Our time is now
Chapter Two
Heroes and villains
"Allan!" Addison almost yelled her brother's name as the scene unfolded below. Sabrina covered her friends mouth, stifling her panic ridden cry.
"Sshh! Or they'll get us too!"
"I don't care! They got my brother!" Addi's eyes filled with hysterical tears as she slumped on the ground.
"And getting us caught? How exactly is that going to help?" Sabrina hauled her friend up and dragged her to safety, trying her best to be quiet. Addison calmed herself a little and looked around the woods.
"What are we going to do? Not just leave him, surely?" she looked extremely worried and wiped her face with the back of her hand.
"Of course not. I am going to get Saracen and follow them back to wherever it is they re going. You- you need to find Robin and the rest of them, and meet me back here at sunset."
She stood up from were they had been crouching and lent an ear to the wind.
"Second thoughts, not here, too dangerous. We'll meet up at the creek. You got it?"
Addison nodded and stood up a little shakily.
"And… be careful my friend. Your brother needs you." Sabrina tried to smile encouragingly but the truth was she was as terrified for Allan as Addi was. Parting, they set off in their different directions and did their best to keep it together.
Addison wandered around the wood for a while in silence, trying to remember Robin's usual pattern. Doing her best to clear her mind of dread and worry, she sat down on a tree stump. Ten minutes passed in silence, broken only by a loud whooshing sound. Addi looked up and scraped her wavy hair out of her eyes. Another whooshing sound, and some rustling.
"Hello?" Fear settled over Addi once more as she wrung her hands and looked around her.
"Please, just come out, don't make me wait like this!"
Some more rustling, then a the clattering of several outlaws emerging from the bushes.
"Addison?" Robin Hood's voice could not be mistaken as he strode forwards into the clearing.
"What have I told you? Stay out of clearings if you are alone! It's far too easy to be spotted!"
"I'm sorry….I…."
She shuddered and broke down, skilfully caught by Robin.
"Addison, what is it? What's wrong?"
"Allan! They got Allan!"
The outlaws had gathered around the two, each one suddenly realising that this was no laughing matter.
"Who did, the sheriff's men?"
She nodded and looked up at Robin.
"They got my brother!"
He smoothed her hair away from her eyes and brushed the tears from her face.
"It's ok, he'll be ok. The sheriff will want to use him- one of us is no use. Do you know where they took him?"
She shook her head, explaining that Sabrina had followed to find out.
"Robin, what do we do?" Will stood at the leader's shoulder, axe in hand.
"We meet Sabrina at sunset, find out what the situation is and form a plan. But one thing is for sure- we do not panic. We have dealt with this type of situation before and come out of it fine."
There was a short, atmospheric silence as the group unwillingly remembered the situation with Allan's brother- they had been too late. The Sheriff had outwitted them and he had been killed before they had even left the forest. Such a memory was too much for Addison, who leant on Robin and hid her face in his shirt.
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"Sabrina?" Robin called into the trees as he held his bow aloft.
"Here, I'm here." She slid down a slope and brushed herself off, looking at the concerned leader.
"How is Addison?"
"Worried sick. And our man Allan?"
She took a step to the side and sheathed a knife, glancing up at Saracen who stood at the top of the slope.
"Well it could be worse. They are holding him outside of the castle in an outhouse- there's something going on inside the castle. The sheriff doesn't want the risk of outlaws in there. Did you know there would be a sweep today?"
He shook his head.
"Gisbourne must be cracking down hard on us, such determination. Every day this week. Do you know what the sheriif is up to?"
"No, but they know we will go after Allan. He is being used as a kind of bait."
Robin looked confused. He paced a bit, and twiddled the string on his bow.
"Do they have any terms?"
"No. Just our Allan in a heavily guarded stone outhouse with one entrance and a window."
There was a shuffling sound as Will joined the conversation.
"Which outhouse? The one to the east of the castle entrance gates?"
Sabrina nodded.
"It has a cellar, and three underground passages. I assume they know that?"
Robin and Sabrina exchanged glances.
"I have no idea. Entrances to these passages?"
Will thought for a moment.
"One is from the castle, one from the stables and one from the edge of the market."
"Well the market is covered, and the castle obviously, but I don't know about the stables."
"Surely they will have guards in the room with him though."
Robin looked up with a smirk and pinged his bow.
"That, my friend, is the very least of my worries."
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