CHAPTER 2

Sir Guy swung down off his horse and swaggered towards Allan like a wolf approaching its prey, savoring the victory.

"The day after I have a chest of taxes stolen off the northern road, and what do I find? A grubby hooded stranger passing out bags of coins in the town. You'd think you could have laid low for a few days before your usual heroics."

"Now that... that is just... I don't even know what you're talking about, mate, I really don't. I was just..." Allan's hand inched towards his sword hilt.

Guy spotted it . "Keep your hands where I can see them or I'll cut you down where you stand, outlaw!" he shouted.

"'Ere, what're you threatenin' my 'usband for?" The lute player snapped in a false brazen cockney accent, striding forward and taking Allan's arm, surprising him as much as Gisbourne.

"Your husband?" Guy sneered, looking her up and down with obvious distaste.

"That's right. 'E was just giving me a few coins to go into town and buy a bit 'o beef for supper. He's no outlaw, my lord I promise you, he hasn't the brains."

"That's all it is, my lord," said Allan, catching on quickly. "Just a few coppers for the shopping."

Guy looked her up and down. "If you are his wife," he asked acidly "Why aren't you wearing a ring?"

The woman was caught off guard for a moment, and Allan swept in. "You think she's daft enough to wear her valuables in the marketplace, what with these outlaws around every corner?"

"No," said Guy softly. "I think you're both lying to me. You see, I could swear I'd seen you running at Robin Hood's heels. Perhaps I should take you in for... questioning. You too," he added, turning to the woman. "Hood's been known to take women into his gang. You are both suspects."

However, he was cut short by a reverberant thud as a heavy wooden lute collided with his face.

"RUN!" Shouted Allan, taking her by the arm. She needed no encouragement. They darted past the slow armoured guards and scarpered towards the nearby houses, a cluster of arrows sailing over their heads.

"Split up!" Gasped the girl, "We'll never lose them together."

"I can't leave you alone with a pack of them!" Allan insisted.

"You don't have a choice, they'll catch us both!" She shouted at him, and took off in the opposite direction. An arrow sailed past Allan's ear, and he lost his nerve, tearing down the road away from her.

Her lute swung over her shoulder, the girl shot down the lane as fast as her legs could carry her, bent low to avoid the arrows. Not low enough; One straight arrow flew true, in a delicate arc downwards, catching her on the lower calf. She let out a cry of shock and pain, losing her footing and sprawling forward wildly. Time seemed to stop, and for a long moment she lay still, too shocked by pain and surprise to react. Squinting up through the dust she could make out the silhouettes of the guards standing over her. A boot struck her painfully in the temple and she lost consciousness.

Ooooooooo

Robin Hood, outlaw lord of Sherwood Forest, was pleased with himself.

He had successfully stolen a large chest of gold and silver peices right from under Gisbourne's nose. The robbery had gone off without a hitch, with the taxman and guards running home to the Sheriff with their tails between their legs, to explain to Vaysey exactly how the great Robin Hood had parted them from his ill-gotten gains. Even now, Will, Much, and Allan were distributing the wealth in the various villages of Nottinghamshire, and Robin could just picture Vaysey seething with rage at yet another loss.

Overall, Robin was insufferably pleased with himself.

He was sitting on a hill to the east of Locksley, watching the village below him go about its business, waiting for his gang to return. He was in no hurry. He liked to sit on this perch, watching the comings and goings of his village.

"Master!" Much's voice broke through his smug reverie, and he greeted his former servant jovially.

"Well, Much, did you empty your money bag?"

"I did, and so did Will. He'll be along in a minute. Still no sign of Allan, though."

"He probably stopped in the pub for an ale and a game. Sit down, we have time to wait."

Much made quite a business of rearranging his pack and sword and settling himself beside Robin. "You're in a good mood today," he observed.

"And why should I not be? We've had weeks of fruitful crime and no incident to speak of. I think even the poor are looking better."

"Well, it won't last, I think," Much said, idly playing with the grass. "No, the Sheriff will think up some revolting new scheme and it will all start again, mark my words."

"Much," said Robin, irritated "Just for once, can you just enjoy this day and not dread the next?" Much was about to make reply when Will's head became visible over a grassy knoll.

"Hello, Will," chirped Robin. "How did it go?"

"Well enough. Are we all back yet?"

"Allan's still loitering about," Much said grumpily "But he'll be--"

"HOOD!" Gisbourne's enraged voice ripped through the summer calm. Robin, Will, and Much stood bolt upright, eyes drawn to Gisbourne's distant figure. He stood in the village square, caked blood down one nostril, his face red with rage, shouting a challenge to the man he rarely saw but knew was always there.

"WE HAVE THE WOMAN, HOOD!" He shouted. "WE CAUGHT ONE OF YOUR GANG SKULKING AROUND THE VILLAGE, AND SHE WILL SUFFER AND HANG, MAKE NO MISTAKE."

"Djaq," whispered Will, white as a ghost. "Robin, he's got Djaq."

"Hang on a minute," hissed Robin. "He said he caught her in the Village, and Djaq's still back at the camp. What's he talking about?"

"Robin!" Allan came charging up the hill, face red and gasping for breath. "Gisbourne... in the village..."

"He's got Djaq, we know." Will's voice shook with rage.

"Djaq?" Allan said, bewildered. "No, not Djaq. A woman... a traveller... he assumed she was with me. She's a stranger, but he thinks she's from our gang."

"Whoa, whoa, slow down a moment," Robin patted Allan's shoulder. "Tell me everything."

"I told you this would happen, Master," spat Much bitterly. "I told you."

oooooooooo

First there was the dull heaviness of her head, the irresistible call of sleep and the sick feeling of blood on her brow. Then the pain in her leg began nagging her, gently at first and then growing towards a sharp call to consciousness. Finally, there was a sudden shock of cold and Lillian awoke to find she'd been drenched in a bucket of cold water.

"Ah. That did it. Awake now, aren't you dear?" the voice was dryly amused and cruelly sarcastic. "Gisbourne, did a creature this small really give you a bruise that large?"

"She took me by surprise, my Lord," Sir Guy said sullenly.

"Excuses, excuses. Get her to her feet." the Sheriff ordered lazily, and she felt herself being pulled up by her arms and half-supported by two guards. With effort she managed to focus on the faces before her.

"She doesn't look like any of Robin's lot, Gisbourne. Are you sure?"

"She was protecting a known member of Hood's gang."

"Yes, you mentioned," said Vaysey thoughtfully. "But she has no tag."

"Perhaps she lost it, my lord? Or threw it away to avoid a tougher sentence. It's just like Hood, recruiting women," Gisbourne sneered.

Vasey tilted the girl's chin up with one cold fingertip. "What is your name, girl?"

Her tongue felt large and heavy in her dry mouth, but she managed to choke out; "Lillian... Lillian of Westershire. I'm just an entertainer, sir... a musician. I'm no outlaw."

"You lied to protect that common theif. Why?" Gisbourne demanded.

Despite her pounding head, Lillian gave a small grin. "I'm not sure... he seemed like a nice bloke."

Vaysey's lip curled. "You risked your life, attacked the lord of the local manor, got shot and then captured all because a complete stranger 'seemed like a nice bloke'? Oh, talk sense woman. Where is Hood?"

"Never heard of him," Lillian laughed. Gisbourne struck her across her bruised temple and she cried out.

"Come on, Gisbourne, we only just got her to wake up, don't put her out again," snapped Vaysey. He leaned in very close, his face inches away from hers. "We can make life very, very unpleasant for you, little girl. The irony is that we've no interest in you at all. Tell us what we want, and we have no reason to hurt you. We just want Hood. It is in your best interest to help us with this, believe me." He backed off. "Take her to the dungeon while her head clears, and give her time to consider my offer. If she does not give me something useful by tomorrow, she will suffer, and she will hang."

oooooooooooooo

"I do not wish to sound heartless, Robin, but could it be a trap?" Djaq asked, ever the pragmatist. "The Sheriff has planted actors for us before, tempting us to heroics and capturing us when we're vulnerable. This girl could be working for the Sheriff. After all, she is a stranger around here."

"It didn't feel like a trap," said Allan, shaking his head. "She was just a girl, minding her own business. She didn't have to help me."

"It's not your fault, Allan," Djaq said quietly.

"But she hasn't got a tag. The Sheriff will know she's not working for us, won't he?" Asked Will.

"Oh, I expect he'll know, he just won't care. He'll take any opportunity to get to me." Robin muttered.

"Which brings us right back to the 'trap' option." Djaq insisted. "Robin, Vaysey will expect us to come after her. And he'll remember all of our previous tricks from jailbreaks before. Getting her out will be most difficult, and probably just what the Sheriff wants."

"And if you're wrong, we're condemning an innocent woman to death," Much said.

"That doesn't mean we charge in with our eyes closed, Much," Djaq said loudly.

"That's enough." Robin's voice was soft, but intense. There was a moment of silence as the gang all looked to their leader. "Djaq has a point. We must keep our wits about us or we are lost. But the day we abandon even one life out of fear, we have lost our very hearts, and the Sheriff has won. I'll talk to Marian tonight, and see what new tricks we can think up. We will rescue this girl, but we will be vigilant and suspicious every step of the way. Is that clear?"

The gang took in a collective breath, in the moment of tense excitement that always preceded a direct attack on Vaysey and the system.

John stood first, his staff resting on his shoulders behind his head. He towered over the rest of them with a knowing smile.

"We go to Nottingham."