Disclaimer: If I owned this, do you REALLY think I'd be posting it as fanfiction? No. Its based on Tamora Pierce's  Tortall series. See, I'm a fan writing fiction. Get it now? Not mine, never was, never will be.

AN: takes place at the time of 'Lady Knight'

Twisted Justice

Chapter 1…The Merry Men

"Robin!" the voice carried clearly through the clearing.

Robin sat at ease in the fork of a tree, polishing the already shiny longbow held in competent hands. "Yes, John?" Robin replied with infinite patience.

John ambled over easily enough, a tall man with broad shoulders and a face old before its time. He had dull brown hair and lively green eyes. "You know it isn't safe to sneak past the sentries." He scolded gently. "Come on down."

Robin sighed. Hair a shade darker than John's, with red undertones, was a little damp from sweat. The summer heat was only a little uncomfortable in the shade. "You treat me like a child." Robin's face was hard, angular, with high cheekbones and a straight, proud nose. Oddly soft lips and long lashes softened an otherwise hawk-like face.

"You act like a child." John said easily. "Sneaking away from camp like that…under your own men's noses, too!"

"If I can do it—"

"Anyone can do it, yes, I know. If I've heard it once I've heard it a thousand times."
"You're mighty grown-up for someone fast approaching 18." Robin said, nose in the air, warm golden eyes glittering.
 "Your mighty childish for someone fast approaching 17." John replied easily.

"Look at the difference a whole year makes." Robin grinned at the tall man.

"Robin." John began, more serious. "Remember the messenger we sent to the King?"

Robin went cold. All fun fell from the sharp face. "Yes."

"He's still a few days away. With him is a company of men-at-arms and another nobleman, to take the place of the one who was killed." John's face twisted, and he spat in disrespect. "Pah!"

Robin was oddly silent as they approached the camp. Made up of tents spelled to be waterproof and safe from the weather, the band of outlaws relied mainly on the mage's protective circles to hide them. They moved whenever Robin deemed it unsafe.

Having grown up amongst the pines and the cyprus, hiding in the caves from siblings, or up trees, or in gullies, Robin knew the land around Fief Avonsleigh better than any man.

For an almost 17-year-old to be the leader of an infamous group of outlaws was a hard thing to swallow.

Mithros, sometimes Robin couldn't believe it, either.

Heading to the tent specifically for Robin's own use, the lean youth set down the longbow next to a neatly made bedroll and picked up the note one of the mages had scribbled down.

 It read:

King Jonathan has sent as many men as can be spared. Also sent was a noble. He has been granted the title of Lord of Avonsleigh after doing a heroic act (couldn't remember what)

Robin rolled golden eyes. The messenger always forgot the damndest things. It was why a note had to be written for him.

Meet you at High Falls in six days. If late, meet at Rocky Hollow in eight.

Folding the paper neatly, Robin tucked it into a pocket, laying down on the bedroll, remembering how things used to be, before…

Mercenaries had come, footloose and wanting their own land. Carving up the pitifully weak defenses of the small Fief, another man had taken to running the Fief.

And this wasn't an ordinary attempt at grabbing another's land, or riches. With funds raised by trading, and mining, the man who was currently 'lord' was building himself an army…the rumors were, he planned to aid in the Scanran war…fighting against Tortall's forces.

At least he aims high. Robin thought dryly.

Knowing there were lessons to be taught and learnt, men that needed to see leadership, Robin left the tent, in search of John.

"Men approaching from the north." A young man ran up to Robin. He was panting, but his eyes were bright.

"Enemy?" Robin asked quickly, picking up a bow that had been in the family for generations.

It was one thing the mercenaries wouldn't take.

The scout nodded. "Maybe twenty." Robin grinned. Securing a quiver over strong shoulders, golden eyes searched the camp for John.

With a small sigh, Robin put a finger to his lips and whistled in an eerie imitation of a robin.

Instantly, the already quiet camp went quieter. Men grabbed weapons and made a ring around Robin so quickly if someone wasn't used to it, they're head would spin.

"Maybe twenty men approaching from the north. Ten men stay behind, thirteen come with me. Those who stay behind dismantle tents. Be ready to leave. The rest of us will be waiting our new friends in the trees." Robin quickly picked out ten men who had been in the last skirmish and chose them to stay and dismantle tents. They would leave after the slaughter.

"Let's move, boys." Robin strung the huge bow, watching as the other's did the same, before moving on foot into the forest around them.

Long sensitive fingers drew the arrow deftly. Eyes unusually keen, sighted the main target. Robin looked around at where the men were positioned in trees. Not being able to see them didn't cause the leader any worries…in fact, it eased them, if anything.

Knowing instinctively when to fire, Robin loosed an arrow. He picked off the last man in the group. No one noticed when he slid forward in his saddle but his horse, shifting nervously beneath the suddenly lax weight.

Another was picked off. With a feral grin, Robin slew a man who noticed the arrow sprouting in his companion's chest.

Wincing as the target fell from the saddle, an arrow through the eye, causing the men to notice something was going on, Robin sighted and fired with both mechanical ease and precision.

When none of the enemy moved, Robin climbed slowly from the tree chosen as a vantage point for the short scuffle, if you could call it that.

The only warning the youth received of an enemy scout was a gentle creak as a bowstring was pulled tight.

Spinning, dropping to one knee, Robin heard his own arrow sink into flesh the same time he heard the other's arrow sink deep into the tree only recently vacated.

Something moved to the left of the blindly staring man, and another arrow was fitted to the string.

"Now, Robin, is that any way to treat your friend?" John walked into the clearing.

"They were heading out of the valley." Robin said, not apologizing. "Why were they heading out of the valley?"

John shrugged. "C'mon. Its time to get our tails outta here. Just in case they weren't the only ones."

Robin's hawk-like eyes trained on John. "I don't understand."

"I don't understand many things. Let's get moving. We can puzzle over it tonight, when we're safe." 

John watched the slim figure of his friend nod, looking old, and weary.

A tent, rolled into a compact little ball, and a bedroll were secured to Robins back. Next to them was his quiver, in easy reach, and in one hand, a bow.
Men moved through the woods almost silently either side of him. Sometimes they couldn't see each other, such was their power of camouflage. Moving in and out of the shadows at will, they might have looked like lesser immortals.

Nothing was further from the truth. Grim faced men, all. Grandfathers who had watched their families die, fathers never able to watch their children grow. Boys turned into men too young.

Setting camp was a long practiced chore. Everyone knew where to go, what to do. This time, they were in a group of pines, the heavy scent they gave off heady, and yet relaxing to the men setting up around them.

It was almost midnight before Robin made time for a bath. Going alone, as always, the youth once more relied on keen eyesight to guide him to the river flowing a few minutes away.

Stripping the brown shirt and letting it fall, Robin looked down at a lean body, toned by hard exercise…a lot of it.

With a sigh, competent hands reached up to begin unclipping the modified breast band. Certain no one was dumb enough to watch, she stripped entirely, bathing in the still warm stream, her mind wandering to happier times, when she didn't have to hide her sex.

AN: Do you have any idea how hard it is to write 3 pages without saying 'he' or 'she'?!? Its nigh on impossible!

Did you notice the "Robin Hood" theme? I thought it'd be fun…and it was, too.

So, anyway, review! Please, feedback is excellent. And anyone who reviews will probably get a review back, its my way of saying thanks. ^_^