Yeah, not really sure what I was doing with this chapter. I had the beginning sorted but the rest is a bit of a mess! Sorry!
Milo yawned widely as soft sunlight danced across his face and shifted slightly. It was then he heard voices. His eyes snapped open immediately alert and he looked out of his hole to see who was talking, whole form rigid with panic. He spied two men, two guards to be more precise, scouting around the floor looking for something. One of them spoke again and Milo was able to make out what they were saying.
"Gisborne wants this kid found or there'll be hell to pay."
"I know," the other replied. He was smaller than the other guard but had a huge nose to make up for it, "But think of the silver and reward we may get for finding the midget."
"Yeah," the large soldier replied, "Hey, wait, look, what's this?" He pointed to something on the ground.
"Scuff marks! And footprints!" Big Nose grinned in delight, "Maybe we'll be the ones to find him!"
"Yes," Large replied, excitedly, beginning to follow the tracks. Milo gulped in horror, his heart fluttering wildly like a caged bird, as the man moved towards him. What should he do? Run? Remain hidden and hope he wasn't discovered? He decided on the second option though unfortunately it did not prove fruitful.
"I've found him!" Large shouted his sludge coloured eyes connecting with Milo's emerald ones in a moment of shock, before reaching in to grab the child.
Milo did the only thing he could think of as those podgy, dirty fingers wiggled ever closer. He opened his mouth and bit down hard.
"Argh! The little turdweasel bit me! Look! Teeth marks!" Large shrieked removing his hand abruptly. In this moment, the child shot from the hole and darted between the guard's legs, spitting the disgusting taste of grubby fingers from his mouth. As he ran though he found that his legs were still weak and stiff from being cramped in a small space all night and they went out from beneath him sending him to the ground.
Large and Big Nose towered over him, grinning nastily, piggy eyes glinting with malice.
"So, brat, think you can put up a fight?" Big Nose laughed.
"You'll pay for this," Large growled, holding up his bleeding hand, "Gisborne never said you had to be in one piece when we returned you."
"Leave me alone," Milo finally found his voice and climbed to his feet, defiantly.
"Why would we do that?"
"Because, I can hurt you," Milo announced with more confidence than he felt.
"Oh, what you gonna do, bite my knee caps?" Big Nose guffawed and moved forward to grab the child. Quick as a flash, Milo drew his sword from beneath his tunic and slashed out at the oncoming man. The brand new blade sliced into the soldier's leg causing him to crumple in surprise and pain. Then the boy leapt forward and swiped at Large, just managing to cut his stomach if he reached high enough. This all happened within a few seconds and before they knew it both grown men were on the floor and at the mercy of a four year old boy.
The outlaw gang had been searching all night for Milo and well into the morning but had found nothing. No clue as to his whereabouts. Occasionally they had hidden from some guards that also seemed to be searching for the missing child but they too had found nothing. It was as if the boy had just vanished into thin air.
Will was getting particularly frustrated, he could not fathom what could've befallen the boy and hated the fact that he believed it was entirely the gang's fault. They should've gone out immediately after Milo rather than have a childish argument. Will just wished he'd acted differently and then maybe none of this would've happened.
One person they had found was Lady Marian, out of breath and worried. She had then told them of Milo and asked if he was alright. They replied they knew he was Guy's offspring and Robin promised not to harm him under any circumstances. At which point, she had nodded, satisfied, and ridden off on her powerful white mare with strict instructions that they must find him or else.
Now the group had gathered by an old oak tree, all looking despairing and hopeless.
"What do we do now? He's probably either been taken by Gisborne's guards or outlaws or some wild animal," Allan spoke to which he received a sharp poke from Djaq.
"There's not much we can do. It's a big forest and he's just a small boy," Robin shrugged.
"How about we head back to camp and I make some breakfast and then maybe we'll feel better on full stomachs," Much suggested.
"We can't just give up on him," Will blurted, "He's out there all alone and defenceless…" Will was interrupted by several irate screams and yells coming from through the trees.
"What on earth?" Much began but already Robin and Will had sped off in the direction of the uproar, "Great!" He threw his hands into the air and charged after them with the other outlaws.
When the gang arrived in the clearing they saw something they never expected to see in their lives. On the floor were two men in guards uniforms, tied and gagged and sitting on the chest of one of them was none other than Milo. A pleased grin on his face and a guard's helmet resting on his tiny head almost enveloping it, tipped jauntily to one angle.
"Hi," he chirped, all fear of the outlaws evaporated now that he had taken out two guards and it was daylight.
"Milo!" Will smiled and hurried over, sweeping the child off the ground and hugging him tightly, "You had us worried. Never run off again."
"But you were mad. I don't like it when you get mad. When Pa gets bad I'm not scared but that was scary," Milo replied.
"Well, we're not mad any more and I'm sorry if we frightened you. What happened here?" Will gestured to the fallen soldiers voicing the question they all wanted answered.
"I fought them with the sword you gave me and won. Though it wasn't hard because they didn't expect it," Milo stated bluntly, as if it was something he did everyday.
"Phew," Allan whistled, eyeing the guards, "I think I may have to rethink you not being part of the gang."
Upon returning to the camp, leaving the guards where they were, Milo announced he was starving. Much gladly complied to the child's wishes as he too was famished from searching all night. He hadn't eaten since yesterday evening!
When the former manservant had finished cooking his 'rabbit' and dished it out to the waiting plates the group sat down amiably around the flickering fire to tuck in. About halfway through their meal Allan looked up at the little boy who had eaten most of his meat and was now using a bone and a carrot to fight each other. He sighed; he didn't know how he could've thought the kid was bad. He was as far from intimidating and menacing as you could get.
"Hey, stop playin' with your food, Milo," John scolded from where he was towering over the child. Milo stopped what he was doing immediately just as the top of his soft carrot fell off.
"Sorry," he whispered, "You're not going to be cross are you?"
"No, lad, it's ok," Little John smiled through his bushy beard.
"None of you are going to be angry again?"
"Not at you, no, Milo," Robin nodded.
"Good."
"But we are going to have to return you home," he said.
"Can I not stay here?"
"No, you must return to your father…"
"But…"
"Wait for me to finish, Milo. You will still be part of the gang. Just a spy in Gisborne's household. Do you think you can keep an eye out for anything important?"
"Ahuh," the boy nodded vigorously.
"And we will train you daily. You know you were meeting with Isak and Will promised he would teach you to fight properly? Well we will do that still. That way we can watch out for you and if Gisborne begins to get suspicious we can protect you."
"Alright, will Isak be part of the gang?"
"If you wish him to be," Robin shrugged having never met the boy.
"Good, he will be so pleased," Milo grinned and then returned to what was left of his food.
Dont like the end! Sorry but I wanted to bring Isak back in! Please review!
