A month passed without beatings. I received water and some food occasionally, just to keep me alive. I watched as the sheriff entered my cell once again.
"Please, let me out of here," I pleaded with him.
"What, Robin didn't save his own sister?" he asked, patronizing me.
"I won't disobey you any longer, please, get me out of here." He looked at me, inspecting me. "Gisborne's birthday is coming up, we'll test you newly found obedience then."
The new jailer opened the door and we exited. I clung to the sheriff's frame to support myself as he led me to our room. As soon as we arrived, he left again, leaving me alone in the room.
"Sable, let's get you a bath," I turned and saw Mae. I gave a nod in reply and she led me to the baths. "I was so worried about you, no one knew what had happened," she told me as she helped me wash my hair. When I was finished bathing, she helped me out before leaving me to change while she grabbed me something to eat. I carefully walked back to the room and went directly to the bed, my entire body aching.
Mae quickly came back with some soup and a little piece of bread. She handed my food to eat and put a pitcher of water beside me as Vaisey walked in.
"Leave!" he ordered her. She curtsied before doing as he ordered. I took a small sip of the soup, watching him. "You will obey me," he said, walking towards me.
"Yes, my lord," I replied, looking at him, trying to guess what his next move is. We stared at each other for awhile before he turned and walked to his desk. I returned to slowly eating my meal, still keeping my eye on him. When I finished, I set the empty bowl beside the bed and laid down. I silently watched as he rose from the chair, blew out the candles and came to bed. "I'm sorry," I whispered as I crawled closer to him. Even though he was the one that caused me so much pain, he was the one who made me feel secure.
"Sable, wake up and put this on," I woke up to a dress hitting me in the face. "We leave at noon, whether you're ready or not!" I rose out of the comfortable bed that I had been longing for for so long and grabbed the dress.
"Where are you going?" I asked him as he was about to leave the room. He sent me a glare before he exited the room, slamming the door. I gave a sigh, and changed into the dress that he had given me. The thing that bothered me was it wasn't one of mine that I had before, and it was rather low cut. I used the time remaining to brush my hair, simply letting it loose, showing off the length of it.
"Sable, we're leaving, now!" he shouted, pulling me from the chair and dragging me outside. I watched as he got on his white horse. "Get on!" he said, clearly annoyed by me. I quickly got on, with the guards help. I wrapped my arms around the sheriff to assure that I wouldn't fall off.
"Happy birthday, Gisborne," the sheriff said once we arrived. A guard helped me off again and I waited for Vaisey to dismount. Once he did, I linked arms with him and we walked into the manor. I sat there beside Vaisey until Alan failed in catching the king's messenger. I watched as the sheriff grabbed the arrow that was through the guard and pulled it out, the feathers on the end all bent. He grabbed Guy, throwing him to the side, making me jump and try to get behind the sheriff.
"I blame you!" he shouted. The entire party was silent watching the sheriff have a tantrum and begin to throw things at them.
"Vaisey," I approached behind him but quickly had to move to the side as his hand began to throw another chalice. After throwing bowls and chalices, he reached for the silver platter and lifted it up, revealing a dove. People quickly dispersed as Guy went to ask the town's people about Lardner.
Vaisey and I left, returning to the castle, having the guards grab the platter so he could look at it. When Gisborne returned to the castle, I listened to the sheriff's explanation of how the dove appeared.
"Bring them in," Guy shouted to the guards outside. In came Will and the Fool.
"The Saracens use pigeons to carry messages. They put the message on a little ring tied to the bird's foot and then they let it fly off. It doesn't matter how far away the bird is when you release it, it will always find its way home." The fool explained to Vaisey, whom listened intently.
"The only place he could have left it is up that tree." Alan told the sheriff.
"You make me sick, you know that?" Will asked Alan, "Betraying your own friends. I hope your enjoying it Alan, I couldn't live with myself."
"Ah, you won't have to, the penalty for being in Robin Hood's gang, is death." He kicked Will, and I grimaced and looked away.
"Right, well, I'm glad I could've been of service. I think my work here is done, can I go now?" The fool asked.
"You can go, of course, with him," the sheriff pointed at Will, "to the gallows. Hang them both and feed their carcasses to the birds!" He reached to the skull and grabbed the tooth out of it, forcing it into his mouth. Before calling Gisborne and I to leave.
"Vaisey, may I stay here, I promise, I won't interfere and I won't leave the castle," I didn't want to be seen helping Vaisey by Robin.
"Fine, fine," he said getting on his horse and riding off with Guy, Alan, and the guards. I watched as Will and the Fool took escaped and the guards ran for the call that they were needed by the sheriff and Guy.
"Sable, hold the reigns," I jumped upon hearing Vaisey's voice. "Sable, now!" I quickly grabbed the reigns as he ran inside the castle. He returned in a couple minutes carrying a falcon. "Get on," I nodded, climbing on after him. We slowly made our way to the forest, and when the pigeon was released, so was the falcon who caught the pigeon. After that, we turned around and headed back to the castle.