Author's notes: I do not own the legend of Robin Hood, nor am I in any way making money from this. This is just a short little story of what could have happened…
He'd just entered the Sheriff's service. Sir Guy of Gisburne, the High Sheriff of Nottingham's Steward...It had a nice ring to it. The position wasn't one of great fame, or one with a great wage, but still a nice position for a poor young knight from a rundown estate. Some months ago, he'd had the rare opportunity to buy a young stallion that had been donated to the Abbey. Of course, he had to borrow the money from the Abbot, but the beast was worth the money. He'd broken it in just days ago. Black as the night, touch of Arabian, but not too light to handle everyday work. Fierce-tempered, fit for a knight. Yes, it was a fine beast...
He patted the stallion on the neck, smiling. Today was almost like a day off. Trotting through the woods at a leisurely pace, "looking" for outlaws. Filthy serfs poaching the King's deer.
Just too bad that there were those two half-witted soldiers riding behind him. But with the sunshine coming through the foliage, he could almost pretend he was a rich lord surveying his lands...
Then, suddenly, a young man, who was probably not even twenty summers, came out of the undergrowth.
The black stallion reared up, the young steward clinging to its neck, trying to stay in the saddle. Uttering a curse that would make a tavern wench blush, Sir Guy tried to calm his frightened steed. "Watch where you're going, serf!" he yelled, too busy calming his horse to spare a glance at the somewhat grimy young man, who crossed his arms and stared back defiantly.
"How dare you call me a serf? I'm Robert of Huntingdon, son of the Earl of Huntingdon, and I pray you watch your tongue, good Sir Knight!"
Paling visibly, Guy dismounted immediately and showed his respect with a curt bow. The Huntingdons were directly related to Scottish royalty... "Forgive me for my insolence, my lord. I am Sir Guy of Gisburne. May I ask what you are doing in the woods alone, travel-stained and on foot?"
"I was thrown. A stag startled my horse...The sound of your horses caught my attention, as my steed is still astray in the woods." Robert patted his muddied clothes and smiled.
The knight made a disapproving sound and motioned to the two soldiers. "You two. Go look for this lord's horse!" It took just one glance from the steward to send the two soldiers trotting down the path in search of the young noble's horse. Sir Guy turned back to the Earl's son and attempted a smile. "I'd better escort you home, my lord..." Handing the reins to Robert, he took a hold of the young stallion's bridle, so the young noble could mount the fiery stallion.
Robert swung himself into the saddle. The stirrup-leathers were a little long, but that didn't bother him. What did bother him was that the stallion immediately began to prance, its ears moving back and forth rapidly. The soldiers' horses trotting away didn't do the stallion's nerves any good. Robert was an experienced rider, but this beast was strong and very nervous. Guy's hand immediately reached for the bridle again. He would never hear the end of it if his horse ran off with the Earl of Huntingdon's son on its back...
And so they could be seen, two young nobles and a young black stallion, heading for Huntingdon, back then in those simpler days of youthful innocence. Two blonde heads, winding their way through Sherwood, ignorant of Margaret of Gisburne's shameful secret.
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