Sorry it took so long. I accidentally wrote another story in between last
chapter and this one. There was actually more that I wanted in this
chapter, but you've been waiting patiently, and it's starting to get a
little long, so I'll tack that to the next chapter. By the way, some good
action is coming up in the next few chapters. there's even a little action
in this one *^_^*
I'm also planning on totally rewriting this story when I'm finished. I want to completely polish it up and post it on fiction press. net. Hey, it's Robin Hood. They can't catch me on any copyright laws. Anyway, if anyone would be interested in reading the new and improved version(after I'm finished writing the old and flawed version of course) then let me know, or keep an eye out on my author page on fictionpress.net
CHAPTER 13
The guards seemed to settle down a bit the following day. When Piper made her appearance at the field, there was no fussing. In fact, her comrades seemed to make a very clear effort to avoid the subject of her injuries and her recent ordeal altogether. She was grateful to them, but also unnerved at the sudden change in behavior. She shrugged it off, assuming that they noticed her discomfort and wanted to avoid any further embarrassment.
Richard called his subordinates around the fire to discuss plans. Because of Prince John's delay, they would have more time to search for the outlaws, but he didn't want to spend too much time in Sherwood. He opted to split the guards into two groups, one patrolling the forests while the other maintained order in Nottingham and carried on with the daily responsibilities of running a city. Piper was put into the second group. She began to protest this decision, but a warning look from Richard silenced her. He was still her superior. She had to follow orders.
She didn't, however, have to like them. She spent the rest of the day, and the rest of the week in a foul mood. She knew why she was being kept from the forest. She was certain that the Sheriff had some say in it, just as she was certain that she would be in this situation if he had said nothing. Philip and Richard both wanted to protect her. It didn't matter how able she was in a fight. It didn't matter that Scarlett could just as easily kill Bear or Walter in a confrontation. She was a woman, and as such, she was more of a victim. She needed to be protected from Scarlett.
she thought as she marched through Nottingham with the tax collector.
**********
Winter passed quickly that year. By mid April, the only thing that remained of Piper's encounter with Scarlett was a long pale scar down the left side of her face, and the violent impulse to break things whenever the outlaw's name was mentioned. It took a long time for her to venture back into the forest to visit Much. Not only did she feel uneasy being alone in the forest at night, but she was also avoiding reuniting with Much. She was terrified that when she saw him again, that he would pity her. She couldn't bare that.
To Piper's delight, she discovered that Much wasted very little time or energy on pity. She found him in Mid March, after an uneasy trek through the midnight forest. Every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves made her hesitate. By the time she reached their meeting place, she was fighting the overwhelming urge to flee back to the Manor. Perhaps Much wouldn't even be looking for her tonight.
Once again he managed to surprise her though. He was already there, hiding in the tree, waiting for her. He dropped from above almost soundlessly, and Piper was more than relieved that she managed to stop the scream of alarm that on first impulse had tried to escape from her throat. She was irritated with herself for her weakness and nervousness. She vowed that she would not allow herself to become a weak kneed and fainting damsel, no matter what the circumstances.
Much took her by the hand and kissed it gently, quelling her fears and irritation in one gesture. "I'm glad you came," he whispered. "It's been getting rather lonely here at night."
"Have you been waiting long then?" she asked, a smile playing along her face. How long had he been hiding in that tree, she wondered. How many nights had he waited for her? She enjoyed the way the questions that ran through her mind made her feel.
In answer to her question, Much shook his head. "I don't know."
"You don't remember?" Piper nearly laughed.
Much laughed too. "Now that you're here, the wait doesn't seem all that important." He pulled her down to sit beside their tree, and for a long while they just watched each other in silence. Then Much's attention was drawn to the scar. Piper was certain that it would be difficult to see in the darkness, but Much found it, and traced a finger down it's length. Piper closed her eyes, trying vainly to block out the flashes of memory that imposed themselves on her mind.
Much noticed her reaction and pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Please don't be." Piper wrapped one hand around the nape of his neck, and pulled him towards her. She didn't want Much to be sorry. She wanted him to drown out her memories. Their lips met, first gently, and then more passionately, each letting go of their sorrows and fears in the sensation of the other.
As their kissing became more feverish, their hands began exploring each other, pulling their bodies closer. Much knew where these events were heading, and as much as he hated himself for it, he pulled breathlessly away. "Are you sure you want this? After what happened, I would understand..."
Once again, Scarlett seemed to be getting in the way. Well this time, Piper wouldn't let him. "Shut up," she growled and pulled Much's mouth back to hers.
It was still cold in Sherwood, especially at night, and their breath could be seen ascending up to the tree tops, but neither one felt the chill. Piper still blushed when she thought about it. They stretched out together on the still frozen earth, but it might as well have been the finest bed in all of England for all they were concerned. They took their time exploring one another, and in that one night they found many ways of expressing their love.
He tried to be such a gentleman, but underneath it all, he was still a man(a very fine man, Piper thought to herself), and a rogue as well. Of course, she hadn't been much better. There was nothing that Much could make Piper do if she didn't want to, and she found herself more t than willing.
It was nearly morning by the time Piper returned to the Manor. Though still dark and frosty, she could hear the birds stirring in the trees and singing to the approach of spring. She knew that by the end of the day, she would too exhausted to eat, but at the moment, everything seemed right. She chose to revel in this wonderful feeling for the time being, and let all the worries in her life wait until after the sun rose to burden her.
**********
By April, the nights were warmer, and everyone had once again settled into routine. The outlaws stole less frequently more due to the fact that there were fewer nobles brave enough to venture into Sherwood than anything the guards did. The guards still searched the forest, and eventually allowed Piper to search as well. She had no more luck than they did. It was both frustrating and relieving. She wanted to find the outlaws encampment for Philip's sake and because it was her job, but she still feared what that would mean for Much. She didn't even let herself think about what would happen if the Sheriff should find out about the two of them.
In all of that time, thoughts of Prince John's visit were few and far between. The daily struggle of living took precedence for all. It wasn't only the peasants that found themselves struggling to survive. The ransom for the King had been sent a month before. There still wasn't enough money in taxes, but the few nobles who were still loyal to Richard didn't dare wait any longer. Each of them contributed all that they could. Philip's modest store of wealth had been severely depleted, and now he found it a challenge to support himself and those who depended on him.
Piper noticed all these things through the vague haze of love. She spent most of her time thinking about Much, and it infuriated her. How dare he consume her thoughts that way. She didn't mind it nearly as much when she was with him, but when she was target practicing, or running drills with Bear, she found it distracting and irritating. On more than one occasion, she found herself making foolish mistakes on the training field.
"Stupid girl!" Bear roared at her. They had been practicing with broadswords, still one of her weakest fighting skills. Broadswords were too bulky and slow for her taste, and they made her feel awkward. She would much rather fight with short swords.
At the moment she would rather be fighting with a daisy for all the effectiveness she was having with the heavy weapon. Bear had once again disarmed her. He now held her at sword point, her own weapon laying several feet away. More frustrated with herself for loosing again than with Bear for beating her, she batted the sword point away from her with the flat of her hand, and stalked off to calm herself. She didn't want to take out her frustration on Bear, but she also didn't want to be forced to listen to another one of his lectures. She knew she was making mistakes. She knew it was happening too frequently, and that the other guards were beginning to notice.
She was already past the archery range, arms folded over her chest and jaw clenched by the time she heard soft footsteps hurrying towards her. "I know I was being careless, Bear. You don't have to tell me." She refused to turn around and face him. She couldn't stand to see the disappointment in his eyes.
Unfortunately, he wasn't going to give her the option. A hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around gruffly. "What is going on with you?" He locked his eyes with hers, pinning her to the spot with intense anger and concern.
"I know. It won't happen again, I just got distracted. I'm sorry." She tried to pull away from him, but he wasn't letting her go yet.
"I don't believe you. You've been acting strangely for several weeks now. At first I thought it had something to do with Scarlett." Piper balled her hands into tight fists and resisted the urge to punch the closest thing to her, which happened to be Bear. He registered the reaction, but pressed on. "There's something else. Piper, I wouldn't normally intrude on your personal life, but whatever you're not telling us is becoming a problem; one that might get you or one of us killed in a real fight, so either you tell me what it is, or fix it."
The two of them stared at each other, neither willing to break eye contact. After a long moment. Piper conceded "I'll take care of it. It won't be a problem any longer."
"Bear, Piper!" The two guards turned to the sound of Richard's voice. Their red haired leader was striding towards them purposefully. Piper noticed that Sarah was standing at the guard house nervously shifting weight from one foot to the other. Richard looked annoyed, but it was obvious by his expression, that he wasn't willing to explain why.
"The Sheriff has asked to see the both of you immediately. Sarah will take you." He indicated that they should leave right away, and the two nodded without further comment. As they crossed the field, Bear turned a questioning glance over his shoulder at Piper, as if to ask Piper shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. For once she was as uninformed as he was when it came to the goings on of Mark Manor.
They met with Sarah, still not uttering a word, and the three traveled back to the Manor in silence. Sarah's eyes were downcast and nervous the entire time, and Piper noticed that Bear was stealing glances of the older girl from time to time. Piper's brow knit in confusion. It seemed that both Bear and Sarah were aware of something that they weren't speaking of. Did they both know the nature of this meeting? Her mind began on a feverish leap of suspicion. What if the guards were more concerned about her recently poor performance than they made known? What if they had already confronted the Sheriff about this problem? Where they now going to force the truth from her; or perhaps relieve her of her duties? Piper found herself feeling very nervous suddenly, and she spent the rest of the walk with her eyes downcast in doubt.
Sarah ushered them to the Sheriff's chamber door, which was opened and waiting for them. "Thank you," said Bear. They were the first words that any of them had spoken, and in the stone halls, they could hear the sound bounce and ricochet alarmingly about them. It was too loud for Piper's taste, though she kept her discomfort to her self. It had a different effect on Sarah, causing the shy girl to look up briefly and flash a quick smile before dashing away.
"Come in," an irritated Sheriff called them from inside the room. The two guards looked at each other, both thinking the same thing. . They entered the room as martially as possible, neither wanting to give the Sheriff any reason to be disappointed with them. They stood at attention, stoically waiting for whatever was about to come.
The Sheriff was sitting at his oak table, a letter in hand. He appeared to be reading the it, but Piper had the impression that it's contents were already known. He let them wait there in uncomfortable silence while he continued to regard the letter. Piper found herself once again making intuitive leaps. Bear seemed just as nervous and uncomfortable as she felt, and that letter certainly had nothing to do with her. Perhaps she was safe after all.
"I received a message today." Philip folded the paper and stood. "It's from Prince John. He's on his way and should be here within the week." Piper and Bear shared a sideways glance before returning attention to the Sheriff.
"We have nothing to show for the extended grace period we were granted. We have no choice now. We have to be able to present the Prince with proof of our efforts, or he will question my effectiveness and loyalty. I've spoken to Richard already and we have concluded that the only way to capture them is to draw them out of hiding."
"Sir," It was, of course inappropriate for a guard to interrupt the Sheriff while speaking, so Bear waited for a nod from his superior before continuing. "The only time the outlaws come out of hiding is to steal money, and they aren't going t o be foolish enough to try to rob the guards."
"That's why you'll be disguised as a noble couple. I've already let rumors spread in the town that a wealthy lord from France is coming here to meet with Prince John. He'll be bringing his young cousin with him." Philip looked at Piper who forced herself to meet his gaze calmly and impassively. She already decided that she didn't like this plan. Did the Sheriff actually intend her to dress up like a rich lady?
"Arrangements have already been made. The two of you will travel separately by horseback tomorrow. Bear will take the main road through Sherwood and Piper, you'll take the less traveled paths. You'll meet at Lord Gisbourne's estate. Just be careful what you say around him. I believe he is loyal to Richard, but he is not willing to cross Prince John. He will provide you with rooms for the night, as well as suitable clothing and transport. You will return on the main roads, and present yourselves as easy targets for outlaws. The rest of the guards will be in the forest disguised as peasants and foresters. With any luck, they will be able to aid you in the capture."
Bear glanced back at Piper, his face clouded with doubt. He still wasn't sure he could trust her judgment at the moment. In all honesty, she wasn't entirely certain either, but she resented his lack of confidence in her.
"Sir," Again, he waited for permission to speak. Philip granted it with a wave of his hand. Bear chose his next words carefully, wanting to express his concern about her recent behavior, without voicing his suspicion that she was hiding something. He was still trying to protect her. ? She wondered. I can take care of myself.
"Are you certain that Piper is ready for this task? Perhaps..."
"Richard has already spoken to me about Piper's recent performance in training." He regarded her as he spoke. Again, she met his gaze, her face betraying no thoughts or emotions.
"If she feels that she is unfit for this mission, I expect that she would say so. Otherwise, she will perform her duties to the best of her abilities." He shifted his attention between Piper and Bear. "Do I make myself clear?" the question was meant for both of them. They each nodded respectfully.
"Good. I'm relieving you both of your duties for today so that you can prepare for tomorrow. Go now."
Once outside of the Sheriff's chambers and a considerable distance away, Piper turned on Bear. She was in some small way thankful that he tried to protect her, but her anger took a much more prominent place in her emotions at the moment.
"Understand this." Her voice was controlled, but her intense anger shown through her eyes. "I would never put anything in my life before my responsibility to you and the other guards. If you think that I would allow my personal life to interfere with this mission, then you do not remember who you are talking to. I'll see you at Lord Gisbourne's estate tomorrow night." With that she turned and walked away from him.
I'm also planning on totally rewriting this story when I'm finished. I want to completely polish it up and post it on fiction press. net. Hey, it's Robin Hood. They can't catch me on any copyright laws. Anyway, if anyone would be interested in reading the new and improved version(after I'm finished writing the old and flawed version of course) then let me know, or keep an eye out on my author page on fictionpress.net
CHAPTER 13
The guards seemed to settle down a bit the following day. When Piper made her appearance at the field, there was no fussing. In fact, her comrades seemed to make a very clear effort to avoid the subject of her injuries and her recent ordeal altogether. She was grateful to them, but also unnerved at the sudden change in behavior. She shrugged it off, assuming that they noticed her discomfort and wanted to avoid any further embarrassment.
Richard called his subordinates around the fire to discuss plans. Because of Prince John's delay, they would have more time to search for the outlaws, but he didn't want to spend too much time in Sherwood. He opted to split the guards into two groups, one patrolling the forests while the other maintained order in Nottingham and carried on with the daily responsibilities of running a city. Piper was put into the second group. She began to protest this decision, but a warning look from Richard silenced her. He was still her superior. She had to follow orders.
She didn't, however, have to like them. She spent the rest of the day, and the rest of the week in a foul mood. She knew why she was being kept from the forest. She was certain that the Sheriff had some say in it, just as she was certain that she would be in this situation if he had said nothing. Philip and Richard both wanted to protect her. It didn't matter how able she was in a fight. It didn't matter that Scarlett could just as easily kill Bear or Walter in a confrontation. She was a woman, and as such, she was more of a victim. She needed to be protected from Scarlett.
she thought as she marched through Nottingham with the tax collector.
**********
Winter passed quickly that year. By mid April, the only thing that remained of Piper's encounter with Scarlett was a long pale scar down the left side of her face, and the violent impulse to break things whenever the outlaw's name was mentioned. It took a long time for her to venture back into the forest to visit Much. Not only did she feel uneasy being alone in the forest at night, but she was also avoiding reuniting with Much. She was terrified that when she saw him again, that he would pity her. She couldn't bare that.
To Piper's delight, she discovered that Much wasted very little time or energy on pity. She found him in Mid March, after an uneasy trek through the midnight forest. Every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves made her hesitate. By the time she reached their meeting place, she was fighting the overwhelming urge to flee back to the Manor. Perhaps Much wouldn't even be looking for her tonight.
Once again he managed to surprise her though. He was already there, hiding in the tree, waiting for her. He dropped from above almost soundlessly, and Piper was more than relieved that she managed to stop the scream of alarm that on first impulse had tried to escape from her throat. She was irritated with herself for her weakness and nervousness. She vowed that she would not allow herself to become a weak kneed and fainting damsel, no matter what the circumstances.
Much took her by the hand and kissed it gently, quelling her fears and irritation in one gesture. "I'm glad you came," he whispered. "It's been getting rather lonely here at night."
"Have you been waiting long then?" she asked, a smile playing along her face. How long had he been hiding in that tree, she wondered. How many nights had he waited for her? She enjoyed the way the questions that ran through her mind made her feel.
In answer to her question, Much shook his head. "I don't know."
"You don't remember?" Piper nearly laughed.
Much laughed too. "Now that you're here, the wait doesn't seem all that important." He pulled her down to sit beside their tree, and for a long while they just watched each other in silence. Then Much's attention was drawn to the scar. Piper was certain that it would be difficult to see in the darkness, but Much found it, and traced a finger down it's length. Piper closed her eyes, trying vainly to block out the flashes of memory that imposed themselves on her mind.
Much noticed her reaction and pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Please don't be." Piper wrapped one hand around the nape of his neck, and pulled him towards her. She didn't want Much to be sorry. She wanted him to drown out her memories. Their lips met, first gently, and then more passionately, each letting go of their sorrows and fears in the sensation of the other.
As their kissing became more feverish, their hands began exploring each other, pulling their bodies closer. Much knew where these events were heading, and as much as he hated himself for it, he pulled breathlessly away. "Are you sure you want this? After what happened, I would understand..."
Once again, Scarlett seemed to be getting in the way. Well this time, Piper wouldn't let him. "Shut up," she growled and pulled Much's mouth back to hers.
It was still cold in Sherwood, especially at night, and their breath could be seen ascending up to the tree tops, but neither one felt the chill. Piper still blushed when she thought about it. They stretched out together on the still frozen earth, but it might as well have been the finest bed in all of England for all they were concerned. They took their time exploring one another, and in that one night they found many ways of expressing their love.
He tried to be such a gentleman, but underneath it all, he was still a man(a very fine man, Piper thought to herself), and a rogue as well. Of course, she hadn't been much better. There was nothing that Much could make Piper do if she didn't want to, and she found herself more t than willing.
It was nearly morning by the time Piper returned to the Manor. Though still dark and frosty, she could hear the birds stirring in the trees and singing to the approach of spring. She knew that by the end of the day, she would too exhausted to eat, but at the moment, everything seemed right. She chose to revel in this wonderful feeling for the time being, and let all the worries in her life wait until after the sun rose to burden her.
**********
By April, the nights were warmer, and everyone had once again settled into routine. The outlaws stole less frequently more due to the fact that there were fewer nobles brave enough to venture into Sherwood than anything the guards did. The guards still searched the forest, and eventually allowed Piper to search as well. She had no more luck than they did. It was both frustrating and relieving. She wanted to find the outlaws encampment for Philip's sake and because it was her job, but she still feared what that would mean for Much. She didn't even let herself think about what would happen if the Sheriff should find out about the two of them.
In all of that time, thoughts of Prince John's visit were few and far between. The daily struggle of living took precedence for all. It wasn't only the peasants that found themselves struggling to survive. The ransom for the King had been sent a month before. There still wasn't enough money in taxes, but the few nobles who were still loyal to Richard didn't dare wait any longer. Each of them contributed all that they could. Philip's modest store of wealth had been severely depleted, and now he found it a challenge to support himself and those who depended on him.
Piper noticed all these things through the vague haze of love. She spent most of her time thinking about Much, and it infuriated her. How dare he consume her thoughts that way. She didn't mind it nearly as much when she was with him, but when she was target practicing, or running drills with Bear, she found it distracting and irritating. On more than one occasion, she found herself making foolish mistakes on the training field.
"Stupid girl!" Bear roared at her. They had been practicing with broadswords, still one of her weakest fighting skills. Broadswords were too bulky and slow for her taste, and they made her feel awkward. She would much rather fight with short swords.
At the moment she would rather be fighting with a daisy for all the effectiveness she was having with the heavy weapon. Bear had once again disarmed her. He now held her at sword point, her own weapon laying several feet away. More frustrated with herself for loosing again than with Bear for beating her, she batted the sword point away from her with the flat of her hand, and stalked off to calm herself. She didn't want to take out her frustration on Bear, but she also didn't want to be forced to listen to another one of his lectures. She knew she was making mistakes. She knew it was happening too frequently, and that the other guards were beginning to notice.
She was already past the archery range, arms folded over her chest and jaw clenched by the time she heard soft footsteps hurrying towards her. "I know I was being careless, Bear. You don't have to tell me." She refused to turn around and face him. She couldn't stand to see the disappointment in his eyes.
Unfortunately, he wasn't going to give her the option. A hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around gruffly. "What is going on with you?" He locked his eyes with hers, pinning her to the spot with intense anger and concern.
"I know. It won't happen again, I just got distracted. I'm sorry." She tried to pull away from him, but he wasn't letting her go yet.
"I don't believe you. You've been acting strangely for several weeks now. At first I thought it had something to do with Scarlett." Piper balled her hands into tight fists and resisted the urge to punch the closest thing to her, which happened to be Bear. He registered the reaction, but pressed on. "There's something else. Piper, I wouldn't normally intrude on your personal life, but whatever you're not telling us is becoming a problem; one that might get you or one of us killed in a real fight, so either you tell me what it is, or fix it."
The two of them stared at each other, neither willing to break eye contact. After a long moment. Piper conceded "I'll take care of it. It won't be a problem any longer."
"Bear, Piper!" The two guards turned to the sound of Richard's voice. Their red haired leader was striding towards them purposefully. Piper noticed that Sarah was standing at the guard house nervously shifting weight from one foot to the other. Richard looked annoyed, but it was obvious by his expression, that he wasn't willing to explain why.
"The Sheriff has asked to see the both of you immediately. Sarah will take you." He indicated that they should leave right away, and the two nodded without further comment. As they crossed the field, Bear turned a questioning glance over his shoulder at Piper, as if to ask Piper shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. For once she was as uninformed as he was when it came to the goings on of Mark Manor.
They met with Sarah, still not uttering a word, and the three traveled back to the Manor in silence. Sarah's eyes were downcast and nervous the entire time, and Piper noticed that Bear was stealing glances of the older girl from time to time. Piper's brow knit in confusion. It seemed that both Bear and Sarah were aware of something that they weren't speaking of. Did they both know the nature of this meeting? Her mind began on a feverish leap of suspicion. What if the guards were more concerned about her recently poor performance than they made known? What if they had already confronted the Sheriff about this problem? Where they now going to force the truth from her; or perhaps relieve her of her duties? Piper found herself feeling very nervous suddenly, and she spent the rest of the walk with her eyes downcast in doubt.
Sarah ushered them to the Sheriff's chamber door, which was opened and waiting for them. "Thank you," said Bear. They were the first words that any of them had spoken, and in the stone halls, they could hear the sound bounce and ricochet alarmingly about them. It was too loud for Piper's taste, though she kept her discomfort to her self. It had a different effect on Sarah, causing the shy girl to look up briefly and flash a quick smile before dashing away.
"Come in," an irritated Sheriff called them from inside the room. The two guards looked at each other, both thinking the same thing. . They entered the room as martially as possible, neither wanting to give the Sheriff any reason to be disappointed with them. They stood at attention, stoically waiting for whatever was about to come.
The Sheriff was sitting at his oak table, a letter in hand. He appeared to be reading the it, but Piper had the impression that it's contents were already known. He let them wait there in uncomfortable silence while he continued to regard the letter. Piper found herself once again making intuitive leaps. Bear seemed just as nervous and uncomfortable as she felt, and that letter certainly had nothing to do with her. Perhaps she was safe after all.
"I received a message today." Philip folded the paper and stood. "It's from Prince John. He's on his way and should be here within the week." Piper and Bear shared a sideways glance before returning attention to the Sheriff.
"We have nothing to show for the extended grace period we were granted. We have no choice now. We have to be able to present the Prince with proof of our efforts, or he will question my effectiveness and loyalty. I've spoken to Richard already and we have concluded that the only way to capture them is to draw them out of hiding."
"Sir," It was, of course inappropriate for a guard to interrupt the Sheriff while speaking, so Bear waited for a nod from his superior before continuing. "The only time the outlaws come out of hiding is to steal money, and they aren't going t o be foolish enough to try to rob the guards."
"That's why you'll be disguised as a noble couple. I've already let rumors spread in the town that a wealthy lord from France is coming here to meet with Prince John. He'll be bringing his young cousin with him." Philip looked at Piper who forced herself to meet his gaze calmly and impassively. She already decided that she didn't like this plan. Did the Sheriff actually intend her to dress up like a rich lady?
"Arrangements have already been made. The two of you will travel separately by horseback tomorrow. Bear will take the main road through Sherwood and Piper, you'll take the less traveled paths. You'll meet at Lord Gisbourne's estate. Just be careful what you say around him. I believe he is loyal to Richard, but he is not willing to cross Prince John. He will provide you with rooms for the night, as well as suitable clothing and transport. You will return on the main roads, and present yourselves as easy targets for outlaws. The rest of the guards will be in the forest disguised as peasants and foresters. With any luck, they will be able to aid you in the capture."
Bear glanced back at Piper, his face clouded with doubt. He still wasn't sure he could trust her judgment at the moment. In all honesty, she wasn't entirely certain either, but she resented his lack of confidence in her.
"Sir," Again, he waited for permission to speak. Philip granted it with a wave of his hand. Bear chose his next words carefully, wanting to express his concern about her recent behavior, without voicing his suspicion that she was hiding something. He was still trying to protect her. ? She wondered. I can take care of myself.
"Are you certain that Piper is ready for this task? Perhaps..."
"Richard has already spoken to me about Piper's recent performance in training." He regarded her as he spoke. Again, she met his gaze, her face betraying no thoughts or emotions.
"If she feels that she is unfit for this mission, I expect that she would say so. Otherwise, she will perform her duties to the best of her abilities." He shifted his attention between Piper and Bear. "Do I make myself clear?" the question was meant for both of them. They each nodded respectfully.
"Good. I'm relieving you both of your duties for today so that you can prepare for tomorrow. Go now."
Once outside of the Sheriff's chambers and a considerable distance away, Piper turned on Bear. She was in some small way thankful that he tried to protect her, but her anger took a much more prominent place in her emotions at the moment.
"Understand this." Her voice was controlled, but her intense anger shown through her eyes. "I would never put anything in my life before my responsibility to you and the other guards. If you think that I would allow my personal life to interfere with this mission, then you do not remember who you are talking to. I'll see you at Lord Gisbourne's estate tomorrow night." With that she turned and walked away from him.