On the Way to an Easier Life
Chapter 35
Robin walked to the door.
"We'll go with you", Much said getting up.
"No', replied Robin softly. "If you don't mind, I would like to go alone."
The gang looked around at each other and agreed. Robin nodded and walked out of the door.
As he walked through the castle and through to the dungeon, he thought of all the times he had been there. He recalled the frustration he felt when Will and Luke had been arrested, and then himself, just after his return from the Holy Land. He remembered the nervousness when trying to rescue Mary, Lambert, John and his wife and son, and Luke the bow maker. Then there was the fear when Marian had been arrested. His worry at what they would do to her while she was down there. He was now on the outside of the bars. He was making no rescue. Vaisey was on the inside. He couldn't really describe what he was feeling. There was some joy that Vaisey was receiving some of what he had been dealing out. There was a taste of hope for the future. There was trepidation that it would not last.
When he reached the cell Vaisey was in, he put on his cheekiest grin. "Well, well. What have we here?"
Vaisey looked up and rolled his eyes. "You… should be dead!"
"Yes. Many times. You failed again."
"Why can't you just die?"
"Now, where would be the fun in that?"
The sheriff mocked, "Where would be the fun in that?"
Robin just laughed and shook his head at him.
"What do want, Hood? Did you come to gloat?"
"I came to say it's over. You are over. Your scheming and lies are done for."
"You really think so?"
"Yes."
"Do you really believe that your king, Richard the Lion Heart, is home to stay? Do you really believe that John will not be in charge again?"
"I believe that people like you are done causing hardship on good people."
"Well, we'll see. Won't we?"
"I guess we shall."
"Do you think you have won, Hood?"
"I think that with you gone, the people of Nottinghamshire have won. They will all have an easier life without you and your ridiculous taxes. I believe that things are looking up. I was never doing all of this for myself. But, you… you would not understand that."
"La-ti-da-ti-da."
Robin shook his head up and down. " I will speak to the king on your behalf. I will see that you do not hang." With that, Robin turned and walked back to the Great Hall to be with his friends.