Disclaimer: I don't own Robin Hood BBC, just Daisy.

DAISY

Daisy wondered if life was worth it. So far it seemed not. For every good encounter there was a bad one to follow it up. Her parents had died, she'd been shipped to Nottingham and now her back was cut up. She didn't know how the Sheriff had found out she'd helped Much in Nottingham or even how he'd worked out Much was a member of Robin's gang. She wasn't even sure this incident had anything to do with her run in with the guards at Nottingham. The Sheriff had made it clear that he didn't like Daisy from the word go. She suspected that it had something to do with her parents and their very vocal rebellion.

Every movement Daisy made hurt the cuts on her back. They hadn't been kind to her. There had been no fanfare, no crowd, the deed had been carried out in her Uncle's home. She'd cried out, begged for help and mercy but none had come. The tears she'd shed had finally come to a stop and she felt empty, completely void of emotion. There was nothing here for her, what was she to do?

She needed to leave, that much was certain. She could no longer rely on the support of her Uncle or Marion. She'd been foolish to think that she could, that her family would be around to help her. There was no family here, just empty people filled with vicious thoughts. Her Uncle was a lesser man than she ever thought. She knew he'd been a very serious and law abiding, but she had never realised how selfish he was. He cared for no one but himself, perhaps that's why her Uncle and Marion had survived for so long, because they looked out for number one and no other.

Though her movements were slow, Daisy managed to dress herself and pack a small cloth bag of simple clothes and memories of her parents. She would leave come hell or high water, there was no way she was staying.

Her door banged open, she flinched.

Her small reaction had anger boiling under her veins. She refused to become weak because of what had happened to her, she refused to let others take control of her. She was stronger than this, her pain would not be the end of her.

"Up already? Perhaps they didn't whip you hard enough."

The steel in Marion's voice was enough to cut through even the thickest of metal.

"Showing your true colours at last Marion, I wondered when you'd finally abandon your 'nice girl' image."

"I've hated you since the moment you walked through the door, bags in hand and looking like a drowned vole. I knew you wouldn't fit with our lifestyle here. You're too outspoken, just like your parents and you care little for those around you. Your actions could have had serious consequences on Father and I but you seemed not to care. I'm so glad I had the sense to rat you out, granted I had hoped you'd be taken to Nottingham gaol but seeing you so beaten and hearing your screams echo around the house was amusement enough. You don't belong here Daisy, you are but a poor girl in a rich man's world, no one wants you."

Daisy steeled herself against the tears that threatened to fall at the sound of Marion's betrayal. What had she ever done to deserve such treatment from her own flesh and blood? Did family really mean so little in Nottingham?

"Are you running away? I should really inform Father about that, maybe he'll put you in a new kind of gaol, six feet under the ground."

"Marion, your words mean nothing because that's all they are, words."

Daisy fell to the side, using the dresser for support as she raised one hand up to her face. Marion had punched her, an act that had caught Daisy by surprise. She could feel no blood but knew her face would begin to bruise. The pain in her face almost outweighed the pain on her back, this was more personal, carried out by Marion herself and not on Marion's behalf.

"You underestimated me," crowed Marion.

Daisy starred at her for a long moment. There were many things she could say to Marion but she knew that none of her words would make a good impact or impression. Marion was too far gone to be persuaded by words. Daisy wondered if Marion had always been like this, had she been born evil? Or had she become this way after losing her Mother? The world was a funny place, there were those who could deal with pain and those that couldn't. Marion, it was clear to see, couldn't deal with that pain.

Daisy on the other hand was a survivor.

Picking up her bag, she placed it gingerly on her shoulder, careful not to aggravate her back too much and made to leave the house she'd been tormented in.

Marion pulled her back, tightening her grip on Daisy's wrist until pain flooded her senses again. Daisy never realised how strong Marion was.

"Let go."

"Why, I have you where I want you."

"Let me go and I'll disappear. You'll never see me again, it'll be like I simply disappeared and life can go back to the way it always was."

Daisy could see Marion ponder her words and she hoped she'd be able to leave.

"Things will go back to how they were?"

"Yes."

Finally, the grip on her wrist loosened and Daisy made a break for it. She didn't want to run the risk of someone catching her before she had the chance to leave again. She forwent the horse, too easy to track. She kept her head down as she left her Uncle's house and disappeared into the tree line as soon as she was able.

Under the canopy of green trees, Daisy let her tough shell fall and as she walked she cried tears of what had passed. Never had she thought that her life would take a turn like this. Never had she thought her parents would die but when they did she had thought she could make a second home in Nottingham. How wrong she'd been. Now as she starred up at the sun piercing through the green tree leaves, she felt relaxed and relieved. It was like a weight had been taken off her shoulders and she no longer had to keep the image intact. She could be herself once more without having to put on a front for others.

She didn't know what would become of her now. She had hoped she would find someone in the woods to offer her guidance. She hoped she'd bump into Robin and his men and that they would lead her to a new path.

Life however, interfered and Daisy walked for many hours in the silent forest without hope of anything happening. Those hours turned into days and she cursed herself for being foolish enough to tackle the forest alone. She had no idea where she was going, she'd always been accompanied before and the forest was a daunting place to be lost in.

She'd given up hope of finding anyone now, it seemed like she had been wandering for ages but in reality it had been just over a day.

The hero that Daisy would become had all but died inside her as she grasped at hollow straws. It is always when life seems to have come to an end however, that we see our hope appearing.

"What is that?"

"Careful, could be a trap."

"I don't think it is."

"Robin! It's a woman, she's unconscious."

"It's Daisy!"

"What is she doing out here alone?"

"Is she alright?"

"She's unconscious, look at her face, someone beat her."

"Urh Djac, her back is bleeding."

"What have they done to her?"

"Careful, I think her wrist is injured as well."

"We need to get her back to camp."

Daisy had heard the talking around her though her eyes had refused to open. She felt ever so tired but knew she had to fight if she wanted to survive. She felt herself get picked up by another person. They were warm, soft, and smelled nice.

She opened her eyes, though it was painful to do so. It might have been the fever that she was currently running but in that moment Robin looked like an angel sent from heaven to help her. Her eyes closed again, she couldn't help it but she knew now that she was in safe hands.