Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Squaresoft Enix. Apart from the additional characters created by me.
A/N: Thank you to all that have reviewed and of course if you are reading and following this story, my thanks to you to. As always, I will ask if you could please review, for the story is now starting to heat up! I must warn people of a squeamish nature to close their eyes when they get to the gory bits. Just for your pleasure I have put some of the rough maps I've created on to the flickr website. For a look just go to .com and select People and put in and click search. Bye for now JD.
THE HOOD
Chapter Nine – Degradation
There is no doubt that if a carthorse travels the same route, day in, day out, it will follow it without question. Only stopping briefly to feed on the nearby vegetation, before once again heading to it's usual stopping point. Unfortunately for the Sheriff and his captain, this meant that the animal would take them to the town of Balamb and not to 'Balamb House'.
As the horse made it's way to the entrance of the town, people could not help but stare, as it passed them by. Stopping only when it reached the 'Balamb Inn' to drink the water from the wooden trough outside. While the townsfolk gathered around wondering who had done this to these poor men and thinking that only the Sheriff would be so cruel. One man stepped closer to see if he could release these men from their torment. He was about to cut the men free with his knife, when he noticed the gold chain around one of the men's necks. Reaching to touch it, the man that it was attached to lifted his head.
"Steal that and I will have your hand!" Staring straight at the man with a malicious glint in his eye "Get me off this horse now!" Shouted the Sheriff.
Dropping the knife and stepping back, the man first looked in complete shock. Then realizing this was the Sheriff himself, he couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"It's the mighty Sheriff of Balamb!" He stated to the crowd that had now managed to surround the carthorse.
With looks being made from one to another and the word 'Sheriff' being passed around. The man's laughter had been passed on like a wave of the sea. Once it started it could not be stopped.
It was the noise being made by the townsfolk that made the approaching soldiers head straight for the commotion.
"What's going on here?" Asked one of them.
"Move aside!" Said another, as they made their way through the gathered crowd.
"Well, what have we got here?…..It looks like a couple of thieves tied to a horse," said one soldier.
"Get me off this thing!" Shouted the Sheriff once again, as the laughter and jeering from the crowd had aggravated the Sheriff enough.
"We don't take orders from thiev…."
The soldier stopped mid-sentence as he caught sight of the Sheriff's face.
"Stop staring man and get me off this NOW!"
"Y-yes S-sir!"
Stammered the soldier. As he cut the ropes binding the Sheriff and Captain Nida. Removing the gag that had been tied around the Captains mouth. Helping both men down from the horse, the Sheriff regained his footing and grabbed the soldier, pulling him forwards. His face now no more that a fingers width away.
"Do I look like a thief to you now?" Spat the Sheriff.
"N-no Sir," stammered the soldier.
"Give me your sword," commanded the Sheriff.
The soldier floundered, as he tried to remove the sword from its scabbard. Shaking as he passed it hilt first to the Sheriff. Taking it in his right hand, the Sheriff thrust the blade into the soldier's stomach, his eyes wide with shock. His brain did not register the pain until the Sheriff twisted the blade as he slowly removed it from his victim.
"That is for your impertinence, which I take from no man!"
With that the Sheriff pushed the now dying soldier to the ground. Pointing in the direction of the man that had failed to cut him from his bindings
"Bring that man to me now!"
The other soldier made haste and grabbed the man that the Sheriff was pointing at. Despite his struggling, the soldier held the man firm and ushered him towards the Sheriff, who was wiping the blood from his blade. The man once again strived to free himself from the soldier, but he was too strong and to prevent him from once again attempting to flee. The soldier forced the man to the ground and grabbed some of the rope that had bound the Sheriff. Binding his feet together and then his hands behind his back. The soldier turned the man around and pulled him upright to face the Sheriff.
"As for you," said the Sheriff, as he grabbed the man's clothes and pulled him closer.
"You will be the lesson to all who have laughed here today," stated the Sheriff, so that all could hear.
Using the hilt of the sword, the Sheriff hit the man in his chin, which made the man stumble and fall backwards. Now unable to move, the Sheriff kneeled against his chest, his weight causing a rib to crack. As the man opened his mouth to scream, Siefer Almasy Sheriff of Balamb, placed the length of the sword in his mouth muffling the man's cry.
"Let me see you smile now!" Spat the Sheriff.
Unable to move or cry out, the man's eyes betrayed the true fear he now felt. Without a further hesitation, the Sheriff pushed all of his weight against the blade. Cutting until a crunch could be heard, while the man's jaw was now all but useless. He did not stop until the man had drowned in his own blood.
Standing up and wiping the bloody blade on the dead man's clothing he said
"Put them both in a gibbet cage and hang them at the towns gate, for the crows are hungry."
With that said, the Sheriff grabbed the soldiers horse and headed back to 'Balamb House'.
It was late afternoon that thirty riders galloped towards Galbadia, one determined to avenge the degradation he had faced in the town of Balamb. He would not let his men rest until they had achieved his goal. The capture of 'The Hood' and all in the wood with him.
The ride had been laborious to both the riders and their horses. They had been travelling non-stop for several hours and would have ploughed down anyone that had the misfortune of getting in their way. Only the people hiding in 'Balamb Wood' saw them ride out and set tongues wagging, for this was an unusually large party of soldiers travelling out of Balamb.
One of these in hiding was 'Beth the Balamb Badger' leader of the outlaws and misfortunate beggars of Balamb. The two men from 'Irvine's camp had made contact with her and told the tale of all that had happened in the last seven days. All who heard the story sat amazed, especially Tom her son. 'The Hood' was already his hero for saving him in the town, but when he heard that the Sheriff and his men were going after him he said
"Mother, we must warn him!"
"Hmm…we could get word to John at the Galbadia Mill by boat, as the river runs past his home. But, that may be too slow. The only choice we have is by pigeon. Let us hope and pray that the hawks are not out at this time." Said Beth.
So they released a bird and watched it fly out of sight.
As the start of 'Galbadia Wood' was now before them, Sheriff Siefer Almasy addressed his Captain
"Nida, take half the men straight through to Galbadia Town and set the soldiers there with the task at hand. I want this wood surrounded for there will be no escape for 'The Hood' and his men."
"Yes sir. What of Milady and her maid?" Asked Captain Nida.
"I care not. Let her fate be the same," replied the Sheriff.
The Captain nodded and turned his horse.
"You men…follow me and keep alert!"
The other soldiers had set up a camp of sorts while they waited for word from Captain Nida. As the men sat around the now lit fire, sharpening their swords ready for the forthcoming battle. Sheriff Siefer Almasy stood glaring towards the wood, checking every tree in sight for any sign of one the outlaws. For he was sure that they were watching him now and wondering what he was planning. He knew that the trees of the wood were dense and finding the outlaws camp would be difficult, but he had a plan. Deep in thought, he did not see the single soldier that rode out of the wood towards him. Instead it was the sound of the horses hooves on the dry ground that made him turn to the track
The soldier stopped in front of the Sheriff.
"Sir. Captain Nida told me to advise you that the Galbadian soldiers are now in position and await your signal."
"Good," replied the Sheriff.
"On your feet, and fire the signal!" Shouted the Sheriff.
The soldiers quickly got to their feet as one wrapped some of the dry grass around an arrowhead. Lining the arrow against his bow, he lit it from the fire and then discharged it high into the sky above the treetops.
The soldier waiting in one of the trees, saw the signal and shouted down to the man below.
"I see the signal Captain Nida."
"Then let us begin," replied the Captain.
The soldiers with torches lit walked towards the trees, while on the other side the Sheriffs soldiers repeated the action.
The Sheriff said
"Let them burn!"
As his soldiers set fire to the trees of 'Galbadia Wood'.
A/N: Well I hope your enjoying the story. Who hates the Sheriff now I ask?
Please let me know your thoughts, because I want you all to hate him so much.