"Look, Robin! Doesn't Marian look nice?"
Much stood beside Robin, both of them hidden in shadows in Nottingham Castle, disguised in guard uniforms, watching and listening to the Council of Nobles.
As Robin turned his eyes to see the woman he loved, he drew in his breath appreciatively. A slow smile crept across his face. Much was wrong. Marian didn't look "nice," she looked ravishing! Unknowingly imitating Gisbourne, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
So engrossed was he in the alluring vision she presented, he didn't even hear Much scolding him.
"You know, Master, I really think you need to take a step back and consider, before you spring into action. What does it matter what Aylesbury said? You know as well as I that Marian wouldn't have kissed Spencer. He's married, Robin, and a horrible man! Marian wouldn't kiss him. Now, as for Roger of Stoke...that might be another matter! I could actually see Marian falling for him! Not that she would, of course, but perhaps. Kind of like the way you fell for Rachel in Acre. Remember Rachel, Robin? That sweet Jewish girl? I always thought she looked a bit like Marian, didn't you? I mean, a similar type, though not so...so...well, more plain, of course, and brown eyed, and less curvey. But there was a slight resemblance. I always thought that's one reason you liked her." Much looked at Marian again. "Marian certainly does look pretty today. She looks so good in blue."
The Council was concluding with Vaisey's final poisonous speech. Robin forced himself to listen.
While Vaisey laughed about the poor getting poorer, Robin watched him pull something out from under his doublet. It was Robin's tiger tooth necklace! Vaisey had been wearing it under his shirt, but now wished to display it.
"My lords, ladies," he continued, "see what I wear here. This tooth necklace, hmm, belongs to Robin Hood himself! I stole it off of him, just as he steals your taxes and your wealth, your very livelihoods, over and over again! Why, one of your own, Martin of Aylesbury, has been robbed by Hood not once, but twice, while on his way to our Council. I ask you, my lords, are any of you safe? A clue...no." He ran his forefinger and thumb up and down the tiger tooth slowly, squeezing it in pleasure, increasing the rate of his strokes as he warmed to his subject. "We cannot allow Hood to continue plundering your taxes...taxes belonging to the Crown! We cannot allow him to undermine our authority! I tell you, my lords, Hood will be caught!"
Robin laughed under his breath, but Much grew increasingly nervous. "Master, let's just leave. You shouldn't tempt fate. Now, let's just forget about Spencer...forget about your necklace, and get out of here while we have the chance."
"Leave, Much? Not a chance! Not when the sheriff's given me such a fine introduction!"
"Robin...what are you thinking? Master?" Much shivered in fear when he saw the mischievious look on Robin's face. "No, Master...surely not! Not here! Not in the castle, close to the dungeons, with all Vaisey's guards surrounding us!"
Robin hesitated for a moment. It wouldn't be right to put Much in such grave danger. He turned and seriously faced his friend. "Go on, Much. Get away. I'll do this alone."
"Do what? Robin? Oh, no! Surely not! I hate this! I hate it!"
"Go, Much!"
The sheriff had dismissed his nobles. There was no time to lose. "Rope," Robin commanded, and Much reluctantly handed Robin the thickly coiled mass lying nearby. Much continued complaining, as Robin quickly secured an end to an arrow. It only took him an instant to mentally size up the shot, and then...he fired.
The Council froze in universal alarm at the sound of an arrow whizzing overhead. All eyes looked up to see a stripped fletched arrow throbbing in the center beam of the ceiling, a rope attached to its end. Before anyone had time to recover, Robin himself, clad in the uniform of a castle guard and clutching the other end of the rope, came swinging down amongst them from above, kicking them out of his way. Once he'd landed, his movements were so fluid and fast, no one stopped him. It was as if all were bewitched, so greatly did he take them by surprise.
His first order of business was to rip the leather string of his tiger tooth necklace off Vaisey's neck. "Thank you very much, Sheriff," he exclaimed. Secondly, he doubled up a fist and slugged a surprised Spencer in his face. "Just in case," he grinned, winking at Marian. His third act was to plant a kiss on Marian's cheek. "You're looking lovely as ever," he commented jauntily. His final movement was to grab a sack of tax money the sheriff had collected at the Council and toss it up to Much, who stood waiting in fear at the top of the stairs. "Much, run!" Robin cried, climbing the rope and using his body weight to swing until he could leap back over the railing.
Despite being told to run, Much had waited for him. Robin quickly turned and fired arrows down upon his pursuers, taking aim not to hit any, but only to frighten them back.
"Run, Robin?" Much asked in terror. "Run?"
As they dashed quickly away, pursued by Gisbourne, every guard and the sheriff's screams, Robin was chuckling with pleasure. Much wished Robin was three years old again and somebody would come and turn him over their knee and give him the spanking he deserved.
But that evening in Sherwood, all but Djaq celebrated the windfall of the tax monies with a bit too much ale. Robin fell asleep that night dreaming of Marian in the blue gown, enjoying very pleasant dreams indeed.