Chapter 3

Three weeks ago

Allan was making his way through the castle to a group of guards standing in the courtyard outside to spend his free time making small talk and possibly arranging some plans to meet up at the tavern later with a few of his new friends. If he could even call them that, they were more like acquaintances that he could occasionally play a few gambling games with over a pint of ale. They were nothing like the real friends he'd had, the ones he'd lost. They were like a family to him.

Well, maybe not all of them. Allan thought of his feelings for one outlaw in particular that were far more than familial. But I betrayed them. I ruined everything. Any chance I ever might've had is gone.

He tried to brush the thought of his old friends aside as he strolled outside. It's done now, alright? Let it go. He made his way over to two guards, Alfred and James, to shoot the breeze and take his mind off what he'd lost. As he approached them, he noticed that they were distracted and sniggering about something.

"What's goin' on, lads?" Allan asked.

"Rob over there, d'you see 'im?" James asked. "With that whore?" Allan looked over and was struck by what he saw.

"Is that a Saracen?" He asked.

"Maybe, I don't know. Some kinda foreigner, I heard."

"She's new in town, s'all I know. Been making her rounds through Nottingham. 'Specially on payday. Pathetic sods, all of 'em. Who'd pay for it?" Alfred added.

"Well, not all of us are lucky enough to have a wife at home like you." James replied.

"Then get one. It's not hard." Alfred retorted.

Allan wasn't even listening anymore. He was struck by the woman. Her height, her proportions, her skin color, her hair color, all of it looked like Djaq. Even her face was similar, but the angles of her face were a bit too sharp. The only noticeable difference was the length of her hair. It was long and silky and beautiful, just like he imagined that Djaq's might've been before she cut it.

"Does Giz know about her?" Allan asked. "Someone new in town, he usually likes to know."

"Oh, he knows her, alright. Fucked her the first week she got here, he did."

"What?" Allan asked with genuine surprise. "I thought he only had eyes for Lady Marian." Allan said, careful to use her full title in front of the others so they wouldn't suspect he knew her any better than the rest of them.

"You can want to marry one while you're still bedding others."

"Yeah, he's always dragging kitchen girls off and I've heard some stories about the maids at Locksley too."

"Hey, do you remember that one, what was her name, Annie? Crazy bitch, nearly slit his throat." James laughed.

"Tried to say her bastard belonged to him. I remember." Alfred added.

"He did." Allan said softly. When he remembered things like that, the baby left in the woods to die, it made it a lot harder for him to justify working for his employer. And Roy. Roy never made it out that day. What would he think if he could see me now?

"You think? I don't. Probably knew it belonged to some poor sod and tried to pass it off as his 'cause he has money."

"I'm not bein' funny, Giz doesn't seem like he'd have to pay for it." Allan scoffed. "You sure he slept with her?"

"Nah, he doesn't. Who's gonna be stupid enough to say no? Say no to him or the sheriff and next thing you know they're finding somethin' to arrest you for." Alfred laughed.

Allan remembered how taken Annie was with him and he hoped that these were just rumors, that Guy would never actually threaten a woman into bed. If he'd managed to sweet talk one, hopefully that's all he ever did with any of them. Although, if the rumors circulated enough, he might not even realize the women were going to bed with him out of fear.

"Yeah, I heard he claimed she needed a license to work and she traded him for it. You ever heard of such a thing? A license to fuck now?" James laughed. "Oh, there he goes. Sneakin' off with her. Guess they finally agreed on a price."

"Yeah, guess so." Allan said. He'd already decided that he'd be seeking out this new girl later too.