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Part 9

Guy looked out from the manor at the villagers cottages and frowned before nodding to his left and three of his guards unveiled a wooden contraption which had been erected by the pond, is loosely resembled the gallows but there was no platform, just one solid beam with which to torture the villagers of Locksley and perhaps beyond as long as the result was the bringing of Robin Hood to Sir Guy of Gisborne. The guards with Guy stood admiring it for some time, discussing its purpose and Gisborne made sure each of the three men knew which options they were going to try, another three guards unloaded a few boulders and rested them at one side.

"Are we going to use it straight away?" his Sergeant asked.

"No, I will tell the villagers what it is for, we will hope word will get to Hood, if not, when my patience runs out, then we will use it."

"It is not a pleasant thing," Thornton mused having arrived on the scene, as he looked it over clearly not impressed with his master's new idea.

"What torture is?" Gisborne snapped. "I need Hood here and what better way than to hurt his people."

"I do not think…"

"Thornton you do not need to think, I am the one who thinks in my domain. Robin Hood will not get away with what he had done this time." Gisborne continued spitting the last words out so that the sergeant and Thornton stood back and he pushed past them into the manor.

"Perhaps," said the sergeant. "Off the record, you should ensure Robin Hood finds out about this before Gisborne actually does cause harm to the innocent."

"Yes," Thornton said with a sigh. "Perhaps you are right."

Five days had past and Gisborne's patience had run out, he called to his men and had them assemble the terrified villagers in two rows about his 'hanging beam' as the villagers had dubbed it, wondering who would be suspended from the thick wooden beam. Ashley, Thornton's grandson ran to the forest for help.

Ashley was ten, a lithe boy and he moved swiftly through the forest. Word had been sent to Robin Hood but as far as his grandfather knew had not reached the outlaws ears. Sometimes if the gang moved a lot as they did in the summer, it was more difficult to trace them. Then there was the flux outbreak in Knighton, Robin Hood or his men could have caught that and be in no position to help anyone. He scoured all the usual sites of the outlaw's camps but found nothing, he was getting frantic when he came across them, in a place he wasn't expecting at all.

"Ashley," said Much acknowledging the lad, and the remainder of the gang turned.

"Ashley?" asked Robin as the boy bent over to catch his breath.

Still breathing hard Ashley replied, "Locksley….Gisborne…you need to come."

"What is happening at Locksley?" asked Much, thinking they needed more information than that especially with the flux still at large, not that any other cases had been reported other than at Knighton.

"Gisborne…a new way to get to you. A beam the villagers call the hanging beam, but it is not to kill it is to harm. To be suspended from the hands, with weights," he added normally now that his heart wasn't besting out of his chest. "We tried to make contact before, messages were sent."

"I did not get them," Robin replied gravely. "Did any of you not pass on such a message?" he asked looking round the group, first at Much, then Alan, Will, John. Djaq and finally Marian, they all shook their heads in response. "We must go and quickly."

"You do realise it is a trap, bait to lure you?" Marian asked, worry and concern filling her expression like a tidal wave.

He waked over to her as he collected his bow and arrows and attached his sword and knife, squeezing her arm he said, "I know, but we must go."

"My master he swore that if anyone was harmed in his name…." Much began then trailed off as John shot him a look to pick up his own weapons and the gang along with Ashley hurried back to Locksley to see just what Gisborne was doing to his people.

Gisborne's men had chosen a young man of the village to be first for the torture which officially was named Strappado. Leather straps were tied to his hands, hands which were behind his back as he was then suspended by hanging from the beam until his joints were dislocated. His mother wept into the arms of her younger children for he, this young man was the breadwinner of the family. Gisborne's sergeant nodded to him about the boulders.

Gisborne replied. "We will use those if Hood does not show."

Robin and the gang meanwhile were behind the Scarlett's old cottage Robin explaining the hurried plan, then he got his bow and arrow lining up the rope on which the young villager was suspended and fired, it made a clean break and the victim fell to the ground in a relived thud, his family immediately going to his assistance not so afeared with the knowledge that Robin Hood was on the scene.

"Hood," spat Gisborne with vengeance as Robin walked up to the event.

Robin pointing his bow at his nemesis replied. "You have crossed the line."

"I did not cross the line you did" Guy replied. "You took the woman who was to be my, wife and made her yours."

Robin shook his head and said with a wry laugh. "She was never yours."

"And she was yours? I don't think so. You threw that right away."

"Any more for the Strappado?" asked the sergeant.

"No," Guy replied, "Robin Hood is here no more victims are necessary."

"Do you want us to arrest him Sir?"

"No I will deal with him, go. GO!" he yelled.

The soldiers took several paces back but didn't disappear completely nor did the villagers and they made a large circle around the two men, wondering what was going to happen next.