What in the world was going on

What in the world was going on? A young woman thought, as she perched on top of a horse, just inside the gates at Nottingham Town. She lifted her face a little higher to see more from under her hat. No she wasn't imagining it. This was market day, wasn't it?

She eased her ankles into her horse and set it a slow walk. As she got closer to the castle she looked at the faces of the people around her. When had they gotten so ragged? Well it was easy really, in the 3 years and 2 winters she'd been gone.

They all seemed to look at her with the same pleading eyes, and jutting cheek bones.

To the right of the castle there were men in the stocks. She could not help but get of her horse and go to speak to the soldiers guarding them. "Could you tell me why these men are here?"

"Yes mi-lady. They were caught poaching."

"And what is to be their punishment?"

"Well mi-lady, I'm not sure I should be telling you this….."

"Please Sir, you would be doing me a big favour…." She let herself trail off, remembering her training.

"They are to hang, mi-lady." The guard answered, obviously pleased by this.

"To hang!" she cried, outraged, "By whose orders?"

"The Sheriff."

She quickly recovered, "Thankyou, kind Sir for telling me this."

As she got to the front steps of the castle, she'd been detained by other guards, but not for long. With years of Noble training, she was used to dealing with people to get her own way.

She allowed no one to stop her, male nor female and kept walking towards the Sheriff's private quarters. Knowing the Sheriff as she did, she knew he would never turn her away, and besides, in the temper she was in, he would not be able to stop her speaking her mind about the cruelty of the people.

As she got to the door of the Sheriff's quarters a guard stopped her to ask, "Will you be requiring an announcement miss?"

"No thankyou, and mi-lady is the correct term, is it not?"

"Beggin' your pardon, mi-lady."

"I am already acquainted with the Sheriff of Nottingham, and so need no announcement." She rapped 3 times of the Sheriff's door.

"Enter." An unfamiliar voice replied.

"My Lord Ed-!"

"Oh haha. Expecting someone else my dear? Gisbourne, I think this young maiden was expecting our Edward." The woman quickly hid her surprise, an important part of her 'Ladyship' training.

"I do apologise my Lord," she dropped the perfect curtsy in front of him, "I was under the impression that Sir Edward of Knighton was still the Sheriff of Nottingham."

"Well I gathered that." The Sheriff got of his chair and came around the front of his desk. He slowly circled her, looking at her up and down.

"Excuse me Sir," she spoke, with a crispness she hardly ever used, "I do not think the way you are looking at me is at all acceptable to a fellow Noble is it? If any of my male relatives should see that, they would-"

"What?! They would what?!" he laughed cruelly. She raised her head and gave him her haughtiest of looks.

"So, my dear. Who are you?"

"I? I am the rightful mistress of the Locksley estate until circumstances change."

For the first time, the younger, dark haired man spoke, "Circumstances have already changed mi-lady. I am now Lord of Locksley, so unless we married in my sleep, I cannot see how this could be. I assure you, you are not the mistress of Locksley."

She turned to face him. "And who, may I ask, are you?"

"I am Sir Guy of Gisbourne," he said proudly.

"If, Sir Guy, you are indeed Lord of Locksley, why would you introduce yourself as 'Guy of Gisbourne'?"

"Well the Gisbourne name and estate-"

"ENOUGH!" The Sheriff shouted, making both Guy and the maiden jump, "I have heard this a thousand times, and am now bored of this conversation." He went back to his high-backed chair behind the desk, "So, you have indeed told us who you are, now I want to know your name."

"I," she pulled herself up as tall as possible, "I am Lady Eloise of Locksley. Sister of Robin, Lord of Locksley, Earl of Huntingdon and all surrounding areas. Until my older brother marries, I am the rightful mistress to the Locksley estate."

Eloise could tell she had shocked them, but they were both already advancing on her. "And, unfortunately for you, I am also armed." With this she whipped out a small dagger from beneath her sleeve.

"I warn you, I am very good with this."

She smiled a cocky grin, not unlike the one she knew her older brother to wear.

"And now I want you to tell me where Robin is."

The Sheriff cackled. "Well my dear, it sounds like you want to find him just as much as we do. GUARDS!! Arrest this girl and take her to the dungeon. I'm sorry mi-lady," he bent into a bow, "But needs must, you know." And he waved the guards away, carrying a kicking and screaming Eloise.