Chapter 10: Explanations

"Did you say Esther and William?" Tristan asked, an odd look on his face. Will nodded absentmindedly, his eyes fixed on Cassie.

"What are we going to do?" Cassie panicked, fingers tangling in her long hair as she fretted. "We need to warn Robin and the others, they're going to be ambushed!"

"We have to go after them," Will decided, his eyes determined behind the face guard of his helmet. "We need to go now, before Gisborne leaves."

"Do you know where the village is?"

Will nodded. "Vaguely, at least. I gave the map from the King to Robin."

"We have a map of England in the camp," Cassie replied. "We can fetch that."

"There is no time to go to the camp!" Will snapped, his endless patience already wearing thin. "Don't you understand? This is the King's son."

"Yes, but we aren't going to be much use to him if we're wandering around lost in the wilderness!" Cassie retorted. "Besides, we need food, and weapons. And I am not riding off to prevent an act of treason in this." She indicated her skirt.

"Alright!" Will threw his hands up in defeat. "We're wasting time, let's just go."

"What are we going to do about him?" Cassie asked, gesturing towards Tristan, who was standing there with an expression of growing bewilderment on his face.

"Just leave him, we have to go."

"And what if he burns down a village or two whilst we're gone? Do you want that on your conscience?"

Will let out a very uncharacteristic growl. "Rather that on my conscience than the heir to the throne and all our friends being killed!"

"In the name of all that is holy, will you two please stop bickering?" Tristan finally exploded. "I don't really have any idea what's going on here but first, we're going to get caught if we keep standing here. And second, whatever it is sounds urgent, and you aren't going to be any use to anyone if you just stand around arguing."

Will and Cassie stared at him for a moment, open mouthed, then turned to each other. "He's right," they said in unison.

Will gave a small smile. "Leave Nottingham by the west gate. I will fetch two horses from the stable and meet you there."

"Three horses," said Tristan.

"Three?" Will shook his head. "You aren't coming with us!"

Tristan's face settled into the stubborn, sullen expression that it had obviously grown used to. "I can hunt," he offered. "If you need to catch food on the journey. And I can fight."

"Are you prepared to die?" Cassie asked bluntly. "As it is quite a likely outcome of this venture."

Tristan shrugged. "Not got much left to live for."

Cassie eyed him for a second and then nodded. "Let's go."

"Hang on a minute!" Will looked at her pointedly. "I don't think that's a very good idea."

"You don't have a choice," Cassie retorted. As Tristan turned and started walking down the corridor, a smug expression on his face, Cassie leant closer to Will. "Trust me," she whispered in his ear. "I know what I'm doing."

XX

"They should be here by now!" Cassie muttered to herself, before realizing that the e guards on the west gate were watching her suspiciously. She aimed a cheerful smile in their direction and tried to force herself to stop pacing.

Tristan and Will hadn't come to meet her with the horses and with every second that passed their escape became more risky. It wouldn't take long for the castle to realise that a prisoner had escaped the dungeon, and she could tell that the guards were wondering why a kitchen maid was loitering outside the town walls.

She finally heard the clatter of horse's hooves on the paving behind her and turned around in relief. Will and Tristan rode towards her, Will leading a third horse. As the guards began to shout after them, realising that something was amiss, Cassie swiftly mounted her horse and the three set off at a canter.

They were soon out of sight in the forest, riding as hard as they dared through the trees. When they were close to the camp Tristan was blindfolded, then Will led his horse until they reached the secret hideout. A flurry of activity broke out; Cassie got changed, they all armed themselves with swords, bows and arrows, and Will's axes, then packed blankets, food, and the map.

They worked silently, all acknowledging the need for urgency. It only took a few minutes before they were back on the horses, riding north through the forest towards the Great North Road. They didn't really want to be out on the open roads, the same roads that Gisborne would be using, but speed was crucial.

As they passed out of the last fringes of the forest, into the open countryside, Cassie looked back wistfully at the trees. She had lived her whole life near Sherwood, and could not remember ever being out of sight of the forest. It had always been there; dark and imposing, but an anchoring fixture on the landscape, somewhere to provide shelter, food, and protection. The horizon ahead was flat, devoid of significant features, and all of a sudden she was afraid of what lay ahead. For a moment she smiled at the irony that she, a wealthy noble, had never set foot outside of Nottinghamshire whilst Will, a humble carpenter, had travelled vast oceans and foreign lands.

They rode until nightfall when the darkness made losing their way likely. The horses were beginning to slow, and their stomachs beginning to rumble. They set up camp a little way off the road, in the protection of a small copse, incase Gisborne passed them. Will set a fire as Cassie unrolled their blankets and Tristan trapped a rabbit, which they cooked and ate with bread they had brought.

Once they finished eating Tristan settled back against the trunk of a tree and looked from Cassie to Will. "So why did you rescue me?" he asked, finally raising the question that had been on his mind since Cassie had opened his cell door.

Cassie hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on her arms. "We know it was you that tried to burn down Nettlestone," she said in a voice devoid of accusation, as if she was merely commenting upon the weather. Tristan stiffened but did not deny it. "We saw you get arrested, and we wanted a word. Wanted to know why you did it, and to make sure you would never try again."

"Surely if you didn't want me to try it again you should have just left me locked up?" Tristan replied. "You could have left me to rot."

"We know the Sheriff and his punishments better than that," Cassie said, still in the same light tone. "You would have lost a hand, or had a public flogging, then been released. We would have lost you, and you might have burned down a village."

"I accept that," Tristan said slowly. "But why did you let me come with you? I know you said I might try arson again whilst you were away. But how do you know you can trust me?"

"We don't," Cassie replied with a shrug. Then, suddenly, she changed. Dropping her knees she leant forwards, eyes narrowing. "It's my turn to ask questions," she said sharply. "I think the most important one is why did you want to come? You offered to come with us."

Tristan shrugged, but he looked slightly flustered. "Wanted a bit of excitement," he replied.

Cassie laughed. "I don't believe you. Is trying to burn down a village not enough excitement for you?" She frowned at him. "When you heard us mention Esther and William your face went all funny…a bit like now, actually." She stood up, drawing a dagger, and walked slowly towards Tristan. The man looked wildly towards Will, who was watching the scene with a bemused expression.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he choked out.

"You used to live in Nettlestone," Cassie continued conversationally, her voice back to being casual despite the dagger she was waving in his face. "Thomas said you left two years ago. Esther and William left two years ago. You must have known them."

"I did," Tristan agreed, a hint of panic in his voice. "So what?"

"So I find it all a bit of a coincidence," Cassie replied slowly. "I think there's something you're not telling us. I think you have an ulterior motive in wanting to accompany us. And you had better tell me what it is, or we'll tie you to this tree and this time we really will leave you to rot."

Looking down at him Cassie expected him to either jump up and make a run for it or tackle her and try to wrestle the dagger from her. She did not expect his reaction to be tears; but as she watched him, he began to cry. She watched him warily, half wanting to comfort him, but half expecting a trick. She was startled when she felt a hand on her arm; she hadn't noticed Will stand up and walk over to her.

"Let him speak," Will said softly. He and Cassie squatted on the ground waiting for Tristan's emotions to subside.

"It's a long story," he said eventually.

"We've got all night," Cassie replied. "It might help, if you talk about it."

Tristan nodded. "My mother's name was Jocelyn," he began slowly. "She and Esther were good friends. They grew up together in the village. My younger sister was a year older than William; they used to play together all the time. She ordered him around." He smiled fondly at the memory, his eyes glazing over as he got lost in the past. His voice became toneless, as if he was recounting something unimportant. "Two years ago, two of King Richard's loyal men came to take Esther and William away. The King's enemies had found out about William; they wanted to kill him, or Esther, so he could not be the heir to the throne. Within twenty minutes of them arriving, they had gone, taking Esther and William with them."

"To Hayworth?" Cassie said gently.

Tristan nodded his confirmation. "Prince John's men came later that day. My mother was afraid that they would go after Esther and kill her and William. So she…" Here he choked, his voice betraying his emotion. "She told them that she was Esther, but she had no young son. Only me, and I was too old. The soldiers, they…" Tears threatened his eyes again and Cassie reached out, squeezing his hand in silent support. "They killed her," he managed eventually. "My father tried to protect her, and they killed him too. The villagers didn't do anything, they just stood by and watched!" His voice was getting louder and angrier. "My sister was ill; she died soon after of a fever. Then it was just me, and I vowed revenge on the village. They did nothing to help us, nothing to protect us."

His head fell into his hands and Cassie exchanged worried looks with Will. Neither of them knew quite what to say. "Tristan, that's an awful thing to happen," Cassie began. "But your mother died a hero. And the villagers…there was nothing they could have done. If they had intervened there would have been more deaths, more unnecessary bloodshed. And the truth might have come out about Esther and William."

Tristan looked up at her with haunted eyes. "I know," he whispered. "I just… I just need to do something. I need to avenge their deaths."

"Why did you come on this journey? What were you going to do?" Cassie asked. "Kill Esther?"

Tristan kept her gaze steadily. "Yes," he replied simply.

"What good would that do?" Will asked. "Your mother died to protect Esther. If you kill her, then her sacrifice will have been in vain."

Tristan's head dropped again. "I don't know what to do!" he cried at last, his voice filled with anguish.

Cassie reached out and placed a finger beneath his chin, tilting his head up so he was looking at her. "Help us to protect them," she told him gently. "As your mother did. She will be proud of you."

Staring at her for a long time Tristan's mind seemed to be filled with turmoil, fighting an internal battle. Eventually he nodded. "You're right," he said at last. "I promise, you can trust me."

Cassie nodded. "I believe you. Will?" The carpenter agreed. "Now get some sleep."

Author's Note: Ooh some angst and drama after the mild humour of the last chapter! I hope the backstory wasn't too confusing/boring/ridiculous?!

I decided to post this tonight because I am going away for a week on Saturday (YAY holiday!) so there will be no updates. So I am going to update as much as possible today, tomorrow and Friday!

Thank you for the reviews!! As lovely as ever!