Robin slowed his steps and swaggered into the clearing, where Princess Joan, Prince John, and several attendants had gathered. Much and Marian, less pleased at facing the royals, lagged behind, hoping to be ignored.
But Marian stopped hiding when she noticed what Prince John was holding.
"The poor thing!" she cried, charging over to the prince to help the wounded pigeon he held in his hands.
"Yes, it's pathetic, isn't it?" Prince John said with a smile, stroking the bird's downy chest. "My sister there thinks she can shoot, after just one lesson! Tell them, Joan, what you were trying to hit."
Joan let out a sigh of frustration. "I was aiming for an apple on that tree. Instead, I clipped that bird's wings. Now, it's useless, and can't fly. I think shooting is harder than it looks."
Robin strode over to inspect the bird, moved by Marian's compassion. He felt sorry for the bird, too, and once he saw how badly it was hurt, knew there was no saving it. Not only had the princess clipped its wings, her arrow had put out one of its eyes.
"Much," Robin said, "take the bird home and give it to your mother. She can make it into a pie."
Much took a few steps forward, but was stopped by Prince John's objections.
"Not so fast!" the spoiled prince cried. "I haven't finished playing with it! I feel it will be amusing to watch what it does if I put its other eye out! Do you suppose it will walk around in circles? Won't that be droll?"
John unsheathed a jeweled dagger.
"You can't!" Marian cried out, tears spilling from her eyes.
Silence descended over the clearing.
"Can't?" John repeated, at last. "But, my dear dirty little girl, I can do anything I like! You've clearly forgotten who I am! Well then, allow me to remind you! I am Prince John, youngest of the royal line, but, and this is important, mind you, my lord father King Henry's favorite child! Now, I think it would amuse me to see what this bird will do, without any eyes. Do you suppose there will be much blood, when I begin to carve? Stand back, then, and let everyone watch!"
"John, you're a little beast," Princess Joan scolded, sounding bored.
Without warning, Robin grabbed the prince's wrist and squeezed, causing John to drop his dagger. With his other hand, he seized the bird and handed it to Marian.
"Try and nurse it back to health, if you must, but I don't think it'll make it to Knighton, Marian," he told her gently. "It might just be kinder to put it out of its misery."
Marian nodded her head, blinking back angry tears. She had never witnessed anyone so cruel as Prince John!
"Poor thing," she said again, cradling the bird.
Watching from a distance of several feet away, Much shifted back and forth on anxious feet. He couldn't believe Robin had the courage to openly defy Prince John, and yet, he was proud and happy he had. And, there would be pigeon pie for dinner! His mother always said to look for the good thing! He waited for Marian, then began walking with her back home to Locksley.
Robin stayed behind, feet firmly planted in a wide stance, arms folded over his chest. He knew he had broken the law by laying hands on the Prince, but he'd do it again, even if it meant punishment and disgrace. He regretted disgracing his family name over a bird, but he still felt in his heart, he'd done the right thing.
Boldly facing the prince, he said, "Sorry to ruin your fun, Your Highness, but that's not how we treat living creatures on my father's land. If you don't like it, I suggest you have your servants pack your bags, and go home."
Princess Joan stared at the boy with new found respect. She knew her mother the Queen adored him, as did her older brother Richard. Her brother Geoffrey was betrothed to his Aunt Constance, and due to live with her in Brittany. Her father the King went back and forth as to his feelings for Huntington's whelp, as he called him, sometimes adoring him, and other times detesting him. "Watch him when he's grown," he warned her eldest brother Henry. "He'll give you trouble, with his boldness, and that conscience of his! Keep him under your thumb, or he'll try to change the world!"
He was, Joan was thinking, a remarkably beautiful child. He looked positively lovely, telling off her beastly little brother. Perhaps, when he grew, he might not be such a bad match for her, after all.
John was still speechless, foaming at the mouth in his rage at having been touched by Robin of Locksley!
"Wipe your mouth, John," Princess Joan ordered. Taking Robin's arm, she bestowed a lovely smile on the boy and said, "Come along with me. I'll tell Mother everything. You don't need to fear."
"With all respect, Your Higness," Robin said politely, "I can look after myself. If you don't mind, I'd like to do the explaining."
Joan was impressed. "Very well," she agreed.