Hi guys, sorry it has been so long since I updated this story. There seems to be no time in the world somedays. But here is a chapter, enjoy.

As the week went on things went as usual, we helped the people in need, ran from Sheriff and his men, and got a bigger price put on our heads. Finally we got to rest. After coming back to our camp after running from guards we all fell asleep. I was dozing in and out of sleep when I heard one of Robin's arrows hit wood.

"I knew you'd be like this." Much said unhappily as he yanked the arrow out of the wood above him, "if you're so bothered about the archery competition."

"I'm not!" Robin answered cutting him off.

"If you're so worried," Much continued, "we could always have a completion here."

"I don't want to be in the archery completion! Even if there is a silver arrow for the winner." Robin exclaimed firing another arrow with on it. I ducked as it landed in the wood next to me, then another near Allan waking him up.

"Just as well, cause by the time we've done a little hunting and had ourselves a decent feast, there'll be no time to go to Nottingham and get ourselves hanged!" Much said making a point. Robin started to shoot arrows at a bell high up on a tree. He laughed hitting it every time. Suddenly Will came running down a slope over to us, "the trap worked, we caught one, a car. Let's go! Let's go!" Will said beckoning us to hurry. I jumped up grabbing my sword, we followed Will to the forest where a wagon was caught, the driver was straining trying to push the cart out of the trap. He looked up as we surrounded our bows aimed at him. Sighing he tossed a small pouch to the ground, "here, it's all I have of value, take it." Much went over and opened it, he held it up, it was a small thick round piece of glass with iron surrounding the edge.

"Pretty, not very appetizing." He said. The sound of moaning came from the covered cart, the driver lifted his head back sighing.

"Livestock?" Robin asked.

"Take one." He said, "let me on my way, they'll work for ya, they understand simple commands." Robin went over to the cart and lifted the cover off, the cart was full of Turk men.

"New men for the sheriff's mine." The driver continued. I lowered my bow slightly looking at the men covered in dirt.

"Slaves?" Much asked. The driver had sat down by a tree, Robin had given him wine to keep him occupied.

"I never thought I'd see this again." Much said standing with Allan and I, "outrages. Disgrace. Trading people."

"Would you like some more whine?" Robin asked the driver giving him another pouch of it then walked over to us.

"I'm not being funny," Allan said, "you brought us here for a picnic?"

"We need him." Robin said, "he's our way into the mine."

"There is no way into the mine." Much said.

"We are going to stop this. This is a gift." Robin explained, "we are going to close the mine once and for all. We will stop this human trafficking." He finished and walked back over to the driver. The driver stood laughing, "I thought you were going to slit me throat, or worse." He said taking another swig of wine.

"We don't do throat slitting. It's too messy." He said shaking his head, "now you've eaten, I would like to feed your prisoners."

"Not meat, it makes them spirited see." The driver told Robin, "oh and keep your distance, don't let them breath on ye. Disease." He said, I glanced at him.

"Some of our soldiers dropped dead after getting to close." He continued.

"Dropped dead?" Will asked who was standing close to the cage.

"Aye, one each stood there strong as you the next, brains dripping from their nostrils." He talked slower then laughed. Will glanced at them.

"Water, that will do 'em." The driver said, "they had some scraps earlier." Robin tossed Will a pouch of water, "there used to be a decent living made out of selling folk." I glanced at the driver, "then the Pope goes and bans trading Christians. Thank heavens King Richard likes his wars abroad." He took another drink of wine. Robin glanced at him, I saw how close he was to hitting him, instead he turned back to the cage, "Will," he said to Will who had not given the people water, "they need water."

"Yeah, on it." He said with uncertainty looking at the prisoners. Robin walked over to him, and started to reassure him about the disease.

"Is that true?" Allan asked. I shrugged, "I never heard of it." Suddenly Robin kissed Will on the cheek, "you are a genius." He said then called John over, "have a drink with our friend."

"Okay, what is going on?" Allan asked.

"Pay attention and you might get some answers." I said.

"Haha." He laughed sarcastically.

"There is something is the forest I need to find, and I need time." Robin said quietly, "if he loses consciences, so be it." John trudged back over to the driver then looked back a Robin, "no consciences?" He asked. Robin nodded, John smiled at the driver then knocked him in the head with his staff. He smiled turning to us taking a sip to the drink.

"Well done John." Allan said. Robin went in search for what he was looking for, while the rest of us tied the driver to the front of the cart. We sat around it as Robin showed us what he had found in the forest. Much was looking at the peculiar plant root, it was a pale yellow and twisted.

"We need to get rid of the guards at the mine." Robin said, "one of you has to travel in the cage as a prisoner." John sighed.

"We need a man on the inside, to start the rumor of Terk Flu!" Robin exclaimed.

"I volunteer." Much said looking at Robin.

"Yes, Much! Thank you." Robin nodded.

"Allan." Much said handing the root to him. Robin laughed looking down. Allan looked at it aims smelled it, "and what, I eat this, do I?" He asked.

"No, don't eat it, just chew it." Robin exclaimed, "there is nothing to fear." Robin did his best to reassure us. I scoffed lightly and took the plant and looked at it.

"Once the guards believe the prisoners have a disease, they'll run for their lives!" Robin said standing.

"Oh, surely only the stupidest among them is going to fall for it. I mean Terk Flu." Much said to him.

"They're all stupid." I said handing the plant back to Allan. He laughed lightly smiling.

"People fear what they don't understand, Will proved that point." Robin said. Will perked up, "I wasn't scared." He said. John laughed, as did the others, I smiled not being able to help it.

"Will, if even you had doubts, the sheriff's men, they'll be a pushover." Robin said still trying to convince us. "It will never work!"Much said, "I have another suggestion, instead of relying on the sheriff's men being as stupid as-" he had opened the bag that the glass object was in and waved it around as he talked, suddenly a person from the cart grabbed his hands, "hey! Let go!" He said fighting for it.

"It mine!" Said the person, "stolen!"

"You speak English?" Robin asked. We all walked towards the cart. Suddenly there was a soft whistle from the bushed as Allan came into view, "found something." The driver stirred awake only to be hit in the face by John again. We all followed Allan to side of the road, except for Much who stayed with the cart. Where we were was risen by rocks and hidden by trees and plants. A coach came down the road carrying two people

"You're not gonna like this Robin, but I think that's Marian in Gisborne's coach." Allan said. He was right.

"She must be going to Nottingham, for the Sheriff's fair." I said. Robin sighed and hung his head for a moment, then looked up, "let's go. We have to destroy those mines." He turned and started to walk back to the cart.

"Have you ever been to one of those events?" Allan asked. I nodded, "I was suppose to appear at this one." I said, "my father even had a dress made for me." I said a bit quieter.

"A dress?" He asked looking at me in surprise, "you in a dress?" He laughed.

"Oh shut up, will you?" I asked glancing at him.

"If you wear a dress." He said snickering. I rolled my eyes sighing.

"All right, all right." He said, "I'll stop teasing."

"Thank you." I said. He laughed lightly and grabbed my hand holding it. I looked down at it, then back up at him, he was holding back laughter.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing, just picturing you in a dress." He said laughing. I sighed hitting him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" He exclaimed. I smiled slightly.

"Allan." Robin said, "go get Much, we have work to do." Allan nodded and went off to fetch Much. There was a short yelp from Much. Allan and him came back to us. He tied Bricker up to the cart while we dug it out of the trap, Robin hopped on one of the horses and started to drive it to the mines. The rest of us walked behind the the cart.

"So can I hold your hand now?" Allan asked from beside me.

"What?" I asked.

"Can I hold your hand?" He asked again, "it's just that last time I did, you hit me with it." I smiled looking down at the ground, "yeah, I guess you can." I said. He smiled and took my hand in his. For once I didn't feel like I had to be on alert, I felt: safe. Robin stopped the cart when we got to the mine area, we stood off a ways, so they couldn't see us.

"Left, left, left." Said a guard. Guards did drills as the sheriff watched. I saw my father standing there, his arms crossed.

"We send broker in." Robin said explaining the plan, "when the Sheriff and Gisborne leave for Nottingham, Allan does his thing, and then we strike." He then went over and talked to the Bricker, "now, this is what we do, you sell your prisoners to the sheriff just as you planned, Allan will be right behind you disguised as a prisoner." Robin said pointing to him, "if you give us away, be warned we may have to review our policy on throat slitting."

"Fire!" John shouted suddenly running to the back of the cart. We ran to the back, the rope binding the door to the cart. Much saw it and gasped, "punishment from God! It's all my fault!" He exclaimed, "oh! I am sorry lord! I believe I really do!" He yelled to the sky. Will quickly pulled the rope from the door. The prisoner who spoke English started to, push the door open. John held it closed glaring at him.

"Much will you shut up." Allan said as Much kept calling up to God.

"How did you light that fire?!" Robin demanded.

"Let us go!" He shouted.

"We are trying to help you!" Robin responded.

"You've stolen us to give to another. You're no better than him!" He argued.

"Let me explain please!" Robin pleaded, "then if you do not wish to help us, then you are free to go, you have my word." They were silent.

"What is your name?" Robin asked the boy.

"Djaq." He answered.

"Djaq." Robin said, "we will help you escape. But if you leave now, the sheriff will still need more men for the mines. More prisoners will arrive next month, people like you. We are going to destroy the mine but we need your help."

"How will you help us escape?" Djaq asked.

"The sheriff will pay for you. We will give you the money and we will, guide you to the people who will,find you a safe passage to, the port." Robin explained.

"You made us the enemy, and now you play protector, and ask for our help?" Djaq asked irritated. Robin looked down then opened the cage, "let them decide, if you want to take your chance with freedom now, then go." One of the other prisoners spoke to Djaq in a foreign language.

"What'd he say?" Allan asked. Robin shrugged.

"He said that if you do not let us go, he will kill you." Djaq said. Allan glance around. Robin laughed, "that's not what he said. He said Salla, that means pray." Robin looked at the man who spoke, "is that what you want to do, wash and pray? And then will you help us, please?" We let them go to wash a pray, John watched the horses, Much and Robin watched the Sheriff and his guards while I helped Allan disguise himself as a prisoner.

"I need your sword, bow, cape, vest and over shirt, and here are some white pants for you to wear." I said holding up a pair of white dirty pants.

"What did you do? Roll them in dirt?" He asked setting his sword and bow on the ground, them removing his vest and over shirt, giving them to me. I hung them on one of the trees around us.

"Yep." I answered. He took the pants and put them on over the ones he already had, "how do I look?" He asked.

"Here." I said and tossed dirt at his shirt.

"Oi!" He half shouted, "what was that for?!"

"You're a prisoner of war. You need to be dirty." I said and tossed more dirt at him.

"Is that right?" He asked and bent down picking up a handful of dirt and tossing it towards me.

"Hey!" I cried dodging the dirt the best I could. He laughed and threw more at me.

"Okay, fine." I said laughing and picked up more dirt throwing it at him. He came forwards and grabbed me by the waist swinging me around the dirt falling from my hands. He stopped the both of us laughing. We stopped when we noticed how close our faces were together. I looked at him slowly, I inhaled softly. He moved his face closer slightly, I looked down letting out a deep breath, I felt his gaze drop also.

"Let's go!" I heard Robin call. Allan dropped his arms and glanced at me again. I gave him a pale cloth, "wrap this around your head, like the others. It will be harder for them to recognize you that way." He nodded, he grabbed his belongings and we headed back to Robin. Allan got into the cart, the driver was untied, and the plan was set into action. We watched as the cover was taken from the cages, the prisoners were drawn out and put into shackles. Suddenly a boy with short brown hair came into our view near where we were waiting. Robin quietly went up and grabbed him covering his mouth and pinning him to the grind out of sight.

"Who are you?" He asked. Much and I joined Robin.

"I'm Rowan son of Dunn, and I'm gonna kill Gisborne." He said fighting to get up. I sighed upon hearing what he was trying to do. Robin pushed him back down, "if you do that now, the mine will stay open, you will sabotage our plan, and you will put one of my men's life in danger."

"I can't let him get away!" Rowan screeched attempting to get up again.

"If the Sheriff or Gisborne dead would help Nottingham, I'd have killed the, months ago." Robin said pushing Rowan back down. I glanced at him after what he said.

"But they deserve to die!" Rowan fought against Robin.

"Would you rather see them lose the things that mean the most to them?" Robin asked.

"Like what?" Rowan asked.

"The mine, it their power, their wealth, if we destroy that, they will lose everything." Robin said. Rowan nodded, carefully Robin let him up, he dusted off his clothes. He looked up and saw me.

"You…" Rowan said and ran towards me, "you!" He shouted and swung his fits at me, I ducked out of the way, but still felt his fist hit my jaw. Much and Robin grab him, "hey!" Robin shouted. I rubbed my jaw and straighten up.

"I should just kill you, take away all that he loves." Rowan spat.

"Rowan!" Robin snapped making him stop struggling, Robin looked at him, "Ardwin left her father and the sheriff, and stopped three men from being hung. She is not like her father." Rowan nodded stiffly. Robin and Much let him go slowly. He took a glance at me then turned his back.

"Robin!" Will shouted, "their gone!" At that we all ran down to the mines.

"Hey!" John yelled to Bricker who was trying to escape. Allan had him by the legs.

"John!" Robin shouted, "keep him conscious." He ordered. Will, Much and I went to work setting the fires.

"Robin, Robin," Allan said, "what is this stuff? It taste weird."

"You'll be fine as long as you don't swallow it," Allan said, I looked up from the sticks I was preparing for the fire to see Allan make a disgusted face as he swallowed the root.

"I said don't swallow it!" Robin said urgently.

"Robin, what is that's stuff gone do to him?" I asked.

"He'll be fine," he told me, then looked back to Allan, "you'll be fine. Light fires!" Robin commanded, "around those beams and inside."

"Let me light 'em, I'll burn this place to the ground." Rowan said.

"I don't think so, we'll do that." Much said coming over towards him.

"No," Robin said, "let Rowan, for his father." Everything calmed down a bit after all the preparations for the fires were done. John held Bricker by his staff. Robin took the money from him.

"Can I not keep the money?" He asked. Robin looked at him" "you are a despicable heartless soulless slave trader, you are lucky to be escaping with your life."

"That's a no." Much said from where he was kneeling over a wood pile.

"Now go." Robin said.

"Go?" John asked. Robin nodded. John tugged his staff out from under the arms of Bricker and pushed him away. Bricker glared at Robin then took off running.

"You're letting him free?" Much asked standing, "master surely he will run straight to the sheriff of Nottingham, and then he and Gisborne will get on their horses…" Much trailer off as Robin nodded.

"So, you get to go to your fair after all, when they come here." I said. He nodded again, "as much as it saddens me to drag Gisborne away from his wooing."

"Gisborne's wooing?" Rowan asked.

"Yes, Marian." Robin answered walking over to Arabs. Allan walked over to me, "so, how's my acting look?" He asked.

"Pretty nice." I answered, "scared 'em good." Allan smiled then caught sight of the small bruise on my cheek, "what happened?" He asked touching my cheek lightly.

"Hit it on a tree." I answered moving my cheek away slightly.

"Must have been some tree." Allan said. I could tell by his tone he didn't believe me.

"Much?" Robin asked, "what's going on with the pilot fire?"

"I'll do it." Will said and started to hit a rock against his ax. The rest of us followed Robin who had started to walk towards the road.

"Well I think we deserve an outing to Nottingham with such smooth and successful operation. In fact, apart from Allan's ingestion of a certain plant root-"

"Which will do what to me exactly?" Allan asked.

"I would say today has gone without-"Robin was cut off my a harsh snapping sound and John fell through the ground.

"John! John!" Robin shouted dropping to the ground. John covered in dirt looked up towards us before falling unconscious.

"When are we going to burn the mine?" Rowan asked, "the sheriff will be coming!"

"We can't leave till we rescued John!" I said shaking my head.

"I'm going down there." Robin said standing.

"To do what? Get stuck down there with him?" Allan asked.

"To help him!" Robin snapped.

"We broke up the ladders for fire wood!" Much exclaimed.

"If we can't pull him up-" Allan began before being cut off my Robin, "he could be bleeding to death!"

"Maybe he can't just breath properly." Will guessed.

"So he suffocates! Would that suit you better?!" Robin demanded.

"This isn't suiting anyone Robin! Calm down we need to think." I said.

"We need to get him out!" Robin snapped.

"I'll go down there." Djaq said from behind Robin. We all looked at him, "you need someone smaller." He continued.

"You won't be able to lift him. Thank you but-" Robin started.

"I'll help him lift himself." Djaq said.

"He could be bleeding!" Robin spoke.

"Or suffocating! I heard! My father was a physician!" Djaq responded.

"Oh great." Allan said, "my father was a blacksmith, that doesn't mean I can make a horse shoe." Robin sighed thinking. Djaq threw his hands up in the air turning away.

"No!" Robin said grabbing his arm, "Djaq wait! Is there something you can do?"

"I can stop the blood, bring him round." Djaq explained.

"Then do it." Robin said.

"I need silver. Look over there, there must be some along with the iron ore." Djaq said.

"What?" Allan asked, "now he wants paying?"

"Traces of silver, not coins and water quickly." Djaq said.

"Do as he says." Robin said to us. We quickly split up and looked for silver.

"Sorry Lord. I will fast for a day, and night, just let us get him out." Much pleaded while looking.

"Silver mixed with this acid, together they make a liquid. Stop the bleeding. You don't need to understand." Djaq explained to Robin.

"It's witchcraft." Allan said as Djaq mixed the silver and water with the acid.

"Just because we don't understand it?" I asked, "he trusts us, we need to trust him." Allan looked at me weirdly. I diverted my gaze.

"Just drop the second line." Robin ordered.

"Lower me down." Djaq said.

"I'm not being funny, we should have gone after Brooker." Allan said as we gathered the ropes, "we would have told the sheriff by now." We all stood holding the rope and lowered Djaq down.

"Three days, three nights, I swear not a morsel will cross my lips." Much said, "just get us out of this." I stood with Allan being ready to pull John up. After a few moments we heard Djaq's command to pull them up. We waited for John to grab the rope, I looked to my right as horses approached.

"Master! The sheriff! What do we do?!" Much cried as we began to pull John up.

"Come on John!" Robin shouted, "Come on John, come on, almost there." Robin let go of the rope as John grabbed the ground and helped him up. Allan and I grabbed his arms helping him to the forest. Jack and the others ran into the forest, Much and Will soon followed, "get to the trees! Go run!" Much shouted.

"Where's Robin?" I asked.

"He said he was going to take care of it." Will answered. While waiting in the forest I heard the Sheriff yelling about the fire.

"Never, forget the outlaws!" Robin shouted before coming into the forest. John was leaning on a tree breathing heavily. Allan was dressing back into his normal clothes.

"Where are the others?" Robin asked.

"Gone." Djaq answered.

"Hey, Rowan will be sorry he missed the blaze." Allan said.

"Him?" Djaq asked, "he has gone to take revenge on his enemy."

"But Gisborne's here." Robin said.

"His women. To rare his heart out by killing his women." Djaq again answered.

"But Ardwins right here." Robin said again.

"Yeah, and I'd like to see him try." Allan said protectively.

"So, he doesn't have a women." Robin said, then his face went pale, "Marian." Robin took Much and Will to Nottingham, Djaq went to find her friends, while John, Allan and I went back to the camp. John cleaned his face, I started to cook some food, Allan had started to feel the effect of the plant root he swallowed. John eventually had to tie him up to a tree, he started to sweat, his face paled, and he began to make no sense. Soon the others came back to the camp as John and I finished our small snack.

"Him," John spoke pointing to Allan, "gone." He told Robin. Allan groaned and grumbled as they passed. Robin laughed, "no food or drink for one night. And then he'll be fine." Robin said. I went over and ribbed Allan's neck and it seemed to calm him.

"Ah, just as well," Much began, "seeing as there is so little food left." He reached for the bowl of food John had.

"Hey!" He snapped.

"Your fasting too." Robin said, "you made a promise, to God."

"You don't know it was him who got us out." Much said. I rolled my eyes, Allan confined to gag and groan again.

"We might have gotten out of there anyway, and if it was him, there would have been a sign. And there was no sign, so I am going to build a fire, cool some food, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop me." Much went on to gather some wood and got ready to light a fire. Suddenly a ray of light showed through the air and onto the pile of wood. Suddenly it caught fire, I saw Robin contain laughter, I followed his gaze to see Djaq hiding behind a rock.

"Ah! A sign!" Much exclaimed as the wood was lit, "which means I have to fast." He said slowly. Djaq then threw down a rabbit to him.

"Looks like God wants me to eat…" Much said with a chipper tone, looking up to the sky, then Djaq threw down another rabbit, "looks like god wants me to eat a lot!" Much exclaimed again. I smiled.

"Djaq, come down and join us." Robin called. Djaq stood from his hiding place, and started to come down, "for good?" He asked.

"Well, I was thinking just for dinner, but…" Robin said.

"I was thinking for good." Djaq said, "perhaps I should have let your big friend here die? Then there was have been a vacancy."

"It wouldn't be safe for you, to join us." Will said. I looked back at him confused.

"For us or for him?" Robin asked.

"For her." Will answered. John looked at Djaq in surprise. Robin smiled, "I figured as much. What's your name?" He asked, "your real name."

"Safiya." She answered, "but I prefer Djaq."

"Djaq, well you did help to save little John's life." Robin answered, "for which we will be internally debated… Does anyone have any objects to another women joining the gang?" He asked. I shook my head and slowly saw the others do the same. Allan started to groan again.

"Can you?-" Much asked pointing to the fire.

"I'm a rubbish cooker." She said quickly. Much nodded slowly, "ah, well it looks like we're cooking dinner then." Robin said and sat by John. Djaq looked around nervously. I got up, "here, we should get you someplace to sleep. We have extra supplies for a tent." She follows me and helped me set up a covered bed. Just as we finished it thundered and poured down rain.

"Much!" We all shouted. John helped me put up a cover over Allan. After that was done we all took cover and slept. But there was a dark curtain growing in the castle, the Sheriff was not yet done with his scheming.

There you guys have it chapter 9. Hope you guys liked it, and I was wondering if anyone had ideas about scenes between Adrwin and her father? I would like to put more of those in, but not really know how, so if you guys have any ideas about anything really, I'd love to hear them.!