Chapter 11

Oh man, Mary's going to kill me! I thought as I ran out of the woods, tying my wet hair into a bun. I only wanted to go out for a short swim, not stay there a few hours! It had been such a long time since I had first went to the lake. Nearly a week and just yesterday I discovered that I had the so called 'fairy sight'. So this morning curiosity got the best and I sneaked out of the house to go for a short swim. I wanted to see how the lake would look like with my fairy sight. It was even more magnificent then when I saw it before.

I met Robin there and somehow I lost track of time. When I realized what time it was I jumped up and ran back to the village. For some odd reasons Robin and I were getting along very well. There were no more arguments but there was an awful lot of teasing. Am I in love with him? I thought as I felt butterflies in my stomach when I remembered how good he looked without a shirt on. No! No! No! I am not falling for him! I will not fall for him! I finally arrived at Mary's house and ran inside. I went into the kitchen and saw Mary carrying two baskets. I opened my mouth to tell her what had happened but Mary cut me off "Did you have a nice swim?"

I looked at her shocked "H…How did you know?"

"John told me." She said "It's ok, you needed some time to relax. I expected you to come later but you arrived just in time."

"Just in time for what?"

"We have to look for some herbs for the doctor and you're coming with me." She said as she walked out the door with two baskets in her hands. I followed her out and took a basket from her hand. She led me towards the end of the village when someone stopped us.

"Where are you going?" Robin asked his blonde hair still wet from the lake.

"Relax Robin, we're just going to go to the meadow for some herbs." Mary replied

"It's an hour's walk."

"It won't take long, just a few hours." Mary rolled her eyes.

"I'll let you go but not Natasha, it's too dangerous out there."

"You know Mary can't do this all by herself." I interrupted

"You're not going." He growled

I rolled my eyes. "I am and there's nothing you can do about it." I said as I walked past him. He stopped talking, seeing that he couldn't change my mind unless he forced me to. He gently grabbed my arm and I turned around to face him. He took something out of his belt and handed it to me. It was a simple yet beautifully engraved dagger. Its handle was made out of ordinary wood but on it was carved an eagle. It had a single gem at the edge which was a beautiful red ruby, in the shape of an oval.

"Here, this is for you." He said "Keep it always on you."

"I will." I said as I latched it my dress belt.

"Be careful." He said, his green eyes filled with worry.

"I will." I whispered. Mary and I went towards into the forest. An hour later we arrived at the meadow.

"What plant are we looking for?" I asked

"It's spiked and big and looks a lot like this." She said holding a weird looking plant in her hand. I looked at it carefully memorizing its every feature.

"Ok, let's start." I said taking my basket and went to another part of the field and started picking those plants. I walked a bit further into the meadow, farther and farther away from Mary. I found a very large patch of those weird looking plants. I started picking them when I heard a faint sound in the distance. I looked up wondering where it came from. It stopped and I looked at Mary. She was up and looking around. The sound was heard again, this time much louder and there were even dogs barking in the distance. It sounded like a horn or something similar to that. The sound stopped again but then it was heard again. I could even hear the hooves of the horses and the shouts of men. Whoever they were, they were much closer to us and were coming fast.

"Natasha, run!" Mary screamed just as 20 men on horses came galloping out of the forest behind me. She bolted off to the opposite side of the forest. I hiked my skirts up and ran after her, I heard a man shout "After her!" I reached the forest barely avoiding the men on horses. I ran as fast as I could at the same time looking for a place to hide. I kept Mary in my line of sight as I dodged trees. She hid behind a really large tree, and I went running in the opposite direction of her. Not wanted the riders to catch her. I saw my chance at a hiding place and ran into that direction. I ran, sliding under several thorny bushes and ran behind a large tree. I heard some of the men curse and the sound of hooves fading away. I pressed myself against the trunk of the tree trying to make myself smaller. I waited like that for several minutes before I cautiously walked out from behind the tree, careful not to make any noise.

I felt a hand clamp over my mouth and a strong muscular arm wrap around my waist. I hit his head with head and pulled the dagger from my belt. The necklace that I got was swinging in front of me glinting in the sunlight. I looked at the man with the dagger in front of me. He looked like he was a few years older than me and had copper hair. He looked so familiar but I just couldn't place it. I studied him again, this time my brain finally realizing who it was.

"Colin?" I whispered.

He looked at me. "Natasha, is that you?"

I nodded but didn't put the dagger down.

"I thought you were dead!" he exclaimed. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Somewhere." I said suspiciously, not wanted to give away any information on Robin's camp.

Colin looked at me and then down on my neck. "Where did you get that necklace from?"

"I found it, why?"

He stepped forward and grabbed my hand "I'm taking you to see the king."

"No, you're not!" I growled yanking my hand out of his and pointed the dagger at his throat. Just then about 8 men came stumbling in, their swords were out and pointed at me.

"You know, Colin." I said pressing the sharp dagger deeper into his throat. "I know how to use this and I won't hesitate in slicing your throat if your men come one step close to me."

He quickly made a sign with his hand and the other men's advance stopped.

"Let's talk about this." He said calmly "But in a different place. It's dangerous here."

I laughed "I am safer here than anywhere else and why would you say this forest is dangerous when there is nothing but trees and meadows." I lied

He will not know about the camps location. I won't tell anyone about it.

He looked at me sadly and whispered "I'm sorry Natasha."

I looked at him confused then felt a sharp pain in the back of my head and darkness started to invade my sight. I fell down to dizzy to even stand but instead of feeling the hard, rocky ground. I felt that I was in someone's arms.

"Arthurs not going to like this." I heard someone in the background say.

"I had no other choice." Another voice said which was definitely Colin's.

"She's wearing the pendant isn't she?" a voice asked.

"Yes." Colin answered.

Who's pendant? Arthurs? I thought and then blacked out completely.