Us against the world
The war is not over but life in Sherwood is beginning to settle down for the outlaws. But what happens when a surprise visitor appears with some plans of his own for the outlaws. How will the outlaws get through their newest predicament?
Chapter 1:
Djaq sat in the middle of the small room and sighed loudly in frustration as she angrily swiped a tear that had escaped that was running down her sunken cheeks. The dirty stone ground was uncomfortable and the room was colder than she had ever thought England could be. Her teeth were literally chattering and she could hear the sheets of rain outside. Along with the heavy downpour though she could hear a much more insidious noise that had her at wits end, she had no nails left after biting them off with nerves and was exhausted from pacing the small dungeon like room that she was being held in.
The metallic clashing of metal on metal permeated the walls along with yells from the battle outside. She knew they were there. They had promised they'd come for her and she knew above anything else that they were out there fighting for her. Fighting to save her, fighting for her freedom. Again.
And she knew that she would never forgive herself if any of them ever got hurt.
She wondered how on earth she had gotten herself into such a situation. She hated waiting. She was helpless, absolutely helpless caged within the four solid stone walls that enclosed her. A quintessential damsel in distress. The whole thing had started not a month before and before she knew it her mind whirled back to the last month relieving the moment where the whole debacle had started.
One month earlier.
Djaq laughed loudly at Allan before shoving him sideways. Consequently the unsuspecting man lost his footing and stumbled sideways in surprise. He fell to the ground causing a ruckus of laughter to erupt from the others standing around them. He glared at Djaq who had pushed him when he'd done a cruel according to her anyway impersonation of the beggar that they had met the day before. He had been a strange man but Djaq had watched Allan A'Dale do one too many renditions of the man's stuttering voice and weird requests.
It was her turn to squeak in surprise then as Allan jumped up with more energy than he had had all morning and began to run towards her. She turned, laughing, and began to run away from him. The other outlaws continued to walk shaking their heads at their antics but laughing all the same. Djaq weaved between the trees but the combination of her laughter and Allan's ridiculous threats caused her to be too slow as Allan began to close in on her. She mock screamed as Allan's arms enclosed around her waist and he swung her around. Still laughing she struggled in his arms trying to push him away. Unfortunately for her, her attempts were futile as he half carried her back towards the other outlaws.
"ALLAN A'DALE PUT ME DOWN" The man simply grinned at her shaking his head but suddenly she was dropped to the ground and Allan's yell filled the air. The man turned abruptly as Djaq rubbed her back and glared at the dark haired outlaw complete with a mischievous grin on his face.
Fortunately for Will, Robin called the three of them at that moment after he had spotted something. Both Allan and Will stretched an arm out and pulled Djaq easily from the ground and she playfully shoved them both before turning and moving back towards Robin. The boys grinned and followed her.
Just over three hours later the gang had executed the perfect plan. They had managed to steal a heap of gold and hand it out to some of the families that were suffering the most in Locksley, Nottingham and the surrounding villages. All in all it had been a fun day full of adventure, fun and laughter. And Robin had even gotten to see Marion meaning that he was a happy man.
As the gang walked together back towards the forest they were laughing at Much's highly dramatic and slightly over the top recount of little John's battle with two of the castle guards. Something about gnomes and giants and other things had got them all chuckling even the man of the story himself. They had been having a good time in the forest lately. They were making significant progress, helping families, there had been no major dramas for a while and Marion and Robin were going strong...making the entire gang run at ease. At the moment the gang had just been enjoying the company of friends and the adventures of each day together.
But as they say all good things supposedly come to an end and unfortunately as the group moved out of Locksley the easy day was interrupted just before they were about to leave to head home.
A voice behind them caused all six of them to stop in perfect synchrony.
"Robin Hood" A perfectly rolled R and a sinister smirk caused the group to consider the man surrounded by guards cautiously. That was until at least they heard a gasp erupt from their youngest and only female member of the gang, they all turned to her a frown contorting their faces and creasing their brows and they looked towards Djaq in confusion.
Djaq stared at the man before her. He was tall, his dark hair still ruffled atop of his head in the most perfect way. His bronze skin not unlike hers gleamed in the sun and his dark eyes found hers. She felt a shiver run up her spine and her throat and chest constrict. She knew exactly who he was; it was hard, impossible to forget. The way he stared at her and smirked towards her as his eyes looked her over before he threw his head back and a menacing snicker to match erupted from his throat. The noise that would echo in her head for years upon years to come.
"Saffiya?" His voice was the same too. It was then that she noticed she was staring, too much. Actually she was frozen, she couldn't breathe as her throat tightened even more. Much was the first to turn and look at her when she didn't answer and when he saw the many emotions contorting her usually calm and guarded face his frown deepened even further.
It didn't take long for the rest of the men to realised what was happening and she watched, almost distantly, as Robin stepped forward his eyebrows raising,
"Who are you may I ask?" The man however did not take any notice of him instead his eyes remained glued to Djaq's,
"Saffiya" the man repeated a little more forcefully and Much nudged Djaq in the side gently who abruptly snapped out of her daze. The men were surprised when Djaq cleared her throat and turned away from him completely,
"You know what we've got everything we need, let's go" She said but Allan interrupted her,
"Djaq" He said quietly and she turned back to him.
"Did he just call you Djaq, Djaq as in... your brother" The man exclaimed incredulously but Djaq pointedly ignored him turning her back on him and throwing a sharp glance towards the joker of the group. At her expression the men also began to turn and walk away alongside her allowing her to lead them away without questioning her... at least not there and then.
The next thing she knew however a rough hand circled her thin wrist squeezing tightly. Before she could stop it flashes of past memories she had buried a long time ago ran through the front of her mind causing her to screw up her face. The man that was now standing in front of her watched her face carefully. He stared deeply into her eyes almost as if he too was seeing her memories, at least until Djaq snapped back to reality and peered down at their joint arms.
"Let. Go." The remaining members of the gang stared at Djaq hearing her voice that dripped with venom. The nameless man refused to let go however and Robin watched him tighten his grip around her wrist,
"I'd let go if I were you" Robin added and this time the dark haired foreign man looked up and his eyes widened as he found himself circled by the group of men who had been blissfully walking with his old bride to be. Each of them had a slightly different version of the same murderous expression painted on their faces as their angry eyes flicked between his face then to Djaq and then down where he still had a tight hold of her wrist. As he followed their gaze he realised that it did actually look as though one tiny movement from him would snap the small, bony arm in his grasp.
He, however, knew better. He knew much better and he had certainly learned from his mistakes the main one having to do with underestimating the girl, now woman in front of him. Surveying the Englishmen once again he finally released her arm and stepped back slightly. She quickly backed up one or two steps before turning and swiftly walking away breaking the tense atmosphere. The men watched her for a second before beginning to follow the obviously distressed woman not sparking him a look. Well none of them except one of the men, the tall dark-haired one who appeared to be a little younger than the others but surely couldn't be younger than Saffiya.
He watched her disappear into the trees wondering where it was she and her friends were going. He felt the familiar swell of emotions surge through him. Anger, frustration and yet she still had her spark, her fire and he felt his old competitive streak come alive again as he thought of his old attempts to tame the woman that had been promised to him many years ago. As she disappeared into the trees he promised himself that that agreement would be fulfilled and she would say goodbye to the rain and the leaves and join him back in the heat and the sand.
Soooo what do you guys think. Please Review and let me know what you think of it! Don't be shy I realllly appreciate them. Thankyou!
Nina xx