Chapter Five
"Marian?" he said, trying to keep the stammer from his voice.
She said nothing as she cautiously crept forward into the light. Both sets of eyes bore into each other. The flickering candlelight illuminated the glistening tears that formed in her eyes.
Finally breaking his gaze, she looked to the body. "Is he dead?" she asked quietly.
Robin's eyes flickered down to the bow she held beneath the folds of her cloak. He knelt down once more, checking Symond's wrist for a pulse. Just as he suspected, there was none. "He's alive," he lied. "Must've struck his head when he fell but he'll live."
She let out the breath she had been holding, adopting a cold look.
He took a few steps forward but she stepped back, holding up her hands. "Stay away from me," she warned.
"Marian-"
"Just, don't."
In the flickering light of the candlesticks, he studied her. It had been a long year since he had seen her, but he thought of her every day. He knew now that his memories could do her beauty little justice. Or perhaps she had grown even more beautiful in their year apart. She seemed different, older than her eighteen years. But in the same way, so many things were the same. She wore a simple ivory gown, secured by a brown belt at her waist, all covered by a deep green cloak. He recognised the cloak most of all; it had once been his.
Robin was deeply absorbed in his shock, so much so that he did not notice Leon emerge from the same corridor that he had once tread. He could see how tensions were running high but was still very aware of the impending danger. "We should go," he said to Marian, "we can't be seen with him."
Robin was about to interject when the sound of further running interrupted them. Robin pulled his sword free once more, stepping instinctively in front of Marian.
Allen and Much ran down the corridor towards them. "Robin!" Allen called, obviously surprised to see him. He stopped short completely when he saw the other two. "Wh- what's going on?" he stammered. Much looked to the strangers in confusion but said nothing.
"What are you doing here?" Robin asked.
"Friar Tuck warned up about the execution," Allen explained, speaking at a rapid pace. "You should have seen John and Will. It wasn't pretty. We didn't know where you were so we came to search the dudgeons. If you haven't seen the others then we must be the first here. Everyone split up and came from different directions. All caught up? Great. Now would you care to explain why Marian and Leon are here?"
For the first time that day, she smiled, running forward to embrace him. He hugged her back but seemed very baffled. "Who would have thought," Allen said wistfully. "The old gang. All four of back together."
"A lot has changed," Leon said coldly.
Allen looked up sharply at the harshness of the tone. "He has abandonment issues," Robin muttered.
"With good reason!" Leon said indignantly.
"Oi!" Much yelled, sounding suddenly mature for the first time in his life. "I have no idea what is going on but now is not the time! Or have you forgotten that guards were just chasing us and they could be here any second?" For the first time, Robin was rather impressed by his friend.
"I like that one," Leon said with a chuckle. "The loud one is right, we should move."
"A large group was gaining on us by the main stairway but we lost them," Allen added. "But it wouldn't take a genius to know our direction. They could be here any second."
"You two can't be seen with us," Robin said quickly.
Leon looked reluctant. "What about Amelia and Lilly? They are our top priority right now."
"You are no use to them if you share their fate."
Before either of them had time to argue, the sound of approaching footsteps answered for them. They could easily hear the chinking metal of amour.
"Go!" Robin said again, with far more urgency.
Leon pulled at Marian's arm, tugging her away. "Be careful," she said, allowing herself to be steered away.
"I knew you cared!"
Robin was spared her look of hatred as Leon forced her to run. What he was not spared from was the obvious observation that she limped. Clearly she had not made it away from the accident unscathed.
They were gone in the nick of time. The remaining three barely had time to draw their swords before guards were upon them. Some ran down from a staircase leading down from a high balcony, some from down the long corridor. Robin, Allen and Much held their swords defensively but they had no hope. They were outnumbered. Completely.
"Well, well, well. What have we here?"
The voice created a chill in everyone as they froze.
Robin turned slowly, looking up to a balcony. There, stood the Sheriff.
"I wondered when you would make an appearance Hood."
"Evening Sheriff," Robin said casually. "Now why are you going to all of this trouble to get my attention? Kidnapping innocent women? If you wanted to see me, you could have just asked."
"But this was so much more fun."
"Well, regardless, you've got me here. Now what do you want?"
"To kill you, to kill your men and to kill any memory that you ever existed."
Robin faked flattery. "You would do all of that for me?"
"I wish I could. But apparently you are invincible."
"Stop, I'm blushing," Robin added, flatly.
"I meant that as the opposite of flattery. I could kill you easily. Right now. Any of my men could shoot an arrow to your heart and I would finally be rid of you."
"So do it," Robin replied, calmly.
"Robin!" Allen hissed, "Shall we not?" Much let out a scared squeak of agreement.
The Sheriff grimaced. "Here is my problem though. Kill you, and we have a martyr. The people would rise up. And that is exactly the opposite of what Prince John wants. So until I can find a way to kill you without an uprising, I suppose I will have to settle for killing those closest to you."
Robin shook his head. "I will never let that happen."
The Sheriff ignored him. "Soon it will all come out. You are nothing more than a miserable coward who hides behind a hood."
He looked to his men. "Spare him but kill the other two." Bows were drawn, the sound of taunt strings echoed dozens of times. The sound was mulled by a new voice.
"I would reconsider that if I were you, Sheriff." Before anyone could react, Leon was behind the Sheriff, with a dagger to his throat. "Your move," he muttered. The Sheriff had positioned himself separate from his men, enough that they could not reach him. Bows were pointed but the dagger would be faster.
The Sheriff only laughed. "Lord Leon, what a pleasant surprise. But my point still stands Hood."
"Looks to me that you are the one with a dagger to his throat," Robin said.
"Yes, but we both know that he can't use it. In the same way that I cannot kill you Hood, you cannot kill me. Think of the repercussions."
Robin and Leon looked to each other. They spoke no words but there was a clear message. Both knew, that neither could kill the Sheriff. He spoke the truth. Leon trembled slightly. He could never kill anyone, even the scum he faced now. It made him shake even more to wonder if this made him a coward or it made him a good person. Robin slowly shook his head and Leon gradually stepped backward, dagger still pointed.
"So noble," The Sheriff said with a smirk. "If only I had the same morals."
And with a simple click of his fingers, two of his guards marched forward from the doorway to the balcony, dragging a body between them. They reached the wooden barrier to heave and throw the person down to Robin's feet.
Robin felt completely numb as he knelt down.
Wilfred was dead, throat gashed open. His eyes looked on, frozen in fear and agony. Blood still oozed from the gaping wound as Robin stared down upon his friend.
And then there was fury. Robin suddenly found himself atop the staircase, fingers around the Sheriff's throat. Guards were upon him, weapons crashing everyone. He had no inkling if these weapons were from enemies or his men or even from himself. He saw only one man. And he saw as he pushed the Sheriff down to crash on the stone floor beside Wilfred's corpse.
Despite the crashing of swords around him, Robin stood still, peering down at the body.
The Sheriff's left hand twitched, ever so slightly.
Allen, Much and Leon fought as best they could, but they still faced defeat. Sheer numbers overruled talent and they trembled as they stood to their inevitable deaths.
But a war cry sounded out. And from every entrance, Merry Men came running. Weapons were raised and blood was ready to be poured.
Robin saw only Will, who stood over the Sheriff. Will looked to the dying man as well as noting the sorry state of Wilfred. Finally, he looked to Robin, asking permission.
Robin nodded.
Will neglected his own sword, kneeling down slowly. The Sheriff slowly regained conciseness, wincing in pain but showing no ounce of fear. Elation covered Will's face as he clasped the Sheriff's own dagger. "You used this blade to kill my Father. He was a remarkable man, but not to you. In your eyes, he was nothing. I'll wager that you have no recollection of him. Well let me remind you. Joseph Scathelocke was a good man. His wife and four of his children died from hunger due to your taxes. My Father stole to protect the final few of us. And you killed him for it. Made him an example. Whipped him publicly until he was begging for the agony to stop. That was not the man he was. You made him appear as a coward, begging for death. Then you gave me this." Will ran a hand down his face, tracing the scar that crossed the side of his face. "You gave me this so I could never forget. Every time I saw my own reflection, I thought of you. And this was your mistake. Every time I thought of you, I hated you more. And every time, I thought of killing you. And now, I shall."
The other Merry Men had barely noticed. They were still deep in battle with the guards. But Allen watched his friend. Robin stood still, looking straight back.
Will raised the dagger. This time, it was raised above his enemy's heart. But a hand reached out and clasped his wrist.
"We're done," Robin whispered, his voice dry. The hatred in his eyes was still there, but it was masked by a deeper void of shame. He had wanted Will to continue. He had wanted the Sheriff to wail in pain as his blood seeped away. And this terrified him more than the need for revenge.
"I'll be done when he is dead," Will yelled, shoving Robin away roughly. Robin charged back, thrusting Will back with great force. They fought, forgetting weapons and forgetting all else around them.
Allen surprised them both by clutching Will by the shoulders and slamming him into the wall. "He has wronged more than just you!" He yelled. "He killed my Father too. And Wilfred. But everything else he does, he does in Prince John's name. Kill him, and all of Nottingham will suffer even more. Prince John will make sure of that, have no doubt. So we won't kill him. Not today. Because he has just learnt a valuable lesson. We won't kill him but we have our limits. We care about people. And if he uses any innocent life to ensnare us again, we will make him wish for death."
The sounds of battle around them slowly drowned away. Most of the Sheriff's men had fled or been defeated.
"Come on," Robin said into the silence. "We are going now."
John ran after him, desperately. "But what of the execution? What of Amelia? Prince John will still hang them tomorrow."
Robin seemed strangely calm. "Well I have one final lesson to teach them."
