A TALE OF SHERWOOD
Chapter 2
In Which there is a Chase and Many Bruises
It's always darkest before it goes pitch black. -Connie Winklerl
The pickpocket edged her way through the crowd. The dagger was in her boot. It felt different from her old dagger, but in a good way. She liked the way it rubbed against her calf.
As Much had said there was the Sheriffs soldiers- here to collect taxes from the church. She moved closer to the wagon. She could see Much, near the front of the church ready to call out when the soldiers came out. The wagon was, thankfully, covered. There were two guards but they were sitting at the front of the wagon.
Hilde slipped into the back and closed the flaps behind her. She waited the count of ten before moving around the wagon. Inside was nothing but heavy wooden chests. She opened the first one she came to. and gasped. Inside were riches beyond her wildest dreams. Gold, silver, jewels. She quickly started filling her pockets. This would pay for the daggers and more besides. Maybe even a home- with just a fraction of this you could buy an entire farm; home, beasts and all!
That's when she heard the shout from behind her.
"Harry! Hilde! HILDE!"
She turned, to see the back hangings of the wagon ripped aside by a very angry soldier with a large mustache. She ran and jumped over him, landing like a cat on the street. She began to run. Before disappearing down the street she turned to see Much held by two soldiers. She stopped.
"Much! Hold on!" she yelled, turning towards him.
"No, Hilde! Run! Run Godamit! Run!" he bellowed as he fought with the soldiers trying to restrain him. Hilde ran. The only way she could think of helping him was to run and draw attention away from him. The soldiers would chase her, he could get away from them. Simple. So she ran.
She pushed her way through the crowd and took off as fast as she could down the street. But she wasn't fast enough. The soldiers stayed behind her. They ran like they would never tire. Hilde could hear her breathe coming in ragged gasps and her heart beating out of control. Well, she thought, they had had an entire winter of food and warmth, they are a lot stronger than me. I have to find a place to hide soon, before I collapse. She ducked behind a vendor's stall.
Crouching, she listened for all she was worth. She could hear them spread out, searching each stall. They knew she was at her strengths end. She had to be hiding somewhere. As they got closer Hilde looked for a place to hide, they would find her here. The answer came in an alley.
She said a quick prayer and took off towards it, hoping beyond hope that they wouldn't notice her. When she saw the narrowness and then the sharp curve to the right or the alley walls she almost cried out. Dead end! This was the same alley that she and Much met in. In her haste she hadn't recognized it and now she was in a trap. She could hear the soldiers yells behind her. She ran to the end of the alley and prayed harder.
Please don't have seen me. Please. But they had. She could hear their footfalls. The Pickpocket quickly reviewed her options. She could go quietly, or try to fight them. She decided to fight. She was not one to go quietly. She put her back up against the wall and pulled the dagger out of her boot just as the first soldier came around the corner.
She did not throw the knife- if she did that she would have thrown away her only weapon. Instead she used it to stab upward at the soldiers arm. She felt the blade slide across flesh and heard his howl of pain. She tried to fight but more soldiers kept coming around the corner. She did not have a chance to use the blade again because a particularly burly fellow wrenched it out of her hand. Two of the soldiers had seized her arms with grips of iron. She kicked and clawed and bit, but couldn't free herself.
They pulled her out of the alley and began dragging her down the street, back towards the church. Every so often they would kick her, or wrench her arm- to make sure she came quietly. The crowd looked at her and whispered about how she had been stealing from the sheriff's men. She stopped fighting and let herself be dragged.
Once back at the church they tied her wrists and shoved her back into the wagon. Inside was Much. His wrists and ankles were bound and he had the beginnings of a wonderful black eye. He looked at her and groaned.
"Not you too. I thought I told you to run."
"Glad to see you too. I did run, but they ran faster." She said, carefully omitting the fact that her own stupidity had gotten herself trapped.
Outside they could hear the crowd murmuring. They caught odd phrases like "stealing", "Sheriffs own men", "Hanging", and "Punishment". She winced. Now what? The common punishment for criminals was to cut off a hand or couple of fingers. But, then again, the sheriff might decide to make an example of them. Then what? He could hang them, or burn them alive, or any number of very nasty things. Besides her Much shivered-probably thinking along the same lines as herself.
A soldier climbed inside the wagon and began to search their pockets. In Much's he found the old dagger, an apple, and a few coins. In Hilde's he found everything she had taken from the chest. She groaned. She had done the actual stealing. If anyone's hands were going to get cut off it would be hers.
Outside she could hear the soldiers talking.
"That all they had in their pockets?"
"Yessir, the little one also had the dagger- the one he sliced Will with." "Let me see it."
"Yessir." There was a pause and then.
"Hmm. Well made. Gentleman's dagger. Probably stolen too."
"Hey! Beggin your pardon sir, but that is one of the daggers that was stolen from Lord Chesterfield by Robin Hood! He was taken 'em home as a gift for 'is sons, but..."
"But they were stolen by Robin Hood! Joe 'ere was wiv the guard that was supposed to be gaurdin Lord Chesterfield from the outlaws."
"Don't look like he did a good job, did the Outlaws give you that black eye?"
"Why you-"
"Stop! If the thief had a dagger stolen by Robin Hood then the only reasonable conclusion is that he is one of Robin Hoods men. Bring him here."
Much turned to look at her. She felt her hands begin to shake. This was bad. Very bad. If the Sheriff thought she was with Robin Hood then who knows what he might do to her. Everyone knew how much the Sheriff hated Robin Hood. What would he do to her now? She had stolen, attacked his men, wounded one of them, but now he would think she was one of Robin Hood's Outlaws! Much patted her bound hands awkwardly with his own.
"Sorry." He whispered. "I never should have-" but he was interrupted by a soldier coming into the wagon and dragging Hilde out by her collar.
He threw her on the ground, at the feet of the captain.
"Get up." He said. Hilde staggered up to her feet. It was awkward because of her tied hands.
"Where did you get this?" asked the Captain. Hilde remained silent- not knowing what to say.
"WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?" Roared the Captain. He lashed out, whacking her hard enough on the cheek to make her fall down. Then he kicked her. Just once, in the stomach, but hard enough to make all the air rush out of her.
"Now, where did you get it, you whores-son?" he asked again.
"Not. Robin. Hood" She said through clenched teeth. That was the wrong thing to say.
"Not Robin Hood?" said the man, unbelieving. "Well it just so happens that this dagger was stolen by Robin Hood not three days ago. I say you know where Robin Hood is. I say you will tell me. Now." He kicked her again, in the ribs.
"I don't know where he is. I've never seen him." She choked out, trying not to cry. She hated crying.
"Not-Seen-Him? You-Don't-Know?" he sneered punctuating each word with a kick to some part of her anatomy.
She remained silent. Eventually they stopped beating her, and put her back into the wagon. They tied her legs together too, and tightened the ropes on her wrists so that they cut into her flesh. Much tried to scoot closer to her but the soldier in the wagon with them kicked him in the ribs, commanding "Stay there." Hilde let a tear slide out of her eye at the sight of Much, on the floor, with his hands and feet bound, gasping for air. The man stayed in the wagon with them so that Hilde couldn't even help Much sit up. Finally another soldier stuck his head in the back flap and spoke to their guard.
"Time to go." He said. "Cap'n says to leave 'em there, and ride yer mount." The man got up to leave and tried to kick Hilde again. But she rolled away. He just laughed and left. The wagon started to move.
"Gods Hilde. What did they do to you?" said Much, finally getting close enough to get a good look at her.
"They thought I got it from Robin Hood, They Think. Oh, Much! They are taking us to the Sheriff!" she said.
"I know. I... heard," he said. "Look Hilde, I'm sorry. All this because of a stupid dagger. It's all my fault. If I hadn't-"
"Stop it!" said Hilde, cutting him off. "It is not you fault." She added quietly. He just looked at her with sadness and something else in his eyes. She put her head in his lap and fell asleep.
AN: Sooooooo? What do you think? Was the chase part okay? Too much detail, too little? Does this whole story just stink? I need reassurance! Help me by reviewing! Thanks for reading this, bye! = Langsiell
AN2: Oh yes, I forgot to mention. I am trying to make this as true to Robin Hood legend as I can, while still making this story interesting and original. Hilde and Duo will be the only Gundam Wing Characters in the story, sorry folks. Duo will NOT be Little John, they are two completely different people. Much is really a traditional character, he is the miller's son, but usually they say that he is a retard. Much is not a retard in this story. He is one of my favorite characters- I can't make him a retard. That's it. Enough rambling from me. Go review! - Langsiell.
Chapter 2
In Which there is a Chase and Many Bruises
It's always darkest before it goes pitch black. -Connie Winklerl
The pickpocket edged her way through the crowd. The dagger was in her boot. It felt different from her old dagger, but in a good way. She liked the way it rubbed against her calf.
As Much had said there was the Sheriffs soldiers- here to collect taxes from the church. She moved closer to the wagon. She could see Much, near the front of the church ready to call out when the soldiers came out. The wagon was, thankfully, covered. There were two guards but they were sitting at the front of the wagon.
Hilde slipped into the back and closed the flaps behind her. She waited the count of ten before moving around the wagon. Inside was nothing but heavy wooden chests. She opened the first one she came to. and gasped. Inside were riches beyond her wildest dreams. Gold, silver, jewels. She quickly started filling her pockets. This would pay for the daggers and more besides. Maybe even a home- with just a fraction of this you could buy an entire farm; home, beasts and all!
That's when she heard the shout from behind her.
"Harry! Hilde! HILDE!"
She turned, to see the back hangings of the wagon ripped aside by a very angry soldier with a large mustache. She ran and jumped over him, landing like a cat on the street. She began to run. Before disappearing down the street she turned to see Much held by two soldiers. She stopped.
"Much! Hold on!" she yelled, turning towards him.
"No, Hilde! Run! Run Godamit! Run!" he bellowed as he fought with the soldiers trying to restrain him. Hilde ran. The only way she could think of helping him was to run and draw attention away from him. The soldiers would chase her, he could get away from them. Simple. So she ran.
She pushed her way through the crowd and took off as fast as she could down the street. But she wasn't fast enough. The soldiers stayed behind her. They ran like they would never tire. Hilde could hear her breathe coming in ragged gasps and her heart beating out of control. Well, she thought, they had had an entire winter of food and warmth, they are a lot stronger than me. I have to find a place to hide soon, before I collapse. She ducked behind a vendor's stall.
Crouching, she listened for all she was worth. She could hear them spread out, searching each stall. They knew she was at her strengths end. She had to be hiding somewhere. As they got closer Hilde looked for a place to hide, they would find her here. The answer came in an alley.
She said a quick prayer and took off towards it, hoping beyond hope that they wouldn't notice her. When she saw the narrowness and then the sharp curve to the right or the alley walls she almost cried out. Dead end! This was the same alley that she and Much met in. In her haste she hadn't recognized it and now she was in a trap. She could hear the soldiers yells behind her. She ran to the end of the alley and prayed harder.
Please don't have seen me. Please. But they had. She could hear their footfalls. The Pickpocket quickly reviewed her options. She could go quietly, or try to fight them. She decided to fight. She was not one to go quietly. She put her back up against the wall and pulled the dagger out of her boot just as the first soldier came around the corner.
She did not throw the knife- if she did that she would have thrown away her only weapon. Instead she used it to stab upward at the soldiers arm. She felt the blade slide across flesh and heard his howl of pain. She tried to fight but more soldiers kept coming around the corner. She did not have a chance to use the blade again because a particularly burly fellow wrenched it out of her hand. Two of the soldiers had seized her arms with grips of iron. She kicked and clawed and bit, but couldn't free herself.
They pulled her out of the alley and began dragging her down the street, back towards the church. Every so often they would kick her, or wrench her arm- to make sure she came quietly. The crowd looked at her and whispered about how she had been stealing from the sheriff's men. She stopped fighting and let herself be dragged.
Once back at the church they tied her wrists and shoved her back into the wagon. Inside was Much. His wrists and ankles were bound and he had the beginnings of a wonderful black eye. He looked at her and groaned.
"Not you too. I thought I told you to run."
"Glad to see you too. I did run, but they ran faster." She said, carefully omitting the fact that her own stupidity had gotten herself trapped.
Outside they could hear the crowd murmuring. They caught odd phrases like "stealing", "Sheriffs own men", "Hanging", and "Punishment". She winced. Now what? The common punishment for criminals was to cut off a hand or couple of fingers. But, then again, the sheriff might decide to make an example of them. Then what? He could hang them, or burn them alive, or any number of very nasty things. Besides her Much shivered-probably thinking along the same lines as herself.
A soldier climbed inside the wagon and began to search their pockets. In Much's he found the old dagger, an apple, and a few coins. In Hilde's he found everything she had taken from the chest. She groaned. She had done the actual stealing. If anyone's hands were going to get cut off it would be hers.
Outside she could hear the soldiers talking.
"That all they had in their pockets?"
"Yessir, the little one also had the dagger- the one he sliced Will with." "Let me see it."
"Yessir." There was a pause and then.
"Hmm. Well made. Gentleman's dagger. Probably stolen too."
"Hey! Beggin your pardon sir, but that is one of the daggers that was stolen from Lord Chesterfield by Robin Hood! He was taken 'em home as a gift for 'is sons, but..."
"But they were stolen by Robin Hood! Joe 'ere was wiv the guard that was supposed to be gaurdin Lord Chesterfield from the outlaws."
"Don't look like he did a good job, did the Outlaws give you that black eye?"
"Why you-"
"Stop! If the thief had a dagger stolen by Robin Hood then the only reasonable conclusion is that he is one of Robin Hoods men. Bring him here."
Much turned to look at her. She felt her hands begin to shake. This was bad. Very bad. If the Sheriff thought she was with Robin Hood then who knows what he might do to her. Everyone knew how much the Sheriff hated Robin Hood. What would he do to her now? She had stolen, attacked his men, wounded one of them, but now he would think she was one of Robin Hood's Outlaws! Much patted her bound hands awkwardly with his own.
"Sorry." He whispered. "I never should have-" but he was interrupted by a soldier coming into the wagon and dragging Hilde out by her collar.
He threw her on the ground, at the feet of the captain.
"Get up." He said. Hilde staggered up to her feet. It was awkward because of her tied hands.
"Where did you get this?" asked the Captain. Hilde remained silent- not knowing what to say.
"WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?" Roared the Captain. He lashed out, whacking her hard enough on the cheek to make her fall down. Then he kicked her. Just once, in the stomach, but hard enough to make all the air rush out of her.
"Now, where did you get it, you whores-son?" he asked again.
"Not. Robin. Hood" She said through clenched teeth. That was the wrong thing to say.
"Not Robin Hood?" said the man, unbelieving. "Well it just so happens that this dagger was stolen by Robin Hood not three days ago. I say you know where Robin Hood is. I say you will tell me. Now." He kicked her again, in the ribs.
"I don't know where he is. I've never seen him." She choked out, trying not to cry. She hated crying.
"Not-Seen-Him? You-Don't-Know?" he sneered punctuating each word with a kick to some part of her anatomy.
She remained silent. Eventually they stopped beating her, and put her back into the wagon. They tied her legs together too, and tightened the ropes on her wrists so that they cut into her flesh. Much tried to scoot closer to her but the soldier in the wagon with them kicked him in the ribs, commanding "Stay there." Hilde let a tear slide out of her eye at the sight of Much, on the floor, with his hands and feet bound, gasping for air. The man stayed in the wagon with them so that Hilde couldn't even help Much sit up. Finally another soldier stuck his head in the back flap and spoke to their guard.
"Time to go." He said. "Cap'n says to leave 'em there, and ride yer mount." The man got up to leave and tried to kick Hilde again. But she rolled away. He just laughed and left. The wagon started to move.
"Gods Hilde. What did they do to you?" said Much, finally getting close enough to get a good look at her.
"They thought I got it from Robin Hood, They Think. Oh, Much! They are taking us to the Sheriff!" she said.
"I know. I... heard," he said. "Look Hilde, I'm sorry. All this because of a stupid dagger. It's all my fault. If I hadn't-"
"Stop it!" said Hilde, cutting him off. "It is not you fault." She added quietly. He just looked at her with sadness and something else in his eyes. She put her head in his lap and fell asleep.
AN: Sooooooo? What do you think? Was the chase part okay? Too much detail, too little? Does this whole story just stink? I need reassurance! Help me by reviewing! Thanks for reading this, bye! = Langsiell
AN2: Oh yes, I forgot to mention. I am trying to make this as true to Robin Hood legend as I can, while still making this story interesting and original. Hilde and Duo will be the only Gundam Wing Characters in the story, sorry folks. Duo will NOT be Little John, they are two completely different people. Much is really a traditional character, he is the miller's son, but usually they say that he is a retard. Much is not a retard in this story. He is one of my favorite characters- I can't make him a retard. That's it. Enough rambling from me. Go review! - Langsiell.