I stood in the center of the clearing, very aware that one of my father's merry men was somewhere behind me, and getting closer. I ducked and sidled to the side, missing being hit by Little John's oaken staff. Turning rapidly to one side, swinging my own oaken staff around, I kneeled, and smiled as my staff hit the back of L.J.'s ankle and he catapulted backwards with the force of my blow.

"No fair, you're small and quick, and I'm big and slow. Plus, you always know where I am! I'm telling you, it isn't fair!" L.J. pretended to whine. "Kiera, we need to find you someone your own size to fight!"

"But all the people my size are wimps, and they wouldn't be able to do a simple block or roll." I put on my best, 'But I'm too good to practice with anyone but you' pout. "Please, just one more session and then I'll ask father to train with me."

I could see the thoughts running around inside my teacher's head. 'Train with you, or be trained by you?' Everyone knew that I was the best staff fighter that traveled with the merry men. I helped L.J. up, and then slung my staff over my shoulders.

I, with my light brown hair, hazel blue eyes, and small form (next to L.J., that is, I'm actually very tall for my age) held the five and a half foot stick out in front of me, crossing it with L.J.'s. I called, "One, two, three, GO!"

The staffs came down, crashing into one another with a painful sounding SMACK! High block, middle jab, high jab, low sweep. I had L.J. on his toes as he jumped over the sweep. Crescent moon drill came next, so fast that all you could see was a brown blur and my blank face. I knocked L.J.'s staff out of his extra large hands and set my staff at the 'kill' position on his neck. He grinned at me, knowing that he had nothing left to teach me. I grinned back and let him go.

"Good fight." I was surprised to see Robin jump out of the tree above and to the right of me. I beamed at my father's praise.

"You never cease to amaze me, daughter." Robin shook his head at me. "Now go change. We're going into town." My smile faded into a confused frown. I gave Robin a quizzical look. Why were we going into town? I knew better then to say that out loud, I would just get the 'Never question your superiors!' lecture.

I ran back to camp, and in the middle of the rest of the men's tents, I found my own. Pulling on my good deer skin, fur lined, knee high boots, a short softened deer skin skirt, and a softened deer skin vest, I brushed and rebraided my hair, then ran out to meet my father with the horses.

Archeren, my black mare, was already brushed and saddled, which was odd. Robin usually made me do all this myself. It meant that we were doing something important, and he wanted to leave fast.

I pulled Archeren out of the patch of clovers by the side of the road and mounted. We were well on our way before I noticed that my bow and quiver were not where I usually put them, slung across Archeren's back, just behind the saddle, where I could get to them easily. My father was also unarmed, which meant he was either trading or negotiating, but he never took me to do these things before. What was going on?

Robin and I cantered our horses down the road towards the gate that lead into town. When we reached it we slowed and walked through. My father lead me through the maze of streets, allies, and lanes, and finally stopped in front of the palace, where we were being waited for.

King John, his wife and his son stood there, watching the thief and the savage, but pretty, girl approach. The girl cast wary glances at all the guards, and they seemed to get her silent 'come closer at your peril'.

With the horse still moving, I swung my right leg over and slid down Archeren's left side. The mare took the cue and stopped moving as my feet hit the ground. Patting my horse lovingly, I placed the reigns into the stable master's waiting hands and walked up the steps with my father to meet the royalty. Automatically, I bowed, not realizing that I was supposed to curtsy, even though curtsying was impossible in the skirt I was wearing, saying, "Your Majesties, Your Highness," and nodding to them all.

The king raised an eyebrow and glanced at his son, who was smiling out of one side of his mouth and thinking, 'She isn't one bit scared of us. This shall be fun.'

I glanced at my father. He was glaring at me. I shrugged as if to say, 'What'd I do wrong?'

The queen decided to stop the awkward silence at the girl's uncivilized manner. "Come in. It's cold out here."

The three men followed, tailed by a very confused me. When they got inside, I apologized profusely for taking my father and promised that we would be back very shortly.

Pulling him into a hall outside the room that they were using, I turned to face him. "Father, I don't care if I'm disrespecting my elders. What the hell are we doing here?!"

He sighed. "We're bargaining for your future."

"Huh? My future is with you and the Merry Men! Hunting and thieving and protecting the innocent! WHY ARE WE HERE?" I was really confused.

"Your place is not with us. It's right here. Hunting and thieving and protecting the innocent, as you call it, is not a job for women."

So that was what this was all about. All the curtsying and bowing and secrets. It was all because I would be working in the palace.

"So I'm gonna be a maid?" I inquired. That was an obvious step down from my rank now.

Robin shook his head. "You're going to be married."

My eye's widened. That threw all my expectations out the window. "To who?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"The prince."

I was on the virge of fainting when the prince, my husband-to-be, stuck his head out the door. "My parents are getting impatient." He whispered. "You'd better get in here fast."

I followed him and Robin into the room again, half in shock, my mind still not used to the fact that I would be a princess. I actually never would be used to it. Did this mean that I would have to wear corsets? And those amazingly uncomfortable dresses with the low necks that showed half your breasts? That wasn't the most comforting thought.

Sitting down on the bright red couch across form the royalty, Robin greeted the King, Queen, and Prince, and introduced me as Kiera of the Wood. It was one of my many nicknames around camp, and one of the less violent ones, too. My favorite was thieflett, but only L.J. and a few others call me that.

"Can she sing?" the prince's question pulled me out of my phase.

"Of course," looking at me, Robin said, "Go on, Kiera."

I stood up and walked to the center of the room. Taking a deep breath, I sang.

"The wolves run at my call,

The wind blows at my wish,

The birds sing at my thought,

The world is at my command.

The Earth spins at my whim,

The whales talk to me,

The sky colors itself at my song.

If I were a bird,

I would spread my wings and fly.

If I were a wolf,

I would run.

If I were a monster,

I'd hide in my cave,

In the mountains,

That belong to me."

I finished the song that I had learned at age two, and looked at my audience. The king's eyebrows were up again, the queen was staring at her and the prince was smiling. Robin was no where to be seen. I blushed and sat down.

"Where did my father go?" I asked on instinct.

"He's not here?" No one had noticed when he had left or knew where he was. They had all been wrapped up by the amazing performance.

"Where did you learn to sing so well?" the queen inquired.

"Father says I get it from my mother, even though I don't know who my mother is." I replied respectfully.

I could hear the maids get back to their work, their shoes tapping lightly on the marble floor.

"Do you get your good looks from your mother, as well?" The prince and king inquired at the same time. I blushed and the queen glared at them both for being rude.

"It's ok, really." I reassured the queen. "I told, I don't know who my mother is, so I don't know what she looked like, so I don't know if I look like her. She died when I was two. Right after teaching me the song that I sung for you."

"So you do know her!" the prince yelled triumphantly. The king and queen both glared at him.

"No. See, she never told anyone her name, and I was too young to be able to remember what she looked like."

"You and your father have our sympathies." The queen said sorrowfully.

"I thank you, milady." I replied. Then my father walked in.

"I had to use the privy." He apologized. Then, beckoning me to follow him, he walked out.