The Road to Middle-Earth

A fanfiction by MushrooomsPTook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. You might as well say it owns me!

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Tournament

I had woken up late that morning, and I felt horrible when I realized that the sun had already been up. I quickly jumped out of bed, nearly kicking Charming off and dressed myself immediately. Had there been a mirror anywhere in the forest, I probably would have noticed that my biceps had gotten slightly larger and I had developed some muscles in my abs. But even if I had noticed, I most likely wouldn't have cared. The pressing issue that was now on my mind was the tournament. My training was complete: I had successfully hit every target except one the day before and I even managed to disarm Robin Hood in a battle of swords. I could easily hold my own, but the fact that there were still others to defeat made me nauseous. What if I didn't win? What if my identity had been discovered before the competition ended? What if I let Robin down? That was the worst thought of all. I promised him I wouldn't fail him, and now I was beginning to wonder if I should never have made any such promise.

I left Charming to sleep in a bit longer while I raced out of my room, starting down the ladder, when a hand caught my wrist.

"Woah, slow down, Alayna! You'll trip."

"Robin, I'm so, so sorry I didn't get up earlier. I overslept and I know I should have gotten up earlier, were you waiting long for me? We can practice now if you want, I can put off breakfast for a bit, that is if you want to, or maybe you already had breakfast, then I guess it wouldn't matter—"

"Shh!" he said gently, brushing his fingers against my lips. "It's all right, I meant for you to sleep in. I don't want you to overwork yourself today. You have to rest before tomorrow."

"R-Rest?" I questioned. "But the tournament—I mean...You want me to rest?"

Robin smiled. "Yes, you will perform a lot better if you do. And besides, I don't think you have anything to worry about. You've trained well. Today, we have more pressing matters at hand."

"What could be more pressing than winning the tournament?" I asked, my brows furrowed.

"Keeping you protected. Now, come with me. I have to talk to my men."

I followed him down the ladder and to the campsite where everyone was gathered for breakfast. Those who had had an early meal, the women mainly, were now tending to their daily duties, knitting, grooming horses, milking goats, and all the other like stuff. There was a man sitting with his back against a tree, singing softly to himself and playing the lute. It was one of the men that met us upon our arrival. He saw me, tipped his hat, and I waved back shyly. After I greeted everyone, Friar Tuck said a blessing over the meal, and we ate. I remained quiet during most of the meal, for I couldn't stop thinking about tomorrow. I didn't realize I was gazing worriedly at Robin until he made eye contact with me, smiled, and walked over to me. He sat down next to me and put a reassuring arm around my shoulders.

"Don't worry," he whispered into my ear. "I'll be there with you."

"You'll be at the tournament?" My face lit up as I snapped my head to look at him.

"Of course!" He took my hand and gave it a squeeze, and I was caught off-guard when he lifted it to his lips and gave it a light kiss. I turned my head away, trying to ignore the flush in my cheeks, and removed my hand from his grasp.

Robin's eyes lingered on me for a moment before he stood up and walked to the head of the crowd, whistling loudly to demand everyone's attention. It did the job and the conversations died down as everyone there turned his gaze upon him.

"Good morning to you all!" he said cheerfully. There was a mass amount of greetings that returned to him. "We have a big day tomorrow, no? As you all know, there has never been a tournament in the history of Nottingham in which a woman has competed, and that's what makes this operation so unique. Friar Tuck?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Have we still got that cart that we used on our last mission to sneak in some of the men?"

"The one we used to pass along mead to the folks?" Robin nodded. "Aye, we've got it all right."

"Good," said Robin, clasping a hand on his shoulder. "We'll need it again for tomorrow. Little John? How are the weapons looking?"

"Me and Will got new arrowheads on all the arrows. They should be all right."

"Allan-a-Dale?" Robin asked, turning to the man with the lute. "We'll need a pair of your clothes for the young lady."

"Oh, right, Robin!" He tipped his hat and gave him a thumb's-up.

"Now, if I can speak to you four alone," he pointed to Will Scarlet, John, Allan-a-Dale, and Friar Tuck, "I will need your help to pull this off."

Pull what off, I thought. But Robin sheepishly smiled at me before turning to his companions, filling my head with unanswered questions.

1I held up my bow and stared hard at the target before nocking an arrow. I kept my focus as I released the arrow. It was a perfect shot and I lowered my weapon, a swell of pride rising in my chest. I had been here at the training area for about an hour now. It was late in the afternoon and I had successfully stolen myself away from Robin's sight, despite his constant protests that I relax. I nocked another arrow and let it fly after focusing on the target. I found that archery had become my source of relaxation and here, with the crickets chirping, and the sun just beginning to set, I found myself at peace. I could see the sea now from a distance and I was caught up in the gorgeous colors the clouds had cast down upon them.

I lifted my bow again and readied an arrow, but my focus was broken by a soft whisper. "Don't forget to straighten your back," said the voice. A warm hand moved to the small of my back and pressed lightly, causing me to stiffen slightly. I forced myself to regain my focus, despite the touch, and I released the arrow. I frowned when it hit the target slightly off center and looked at the person who interrupted me.

"You distracted me."

"Sorry," Robin blushed. "I knew I'd find you here."

I ducked my head. "Have I become that predictable?"

"Not necessarily. It's where I come when I need to get away." I looked at him questioningly. "Life can be hard as an outlaw at times. But I came also to give you this." He held out an object in his hands to which I raised my eyebrows.

"You came all the way just to give me my sword?" I laughed but extended my hand to take it. As I did, he released his hand early, grazing the skin against mine. I gasped lightly at the touch and nearly dropped it, but Robin and I seized it together, his hands coming to rest on mine. We looked at each other in earnest briefly, before he lifted an arm and brushed a lock of my hair from my face, his fingers lightly touching my skin.

"Alayna..." he whispered. I brought an arm up to touch his shoulder, my heart pounding in my chest when his head dipped towards mine.

"Robin? Alayna?" The spell was broken by the voice that interrupted the moment. Reality came back to me and I pulled away from his embrace and looked in the direction of the voice that was still calling our names. Shortly, Allan-a-Dale appeared behind a tree, jogging and gasping. "Oh! There you are."

"Well?" said Robin, and there was an annoyance in his voice.

"I just wanted to let you know I left my clothes outside your door, Miss Alayna." He looked between us briefly and then his cheeks flushed. "Well, I guess I'll just...go."

"We should get back too," said Robin admittedly. I nodded.

There was a roaring fire in the camp that night and everyone was in high spirits as we ate our dinner and danced to the tunes that Allan-a-Dale played. Charming had become fast friends with Wolf and the boy spun the duck around in his arms as he danced around the fire. I was surprised that everyone should be having so much fun when there was so much to be worried about. "Don't worry, lass!" Will laughed. "Have fun tonight. You don't know when you'll be able to drown your sorrows next!" With that, he lifted his mug to me and poured the mead down his throat greedily. I laughed at his drunkenness, but sat with my back against a tree, watching him get caught up in the dancing around the fire.

A hand dipped down in front of me and I looked up at the owner. A smile escaped my lips as I met the gaze of the owner and took his hand gratefully. He swept me up to my feet and pulled me into the celebratory circle. I was a horrible dancer, but my embarrassment left me as I looked around at everyone else. Some of them were worse than me, to my great relief. And Robin, well, I figured surely, if anyone was as handsome, strong, and amazing as he was, they could certainly dance too. But no, as he twirled me around, I mentally commented that I was the one wearing the pants in this dance.

As the night came to an end, I said goodnight to my friends and Charming commented that he would stay up a little later to go for a quick swim. Meanwhile, Robin apparently felt the need to see me to my room, for he was walking close beside me. When we got to my room, he picked up Allan-a-Dale's clothes and handed them to me. I bade him goodnight and turned to leave, but he caught my arm firmly. The next thing I knew I was in his embrace, his lips pressing against mine. It wasn't a long kiss, but it was enough to say it all. When the magic ended, he gave my forehead a quick kiss as I blushed, and wished me goodnight.

I went inside my room and shut the door behind me, leaning up against it, sighing. "What are you doing, Alayna?"

It was the day of the Tournament, and I couldn't ever remember feeling so anxious, or excited. Today was the day, the day in which my success could very well seal Alice's fate, or my own. I walked over to the cart in which Friar Tuck drove, and I commented on how different he looked, not dressed in his everyday brown cloak. I heard a muffled voice and looked around for the missing person, but I didn't see anyone. When there was a muffled giggle, I walked around to the back of the cart to open the door, where a pile of Robin's men huddled. All the men looked rather different. They were no longer their straggly selves, but dressed almost as...warriors? I knew they were planning something, but I didn't know what, and it made me highly curious. I was disappointed when I realized that Robin was no where to be found, but we had to start on without him. Will assured me that he would show up when I least expected it. That didn't really make sense but I pushed the thought out of my head, pretending not to look too sad by his missed presence.

Finally, we heard voices as we cleared the last of the trees and entered a very large, green field. There were tents set up everywhere, as well as bright red and yellow flags that were waving in the sky. I saw a group of archers that were gathered together, stretching, and practicing their aim at the trees. The door to the cart creaked open and all the men jumped out, nodding to Friar Tuck before ducking into the trees. Before I had a chance to do or say anything, John gave me a nudge in their direction, and then hid himself in his cloak as he turned to hide with the others. Friar Tuck drove the cart into the field but was stopped shortly when a guard approached him and asked him his business. "Ah, now, you wouldn't turn down a spot of ale now would ya? Not on a day like this, not when folk are high and mighty thirsty." The guard stood still for a moment and then waved his hand at the cart, allowing Tuck to carry on.

2I sighed a relief but tensed up when I turned back to my fellow archers. They were all men, very tall men, with broad shoulders, and looked like they weren't to be reckoned with. I forced myself to remain calm, breathing deeply, but unconsciously adjusted my helmet so that it was covering more of my face, also making sure that all my hair was hidden underneath.

At last, my ears detected the sound of trumpets blasting in the air, signaling for what had to be the start of the tournament. This was it. I mimicked the other men as they began to form a line, and started marching further into the field, where I spotted several targets to my right. As we neared, I could now see the outline of a very large table. At it sat three men, the middle one fondling a woman who didn't seem very pleased to be there. She looked more like a slave. The man, himself, bore a crown on his head, and I knew at once that it was the Sheriff, the one who held my cousin and Tom captive. As I marched, I kept my mind focused on Alice, putting pleasant thoughts of her in my head in an effort to remain calm. Finally, the men stopped marching, and I nearly bumped into them from the sudden halt.

The Sheriff pushed the woman off him and stood up, raising his hands in the air. "Friends," he said, "and citizens of Nottingham, let the tournament begin."

The trumpets sounded once more as the archers looked at each other, giving nods to one another in an effort to be courteous. They looked at me, nodding, and I immediately nodded back, trying to put on the manliest face I could manage. "You a'right?" one of them asked me. "You look rather sick." I kept my mouth shut but gave the man a thumb's up.

I copied the men when they lifted their bows, and I knew that Robin would be telling me to relax right about now, but I couldn't seem to get control of my nerves. I released my arrow when they did and held my breath. I knew the first arrow would be the hardest and could determine how successful a game I played. But the arrow did not hit the target. Instead it struck the ground short a few feet from where it was supposed to hit. There was a tremendous laugh from the crowds, and when I looked at the other targets, I saw that all the arrows had made their marks. I tried not to let it get to me when we lifted our bows a second time. I bit my lip, determined to hit something. It did. It hit the target to the left of mine. "Hey, what's the big idea!" shouted the man, giving me a rough shove. "You got your own target to hit! Leave mine alone or I'll squash you like a beetle, I will!" I cleared my throat and muttered a, "sorry" in the deepest voice I could muster.

I finally landed the third arrow on the target, although it had nearly flown by. Seven arrows and one perfect target later, the Sheriff rose from his seat, announcing there would be a time out. The men looked at me pitifully, some spitting at my feet, before walking off towards the trees to get a drink of water and to do their duties. I stole a glance at the Sheriff before following the others. He looked at me grimly, rubbing his chin, like he was wondering if he should put me out of my misery now or wait till after the tournament. Either way, I was losing hope at ever seeing Alice again. I kept my head down as I walked back to the trees and jumped back when I bumped into a cloaked figure. He was dressed like a servant and the hood hid his face quite well.

"Didn't I tell you to relax, my lady?" I knew that voice, and I looked up into his face to catch his eyes on mine.

"Robin?" I whispered.

"Shh! Not so loud."

"I thought...I thought you hadn't come."

There was a soft chuckle. "You'd better take your break quickly. The tournament will start again shortly."

"Where are you going?" I asked him.

"I have some business to see to." He lifted my hand to his lips and gave it a kiss, slipping something soft and velvety into it, and then he gave me a slight nod before he strode past me. I opened my hand and discovered a small rose in my palm. I blushed and looked over my shoulder to see him bowing slightly before the Sheriff. "Some ale for your majesty?" he asked, presenting him with a cup .

"Ah yes." The Sheriff nodded and Robin handed it to him, then stepped to his side, making eye contact with me.

About five minutes later, the trumpets sounded in the air again and I knew it was time to continue with the game. My heart had been lifted somewhat by Robin's presence, but I was sure this round wouldn't go any better than the last one.

We lifted the bows and we fired simultaneously. This time I was quite shocked to find that I was the only one who hit the target. My mouth gaped open and I looked toward Robin in surprise, but he was looking to the side, nonchalantly whistling to himself. Next, I turned to get a glimpse at the men, wondering if they were all sick. The one on my left did not look like the previous man who had threatened to squash me. He turned his head to meet my gaze and gave me a wink. It was Will Scarlet. I opened my mouth then closed it again, not wishing to give away my friends' identities. I looked the other direction and saw Allan-a-Dale fighting furiously to contain a smile. So that is what they had been discussing last night!

A smug smile stretched across my face as we lifted our bows together for the second time that round. I yelped and jumped up and down when the arrow hit the center of the target, but then I composed myself when I saw the Sheriff turn a suspecting eye on me. The third arrow sailed just as gracefully and my fear began to leave me each time I drew an arrow, knowing that the others around me would miss deliberately.

Finally, after the last arrows had been shot, the trumpets were blown once more to declare that the game had ended. The Sheriff looked at me cautiously, studying my face as though I was a nuisance. "That one," he signaled to Robin, pointing to me. I suddenly realized that I must have been chosen as the winner, and I knew that the jig would be up. The tournament was over, but there was still a matter at hand that would prove even more dangerous, and I would discover just how dangerous when I removed my helmet. But at this particular moment, Robin was striding up to me silently, and took me by the elbow, leading me up to the table that the Sheriff sat at. He gave my hand a hidden squeeze before resuming his post by the Sheriff's side.

"Well, young man, you won the competition," he said and followed it by muttering, "even if it only had been by luck. What do you have to say for yourself? Speak up!"

I removed my helmet and my brown hair fell down my shoulders. Some of the people gasped, while others stood from their chairs, visibly disturbed. Whispering and chattering began to fill the air as everyone pointed in my direction.

"I believe we have a dinner arrangement," I said quietly.

The man to the right of the Sheriff stood up furiously, knocking his chair over. "Why, she's a woman! It wouldn't be lawful, you could have her head for this." Robin stirred and I could plainly see his hand touch the hilt of his hidden sword.

"There was no mention of whether the entries ought to have been male or female," I defended myself, speaking louder this time.

The Sheriff stroked his bearded chin thoughtfully, staring into my eyes. There was something unpleasant about the way he looked at me. "No, no there wasn't," he replied quietly. "Very well. You shall have dinner with me tonight. After all, I always uphold my promises."

I glanced in Robin's direction and he gave me a slight nod. There was no turning back now. Tonight, I would eat with the Sheriff, and with some luck, be reunited with my cousin once again.

A/N - Just in case you're wonder, Middle-earth is coming! (it'll be a little bit though. Gotta kick some Sheriff ...!

Next Chapter – The Sheriff is not ready to give up the children so easily without something in return. What price will Alayna pay for them to be freed? MUAHAHAHA! "Forgive me a cruel chuckle." -Prince John, Disney's Robin Hood

xXChaoticOrderXx – Well, that's a relief. I didn't know if anyone would like it, it was so awkwardly written (IMO).

B The Shadow Ninja Samurai – Forget Alayna! You should have been here helping me instead! I spent most of my writing time researching archery and all the terminology associated with it. Makes me want to get into it... ;)

mwang – So many questions, so many cliffhangers... Suspense. There's something delightful about the word. ;)

1The Holiday soundtrack (Hans Zimmer) - "If I Wanted to Call You"

2Far and Away soundtrack (John Williams) - "The Land Race"