A week of planning had gone into this new tax collection, and I wasn't happy to see the effects. The castle was crowded with people who could not afford the many taxes. At the edge of the castle, a woman was yelling at the soldier to let her in because her son was taken from her. She was begging and pleading for her son.

"Enjoying the view?" I could easily recognize his voice now.

"What do you think, Vaisey?" I turned from where I was watching the scene unfold and began to walk with Vaisey, "Is this not going too far?"

"I forgot, you share the same ideals as your pathetic brother and his band of outlaws."

The woman I had been watching saw the sheriff and ran passed the guards, throwing herself onto the ground and began pleading for the release of her son.

"Throw her in the dungeon with her boy," I watched as the guards grabbed her and dragged her to the dungeon. "The festival of pain is going to be fun!" he laughed. "Oh, and Sable, do not think of pulling any heroics, or you will be punished." He walked away, very content with what he just did.

Despite his warning, I still went to get water that I could bring down to the family in the dungeon. I also found a couple day-old rolls and carefully hid them in a pouch. There, at the door, stood a guard.

"Open the door," I commanded him, when he tried to decline me and turn me away as I expected he would try. "The sheriff said that I may see the brute, I was told that he took out a whole squad of soldiers, I must say, I'm interested, now move aside."

The guard could not argue with me saying that the sheriff had been okay with my visiting of the dungeons and moved aside, opening the door. I nodded my head in thanks and slowly entered the dark dungeon. I could easily see the cell that contained the family.

"I'm sorry, I cannot release you, there are guards everywhere, but here, I did bring something for you and your boy," I spoke softly to the woman. I passed the water through the bars. "Here, its water, and I have some food here too."

"What is your name?" the woman asked me, handing the water and food to her son.

"Sable," I watched as the boy shared the food and drink with his family then moved to the side and tried offering the drink to the man in the next cell. The man would not come out of the shadows. "I'm sorry, but I must leave," I said as the boy drank the rest of the water and handed the pouch back to me.

"What are you doing in here? I thought I said no heroics," Vaisey's voice made me jump. "Grab her!" the guards followed his orders quickly and I was dragged off to another room in the dungeons. "Ten lashings," he ordered, taking a seat in the chair across the room.

One after another the whip cracked against my back. I did everything as not to let out a scream each time the leather met my flesh. Finally ten was done, and the guards stepped forward to undo my bindings.

"She didn't scream, keep lashing her until she does and tears roll down her face, then bring her back to my quarters,"

I was so mad, that the first two lashes, I did not feel, but the third brought me back to the world and I let out a scream. Thirty lashes, that's how much it took. The guards undid my bindings and I fell to the floor, unable to gather the strength to support myself. They picked me up and dragged me through the dungeon, I could feel the family's eyes on me and hear as the boy gasped. My vision failed as I slumped forward, letting the guards drag me to his room.

Something wet was on my face, making we wake up. I opened my eyes and saw the sheriff over head.

"How was your punishment?" A sudden pain hit my back, making me let out a whimper, and turn to lay on my stomach. "Let's see the marks," he moved closer to me as the bell signalling the hour rang through the air. "No time for that I see, now, my dear, let's go see some pain," he forced me to stand and linked his arm with mine, walking down to what used to be the dining hall. There, Marian was sitting in a chair, and the prisoners were lined up on the side.

He pushed me quite harshly into the wooden chair and my body cringed in pain as my back met the hard wood. I could see Marian watching me, and I gave her a small smile. We both were forced to watch as he selected the family that I had helped to be punished first. He continued forcing their faces towards the hot coals that lay on the floor. I sat there, staring at the woman and child, tears flowed from my eyes because of the fear that they had and the pain in my back. I watched in a daze, as the prisoners were free and I was being picked up before I was met by comforting darkness again.

I woke up in the forest, and instantly tried to get up.

"Slow down, you will reopen your wounds," an accented voice said. I stared at her, trying to comprehend how I arrived here from the castle. The castle, how made was he going to be knowing I had left the castle.

"Thank you, for helping my wife and son," a gruff voice spoke quietly as I turned to face a giant. I looked around at the group my eyes meeting Robin's who was staring at me.

"Nice to see you again, Sable," he rose and sat by me. He gave me a light hug.

"No, I need to go back," I tried standing up.

"Sable, he almost killed you!" Robin yelled at me.

"No, he didn't, it was punishment for helping the family, he warned me, but I felt so bad for them." I slowly stood up, my eyes at last finding Much. "You didn't tell them?"

"Well, I thought it was a joke," he tried explaining.

"The sheriff doesn't know how to joke, but thanks," I said, a small laugh escaping from my lips. "Can someone help bring me to the gate?"

"We will go," the accented voice spoke up again, "Little John and I." Robin nodded and the two that were escorting me rose. "My name is Djaq, I was the one who bandaged your back."

As we left, I heard Robin asking Much "What didn't you tell us?" We walked for awhile before we were at the bridge.

"Thank you so much, tell Robin if he needs anything from me to tell Marian," they both nodded as I began to cross the bridge.

The next couple weeks I spent trying to heal and get Vaisey to calm down and trust me. Vaisey employed more schemes, one involving the return of the king, but I was not allowed to leave the room through all of it. Slowly, the wounds on my back faded into scars, a constant reminder of the sheriff's cruelty.

"Vaisey, calm down, please," I begged for the tenth time that day. I had grown tired of his mood and was trying anything to change it. At the moment, I was getting ready for bed while Vaisey was finishing some documents.

"Do not tell me to calm down!" he shouted angrily at me.

"Finish those in the morning," I had slipped my robe on and walked over behind him, wrapping my arms around the arms of the chair. "Why don't you join me in bed?" I rose and turned and started to blow the candles out, casting the room into darkness.

The next morning I woke up to the birds singing and an empty room. I rose out of bed and dressed in one of my favourite green dresses.

"Your awake, I see," Vaisey's voice came from the door way. "My sister is to arrive here today, I want you to be waiting to greet her." He has a sister, how did I not know of this?

It wasn't until late that night that she had actually arrived and I watched their odd greeting. I walked into the room, carrying a pitcher of wine along with a couple chalices. I set it down on a small table on the side of the room and poured to glasses.

"Vaisey," I walked up behind him, and handed him one then offered one to his sister.

"This is my wife, Sable," Vaisey introduced me to his sister, "And this is my sister, Davina," I watched as she eyed me before accepting the chalice I had been offering her.

"I'm heading to bed, I hope to see both of you in the morning." I gave a slight smile before returning to the room.