-The Escape-

Allan snorted when Elsie emerged from the toilet dressed in one of the uniforms they had taken from a guard. "Look, I'm not being funny, but you'll never pass for a castle guard. You're too scrawny."

The tattered hem of her dress poked out the bottom, the sleeves swallowed her hands in their length, and the helmet kept slipping over her eyes, making the disguise impractical.

"You are right," she agreed, sighing in defeat. "This is not going to work."

Tossing the helmet aside, she began removing the failed disguise, ideas still coursing through her mind, each as unlikely to work as the next. Then an idea struck her as being the most obvious; it should have been their plan from the start, as they were already equipped for it.

"Why not simply take me out as your prisoner?" she suggested, looking between the men.

"Yeah...that could work," Allan replied, pondering the sheer simplicity of the idea. He nodded and glanced to Much, who looked skeptical.

"The guards at the gates will never let us pass," he whined.

"Well, you could tell them that the sheriff ordered me away from the castle, couldn't you? If they even inquire," Elsie added quickly at Much's look of alarm.

"Yeah," Allan agreed. "We could be taking her to Locksley to stay with Gisborne, or something like that." He gave a small shrug. "Look, we'll just make it up as we go, alright? We got to get out of here soon."

Much nodded, complying with their plan. "Right--well--as long as it doesn't involve escaping through the privy, count me in."

With the plan mostly worked out, Allan and Much positioned themselves on either side of Elsie and escorted her confidently through the castle. Elsie did her part to make their charade as believable as possible by protesting her arrest. The whole way to the west gate, she shouted loudly and struggled against their grasps, but did not kick at either of them since they were actually trying to help her.

The archway that would take them into Nottingham town was flanked by two guards. Most of the guard, it seemed, had been directed to the front courtyard where the battle was being waged. This would assist their cause, because two guards could be easily dealt with. Elsie continued her objections as they neared the gates, praying that there would be no questions. She breathed a silent sigh of relief as they passed onto the desolate streets of town, her prayers answered.

And then without so much as a warning, Allan stopped their three person parade and turned back to the guards. "Oi, you got any rope? Got to take the girl to Locksley, but we won't make it far with the fuss she's making."

Elsie glared viciously at Allan as he shook her arm. What was he playing at? She stole a look at Much. The bits of his face that were visible had turned a pasty white; his eyes were as round as dinner plates. Elsie could almost see the wheels turning inside his head as he too tried to figure out what Allan was up to.

"Thanks," Allan said, accepting the length of rope he was handed. Then he promptly set to tying Elsie's wrists together. She was in such a state of shock that she forgot to put up a fight. Her eyes bore into him while he fixed her bindings, never looking up at her. He didn't tie it particularly tight, but burns from her previous restraints stung when the rope laid over them. When he finished, he tugged on his end, signaling for their departure. With Much trailing behind them, Allan led her like a dog on a leash through the streets of Nottingham.

After a short distance--well out of view from the castle gate--they turned onto a narrow alleyway. The passage ended in a small, secluded courtyard where a couple of horses were tethered to a lone tree. Figuring that it was safe to break from their act, Elsie accosted Allan, who had his back turned to her, and thumped him in the back of the head with her bound hands.

"Ouch!" he yelped, spinning to face his abuser.

"You tied me up!" she shrieked incredulously.

"Yeah," Allan replied, his tone indicating that he had good reason.

"Why?"

"We can't exactly ride you out of here on the back of a horse, can we? You still got to be our prisoner."

Thoughtfully, Elsie bit at her lip--he had a point.

"Look, we'll tie you to one of the horses until we get out of town. Once we're at a safe distance you can ride with one of us," Allan explained, rubbing at the back of his head.

Much cut in, chuckling uneasily. "For a moment there, I thought you had turned on us again."

Allan simply shook his head and turned to ready their mounts.

Elsie arched an eyebrow, confused by Much's comment, but she chose to ignore the banter. As much as she didn't like being tied up again, Allan's idea was well-grounded and it could help them get past the guards at the town's entrance.

"Allan," she called softly, waiting until his eyes finally met hers. "Sorry I hit you."

A small half smile crept across his face. He tugged gently at the rope. "Come on."

Being tied up was bad, but being tethered to the back of a horse was even worse, and more difficult than she had imagined. Elsie stumbled awkwardly over the uneven ground; the thought of toppling over frightened her beyond reason, because Allan and Much would not be able to stop to help her up. The injuries she would receive from being dragged across the ground would be disfiguring and possibly fatal. So, with the length of rope pulled taut and digging into her wrists, Elsie concentrated on keeping her balance as they moved toward freedom.

She had been so focused on staying upright that she had not noticed they were well away from Nottingham. I was only when Much stopped his horse and she collided with its hind quarters that she realized they had made it--they were free.

Looking down on her, Allan chuckled from atop his horse. Much, on the other hand, jumped from his and rushed quickly to her aid. "Are you alright, My Lady?"

"Yes, I am fine," Elsie replied sheepishly. Pulling herself together, she took a moment to view their surroundings. It seemed ages had passed since she had last been outdoors properly; the wide open space called to her. She longed to throw out her arms and run carelessly through the tall grass, but she controlled that childish impulse. Elsie simply looked across the field of green at the grim Nottingham castle that loomed in the distance. It was a place that she hoped never to find herself in again--at least while the current sheriff was in residence.

"My Lady?" Much said tentatively, pulling her from her trance. "We cannot linger."

"Where are we going?" she asked, suddenly realizing that she had no idea where she was being taken.

Much looked down at his feet, almost ashamed of the truth. "Lady Elsie, you should know that Robin has been outlawed..."

"Yes. Sir Guy of Gisborne made that point very clear."

"Well, then you have probably heard that he has taken up lodge in Sherwood Forest."

"I have heard these rumors."

"They are not rumors, My Lady. We live in the forest now. We have built a fine camp though, which is where we are to take you," Much explained hesitantly, uncertain of how she would feel about living among the trees.

"Just take me as far away from here as you can," Elsie said with a final look of loathing toward Nottingham.