Andy watched Marian and Duncan disappear into the mist. She was sad as she watched her old family friend, someone she considered more family than servant, float out of her life.
Robin looked down at his sister and noticed her sadness. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side in a hug, understanding what she was feeling.
"Don't fret Andy, we'll see him again, when this is all over. And again we will hear his grumblings"
Andy nodded seriously before smiling, "He'll be nice and fat by the time Marian gets down with him."
Robin laughed aloud and broke the embrace "Shall we get some breakfast then?"
"We shall" answered Andy turning to head up the path, she was surprised when Robin suddenly pulled her back and took off in a sprint.
"Last one to the treasure tree hauls the dishes for the entire camp down to the stream" he called as he raced away.
Andy took no time in running to catch him. "Cheat!" she yelled. She ran as hard as she could, soon running on Robin's heel as they burst from the forest into the awakening village. From the corner of her eye she saw Will, and an idea came to her.
"Will, don't let Robin get past you!" she cried. She missed the wolfish grin that appeared on his face as he charged at Robin. Robin saw the movement just before he was tackled to the ground. Andy leapt over the two fallen forms, never breaking her stride, to touch the trunk of the treasure tree. As she turned around she realized that her two brothers were still on the ground, trying to untangle themselves.
With a mischievous glint in her eye she launched herself onto the two with a war cry.
"I beat you" she crowed as she lay on top of Robin's back.
"You cheated, I demand a retry and this time no calling on Will for help" demanded Robin, quickly setting up so that it caused Andy to tumble off his back into Will's lap.
"Sorry Robin, no redos's. You have to haul all the dishes to the stream today" she twisted around to look at Will. "Thanks Will."
"Anything for you Andy" replied Will grinning, he had enjoyed the chance to hit Robin without any repercussions.
Before anyone could reply Wulf's voice rang "Andy"
Andy looked to see Wulf beckoning her, she climbed out of Will's lap and ran to him leaving Will and Robin alone.
The two men picked themselves up; both determined to ignore the other one. Without saying another word to one another they separated.
It was quite the day in the Sherwood, no hold-ups were held. Most men set around sharpening knives and making arrows. Wulf and Andy spent the day practicing the quarterstaff. Wulf was determined to become as good as his father at the weapon.
Fanny was strong enough to be moved to a hut in a tree, away from the damp ground. Azeem was astonished that she was up and going.
The baby was also baptized that afternoon in the nearby stream by Friar Tuck. Fanny and John decided to Christian him Samuel Azeem Little. Azeem was honored to give his name to the child as his second name.
That night there was another celebration to rejoice in the baptism.
Odo-=dodododo
Andy was just getting up when she heard the whistle of the warning arrow. She grabbed her bow and rushed outside the hut in time to hear the guard yell. "All's well, it's Duncan."
Andy took off running, reaching him as Duncan whispered that Nottingham had attacked them.
"Marian" demanded Robin.
"They took her" he whispered and then he was dead. Andy knelt down and took his hand, and kissed it, tears streaming down her face. Suddenly warning arrows rained down around them
"Over there, Look!" yelled the sentry, pointing off to the distance horizon.
The sound of drums and yells filled the air.
"Celts" someone yelled. "God help us" for at least a hundred Celts lined the horizon along with the Sheriffs man.
Azeem lowered the telescope he had been looking through "Allah be merciful he whispered.
"To the trees" yelled Bull.
"Poor old fool lead them straight to us" said Will looking lined the horizon and then back at Duncan, Robin shot him a glare before pushing Andy ahead of him.
Andy took one last look at Duncan before running back to the village, there she found Wulf. Men were swarming all over, heading for the safety of the canopy, while Tuck was yelling for the children to come to him. Andy stayed close to Wulf as they tried to make it to the trees. But it was too late as the first of the Celts came into the camp on horses. Little John came up behind them and launched them onto the roof of the nearest hut, out of reach of the pursuing Celts, who were screaming in their heathen tongue.
Soon it was chaos all around then, Woodsmen and Celts fought on the ground as arrows rained from above. Andy had to aim carefully as she fired so that she didn't hit any Woodsmen. Robin was running around firing arrows right and left as Little John hit them with his quarterstaff. Andy saw Azeem cut many down with his curved sword.
Within a few minutes the Celts were retreating, and the Woodsmen gave out a cheer, Andy and Wulf joined them until they saw fire appear on the horizon. From the line of soldiers a bombardment of flaming arrows came towards them.
"Andy jump" yelled Wulf dragging her to jump off the roof, moments before a dozen flaming arrows landed were they had been sitting.
"We need to get to the woods" yelled Andy, Wulf nodded in agreement.
Dodging arrows and soldiers among with a stray Celt, they made it to the woods in one piece. The woods were full of smoke, from out of the smoke Wulf and Andy could hear shouting.
"Go on John, save yourself"
"No Fanny I won't leave you"
"Go John"
"Never!"
Wulf looked at Andy, and then at the dry trees that had burst in flames. "Mother's in the treetop hut!" he yelled.
He took off running, Andy right behind him. A soldier appeared before them from out of the smoke pointing his arrow at the treetops at Fanny, Wulf and Andy released arrows at the same time, killing the soldier. Andy quickly reloaded hers, holding it at the ready as she glanced to see Fanny make it to the other side safely with John
"She's safe Wulf" she cried, as a hand grabbed her from behind forcing her to drop the bow, Wulf gave a cry as someone grabbed him too. From behind her she could hear Robin's voice, but his words were lost as her captor began to speak
"Well lookey here, two brats killing the Sheriffs men" came a ragged voice into Andy's ear.
"The Sheriff did want prisoners, it'll be more satisfying to watch these lads stretch then to kill them right now Rolings" said the soldier that was holding Wulf. The one called Rolings agreed squeezing's Andy wrists tightly, he began to drag her away. No matter how much she struggled, Andy couldn't free herself from the soldiers grip as she was dragged away.
Through the forest they marched until they reached the Sheriff's lines. Woodsmen and children were being chained together. Both Wulf and Andy were dragged to the Sheriff's horse were he sat watching the destruction of the village.
"More prisoners my Lord" said the soldier hold Wulf. The Sheriff barely glanced down at them.
"Put them with the other children" said the Sheriff, not sounding interested at all.
"Begging your pardon my Lord, but we caught these two in the middle of killing your soldiers" said Rolings.
"Then put them with the condemned Woodsmen" snapped the Sheriff not bothering to look at them. Andy struggled as she was dragged away to the line of Woodsmen that had been marked for death. She knew almost all of them, she struggled not to cry out as she spotted Will among them.
"It's going to be okay" whispered Wulf as soldiers attached manacles to their wrists and iron collars around there necks, connecting them to the prisoners in front of them. Andy nodded, but she knew that it wasn't going to be okay.
"Move out" was yelled, a soldier roughly pushed Andy, causing her to fall onto the ground. The same soldier turned around and looked down at her with disgust. "Get up, you lazy son of a whore" he yelled kicking her in the stomach, making her cry out. Most of the Woodsmen didn't turn around, yet a few did and one of them was Will. His heart stopped as he spotted Andy picking herself painfully off the ground, Wulf leaned down and helped her the rest of the way. Will's iron collar stopped him from rushing over and helping her up before killing the soldier that had did it to her. Lucky for that soldier, he never came by Will, or else Will would have killed him.
All day they marched, never stopping not until they reaching Nottingham as the sun began to set. People from the village peered through the windows as they were marched past, Andy kept her head held high as a few villagers had the nerve to throw rotten food at them. It wasn't until they reached the courtyard of Nottingham castle did they stop. Here the soldiers separated the women and children and most of the men and were taken off to the side while Andy and the ten other condemned Woodsmen were lead through a large oak door. Andy did manage to look up at the tower and see Maid Marian looking down at them, the Sheriff at her side before she was lead down flights of stairs, torchlight was the only light that lit the way. The air began to get colder making Andy shiver, as the wall around them turned damp and slime covered them.
They were lead through another door into a large room, with chains hanging from the walls and the ceiling. Filthy water covered the floor, were rats could be seen swimming in it. Each woodsmen was rechained around the room. Will was hung upside down by his ankles, Wulf was chained near him. Andy herself was chained next to the door, her hands chained taunt above her. After it was done the soldiers left, taking with them the only source of light, leaving the prisoners in complete darkness.
A few of the men broke down in the darkness, not caring if anyone heard them. Will called out into the darkness. "Andy are you injured?"
"No Will, I am not injured" she replied, Will didn't ask any more questions, lapsing into silence.
Being near the door, Andy was the first one to hear the footsteps approaching. She lifted her head high as the door swung open, she had to close her eyes at the sudden light but she saw that it was the Sheriff outlined in light. He walked to the closest Woodsmen, which happened to be Andy. He smiled down at her.
"Would you prefer pain, or death?" he asked softly.
Andy looked at the Sheriff steadily, eyes still half-closed against the harsh new light, but neither her chains nor her squalid condition could detract from her dignity as she faced her tormentor. "Give mr death" answered Andy flatly, not hesitating at all. A growl of agreement came from the other woodsmen.
The Sheriff pretended to consider the matter for a moment, and then nodded to his guards. "Torture him."
The guards unlocked Andy's chains and dragged her away, ignoring her struggles and curses. The soldier dragged through a maze of passage ways until he reached a great room that held a number of torture devices. From behind her the sounds of more Woodsmen being dragged came, she turned to see a woodsmen named Chip, and Will be dragged into the room. The soldiers left the three to search for the chief torturer. As they waited Andy began to hyperventilate and cry.
Will automatically crawled over and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "Shh, Andy calm down" he whispered rocking her back and forth. Andy clung to Will, crying into his shirt.
"I can't do this Will. I'll die, I'm not strong enough for this" she whispered back.
"Andy your one of the strongest people I know. You'll survive this, I made a deal with the Sheriff. I'm getting out of here if I kill Robin. But that's not going to happen I'm going to find Robin, and we'll come to save you. Just hang on" he said so quietly so that Chip couldn't hear his intentions, just in case."
As Will finished the soldiers and the Chief Torturer, the Chief surveyed the three with cold eyes. Will hugged his sister tighter, as he came forward with his two assistances. He ripped Will and Andy apart, Will yelling as he was dragged away. "Leave him, he's just a boy. Leave Him!"
But he was paid no heed to, the Chief Torturer just smiled as he dragged Andy away planning to deal with her personally. He dragged her to a table near the furnace, strapping her down he pulled up her shirt exposing her white stomach. It was then that she realized that she still had the Locksley medallion on under her shirt, she prayed that he wouldn't see, who knows what would happen. But that was the least of Andy's problems as the torturer drew a blunted sword from the furnace, the end glowing cherry red. She watched with fearful eye, as the torture held the tip above her flesh, the heat scorching her skin.
With a slow wide smile, he bought it all the way down. A scream tore through her lips, the pain was excruciating, bringing tears to her eyes. Her scream was even louder the second time, she heard Will call her name right before she passed out from the pain. Waking up each time the sword was pressed into her stomach. After nine burns the torturer stopped, Andy had passed out again.
When she woke up the next time, she found herself in the spread eagle position. The pain that radiated from her stomach made her want to curl into a ball, but the chains on her hands and feet stopped her.
"I see you are awake" came the voice of the torturer as he stepped into Andy's line of vision. Andy didn't say anything as he moved out of sight to stand behind her. She heard the swish of the whip, moments before it bite into her back. Another scream broke through her lips. Again and again the whip wrapped itself around her body, until her back and a good portion of her stomach was raw. Her shirt hung in pieces off her shoulders, but she had been able to stay conscious.
The torturer moved back into her line of sight and began to release her when he stopped. A glint of metal had caught his eye. Andy watched as his hand moved to her chest, and began to grope her. Andy tried to get away from the prying hands. She was relieved when the hand was removed, and then horrified as she saw it held her Locksley crest.
"Well my Lady Locksley, the Sheriff will want to see this."
He threw a shirt over her naked chest, before he chained her hands in manacles. He then dragged her through the castle. Andy was too weak to resist anymore and just allowed herself to be dragged along. It wasn't long before they arrived in front of a door with guards posted out front of it.
"Halt who goes there" he cried.
From the dark of the hallway the Chief Torturer walked out. He smiled as the Soldier began to look nervous. "It is I the Chief Torturer, I need to speak to the Lord Sheriff."
From behind the guard, the door opened revealing the Sheriff who looked angry at being disturbed. "What is it?" he demanded.
The Torturer bowed, "Sheriff, I am sorry to disturb you, but I have found something doing my torturing of this boy that will please you greatly."
The Sheriff nodded and motioned the Torturer to come into his room. The Torturer did so, dragging Andy in behind him. The Sheriff walked and picked up a goblet of wine, and took a drink before turning around.
"What have you found in this boy that is worth disturbing my rest?" he asked eyeing the boy before him.
"This" said the Torturer and held out the gold medallion to the Sheriff. The Sheriff grabbed it and stared as the Torturer continued to speak. "I found it around its neck"
The Sheriff looked up and stared at the boy, he walked swiftly up to him and forced his eyes to stare into his. He saw the hatred and a small bit of fear in them, identical to the late Lord Locksley. He then knew who it was. He let her head drop back down as he spun around thinking.
"The last Locksley" murmured the Sheriff as he gazed at Andy, at her cut hair to the blood that soaked through the shirt. "I always knew I would find you at that camp, yet never looking like this."
Andy kept her eyes focused on the floor, as the Sheriff circled her like a cat to a mouse. "Leave us, finish your work with the rest of the Woodsmen" he told the torturer.
"Yes my Lord" he said bowing, leaving Andy and the Sheriff alone in the Sheriff's personal quarters.
The Sheriff focused all his attention onto Andy. "You surprised me by asking for death, back there in the dungeons. For the bastard child of a Lord, you are quite brave." He expected her to say something but she remained silent. He was determined to teach her a lesson in humility.
Andy POV
He forced me onto the bed, straddling me, he wrapped the manacles from my wrist around the head board, pulling my arms once again taunt above me. Even if I had been at my full strength I would never been able to fight him off, though I tried. The loss of blood from the torture made me weak. The pain of my wounds was overshadowed with the pain from my soul as the Sheriff leaned down and began to kiss my neck.
He stopped only a second to reach into his boot and draw a knife, with a smile he cut away my blood-soaked shirt and my pants leaving me lying naked before him upon his bed. I turned my head away so I didn't see my shame. I felt his hands begin to roam my cut and burnt body, laughing as I hissed and cried in pain. I began to pray to God as he began to undress, shuddering at the sound of his belt came off. I wanted to die right then, when my savior arrived.
The Sheriff was suddenly off of me, landing on a thud on the floor. The albino witch stood before her, she looked at me with red eyes before turning to the Sheriff. "Fool, I told you to save yourself for you bride tomorrow. If you do this deed I cannot guarantee you will have a son! The signs are against this union of flesh."
I shivered, I knew who the unlucky woman would be, poor Maid Marian. I didn't pay attention to anything else the Albino said, she left the room afterwards. The Sheriff got off the floor coming to stand by the bed, he looked at me with lust in his eyes. He brought his hand down and used his fingers to caress my check, I shuddered at his touch, pulling away.
Anger flashed in his eyes, he grabbed my chin forcing my head up, before smashing his lips to mine, prying my mouth open. I gagged as his tongue came into my mouth, thankfully it lasted only a moment before he pulled away. He still held my chin forcing me to look at him.
"You were saved today, but tomorrow you will burn like the witch you are. Such a shame, I could have made you feel so alive" he remarked trailing his hand over her body, making her shiver. Leaving her, he went to the door to speak to the guard standing outside his door.
"Soldier, bring the Bishop," he snapped.
"Yes sir"
Regular POV
The Sheriff walked back to his bed, he unwrapped Andy's manacles and threw her off the bed. She landed hard on the floor, the Sheriff just sneered and threw her a blanket to cover herself for the presence of the Bishop.
It wasn't long before the Bishop strolled through the doors.
"What can I do for you Lord Sheriff?" asked the Bishop, he hadn't seen Andy yet, who was huddled on the ground.
The Sheriff turned to face the Bishop with a smile on his face, it immediately set the Bishop on edge. "Bishop, I have some one for you to put on trial for witchcraft" said the Sheriff motioning towards the form of Andy on the ground.
The Bishop took a step forward, and glanced at her and then back at the Sheriff confused. "Is this one of the Woodsmen that was captured today?"
The Sheriff's grin grew bigger, "This is no ordinary Woodsmen Bishop." He walked over and reached down and ripped the blanket off of her form. Andy tried to cover her nakedness, but the Bishop still saw.
He looked at the Sheriff with disbelief. "A woman?"
"The last Locksley, the bastard child Andria Locksley"
The Bishop looked shocked. "Andria Locksley, truly?"
"Yes, I want you to decree that she is a witch, so that she can burn tomorrow while the others hang."
The Bishop nodded and then turned to the Sheriff, "How much will I get out of it?"
The Sheriff smiled, "1000 gold pieces"
"I will have the false confession written up by the morning Lord Sheriff."
Andy had just been sitting there listening and then not caring she began to speak. "You call yourself a man of god yet you sell your services to the highest Bidder, you're not a Bishop, but a Wolf in man's clothing. May you burn in hell for what you have done."
The Sheriff laughed out loud as the Bishop sputtered. "Sounds just like her father doesn't she? Guards take this filth back to the dungeons he called.
The Guard came in at the call, pulling Andy from the ground and leading her out of the Sheriffs presence. As soon as they were quite a ways from the Sheriff's room, Andy begun to beg the guard for mercy.
"Please Sir, have mercy, don't make me shame myself in front of the men. Please." The soldier sneered at her, but let her have a few pieces of clothing to cover her nakedness before returning her to the dungeons.
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Hope you enjoyed this chapter, only a couple more chapters and this fic will be done with. Though I am planning to go back and redo some of the earlier chapters. Please Review!