NOTE: Hello, this has been a long time coming! I'd like to first apologize for the delay and also for how awful this chapter turned out. Unfortunately, I was getting so sick and tired of it that I just needed to put it out so I can continue on the next ones. Despite my dissatisfaction with it, I hope you find it at least somewhat enjoyable. Thank you so much for reading and for showing me support!


The woman's name was Matilda. She was one of the last healers left in Nottingham, and she didn't think enough people appreciated her for it. Her daughter's name was Rosa. Rosa was apparently very kind and beautiful, who married an equally kind but not quite as beautiful man, according to Matilda. They lived with Matilda since it was nearly impossible to thrive in Nottingham these days, but she didn't mind as her husband had died a few years ago and she was quite lonely. She talked a lot and didn't ask many questions about me, which I didn't mind as I didn't have to bother making up answers.

When we made it to her home, she let me in first. It wasn't much for certain, but I found it much more appealing than the room given to me at the castle. After all these years, I never had a taste for the finer things or luxuries.

Glancing around the room, Matilda spoke up. "The Lovels were a sweet family. Valentine, the husband, was a cheesemaker," she chuckled at this. "A pretty good one too. He was often invited to the castle when they had guests because of how delicious it was. He could have made a fortune on it, I bet. But he often didn't ask for a price on it when it came to village events or for the children."

I remembered the times Father had delivered cheese to my brother and I's friends as we played. How we would all quit whatever game it was just to get a piece. Father then would tease Arthur or me about an embarrassing story of ours, yet he did it only in good humor. The other children always loved him, telling us how lucky we were to have him as our father. We truly were lucky then.

"I knew his wife very well, having helped deliver her when I was just a little older than you. Her name was Rachel, and I was often asked to watch her when she was young. As a child, she was so smart-mouthed and rude, I didn't think she would ever grow out of it. I suppose she could have thanked me for that. When she did - grow up, that is, she was still sharp-tongued and quick-witted; though, she dropped the rude tone. She was so beautiful too with such long red hair and green eyes. Most men were scared off by her boldness, but not Valentine. He was smitten with her the day he arrived in Nottingham. I think she's the reason he decided to stay. It took awhile for him to catch her attention, but he finally did when he hosted a cheese making competition at the fair for the children. I suppose that must have made an impression on her, because after that, they were together. I believe they were married a year later, and a year after that, they had their son Arthur."

My eyes flitting around the room, I began to remember things I hadn't thought about it in years. I didn't believe they ever told me how they met or when they fell in love. Not once. Did I really never ask or were they more private than I remember? It had only been five years since their deaths, surely I would know more about them. I felt a familiar knot ties itself into my stomach. Perhaps if they weren't killed, perhaps if the Sheriff hadn't had our house burned that night, maybe I would have learned some of these things. Perhaps I would have gotten to know my mother and father better. Better than I thought I did.

"And the son - what was he like?" I tried to stop myself, but I couldn't. Not once since that night did I ever meet someone who knew them. No one that I met told me stories of them, because they didn't know them. I only had my memories. To meet someone who knew them well, who could speak so kindly of them, it awakened something in me. To come back to Nottingham, I was so unsure and though I would never admit it, scared. To hear someone say their names - their real names, I felt something that I couldn't place as being more sad or happy. I was glad Kole encouraged me to do this even only for this moment with Matilda.

She gave me a wondering look that was fleeting as she shrugged. "Like most boys, I suppose. Less stupid though. Boys and men tend to be quite stupid in my experience but not him."

I felt myself smile, surprised by her words but I wasn't sure why. Obviously, she had no trouble being blunt to me, an obvious noblewoman to her eye, so why should I be surprised how open she would be about her feelings on men?

She caught my smile apparently, a little twinkle seeming to dance in her eye for a moment before she moved on. "He was a good boy in all honesty. Very serious and grown up, it was hard to think of him as a child, to be honest. He was a good brother too - the way he treated his sister. I've never seen a boy who treated his sibling the way he did."

I stared off toward the window, thoughts of Arthur filling my mind and forming a lump in my throat. I forced any emotion taking its hold on me away as she continued. "Their daughter, my, what a beautiful little girl, she was. Red hair, green eyes - the spitting image of her mum. So much sweeter than her mother was as a child. She adored her brother too, I'm not surprised - those two were the sweetest children I've ever laid eyes on - apart from my Rosa, that is…But I admittedly was quite fond of the girl...you look just like her, you know? Like a grown-up version of her."

I looked back to find her staring at me, studying me with newfound interest. I felt my heart beat quicken and I fought the urge to look away, knowing it would tell her all it would need to for her to be onto me. I quickly thought of something to say, something to distract her. "What...what happened - exactly?"

I cursed myself for the question - I knew what happened, I didn't want to hear it again. And if I lost my composure, she'd be more suspicious than she already was. Fortunately, the question interrupted her earlier thought as she let out a deep sigh.

"Tragedy. The same tragedy that's been falling on folks around here since." She was silent, staring at me for a moment. "The Sheriff's wrath spares no one, does it? Especially good folks like the Lovels. Such a young family, too."

I was about to interject but she continued. "Valentine was openly critical of the Sheriff. Admirable but foolish - especially when he stood so much to lose. The Lovels weren't a wealthy family by any means, but they were better off than most around here and Valentine had a great deal of influence around here. Valentine sensed how bad things would get if the Sheriff remained and wanted to start an uprising against him. He spread the word around - the word got to the Sheriff too, I guess."

I always wondered why the Sheriff had targeted our family. So many years I'd spent awake at night, contemplating why us. Now I knew. My father. Unfortunately, nothing in my memory gave me a hint that my father would do that. He was always so gentle and passive; I'm not sure if he ever said a cursed word about the Sheriff; although, Mother did often. Did I even knew the people I called Mother and Father?

"I remember that night in September. I was awake that night nursing Jane, it was. She had a stomach ache she didn't want her husband knowing about, so I attended to her here. While I watched over Jane as she laid there in pain, My husband came in and told me there was a fire at the Lovels place. I hesitated to go but Jane insisted that she'd we be fine and she wanted to check on the family as well.

"It was awful - the fire. The whole house was aflame and no one dared even attempt to put it out as the Sheriff's men watched on with us. I've seen death many times in my life, but seeing that deliberate fire - it made me sick. It still makes me sick thinking about it."

Her eyes were on something behind me, a far away look in her eye. For a moment, I could almost forget my own pain as I seen the pain I felt reflected in hers. She truly did care for my parents. In that moment, I felt a connection with her I hadn't felt with anyone - even Kole. The idea of dropping this noble charade of mine and telling her everything was strong but I knew that I couldn't. I only just got here and I was already considering breaking character. Still, a thought lingered in my head- If I wasn't on this revenge plot, would I be close to Matilda? She gave me an odd sense of comfort not only from her relationship with my parents but in how she treated me and how she behaved. I only wondered if I could speak with her truthfully when all this was over.

She seemed to snap herself out of her trance, shaking her head. "Anyway, the Sheriff's men took the Lovels' bodies away after the fire and destroyed any evidence of who caused it even though they knew we knew." She shook her, her face tightening into an almost disapproving look.

Slowly, her eyes fell on me again as her forehead wrinkled and she furrowed her eyebrows together. "I never told anyone this, because the rumors were enough but Jane swore she saw the Lovel's girl run from the house. I'd like to believe her, but unfortunately, I think folks just wanted some happy ending to it and the idea of one of the children surviving gave them that."

My throat burned from me holding back the tears I felt like releasing. I thought back to where she found me and my discovery of the two graves. I cleared my throat to cover it from sounding hoarse. "The hill only had two graves - one for Rachel and one for Valentine. What about the son?"

Matilda shrugged. "Engraving the stones was expensive. It not that uncommon for children's graves not to be marked for poor folk, you know."

I felt my heart sink. I don't know why I even allowed myself to get on this line of thinking. Arthur was dead. Just like before, my whole family was dead. The familiar sick feeling reemerged in my stomach as I placed my hand on the table in front of me for support.

Suddenly, the sound of the door being swung open came from behind me, a female giggle following it. A woman with lighter, curlier hair than Matilda emerged from the door. She looked exactly how I envisioned Matilda did when she was young and almost exuding the confidence Matilda held about her as well. The woman had a bright smile on her face as her eyes landed on Matilda. "Mother, you won't believe it."

"The King has returned," Matilda replied sarcastically, leaning back in her chair as she looked at me.

Rosa, I assumed, was unphased. "No, but Robin has."

Matilda mouth opened, but no retort fell out as she stared at Rosa, stunned. "Robin? Earl of Locksley Robin?"

"Yes!"

Slowly, a smile formed on Matilda's face. "Well, that is good news, isn't it?"

Seizing my opportunity to leave before Matilda could question me, I stood to my feet and forced a smile toward Matilda. "Thank you so much for your hospitality, but I must go before it gets dark."

The smile that was on her face fell as she scrunched her eyebrows at me. "You are leaving now?"

I nodded quickly. "Yes, something would seem amiss if I arrived back too late."

She stared at me for a moment and chuckled. "You are an interesting noblewoman, you know that?" I shrugged, looking away from her determined brown eyes. She sighed loudly. "You're right, it will be dark soon. Rosa, can you get her a cloak?"

"Oh, you don't-" I began to protest as Matilda set her firm eyes on me once again.

"It's no trouble. Besides, if you get sick from walking outside in that, I'm going to have to pay you another visit."

Seeing her unwavering certainty, I gave her a weak smile. "Thank you."

Rosa brought me a brown cloak and helped wrap it around me. It was ragged and old but it certainly was warm. It'd do well in not drawing attention to myself as I walked through the streets back.

Matilda and Rosa both said their goodbyes to me and as soon as the door shut behind me, I walked fast and as tears began to fall down my cheeks for the second time that day. This was the second time I had cried in a long time.

I knew I shouldn't have come as it had only strengthened the feelings I had somewhat buried. It was inevitable though. My very presence here was enough to jog these emotions I had tried to ignore for years.

I needed to get ahold of myself. I couldn't go on like this. I couldn't cry everytime someone mentions my family or someone gets hurt. The plan wouldn't work if I did. The only way to rectify the deeds that had been done to my family was to kill the Sheriff, and in order to do that, I had to be strong - especially in the face of his terrors. Enough pitying the past, I needed to move forward. I was strong and I could do it.

Moving my thoughts away from my parents, I thought once more about the kindness Matilda showed me. She was much different than any woman I had met, but there was such a warmth and love to her I found hard to find in others. I envied how honest and bold she was; it felt as if she could read right through me. If my parents hadn't died perhaps I would have grown close to her. There I went again with those thoughts. I needed to get my mind off of them.

Matilda lived in Locksley which meant I only needed to cross through to Nottingham town and I would be back at the castle. It was odd how memories and directions seemed to come back to me immediately. As I made my way in the direction of Nottingham, I heard collection of shouting and noise coming from a building to my left - Locksley Tavern. I felt myself stop in my tracks as I stared as it wasn't dying down. I debated how I shouldn't, but my curiosity got the better of me and I wiped the leftover tears on my face and moved closer. After all, the sun still had some time before it would set - it didn't seem like a time to have so many people in the pub.

As I approached one of the windows, the aggressive shouting turned quickly into laughter and cheers. Narrowing my eyes as I looked in, I saw a group of men gathered around the back of the room, rumbling with laughter and chatter. The cause of their amusement seemed to be a young man, who currently was being dragged out of the tavern by two guards. The young man tried his best to squirm out of their grasps.

As soon as they were out of my sight, the door swung open to reveal them. I jumped, backing away a bit, but the three men didn't seem to notice me. Immediately, I heard the heavily accented, rough voice of the man. "Gents! How 'bout we just stop an' talk 'bout this a minute?"

"I think you've done enough talkin'," said the guard holding his right arm tight.

The man suddenly dug his heels into the ground, jerking the guards back at the sudden resistance. Taking the small opportunity, the man ripped his arms free from the two guards and turned my way and began running toward me.

His eyes immediately showed bewilderment the moment he saw me, and before he could even continue on his way, the guards grabbed him by his cloak and yanked him back. He fell backward onto the ground as he looked up at the two guards, who were now fuming with anger at his stunt.

His eyes fell on me once again. Bright, blue eyes. Bluest I'd ever seen. He was handsome enough, brown hair streaked with blond from the sun. Facial hair sprinkled above his lip and along with his jaw. He looked nothing like Kole, yet reminded me so much of him, and it felt like it was more than just him being a criminal.

Looking between the guard and me for a few seconds, the man quickly turned over so that he was on his knees and grabbed at the one guard's shirt. "Please, sir! Have mercy!"

"Let go of me!" the man shouted at him through gritted teeth. The guard pulled his foot back, ready to kick him, but the man's next words stopped him.

"Please! Not in front of me' wife!"

The words took me by surprise, and it took everything I could not to show it. I didn't know this man, yet here he was, bringing me into this. The guards' eyes flickered up to look at me.

The guard on his left was the first to react. "This is your wife?" he asked in disbelief.

"Carryin' our unborn child," the man added, glancing back at me with pleading eyes.

I wanted to help him, it reminded me of all the times Kole and I had done the same very thing. But I was supposed to be a noblewoman now, helping a peasant like this would be unquestionably peculiar. I was conflicted about whether I should involve myself or not. If I did help him, I'd have to stay away from these guards as much as I could; otherwise, they'd remember me for this. If I didn't do this, it'd be like not helping Kole, or Nik, or myself even.

The guard on the left came closer to me, looking me over carefully. Instinctively, I pulled the cloak tighter to me, masking my noble clothing underneath. "She don' look pregnant."

"We just found out," the man piped in quickly. The guard still with him had his eyes on me too, both thinking this over carefully. I wasn't going to say anything, it seemed the best option. I wouldn't deny this thief or whatever he was his chance at freedom, and if I ran into these guards again later on as a noblewoman, I could tell them I panicked and froze. Perhaps it would work itself out.

The guards may have been leaning towards letting him go, but that changed when the man made the wrong move. As the guard holding him stared at me, the man reached up, attempting to steal the pouch tied from the guard's waist. The guard noticed immediately and looked down at him angrily.

"Get up!" he shouted at the man, pulling him to his feet forcefully as he looked at the guard next to me. "C'mon, Stephen!" The guard turned around toward his friend and quickly grabbed the other man's arm as they walked back to the castle.

Despite myself, I couldn't help but smile at the man's stupidity. He may have gotten away with it, why did he have to ruin his only chance like that? Poor thing, but I supposed his punishment wouldn't be too severe. Even in Nottingham, you weren't hung for something as trivial as stealing. A night in a cell wouldn't be too bad.

I took one final look through the tavern's window to see that everyone had calmed down. A man was handing out multiple pouches of coins, carefully. I felt my jaw drop. Did the thief take that much before anyone noticed? I felt impressed, even Kole, the best thief I knew, wasn't that good.

Perhaps Gavyn wouldn't be my only ally here.