NOTTINGHAM CASTLE

"You wanted to see me my lord?" Guy entered the black knights meeting room and let the doors slam behind him.

Vaisey was stood on the other side of the large map of Britain holding a stick, which he used to move small flags, which represented deploys of men, around the board.

"How many men do you think we have at our disposal?" The Sheriff asked suddenly.

Guy folded his arms and tried not to seem annoyed at the Sheriffs cryptic question.

He almost sighed, "I don't know."

"Well I do." Vaisey began to pace and pointed to the map with the stick, "twenty thousand."

Guy watched as the man continued to pace, "Is that not enough?"

"Enough?" Vaisey spun to glare at him, "Enough?"

"Because of that little leper in the forest you failed in killing the king!" He screamed, "That means that we are known traitors Guisborne which means... if King Richard returns before we are ready for him he will squash me like a bug."

"Forgive me my lord," Guy did not appreciate being shouted at, his tone rose to show his annoyance, "I do not see how it is my fault that some of the black knights decided to withdraw their men."

"You should have killed him when you had the chance!" Vaisey screamed, "And hood as well!"

"Well you don't exactly seem to have managed to capture him either!"

"I intend to!"

The two men glared at one another for a moment before Guy straightened, seeing Vaisey's glinting eyes.

"You have a scheme?"

"Oh yes." Vaisey hissed and walked around the table to Guy.

"At this very moment in time one of the king's finest jewellers in bringing me one of his very special crowns."

Guy's eyes narrowed, "A crown?"

"Yes." Vaisey breathed menacingly, "There is enough Gold in that oversized tiara to fund another army... I will melt it down into coins and purchase only the very best mercenaries to have at my disposal... I will buy men to fight against King Richard with his own gold; and then..."

The man chuckled darkly.

"Hell will come to Nottingham, and I will tear apart this county until I have Robin Hoods head on a spike."

SHERWOOD FOREST

The sound of movement and heavy breathing, shouting, and sticks crashing together could be heard some way through the forest. In a glade near camp beneath a large hill Marian was sat on a rock watching as Alan did as Robin and Much 'trained'.

They often used their swords when they were blunt, but with them still being sharp and the others away at Clun, they were using sticks.

Robin had shed his outer green jacket to practice in and Much had shed his jumper.

Alan was leant against a nearby tree on the opposite side of the glade to Marian, playing with a silver dish.

Much swung his stick an inch past Robins chest and Alan let out a helpful 'oooh.'

"Good." Robin said and swung his own stick to touch Much's over his friends head. Much's arm drove Robin back a couple of paces and he swung his sick once again to stop half an inch from Robins side.
"Much!" Robin cried in frustration.

Much groaned and walked over to where Marian was, she handed him a flask of water with an encouraging smile.

"Come on!" Robin shouted after him, feeling annoyed, "You do not go easy on me because we are training."

"I am trying not to hurt you!" Much's defence was high pitched.

"You aren't going to hurt him if you never hit him are you?" Alan rolled his eyes and turned the dish he held over.

Sunlight bounced off the metal work into Marian's face.

She gasped and shielded her eyes from it for a moment.

"Alan!"

"What" He chuckled and Robin threw him a look before turning back to Much.

Both men braced and held their sticks like they wield their swords.

"Come on!" Robin said firmly.

Much made to swing his stick but stopped himself, "I can't I just can't..."

"Why not?" Robin demanded, "You used to do it all the time..."

"Not when your wife was watching..." He swallowed, "and not when Alan kept shining that thing in my face will you cut that out!" He screamed at Alan who moved the dish so the light shone in Robins face.

"It's only a joke Much..."

"Alan." Robin said and held his stick out, "you fight him."

"What!" Much shrieked.

"Then fight me..." Robin braced himself again, "Come on!"

Much let out a resigned sigh and swung his stick again. Alan tilted the bowl and the light shone in Much's eyes.

The man shrieked and missed by a long shot, spinning a full circle and tripping over his own feet. He smacked across the rock Marian was sat on before falling on top of her.

She screamed when he wrapped his arms around her to brace himself before rolling onto the floor beside her.

"Marian!"

Robin dropped his stick and Alan threw the bowl away.

"Blinding."

Robin ran up the slope to his laughing wife and an embarrassed Much.

"Marian... are you alright?" Robin held his hand out to her and helped her stand up.

She laughed and smiled at him, "I am fine."

"Robin!"

Everyone spun as Will, Djac and John appeared at the top of the hill.

"We have just seen a carriage on the road!" Djac cried down at them, all were out of breath from running.

"It is going to Nottingham." She continued. "It carries the king's insignia, not the princes."

Everyone's eyes widened.

"It's come from London." She told them.

"Let's go!" Will said and turned to run back to the road again.

Robin picked up his bow and shirt and grabbed Marians hand.

"Come on!"