Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Rhiannon closed the door behind her, and walked into the center of the room, the rug on the floor muffling the sound of the steps. She ran her hand lovingly along the top of the desk that stood near the center of the room, picking up dust. Rhiannon sighed, and, brushing her hands on her tunic, began to sort through the room, picking up small, valuable things that had once been hers, and putting them into the sack she held. Occasionally, she would slip something into a second, much small bag. The things that went into that bag were not valuable, but they were sentimental.

Rhiannon opened up the wooden wardrobe doors and peered inside. Her old life hung there, set aside, never to be worn again. Those dresses symbolized another life. One where outlaws were outlaws and everything was okay, and you could walk down the street and not worry about being caught, or killed, and everyone had enough food to eat, and the rich helped the poor. Rhiannon sighed reluctantly. One day, she might pick up that life once more and go on as well as she could, but today was not that day.

Rhiannon sorted through the long dresses. Grabbing two dresses, and a spare cloak, she shoved them roughly into her own bag, and put everything else in the wardrobe in to the other sack. Stepping back and closing the wardrobe doors, Rhiannon surveyed the room once more. Satisfied that she had done her job, she crossed to the door, and opened it a crack, checking for guards that might have been checking the corridor. Content that the way was clear, Rhiannon stepped out of the room, closing the door to her past behind her with a fulfilling click.

RH RH RH RH RH

Rhiannon hesitated as she stepped out into the corridor. Winter would soon be upon them, and she doubted that the forest would be very warm. She stepped deliberately down the corridor, and creaked opened the door that was linked to her brother's room. Stepping inside, she spotted a lone figure shifting through a desk draw, but relaxed when she recognized Allan. She crossed over the room, waving to him as he stopped what he was doing to watch her as she pulled open the closet and began to sift through the clothes hanging there.

"Not being funny, but what are you doing?" he asked, puzzled. Rhiannon looked over her shoulder, smiling at him.

"It will be getting very, very cold soon. We may as well take advantage of what's available," she threw a heavy, thick coat, similar in design to the one Little John wore, only heavier, and warmer, at Allan, who caught it, a sly smile on his face.

"How did you know where they were?"

"Let you in on a secret, I used to live here. We're in what used to be my big brother's room" Rhiannon told him. Allan's jaw dropped.

"You used to live here?"

"Yes" Rhiannon pulled a second, slightly smaller coat around her shoulders. It hung loosely from her skinny body.

She closed the wardrobe and left Allan behind in the room, hurrying to each of her older brother's rooms, and grabbed their heavy winter coats, stacking them beside the window. By the time she had fetched them all, marveling the fact that they were actually still there, most of the other outlaws had got back. As she joined them, Robin sidled quietly out of Rhiannon's bedroom, clutching a bundle of material.

He smiled when he spotted Rhiannon.

"Good idea with the coats" he told her, and Rhiannon shrugged.

"It's going to be a cold winter. I thought they'd be appreciated."

"They most certainly will be" said Much, who already had pulled his on. The rest of the group nodded, and Rhiannon pulled the rope out from behind the curtains. The outlaws slowly descended down the rope, each one carrying a sack or two of items taken throughout the robbery. Eventually, it was only Robin and Rhiannon left in the house.

"What's in the bag"? Rhiannon asked as they watched Much slowly lower himself down the rope.

"Some things that you didn't pick up yourself, that I thought you might want" he told her, opening up the bundle. Rhiannon smiled faintly as she looked in, spotting her childhood blanket, a faded stuffed toy, and a woolen scarf and hat.

"Thanks Robin" she said as Robin began his descent. Rhiannon watched until Robin was on the ground before turning around and kneeling at where she had tied the rope. A slight sound made her look up, and her heart leapt up, into her throat. Three guards were walking down the corridor towards her. Rhiannon wrenched the rope free and threw it out of the window, closely followed by the bags of things she had gathered. Taking a deep breath, Rhiannon turned her back and Ran out the window, scrambling up onto the railing, before leaping towards the tree outside. Closing her fingers around a branch, Rhiannon swung her body into the comparative safety of the other side of the tree, protected by the tree's thick trunk. Two arrows flew close to her as she glanced around the trunk. Two of the guards had their bows drawn, and were firing arrows at every opportunity they got. As quickly as she dared, Rhiannon scrambled down the tree, jumping the final, large drop onto the ground. Robin and the others had already picked up all the bags. Together, they ran towards the village wall, climbing over the stone structure, with the goal of escaping into the forest. Rhiannon hesitated as she climbed up the wall, glancing back over her shoulder with a satisfied smile on her face, before climbing over the wall, and escaping into the comparative safety of the forest. As they hurried through the dense trees, she shot a sideways look towards Robin.

"Your father would be proud, Rhiannon" he told her, and Rhiannon nodded, pulling her brother's coat closer around her. Deep in her heart, she knew her family was proud of what she'd done, and the choices she'd made.

RH RH RH RH RH

The outlaws casually walked into their camp, dropping the bags of belongings into a heap near the fire. Rhiannon quietly went to where she had hidden her own bundle of things that she had originally brought to the forest, and, stuffed the bundle into the bag. Her job completed, Rhiannon rocked back on her heels, putting the bag in the hiding spot, before getting up and walking back to the campfire that Much had just lit as he began to prepare their next meal.

They had taken their time going back to the camp, stopping at several villages to handout some of the items they had collected, and some food left over from Basford. As such, it was nearly dusk. Rhiannon sat beside the fire, next to Djaq, and sighed, picking up a golden leaf from the ground and pulling her coat around her. The seasons were changing, and Rhiannon knew that the winter would be long and hard, not only for the outlaws, but for the poor villagers as well.

A.N. Well, here's the next installment. I hope you enjoyed it. More will be coming soon, I hope. Reviews will be much appreciated.