Sorry if it is a little confusing at the start as it jumps from location to location. I hoep you don't get too confused. Not sure about this chapter. Tell me what you (honestly) think.
Candyfloss77/TitivateBestower - Who wouldn't want to give Harry Llyod a big hug? Thank you for your review!
KeepingAmused- Your comments make me happy thank you!! Hope this chapter is just as good.
Mizco- Thank you for your comments. They are really appriecated.
lili44- Thank you. I'm really glad your enjoying reading it.
bLaDeoFtHeNeBuLa- (phew your name is hard to spell) Anyways thank you for your review. Hope you like it and please review again.
"I'm not being funny but this seems like a bloody goose chase to me," Allan said as he trailed after Marian and Much.
"You never are," Much muttered.
"What?" Allan asked him.
"You are never funny," Much hissed irritably as they walked around the village.
"Oh I almost forgot you're the big joke round here eh Marian?" Allan said nudging a distracted Marian gently in the ribs.
"She is not Marian. She is the Nightwatchman and I am not a joke!" Much said angrily as he shook slightly.
Marian simply shook her head at the two companions and made here way into the village. It annoyed her that she could not talk to any of the villagers herself in case she was recognised and Gisbourne found out.
"Everything is prepared for your banquet, my dear Lord Klaviere," the Sheriff said smiling.
"I do not want a banquet my lord Sheriff. A girl died. I only wish to sign this deal and return back down south." Claude stated simply.
"
I assure you Lord Klaviere, you will enjoy this banquet. I have an interesting plan on how to catch Hood and his followers and deal with them once and for all."
"I am listening," Claude said.
Annabel put the water buckets on the floor and stretched the aching muscles in her arms. She wiped her damp blonde hair out of her face and proceeded to make her way over to the small cottage that her and her mother and sister shared. It was nothing much, but it was home. She frowned slightly as she saw the black stallion waiting patiently outside as the guard held the reign. Fear crept slowly into her as she stumbled towards the wooden door. She was positive that they had paid their taxes. Surely there must be some mistake?
Will and John walked in silence back to the spot on the road. The blood on the road had now dried to a brownish stain. Will tried to focus his mind on other things. It made his stomach clench to think that the blood had recently poured out of a human being. Will turned to his surroundings as he looked for any sort of clues that may give an idea of what happened. John's voice broke his thoughts.
"Here," he said. Hoof prints. John was thankful for the rain that had fallen the day before. Thanks to it the ground was soft and the marks showed up fairly clearly on the dirt track. Will nodded and the two men began to follow the trail along the road.
Djaq and Robin entered Locksley village in silence. It was getting on and they had found no sign to who might have been hurt. Robin was about to walk into the village when Djaq yanked him back by the collar. He looked at her questioningly. "Gisbourne," said his friend's accented voice as he spotted the dark horse on the other side of the village. Robin nodded in understanding as they settled down waiting for Sir Guy to leave.
Annabel squeezed past two large guards as she hurried to get into the cottage. She gasped loudly and put her hands to her mouth as she took in the scene that awaited her. He mother was sat slumped in her chair as tears flowed freely down her old cheeks. Her eyes quickly moved to the wrapped up body that lay unmoving on the table. He stomach heaved as the buckets of water lay split on the floor by her feet.
"No," she whispered as tears began to burn in her eyes.
"No!" she repeated as she ran to her mother who opened her arms and held her tightly as she shook. Her mind was oddly numb as they rocked back and forward trying to comfort one another. It couldn't be. Not Josephine. She could not help but listen as
part of her mind told it that it was her sister. Her whole body wanted to reject this yet deep down she knew it was the truth.
"I am sorry for your loss," Sir Guy stated formally as Annabel looked up at him.
"What happened?" she whispered partly amazed that she could find her voice.
"Outlaws," Gisbourne replied. "Outlaws stabbed her on the North Road. It was part of a robbery. We have witnesses."
Annabel gulped and nodded. Her throat hurt and it felt as if a big lump was forming. Gisbourne nodded once to the young woman and turned to leave, motioning the guards to follow him. The door closed. Annabel and her mother were left alone.
John trudged forward keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the ground. It would be so easy to loose the trail or get it mixed up with the other tracks they littered the road. John was thankful for the silent carpenter as his partner and not someone like Much or Allan. Tracking was a hard job and it took a great amount of concentration. Will walked beside him. John blinked as he stepped out of the shadows of the trees and into the sunlight. He turned to look at Will as he gazed at the road that stretched out in front of him.
"They went to Nottingham," he said. Will nodded in agreement.
"Let's go find Robin," he said quietly as the two men headed back into the safety of the forest's shadows.
Robin and Djaq held their breath as Gisbourne and a troop of guards came thundering past. After waiting a few seconds they got up and silently began to make their way through the village. Cautiously they crept to the house that the soldiers had recently left. The sound of someone crying was unmistakable. Djaq met Robin's eyes as he nodded her to follow his lead. He knocked quietly on the door before slipping inside. His heart went out to the family as he saw the shape that lay covered in cloth on the table.
"Caroline? Annabel? What happened?" he asked softly to the two women who were sobbing in the corner of the hut.
"My daughter, my Josephine. They stabbed her. My daughter, my daughter she is dead," choked the old woman as tears flowed rapidly down her face.
Annabel gulped and pushed past the two outlaws as she ran out of the small cottage.
John and Will entered the village and began searching for their comrades. Will frowned as he saw Annabel rush from her home and bend over some bushes on the edge of the forest. Frowning, he went over to her as John went to locate Robin and Djaq.
It was awkward. Robin could not remember how many times he had seen people loose loved ones. Yet he still did not know how to comfort the woman as the sobs racked through her frail body. He was thankful as Djaq stepped forward and bent down as she wrapped her arms around the woman in comfort.
Djaq nodded to him and Robin left the small hut grateful for Djaq's presence. She understood how to deal with this sort of thing. She knew what the poor woman was going through and human contact would slightly ease the pain she was going through. It wasn't a lot but it was all she could do to help the woman in her hour of need.
Annabel shook as she finished emptying her stomach. She took a deep shaky breath and wiped her mouth as tears stung her eyes.
"Annabel," a soft voice questioned from behind her. It was Will Scarlett. Without thinking or hesitating she threw her arms around him and sobbed into his chest. Slightly confused he held her and stroked her back as she cried.
Robin ran his fingers through his tussled hair, a little relieved to be out of the cottage. He made his way over to the giant figure who was making his way over to see him. Robin briefly explained what was happening. He saw the look of anger cross the older man's face as he learnt of the young woman's death. He, like the rest of the outlaws had known of Josephine and had been fond of her. Robin patted him on the shoulder and the man went to see if he could offer any comfort to the girl's mother.
"Come on, let's go outside. Fresh air will do you good," Djaq said kindly, aware that being so close to the dead body of her daughter was doing the woman no good. The woman
nodded as she chocked on the sobs that were overwhelming her. Djaq pulled Caroline to her feet and supported her as they walked to the door. She was extremely glad when John came and took over caring for the woman and Djaq quietly slipped away aware that John would be better suited to dealing with the situation. He had the experience of being a parent after all and had known the family for a lot longer than she had.
Djaq decided to go in search of Will and inform him on what was happening. She found him on the edge of the forest with a girl wrapped tightly against his thin body. A shot of jealously shot through her before she buried it as she saw whom the
girl was. She was grieving. Her heart went out to her.
Will looked highly embarrassed as he spotted Djaq staring at him. He opened his mouth to speak but she held her hand up to stop him. She offered him a small smile, which he returned. Will understood perfectly what it meant. He would talk to Djaq later. Will turned his attention back to the woman in his arms.
I would quite like 5/6 ish reviews if possible... I am pretty sure more than five poeple are reading this (well I hope so) Bad comments are as welcome as good commets. Don't worry I can take it like a man, well a girl.
So next chapter will contain Will/Djaq talk. Some major Robin/Marian and some more detail about the banquet. so if you want to see it. You gotta review!!