Lizzie
Thu sun was beginning to rise by the time Robin and I finished our little chat, the dappled light made the forest look breathtaking, a fact which I could fully enjoy as I didn't have to worry about walking. Robin was carrying me as if I weighed no more than the leaf I had jokingly compared him to just before he'd pulled that stunt of his (which I was still a little cross about) and he was warm and smelled earthy and nice. He was humming an old folk tune I recognized – a song about love wasn't it? Then again aren't they all.
Too soon we cam to the edge of the forest and I slid out of Robin arms, steadying myself with his sleeve.
"Well...thanks for the lift!" He smiled his charming smile and flexed his muscles jokingly, actually they were quite impressive but he could never, never know that.
"Ah, it was nothing. Not for a dangerous outlaw like me."
"You will persist in bringing that up won't you?"
"Yep."
"Cad." I knew I should get back - it was growing lighter by the second – but somehow I couldn't move. Robin and I stared at each other, we were stood very close and I could feel his breath on my cheek, his lips were slightly open and his eyes were fixed intensely on my own. We stayed there until a bird started us both by flying out of the branches of a tree just behind us. We both laughed and looked down, slightly out of breath.
"Actually I've got something for you." Robin said, the nearest to shy I'd ever seen him as he dug in his pocket and drew out a chip of wood with 'Lizzie' carved on it, attached to some string. I'd noticed the rest of the outlaws wearing them and was touched by the gesture.
"Thank you, Robin" I said sincerely as he placed it around my neck and knotted it off gently, whenever his skin touched mine there was a mutual intake of breath. When it was on we faced each other and smiled,
"It looks good." I blushed and then sighed as I came down to earth.
"Well I should go, they'll wonder where I am."
"Yes. You should. I suppose."
"When shall I come back?" He looked up eagerly, suddenly seeming boyish and sweet,
"Tonight? I'll meet you here if you want."
"Yes...that would be lovely!" We smiled at each other, each seemingly unsure of how to leave things. He hesitated then bowed,
"Until tonight then." When he straightened up he was blushing slightly so I simply smiled and curtsied,
"Til tonight." I had begun to walk away when I felt one of his arms grip my waist and turn me round to face him, before I knew it his lips were on mine and my arms were around his neck, eyes closed and falling into sweet oblivion. We were both drawing the other closer, one of his hands was at the small of my back and the other was in my hair. When we drew breath he rested his forehead against mine and I could feel the flutter of his eyelashes on my temple.
A trumpet sounded from the castle and we broke away looking at each other with wild eyes,
"I have to go." He took my hand and kissed it before releasing it and giving me a quick nod, I smiled at him and blushed (I could feel the heat from my heart spread to my cheeks) then turned and walked swiftly back to the castle lost in what had just happened – it had just happened hadn't it?
The guard at the gate stopped me with one beefy hand on my shoulder,
"Uh, I can't let you in Miss."
"But you let me out not one hour ago for a walk, I'm Gisbourne's sister! I thought you looked half asleep!" I said sweetly with my head to one side. The guard looked panicked and gestured for the gate to be opened and I curtsied and walked through it reveling in the knowledge that I had, in fact, climbed out of my widow with the aid of the rope that Robin had so kindly provided.
As I began my descent of the castle steps, of which there were many, I encountered Guy looking decidedly flustered. I blanked him as I had done all day yesterday but he ran after me and pulled me back my the crook of my arm.
"Where have you been?" He asked urgently, gripping my upper arms with a grip that hurt.
"Out walking, for my health." I replied grandly "Now kindly let go of me."
"Lizzie there's -" I cut him off, he was ruining my lovely morning and his grip was hurting.
"Let go of me Guy I'm not interested." I jerked my arms out of his clasp and ran up the remaining stairs with my hands childishly placed over my ears so I could ignore Guy shouting after me.
"LIZZIE!"
I ran down the corridor and fumbled with the lock to the room I was staying in, cursing I tuned the key more forcefully and at last the door opened to reveal the very last person I would have expected and the one who I never wanted to set eyes on again.
Robin
I couldn't stop thinking about her. I had tried – really I had but my lips wouldn't stop tingling and her face seemed imprinted into my mind...that lovely face. Now I had kissed plenty of women in my time but this...this was different, this was all-consuming and ridiculous! As I wove my way through the forest I was so preoccupied that I failed to notice Much running at me full-pelt. So we collided.
"MUCH! What do you think you're doing?" I asked brushing myself off.
"Just thought I'd ought to tell you, we waylaid a man on his way to the castle earlier and he got away, bags of money on him he had! But a mean fighter, sneaky so he got away. Thought you should know. Where've you been anyway? Oh and Will thought he recognized him as the one leading the search party for your friend and he thought you'd specially like to know because -"
"Alright, alright! Did you get his name?"
"Yeah...Earl Robert Emolin. Means nothing to me but then...most things don't."
As Much sloped off despondently Robin's gaze pierced the air as he thought about the best course of action. This could definitely mean trouble for Lizzie. Robin squared his shoulders as he started for the castle.
Lizzie
He couldn't be here! This man I hated and loathed, this was a nightmare surely. I turned and tried to open the door, forgetting that it locked upon shutting and I had dropped my keys, cursing I whirled round and saw him twirling my keys round his little finger, smirking. I pressed my back to the door – it seemed the only thing keeping me standing. Robert laughed the laugh which I so despised and looked at me hungrily
"Impatient as ever I see, Elizabeth." I swallowed but my throat remained dry and painful
"What are you doing here?" I managed to rasp out, and shrank back as he came closer.
"I am here to reclaim what is mine."
Robin
I was thinking of her with every heartbeat as I ran, my mind formulating endless possibilities and situations in which she could be in danger and I knew I had to stop it. I was nearly at the castle so I pulled my cloak around me and ran down to the line of wagons waiting to enter the castle grounds, I scanned for familiar faces and landed on Muck, my childhood playmate. Quietly I dropped into the space next to him and put my finger to my lips. Well used to this he took no notice and continued on till we were in. I placed my hand on his shoulder in thanks and he whispered
"Good luck, Robin" as I slipped away.
Lizzie
This couldn't be happening. As he approached me a sickening series of everything he'd ever done to me raced through my head and made me weak and dizzy, my terror was blinding and numbing. He was so close now, I could see the white flecks in his ice blue eyes, like marble – cold. He lifted the hand with the keys in it and I flinched but he merely pressed his hand against my cheek, the keys were cold against my skin but that was not why I shivered. Then without warning or expression he slashed the keys against the soft skin near my collarbone and I cried out at the pain, putting a shaking hand to the cut as he laughed.
"You monster!" I cried, near tears "You should have let me be, why can't you let me go?" Robert seized the back of my neck so his thumbs were at my jawline and snarled
"Ah but it is you who can't let me go, Elizabeth. I'll always be there – in your dreams and in your thoughts. You'll never be rid of me just as I will always want you, always desire you." He whispered the last part, his hot breath repulsing me.
"How did you get in?" I asked, my jaw clenched
"Your dear brother let me in, after I showed him the generous sum I was willing to part with of course." I closed my eyes, sold again, passed from hand to hand. Using my surge of anger I braced myself against the door and kneed him in the groin, using his distraction to run to the window but he had me in his iron grip before I could get there, his eyes full of pain and anger as he flung me onto the hard, stone floor.
"You'll pay for that."