If I add one more book to this pile, I'll topple over! Rachel thought as she shifted the books in her arms. Trying to maintain her balance with the ten books she held in her arms (five of which were heavy and thick) she somehow brought the list of books that she needed to her eyelevel.
Why did I have to go for my doctorate; why, why why?! Oh well; she thought too late to change my mind now with graduation at the end of the semester. She squinted to read the print over the mass of books in her way. She sighed. She counted the number books left to get. Fifteen. I'm never gonna graduate at this rate; 'cause I'll never get all of this done! With a heavy and tired sigh she set the books down on a nearby table and then went to find the other books. The last set of books landed with a thud on the table. Now the real fun starts. She thought with sarcastic happiness as she sat down at the table, got her note book from book bag and set to work.
Rachel looked up at the clock on the wall. Seven-thirty. She had been at library doing research for almost six hours! No wonder my eyes are starting to cross. She thought groggily. She scribbled down the names of the books in front of her and the page number where she had stopped. She put the notebook back in her bag and got up from the table. I need something fun to read tonight; I've been doing not but research my thesis paper during all my free time this week. She thought and went to the upstairs of the library. She stifled a yawn and shook her head willing her eyes to focus on the names on the spines of the books. The Tales of Robin Hood one book read.
Robin Hood huh? I haven't read that since I was a kid. Sure, why not? Rachel thought and checked the book out.
Rachel had just finished brushing out her hair and putting it a ponytail after changing into her pajamas and slippers and brushing her teeth. I'm sooo glad tomorrow's Saturday! She thought as she turned on the lamp on her bedside table and turned off the overhead light before getting into bed. She propped up her pillow and took The Tales of Robin Hood from where had put it on her bedside table. Sighing deeply she opened the book and began to read. She had only gotten a few pages into the book when her hands began to tingle. She lightly touched the page that she had just read and something pulled her into the book like a hand pulling her through a doorway.
"Ow!" Rachel exclaimed as she landed face first onto the forest floor. She spat out twigs and leaves which had gotten in her mouth. She turned her arm and looked at her elbow. She had a scrape which was bleeding slightly. She sat up and looked around her. Suddenly she heard a horse whinny. She looked up from where she sat and herself inches away from a horse's muzzle. She yelped and tried to back up but someone had grabbed her arm.
"One your feet!" a voice command. The voice didn't belong to the man who had grabbed her, but to one of the men on horseback.
"Owww!" Rachel said as she was forced to her feet. So that's what sitting in a chair for six hours straight does to you. She thought as sharp pain shot through her back as she stood.
"Hey, what the big idea?! Let go of me!" Even as she spoke her hands were being tied behind with rope. She was pushed to over by the grey horse.
"She's probably working with Hood." The man sitting atop the grey horse said. He looked at Rachel who could help but squirm under his gaze. He had a gray beard and unkind eyes. "What is she wearing?" he asked. The other man looked at her. He was definitely the handsomer of the two Rachel decided. The man snorted.
"Well, well, well, won't Marian be surprised to learn that Hood has a mistress?" The man with the beard rolled his eyes and made a tsk sound.
"Don't you ever give up Gisborne?" he asked. Gisborne didn't reply.
"We'll throw her in the dungeon until we figure out who she is." The bearded man said.
"Put her on my horse." The man called Gisborne said.
"Wait a minute!" Rachel said trying in vain to free her self from her restraints. "Where am I?" She was plopped on to the front of Gisborne's saddle. As the rode she continued to wiggle her wrist free. Gisborne grunted as her shoulder blade whacked him hard in the chest.
"If you don't struggle, the ride back will go easier on both of us." Gisborne said quietly his mouth close to her ear. Something in his voice made Rachel's heart jump. Oh, no you don't! She thought. You're not using your charms on me. I'll kick your butt from here to Kingdom Come first! She thought and took a deep breath. "Easy for you to say." She replied "You're not the one who was arrested for no good reason!"
"We need to figure out if you're a threat. If you trust me, I'll do my best to make things easier for you."
"Ha! Yeah, right! Like I can't figure out what 'easier for you' means; if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, you've got another thing comin' buddy!"
"You'll come to trust me." Gisborne said. They rode the rest of the way in silence.