Chapter 10

His heart ran cold with dread. Much looked on with frightened eyes as he was marched to a secluded barn. The soldiers laughed amongst themselves at this sport. It was just one of the many perks of the job being able to torture whom you pleased.

"You can leave your tunic on," a soldier told him as he tied his hands.

He said this almost as if Much should be grateful. Much went through it with an ashen face, trying not to tremble as they prepared him for his punishment.

He was forced to lean over a stack of hay bails, one of the soldiers pulling tight on the rope securing his hands.

"We're going to give you twenty. We'll go slow and give you breaks in between because it's a severe punishment but keep still. You struggle and we'll add extra on at the end. Do you understand?"

Much nodded and swallowed hard bracing himself for the first lash.

~o~

Will couldn't believe what he was hearing. He paced up and down trying to control his growing rage.

"You let him go, you let Gisborne go, have you gone mad?"

"It wasn't right Will, it just didn't...feel right,"

Robin couldn't explain. How could he. How could he explain having visions . He hardly understood them himself but somehow he knew that if Gisborne remained in camp Will Scarlett would have killed him and that was not Herne's will. Sometimes he cursed his role in this strange new life.

"That infection has gone to your head," Will pointed accusingly.

"We are so fucking outnumbered here. They could pick us off easy. They are going to hang Much at dawn and you let lose the only card we had to play. What the hell is wrong with you,"

"It was all I could do," Robin roared back. Will stalked over in two strides and took him by the collar of his tunic.

Sweat glistened on Robin's flushed face and Will could feel the heat of fever emanating from his clothes, but Will's rage consumed him.

"You had no right," he roared into his face.

They stared each other down, Will flaring at the nostrils. Neither paid heed as Tuck tentatively got between them and tried to uncurl Wills fingers from Robin's clothes.

"Please, This isn't helping," he said gently.

Will was suddenly aware of a third person and he turned to Tuck then.

"This ain't over," he spat through gritted teeth.

Tuck was quick to move backwards as Will took off through the forest.

"Where ye goin...Will," Little John called after him.

~o~

Word of the fallen soldier reached the Sheriff's ears quickly. The man was guarding the perimeter of the village when a single arrow pierced his heart.

"They are picking us off one by one," the Sheriff paced nervously. "Oh get out of the way you stupid woman," he pushed a middle aged woman aside sending her tray of assorted fruit and nuts to the floor. She bent carful to stay clear of him as she picked them up.

"Where is the boy now?" He asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

"He is being held in a barn near the rear of the village my Lord. He is receiving punishment for trying to escape."

"Never mind about that now. Make him ready Parnell. We leave for Nottingham within the hour."

The Sheriff was not to know that one man was responsible for the fallen soldiers. Will Scarlett could wait no longer and had decided to take matters into his own hands. He'd kill them one by one if he had to.

Parnell was enjoying his new found favour with the Sheriff and fervently hoped never to see Gisborne again. He strode into the barn with all the authority of second in command.

"Halt the punishment," he commanded.

Much's back was a mess of blood soaked lacerations and he was slumped against the hay bails, his legs hardly taking his weight.

"He's only had fourteen," the large soldier with the whip complained.

Parnell went to the boy and lifted his limp head.

"He's had enough. Cut him down and make him ready to travel. We leave for Nottingham within the hour."

"I thought we were to hang the boy here at dawn?" One of the soldiers asked.

Parnell went to him and knocked him off his feet. The soldier stared up with a dazed expression massaging his jaw.

"Don't ever question my orders again,"

~o~

Will watched with sharp eyes as a large burly soldier carried Much to a covered wagon. From his vantage point high in the trees Will could see clearly how he carried the boy across his shoulders like a stricken deer and dumped him into the back of the covered wagon. Will frowned grimly to himself. He couldn't fail to notice the younger outlaws lack of movement. Had they killed him?