Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Robin Hood, just my character Daisy
DAISY
Three months – the time that she'd been at her Uncle's for – and it already felt like the longest time of her life. The carefree years she'd had with her parents seemed like a lifetime ago. Her Mother had gotten away from her brother as soon as she'd been able to. When describing him, she always said that he was an odd sort of fellow who merely went through the motions expected from him in life. She added that he'd only really been interested in two things, the preserving of his own life and the preserving of their family line.
Her Mother and Father had met young and fallen in love. Soon after they'd married – despite Edward's refusal to bless the marriage – they'd moved to Leister and had Daisy. Daisy's childhood and early teenage life had been a happy one. In Leister the hard times didn't seem so hard and the absence of King Richard wasn't felt as keenly. No one was trying to overthrow anyone else and though there was poverty all around it wasn't life condemning.
After the unfortunate pass of both her parents, Daisy had been shipped off to live with her Uncle Edward and her cousin Marion. She now wished that she'd run away for she couldn't stand the prison that had now become her home. Her Uncle was very set in his ways and clearly didn't like the decisions Daisy's Mother had made in life. By extension he didn't like the man she'd married or Daisy.
Daisy felt that she was not far off the position of servant and wondered what her life would become like as she lived under the roof of her immediate family. She'd never met her Uncle or cousin before. While she found she could almost cope with her Uncle, Marion was another matter entirely. She'd hoped that she would be a polite, well-spoken maiden who Daisy could form a close friendship with but she'd actually found Marion to be a self-centred, manipulative, attention seeking bitch. Daisy couldn't stand her and from the snippets she heard of Marion – from herself or from the talk of the other servants – Marion was juggling the affections of two men with no desire to choose one and end the suffering of the other.
The only name that had kept Daisy going since she'd arrived in Nottingham was Robin Hood. He had been a nobleman turned outlaw. It seemed that all the underdogs cheered for him, he took from the rich and gave to the poor, a noble conquest if ever there was one. Daisy wished she could be like him and run off to the woods to help the poor. She believed in standing up for what she believed in regardless of the consequences.
However, Daisy was trapped inside the house, unable to walk beyond the wall surrounding the garden. Besides – for a reason she was unsure about – several guards patrolled the small estate and seemed to watch the every move of her Uncle and Cousin.
She'd heard about how Robin Hood gave hope to those who were suffering and she dearly hoped that she could meet him so that he could pass on some of that hope to her. She knew that he was one of the men that Marion was toying with and by that fact knew that if he ever did come knocking, it wouldn't be to call on her.
With her Uncle and Cousin busy in Nottingham, Daisy had been quietly reading in the library when she began hearing noises. Of course the noises disrupted her peaceful quietness and she became suddenly alarmed. What sounded like footsteps were light and were clearly not the combined footsteps of both her Uncle and Cousin Marion. She suspected that a thief was trying his luck while her family were away. Hiding in the shadows of the library, she picked up one of the heavier books and hoped it was enough to protect her from the intruder.
He appeared silently, his moves calculated and he moved cautiously like he was afraid to be seen – obviously. He wore forest coloured clothes, had sandy brown hair and carried an intricately designed bow and arrow. Daisy watched him make his way around the room, she'd seen him leap effortlessly through the small window and as she watched him now, something about his movement made her suspect he wasn't particularly dangerous.
"Are you here to rob us?" she asked confidently as she stepped out of the shadows.
He didn't even jump as he heard her voice but merely turned to face her.
"Who are you?" he asked
"Says the intruder in the house." She replied
He smiled "I am sorry but I have never seen you here before, who is to say that you aren't the intruder."
"You wouldn't have had a chance to see me, unless you frequently visit the house when it's seemingly…empty. My Uncle has forbidden me from wandering further than the wall that surrounds the garden." She said bitterly.
"Edward is your Uncle? That would make…"
"Marion my cousin, yes." She supplied.
"How long have you been here?"
"Three months."
"What's your name?" he asked with furrowed brows.
"What's your?" she countered.
"I am Robin Hood."
"Really?" she asked hopefully.
"Really," he replied. "Now will you tell me your name?"
"Daisy."
"Beautiful," he murmured. "Tell me, why does your Uncle forbid you from leaving the premises?"
Daisy tried not to blush at the 'beautiful' comment but comments like that were so unheard of when talking of her that she almost couldn't help it.
"He believes my opinions unwise, that my talent for following what I believe in regardless of the consequences is something to be frowned upon." She said.
"You know that's what got me into trouble the first time." He replied.
Daisy giggled, enjoying his company and witty words. That was until she heard the tale tail sign of a carriage approaching. It was then she knew that their meeting must end.
"I must go." He said.
"Will you come back and visit?" she asked.
He looked apprehensive and she cursed herself, he probably thought she was a loon now.
"Please, you've given me so much hope already." She added, hoping it would lessen his worries.
He nodded and with a jump he was gone from the library.
Daisy took a few deep breaths, calming herself from the recent events. She struggled to keep the smile off her face but managed it just in time to hear her Uncle and Cousin return from their outing.
"Marion come here!" shouted her Uncle.
"No" replied Marion as she ran up to her room and slammed the door behind her.
"Daisy, come down here."
Daisy gulped, her Uncle did not sound happy and she rushed down the stairs – making sure she looked appropriate as she did and walked quietly into the room that her Uncle waited in. She coughed lightly to announce her presence.
"Ah Daisy, tomorrow you must come with me to Nottingham Castle." He said seriously.
"Why Uncle, I thought you didn't want me anywhere near there." She replied.
"It seems we have no choice now that Marion has announced your presence to the Sheriff. He was most put out and thinks we've been deliberately hiding you from him. He now demands to see you." Said her Uncle.
"Why would Marion do that?"
"It's not important, what's done is done." Said her Uncle.
Daisy nodded but she couldn't help but feel cheated.
"Please, when we go to Nottingham tomorrow, mind your manners. I know of your beliefs but they will not be valued by the Sheriff. Please don't do anything that will put my life in danger."
She nodded "I shall try Uncle."
She noted that he'd said nothing of her life, he was only concerned with the protection of his own life and that made her feel very sad indeed.
Daisy left her Uncle to his thoughts and went upstairs to speak with Marion. Not even bothering to knock on the door, she barged in and asked; "why did you do it?"
"I thought you'd be happy, you know now you actually get to leave the house." Replied Marion.
"Seriously, cut the lies, what happened?"
"As if I would reveal any of Robin Hood's secrets to the Sheriff, doesn't he know how close I am to Robin? Poor Sir Guy, blinded by his pathetic emotions, he was positively seething when I refused to say anything. I expect he'll visit me soon." She said.
"So in the heat of the moment you sacrificed your own cousin to save your own skin." Said Daisy.
"Rather you than me. Besides I don't understand what your problem is, I did you a favour, you wanted to get out and now you can."
"That's exactly the point, you don't understand." Replied Daisy.