Title: Witch Rescue
Author: Moon-Majik
Chapter: One: The Rescue
Rating: K
Synopsis: Robin and the gang must rescue Alan's sister before she is burned at the stake for witchcraft. The rescue, and the adventures that occur afterwards, are related here. Based on the BBC's Robin Hood series, aired in 2006.
Disclaimer: The Robin Hood characters do not belong to me. I am using them only for entertainment. Rebekah is my character.
"Witch!" The cries echoed around the clearing, reaching the group of outlaw's ears harshly as they huddled together underneath a large bush at the edge of Sherwood Forest.
"Witch"
Alan A. Dale moaned, burrying his face in his hands as a young woman was brought forwards towards the river, where a ducking stool was waiting, and beyond that, a large mound of firewood stood ready, struggling but bound. The cries of witch intensified as the slim youth was pushed onto the ducking stool.
"Thats her?" Robin Hood leaned forward, whispering to the distraught man. At his grim nod, Robin bit his lip and watched the proceedings with disgust, trying to work out the best way of going about the rescue they were planning.
There was a snap, as the rotting wood of the stool snapped at the added weight, and the girl tumbled to the floor with a small cry. The watching villagers did nothing except heckle and shout, insisting this proved she was a witch. The village elders hauled her to her feet again.
"Witch! Witch! Witch"
"Throw her in"
"Lets watch her float"
"No" Alan cried, attempting to rush forward out of the bush, but he was held back by Will Scarlett and Little John. "Let me go"
"Alan!" Robin hissed. " Alan, we will save her. But we must do it cunningly. Can she swim"
"Yes" The emotional young man snapped. "Oh no Robin. Do not allow them to throw her into the water!"
There was a splash, and a sudden silence.
"No" Alan's sob was smothered by his leaders hand over his mouth, as all the outlaws watched in horror. Robin's heart beating widley in disblieve. Had they waited to long?
"She floats!" Came the single cry, and soon it was taken up by all who were watching.
"She floats! Witch"
"Get her out"
"Burn her"
"Witch"
"Robin" Alan moaned again. "Please, now"
"Wait!"
The young girl had been pulled out the river, and even the outlaws could hear her gasping for air as her tormentors gave her no time for recoverery. The freezing water dripped of her as they hauled her towards the prepared bonfire, retying the bonds that had loosned due to the water.
They hauled her to the top of the bonfire, the village preacher and the towns leader, her struggling figure clearly visible between them as the sun rose in the back ground. The villages chant of 'Witch' got louder and faster as the two men tied her to the pole, and then died off instantly as the preacher turned to them and held up his hands.
"Good people of Rochdale! Here is the last of a family reknowned amoung our people for spawning devil worshipper. Lying is a sin, and those who Lie submit themselves to the devil. Her brother accepted the Devil in such a way, and the devil protected him from hanging. His sister shall not be so lucky!
Rebekah of Rochdale. You were accused of casting spells on the animals of Rochdale, and the crops of Rochdale, so that they would fail in the autumn after your Brother fled. We had no evidence to find you guilty, and so you lived under suspicion. A year later, every child under the age of five caught a sickness so terrible that they all died. You were again accused of inflicting this upon them."
There was a pause in the speech, and the outlaws turned to face Alan in shock. "This is what she is accused of?" Little John hissed. "This is bad, Alan"
"She couldn't do such a thing" Alan insisted, not taking his gaze of the figure of the young girl. "We have to help her"
"But what if they are right. She did do such things"
"Theres no such thing as Witch craft, John" Robin sighed, clapping his hand on Alan's shoulder. "And we will rescue her. Here's my plan" and as the preacher continued his speech, he whispered what the outlaws were to do.
"Again, Rebekah, I had no evidence to proclaim you guilty. But then, evidence of devil worship and spell casting was found in Sherwood, and the evidence led back to you. At the very moment we cornered you in your house, the girl who found the evidence of the worship fell to the ground, shaking and shivering, crying "No, Rebekah, don't hurt me!Leave me!" And then she lay still. Dead. You have neither denyed or accepted these claims Rebekah. And as your silence led us to believe you were guilty, we carried out the ducking test.
The results of which lead us to believe you are a witch, and guilty"
"She's a witch"
"Burn her"
"Devil Worshipper"
"You killed our babies! Witch!"
"So, Rebekah of Rochdale, we give you one last chance. Do you repent your sins?"
"You will burn her if she repents"
Robin walked out the trees, his bow resting on his shoulders.
"Who are you"
"My name is Robin Hood." There were mutters all around.
"You have no business here, Robin Hood"
"Agreed." Robin nodded. "Except, you are about to burn a young woman"
"This is no young woman" The towns leader grabbed her face and turned it to Robin. "This is a witch! She dances with Satan and worships the Devil!"
"You have just said yourself, you have no evidence!" Robin protested, pushing through the crowd and standing at the foot of the Bonfire. The girl stared down at him, looking a little bewildered, tear marks streaking her face.
"We have all the evidence we need!" The townsman said. "Now, if you'll stand aside" He nodded to someone behind Robin, and the young outlaw turned just intime to side step a large man attempting to hold him back. Taking hold of his arm, he twisted, causing the man to land flat on his back, dazed.
While Robin had been defending himself, the preacher had swiftly set fire to the bonfire, and Robin was only alerted to this by a cry from Alan, still huddled under the bush.
"John! Much!" Robin cried, drawing an arrow and fitting it to his bow. His two friends, followed closey by Will and Djaq, rushed out of the cover of trees, weapons drawn, ready to defend their leader from the villagers.
As it dawned on the spectators that they were in the middle of an orchestrated rescue attempt, they began to stir into action and fight back. Believing it was their right to see this Witch burn, they fought with all their might, running back to their houses for weapons such as pots and pans.
Amidst the fray around him, protected by Much and John, Robin drew back the bow string. The flames had taken to the dry wood quickly, and were now licking the debris around the young girls feet. It had seemed that the girl had passed out in terror, as she hung limply in her bonds, her eyes closed.
Robin took careful aim, and fired two arrows in quick succession. The arrows shattered the bonds that tied her to the fire. Robin lept up onto the firy stack of wood, but not before she had rolled down a little way, closer to the flames.
Cursing, Robin pulled his hood up, glad of the little protection from the smoke, and pushed his way forward, doing his best to ignore the heat from the raging flames only a little way off. A spark landed on his wrist and searing pain flared for an instant as the hot fleck of wood burned into his skin.
He reached the girl, her unconsious face lit up by the flames only inches away, and which were already licking at her hand. Using his cloak, he wrapped her up, smothering the small flames that had taken hold of her wrist, picked her up and staggered off the bonfire, falling and stumbling until they both landed in a heap on the cool grass, Robin coughing.
Robin was hauled up by John, who hissed "We must go. Now!" Agreeing with his friend, Robin lifted the unconscious girl up, and sprinted, as best he could, for the forest. He was followed, closey, by Much, John, Djaq and Will.
"Split up!" He yelled so Alan could hear. "You know where to meet!"
He veered of to the left, the young girl still in his arms, Much close on his heels. Alan cast one look in the direction Robin had gone in, before Will pulled him to the right. John and Djaq ran straight on, dodging trees, and hearing the cries of the outraged villagers fade behind them.