Marian wrapped the scarf around her neck and pulled up her hood. Geared up in a tough tunic, similar to the one she'd worn as the Night Watchman all those years ago. She finally tugged on her riding gloves. She picked up the small bag of possessions and made sure her sword was still in its scabbard. Now she was ready.
Quietly as the night that was blanketing the world outside, she opened the shutters of her window and balanced carefully on the window ledge. Now how did Robin do this? She spotted the timber bar, shrouded in blackness and made a daring jump for it. She caught it in her hands, the momentum ripping her fingers from the wood and throwing her several feet from the house. She landed in a very undignified position. But that did not matter because she was out of the house. Quickly she hauled herself to her feet and headed to the stables that sheltered her horse - the horse that Gisborne had presented her with only a few weeks earlier.
As she opened the wooden door it creaked loudly and she flinched. A guard stirred from his slumbers a few metres away. Marian froze, her heart pounding frantically in her chest. If the guard woke and saw her he would get help and then Gisborne would go after her. Slowly the guard settled back into his previous position, snuffling slightly. Marian breathed a sigh of relief.
She caught sight of her horse, Locksley. She had named him after the love of her life but had never told Guy for fear it would send him over the edge. When speaking to him it was just 'the horse'. She tiptoed over to the animal who was lapping at water from a trough and began saddling him up. He proposed no protest and soon he was prepared to leave. Holding onto his reins she led him silently out of the stable and into the cold night.
"Good boy, Locksley," she whispered, the sound barely audible. Carefully she mounted him and then, squeezing him gently in the sides, rode into the nearby trees of Sherwood Forest. The only sound that followed them was the soft thud of Locksley's hooves in the earth.
Grace was not Sally's daughter, but she did not know that. All she had known all her life was the kind, caring woman that had looked after her. She never knew of the mother who actually birthed her and her twin brother. Only the young children in her home were thought of as her siblings. She had no clue that her father, Oliver was not her biological one. Everyone in the village of Knighton believed that she was the offspring of the Oliver and Sally Wilson. Although she did not look much like either her parents who were blonde haired and brown eyed, or her brothers and sister. Only they knew the truth, that her mother was the wife of the Sheriff's Man at Arms, Gisborne.
Grace lay on her bed and looked at the necklace that lay before her. It was bought for her by her brother Harry on her birthday just gone, her tenth. She loved it so much, although it was very simple, a chain and a jade stone on the end. She wore it wherever she went and very rarely took it off.
"Grace, go to sleep," her mothers voice called from across the small house.
"Yes, Mother," Grace slipped the chain over her head and then closed her eyes.
Tristan looked around at the sleeping outlaws. It was early morning. The birds were twittering in the trees and sunlight was filtering through the branches. If he were back with the monks he'd have been up, prayed and had breakfast.
He and Will were on watch. Will was sitting by the fire, throwing small twigs and acorns into the flames. The look on his face was unreadable but Tristan could tell he was very bored. Maybe he should make conversation.
"Hey, Will…er…" Tristan didn't know where to go from there as the dark haired outlaw looked up at him.
"Yeah?"
"Well, um, what are we gonna do today?" Tristan asked.
"I don't know," Will shrugged going back to the fire.
"Could we go somewhere then?" Tristan said.
"Where?"
"Perhaps…" Tristan suddenly had an idea forming in his head from something Much had told him, "Knighton?" Will's head snapped up and his eyes looked alarmed.
"Knighton?" he choked out.
"Yes," Tristan was surprised at what a reaction he'd provoked.
"Erm…" Will had never been good with words, like Allan, and he couldn't think of a good enough excuse not to go. "I guess, but you'll have to tell the others."
"Great!" Tristan grinned, jumped up and headed to the nearest slumbering form. It was Allan. "Hey, wake up." He shook the man who mumbled and his eyes flickered reluctantly open.
"What do you want, titch?" he said, sitting up.
"Me and Will are going to go to Knighton," Tristan informed him.
"Fine, fine, go," Allan waved an arm lazily, "I'll keep watch."
"Ok," Tristan picked up a cloak he'd been lent by the outlaws to cover his identity and, of course, his sword and he and Will left the camp. Just after they'd gone Allan fell back to sleep, leaving the outlaws unguarded.
"Why did you want to come here?" Will asked as the boy began walking into the village of Knighton.
"I just wanted to see some places," Tristan said, non –committed.
"Places?" Will raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah."
"Fine, what do you want to do now?"
"Talk to some more villagers," Tristan decided, not adding 'and I want to see this Gisborne closer up.'
"Fine," Will let himself be led by the boy.
Tristan headed over to a nearby house. It was built of grey stone and had a little yard where there was a vegetable patch and some ducks and chickens roaming around. There was a gangly reddish brown dog loping after them, its pink tongue hanging out of its jaw.
A young woman was playing happily with a small girl who was chasing the said dog but mostly tripping over everything. She kept bouncing back up again and pursuing her chase.
"Russ-russ! Come back here!" she yelled.
"Meg, leave Russet be," the older girl laughed. Will frowned as he got a closer look at her. She seemed all too familiar.
"But, Grace, I want to pet her!" Meg whined.
"Look, why don't you just call her. Russet, here girl!" Grace called out to the animal who came bounding over.
"Erm…excuse me," Tristan interrupted the sweet domestic scene. Grace looked up and saw the two hooded figures. She stepped back in fear.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing," Tristan said quickly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. He pulled his hood down revealing his boyish face and sparkling, bright blue eyes. "Its ok, we aren't going to steal from you or hurt you." The girl looked relieved, her own blue eyes lightening.
"Are you an outlaw?"
"Yes, one of Robin Hood's outlaws," Tristan announced proudly.
"Wow!" Grace smiled.
"I'm Tristan by the way," he introduced himself.
"Grace Wilson," Grace replied.
"Grace," a voice called from within the house, "Would you go and buy some bread?"
"Yes, Mother," Grace shouted back, "Er…I have to go."
"Oh, we'll come with you," Tristan offered, wanting to talk to her some more. He fell into step beside her and as he did so Will's jaw dropped.
What do you think? Good? Bad? And whats gonna happen? How long will it be before Gisborne notices his missing wife? Or how long until Sally meets Tristan and realises the link? To find out please review!