Chapter 7
20 minutes later I finally arrived into the part of the village which I left. Man it's harder finding a way back, then it is going there. I thought while shaking the leaves and small branches out of my hair and clothes. For some reasons nobody was running around carrying things, in fact there was nobody at all. It suddenly dawned on me when I remembered Mary telling me that there was going to be a festival today. So that's where they all went. Having nothing else to do, I decided to just walk around. Probably I would find someone around here.
"I see you've found the lake" a voice said from behind me. I jumped and spun around "Oh. It's just you, John. How do you know about the lake?"
"I know everything about Robin including the fact that he likes to swim in that lake, but don't tell him, he doesn't know that yet." He said smiling "Come let me take you to the festival." We started walking towards what I presume, was the center of the village.
"What is the festival for, anyways?" I asked
"We usually invite someone of a high ranking class, they join us and we eat, have fun. Then they leave us a present; something in return… for our services." He said smiling "Look, it's already started." He said pointing towards a long table, to my right, filled with all kinds of food. Bowls of fruit and plates of meat sat on the table along with jars of wine. A large roasted boar sat in the middle surrounded by boiled vegetables and an apple in its mouth. On one side of the table were chairs and people were already sitting in them. They were dressed in ragged clothes and had scowls on their faces. There was a fire close to where I was standing and someone was turning the roast deer around in circles. There was a large space in the middle and to my left there were many small tables that were also laden with food and surrounded by chairs. Men and women were seated and were all talking. A loud banging was heard and the crowd went quiet. Robin got up on the long table "Men, ladies" he turned to the five men dressed in rags sitting behind him "and of course, gentlemen" he bowed mockingly. "What shall we make these gents do, other than of course, feasting with us." He smiled.
A man called from the crowd "Make them stand on their heads!"
"No, the chicken dance!" another man called from the crowd.
"Make them juggle three mugs of ale!"
"I have a better plan!" roared John "Let's send them home horseless and dressed in rags! Besides they have already given us their fat bulging purses!" John laughed.
"Yes, that is what we shall do!" laughed Robin "Take them away!"
Several men got up and dragged the five men out of their chairs, taking each one of their arms. One of them shouted "You'll pay for this Hood!" but the crowd just roared in laughter. Robin turned around and held a cup in his hand "Let the celebration begin!" He said before drinking from it, and then jumped off of the table. "Alan! Music!" And some violins started fiddling a jumpy song.
John lead me to a seat at the edge of a table, just as I was about to sit down, a man came up to me. He bowed and said "Milady, Master Robin demanded that you sit by him."
"You can tell Robin, that if he wants me to sit by him, he has to come and ask me personally." I told him and John chuckled muttering something that I didn't catch. If Robin wants me to sit by him, he better come and ask me himself. I am not a silly girl to be commanded. I thought. I sat down and started a conversation with one of the ladies sitting next to me. I ate, I drank, I laughed and I watched a group of people dancing a very medieval styled dance. The night soon came and fires were lit everywhere, illuminating the forest in yellow. Robin came soon after the man told me the message from him and stood in front of me. It was obvious that he was already angry.
"Natasha." He said
I smiled mockingly "Yes Robin dear." I said with a hint of sarcasm in my tone.
"You didn't accept my invitation."
"And you didn't come and ask me yourself." I retorted.
He looked at me, still angry. "Then, will you come and sit by me?" he asked.
"Well Robin…" I said still smiling and put my hand on my chest "I can't."I sighed dramatically "I'm afraid you have come at the wrong time, because you have interrupted one of the most interesting conversations I had with Victoria here." I said motioning to the woman who sat beside me. She was looking at Robin and batted her eyelashes which was supposed to be in a very seductive way. Robin didn't even turn to look at her; he just kept on glaring at me.
"Then I will leave you to your conversation." He muttered before turning to walk away to the main table. He sat down and continued to glare at me.
I ignored his glare and just watched the strange medieval dance curiously. There was lots of jumping and twist and turns unlike the dances back at home. Here, I felt like I was at home. Like I belonged here. I never felt that way in my real home. I was always an outcast for some reasons, even in school nobody wanted to even sit close to me. I could stay here forever. I thought and smiled.
I was suddenly pulled from my thoughts when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see a dark-haired man smiling at me. "May I have this dance?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know how to dance." I replied embarrassed
"It's alright, I'll teach you, come." He said taking my hand and dragging me off to the area where people were dancing. I could feel Robin's eyes digging a hole into my back. After a short time I was jumping, clapping and laughing like everybody else.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Will, Will Scarlet" he said as he twirled me around. "You?"
"Natasha Crosswire."I said
"You know, you look just like a red rose budding in winter." He said smiling. I laughed as he spun me around. When I spun around the second time, somehow Robin ended up in Will's place. He had his arm wrapped around my waist and the other one in my hand, forcing me to continue the dance.
"Robin what are you doing?" I hissed, looked over his shoulder and saw Will at the edge of the dance ring, glaring furiously at Robin. I tried to break away from the dance but Robin kept clutching my waist and my efforts were useless. The song changed into a slower one and Robin and I still kept on dancing, not saying a word to another. He twirled me around.
"Natasha, I must apologize for my behavior" he said. I blinked not knowing what to say.
"I know I shouldn't have kissed you that night, it was very ungentlemanly of me." He continued. "May we start over?"
I looked at him, his eyes were filled with sadness. Should I or should I not? I thought. Ahhh! Decisions! So hard! A part of me wanted to say no but when I looked into Robin's eyes again, I changed my mind into saying yes. His eyes were filled with a genuine sadness, not like the type where you are sad for a moment just to get that someone to do something you want. I hadn't noticed that we stopped dancing. He then sighed and let go of me and started to walk away. I did something that I never thought I'd even have the courage to do. I quickly grabbed his hand. He turned around and looked into my eyes.
"Let's…" I said "Let's start over." His eyes instantly brightened and the next thing I know, I was enveloped in a hug. He let go and smiled before walking off into the direction he previously wanted to go. I turned around, slightly blushing because of the small gathering of people that had begun to form.
He turned out to be a decent guy after all. I thought smiling to myself. I quickly walked away back to Mary's house. Five minutes later I walked into the bedroom where I was staying and close the door. I saw something lying on my bed. The thing was wrapped in a paper. Without second thought I opened it, revealing a beautiful silver necklace with a dragon that curled into a circle and its eye was a dark red ruby. I put it on my neck and wondered who could have given me something like this.
Maybe it was from Robin. I thought. Probably this was some sort of a gift for accepting his apology or… I glanced at the paper that wrapped it, I picked it up and another small folded paper fell out of it. I took it and opened it. On the paper was written: for the one who holds my heart, my sweetheart, my dove.
I smiled now knowing that it was Robin who gave the necklace to me. Am I falling for him? I thought as I walked over to the window and opened it. I listened to the music that was still coming from the festival. A warm wind blew inside with the scent of roses. I looked down, on the window sill there was a dark red rose. I held it in it my hand, put it to my nose and took a deep breath. I looked back out the window and saw something white glimmer in the corner of my eye. I looked there but saw nothing but the darkness and the light of the full moon. I sighed and closed the window. I didn't know that Robin could be such a gentleman, maybe I should start being nicer to him. I lay down on the bed and fell asleep with the rose in my hand.
