Chapter 9
Robin managed to get back to camp and lay down for a couple hours of sleep. When he awoke the next morning, a little groggy from last night's escapade, he saw that Tyrell was eager to go. He was pacing back and forth at the entrance of the cave, twindling his thumbs behind his back. Archer, with Guy leaning on his shoulder, was at the entrance of the cave as well, watching the forest awaken. As soon as Robin sat up and presented himself as awake, Tyrell came over to him and yanked him to his feet.
"Come on! We have to get moving! If you hadn't woken up just then, I would have woken you myself!" exclaimed Tyrell.
Robin tried to erase the tiredness from his being by stretching his arms above his head. As soon as he did that though, he released a huge yawn. Robin walked over to where Archer and Guy were and stood beside them.
"Hard time sleeping last night?" asked Archer, raising one eyebrow at Robin in question.
"You could say that," said Robin.
Tyrell came over to them and with a smile that was uncustomary on his face asked, "Robin, you ready to confront your father today?"
"He's near?" remarked Robin in surprise.
"He's in a tree hollow less than a mile from here," said Tyrell.
"How did you find him?" asked Robin. "A tree hollow doesn't seem like a normal place to be prying around."
"I have my ways," replied Tyrell bluntly. "Now come along. There's work to be done."
They hiked through the forest a little ways off to the north. Robin helped Archer to carry Guy through the forest. Guy, being as pleasant as always, would remark in some sarcastic way about how Robin and Archer were helping him along. Robin and Archer would tease him back, which would get him fired up enough to stay quiet for a little bit. It felt like they were walking for hours before they came to a stop at a bunch of clustered trees. Tyrell motioned Robin and Archer to help Guy sit down on the ground in order to rest.
"Archer and Guy, you stay there silent," whispered Tyrell. "If you cause any trouble, I will not hesitate to kill you."
Archer and Guy both looked on at him in angered silence. Neither of them liked being told what to do, but neither of them wanted to be killed either.
"Now Robin come here," whispered Tyrell as he crept a little ways forward into the trees.
Robin crouched behind Tyrell as he peeked into the clearing to watch the man who was sitting outside a huge tree hollow; trying to start a fire.
"You know your mission," remarked Tyrell. "You are to get the locket from your father and give it to me."
Robin took a deep breath and released it. He was ready to get this over with. Maybe then he could go back to his gang. Robin stood up, ready to walk into the clearing, when Tyrell reached up and yanked him back down.
"Oh and Robin," said Tyrell, "There's one more thing I need you to do."
"What's that?" asked Robin.
Tyrell reached into his cloak and took out a sharp knife. Its blade caught a ray of sunlight; causing it to gleam. Tyrell looked up at Robin's fearful face and said in a calm, measured voice, "After you obtain the locket from your father, I need you to kill him."