Chapter 2
They returned to camp to devise a plan.
"Simple, yet trustworthy," was Little John's input.
"Not being funny, but I don't want to be hanged again," said Allan.
Under the cover of darkness, four cloaked figures could be seen creeping from the fringes of Sherwood Forest. Soon after, a fire broke out near the gates and the guards manning the gates went to investigate. The cloaked figures slipped through unseen. All was silent in Nottingham town until there was a tremendous crash.
"Much!" hissed Robin.
"Sorry," he said apologetically.
After Allan lured the castle guards' away for "ale with a bit of a kick", Robin Hood was finally in the castle. Walking silently down the stairs, he paused at the dungeon door and waited for Allan to catch up. He finally arrived with the excuse that "one of the guards was angry there was no ale."
John kicked the door in with a tremendous thud that seemed loud enough to wake the entire castle. "That was what Will was for," he grunted.
The dungeon stank with smoke and human excrement. In the very last cell, Will and Djaq huddled together.
"This is a rescue!" Said Much, finally reaching them. Will and Djaq stared at them with open mouths.
"You are hallucinations," croaked Djaq finally. "You could not possibly know we are here."
"We are here to rescue you," said Robin, handing Will the lock pick through the bars of the cage.
"It's really you," he said. "I thought we were going to die here."
Suddenly, Robin heard a loud clattering at the top of the stairs.
"Guards, doing the midnight rounds," said Will. "Go, quickly."
"Who's there?" said a rough voice.
"Probably just talking to themselves, the scum," said another. "Better check, though, just to be sure."
Robin, Much and Allan quietly drew their swords.
"Have you unlocked the chains, Will?" he whispered.
A guard turned the corner. He saw the four outlaws on one side of the cage, helping two prisoners.
"Outlaws in the dungeon!" he shouted to the other, who ran off to inform the sheriff.
"Remember me, Robin?" he asked.
"Karim!" Robin gasped, recognising the Saracen who tried to assassinate the king. He took a swing at the larger man, only to have him block the attack with his curved sword.
There was a clash as the two men engaged in fierce combat. Robin's gang were afraid to intervene for fear of hurting their master. Suddenly, Karim had his sword at Robin's throat. "Say your prayers," he snarled. Almost as suddenly, he was on the ground, unconscious with Little John peering over him.
"You, I do not like," he said.
The outlaws filed out of the dungeon in 'cluster ball' formation, with Will and Djaq, the weakest in the middle. They got safely out of the castle and were almost into Sherwood forest before the bell for escaped prisoners began to ring.
"Good work, lads," smiled Robin.