Chapter six and no one is f-king reading this! Alright, I'll do this. I'll publish this on a Saturday night when the FFN server is full to capacity. Then someone will read it!
Starlight groaned as the pale light struck her cheek. She hauled herself up and examined her room. Her own clothes were strewn about and Amy was resting at the foot of her bed, all of her clothes save for her panties and bra taken off in a hurry, with a small dark cloud on the quilt next to her shut eyes.
She cried herself to sleep.
How miserable was this? They tried to help the poor people and ended up being the bad ones. Amy killed that guard and she ran off without a second thought. She ran away to protect herself and didn't even think about what they had done. They didn't even think about him when they arrived in her room. All they cared about was getting rid of the evidence and getting to sleep. Who does that? Is killing a man that easy? She collapsed under her own misery and let out a few good tears in her pillow. She cried for the poor devil whoever he was.
"Sun up!" A voice shouted down in the hollow. It was the white and light blue hedgehog. The others quickly got up. Tails was sleeping in Echo's bed while Echo slept in Star's. The crocodile, bumble, and chameleon, -whom they know knew as Vector Charmy and Espio- were sleeping on mats on the floor of the hill.
"Right then, what's first?"
"There are some things I need to get at my house." He walked towards the opening and the door went straight up.
"Come on then." He said, marching out. The others shrugged and followed suit. It was a long and twisting road to Locksley but Echo knew every inch of the forest. Of all of the outlaws, being an outlaw seemed to bother him the least. Quite astonishing seeing that he had almost certainly lost Starlight forever.
"I have a question." Tails said humbly. Echo turned and nodded.
"What is it?"
"What about Maiden Starlight?" Echo's grin turned to a frown. He looked back at the path. He'd never considered her for a moment until know.
"I didn't even think about her..." Echo sighed. Tails blinked several times, his mind turning like a gear.
"If you had, would you have done the same thing?" How Echo the hedgehog now wonders the same thing. His honor and his oath to King Sonic forbade him from standing idly by while three somewhat innocent men hung. Yet, in the dark and the cold of the Holy land, neither food nor fire kept his vitality blazing hotter than the memories of his true and constant lover. By becoming an outlaw he had lost all possible claim to Starlight. He could not see her, let alone marry her. Even meetings under the cover of darkness would be nearly impossible. He had, of course, no time to consider the consequences of his actions during the time allotted. But if he did so now, which would he pick. Would Echo the hedgehog be a fighter for Sonic, or a lover for Starlight? With whom did his true loyalties rest? Three years ago plus three years in the desert, and for all of the here and now, and with all promises of the hereafter, it seemed that providence himself was conspiring against this man!
But who was God to say he can't have both? Was he the all powerful? If he was, then he would surely help this hedgehog. And if he refused, then he was not really God. So Echo the hedgehog resigned himself onto that logic. He resolved from hence forth, to continue on his path in attempting to achieve through loyalty; love without the sacrifice of honor. He would do so -he decided with a smile to himself- without worrying about it.
They arrived at their destination and awakened Echo from his deep ponder. This was Locksley. The threadbare village was a ghastly vision of its former self. The center of town, which formerly functioned as a gathering space for the exchange business and information, was now an empty hill sporting a well at its top. No signs of intelligent life. The rest of the village held farms, shops, and houses. The farms were almost as barren as the hill. The shops were almost empty of wares but even more disturbing; they were totally empty of shoppers. The houses seemed dark and there were no children playing outside. There was so little sound. There was so little movement. It was as if time here just slowed down. It was as if the sun turned dim and cold; weary of looking down at this depressing sight. Echo turned his head away.
"My inheritance..." He whispered. "My father's land..." He stood up. The others looked at him.
"It's been like this ever since the tax men came-th." Vector sighed.
"All of the villages: like this." He got up swell. The others decided to stand. Tails looked back at the main road leading to the city. A group of horsemen were riding in.
"Search the main house! Then go to the cottage! Find him!" The red echidna rode into view barking orders to his men. They entered the largest house; Locksley Hall. It also happened to be Echo's home.
"Get this month's taxes while you're at it." He seethed, seeing the people come out of their holes. One man implored them.
"Have pity! It's not even the day to collect the taxes! We're not ready!" Knuckles sneered.
"If they have no money, take food, clothes, or women if you have to." The men happily obeyed his orders. Echo sneered.
"We have to stop him." The bandits looked at the madman as if he had snakes crawling out of his ears.
"We can't! There are dozens of them, and only about 5 of us, we'll never make it!" The bumble yelped. Echo looked back at the village.
"I have a plan. Look. They have no bows." The men searching Locksley Hall left and assisted with the collection.
"Indeed they don't." Tails replied.
"So what?" The chameleon was uninterested.
"They only have short ranged weapons." Echo told them. "Shoot anyone who comes near me." He told them, and then he ran out from their excellent cover words the town. With his bow slung over his back he waltzed into town. The men saw him and backed off of the villagers, forming a rectangle directly ahead of him.
"Hello Taxy." Echo cheerfully directed towards Knuckles of Gisborne. The great echidna scowled.
"How dare you enter this village you scoundrel!"
"Since when is a man called a 'scoundrel' for walking into his own village?"
"As soon as he loses all rights to property and inheritance upon becoming an outlaw!" He dismounted. Echo laughed.
"You're the tax collector then?"
"Aye." He pointed his sword at the hedgehog.
"Guards! Kill him!" Several men rushed forward, only to meet their death at the end of an arrow to the heart, each. Echo's smile fell slightly along with the 4 cold men to the ground. Knuckles looked about to see the source of the fire. Echo laughed.
"My men are invisible." He liked that line. Knuckles however did not.
"You're coming with me hood!" 'Hood': slang for an outlaw.
"That's Echo Hood!" He shouted, pulling out another canister of flash powder. Knuckles charged but the can was dropped Echo Hood was gone.
"Starlight?"
"What is it?" She groaned, waking up. She'd spent the morning sleeping and dreaming of dark and dusty things. It was almost a relief to be awake.
"The sheriff is furious." She said pale faced. She stood at the foot of her bed, fully dressed, and looking terrified.
"He's put a massive bounty on 'The Night Watchman'." Starlight blinked.
"Who?"
"That's what they called us. Apparently I wasn't seen. That or we weren't seen together." Amy nodded.
"He requests everyone's presence. He said..." Tears began to choke her. Starlight came down and put an arm around her.
"After a while I thought we were safe but then a witness came up and shadow says he knows who The Night Watchman is!" She cried. Starlight hugged her maid. This was a bitter situation.
Echo used the distraction to sneak into the house. The first thing he did was grab all of the hidden valuables and put them into a sack. He barely had time to do so before the house was invaded a second time. He ran up the stairs as they searched the first floor. He hid in a cavity built at the top of the stairs. Between the top of the first floor and the bottom of the second floor were 50 inches of space. Echo hid in this emergency cavity as the men searched the house. Once they were gone and left the village to search the forest, Echo got up and went outside.
The villagers starred at him.
"Thanks to you the taxman hates us!" Someone shouted.
"Just go away!"
"We don't want trouble!" Echo rose a hand.
"Do not worry. I will take care of you." He walked towards he well and stepped on the rim.
"When I was a boy my father had a few very successful years. He stored some money right here in case the village ever needed it." He began to tap the wood of the roof and found a nook.
"Give this out equally. Larger families get larger shares." He said, taking out a large sack of gold and tossing it at the crowd. They looked at it stunned, and then they looked at him.
"Echo Hood..." He nodded.
"I will protect you. Just call on me." He smiled at them assumingly. He then turned to the forest and signaled for his men to come down. They did so and the crowd began to cheer. The bandits appeared shocked. No one had ever applauded them before!
"Help me with these beds." He told them. Victor nodded and walked twords the house. With ease he pulled out and carried one of them over his head and walked towards the forest. Echo laughed.
"We'll have use for him!" He sat down on his porch. The others sat next to him. Tails spoke up.
"You never answered my question. What about Starlight?" Echo sighed, closing his eyes and bending his head back.
"I'll see her again.." He assured himself as well as his constant friend. "..when the king returns."
Starlight and Amy walked in a trance down the endless halls of the castle. They soon arrived at the main gathering hall and entered. It was gray flag stone with gray flagstone walls and a long wooden table topped with flagstones. The architect was a madman.
"You called?" Starlight's voice cracked. The sheriff, who stood in the middle of the hall did not move.
"You have heard, no doubt, that a treacherous villain has appeared." Shadow's voice boomed. They nodded weakly.
"Well at noon I received an anonymous tip from a castle maid in exchange for 2 florins. The Night Watchman was seen leaving the scene of the crime and entered-" He turned on his heel and pointed to Starlight.
"Your chambers!" The hedgehogs winced.
"Of course you were in bed by this time...but the same can't be said for your servant."
"No!" She hugged Amy tightly.
"Amy Rose. You are hereby charged with the murder of a castle guard."
"NO!" The hedgehogs hugged each other tightly, neither one wanting to let go. Several guards had to pry them apart to take Amy to her cell.
"I'm sorry Starlight. But this is justice." Starlight dried her tears only to catch a last glimpse of Amy as she was taken around the corner.
Well now, 'Cause and Effect' I think will be a perfect name for the next few chapters. Please Read and Review this story. If no one reviews I think no one is reading. And that makes me sad.