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Chapter 2: Trickery
"Ah Robin Hood, how clever of you to evade the trap I set up." My heart sank, this was the one voice that I hated more than anything the entire world, except possibly the person it belonged it. "To bad for you that you can't sneak quietly into a castle."
"Now where's the fun in that?" came the reply.
"Where will you go now? Give up you're surrounded!" said my father.
"Never!" There was the hiss of swords being drawn, and then the fighting began. I looked around for a weapon, 'There the torch!' Then I did one of the dumbest things of my entire life, I ran into a battle brandishing a torch without the faintest idea of how to fight. The guards had the hallway blocked off, but I knocked them out with the torch. I reached the outlaw with the mustache and tapped him on the shoulder.
'Bad idea' I managed to jump away from his windmill of axes. "You need to escape. NOW!" He nodded when he saw the guards lying on the floor unconscious. He turned around and caught Robin's eye. Some sort of conversation passed between them and in a split second they had reached an understanding.
"Fall back!" The order came harshly and was obeyed immediately. I saw the outlaws turn towards me and quickly melted into the shadows, pulling the sides of my cape into a dark cocoon around me. As they rushed past to safety, I counted to see if no one had been left behind.
'.5… wait! Where was the sixth?' Scanning the ground my eyes landed on the back of the man with the large nose. A huge bump already rising on his head. He had been hit from behind and knocked unconscious. A guard came to see if he was still alive. The outlaw was poked repeatedly with a club before he was carried away. Then other guards came to pick up their fallen friends, some were weeping over the corpses of their friends or family members.
When all had been carted away and the castle was once again still, I let out the breath that I had been holding in, daring only to take quick short ones while the corridor was being cleaned up. Then I took off running to my "chambers."
At the age of four I had out grown the need for a nurse. To save money my father had let her go, she fell right off the battlements of the castle, so he didn't have to pay her for her services. Ever since she died, I had always found only the smallest rooms to be the most useful and accommodating. Now that we lived in a castle I kept my belongings in another broom closet. The servants knew when I needed more clothing, set aside food for me at night, and once a month someone came and made sure my room was in order. I shook my head to rid myself of the memories.
Opening the door to my broom closet, I dashed over to a chest and gingerly opened it. Inside was a dress, its green fabric matched my eyes. This one article of clothing was the only thing that set the servants apart from me.
I slipped into the gown and let my hair down from the braid it had been in. It was time. I ran, taking short steps, to the dungeons. The outlaw had been captured because of my mistake. I could have told them to get out but instead I wanted to help them. I should have guessed that the Sheriff had a plan.
I slowed my run down to a walk when I neared the torture master's desk. He wasn't there and screams from inside the jail confirmed that the outlaw was currently in a lot of pain. Taking a deep breath I walked into the jail. Immediately the screams cut off, I could feel instead of saw my father's glares because my eyes were dutifully cast downwards.
"What are you doing here?" he spat at me his voice filled with malice.
"I'm sorry my lord, but I heard a noise," I looked up, hoping that he believed my excuse.
"All has been resolved, you may leave," he said. I looked up to gauge what his emotions were, then my eyes widened in mock surprise.
"My lord? Is that?..." The outlaw was unconscious and severely beaten with his left arm resting on the ground at an odd angle. The Sheriff rubbed his eyes, a triumphant smile playing at his lips. "Yes, he will be hanged tomorrow."
"My lord, forgive me for saying this but you look tired. Perhaps you should sleep, if he is to be hanged tomorrow, then it will be one of the bigger days of your life," if this didn't work then I was doubtful that I would be able to rescue the outlaw.
"Guard escort her to her chambers!" my father ordered sounding more happy and tired by the word.
"That won't be necessary, if this is to be his last night, I'd like to memorize his face. After all, my Lord, he is a legend." I said.
"Very well, but don't speak to him. He's still very dangerous." My father warned, the disdain beginning to return.
"Of course," Once again I was looking at the marble floor, "thank you." I waited for his footsteps to fade before rushing to the outlaw's cage and kneeling down.
A/N: I'm sorry, but I won't be updating till the end of June or the beginning of July. Finals and traveling are going to be taking up all of my time. Please review! I love criticism (please be polite)it'll make my writing better. Special thank you to NoOneWouldListen!-don't worry; I never liked the girls who joined Robin's band because they were infatuated with him. She will have a reason for what she does, be patient.
