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The wood felt smooth under her palm, the grain dark and polished, shinning even though it had spent the better part of a year under the earth. Her muscles tensed and bunched as she pulled back on the string, the beeswax still slightly warm to the touch. Her movement was fluid, almost as practiced as breathing and though she trusted her aim she paused, the string kissing the side of her lips, to revel in the feeling.

They had left as the hazy beginnings of dawn were throwing pastels across the sky and the dew was still wet on the grass. Olivia couldn't decide if she was happy or not to see her friends. Her paradise had been destroyed, the blunt reality of the life she actually lived had barged its way back in and although she had been compliant enough, packing away her things, she couldn't help but feel a sense of loss as they left the tiny cottage that had been home. Alex had given nothing away as to her own feelings. All she knew was that Munch and Rafael had travelled from the forest to ask them to come back; that extra bodies were needed. Olivia had tried to probe gently as they lay in each other's arms that night but apart from admitting to being a little upset Alex kept her cards close to her chest. The only thing she did insist on was that she was allowed to write a note to Martha and Mary explaining that there was an emergency and they had had to leave. She figured the local priest could read it to them.

Olivia let the arrow lose, pulling her shoulder blade back to make sure her hand did not follow the arrow. She smiled to see it hit the tree square and reached to her quiver drawing and firing with growing speed till all her arrows were spent and the trees around them were dotted with goose feathers. It was after noon and they had stopped to eat some bread and honey in a small corpse of trees just off the road side. They were travelling on foot but had made rather good time so when Olivia gave into temptation and uncovered and strung her bow Rafael hadn't said anything.

He had explained their need for urgency the night before.

'We should leave first thing in the morning.'

'Why so soon.' Alex asked looking hurt at the thought of leaving without saying goodbye to her friends or making sure someone was there for the bees.

Rafael looked over to Olivia slightly, who gave the smallest shake of her head. He looked down to hide his frown then looked at Alex again, who was looking quizzically between them. 'I want to travel while we have the weather with us.'

Alex narrowed her eyes but luckily she didn't question anything further and it was only when Olivia took him to collect some water that he told her why there was such a rush.

'It's all arranged. The first of September. The clearing by the oak.'

Olivia felt her pulse quicken, 'they all agreed?'

'Yes, they want to meet us all, to hammer out the details.'

'You trust them?'

He shrugged, 'it's the only way to be rid of him.'

Olivia frowned to herself but she knew that she had decided on this course months ago and she could not back out now.

'You haven't told her yet?'

She looked at Rafael again, 'No.'

'You need to tell her.'

'I will.'

'Why is it so difficult?'

'It just is….I…I don't want to scare her off.'

'She probably hates him more than you Liv, just tell her.'

'It's not that simple.'

Rafael stopped and turned his whole body towards her, water sloshed out from the bucket he was carrying. 'She wants him dead.' He stated angrily, 'you can't say she doesn't want that!'

'It's not that simple I've told you.' Olivia replied not meeting his eyes, 'she's still in the abused mentality. To her he's undebatable, will always be there.'

'We we'll stick a knife in his back and prove her wrong then.'

Olivia didn't grace that with an answer.

'You have to tell her. She's not stupid, she'll figure it out and it's not fair on her.' Rafael said after a moment in a gentler tone.

'I know.'

It took them around a week to walk back to Nottingham, stopping only to sleep by the road side. Munch debated hiring horses but they risked a hard winter ahead if they spent all their money on extravagances now. The sun was low when they reached the edge of the forest. Unused to such travel Liv and Alex were tired while Rafael and Munch were tired from travelling too much. Their feet ached and they and their clothes smelled. They hadn't been able to eat a decent meal one they had hit Nottinghamshire in fear that the Sheriff would learn of their return and their stomachs felt hollow and empty. It took them another two days to travel through the forest, the weather finally abandoning them. Even when it was not raining the constant drip from the canopy of leaves left them irritable and their patience thin. Although there were other camps Olivia almost couldn't bear the thought of having to travel between them all, searching for the others. Luckily her fears were unfounded.

'Holiday doesn't suit you Liv.'

Olivia's head snapped up from her chest and she peered ahead at the hillside. Her face broke out in a large smile when she saw Elliot perched on a log just outside the hollow entrance. With an energy she didn't think she had she powered her legs up the slope and together they fell into a rib bruising hug.

'We travelled pretty fast.' she said in mock annoyance when they broke apart.

Alex and the others made their way down the slope and Munch all but fell on to the log Elliot had just risen from.

'Where are the others?' he said looking up and squinting through the sun.

'Down at the stream.'

'I'll go get them' Rafael said quickly, walking away before anyone could object.

There was a small tense silence while Elliot and Alex stared at each other. Alex looked away first.

'You look better.'

'Thank you' she said, still not completely meeting his eyes.

At a sharp look from Olivia Elliot sighed, 'No I mean it, I'm happy you're better.'

'Thank you.' Alex repeated, though this time looking up.

'We haven't got any food on I'm afraid.' he said loudly to all of them, to try and hide his embarrassment.

'Good,' Munch replied grumpily massaging his aching feet, 'none of you can cook anyway.'

It was strange how easily things fell back into old routines. After the initial hugs and questions about how things were going everyone just went back to normal, as if the last year hadn't happened. Finn laughed to hear about Olivia and her bee adventures and they carefully stored all the money that they had made at Canterbury market under the floor into the hollow. Elliot told those who had been away how the Sheriff had gotten even more violent and cruel in the last year. Public floggings and hangings had become an almost weekly occurrence and the three of them had had some near misses when they tried to help. In order to try and not make Alex feel guilty for this no one looked at her at all which of course left her feeling all the more guilty.

It went unspoken that the way things were going could not continue, that they had to do something drastic. No one had mentioned the plan to Alex, the others acting as if Rafael and Munch had been gone for only fortnight. It would have been amusing watching them pretend to have known Rafael for more than the weeks than they actually had if it were not for the tension surrounding the secret. By an unspoken decision it was left to Olivia to explain and though they thought the time had long past none tried to verbally push her.

It wasn't until Casey arrived to see Olivia that a different view was expressed. She, and perhaps Elliot although for once he was keeping quiet, thought that they shouldn't tell Alex till it was too late. That she might still want to warn her father. It had led to a shouting match between her and Amanda- who normally got on so well- and it was a testament to their acting ability that Alex and Olivia, returning from their hunting trip, were none the wiser to the heated debate.

After a week they had no choice but discuss the impending meeting with the Barons. Amanda, after making Finn promise to repeat everything word for word, had gone with Alex down to the stream to wash the camp's clothes while the others had congregated around the fire to plan everything out.

'They'll be arriving the first of the month. Dawn, by the clearing of the ancient oak.' Rafael explained, 'we'll sign and exchange contracts and figure out exactly what's to be done.'

'Who?' Elliot asked seriously.

'Sir John's son, Eustace de Vesci lord of Alnwick, Munch replied counting on his fingers, 'Robert FitzWalter lord of Dunmow…'

'Dunmow's in Essex' Elliot interpreted.

Munch paused then said 'the Sheriff is widely hated- we discovered more than the north wanted him gone,' before continuing with his list, 'and Robert De Ross, Lord of York.'

'Only three?' Olivia asked frowning.

'Only three who want their faces known,' Rafael quickly reassured, 'we found many others who, thought they would not aid us, swore not to stop us either.'

There was a moments silence before Finn spoke for the first time, 'Can we trust them?'

'Yes.'

'No.'

Rafael and Munch said simultaneously.

'What do you mean no!' Rafael said incredulously at Munch.

'Liv,' Munch said leaning forward on his knees and staring only at Olivia, 'I know you want him dead. I agree that he needs to die but don't rush into things.'

'We've waited a fucking year!'

Munch continued to ignore Rafael, 'I know you're angry and that things have gotten worse, but we can't trust them. They might want him dead too, but they want to see us the same way.'

'Why can't we trust them?' Elliot asked.

'I can't give you exact reasons,' Munch replied shrugging, 'I just know what my gut felt, what all their little sideway glances mean.'

'So we waste a year of work?' Rafael said angrily as Olivia's eyes flicked towards him.

'We go to meet them Liv, and I can't swear to you we're not walking into a trap.'

'I can't believe this.' Rafael said disbelievingly getting up from the log and pacing round. 'You've kept you're opinion pretty quiet!'

Elliot continued to ask questions while Rafael paced but it was some time before Olivia spoke again.

'John,' they all stopped and looked at her although she had eyes only for Munch. 'I won't ever ask you to do anything that you're not willing to do. And I won't ever disregard your gut feeling, but I can't…..' she sighed, 'we can't waste this.'

Rafael finally sat down again and began speaking rapidly but Olivia put up her hand to stop him. 'Rafael, Elliot and I will go to the clearing. If we don't return by the next morning then move and think us dead. We have to play this gamble John, we can't keep hiding in the forest and putting bandages on a wound when we have the chance to prevent the cut in the first place.' Her eyes were beseeching and though Munch was still not persuaded he knew that no amount of talking would stop her from doing this. It was as if the attack on Alex was the last straw and Olivia was now done, she would kill him or she would die, there were no other options.