Lady Robin Hood

by Kuroi Koneko

Um, no author's notes today.


Chapter Seven

Finally, one of the five broke out of his stupefied daze to question the man for more details.

"Sir, are you sure that these people were murdered? How did you come upon them?" The slightly feminine Zoisyte paused and blushed. "I am sorry, I have completely forgotten my manners. I am Zoisyte, and my friends here are Darien, Kunzite, Nephrite, and Jadeite," he pointed to each in turn. "Who might you be?"

"The man lifted his head to give them a weak smile. His leaf-green eyes were dulled and his blonde hair was matted with dirt and sweat. When he spoke his voice was hoarse.

"I am Andrew, Andrew Lovetts. A pleasure to meet you, even if under such dismal circumstances."

The others finally came to their senses. All at once the four began asking about the Lady Serena. Andrew described Serena and her family to the best of his knowledge. He told the five of her blonde hair and sapphire eyes. He described her cheerful, feisty, and often stubborn nature. It wasn't until he mentioned her unique hairstyle that it finally clicked in their befuddled minds why the name and description sounded so familiar. At the stunned looks on their faces, Andrew inquired if they knew her?

"We met her and some other ladies who were with her earlier this day. If you do not mind my asking, how do you know Lady Serena?" Darien asked.

"My little sister, Mina, is one of her best friends and she is also my god sister," was the reply. "I have actually come from London, where I go to school, to visit my family here. The house is actually a block away from the Lunam's, but the Lunam's is passed first. I found their bodies just outside the gates. They - they were already stone cold, with very large sword wounds to the chest." Tears slowly poured out of Andrew's pain-filled eyes to run silently down his cheeks. He stared dully into the half-empty mug of ale that rested limply inbetween his hands.

It was Jadeite who gently rested a hand on Andrew's shoulder in a solemn gesture of comfort. Andrew did not acknowledge the gesture but continued to stare blankly into his mug. The eerie quietness of the once rambunctious tavern grew heavy as each man became lost in his own thoughts. The nearly silent door opened with a soft scratching sound but no one noticed the solitary figure until he was right in front of them, clearing his throat.

"Master Andrew, sir, there's been, uh, another discovery, sir," the nervous man mumbled. When he wasn't running a hand through his sparse salt-and-pepper hair his already threadbare beaten cap was being wrung in nervous hands. His eyes darted anxiously from Andrew's face to the various gentlemen before staring at the floor again.

Andrew raised his eyes to star at the fidgeting man. "Why am I being told this?" His face showed a growing sense of unease settling upon him.

"Well, uh, because sir, it's your parents. Someone was sent to tell the Lovetts, seeing how close the two families were, and found them . . . "

Andrew could only stare at the man so it was the seemingly impassive Kunzite who dared ask, "And . . ?"

"And . . . uh . . . well, they were found murdered too."

Six faces stared at the man in shock.

Andrew stared at the messenger blankly, his mind unable to fully comprehend what he was just told.

"My . . . parents . . . were murdered?" The messenger nodded dumbly. Andrew suddenly became animated. "My sister!? What about my sister! Where was Mina? Where IS Mina?! Is she all right?! Where is she?!" he started rambling, half raised out of his chair and his voice rising with every word. "PLEASE, where is my SISTER?!" he yelled desperately.

The five men he was sitting with finally snapped out of their shock at this final outburst. They all turned to look at the messenger who became very pale. His sheet white skin turned ashen gray as he struggled to find what to say.

"I'm sorry, Lord Andrew, she ...uh ... she was nowhere ... we couldn't ... no one knows where she is, sir." The messenger stumbled over the words, his thoughts obviously running faster than his mouth.

Andrew was deadly silent, his expression strange and unreadable. He slowly sat back down in his chair, propped his elbows on the table, and rested his chin in the arch made by his intertwined fingers. He closed his eyes as he said, "Then she is most likely still alive. Thank God."

The five men turned to Andrew after his sudden change in attitude. Kunzite stared at him with an expression close to shock.

"How do you know?" he asked.

Andrew opened his eyes, his leaf-green eyes blank and yet full of intense, indefinable emotions. He gazed steadily at Kunzite, his reply quiet but easily heard in the silent tavern,

"Because if Lady Serena hasn't been found either, then Mina is with her; and when those two are together, nothing can stop them." He paused, closing his eyes again and chuckling. "And if those two are together then it's a good bet that the rest of the gang is with them right now too."

To be continued ...