After a long, lazy slumber, Robin woke up in his tent to the sound of
arguing.
"What is it this time," he muttered while pushing his soft cowhide blanket off himself, opening up the flap in his tent and stepping outside into the blinding sun. The camp was in shambles, as usual, with dozens of tents set up, blazing, warm fires lit in front of each one. The entire area was carefully chosen by Robin and his men, a clearing hidden by forest trees, a clearing with just enough grass to feed the horses. There were bright red berries nearby that some newly recruited men had gorged on the other day, against Robin's orders. The result was hours of painful moaning, and complains of stomach aches. Robin had instead recommended the small, grey- white mushrooms growing bountifully nearby, although his word was ignored by some. He knew that there would be no need for punishment. The men had, through this, realized their folly, and had gained a new respect for their young leader.
The arguing grew steadily louder. Robin could recognized the voice of Little John, Robin's most trusted comrade and best friend. Little John was a bear-like man, large with a beard admired by many through the camp. He was a devil with the double-pointed staff, and had saved Robin's life numerous times.
The other voice was unfamiliar. He strained his keen ears in an attempt to recognize it, but to no avail. Little John's tent was at the other end of the campsite, so Robin wound his way around other tents, fires, horses, and piles of dung. Other men were slowly rising, leaving their tents and sharpening weapons to hunt for rabbits.
"G' mornin' to ya, Robin," an older man named Charles Good yelled at Robin as he passed the tent. "Ya wou'unt be'leev wot Li'l John's found this tawym 'round."
"Good morning to you as well, Charles," Robin replied, and with a smile added, "Let me guess. Another priest?" He nodded towards Friar Tuck, a short, stout, genial man who was just outside of his own tent. Friar glanced up at him, smiled and waved, and returned to tending to his fire.
"No, giss ag'in," Charles teased. Robin lifted an eyebrow.
"That's all right, Charles, I'll go see for myself."
"Yo're not goin' ta laik it!!" Charles stood up and shouted, as Robin marched ahead. Little John's enormous figure was now fully visible, and Robin gawked at Little John's new prize. Furious, he marched right into Little John's part of the camp.
"What were you thinking? Who is this? Where did you find her?" His yell reverberated throughout the entire camp. Frightened animals scampered away from the area while some men hid inside their tents. Little John stopped arguing, along with the lady in question.
"Well, ge'd mo'ning to you, too, Robin," said Little John. He motioned towards the young girl and said, "Now, I found this one nea' the camp and reckoned 'at she could be a spy, or sum'at, tho' I don't have the slightest clue as ta' who she is."
Robin took a closer look at the girl. She appeared to be about 15 years old, a raven haired, scratched up girl wearing naught but rags. Although her appearance was forlorn, there was a spark of spirit in her eyes. He couldn't help but take an interest in her.
"Who are you, young lady?" Robin gently inquired. She looked up at him and frowned. Robin stood nearly half a head taller then her, wearing breeches and a brown tunic. Around his waist was a belt that contained an assortment of weapons including a mace and knives.
"Who are you to ask?" The girl coolly replied, looking him directly in the eye. Several of the men gasped at this foolish question, and one stood up, stumbled towards the girl and pointed at Robin.
"Girly, don't you know? He's Master Robin Hood!"
"An outlaw," the girl sniffed disdainfully.
"A hero!"
"That's enough, Fredric," Robin said, ordering his eager friend to return to his tent. The girl watched him leave, and then turned her head back to Robin. Standing tall, Robin introduced himself.
"I am Robin Hood, leader of the men in this camp. This is Little John," motioning towards him, "my trusted companion. And you are.?" Robin paused, expecting an answer. The girl did not disappoint him.
"My name is Lady Marian. You, outlaw, have kidnapped me, and I demand to be released at once!"
"What is it this time," he muttered while pushing his soft cowhide blanket off himself, opening up the flap in his tent and stepping outside into the blinding sun. The camp was in shambles, as usual, with dozens of tents set up, blazing, warm fires lit in front of each one. The entire area was carefully chosen by Robin and his men, a clearing hidden by forest trees, a clearing with just enough grass to feed the horses. There were bright red berries nearby that some newly recruited men had gorged on the other day, against Robin's orders. The result was hours of painful moaning, and complains of stomach aches. Robin had instead recommended the small, grey- white mushrooms growing bountifully nearby, although his word was ignored by some. He knew that there would be no need for punishment. The men had, through this, realized their folly, and had gained a new respect for their young leader.
The arguing grew steadily louder. Robin could recognized the voice of Little John, Robin's most trusted comrade and best friend. Little John was a bear-like man, large with a beard admired by many through the camp. He was a devil with the double-pointed staff, and had saved Robin's life numerous times.
The other voice was unfamiliar. He strained his keen ears in an attempt to recognize it, but to no avail. Little John's tent was at the other end of the campsite, so Robin wound his way around other tents, fires, horses, and piles of dung. Other men were slowly rising, leaving their tents and sharpening weapons to hunt for rabbits.
"G' mornin' to ya, Robin," an older man named Charles Good yelled at Robin as he passed the tent. "Ya wou'unt be'leev wot Li'l John's found this tawym 'round."
"Good morning to you as well, Charles," Robin replied, and with a smile added, "Let me guess. Another priest?" He nodded towards Friar Tuck, a short, stout, genial man who was just outside of his own tent. Friar glanced up at him, smiled and waved, and returned to tending to his fire.
"No, giss ag'in," Charles teased. Robin lifted an eyebrow.
"That's all right, Charles, I'll go see for myself."
"Yo're not goin' ta laik it!!" Charles stood up and shouted, as Robin marched ahead. Little John's enormous figure was now fully visible, and Robin gawked at Little John's new prize. Furious, he marched right into Little John's part of the camp.
"What were you thinking? Who is this? Where did you find her?" His yell reverberated throughout the entire camp. Frightened animals scampered away from the area while some men hid inside their tents. Little John stopped arguing, along with the lady in question.
"Well, ge'd mo'ning to you, too, Robin," said Little John. He motioned towards the young girl and said, "Now, I found this one nea' the camp and reckoned 'at she could be a spy, or sum'at, tho' I don't have the slightest clue as ta' who she is."
Robin took a closer look at the girl. She appeared to be about 15 years old, a raven haired, scratched up girl wearing naught but rags. Although her appearance was forlorn, there was a spark of spirit in her eyes. He couldn't help but take an interest in her.
"Who are you, young lady?" Robin gently inquired. She looked up at him and frowned. Robin stood nearly half a head taller then her, wearing breeches and a brown tunic. Around his waist was a belt that contained an assortment of weapons including a mace and knives.
"Who are you to ask?" The girl coolly replied, looking him directly in the eye. Several of the men gasped at this foolish question, and one stood up, stumbled towards the girl and pointed at Robin.
"Girly, don't you know? He's Master Robin Hood!"
"An outlaw," the girl sniffed disdainfully.
"A hero!"
"That's enough, Fredric," Robin said, ordering his eager friend to return to his tent. The girl watched him leave, and then turned her head back to Robin. Standing tall, Robin introduced himself.
"I am Robin Hood, leader of the men in this camp. This is Little John," motioning towards him, "my trusted companion. And you are.?" Robin paused, expecting an answer. The girl did not disappoint him.
"My name is Lady Marian. You, outlaw, have kidnapped me, and I demand to be released at once!"