21

The guard spluttered as Robin poured water over his head. John had carried him back to the camp and tied him to one of the trees nearby. The guard looked round bemused.

"Welcome to our humble abode. Make yourself at home." Robin said with a smile.

"What is with you and sarcasm today Robin?" Kate asked, "Remind me again why we brought him with us."

"So we can get information from him about the new training." Tuck explained patiently.

"There's no need to patronise me Tuck." She said, "But shouldn't we be trying to get Much back rather than kidnapping guards."

"We will Kate. But first we need to find out what on earth is going on up at the castle." Robin said soothingly.

She frowned at the guard slumped on the ground tied to the tree who looked like he was struggling to stay conscious.

"Is it just me or does this guy look familiar?" Kate asked.

The rest of the gang peered down on him. The guard grimaced and tried to sit up straighter but was restricted by the ropes

"Yeah he looks like one of the guards that were with Lady Francesca when we ambushed her." Allan said.

"Well you would know." Kate muttered under her breath.

Allan elbowed her in the ribs. She giggled

"Why aren't we just asking her about what's happening in the castle." She spoke up, "I mean it's not like she wouldn't tell Allan."

The rest of the gang sighed angrily at her.

"What?" She asked.

"You idiot! I swear you get more and more like Much every day!" Allan exclaimed storming away.

"What?" She repeated bemused.

"You just told this guard that Frankie has been meeting us. Now we can't let him go because he'll tell the Sheriff and she'll get killed." He screamed at her.

"Touchy." She muttered although she felt guilty for her slip of the tongue.

"I know." The guard muttered weakly.

"What?" The gang said in unison.

"I know about My Lady and you lot." He said faintly.

"You do?" Allan asked.

"Yeah. How else do you think she's been getting out of the castle undetected?" He murmured with a small smile.

Robin sighed.

"Untie him."

There was a stunned silence following his words.

"What!" John said outraged, "We can't let him go."

"I'm not saying let him go. I'm just saying untie him. He can't go anywhere and we can't leave him tied up there, he's going to pass out again." Robin explained wearily.

John untied him with a grunt. He supported him over to one of the logs and lowered him gently down as Tuck passed him some water.

"I know who you are." Said Kate, "You were Frankie's head guard, Fergus or Fitch or something like that."

"It's Felix actually and I'm not her head soldier, Leo is."

Robin kept silent as he knew who Leo was all too well having injured him during their first encounter. From the look Felix was giving him he also remembered that meeting.

"Uh ... how is he?" Robin asked guiltily.

"He's much better. He's been helping with the guard training. I take it that's why I'm here?" Felix said.

Robin looked blankly at him.

"Well you didn't bring me back here for a casual chat. You want to know about the new training that helped us outsmart you at the gold cart."

"Hey, you did not outsmart us. It was just a minor setback." Robin said brazenly.

Felix looked at him coolly.

"Anyway." Tuck said cutting through the tension, "Our first priority is to get Much back and you're going to help us. We need you to get us into the dungeons so we can get him out."

"That's not going to happen." Felix said softly.

"You're not going to help us?" Kate asked.

"I would help you but it's not going to work."

"Why?"

"Well Leo has been helping with the security and there isn't any way you're going to get into the dungeon unnoticed."

"Great, well bang goes that plan." Allan said, "I'm starting to hate this Leo guy."

"I wouldn't say that in front of Lady Frankie she would probably kill you." Felix said with a smile, "Look the only thing I can think of is if you had something you could trade."

"Like you?" John asked.

"No. The Sheriff wouldn't trade one of Robin Hood's men for a lowly soldier. Not even Lady Frankie could persuade him to do that. If you'd got the gold then I'd say trade that but as you don't you're going to have to find something else that the Sheriff wants or cares about."

Hmm, someone the Sheriff cares about, Robin thought with a smile.