Chapter 1 - Gisbournes Daughter.
It was the end of June and the warm sun smiled over the village of Locksley. It's warm rays lighting up the village. As the inhabitants of the village awoke, the sounds of work filled the surrounding air. These sounds were accompanied with the cries of babies, screaming for food that their mothers could not give them. The strain had gotten worse since Prince John had arrived at the castle about a week ago. Demanding for more and more taxes the people had to rely on Robin Hood and his gang to feed them.
Meanwhile Robin Hood and his gang were in the middle of their own troubles. Having stolen some of Prince John's personal gold, earlier that morning, they had been engaged in battle with Guy of Gisborne and his men.
"Give it up Hood! Your not getting away now!" Guy was shouting as he joined the battle himself.
"That's what you think Gisborne!" Robin replied, swinging his sword at an oncoming gaurd. Just then Much past Robin.
"Master, There is too many of them." He said. The gang was then fully enclosed in a circle by the gaurds. Guy standing at the front.
"Look what we've caught. A little Robin trapped in a cage." Guy teased.
It just so happened that a female fighter was riding down the forest path at that moment. On seeing the scene her blood filled with excitement. She had been travelling for a long time and a small fight was sure to wake her from her travels. She jumped off her horse, backflipped into the circle and pulled out her Sais. Without waiting she started to fight the nearest gaurd to her. Everyone else was shocked by this late arrival, who seemed to be fighting both sides. However the shock was short lived, Robin and his gang took the advantage to get away. The girl was then surrounded by the gaurds. She was ready for them, her blood pumped full of adreneline. Guy pushed his way to the front of the group and spoke to the stranger.
"Who are you? State your purpose here, or die on this spot." The girl turned around to see who was talking to her. On seeing the man with black locks that reached to his shoulders, who was wearing all leather, she dropped her weapons.
"State your purpose here and your identity." Guy repeated. The girl recognised this man.
"Dad..." She said quietly. All of the guards turned to look at their leader, who's face was full of shock.
"Robin stop!" Kate was shouting. Robin, who had still been running, stopped.
"What Kate?" He said.
"We can't just leave her, she saved us." Kate replied.
"She's right Robin. We can't just leave her to die." Tuck agreed.
"She was fighting us as well. She didn't know which side she was on!" Robin shouted.
"So? We should still help her" Alan contradicted.
"Fine! We'll make these drop offs, then sneak into the castle and find her." Robin said. He then walked off and the gang followed.
"Dad..." The girl said again. Guy of Gisborne looked at the girl infront of him. She had blonde hair, tied up in a ponytail that hung at the back of her head. Her body was very fit and thin. Her muscles not pronounced but very clear. She was not wearing a floor lengthed dress, like all of the girls Guy had ever seen, but a small sleeveless top that reached just to the top of her midriff. Her stomach was bare. She was wearing shorts that reached to about a third of the way down her thigh. Two sword sheaths were strapped in an X sign on her back, the hilts covered in leather. She was also wearing a pair of light tan boots that matched the rest of her outfit. The boots had a pocket in each on the far side, where she pocketed her Sais. The only clue that they were related were their identicle eyes.
"Autumn?" Guy asked uncertainly. The girls face lit up.
"It is you," She said. She walked over to her father and slapped him in the face.
"Where did you go?" She then hugged him. Guy brushed away his surprise and hugged her back. When they pulled away he smiled at her and she smiled back. One of the guards coughed and both father and daughter were jerked back to reality.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Guy barked, "Back to the castle." The guards started to move out, leaving the dead where they lay. Guy jumped up onto his horse.
"Come on." He said to Autumn. Autumn whistled and her tanned horse, Argo, galloped over to her, a black wolf dead on it's heels. The sight of the wolf made panic amongst the guards and Guy drew his sword.
"Leave him be. He is with me and will not harm anyone without incentitive or my permission." Autumn commanded. The guards carried on thier way with a nod from Guy, still suspicious of the wolf and the girl who acted like she was in charge, Guy resheathed his sword as Autumn jumped onto her horse. As Guy moved out Autumn said, "Follow Argo," and Argo started to move, the wolf following behind.
The small army slowly made it's way to the castle that lay at the centre of Nottingham. As Guy of Gisborne entered a trumpet sounded, announcing his arrival. Prince John walked to the top of the steps. He was accompanied by Guy's sister, Isabella. The Guards dispersed each taking their horse to the stables. A small boy, a stable hand, walked tentatively over to Autumn's horse. He was trying hard to avoid the wolf that sat panting behind Argo's back legs.
"Ma-mam. May I take your horse to the stables please?" The boy asked softly.
"No need." She jumped off. "He can do it himself." The boy looked at her strangely and she smiled.
"You heard her! Now move! Go back to your work!" Guy shouted. The boy happily ran off, scared more of Guy than the wolf.
"Argo stables." Autumn whispered. The horse trotted off.
"Fang," The wolf looked up. "Follow." The wolf gave a short bark and ran after Argo. Autumn turned to her father.
"There was no need to talk to him like that!" She said loud and clear, her voice filling the courtyard.
"You have to. To earn respect." Guy snapped at his daughter.
"That's not respect they show. That's fear." Autumn shouted, her short temper rising.
"Respect, Fear, there all the same thing." Guy replied his own temper rising.
"No there not. You think..." But Autumn stopped as a single person clapping shocked her.
"Marvellous. Simply marvellous." Prince John was walking down the steps clapping his hands.
"Why Gisborne, who is this fascinating creature you've brought back?" He asked.
"I'm his daughter." Autumn answered, not giving her father a chance to speak.
"Your daughter? That's news all in itself. And do you let your daughter speak to you like that?" Prince John smirked.
"No!" Guy said quietly, flashing a warning look to Autumn.
"How old are you my dear? 17...? 18...?" The Prince turned to Autumn.
"16, and I will speak to people how I wish to. Now if you don't mind, I would like to sit down, it's been a long day." Autumn went to walk up the steps but Prince John's loud voice stopped her.
"How dare you talk to the future King of England with such disrespect."
"Oh I am so sorry your ma-je-sty. I only give my respect to those who have earned it. And I'm afraid your not earning it at the moment." Autumn walked off into the castle leaving her father, the Prince and everyone else dumbfounded.
"Gisborne, teach your child some manners. I want her dressed for the Council of Nobels within the hour!" The Prince walked off, followed by a shocked Isabella.
Tuck and Much, who had been listening to this turn of events from the stables, looked at each other. Each saw their own look of shock and confusion mirrored on the others face. As soon as they were out of the castle grounds, they burst into laughter. Niether could believe that someone, a girl of 16 at the very least, could talk to Prince John like that. As soon as they had caught their breath they ran off to tell Robin.
After they had told the gang of what had happened, and the group had stopped laughing from the discription of Prince John's face, Robin asked the most important question.
"But is she with Prince John or against him?"
"I don't know. We will just have to wait and see," Tuck said.
"Right Alan, Much, get yourselves some guards uniforms. Kate dress yourself as a flower girl. Tuck and John we are sneaking into the castle." Robin instructed. Seeing the looks of confusion his friends gave him, he decided to explain fully.
"We are going to sneak into the castle and see what happens at the Council of Nobles." The grins he recieved were all the confirmation that Robin needed to know that they would succeed.