The gang eventually ended up meeting together sooner than first thought as the dogs were intent on keeping them together no matter how many time they tried to split up. They stopped, having seemed to have lost them, everyone was struggling to breath as they crouched down, forcing air into their lungs.
"Did anyone bring some water?" Much wheezed out "A bit of bread wouldnt go amiss...perhaps some cheese?" The gang looked at him in amazement
"we...we are going to be...to be captured" Roy stuttered out, breathing hard. "T...Tortured and hanged and he wants cheese?" Just then the baying of dogs could be heard in the distance, "Here we go again!" Robin tiredly drew his bow as the barking got louder.
"Master the dogs!" Much called out "We cannot stay there at too many of them."
"Well we must do something!" Robin shouted "We are running away when we should be in pursuit...The Nightwatchman and the Shadow are still out there!" The gang waited as Robin aimed and the dogs grew louder and louder until Robin gave up pointed. "We head east, back to Nettlestone" He told the gang and they disappeared into the forest.
.
The gang did not know about Matthew and the others deaths as they walking into Nettlestone, the people glaring at them and muttering insults and curses under their breaths. The gang asked people if they could spare some water or some food, hoping that, due to all of the good they had done for the people of Nottingham, they would have something to spare. Robin on the other hand asked if anyone had seen the Nightwatchman or the Shadow but neither Robin or the rest of the gang got any responses.
"YOU KILLED MY SON!" A voice shouted and the gang looked round to see Kate running towards them.
"What!?" Robin shouted as Kate began to attack him. "Matthews dead?" Then all hell broke loose as the gang shouted and Kate's husband pulled her off Robin.
"I didn't kill Matthew!" Robin exclaimed "Or Joderick."
"I asked you to deal with Joderick but I wouldnt of if I knew you'd kill him"
"Owen I swear I could never hurt Matthew" Robin cried out, pain and sadness coursing through him.
"DON'T YOU SAY HIS NAME!" Kate shouted, still being restrained by Owen.
"I swear I never killed Matthew" Robin shouted "Nor did I kill Joderick"
"Or those others either!?" Owen shouted at Robin, who looked around confused
"WHAT OTHERS?" He shouted as the rest of the village started towards him.
"Hold them for the Sheriff!" Someone shouted as the villagers started towards the gang, who fought them off backing towards the exit of Nettlestone.
"I'm fighting for YOU!" Robin cried out as he and his gang backed away. "The Sheriff hangs people for stealing bread! He cuts out their tongues. He divides us" Owen suddenly swung his fist, slamming it into Robin's jaw, halting his speech. John hauled Robin back to his feet as the villagers advanced.
"We are going." Much exclaimed "Let's get out of here!" The gang ran out of Nettlestone back into the relative safety of the forest.
.
Back at the camp Robin was fuming, pacing as he shouted. "I walked away from my home...for them. I gave myself up to the Sheriff for them." None of the gang met his eyes. I gave up the woman I love for them Robin thought sadly to himself.
"We gave Joderick money for them" Allan put in
"I never really did understand that" Roy pointed out, Robin looked over at Will who nodded to him, confused Robin walked over and Will handed him a piece of wood.
"Its err...Its a tag" Will told them "I refined it you can't copy it now, cause only me and my dad know how to do it exactly like that" Robin looked the tag over and smiled slightly as he saw the Huntington crest of a bow and arrow carved into the wood.
"This is good" Robin told him. "Its very good. John I want you to go to take over I need to go to the castle" The gang all looked at Robin, shocked "Enough is enough we stop running now."
"You're not going to give yourself up again are you" Will asked
"Not this time" Robin assured him
"I've got some ideas on how you can get into the castle" Allan told them
"Go on"
"Well" Allan asked "Do you want cleaver or really cleaver."
"I want fast" Robin said and Allan began to outline the plan.
.
Inside the castle Marian was talking to Joe. "From here could I shoot into that window?" She asked
"If you drew back smoothly like combing your hair." Joe answered
"But of course I wouldnt" Marian said, turning round to smile at the old man who used to be her father's Man at Arms and trained her to fight. "You're teasing me aren't you?"
"Yeah" Joe agreed "Say anything I will, like in the days when you could. Now a days we hold our tongues, those of us who are lucky enough to have them...say one thing when we mean another. For instance you ask for archery lessons when realizing you're interested in bow range" Marian looked at him "You're trying to prove it's not him?" Marian scoffed at Joe's idea "You still love him."
"No" Marian denied quickly "Who?"
"Tell him" Joe said "Not that you ever see him, tell him good people do still love him." Marian nodded and turned to look back out of the window her mind on Robin of Locksley who would be, unbeknownst to her, breaking into Nottingham town later that evening.
.
Once Robin, with the aid of the gang, broke into Nottingham by distracting the guards with fire the outlaw nimbly slank into the Sheriff's quarters and placed at hand over his mouth, waking him.
"Call off your dogs." RObin ordered, removing his hand.
"Why?" The Sheriff asked "You're a mad killer"
"You know I'm not" Robin insisted, pulling a puppy dog look at the Sheriff.
"Its true." The Sheriff agreed "So not that we've got that sorted what you going to do? Hmm? Slit my throat?"
"It seems to me that somebody wants you dead" Robin informed the Sheriff.
"God whats new" The Sheriff scoffed "Welcome to my world."
"I came to your room unseen" Robin told him "If the killer's half as good as me he will do the same."
"And your point is...?"
"I can catch him for you." Robin offered, much to the Sheriff's confusement.
"Two questions" The Sheriff said, sitting up. "How and Why."
"Ride through Nettlestone village" Robin suggested "Parade yourself, make sure everyone knows you're there...That will draw out the killer and my men will shoot him"
"Why not my men"
"Cause my men are invisible" Robin told him
"Supposing I agree" The Sheriff contemplated "Why?"
"Innocent people are being killed" Robin said "I cannot allow that"
"Oh come along Robin" The Sheriff laughed "Be honest with me, thats not the real reason is it? Do you want to know what the real reason is? Nobody loves you any more."
"Do we have an agreement?" Robin asked harshley
"Oh did I touch a sore point?" The Sheriff asked, mocking the outlaw.
"By the way this is for you" Robin told him, ignoring his comment. "Anybody wearing one of those is with me." Robin backed away from the Sheriff's bed.
"Robin does it go with my dress?" The Sheriff asked as Robin walked over to the desk, towards a sack of money.
"This is my fee for saving your life" Roiin told him happily, disappearing out of the room as the Sheriff looked up.
.
Robin crept through the darkened halls of Nottingham castle, knowing the halls like the back of his hand.
"You there stop!" A voice cried out and Robin turned to see two guards racing towards him, more could be heard arriving in the distance as Robin ran. "Fetch Sir Guy" He heard one of them shout as he disappeared through a door. Looking around he noticed, with a grin, that he was in Marian's chambers, who was fast asleep. He lifted up the covers and quickly slipped underneath them, waking Marian in the process who jumped luckily Robin had the foresight to clamp his hand over her mouth to stop her screams.
"Its only me." He hissed, removing his hand
"What are you doing?" Marian hissed back as Robin disappeared back under to cover.
"Hiding" came the muffled response as the door opened.
"Sorry My Lady" The guard apologised as he saw Marian in bed holding the covers to her chest. The guard exited and Robin's head appeared out from under the duvet.
"So this is you with your hair down?" He asked, grinning cheekily at her.
"You cannot be here" Mairan scolded, pushing him out of the bed.
"Shhh" Robin urged, listening for sounds at the door and, upon hearing none, turned back to the bed. "Don't be such a spoilsport Marian."
"Listen" Marian whispered "I've been trying to think about who could've done this. I think the killer is DeFortnoy the Sheriffs Master at Arms"
"Because...?"
"He was right there when the maid was killed" Marian urged quietly "And think about it a murder on the loose only helps his position. The situation is in his interests."
"Well I intend to change the situation." Robin informed her
"You think just because you want to change something you can?" Marian asked in disbelief.
"It is hard to change the things you do not want to change" Robin told her grinning again as he moved round to sit beside her
"And what about just getting away while you can?"
"Why?" Robin asked, his face millimeters from hers. "When we're having so much fun?"
"Does anything touch you Robin." Marian asked.
"What does that mean?" Robin asked, seemingly genuinely confused
"It means that you wander around as if nothing could hurt you." Marian said "As if arrows would bounce off you. I do not think I have ever seen you hurt."
"Oh I have been hurt" Robin assured her, his voice serious.
"Tell me..." Marian insisted but Robin could not. "...See...you think it is strong not to feel but if you cannot admit how you feel how can you understand when others feel...how can you be a whole man"
"I feel when innocent people are being shot down" Robin replied, angry "I feel when my men are hunted like animals I feel when good people turn against me" His voice almost broke at the end of his speech and Marian realised how much this whole thing really was hurting him
"I was talking about you to someone today" Marian informed him, softly "A good man. Someone who still remembers you from the old days and, you know, there are still people who love you." Robin moved as if about to kiss her but the moment was broken by a knock at the door.
"My lady" A guard called out through the door.
"One moment" Marian insisted
"I must search you rooms" The guard argued
"Go! Out!" Marian hissed at Robin, pushing him slightly. Robin ran towards the other exit but stopped and turned back.
"By the way your investigations" He said jumping forward and placing a kiss on her cheek, grinning at Marian, who smiled back "Good work lets see if your right tomorrow" Marian stood up so and threw on some clothes so the guards could search her room, when she realised what Robin had said. What's happening tomorrow? She thought opening the door for the guards.
.
Guy arrived by the guards, moments after Robin had disappeared from their view, into Marian's chambers.
"What's going on?" Guy growled at the guards. "Where's Hood?"
"He disappeared My Lord," One of the guards informed him "We are searching the rooms."
"What about these two" Guy asked indicating to the two doors next to each other.
"They are Lady Marian's and Lady Louise's chambers" The Guard informed him.
"Hood could be in there" Guy murmured "They need to be searched."
"Lady Marian, is already aware of the fact" The guard said
"And Louise?" Guy asked but the guard shook his head. Sighing Guy knocked on the door. "Louise." He called out "We need to search your room." A few moments later he got a reply.
"One moment" Louise called out through the wood. Movement could be heard behind the door and it was opened and minute later. Guy stepped in and motioned to the guards to start searching the room.
"Guy what's going on?" Louise asked, moving to the centre of her chambers so as not to be in the way of the search. Guy looked down at the woman who was wearing a white nightdress with a shirt hastily pulled on over the top, covering herself. It was obvious to Guy that she was still half asleep and he smiled slightly before replying.
"I'm sorry to wake you at such an hour" Guy told her crossing his arms over his chest, Louise shook her head.
"I'll forgive you" Louise told him, smiling "But what is going on?"
"He was spotted in the castle" Guy explained "And he disappeared near here."
"So you believe him to be in my chambers?" Louise asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course not" Guy assured her "But nonetheless we had to check." Louise nodded in understanding, muffling a yawn as she did so.
"He's not here My Lord." One of the guards said, as they piled out. Guy nodded at the guard, who left before turning back to Louise.
"I will let you get back to sleep" Guy told her.
"Thank you Guy." Louise murmured, smiling "That is most kind of you" Guy laughed softly under his breath before bending down and kissing Louise on the cheek.
"Goodnight Guy." Louise mumbled, half asleep.
"Goodnight Louise." Guy said, walking out of her room and closing the door quietly behind him.
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Rwar I'm a Cat