Part 22
Robin had placed the gang in equal halves across the road. They all had him in their line of vision as they waited for the signal somewhat half heartedly as this was the second day they lay in wait for the money. The trundle of wheels woke them from their daydream just as Much's stomach began to growl for its lunch. After the signal they fired their arrows on the unsuspecting trio of monks. Robin and Alan jumping down at the same time blocking the men's path.
"What have we here gentlemen?" Robin said, nodding at John and Will.
The monks were not as they appeared either, as suddenly they drew out swords, but after a mild combat were overwhelmed by the six outlaws.
"Gisborne's men?" asked Will.
"Perhaps," said Robin with a shrug as he levered off the lid to the chest.
All six of them peered in as it creaked, then popped open.
"Ahhhhh" sighed Much.
"I do like it when a job goes according to plan," said Alan.
"It's not over yet, we have to dispose of it, we can not carry it all back to Markwick."
Marian sighed as she walked up and down the great hall supervising what she now called defence practise. She had gotten out of bed the day she promised herself she would and here she was a few days later implanting the idea which sprang to her mind on that first day. If they were to defend their homes, the men, particularly had to know how. In an ideal situation she would have wanted to teach some of the women too, but there was not time.
There were three groups of men in the hall, some with staffs, some with swords and the third with bows; it had become apparent that while a number of the men were passable with a bow, none were expert, even Alistair or Aubrey. The former however was masterful with the sword and was now teaching one of the young men how to block efficiently. She herself would have demonstrated all three means of defence but her shoulder was still healing. Marian didn't know if even that was a correct thing to say, the pus was still active in the centre of the wound but the edges and sides had healed over well and the fever was all but gone, so she knew she was on the mend. Still she needed to save using it until she had to, until the house was under siege.
Marian had a sense of foreboding down to the pit of her stomach that Robin would not be back in time that she would have to fight off Gisborne and the Sheriff's men alone. A boy from the village approached her and she fixed her attention on him as he explained how they had made as many weapons as they had material for. She sighed, all they had to do now was practise and wait, and that perhaps was the hardest task of all.