Chapter 1

I wandered through the streets of Nottingham. Occasionally I would stop, pull out my instrument, and sing a silly song to the passersby. I didn't expect any sort of money from these poor, miserable people, but one man did trade my basket for a pack which I could strap shut. Then I leaped onto my hands and walked across the square. The women grumbled about the immodesty of my act, though I was wearing breeches under my tattered dress.

"Good." I heard a deep, rich voice. "Very good."

I flipped over and saw a tall, dark haired man with his arms folded, watching. He was handsome. Deplorably handsome. Two soldiers stood at his side.

"Lord." I bowed slightly and grimaced calling him by his true names in my thoughts. Liar. Thief. Tyrant. Sheriff's lackey. Guy of Gisbourne.

"I saw you today, in the square. You were breathing fire and dancing. Can you give us a show now?"

"A townsman played the whistle for me then, and I have no one to do so now. I cannot dance without music. I cannot breathe fire without dancing." I had a mad idea and acted upon it without thinking. "I can sing for you though." His pale eyes searched me and made me want to squirm. He nodded.

It was a tune called the Fields of Athenry, but I changed the words to suit Nottingham. It was sad and I wanted to weep whenever I sang it.

By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young maid calling.
"Michael, they have taken you away.
For you stole the Sheriff's corn
So the young might see the morn'
Now a prison wall keeps us-"

That was as far as I got. I flew backwards and I saw millions of spots swarming my vision. A battering ram thudded in my skull and I tasted something salty and foul.

"Aye," I could see a black, blurry shape looming over me. "sings pretty and is pretty. Think twice before ye speak of such things again."

He was gone. None of the townspeople dared help me. I tried to rise but fell back, my head spinning. To my surprise, I fell into a pair of arms.

"Easy now, do you need me to carry you?"

"He hits girls. Not much of a gentleman." I said thickly. What nonsense was I speaking?

"You crack jokes, even now? When Gisbourne just sent you halfway across the square?"

"'Even now?'" I tried to twist my head to see who was supporting me. He realized I couldn't and moved so I could see his face.

It was the funny looking boy who had bumped into me.

I fell unconscious.