Alexia stood in awe for a moment. But only for a moment. Of course this man was Robin Hood. He looked familiar.
"So your Robin of Locksley then. Pleasure to meet you." She stretched out her hand to shake his.
Only when stared at her hand with confusion did she realize her mistake. The handshake was an American custom. She put her hand down and explained.
"Where I am from, that is how we greet people."
Robin laughed. "I am used to other customs. I have a friend from a distant land."
Alexia almost blurted out the name. She quickly turned around and asked, "So, you're gonna let me stay here?"
"Your language is strange. It will take a while to get used to."
Alexia blushed. "Sorry…"
He chuckled. "It's alright. And you can stay here."
She smiled. "Thank you."
"Are you hungry? I think we have some food from one of the sheriff's carriages."
"I…I would like to get a look around." Alexia said. She knew how little food there was and she hated to eat it when she knew the people here were hungrier.
Robin laughed. "Alright. Follow me."
He climbed down a crude ladder and she followed. He showed her around the small development.
A shot suddenly rang out, startling Robin more than Alexia. He ducked down, pulling out his sword. He started running to the source of the noise. It took a moment for her to realize that guns weren't invented for several more hundred years. She ran behind Robin.
Alexia came to an abrupt stop. Her bag lay open on the ground. The gun she had packed in it was on the ground, along with her bow and arrow, hunting knife, some of her clothes, camera, and snacks. Some very scared and surprised looking men stood around it…from a distance.
"What happened?" Robin questioned.
Alexia picked up the gun. A murmur rippled through the gathering crowd.
"Don't touch that! It's bewitched!" a man shouted. "She is a witch."
"It's…not bewitched…" Alexia started. But Robin didn't let her finish.
"What is that? What was that noise?"
Alexia hoped this all was a dream, as it were real, she just screwed up history. "Uh…..it's called a gun…it's a powerful weapon. Not witch craft." She started packing the stuff up.
The men looked at her curiously. One guy spoke up.
"Is she the one? The one John, Wolf, and Bull found on the road?"
Alexia looked at him. He looked very familiar but she couldn't quite remember. She knew that she was dreaming. She would have recognized all of the people from Robin Hood. Or she wasn't dreaming and those wires messed up her head.
"Yes…" Robin answered, since no one else would.
"Does anyone here know who she is?"
There was silence.
"Then how do we know she isn't just one of the sheriff's spies? She could be gone by tomorrow and the sheriff could be in here in an hour."
"Will…" Robin said.
Will! Of course, Will Scarlet! Robin's bir – no…she had to be dreaming. All of these people couldn't exist…
Robin continued. "You don't know who she is either. How would the sheriff know where to send his 'spy'? He doesn't know where we are."
"Yes, but she could have been traveling through Sherwood, looking for us. In case you don't remember, Locksley, that is the exact area you keep raiding."
"That's irrelevant, Scarlet!"
"Is it?"
"Drop it, Scarlet!" an icy voice answered. John Little. Best man of the woods, as she recalled. John led the men until Robin of Locksley came along to lead the men of the wood. But John didn't take it personally.
There was a moment of silence. Alexia tried to think of something to say that would prove she was not the Sheriff of Nottingham's spy but without revealing that was from the future. Not that they would believe her. They would call her a liar or a witch. Either was not a good thing in these times.
"I see I have gotten your attention. Just keep that in mind when Nottingham comes storming in here."
At that, Will walked away. Alexia shook her head. Everyone was now looking at her for an explanation. Robin came over to her and took her arm. As he dragged her away, she picked up her bag.
Robin got away from the crowd of people and turned.
"I need to know now..." he said seriously. "whether or not you are Nottingham's little spy or not. Just tell the truth and I won't have to kill you...for the people's sake."
Alexia sighed. "I am not. I honestly don't really remember how I stumbled onto that road. I just remember...all those people who didn't have homes and..."
"And then what?"
"I don't remember. I must have collapsed."
"Alright...I don't know why, but I believe you. Just ignore Will Scarlet. As a good friend informed me, he's full of piss and wind."
Alexia chuckled.