A/N I do not own BBC Robin Hood, its characters, and plots. I only own my characters. So, here is the second installment of this original episode. The third and final one should be up soon. I really hope I get to finish season 1 this week because it is break for me. I also will be writing another Robin Hood fic that is a crossover, so if you are interested in that, look for it. Knarl, you are amazing and awesome and my number one fan. I just want to clarify, the tragedy I told you a little about, will not be happening here, so do not worry just yet. And my anonymous reviewer, Gg, thank you so much for your support. I am sorry I am slow at updating but I had a lot of projects and tests in the past week. Hopefully this will staisfy you, probably make you have more angst. Follow/favorite/reviews. It really helps. Enjoy!
Chapter 12
The town square of Nottingham was filled with all sorts of people: the poor, the rich, the locals, the travelers, and the outlaws. It was the busiest the square had ben in a very long time since the usual weekly market was only occupied by very few souls who had the luxury to trade. Many people were shouting about thief very best offers, bargaining with excessive enthusiasm, and people were shoving and complaining as well. Above, in the castle, Buckingham looked down with a snarl placed on his red face, waiting for his plan to be in place.
The outlaws entered the town square, looking out for guards and with hoods up. The guards were all distracted by whatever shiny thing that caught their eye or the annoying drunk visitor that insisted on causing trouble. With the amount of people, even having hoods on seemed pointless.
"Ya know, I better be off." Alex said, taking her hood off and shaking her ouch of coins.
"Keep your hood on! Do you want to be caught?" Little John scolded.
"Oh, come on! It'll be fine. Who is even looking for me? Robin is the one you should worry about." Alex smirked. "Now have fun giving out the merchandise to the poor. I'm off to make some purchases. Come on, Djaq. Have fun boys. Allan."
"Why does Djaq get to go with you?" Much groaned.
"Because I asked her and she agreed." Alex smiled and dragged Djaq, who could only offer a shrug in response.
"So we will be down by three. Great. I can't do everything." Much whined.
"Actually, Will is helpin' me." Allan replied with a grin.
Much rolled his eyes. "Master!"
Robin just chuckled. "It's fine. Have fun. We make our necessary deliveries here just fine." And with that Allan and Will walked off.
"Master! You let Alex and Allan get away with everything!"
"I know. I hope that somehow it will quicken their declarations in love, but it always ends in vain, doesn't it?" Robin replied.
"I think they will never get around to it," Much bitterly replied. "Just to annoy us more."
"Right he is." Little John added.
Alex dragged Djaq along with her, shoving people aside and pushing her way through the crowd until she reach her desired destination. The two reached a small stand where a young woman stood.
"Sarah! How are you? I'm so sorry it took so long to pay you. Ya know, you would think robbing for a living would help." Alex told the woman with a big smile.
"It is alright. You are doing good work with Robin. I have you next order just like you asked." Sarah replied, looking at the girl in admiration. She pulled out a dark brown leather journal, with many pages begging to be filled.
"I cannot thank you enough. Ya know, you are amazing at making these journals, and just in general." Alex got out her pouch and gave Sarah a handful of coins.
"This is too much Alex! Spend it on yourself. Buy something pretty. Living in the Sherwood must be harsh. You deserve it." Sarah said in shock.
"You have a family. I'm just myself. Besides, I have some coins still left over to buy whatever I desire." Alex kept holding out the change and raised her eyebrows.
Sarah sighed and pocketed the money. "Alex, you and your friends are really a blessing here. And you always manage to bring a smile to people's faces."
"I try my best. Now this is Djaq and she was wondering if there were any stands where she may purchase any rare herbs, plants, medicine, or scientific knowledge. I promised I would buy something for her in return for some help."
"It was a lot more than some help." Djaq commented.
"Hey!" Alex yelled, shoving Djaq playfully.
"It's an issue with a man, isn't it?" Sarah said with a grin.
"What makes you think that?!" Alex blushed many shades of red.
Sarah smiled at the young woman. "You have that loving look in your eye. I had that too when I was first in love, but too shy to admit it. Who is the lucky man?"
"I deny everything." "Allan A Dale." the two girls said simultaneously.
Sarah grinned even more. "I heard of the fellow outside and saw from seeing the gang with you. He used to go to taverns all the time, but after you first came here, he hasn't shown up that much." Sarah smiled knowing this different behavior was because of the accused witch.
"Probably cause the Sheriff has a thing about me, adding to his overall hatred of the group. Not really safe for us here. Ya know, we should probably move on. Don't want to get caught now." Alex said, desperate to talk about anything besides Allan.
"Now come by anytime. You know how my little girl loves you. And be careful with the new journal. And yourself. I know the Sheriff isn't particularly happy with you lot robbing the merchants and nobles." Sarah said, wrapping the journal in some simple cloth and handing it to Alex, who then slid it into her side satchel.
"We will all be careful and take care of each other. And this bad boy." Alex said, hitting her satchel for demonstration. "Shall we?" Alex said to Djaq.
"We shall." And the two girls went off, clueless at the coincidental and prophetic truth in Sarah's good bye.
As Alex had bought her gift with extreme ease, Allan was having some difficulty of course.
"Do ya think Alex'll like perfume?" Allan asked Will, taking a sniff of some vial. He instinctively leaned back, wrinkling his face in revulsion at the smell of the liquid in the vial.
"Ya stupid 'oy! That ain't 'erfume!" the vendor said with a cackle. Allan quickly set it down and walked to another stall decorated with colorful and expensive fabrics.
"You are the one in love with her Allan. Shouldn't you know?" Will said to his bewildered friend.
"Ya but I 'aven't tried wooing a gal before, 'ave I?" Allan replied, looking at the fabric with a fake appraising look. He had no idea what to do.
"What does Alex like then?" Will sighed at his helpless friend.
"Writin', music, jokes, readin'. But she already had those things in the 'orest. I need to get 'er somethin' she doesn't 'ave." The two kept moving from stall to stall, looking and glancing and examining anything that caught their eye.
"Well cloth and jewelry is a good idea She does have all those earrings." Will said referring to her scandalous triple piercings.
"Ya, but she doesn't trust the earrin's 'ere. She has some allergy to cheap metal, so when she puts 'em in, they irritate 'er."
"Are they alright with necklaces and stuff like that?'
"Ya, I sup'ose."
"Get her something like that then."
"But it can't be some stupid chain. It has to be meanin'-" Before Allan could finish, he had found it. He eagerly picked it up and held it to his eye.
It was a simple, rectangular, silver pendant. Nothing really special about it, but the engraving caught his eye. The engraving was of a songbird resting on the branch, looking up as if it was about to sing. It perfect. "I'm gettin' this." Allan quickly told the vendor.
"Very good, sir. I see you like the engraving. We can even write a personal message on the back."
"How much is that all gonna cost?" Allan said, already taking his pouch out.
"Hm." The vendor grabbed the pouch from him and weighed it in his hand and looked inside. "This will do, with a few coins left over to get a lovely flower for your lady."
"What about the chain?" Allan asked, ready to bargain.
"Not included, but I can give you a piece of cloth that can be a substitute. Free of charge."
Allan glared at the man for moment before speaking. "Alright. You got a deal."
"Very good sir. I require half of the payment now. You can meet me here at the end of the day and get the pendant in exchange for the rest of the money. Now what do you want engraved?"
"'From Rooster'" Allan replied, grinning at his cleverness. Alex would surely have some sort of feeling, no matter how small, for him now. And that was all he wanted.
"How odd. But vary well." The vendor took out his half of the money and pocketed it and in doing so, carefully pocketed the pendant. "See you tonight, sir."
"Ya. Thanks." Allan turned away and walked away with Will. "If it wasn't for the bloody axe, I could've afforded the chain."
"Ya well, you owed me."
"True." The boy walked along until they saw Djaq and Alex bargaining for some herbs with a vendor. There was a lot of yelling on Djaq's part and Alex was there, ready for backup, but was giggling.
"Djaq. Ya know we can get another herb!" she told her angry friend.
"No! I have only seen this grow in my home. I have to get it. It would be immensely beneficial to us." Djaq replied.
"Alright. Go get it then." Alex said, leaning against a stall.
Will and Allan approached the girls, happy to see them and confused at what they were doing.
"Hey, Rooster. Did you get anything special?"Alex asked him with her true and beautiful smile.
"No. Just wasted it all gamblin'." Allan said, using his already prepared lie.
"I am so glad you do not have Vegas right now." Alex laughed. Will joined Djaq and helped her bargain, but instead of her yelling in Arabic, he calmly talked to the vendor, who finally agreed to Djaq's price.
"Easy as that." Will said.
"You English." Djaq muttered, making everyone laugh.
"So, we have wasted all of our money. Should we join Robin?" Will asked.
"I have one more herb to purchase. It will only take a minute." Djaq said.
"Hardly. Besides, Robin told us they were heading back, but he was quickly going to visit Marian. There are some beggars over there that I'm giving my last coins to. While I do that, Djaq can make her quick purchase. Wanna come with me Rooster?" Alex asked, raising her eyebrow at Allan.
"I got nothin' better to do, Songbird." he said smiling at his fantastic choice.
"Alright then." She said, walking over to the other side of the market, Allan following. Djaq found the next vendor, picked out her desired herb an started yelling at him for a cheaper deal. Will rushed over to assist her.
Alex walked over to the beggars and gave them her few coins and said they were gifts from Robin Hood and winked. Allan stood behind her, proud at how easily she had come into this role.
Will, once again, easily bargained with the vendor, who just anted to rid of the Saracen. They walked over to the front gate, where Robin was waiting for them, with his hood up. The two followed his example and disguised themselves.
"How was Marian?" Will asked. "Any trouble?"
"None. The Sheriff of course was irritated with our success, but none of the nobles pose a threat to any of us." he replied.
"That's good. And surprising." Djaq responded.
"Which is why I am waiting for all of us to leave in a large group. Something isn't right, but Marian would never lie to me."
Alex and Allan looked over and saw the group waiting for them in the shadows. "You go ahead and meet them, Rooster. I could have sworn there was one last coin in here. I will catch up with you." she told him.
"You sure?" he asked, with an eerie feeling something bad was going to happen.
"Of course. Go on. I'll just be a minute." Allan nodded and started heading towards them, bobbing and weaving through the crowd and the market. Alex dug through her bag looking for a coin, completely unaware how exposed she was and the amount of men looking for her. And of the angry scowl looking at her from above, moving its fingers ordering men.
She finally found the coin and gave it a young boy, saying it was from Robin Hood, and received a big smile, revealing missing teeth, in exchange. She smiled back and started heading towards her friends. She saw the all waiting for her in the shadows as she was walking out in the open. She was somewhat wary, but they had made it this far into the day. What harm could be done now?
Only the harm of careful plotting and planning could be done. As she was nearly halfway to her friends, a guard screamed. "SEIZE HUNTER!"
Suddenly guards, both in uniform and disguised, reached for her and grabbed her. She began to fight them off, but twenty on one was an impossible odd so she quickly surrendered.
Robin, Will, Djaq, and especially Allan looked at the scene in horror. Alex was forced to kneel on the ground, and after that they couldn't see her because of the mass of guards surrounding her. Allan began to run towards her, but Robin held him back.
"I have to 'elp 'er!" he shouted, as Will began holding him back as well.
"How will getting arrested help her?!" Allan kept looking at the mase before him. People were screaming and fleeing the scene. He prayed that Alex wasn't being hurt and wasn't screaming. He glared at Robin, a look that begged him to go. "Allan. We will rescue her. This was planned! They waited for her to be alone!"
"All the more reason we should 'elp 'er!"
"Allan," Djaq said, resting her hand on his arms that was tense and his hand was in a fist. "She can take care of herself. We will rescue her. Let's just get away to the camp before we get arrested ourselves."
He continued staring at the horrific and nightmarish event before him. He was sure this was a nightmare he had once, but of course he awoke to find Alex next to him. This was real and she was so far away from him now. The guards lifted her up, and he could see her as she was processed away. She looked fine, except for a bruise on her cheek and a small cut there. She saw him and looked at him, telling him to go. He nodded, his fist clenched and he was ready for blood. But he would wait.
"Come on." Will order his friend. Allan pushed everyone off of him and he stormed towards the forest, ready to kill whoever was responsible for this.
Alex had her hands shackled behind her back and was being shoved towards the Grand Hall. Her cheek was throbbing with pain and she could feel the small drops of blooding dripping down. Despite her fear and her pain, she focused herself to think calmly about the situation. Nothing made sense. This clearly was a set up and they waited for her to be alone. They didn't shout to capture Hood, but to get her, Hunter. Why her? Besides some snarky and personal comments and how she arrived in Nottingham, she wasn't the most important person in the gang. That spot was always reserved for Robin. 'What would the Sheriff want with me?' she thought.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she was shoved onto the ground before the Sheriff, who was slouching, disinterested in his throne. She caught herself on the ground and sat up and made eye contact with him. He boredly rolled his eyes and looked over to a man who was sitting at a long table, anger and disgust radiating off of him.
"Nice to see you again, Hunter. How's the forest treating you?" The Sheriff asked as he walked over to his angry partner. Alex just stared at the two ugly men. "Now, I understand that you and your lover robbed my very good friend here, hm? Very naughty of you. And what shall be your punishment?" he continued
"I deny everything, especially the lover part." Alex said. 'I can't believe that my thing with Allan has reached the Sheriff. This is not good. Does he know? And why does angry face look so familiar.' she thought to herself.
"You stole from me and now you will pay the price, girl!" the angry man yelled. He stood up in a rush and brought out a rich and extravagant dagger and quickly yanked her head back by pulling on her head and held the pointed tip so it pressed on her throat. Not enough to kill, but a few drops of blood were drawn.
"Buckingham, my friend. Allow my torturer to do this for you. We need her alive for a while to catch Hood and hopefully some other member of your gang, hm?" the Sheriff said. Buckingham looked at him for a minute, thinking and then let the girl go. Alex was shoved onto the ground an she barely had enough time to catch herself. She sat up once again, lifting her callused fingers to her throat, causing the shackles binding her to rattle, and removed them with a red stain on them.
"I want her to suffer, Vaisey! She stole half of my values with her scum of a lover." the angry lord replied.
"That's where I know you from." Alex muttered to herself, recalling the events of th easy before where she and Allan had earned their crowns.
"And she will. Gisbourne, take her to the dungeon." Vaisey ordered his right man. Gisbourne emerged from his dark corner Alex had not noticed before and lifted her up to her feet harshly.
"Hello again, Hunter." he spat out as he lead her into the bowels of the castle.
"Nice to see you, Guyliner. Missed me?" Alex smirked, earning a slap from him
"Hood is not going to rescue you this time. I have made sure of that." he smiled sinisterly.
"What makes you think I need rescuing?" Alex spat out from the pain. Gisbourne lifted his hand once more, prepared to strike, but when Alex flinched away, he just lowered it, snickering.
"They say the third time being arrested is the worst. I will make sure of that, Hunter." he commented.
"They? You must have a lot of outlaws escape then to make that comment." she smirked and was shoved into her cell. She caught herself against the damp and rotting stone wall and turned around to face Gisbourne. He saw that he held her satchel with her precious gift and a simple dagger. He searched through it by spilling out the content on the floor.
"No tools for your witchcraft this time. Have you stopped your black arts for a certain someone?" he asked with a dark laugh.
"I was never a witch. Ya know, I feel like I'm 17 and in college again with you guys." Alex smirked. Guy only replied by kicking her bag and her precious journal into the other cell. He kicked the dagger to the jailor, who picked it up out of fear of the leather clad man's wrath. Alex just glared at him in response. "With what Buckingham has in store for you, I doubt you will have a formal execution." Guy then slammed the cell door, leaving Alex registering how much in trouble she really was in this time.
Alex had never actually been tortured before. he almost was with Djaq, but Marian had saved them. She would surely save her this time. She obviously would have heard about her capture from all the boasting by the Sheriff and Buckingham and would help her in some way even though they weren't exactly pals. Alex also knew she couldn't face torture. She would break quickly. She of course in sports had developed some tolerance from all of the bruises, but this was medieval torture. This had essentially set the standard for extreme, but not that effective, torture. It is famous for the sadistic pleasure torturers get from it. She had already received more abuse than both times combined. She had never been hit, slapped, and a dagger had pierced the skin of her throat. Buckingham was a merciless man. Her only hope was Marian.
Alex paced, paced, and paced for about hour. Marian did not come with no message, no plan, and no words of comfort. Her time was running out before the torturer would arrive. She knew that they were waiting for some type of rescue, but Alex was true to her word; she didn't need one. She waited till the jailor was in the other corridor of the jail and she pulled out a bobby pin from her hair and started working on the lock on her shackles. "Thank you Will and your boring and tedious lessons." she said to herself. She managed to pick the lock from her shackles and then moved to the cell's lock. It took more time and she had to stop when the jailor returned and taunted her, but once he left again she was free. She quickly went over to the cell contains her satchel and gift and grabbed it. She placed it in the bag and threw the start over her head and was ready to be off. She grabbed her dagger that was on the jailor's small and pathetic desk and started heading out of the dungeon. She had he dagger at the ready. Though she much preferred her sword, she was handy with a dagger as well. As long as she wasn't forced to use the bow, she could get out easily.
She carefully dodged guards and nobles and merchants occupying the castle until she reach the exit. All she had to do was run through the courtyard and then she would be home free. The only issue was the small army of guards as the exit and surrounding the courtyard. She had to find another way. 'I need, though I hate to admit it, help from Marian. She could find another exit or get a message to Allan and the gang.' she thought. She then went up several other floors, looking for any sign of Marian, wary of any one passing by. The dungeon was not her favorite place and she wasn't keen on returning there with the threat, no promise, of dying under the knife of a torturer looming over her head. On the third floor, where some of the short term guests were staying, she saw Marians figure walking down the hall and entering a room from her hidden spot around the corner. Alex looked around for guards and anyone who would scream at the sight of her. She was safe for the moment and entered the room, barely grabbing the door before it shut.
"Marian?" Alex whispered. She saw the well-off noble stiffen as she said this.
Marian did not want to see or help Alex. She was not going to do anything for her in this case, except maybe attend her execution. She quickly turned around and snapped at the outlaw, "What are you doing here?! You could get me in trouble!" She went over and looked into the empty hallway and then shut the door.
"Ya know, I wouldn't be here asking you for help if it wasn't bad. I can't escape through the courtyard. The Sheriff and that ass Buckingham has made sure of that. I need you to get me out or get a message to Robin that I am fine for now."
"And why should I help you, some love-sick fool?" Marian spat out.
"Is there some version of Gossip Girl here I don't know about? Does everyone know about my… relations with a certain smug member of the gang?" Alex asked walking over to the window and looking down below at the mass of guards with orders to kill her.
"Gossip Girl? Where are you from?" Marian asked, crossing her arms and and sighing out of aggravation.
"Irrelevant right now. Will you help me?" Alex asked her with frantic eyes.
"No. I am done helping Robin, his friend, and you." Marian said, sitting down at her vanity, brushing her dark hair.
Alex stood in shock at what was being said by Marian. Though they weren't friends, they both had the same mission. "I don't understand. Wasn't it just a week ago you were happily helping us by giving us information on Malik and bantering with Robin?"
"I am done." Marian stated once more.
"Did we do anything wrong? Did I do anything to make you hate me more?"
"You did what you did. I just see no reason to invest in your gang after hearing how well your courtship- if it is even that, you probably have already given yourself away- is doing."
"First of all, I don't understand why my romantic life would affect you in away way! I expect something more resolute from you. Second, are you calling me a whore?" Alex said, now standing behind the noble woman with her grip tightening on her dagger.
"Do not play stupid with me!" Marian said, standing up and facing Alex.
"I'm much smarter than you." Alex said. She thought about what was going on. 'I never imagined the Maid Marian being such a little-'
"Prove that you are so much smarter since you are from such a mysterious land then." Marian replied, challenging her and interrupting her thoughts.
"I am going to escape with no help from you." Alex said with a slight smirk. "Or well a little." Alex then kicked the door open and grabbed Marian so she held a dagger a few inches away from her throat. She walked out in the corridor with Marian struggling against her tight grip right as Guy was going to visit her.
"Hey Guyliner. Looks like I have something of yours?" Alex yelled at the dark man.
"Hunter." he growled. "Let her go." He nodded for the guard accompanying him to get more men.
"As annoying as she is, she's my ticket out of here." Alex eyed the arriving guards, all with swords in their hands. "You let me get through the two gate, I'll let her walk back through. No harm done."
Gisbourne paused, thinking of whether or not to take the deal. Before he could make decision, Marian screamed and elbowed Alex into the stomach and then punched her jaw, sending her to the floor.
"I believe you should be more careful with your prisoners, Sir Guy." Marian said, glaring down at Alex and hen walking back into her room with her head held high.
Guy stood in awe of his fiance, but quickly turned his attention to the scum on the floor. Alex pushed herself up, and rubbed her good-now bad jaw. No real damage, but she really didn't want to deal with any more abuse to her body. Ironically, the abuse was inevitable now. Guy grabbed her roughly and led her back to her doom.
'Well, everyone except Allan knows I love him, Marain hates my and Robin's guts for no reason, and I am going to die a very painful death.' Alex thought in-between winces of pain, 'How long ago was I back home, in 2015, where life-threatening meant an all-nighter during exams?'
"We 'ave got to save 'er!" Allan yelled to Robin as they walked into their camp.
"No one is disagreeing with you, Allan! We just need to think about this."
"It's Alex! We 'ave to go back and save 'er as quickly as possible. She could be really 'urt." Allan kept yelling.
"What about Alex?" Much asked.
Allan just groaned and sat down next to the fire, throwing his cloak on the ground and he held his head in his hands, absolutely diminished. His usually happy self was gone and only Alex and her laugh and smile could bring it back.
Will went over to his friend and Djaq left to put her things away as Robin explained the situation to Much and Little John. "She was walking towards us in the market after giving some alms to the poor. All of the sudden the guards were ordered to capture her, just her. They quickly got her and took her away. We only saw a glimpse of her as she was taken away. She's alright as far as we know."
"But for 'ow much longer?!" Allan shouted to no one in particular in response to Robin's comment.
"We will get her back. This is the third time she's been in this situation. She will be fine. It's Alex; she always is." Will said in a comforting tone.
"Ya don't know that for sure. She's a woman! She won't be able to 'andle the torture. They could- ya know. I shoulda stayed with 'er. It's all my fault." Allan moaned.
"Now, not everything is about you Allan." Much commented, "I'm sure they would have taken Alex no matter what; and if you were with her, you would be arrested too."
"At least then I coulda protected 'er, or died tryin'!" Allan yelled.
"Allan! Just shut up!" Little John screamed. Everyone turned to look at him in shock; Allan's mouth hung open. "Moaning is not going to get her back."
"Precisely. This is why I am going to see Marian and get information." Robin said.
"The castle is filled with guards with all the nobles visiting. It's too dangerous." Will replied.
"Which is why I am going alone. All of you remain here."
"No. I am goin' to get 'er out myself." Allan said, standing up and grabbing all the weapons he possessed.
"No, you, especially you, are staying here." Robin ordered.
"You can't stop me. I already lost me brother because of you; I am not loosin' the woman I love!" Allan screamed.
"I promise you, we will save her." Robin replied, trying to comfort his friend.
"Maybe this time you should double check the time of the hangin'." Allan replied with a bitterness never seen in him before. Robin was taken aback. He knew he had failed Allan with Tom, but there was nothing he could have done. He thought Allan had forgiven him, but apparently not.
"Allan, this is different. I will not make that mistake again." Robin replied, with hurt in his eyes.
"You act like a hero all the time, but in these cases, I can't trust ya to follow through." Allan began to walk towards Nottingham.
"Allan! Think about this!" Robin yelled after him.
"All I am thinkin' about is 'er being hurt or worse!" he replied, stopping and facing him.
"I know! But we need to think!" Robin yelled. Little John began walking towards Allan as the distraught approached Robin.
"We need to take action!" Allan began walking again, but Little John walked him on the head with his staff, making him fall unconscious.
"Was that necessary John?" Robin asked his tall friend.
"Never trust a love sick man to listen to reason." was his only reply. Robin sighed and lifted up his friend. 'I better find Marian fast.'