Wind Rose

(Disclaimer: I own no rights to Robin Hood)

Summary: When a young girl causes trouble in Nottingham it doesn't go unnoticed by Robin and his men

"People of Nottingham, this man has been found guilty of conspiring against the king so it is my duty as your Sheriff to bring you justice by sentencing this man to hang"

The Sheriff stood in the courtyard addressing the people of Nottingham town, as he said those final words he grinned nastily to the young man with a bag over his head.

"Guards hang him" he sneered

"No!" a young voice broke through the crowds and all eyes turned trying to find the voice.

From out of the crowd stepped a young girl, she had mouse coloured tussled and her eyes were a deep shade of purple but her appearance was not the thing that everyone was looking at, they were staring at the bow she held ready to fire an arrow.

"Well look who we have here…a hero" the Sheriff laughed sarcastically as he signalled to the guards to move in closer

The girl shuffled her feet nervously as she watched the guards move in "One more step and I'll fire" she said determinedly

"Well la de da de da" the Sheriff mocked and at the moment the young girl fired her arrow only narrowly avoiding his head

"You missed" the Sheriff laughed

"No that was a warning, let him go" she shouted

The Sheriff sneered down at the girl and signalled to the guards "Hang him" he said coldly,

Suddenly another arrow shot through the air and landed in the sheriff's arm, he screamed out in pain and for a minute the young girl felt some vengeance but it was short lived as she saw Guy the sheriff's resident suck up move towards her brandishing a long sharp sword in her direction. He lunged for her but she ducked underneath him, this went on for a while but soon she wasn't quick enough and he grabbed her and held the wriggling girl and all the while she could hear the Sheriff laughing at her.

She kicked with all her might and soon managed to get free of her captor and then she summoned all her strength picked up her bow and ran giving a last solemn to the now still body hanging from the gallows. She ran for what seemed like forever trying to dodge away from the sounds of the guards until she reached the forest where she found a small dip in the landscape to hide in

"Come out come out wherever you are" Guy's bitter tones echoed across the still forest "I won't hurt you I just want to talk to you" and at that point she could hear the scraping of metal as Guy drew his sword. She held her breath and after what seemed like forever Guy gave up and went away. She let out a sigh of relief and turned to continue on her way. As she turned she felt a hand across her mouth

"Don't scream, I am a friend" the voice said and the young girl murmured from under the hand "Do you promise not to scream?" and as she nodded the hand was released and she turned to face the voice. There in front of her stood a tall man with brown hair surveying her closely.

"Who are you?" she asked

"Robin of Locksley, Earl of…"

"Huntington" she finished and he nodded

"So you've heard of me then?"

"Everyone's heard of you" and Robin grinned arrogantly "I never said it was for a good reason" she said curtly and he laughed.

She picked up her bow and set off into the woods

"Where are you going?" Robin called and the girl shrugged, Robin followed after her

"Why are you following me?" she said coldly

"Because it would be unmoral of me to leave a young lady alone in the forest, especially one of such unusual appearance"

"Oh so you noticed" she said closing her purple eyes briefly "Anyway I can look after myself I have this" she said holding up her bow

"Are you any good with it?"

And with that she turned around and quickly fired an arrow only narrowly avoiding Robin's head

"You either have very good aim or very bad aim…" he stuttered searching for a name

"Don't think I'm going to tell you my name" she said boldly but Robin just laughed

"I gave you my name so I think it's only fair"

"Nope that doesn't work either"

"So you're just going to walk through the forest all alone in the night" he said looking up at the sunset.

"Yes and you're going to go back to your gang and leave me alone"

"Yes I'm going to do that but you're coming with me"

"No I'm not"

"Yes you are, we can do this the easy way or the hard way"

"Why do you want me?"

"I want to know why a girl risked her life trying to save a man today and then I want to know what I can do for that girl" Robin said

"Why do you want to help me?"

"Because you are lonely and frightened"

"I am not"

"Yes you are I can see it in your eyes"

Her expression melted and she closed her eyes for a second

"And from that I can tell I'm right" Robin said softly and he walked off into the forest, she paused for a moment and then slowly followed Robin

Back at camp Much was arguing with Will about their dinner arrangements

"Yuck what is that?" Will said screwing his face up at the smell coming from the cooking pot

"That is dinner"

"Are you sure because it looks like…"

"Yes I'm sure and if you don't like it you can eat elsewhere"

A rustling in the clearing brought everyone to their feet but as Robin came into focus they all relaxed and continued with their tasks. Much looked up and saw behind Robin stood a young girl deep purple eyes

"Master…"

"Much…" Robin said raising an eyebrow

The rest of the gang gathered round the new arrival and surveyed her and the girl shrank behind Robin embarrassed at all the attention she was getting

"What's your name?" John said kindly but she scowled back at him.

All the muscles in her body tensed up under the watchful gaze of the group and she stood perfectly still until John took a step towards her and suddenly before he knew it he was faced with a loaded bow.

"Ok you really don't want to do anything you'll regret" Much said slowly his voice quivering

"Much" Robin said

"Master she is armed"

"Much shut up" and Robin stepped in front of John so that his chest was almost touching the arrows tip "Go on shoot me" he said softly so only she could hear

The girl paused for a moment weighing up her choices and after a few minutes she lowered her bow

The others breathed a sigh of relief but Robin looked into the young girls eyes and saw a look of pain and misery mixed with a look of scheming and bitterness, the girls eyes sent a shiver up his spine and as she stood there still holding her bow Robin was unsure of what this girl was up to.