We trudged on through the forest for several minutes. It was amazing how such a place could be so endlessly green!
I admired the surrounding landscape while listening to the comical sound of Allan's voice. He was so very animated in his speech; one might think he was entertaining a crowd of children, rather than a woman. I truly enjoyed his company; it kept my mind off of Guy and the incident that afternoon.
We'd finally arrived and stopped at a seemingly barren place between two large boulders. The ground was littered with leaves, and all around the place felt very empty.
I was a bit confused as to why we had stopped, until Will, the intense man, stepped forward and somehow opened a secret door in the ground, under the large leaf pile.
I gaped at it in awe. So this was the secret lodging of the great Robin Hood?
Half of the men scurried through the door instantly. Robin had waited for Marian to enter before he followed shortly after.
Allan glanced at me and gestured his hand toward the door, allowing me to enter first. He may not have been as noble as Guy, but he certainly did have some gentleman qualities.
When we had all entered, Will pulled a rope and closed the door, shutting the light out with it. It was now almost entirely dark except for a small beam of light coming out of the corner.
While Much ran around quickly and lit up a few candles, Marian turned her attention to more important matters.
"Robin, I have word," she dropped her voice to barely more than a whisper, "about the Black Knights."
Robin came out of a stare and darted his gaze upward toward Marian.
"What are the Black Knights?" I whispered quietly to Allan in the blackness.
"The Black Knights are the sheriff's men, his spies, so to speak. They've been plotting to kill King Richard when he returns from the Holy Land; we're tryin' to stop 'em."
By this time, Much had got a fire going; I turned my attention back to Robin and Marian.
"Please explain," Robin asked her as he sat down on a log by the fire.
The rest of the gang closed the circle around the fire and waited for Marian to speak.
"The sheriff is sending a note, containing important, secret information, to Locksley tonight. Guy will be residing there tonight; he will protect it until one of the Knights retrieves it tomorrow afternoon. It will be held in a wooden carved chest in the bedchamber." She paused to take a breath.
"You must get that note, Robin. It means-"
"It means we have to pay a visit to Locksley tonight." He interrupted her.
A moment after the mention of Guy's name, I leaned in to and whispered to Allan.
"What does Guy have to do with this Locksley place? I thought he lived in the castle."
"He does, some of the time. Locksley is Robin's house; Gisborne came in and occupied it while Robin was at war in the Holy Land. When Robin became outlawed, Gisborne kept the place."
I nodded my head and shifted my focus back to the conversation.
Now Robin was holding a long stick and poking around in the dirt; he seemed to be sketching out a battle plan.
"Will, you and Djaq need to be around the back of the house to prevent any possible escape," Robin gestured toward Will and the Saracen woman.
"Much, Allan, you'll hold off the front of the house," he pointed at the two men.
"John, you need to come with me and surprise Gisborne. We'll sneak in the bedroom window and you can hold him off while I grab the chest," his stick formed a circle in the floor.
"Will, I'll throw the chest through the window around the back; you must catch it and run as far away as you possibly can. Hide in the woods near Scarborough, and we will come and find you."
At this point Allan interrupted Robin.
"I'm not being funny, but wouldn't it be easier to draw Gisborne out? Send me to do it! I can cause a scene, make him chase after me, and that'll be the signal for you to come and take it."
Robin's concentration was focused in the dirt for a long while.
After several moments, he looked up and said "That will work."
"Allan, you go and pick a fight with Gisborne, and we will wait around the back, as soon as you draw him out, we'll take it from there."
Robin smiled, "Good thinking."
Allan's face brightened up.
"Thanks mate!"
So their plan was set; they would close in around Locksley Manor in the late evening, while Marian and I would go back to the castle and await the outcome.
We stayed a while longer, exchanging the latest news and stories.
When the sun began setting, Marian and I prepared to leave.
Allan assisted me in mounting my horse.
He looked quickly up at me, then down at the ground, then back up at me.
"Thank you for your company. I wonder if-" he paused, "-if perhaps we might see each other again."
I let out a nervous laugh.
"Of course," I said with a small smile.
Allan's face broke into a wide grin.
"Goodbye, Rebecca," he kissed my hand just before Marian and I turned to leave.
We rode off into the distance until the outlaws' camp was just a far off dot in the distance. We rode on in silence for the remainder of the hour, until Marian suddenly spoke.
"Rebecca, you've been quiet all day. Is something troubling you?"
I didn't have a response. Should I tell her about Guy? I decided to reply with something safe.
"Oh, umm, I'm just a little tired." I knew I was lying.
"Are you sure that's all?" She insisted on knowing the truth.
I decided to tell her.
"How could he do that?" I blurted out.
"Sorry?" she responded.
"Guy, before, in the village." I looked straight ahead, not daring to look to my right to allow her to read my expression.
"I warned you about Guy. He is very much under the sheriff's control; he will do anything to keep his position at Locksley. He maintains a severe image and if you're not careful, he may harm you someday."
I sat silent for the rest of the journey. I couldn't bear to speak or look at Marian.
We neared the center of town and rode through the castle gates.
I cleanly dismounted and found Guy waiting there when we arrived. His horse was all saddled; he was leaving for Locksley.
"I am spending the night at Locksley, if you need anything tonight, the servants will take care of it." He mounted his horse and rode off through the castle gates.
I shivered as I watched him depart; I still believed he would be the one to capture my heart before my stay was finished.
I was disturbed from my thoughts a moment later when someone gently shook my arm.
"Come," Marian said as she led me to the kitchens.