~ Sherwood Forest ~
~ The Outlaws' Camp ~
Days seemed like weeks when living in the forest, on what I classed as 'house-arrest'. The Sheriff needed to know that I was no longer here, maybe then he'd stop the searches, but until then I was forced to stay back at the camp, unable to go anywhere for risk of exposure. And though the outlaws were great company, I could not be more bored. Because at least while I was living with Matilda there was something for me to do each day, here there was nothing. Well, except for helping Much with the food of course. All I seemed to do was eat, talk, and sleep, then repeat it the next day. It was so infuriating, but I didn't tell the others, they were trying to help and I was very grateful for that, but I really needed something to do. I'd even gone as far as to try and clean up, but it seemed Much had already gone and done it, the man really was like another female in the group. Still, there wasn't much to do, and it was becoming more and more harder to take.
It was the morning after the groups' attempt on the Sheriff's strong-room when I said anything at all. They'd all gotten some good sleep though, they deserved it after their night spent snooping the castle for the room. And now that they were wide awake and chatting, I knew I had to say something. Because it would be better to take a risk and ask than to stay silent and seem fine with it all, when really all I wanted to do was take off running. Not away of course, just into the forest, to climb or do something to pass the time, because it only seemed to be making me very cranky, and I didn't want to risk snapping at the outlaws, I'd never forgive myself if I did.
"So, what's the plan today? Rest?" Much hopefully questioned, chewing on some bacon.
"No, we need to figure out a way to break into that strong-room. Marian told me that the Sheriff has a small gambling party planned, all that money will go straight into the strong-room. We just have to find a way to get in without being hurt." Robin told him, leaning against the make-shift wall, eyes narrowed in thought.
"Actually I've been thinkin' about that one." Will piped up, earning everyone's attention.
"You have some ideas?" Robin asked.
"No, but I know a man who might. And I know where he lives, it's worth a shot, right?"
Robin nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "I suppose it is. Well, hurry an' eat up lads."
The others seemed to speed up their eating, practically shoving the food down their throats, and I knew it was time to ask. Even if it wasn't that far, anything was better than staying in the camp - again. I don't think I could take another day of nothing, of staying in one place, if it didn't drive me mad now it definitely would tomorrow.
"Robin?" I asked, earning a nod from the now-listening outlaw. "Can I come?"
"You sure you wanna do that Prim?" Allan asked, the others having heard my question as well. "I mean, you could get caught."
"Either I come, or one of you stay behind. Look, I'm grateful that you're helping me, I am. But it's been days now, I haven't been outside of the camp except to do... certain business. It's driving me mad, please let me come with you. Only to meet this man and that's the last thing I'll ask, just let me get out of this camp." I begged, tilting my head.
It seemed as though they were all considering it, having a small debate on whether or not to bring me. So, I decided to do anything possible to get out, even though I knew I'd regret it later.
"If you let me go, I'll tell you where I've hidden the will." That caused a few raised eyebrows.
"Prim, we're not saying 'no' to you. You don't have to tell us where the will is, we'll let you come, I think you've been here long enough anyway." Robin replied, shrugging his shoulders.
I sighed in relief. Thank god.
"But you have to stay close, we can't risk losing you." He added.
"Robin, I'm a Princess, not a five year old, I think I can follow you through the forest without any problems. And if it means that much to you I'll walk in the middle, some of you behind me while some stay in front."
"Can I go at the back?" Allan asked, smirking to himself as he raised a hand.
"Allan!" Much exclaimed, horrified while I was amused. "She is the Princess."
"So? Don't mean I need to stop flirtin' now does it?"
"It's fine Much," I reassured. "I'm used to his advances, he's been going at it for weeks, so why should he stop now."
"Anyway," Robin said, attempting to change the subject, though he seemed a little amused with the conversation. "Yes Prim, you may come."
I smiled and nodded, sighing in relief as I leaned back against the beam.
~...~...~...~...~...~
"Will," The blind man said, gently touching the outlaws face. "Still passionate, but angry."
"Lots to be angry about." Was Will's reply.
"True, and your skills, you're using them, not wasting them?"
"I'm with Robin Hood."
"Good," The man - Steven, nodded in approval. "That is a relief."
I watched the scene from my spot near the back wall, to Allan's right and John's left. Not that I'd ever say it, but I had my doubts about this. Will had told us how this man was one of the best, that he'd taught his father, and had even been the teacher of the makers of the strong-room, who had been killed a few hours before we'd come here apparently. But he was blind, and I had nothing against him because of it, but how was he to help them?. They planned to break into the room, dodge every dangerous obstacle in there, so how was a blind man supposed to teach them how?. But like I said, I wouldn't ever speak up, voice my thoughts, I'd sound a little shallow if I did.
Djaq slowly raised a small box on the table when the man's staff appeared in front of her face.
"Do not touch that, please."
"I have seen this type of work before, it is Persian, no?" The Saracen curiously questioned.
"It was my wife's." Steven replied, causing Djaq to immediately put the box back. "The men who died had family's, wives and children, I want them to be taken care of."
"They will be, you have my word." Robin swore. "But if there's anything you can tell us, anything that they told you."
"Look," Allan said, moving away from the wall and approaching the man. "I'm not bein' funny, we've seen this death-trap in action right? An' now we're gonna take advice from a blind-man?"
In a split-second, said blind-man managed to knock Allan down onto his back, using only his staff - I hadn't even seen him move.
"When a man loses his sight, he finds compensation in all the senses that remain." Steven told him, holding out a hand to help an annoyed-looking Allan to his feet.
Once up the outlaw left, leaving the others very amused and me a little curious. But I shook it off, he'd just been knocked down by a man without sight, it was a little embarrassing to be fair. Though I had to admit, he'd been a little off for a while now, since the day he'd been beaten to be more specific. But for now I ignored it, there was more pressing matters at hand.
"I do not intend on joining your mission, but I might be of assistance in planning it." Steven told Robin.
"Yea, but what can you possibly know about the Sheriff's strong-room?" Much asked, sounding a little stressed out.
"A great deal." Steven insisted, before clarifying for us. "I designed it."
~...~...~...~...~...~
Unfortunately, we wound up back at the camp, with Steven of course. Why we hadn't discussed it all back at his small home I wasn't sure, maybe he needed to guarantee no one would overhear or something. So, we all spread out back at the camp, Steven having our complete attention. Although, mine was here and there. I wasn't exactly sure where Allan had disappeared to, he hadn't popped up since leaving the small cottage. Still, I once again laid down on my own make-shift bed, trying to focus on Steven's words only. This was important, so I might as well listen in, maybe it would be helpful.
"This is the door," Will told us, holding a smaller model of the strong-room. "The only exit, no other doors or windows."
"The room itself is twenty feet long by twenty feet wide. Both walls are honeycombed with blowholes, each loaded with arrows primed to strike a specific spot." Steven said.
"You step on the wrong stone and," Will made a small face and we all understood; You step on the wrong stone, you get shot with an arrow. Seemed simple enough.
"Which stones?" Robin asked.
"My great innovation. It changes." Steven revealed, causing Robin to chuckle in slight disbelief.
"That's not possible, is it?"
"A weighted wheel beneath the floor rotates regularly, each turn defines a new route, changing the order of the sprung stones."
"So any stone can trigger a trap at any time?"
"I did not say it would be easy."
"This, I do not like." Little-John said, obviously unhappy with the great risk of death. Much and Djaq glanced at each other, both wincing and nodding as they seemed to think the same thing. Not that I blamed them of course, it seemed insane.
"You'll be up against time," Steven carried on as the group approached Will's small model of the strong-room, inspecting it closely. "Opening the door turns an hourglass set beside the base of the plinth. When the sand runs through a final fail-safe is triggered."
"I shouldn't ask, but what exactly?" Much nervously questioned, only speaking what the rest of us were thinking.
"There is a vault behind the back wall, containing a vat of molten led, it is kept at a constant heat by the fires of the kitchen. When the hourglass is empty, the vat is turned, the liquid flows into a series of gutters,"
"The pipes in the walls." Djaq sighed, as though in realisation.
"Burning liquid sprays out, covering the entire room, anyone inside will not stand a chance."
"And yet, the coins remain intact because they are harder than the soft led!"
"Well, all I'm hearing is arrows, led, and certain death." Much sighed, shaking his head. "Encouraging."
"How long before the hourglass runs through?" Robin asked.
"A slow count of eight score and ten." Steven replied.
"In a count of one hundred an' seventy, you've got to get to the money an' get it out?" A familiar voice questioned.
"Nice of you to join us Allan."
"Well, I still think you're mad, but if you want some more help then," He shrugged.
"Oh we are mad! We should stick to robbing merchants in the forest!" Much exclaimed, laughing either in nervousness or disbelief.
"That we are good at." Little-John added, eyes narrowed in annoyance.
"Then we will work until we get better at this!" Robin exclaimed, earning an eye-roll from their strongest member of the group. "We'll meet at the abandoned barn near Clun."
"What for?" Much asked.
"To practice, we are going to build this strong-room over there." He declared, earning a few smiles from the group.
"Good." Steven nodded, obviously agreeing with it all. I however, thought a little differently.
"I don't like it." I finally spoke up, earning everyone's attention, even Steven's... I think.
"Prim, we're not breaking into it tonight, we will get some practice first." Robin reassured.
I shook my head and got to my feet, approaching the group and looking down at the strong-room model. It seemed too risky, like there was too much of a risk that they would die. And even though they avoided death nearly every day, it didn't make me feel any better.
"So you are going to break into a room, filled with rotating stones that will set off possibly-poisoned arrows, dodge any that shoot out, reach the gold, somehow get it all into a bag, then get back without getting shot again, all in a small amount of time? Let's not forget the currently burning led that will spray out of the walls if you don't do it in the given time." I crossed my arms as I finished, turning to Steven. "Did I miss anything out?"
"No."
"There we are, it's just very risky. And I know you're all good at robbing, giving to the poor, but this is higher than you, it's... I can't even explain it."
"And that is why we are practicing first," Robin said, moving up from his crouched position. "Trust us Briallen."
"First of all," I sighed, narrowing my eyes at him. "Using my real name? Not clever. And second of all, I have a right to worry, I'll be the one staying back at the camp during this time, worrying like mad. I do it enough while you're all out robbing nobles, thinking of what could happen if you are caught in that room will probably drive me mad."
Robin chuckled at my stressed out state, seemingly amused. And I was sure I was overreacting, but I couldn't help it, the many traps in that room made me nervous.
"We'll be fine Prim, besides, we're not attempting to break in tonight. Or tomorrow, we'll go when we are ready. All that money will still be there when we're done, trust us."
"Believe me, I'm trying." I sighed, shaking my head before heading back towards the bed.
