Sorry it took me so long to get this up again, but I just know some of you are very patient and i hope that means that you are willing to wait, if not you don't have to tell me. Enjoy!
Chapter 4,
Decisions, Decisions,
Save the man in the dungeon, risk execution, and being banished from John's good graces, or leave him in there to face death, while she bided her time waiting for the right time so that she could save him without danger, as the 'Angel of Death'. She hadn't voluntarily appointed herself with the name, but because she was once assigned to killing a whole town full of citizens, resorting to the mushroom angel of death for an easy solution, she was thus appointed that name by others. She had left him for a few years after he had saved her, and during that time she had been trained by one of the best Saracen mercenaries in the world, she wanted to be ready for her road trip of revenge.
She regretted what she did when she was angry at life itself, but she was furious and wanted revenge on anyone and everyone, she put no thought into who she hurt because all she knew was that she had been hurt, and she wanted to see others feel that hurt too. As she stood in her room looking out the window memories flooded back to her, when she was still in the slave camp, only her mind raced back to when she stood up for one of the girls.
"Which on of you tramps stole scraps from the kitchen while you were under curfew?" The cruel trader asked, no one said a word,
"Look at it this way of the guilty steps forward now; I won't take my time with you so you learn your lesson well." He offered, finally a younger girl out of the group began to cry, so the man walked over to her with a small dagger in hand,
"Were you the one who stole scraps from the kitchen?" He asked, his voice calm, regardless of his actions,
He grabbed her behind her head by her long brown hair, while he caressed the thin sharp blade of the dagger around her neck and waist, she only began to tremble like a leaf and cry more furiously.
"Well I asked you a question, and when I ask a question you answer me…now did you steal the scraps from the kitchen?" He asked again,
"N..n..no." She stuttered,
"I think you're lying." He said,
He applied a small amount of pressure to the dagger, but not enough to puncture the skin, just cause discomfort, but it was enough to make her cry out in mostly fear.
Madison then stepped forward, her taut reddish orange locks bouncing with her swift movement, she dared not look into the man's eyes, but even though she wasn't the girl who stole the scraps, and the girl who he threatened was, she knew she had to do something.
"Get back in line…this girl is guilty not you." He ordered, even though he wouldn't have a clue who it was,
"It was me who stole the scraps." She said,
"You're lying." He retorted,
"It was me I snuck into the kitchen and stole the food so these girls wouldn't go hungry." She continued again, only this time she spiced her words with venom,
In an instant he had turned his attention to her, she didn't even tremble when he grabbed the hair at the back of her neck, forcing her to look at him instead, she sneered defiantly.
"Do you have any idea what I'm going to do to you?" He asked,
"I don't care…but one day I will see to it that you pay for what you're going to do." She said, pulling her head down regardless of the pain she felt,
After that she was thrown into the man's private chamber, and after the door was closed there was screaming and all manner of sounds that the other girls found heartbreaking. When she was allowed out her dress was torn and bruises lined her face, blood was evident, on her dress and face, but her spirit wasn't broken.
And despite the fact that he had violated her behind closed doors, she was intent on going that far again to save the girls that she had come to know as her family. She had remained strong during her ordeal, she hadn't even cried out once, despite the fact that the pain she endured was so high most woman would have begged for death, but not her.
And as he led her to the room they shared, she waited until she knew he was gone before she doubled over where she was and began to cry for all she was worth. There was no way she could have endured that without a single set back, she knew the time would arise again when she would be called to defend her family, but she was not afraid, she would have her revenge. All the girls surrounded her offering their support, and the girl she defended was a wreck too, because she saw what Madison had gone through just to save her from the fate.
Finally they all succumbed to sleep, but that night Madison's dreams were haunted by the happenings of that evening, she couldn't stop reliving it again, and again. She hardly got any sleep, but the more the dreams visited her the harder she became, she grew cold and heartless, but she cared so dearly for those that she called her family.
Instead of the trader's intention which was to break her spirit, he had aided the hardening of her heart and the endurance to the things she couldn't usually withstand, he had started her unnatural lust for vengeance. And when her brother had saved her at the market, she saw him die on the gallows after being tortured cruelly and without mercy, her brother had also aided her quest.
Snapping herself from her thoughts she returned to the problem at hand, she still had to get the unknown guest out of the dungeon, and back to Robin. She was hoping that when she made the trip to the town in London she would perhaps find Robin in the tavern, or on the streets, which was the reason for her sudden interest in the markets.
She had no idea how long she had been standing staring out the window of her room for, but now was not the time for idle thinking or travelling over dead ground, now was the time for action. So instantly she began removing her dueling outfit, and then adorned herself with a red silk dress, with gold floral lacing on the bodice, she set her hair back with a ruby encrusted circlet, after she had plated it and set it so it hung neatly behind her back.
It was slender and delicate in size, and was set with oval shaped casts; she then slipped on several rings, one which was a golden vine looking ring, with a single ruby in the middle. Her neck was then adorned with a ruby necklace; it consisted of a diamond string, with tear drop shaped rubies lining it, which were semi enclosed in diamond borders.
In the center there was a large round ruby, the string was of the same width all the way to where it was to be connected, and she placed to matching earring that held two ruby tear drops through the holes in her ear lobes. She liked to wear things like that, especially after being treated like dirt for nearly 10 years.
After she was sure there was nothing missing from her look, she quickly grabbed a red velvet bag full of gold coins and walked towards the stable. She instantly faltered in her course, her heart thudding against her chest, her breathe coming in short hollow pants, for what she heard was realization, there was only on other time when she had heard that voice.
The scream echoed through the castle reaching her ears, the only other time she had heard that voice was when she had travelled to Nottingham to fulfill her brother's wishes. She tried to put a finger on the familiar scream and realized that the only one that had screamed like that while in her possession was one, Guy of Gisborne.
After a moment she picked up her pace and walked even faster to the stable, she had to find Robin, Guy had already suffered not so long ago, and she wasn't quite sure he was filly recovered yet. Especially after what she had done to him, and even then when she left he wasn't fairing to well either, because he had almost died after going into a coma.
When she reached the stables she quickly got a servant to saddle, the orange colored piebald that she owned, and had taken with her on the trip to Nottingham. The horse was happy to see her but she ignored it, for the time being because there was more on her mind, than a horse that looked for her attention.
And while she climbed into the saddle, Robin and his men where entering London clad in cloaks that harbored deep hoods, so they could hide their faces while moving amongst the crowd. They had just entered London, and judging by the mood Gisborne was in before he left Robin decided the tavern was going to be the first place they were to look.
Dungeon,
Prince John had withdrawn the scolding hot metal branding device that bore his insignia away from Guy's midsection, his restrained body was hanging from the ceiling painfully by his wrists, and the tips of his toes couldn't even touch the ground. Vaisey on the other hand walked around him like a predator, examining every nook and cranny that was exposed to his view, he hung his head, unwilling to look at those where were no doubt going to kill him.
"So Guy why are you here did Hood send you on a mission?" John asked, "Something about my brother Richard?"
"Robin didn't send me here I came on my own he doesn't know where I am." Guy answered, as he felt John running the brand down his leg,
"So what are you doing here providing I believe you?" He asked,
"I'm here to kill you." Guy replied, displaying the venom in his voice, the Prince laughed,
"You know what would happen if you ever killed me Robin told you that when you tried it before, so tell me what special errand has Robin sent you on to make you travel all the way to England?" Prince John asked, stroking Guy with the scolding metal,
"I'm only here to kill you." He said again, trying to cripple the grimace on his face before it went too far,
"Why do they always have to resist." John whined all of a sudden, "Wouldn't it just be nice if they just told the truth for once." He added, as he pressed the flat side of the brand on Guy's rib cage, letting it rest there for a good while,
"Aaaaaarrgghhh!"
Gisborne's shrill was pitched to an extent, but made fierce through gritted teeth; he screwed up his eyes, flinging his head skyward, trying to ignore the scorching pain, which radiated on his bare skin. Finally the brutal metal was drawn away and Guy bowed his head in misery his eyes gently closed, but his body quivered from pain, the only thing that was alive and burning, was the image of revenge.
"I'm going to make you sorry for trying to kill me Gisborne…you'll regret the day you ever laid eyes on me." Vaisey vowed,
"I regretted meeting you as soon as I found Marian…you're the reason for everything she went through, for everything she suffered, she would have loved me if it wasn't for you…and I swear I will kill you." Guy vowed as well,
"Swear all you like Gisborne but no body is going to save you now not even your precious Robin." Vaisey mocked,
"Yes…as much as I know you want your revenge you can't exact it right now, we have more important things to attend to like gathering the nobles for the feast tomorrow, besides…wouldn't his death being witnessed by the nobles be better than letting him die alone?" John asked, a sly smile on his face, as he cocked a brow in encouragement, while clasping a hand on the former sheriff's back,
"A clue? Yes. You're right his death being witnessed is far more enjoyable than letting him rot in some dark corner of this god forsaken dungeon." Ergo agreed,
"That's the spirit now you go write out 2 dozen invitations to the nobles, and I will be in charge of setting up the great hall…I'm sure my messenger will help you with the technicalities like the names and addresses." He said, still with a gay smile, only lowering his voice for the last half of his sentence,
Vaisey was hesitant, as he shifted his view to Gisborne's back then the Prince and back again, "What about him surely you have made provisions so that he doesn't just hang around all day?" Vaisey asked, a more serious expression gathering on his face, and tone on his tongue,
"Of course my best men are coming down here as we speak to make sure that Sir Guy's stay is as comfortable as possible." John said, resuming his arm around the former sheriff's back, leading him out of the dungeons,
Guy knew there was no hope for himself; there was no chance Robin would be able to work out where he had gone, for all he knew the outlaw could have assumed he just ran off fleeing the shire, or hiding somewhere else. His only hope would be Madison and he wasn't sure if she actually had feeling for him, but from what he could gather from his former gang, she had gone to an extent to save his life.
He wasn't sure if this was true or they had just spun him a yarn, for all he knew she could have been rejoicing at the news of his capture and scheduled death. Because no matter how hard he tried he could not rid himself of the events that lead to him joining the gang, the bloodthirsty battle had had been forced into by her.
He found comfort in his deep thoughts because usually if he let his mind wander for a while he would become entranced in the memories he still held from his time with Marian. And if he let his mind wander even further, he would be able to hear her speaking to him, he wasn't sure if it was actually his mind or a part of her lived inside of him, but he didn't really care, he only cared about keeping the candle for her burning. Despite the fact that she had told him to move on, even though he wished he could have honored her request he couldn't. Because he was afraid that if he let her go, she would really be dead.
London Market,
Madison trotted her horse down the busy main street, ignoring curtseys and bows as she rode past, because she had far more important thing to worry about. She had no way of knowing if Robin and his men were in London at all, and if they were she wasn't 100% sure where to look.
But during the time she had spent with the outlaws she had made notes on their behavior, and most of the time she saw her self deductions of them to be quite disturbingly accurate. She knew what would happen if John found her consorting with outlaws, and she wasn't confident that the love she knew he had for her would shine through, so she was going to have to be careful.
As soon as she was in London, she steered her horse toward the stable's, once there she quickly unpacked her saddle bags which held her 'Angel of Death' outfit and hurried to put it on. Once she was finished she packed her old clothes in the saddle bags so she could easily change after she had finished searching for Hood and his men.
She was now dressed in a brown leather corset shirt, and brown and white patterned leggings, her eyes down to her face, were adorned with a mask similar to the one Marian had toted as the Nightwatchman. Her hair was set back in a tight bun leaving no strands to flap uncontrollably about her face, but you wouldn't be able to tell she wore any of this unless you removed her cloak.
The chances of her being noticed walking into a tavern as the Prince's sister were quite high, the chances of her being noticed dressed as a supposed man, clad in a humongous cloak, that assuredly hid her features, was also high, but it assured her identity was hidden. To ensure that most people would fail to guess her real gender, she had covered her mouth with a specifically designed cloth made to alter her speech pattern, making it sound deeper so she could imitate her opposite sex.
When she was happy with the way she was dressed, she walked casually into the bustling main street, instantly becoming mobbed by groups of people, that was one thing her alter ego lacked, respect. Finally she was able to make her way to the tavern entrance by shoving a few people out of the way, even though she had learned to be polite, she was in no mood whatsoever to be swept back into the ocean of townspeople.
She entered the tavern, giving it a quick sweep she found who she was looking for, for in the far corner of the establishment Robin sat with his back to her facing his gang. Robin, Tuck, and Little John, sat with their back to her eating a meal that had been brought to them not so long ago due to their process, while Kate, Allen, and Much, faced her, but they were to absorbed in eating and talking that they hadn't noticed her enter.
She mingled amongst the occupants until she had made her way to their table, and Robin received the fright of his life, as Madison placed a hand on his shoulder, no one had even seen her approach.
"Thought I might find you here we need to talk." She said, regardless of the fact that she sounded like a guy,
"I don't know who you are and why you thought you might find us here but you must be mistaking us for someone else." Robin said politely, regardless of his restlessness that shone through,
"No believe me Robin I am far from mistaken." She assured, as she gripped his arm possessively,
"Look I don't want any trouble so if you let go of me there won't be any arguments." Robin explained, no annoyed,
"Robin I need to speak to you all of you." She said showing the worry that was in her voice so they would accommodate her,
Robin simply stared at her, even though he had no idea where her eyes were.
"There's a back room all of you follow me in there and John bar the door so no one interrupts us.' She ordered,
"My men don't do your bidding stranger, so I suggest you leave the orders to us." Robin said, a flash of anger shining in his eyes for a brief moment, before he could gain his composure,
She had, had enough, so flicking a dagger out of her wrist device; she instantly flicked it against Robin's throat, unafraid because her long cloak sleeves hid the dagger from view.
"Come with me or God forbid I will have his blood." She warned, as she led Robin toward the door,
Once all her commands were obeyed and John was blocking the door so no one could see in she returned the dagger up her sleeve and pulled the hood backwards behind her head. Sliding the mask down by her neck she lowered the material that had aided in disguising her voice, everyone was completely bamboozled at the sight that lay before them, Robin was no longer angry.
"Madison…what are you doing here?" Robin asked, unable to disguise his bewilderment,
"I had to get to you I know where Guy is his in the castle's dungeons." She explained, as if she hadn't heard the question,
"How do you know this?" Much asked,
"I heard his scream, and that is something I could never forget." She answered, with a sorrowful look; there was a brief flashback with Much and Robin as they remembered what she had done to Gisborne at one point,
"So what do you know?" Robin asked,
"I know that my brother has planned a feast for tomorrow, perhaps they will consider executing him then." She replied,
"So where is he?" Robin asked, almost a pointless notation though,
"In the dungeon where else, I don't know of any other place that could make him yodel like he did, do you?" She asked, nearly mockingly,
"So how are we meant to get into the dungeon to save him, I'm not being funny but I don't think he's going to invite us, just so we can say hello and leave, we'll end up on the chopping block." Allen protested,
"Well I have been thinking about that, if one of you were to dress up as a…" She cut herself off looking to Tuck,
"As a what?" Kate asked,
"Well I was going to say Friar but we already have one don't we." She said, "Maybe I can get him into the castle, under the information that he has come to pray for the soon to be deceased's soul, and perhaps he can be down there long enough so he can see what they have done to Guy." She added,
"That might work I don't think Prince John or any of his guards know about me." Tuck agreed,
"Well whatever you decide on you have to make it quick he has until tomorrow night, before the feast, and if you don't act before then you will lose him." She warned, unable to hide the tears welling up in her eyes,
"It's all right Madison we never leave on of our own behind." Robin assured, "And if we need extra help we can use Isabella as a distraction." He added,
"But she tried to capture him regardless of the deal you made last time remember.' She said, referring to the time when she had forced Guy out of the other's sight so that she could finish him off personally,
"She may be cold and sometime heartless, but she loves her brother despite the fact that she tried to kill him, I believe that she is sorry what she tried to do, and so I have given her a second chance, to help us." Robin revealed, which was news to the rest of his gang,
"Robin you can't trust her." Kate protested, the anger clearly visible in her voice,
"Kate she stopped me when we were leaving and nearly dropped to her feet to beg me for another chance and to help us save her brother." Robin explained,
"She betrayed us." John chimed in,
"Enough I believe she is capable of redemption, just like Gisborne, and we're now trying to save him, if we left him to die because we needed extra men and refused to allow Isabella to help us, he would die a martyr…for the King…and for England." Robin reasoned,
Seeing sense in what Robin was saying Madison decided to interrupt before anyone could protest.
"Good, if I can I will see him myself, and if you ever make it into the castle try and find my room, the door is adorned with a gold lined window frame but there is no glass, it's just down the hall you can't miss it, but I warn you do not enter my brother's room not even by accident." She warned again,
After a few more moments of discussing Madison began returning all her gear.
"We'll get him out before the feast or while the feast is underway." Robin said, with a smirk, pushing aside the fact that Gisborne's life was at stake for a moment letting his arrogant nature sink in,
"Don't wait to late." Madison reasoned, her voice now sounding like a man's again,
She pulled the hood over her head and left the room, quickly exiting returning to the stables to change, Robin and his men them filtered out and returned to their meals, while discussing what could be happening to Guy, and how they were going to rescue him. All the while Kate was brooding over the idea to allow Isabella to help. As soon as Madison had emptied her saddle bags she quickly dressed back into her more feminine attire, and once she was content, she walked casually out of the stable and into the crowd, only this time she had a clear path.
"Ah…Respect." She said to herself, as she strolled, forcing contentment, even to herself though she was far from it,
Once again I hope my tardiness has been made up for through this longer than usual chapter. Let me know what you thought ;D