You know?" Asked another short man, a trip of cloth tied on his head.
"Of course I know. It doesn't take much to figure out with them." Belle said. "You didn't answer my question."
"And I'm sure everyone answers your questions." Alan muttered.
"Most of the time." She said. "But we have to go, we have things to do."
"What kind of things?" Much asked.
"I'm sure Marian's gonna tell Robin Hood all about it." Belle said.
"So you're the one that Gisborne's after?" said a Saracen woman, coming out of the shadows.
"How do you think you found out about the money coming on the North Road?" Belle asked them. "He'll tell me anything I want as long as I can play my part."
That made them pause, but how else could they think Marian was getting the information? She had no connections inside the castle, but the Sheriff's daughter who was being sheltered from everything her father had done, or is doing. Or they thought they were. Belle was their eyes and ears in the castle, and they never even knew it.
"Oh, a new bit of information?" She mocked, taking a small bag of gold out of her bag, and throwing it at the Saracen woman. "That is my spending money for the next week. Tell me again how I'm evil like my father, that I'm going to sell Marian out so my father could kill her. Just. Tell. Me." She dared them.
"Her, I like." The tall man with a staff said, nodding her way.
Belle smiled, a real smile, with her eyes lighting up and her cheeks becoming more prominent. The smile she rarely showed. It made her look her age. It made her look happy.
"So what are your plans then?" The Saracen woman asked.
"Djaq, she's not gonna tell ya." Alan said, as if it were obvious.
Belle cleared her throat, and motioned for Djaq to come forward, which she did until Will-she recognized him from when she would leave money around Locksley when she was fourteen-stopped her.
"She's not going to hurt me." Djaq said confidently. Like she already knew what Belle was capable of.
Belle rolled her eyes, and raised her hands over her head. "They'll stay above my head, Will, okay? Don't get your knickers in a twist."
Djaq came towards her, and Belle leaned down. "We're gonna steal for Guy, I know where he keeps his wealth."
"He moved it since last spring." Djaq whispered back.
"You don't think he showed the girl he's lusting after?" Belle replied, raising her eyebrows. "If he wants to bed me, he's going to have to marry me. To do that, he has to get me to agree. Apparently all a woman wants nowadays is gold in her hand and around her neck." She said before sitting up, her finger tracing the skin of her throat.
Djaq raised her eyebrow. "Good luck." She looked over Belle. "It explains the clothes."
Belle laughed, sitting up straight on her saddle again. "I had them made for me, one piece from a different tailor in town, and I made the mask myself."
"All black?"
"It matches my father's soul." Belle said darkly as she rolled her eyes.
Djaq laughed. "So he doesn't try to hide it from you?"
"Oh, he does, I didn't know until I was about twelve years of age." Belle told her. "Right after my father became Sheriff, I saw a man get stabbed for stealing a loaf of bread, my father thought I was unpacking in the castle, but I decided to go for a walk instead." Belle's eyes glazed over, and her face became unreadable, in a trancelike state. "I was walking through the market, and a poor man was begging for food, I was twelve you must understand, and shy, I wanted to give him money, but my father told me never to talk to strangers, so I just ignored him. The next thing I remember he was lying on the ground, and there was blood everywhere, they drug him away before he was even dead." Belle shook her head. "I asked one of the guards why it was such harsh treatment, they just said it was because my father wanted everyone to know that he was to be feared, so he could instill fear into everyone, even the harmless beggars."
"If you gave him some money he wouldn't have died." Alan said.
Belle turned to him with a frown. "What were you like when you were twelve? I've grown up."
"Over four years?" Alan scoffed.
"I can hold Marian's horse." Belle said harshly, holding out her hands for the reins. "You can leave?"
He didn't relieve them to her. "Are you trying to dismiss me? You're not in your castle."
"How do you deal with him?" Belle asked Djaq. "He seems like an ass to me."
"Oh, he is." The short man said.
"Now, I don't know all of your names." Belle said. "But you seem to know mine."
"Much," the short man told her.
"John," the tall man told her.
Belle nodded. "Good to meet you, Marian's told me stories."
"How did you get her to trust you?" Djaq asked.
"I caught her stealing money from my father, and gave her some more." Belle told her. "I didn't know it was her at the time, but I figured out that every time I'd mention where money was coming in or out to her, she'd tell you guys, or do it herself. It wasn't too hard to figure out to be honest."
"Clever girl." Djaq admired. "And you're the Sheriff's daughter? Who's your mother?"
Belle nodded. "I don't know who my mother is, though. He refuses talk about it."
"Probably killed her." Alan muttered.
"Alan!" Much, John, Will, and Djaq all reprimanded.
"That's crossed my mind." Belle muttered stoically, as Marian and Robin stepped out of the woods. "Can we go now?" Belle called out to her. "I'd like to get to Locksley before he leaves the castle."
Marian shook her head. "Patience is a virtue." She took the reins from Alan, and got on her horse. "We'll leave the money here when we get it. Can you take it from there?" She asked Robin.
He bowed, somewhat mockingly. "As you wish."
Belle and Marian kicked their horses into a canter, going towards Locksley.
"So that's the girl Gisborne's after?" Alan asked.
"Yeah," Robin said.
"Bit too opinionated, don't you think?" He asked, earning a smack from Djaq.
"And what would you call me?" She demanded.
"I didn't mean it like that."
"I think you think she's pretty." Robin teased.
"That stuck up child?" He replied. "No way."
