Chapter 10

Dayn led Will and Little John over the rooftops of the city of London, the thatch and the rain masking any sounds their passage may have created. It didn't take long for them to reach the walls of the palace, and they used it to their advantage. They avoided any of the guards on the wall, and using a rope and grappling hook, were able to climb right up the back wall of one of the towers and into one of the higher windows.

The trio dripped silently in the hall they wound up in, and at Dayn's silent signal, they crept noiselessly through the upper halls of the palace.

It didn't take long at all to find the prince's rooms. The area of the palace he lived in was richly furnished, with tapestries on the walls and rugs on the floor which both warmed the stone rooms and made their passage even more unnoticed.

The door to the prince's room was richly carved and bordered by well polished stands holding candles. After ensuring it was empty, they crept inside to see that everything was gold and red and rich wood inside.

"He's got enough money in here to feed Nottingham for a year!" Will said in disgust, looking around. He went to table and opened the lid of a box there, and soon gold jewelry was getting acquainted with the redhead's purse. Little John shook his head, being the honorable man that he was, but didn't say anything. He wasn't going to complain about stealing from a man as evil as Prince John.

Dayn, listening at the door, chuckled softly. "When you're done enriching yourself Will, why don't you look around and see if you can find anything incriminating. A poison or something…something to prove his guilt."

Only five minutes later, Will's "Ah ha!" echoed a tad too loudly through the room. "Sorry Rob. But look here, he's got a whole box of it!" He was pointing to a crate, suspiciously plain in the richly decorated room, filled with little clay bottles.

Little John went over and popped he cork of one, sniffing at it. "It's not a mixture I know."

"Take one anyway, someone else surely will."

"The Friar may. The man knows a lot about poisons for a man of the cloth."

Dayn would have laughed again but shouting echoed through the halls and he ushered for the others to hide. They'd only just gotten out of sight when someone burst into the rooms. He was dressed well and wore a gold, ruby encrusted crown on his perfect brown hair. This had to be Prince John. He even matched the room.

"She was in my brother's chamber!" he shouted angrily to the woman following him. She had a dreamy, sweet look to her, and she was the most beautiful creature Dayn had ever seen. There was a weariness in her eyes Dayn couldn't place though… "Everyone is under strict orders to keep away from his rooms. Why was she there?"

He slammed a fist on his desk, sending trinkets flying and making the woman jump. "She was talking to him…who knows what poison she was feeding him. Poison against me. Well we can't have that. Have the castle searched for any more traitors. He's here…I know it."

The woman blinked at him in apparent confusion and the prince rolled his eyes. "Never mind, I'll do it myself. I sometimes wonder why I put up with you, woman."

He left and the woman glared after him, sinking onto the bed. "I wonder that myself John. I'm clearly not good enough for you." She said softly after he was long gone. She looked around and giggled at the lump behind the curtains.

"He's gone, you can come out now." She said with a smile. Little John's head emerged from the curtains and he smiled at the lady. "Are who are you?" she asked.

"Robin Hood." Dayn said, standing from where he'd been hiding behind the bed. It was a risk, but he felt he could trust this mysterious young woman. Will rolled out from under it, tipping his hat at the woman and making her blush with his wink. "This is Little John and Will Scarlet, my best men."

"Three of you? Why so many?"

"If you don't mind, my Lady, we'd rather be the ones asking questions." Dayn said with a warm smile. She nodded, but there was no fear in her eyes.

"I understand. I am Lady Helen. It was…requested that I come here by the prince about a year ago."

"Helen?" Will asked in interest.

She blushed again. "After the great Greek figure, Helen of Troy. My father hoped it would bestow her legendary beauty upon me. He was right." She said, obviously not happy about the fact. Will obviously had no idea what she was talking about, but Dayn did. He had a feeling he'd be telling the man the story of the Trojan War later…

Dayn moved forward, very curious about this young woman. "And who are you to Prince John?"

"A piece of jewelry. A token to prove his power. Nothing more." She said, pursing her lips slightly in what appeared to be a very deep anger. "I am here to stand at his side and look beautiful. I play my part well. He doesn't believe a beautiful woman can have a sharp mind at the same time."

Dayn grinned. "But you do." She looked at him and nodded and he went on. "Lady Helen…do you know what he is doing to the King?"

"Not…exactly." She admitted. "John doesn't attempt to explain things to me, he assumes I won't understand. All I know is that every evening, he takes the king a vial. The King believes it is helping, that it takes his pain. It does keep the pain away…but it means he doesn't know how bad the wound he received in the war really is. It's slowly killing him and he doesn't even know it."

Her wary green eyes glanced at the door, and she was trembling with fear. "Please…don't tell him I told you. He'd kill me if he knew."

"We won't breath a word, lass." Will said, more serious than Dayn had ever seen him. "We won't let you get hurt because of us." Dayn bit back a smile, Little John didn't bother to hide his. Will had a crush, it was highly entertaining.

She blushed again and gasped. "I'd better leave, he doesn't like me being alone in his rooms."

"Will he be back soon?"

"I doubt it. He'll sit in the throne room and brood for a while, and then go into a meeting with his closest friends and followers. They'll be there long past midnight most likely."

Dayn nodded, knowing there was no point in staying, and led the way to the door. Will hesitated and Helen gave him a smile. "I'll be alright. Go. Quickly."

Will finally nodded and dashed away, looking pained that he had to do so. Dayn chuckled and clapped him on the back as he left the room, then turned to smile at her.

"Thank you for everything, Lady Helen."

"No, thank you. You're doing more to save this country than anyone else. Now go!"

Dayn dashed from the door. He was disappointed that their plan to capture the Prince hadn't gone well, but at least they'd learned something of what was going on with the King.

The trio didn't get far, running right into their target around the corner. Apparently, the Prince had forgotten something in his rooms. The man sputtered in surprise and then anger, and the guards around him moved without him having to say so.

"Split!" Dayn yelled. Little John took off down one hall, Will escaped through a window, and Dayn ran back past the prince's rooms. He turned corners and dodged pillars, but soon found himself cornered.

"You can't escape, Robin Hood." The prince said when Dayn was dragged before him. "I don't admire your bravery. It makes you foolish. Your wife was already almost caught in the King's bedchamber, did you think you'd be able to escape after her presence as much as told me you were here?"

Dayn glared, but stayed silent. Prince John frowned. "Take him away. He'll hang at dawn."

Nika paced around the edge of the camp, often freezing at normal forest noises and listening for something else. Anything else. Will and Little John looked at each other where they sat by the fire, worried. Lady Marian and Drake had been the first to return to the camp, followed by Will and soon after, Little John. Robin was the only one who hadn't returned, and Lady Marian was growing more and more worried as time went on. She hadn't been able to keep still all night, her newly cut short hair swirling about her face. It was cut oddly from her escape, shorter in the back than the front, but she hadn't even stopped to trim it straight yet.

"Come and eat Lady, I'm sure he's fine." Will said, trying for the humorous approach. "You'll starve to death and then Rob will blame us for letting you die while he was gone."

Little John sighed when the pacing woman just shook her head and said she wasn't hungry. Will looked at him. He'd tried for something to break the seriousness, now it was John's turn.

"Marian," John said, his voice calm, but firm. "You need to relax. I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for him not to be back yet. Prince John was ordering for the guards to search for us when I got out of the palace. He's probably hiding until it's safe to move."

Nika sighed, and finally came back to the fire. "You're probably right." She grumbled, and John chuckled.

"Eat, young miss. Will's right, Robin would have our heads if we let you starve."

"If he's not back by dawn, I'm going to go look for him."

"We all will." Will promised. "You're not the only one who's worried."

John nodded. Dawn as only a few hours away. He lay down, deciding that if they were going to search the city, he wanted a few hours of sleep under his belt before he did so.

The group donned cloaks as they entered the city, not wanting to be noticed. It was chilly, and many of the people were bundled up. They looked just like everyone else. The four noticed that rather than going about their morning business, whole families were moving towards the castle in the center of the city. Odd…what was going on?

They followed the Londoners as they filtered towards the palace, unsure of what was happening. Finally, Nika's curiosity grew too great and she asked an older woman.

"Public hanging." She said sadly. "Used to be rare. Now we 'ave 'em almost every day. They don't even tell us who the poor souls are before summonin' us anymore."

Nika frowned as she rejoined the others. "Let's go. If anything, the hanging will give us a chance to search the palace for Robin."

John frowned. "We won't try and stop it?"

Nika chewed her lip. "Don't, Little John...it's hard enough to choose between lives as it is."

The large square before the palace was crowded with townspeople. In the center, a hangman's platform stood. It was weathered, as if it had been there for a while, and the wear on the trapdoor spoke of much use.

It made Nika sick.

Dayn struggled as he was grabbed from the cell he'd spent the night in, yelling angrily until someone hit him on the head. He was dragged, dazed, through the stone hallways, and soon a rough sack was pulled over his head to mask his identity.

Being unable to see, he listened instead, trying to figure out where he was. Their footsteps echoed in the halls of the castle, and more so when they went through the entrance hall. He felt the breeze when they were taken through the front gates, and he could hear the murmuring of a crowd beyond the courtyard.

He could sense many people nearby as he was led out into the square, and hear the way his footsteps sounded hollow on the wood of the platform there. Then they stopped and he shivered. He didn't know what would happen now…

The Prince must be smiling at the people, as a halfhearted cheer went up. It must have been good enough for the man because he waved for them to quiet down.

"Yesterday, my men and I managed to capture one of the most notorious outlaws in England!" He said as the guard holding her pulled him forward. "I believe you've all heard the name…Robin Hood." The sack was pulled from his head and Dayn blinked in the brightness of the day.

Now, the people started chittering amongst themselves. This was Robin Hood, the man fighting to save them! One of the only men fighting to save them, and now the Prince was going to kill him! Their only hope faced the noose, and the people were not happy about it.

Dayn struggled as the guard's hands around his arms tightened, but couldn't do a thing as he was pulled backwards. He was situated right over the trap door, and the hangman, wearing a black mask and hood, looped the noose around his neck and tightened it. He growled as it was pulled tight, keeping him from moving so much as an inch for fear of choking himself.

His eyes searched the crowd for a pair of worried grey. Other than escaping, his only desire was to see Nika's face one last time. There was no sign of her. Though it was probably for the best…he didn't want her to see him die…

"Good people, you have come to see a traitor to the crown die-"

"You're the only traitor here." He growled, interrupting. The prince glared and tried to continue.

"A traitor to the crown-"

"That crown isn't yours! It's King Richard's!" he cried. The people cheered at that, soon silenced as the prince waved for his guards to come forward.

"Robin Hood…you will die this day. I suggest you hold onto what little honor you have left."

"Even in death I will remain more honorable than you will ever be." he retorted.

"That's it! Do it!" John yelled to the hangman.

"'Fraid not, my Lord." The hangman said with a grin. Dayn looked at him and grinned, now recognizing his large build. "Now!" Little John yelled, pulling off the black mask.

One of the guards spun and sliced twin daggers at the others, and he pulled off his helmet to reveal shockingly red hair. Dayn's smile widened at the prince realized what was happening.

"Prince John!" a voice called from across the square, clear as a bell even over the happy shouts of the crowd. Dayn looked and found himself beaming. There was Nika, standing on the back of a wagon, bow in hand and her cloak and shoulder length raven hair flaring dramatically behind her. It was like something out of a movie, and she'd never looked more beautiful.

The Prince sputtered as Nika smirked, recognizing her from the day before. "Hello again Johnny boy. I want you to remember me. I want to remember that this day, it was a woman who beat you at your own game."

The prince roared in anger and ran to the lever for the trap door. Nika was quicker. She swung up her bow, aimed just as Dayn had taught her, and fired. The arrow sped straight through the rope holding Dayn in place. The Prince, not having realized what was happening, pulled the lever for the trap door.

Dayn laughed, having already moved. He gave the prince a jaunty salute, after Will cut the bonds around his wrists, and grinned. "See ya later, Johnny Boy." He said cheekily, having decided he liked Nika's nickname for him. He jumped through the trapdoor, and Little John and Will jumped off the platform to follow. The three ran through the crowd towards Nika, Dayn laughing the whole time.

"Guards! Get them! Arrest them!" The Prince shouted angrily.

But the guards were helpless. The crowd parted, letting the men through, and then swarmed to block the way of the guards trying to chase them. They were all against the prince, and opposed him now that they had the chance. Dayn leapt into the cart as Little John and Will climbed in, he and Nika climbed into the driver's seat. Nika snapped the reins as Drake pulled the other men down into the back of the cart.

"Better 'ang on, she's a crazy driver!" the boy yelled with a laugh.

"And proud of it!" Nika called back, steering the cart through the narrow streets and right through the front gate. The guards chasing them didn't have a chance.

Nika slowed as they entered the forest and Dayn laughed happily at his newly gained freedom. "That was quite a rescue." He said with a grin.

"It was Lady Marian's idea." Drake said, proud of what his Lady had done.

Will snorted. "She didn't sleep all night, she needed something to do. Planning a rescue was the perfect thing."

Nika rolled her eyes. "We didn't know he needed rescuing until we got there this morning, Will." She reminded him.

Little John chuckled and lounged back against the side of the cart. "It was a very well concocted plan, especially considering how last minute it was."

"Thank you, Little John." Nika said graciously, giggling lightly. "You all did very well yourselves."

"But that shot!" Dayn exclaimed. "N- Marian, you shot all the way across the square and managed to hit a rope! That was incredible!"

She smirked, quoting a line from Robin Hood: Men in Tights. "To tell the truth, I was aiming for the hangman."

"No you weren't, shut up." Dayn laughed, recognizing the line.

Nika beamed. "Can't let you have all the credit now, can I?"

They arrived back at the camp in good spirits, but then took the effort to calm down and talk about everything they'd managed to learn.

"I think Helen will be quite a help if she's willing." Dayn said to the others.

"Don't make her do anything dangerous, Rob." Will said in warning. Nika giggled and Dayn grinned.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to put her in danger. But I think she'll be a good way to get information. And maybe a way to show the king that we're in the right."

"I may have helped with that already." Nika said with a shrug. "I got to talk to him for a while before the Prince showed up. I think I at least planted a seed of doubt, now it just needs to be watered."

"Excellent! Well, we don't really need to capture the prince anymore…no point."

John chuckled. "While you two start planning and strategizing, I'm going to sleep. I didn't get much last night." He pointed out. He left to crawl into his bedroll, and Will and Drake agreed that it sounded like a good idea.

Nika and Dayn stood and walked a distance away, not wanting to wake them, but strategizing had already faded from Nika's mind.

She spun in mid walk and slapped him, a moment before throwing her arms around Dayn's shoulders, hugging him as if he might disappear.

"You never came…all night I sat up, waiting…but you never came. Dayn I was so scared." She whispered into his neck.

He chuckled softly, remembering last time she'd done that exact thing, and held her close, ignoring his stinging cheek. "Not by choice. Nika, if I could have escaped I would have. All I could think about was you…the whole night."

She pulled back and smacked his arm, glaring. "Stop laughing! Why'd you get caught? You stupid jerk-face, I was terrified! I thought I'd never see you again!" She spun away, taking a deep breath as she tried to collect herself. "Are you trying to worry me to death? Are you trying to hurt me?"

Dayn just moved close again and turned her around, hugging her to his chest once more. He wasn't angry at her words; he knew she'd only been scared. But he now knew this wasn't the time to laugh about the situation. "I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Only because I came looking for you. If I hadn't, you'd…you'd be…"

"But I'm not." He said gently. He pulled back and looked down at her, brushing her hair from her face. He ran his fingers through the shorter locks, deciding he liked how they framed her face. "Why'd you cut it?"

"I didn't by choice, Prince John grabbed my braid. I had to cut it off to get away. And don't change the subject."

"Nika…I'm not gonna apologize for something that isn't my fault."

"Dayn… I feel like every time you say you'll stay, you leave me again. I can't keep doing this. I can't keep wondering if you're going to just…decide not to come back one day!"

Dayn glared. "Well, what do you want me to do? Never do anything ever again?"

"No, I want…" she took a deep breath, licked her lips and looked up, grey eyes determined. "I want this." She whispered, before she stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

Dayn's eyes widened in shock before they closed in happiness, a hand coming up to support the back of her head and deepen the kiss. He felt emotions pass between them: regret, apology, forgiveness…love. So much love he didn't know how his heart hadn't burst with it.

Nika gasped as his lips pressed to hers, sure there were fireworks going off in her head and her heart. She'd been kissed before…it had been alright. But a simple kiss had never felt this wonderful. She trembled against him, hyper aware of his hand behind her head, his other palm warm against the small of her back, and her torso pressed to his.

When she pulled back she blushed slightly, eyeing him as if he might turn and run away. Dayn chuckled and swooped down to capture her lips once more in an assurance that he wouldn't be leaving her any time soon.

"Well…that went over well." She said in a high pitched voice, slightly dazed and breathless when he pulled back. He grinned cheekily at the way her fingers held onto his tunic as if she may fall. He wrapped him arms around her waist, as much to support her as to hold her near.

"Of course it did Nika, I love you." He whispered in her ear.

She leaned back, eyes wide. "Really?"

He nodded, brushing her hair back from her face once more. "I have for years now…I didn't want to say anything though."

"Well why not?" she demanded.

"Nika…if you hadn't felt the same, our friendship would have suddenly gotten really awkward. It wasn't worth the risk."

She made a face. "I took the risk."

He smiled and kissed her nose. "Well if I'd known you wouldn't have minded, I'd have done this a long time ago." He whispered, his lips barely brushing hers, teasing for a moment before pulling back. "I should have said something beforehand…I may not have had to watch as you dated all those jerks." She giggled and smacked him, only to pull him into another much-too-short kiss.

"Actions speak louder than words." She whispered. He didn't waste breath trying to agree. She was right after all, and his lips had a lot to say.

Yay! I like this chapter, this is probably my favorite of them all :D For obvious reasons, lol. I'm a sucker for the first kiss ^^

Please please review and tell me what you thought!

Your Hopefully-Romantic Authoress,

Whisperwings