Decisions
Chapter1
Captured
The sun went down on the small village of Edington. Smoke lay over the last two huts: the others were burnt to the ground. The Sheriff looked over the scenery with narrowed eyes. It had not been cheap to capture him. Seven of the villagers were dead, the rest had fled. He had lost some important taxpayers, but in the end – and this was of more worth to him - he had captured his greatest enemy. With a sneer he turned and walked over to Gisburne – and his prisoner.
"Should I hang him?" Gisburne asked.
"No-o!" the Sheriff responded angrily. "Do you think I captured him to give him such a fast, merciful death? Oh no, I am not satisfied with that. My plan goes much further because of those opportunities we now have. At first, and with his help, we´ll catch the others, too. You'll see!"
Gisburne grinned wolfishly and waved the guards away, who had bound their prisoner next to a tree.
The man was young, slender and very handsome. He wore tight trousers, boots, a green shirt and a brown tunic with a hood. His hair was nearly black and his skin tanned from a life outdoors.
Before he opened his eyes to face this dire situation, the young outlaw thought about his comrades and hoped that they were safe. His left leg ached heavily and he put his weight on the right. It was also the cause for his capture. An arrow had hit him there, so it hadn't really been a big problem for the soldiers to catch him. He had covered his friend's retreat and, so, they hadn't been close enough to pick him up. He remembered Marion's angry shout when John held her back. He had known that they hadn't a chance to help him without being caught too. And, in the interests of surviving, he hoped that they wouldn't come back. He knew all too well what might happen to him now, and so he prayed silently to Herne before he faced his destiny.
The Sheriff started to talk: "So we meet again, villain. You didn't expect that, did you? But I always told you that I´ll catch all of you anytime. That's a promise, and it's only a matter of time now. Tell me, where are they?" But Robin didn´t answer. Gisburne slapped him hard in the face. "Answer, you bastard!" But the young man only looked back stoically and stayed silent. He knew his situation was almost hopeless, but he would never give up his pride for what he had become. He would never lay his friends down. Even if this meant a violent and cruel death. They could kill him, torture him, but they won´t ever break him.
"We have other methods to remind you that you have a tongue," de Rainault said angrily. "And we'll use them. Be sure of that. So I ask you one last time: Where are they?" But again he got no answer. "All right, if that's the way you want to be, we'll play it your way. I think we needn't know where they are. They'll come freely when they hear you scream, and I can't imagine that Marion will be able to watch this for a long time!" he sneered.
Deep inside his wrath grew. This damned outlaw showed no fear, no anger, nothing. I'll show him what pain is! he thought. And I will pay him back for every coin he robbed from me. He waved to Gisburne to follow. "Prepare everything for tomorrow. He shouldn't think that we're bluffing. There, in the middle of those two huts, so that everyone can see what we'll do!"
Gisburne nodded. "So you hope that they'll come back to free him?"
"Of course, Gisburne, think! And then we'll catch them. Send most of our soldiers back on the road to Nottingham – "
"But then we won't have enough soldiers to catch them. Think of their bows..."
"...Let me tell you the rest before you interrupt me." The Sheriff sat down at a table and waved for a goblet of wine. "Of course, they won't return to Nottingham! Just send them a few miles far enough so that the outlaws can't see them."
"Yes, my lord."
"And, Gisburne, when the outlaws start to head this way, send a messenger to bring the soldiers back," the Sheriff continued.
"That's a good idea."
"Of course it is! Send guards into the forest to watch for the outlaws. And have men capture the villagers. We still need them."
"As bait?" his steward asked.
"No, for paying taxes, you idiot! No people, no taxpayers. They should rebuild the village. And now prepare everything for tomorrow!" the Sheriff shouted. Gisburne nodded and went back to his soldiers. De Rainault leaned back, contented. Oh, yes, he would pay back everything those wolfsheads had done to him. And he would start with their leader.
Gisburne ordered the soldiers to leave and only a dozen to stay behind. This dozen consisted of those who went in search of the villagers and those who prepared everything for tomorrow. The second group worked on a wooden construction, on which Robin would be tied. Gisburne thought that it was good the horse-keeper was with them because he had a nice large whip. Not as good as his whip in the torture chamber, but it would do. And his sword and dagger were also sharp enough. And he was almost sure he would get some other ideas this evening. With a cruel smile on his face he looked at Robin, but Robin disregarded him.
"I'll whip you until your flesh comes off your bones, bastard!" Gisburne said to the outlaw and shook the whip under Robin's nose. But Robin's look was still fearless: "Do you think you're able to strike me with it?" Gisburne hissed: "Don't think that you can annoy me. I don't kill you in wrath. Tomorrow you'll wish that your mother had never born you!"
"I'm scared stiff!" Robin smiled, ignoring his aching leg when Gisburne hit him there. Gisburne's wrath was almost tangible. "Just wait until tomorrow. Then I'll show you what pain is!" He left Robin and made his way back to the camp to cool his temper with some wine and very vivid thoughts of what he would do tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the outlaws had stopped, finding themselves far enough away from Edington to be safe.
"What now? We can't leave him in the Sheriff's hands!" Marion's first spoken words were.
"We'll get him out of there, Little Flower, don't worry!" Tuck said.
"We're going back?" Marion asked.
"Yes, later. We need to know what they'll do next. I'm not very interested in joining Robin and being captured. So we aren´t much use at the moment," Will commented.
"Nasir should watch them, so we know what's going on," suggested Tuck.
John nodded: "It´s best. Nasir?" The Saracen nodded, grabbed his weapons and left them. John put an arm around Marion: "Have no fear. He's a strong man and Herne will protect him. We´ll free Robin and, if not – it's better to die with him while trying!" Marion sighed and fought back her tears. She sat down and the others did also.
"What about the people of Edington?" Tuck asked next.
"It's too dangerous to search for them, especially if the soldiers are searching for them too. But I think they won't harm them. The Sheriff needs them to rebuild the village and how would he explain less taxpayers?" John responded. "The best we can do now is to sleep. We need our strength tomorrow. If we're tired we're no help – to anybody," he continued.
"All right, who takes the first watch? Both of us, Tuck?" Will asked his neighbour.
"Sure!" Both left in different directions.
"Marion, sleep," John said patiently, when he saw that she wasn't able to sleep.
"It's hard, John, to be parted."
"I know, but we´ll free him. Be sure of that."
"What will they do with him?" she asked, more to herself than to John. John looked through the crowns of the trees into the dark sky. How often had Robin and he talked about such a case? It was something they always had to expect…and now it happened. Knowing the cruelty of Gisurne and the Sheriff, they never had to talk about what could happen to them. To be hung was the easiest way for them to die. There were a lot more ways to die possible for them. So he could imagine what might happen, but he wasn't able to tell her, so he answered, "I think the Sheriff will use him as bait to catch us. Dead, he isn't useful to him, so don't worry. Try to sleep. We need you tomorrow." Marion sighed and closed her eyes. The exhaustion hit her fast and she soon slept. John on the other hand couldn´t. There was no need to scare her, it was enough that he was. His thoughts went out to Robin and he silently prayed Please, Herne, protect him, he´ll need all strength now.
The next morning it rained. Nasir joined them during a quick breakfast. "Most of the soldiers have left Edington. A dozen are still there. Robin too."
"Well, that looks like an invitation!" Tuck said.
"Yes, to get killed!" muttered Will.
Nasir nodded. "I followed. They stopped a few miles north-east."
"You see, when we try to free him, the Sheriff will send a messenger and that will be the end. A trap!" John explained. "Just as I told you yesterday!" he said to Marion.
"What if we were to lure them?" Marion asked.
Will looked at her. "But how? We'd have to stop their messenger. Then the soldiers can´t come back to Edington."
"That's exactly what I have in mind. Someone should hold up this messenger."
"Not bad, Marion, but then we'd have one less man to free Robin. Think about that," John reminded her.
"Yes, but we'd only be against twelve, wouldn't we? We have good bows, haven´t we?" Marion said in despair.
"We might as well try," Tuck said.
"If the Sheriff has sent guards to watch Sherwood, they'll know when we head back," Nasir added.
"Then we have another problem," John murmured.
"Has the Sheriff sent them to watch for us? So they'll be able to hold us up until the rest of his men come?" Much asked.
"No, I don't think so. There are too few of them. I think they´ll tell the Sheriff when we arrive, so he can send the messenger and we get a warm welcome!" Will thought aloud.
"Then one of us has to be faster. Before we attack, he has to be in position to catch the messenger," John said.
"Yes, that's our only chance. There's no other way. Just be sure to wait until I return!" Will went on.
"You'll do it?" asked Tuck, astonished. "Isn't it better if Nasir does it? He knows the way, already."
"It's all right. I was just offering." Will shrugged his shoulders. "All right, then, let´s go! Nasir?"
Nasir turned silently and disappeared in the direction he had just come from a few minutes ago. The others took their weapons and walked back to Edington.