Robin wiped his forehead where sweat was collecting. "God, this is harder than it looks. I dunno how Will does it. Can't you get off your backside and help?" He looked pointedly to where Jay was leaning against the stone wall fiddling with a piece of parchment. She ignored him at first. Robin sighed. Then she looked up after making a final fold to the parchment.
"Does this look like a horse to you?" She held up the little model with a quizzical look.
"What?" Robin raised an eye brow at her random comment.
"Does it?" Jay persisted. Robin inspected the model more closely and saw it did actually resemble a horse quite a lot.
"Yes, now will you help?"
"Sure," Jay made a move to get up but then she slumped back down again, "Right after I make a swan." Robin looked at her exasperated but went back to his drilling. The wall finally gave way, crumbling to reveal a small hole. He pulled at one of the stones and it fell out. Robin grinned and cheered.
"About time to," Jay pulled herself up, "If you'd taken any longer I was planning on actually helping you."
"Oh thanks a bunch," Robin replied sarcastically. The two of them yanked some more stones out until they'd made a person sized hole to get through.
"I'll go first," Jay piped up.
"Fine, I do all the work and you take the glory," Robin said sardonically.
"Why thank you," Jay grinned cheekily and climbed into the room. She stared at the chest in the middle of the chamber and smiled. She hurried over to see if she could unlock it. "Got any more of Will's tools?"
"No, why?" Robin hunkered down next to where she was crouched and looked at the lock.
"Cos I don't think we'll be able to get the chest open without a tool," Jay remarked. Robin looked at the lock.
"Do you have a hair pin?" Robin asked. Jay gave him an incredulous look.
"Do I look like I have a hair pin?" She gestured to her boyish clothing and fly away hair, "You just assume because I'm a girl I have girly stuff."
"I suppose not then," Robin turned back to the lock and concentrated, trying to form an idea.
"How bout bashing it," Jay asked.
"Very eloquently put," Robin teased, "But I don't think it would work."
"It's worth a try," Jay stood up and picked up one of the stones. She came back and clunked the heavy object on the lock.
"That worked…well," Robin said mockingly.
"Shut up," Jay grunted, whacking the lock again.
"I can't find it."
"What? Please don't tell me you've lost it!" Allan groaned as Will searched frantically through his tool belt.
"The Sheriff will be back soon!" Djaq's accented voice floated from outside the bedroom where she was keeping watch.
"Why the hell did we decide to ransack the Sheriff's bedroom?" Allan moaned, "It would've been so much easier if we'd chosen somewhere, anywhere, else!"
"It was your idea!" Will reminded him.
"And it would've worked if you hadn't lost your bleeding tools, you numbskull," Allan retorted, quick on the insults. Will gave him a dirty look and finally found a tool that would just about work on the little chest lock by the Sheriff's bed. He shoved it in the hole and twiddled it round until he heard a tiny click.
"Done," Will announced and pulled the sack of gold out, "Let's go."
"Go where?" A greasy voice reached them from the bedroom door. They hadn't heard Djaq being knocked down and now they were trapped.
"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Much bit his lip, "We don't even know what's up there."
"That is the point Much," John sighed.
"Yes that's where the Sheriff is most likely to put his treasures," Sam nodded, eager to find anything, "In the tallest tower in the castle."
"But isn't that a bit clichéd?" Much asked, still nervous, "There could be anything up there. A monster." John snorted at this.
"Monster? Much get a grip," John said.
"Hey I'm not the one who thinks there is such thing as Witch Craft," Much replied hotly.
"Ok, can you stop the arguing and just go?" Sam interrupted, heading up the spiral staircase.
"Lad, come back," John called, stopping Sam in his tracks, "Much and I should go first, just in case." Sam looked a bit disappointed but did not challenge the big man, he was too scared.
When they reached the top of the steps they found an oak door blocking their path. It was locked. None of them had any tools to open the door so John tried force. He put his weight on the door but it did not budge.
"Damn." He thought for a moment, shrugged and took a charging run at the door. It crashed open. There was a loud shriek. Whatever the three outlaws expected to find it wasn't what they saw before them.
A young girl stood in front of them in her underclothes. She had shrieked when they first bashed the door down but now she just stood there, hand on hip, one eyebrow raised. John and Much gaped, jaws hanging close to the floor. Sam couldn't see because John's bulk was blocking the scene.
"Who, who…are you?" Much stammered, "And what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," the girl said indignantly, "And why are you staring me? Hasn't anyone taught you any manners?"
What do you think? Like it? R&R please cos otherwise i won't write more.