Tattoo: Part 1

"Aria, you cheated, again!" Djaq complained, as she stood up brushing the dust from her clothes. Aria had been teaching 'Jaq to use a sword recently so that 'Jaq could have another way to protect herself when fight the sheriff and his men. After Aria had come to live at Robin's camp, she felt she needed to do something to repay the debt of Robin saving her. She had been at the camp for over a month and she still hadn't gone on a raid, or been able to leave camp by herself. Robin had asked that she didn't wander around on her own, as there were traps around the camp to keep outsiders away, and he didn't want her getting hurt again. Robin had claimed she hadn't gone on a raid with them yet because she was still healing, which as much as Aria hated to admit he was right. She hoped that sometime soon she would be able to join in on the raids, she was ready to help Robin out and was itching to fight a real fight, not these mock battles.

Aria chuckled "Aye, of course I cheated! Do ya think the sheriff is going to fight fair lass? I think I'll quote him 'A clue, no!'" she replied while a smile.

"Now try again, remember what I told ya, don't look at the weapon in my hand, look at my face. This is one of the most important things you need to remember in a battle. If you focus too much on the weapon you can become dizzy if they throw out fancy moves. Watching the face should give you an indication of when they are about to strike, there is always a tell in the face, something that gives away what they are about to do. In your case, you bite your lip before charging. Anyways, I think that's enough for today though, you are improving. Let's go see what the men are up to shall we?" Aria asked, sliding her sword into its sheath and walking back towards camp.

"…and you should have seen his face when he realized that his precious bag of gold had been taken out of his hand with out realizing it! I think I'm starting to get pretty good at this pick pocketing thing. His bag was pretty hefty, I think we counted thirty gold coins, and ten copper pieces." Will finished telling Robin as Aria and 'Jaq came into camp.

"It sounds like you had a good raid today, and it looks like no one was injured which is always a bonus. When do you go into town again Robin, I was thinking I cold go visit Marian?" Aria asked as she sat down next to him.

"Well I'm glad you asked because I have some news that should make you very happy, we've decided that you should come on the next raid with us. It's high time you start earning your keep around here…I jest, I jest, ow! There's no need to abuse your leader" Robin said in mock pain as Aria smacked him on the arm for his last comment.

"I earn my keep everyday dealing with you and your whims." Aria shot back at him, the group knew this routine well enough to understand it was all in good humor and neither party was serious. "Do you really mean it though? That I can start raiding with you and the men? You're not making some sick joke are you, because if you are I just might have to truly maim you."

"I am not jesting, your wound is healed and I can tell your itching for a real fight, and that's what you just might get should we cross paths with the sheriffs men or Gisborne. Speaking of Gisborne, we found this today while out and about, it seems you're officially an outlaw!" Robin said as he passed a wanted posted with Arias picture drawn on it.

Aria looked at the wanted poster in her hand, she was slightly in awe that she had been enough of a pest to be on a poster. She was also amused at how the drawing looked nothing like her. She folded the paper back up and stuck it in her back pocket, reminding her self to put it with her other things later tonight. She turned her attention back to Robin and the gang.

"When do we go raiding, and what's the plan?" Aria asked, eager to hear the details.

~/~

An arrow knocked the goblet out of Gisbornes hand and spilling its contents onto the ground. Gisborne and Marian looked up to see Robin smirking while leaning over the banister at the top of the staircase.

"What, did we miss the speeches?" he asked while chuckling. The rest of us Robin's gang entered the house via different locations, Much and I through the front door with John and Will behind us, D'Jaq and Allen via the ground floor windows.

"Robin, I don't remember inviting you" Gisborne growled.

"Since when does a man need an invitation in his own home? Anyways it doesn't matter, I would have declined anyways" Robin responded.

Gisborne opened his mouth to speak but before he could Robin continued speaking.

"Now then ladies and gentleman, if you would be so kind as to remove your jewelry and money and hand them over to my good friend over there, Aria! Then please make your way into the room over there where you will wait until we have left.

Meanwhile as Gisborne watched his guest hand everything over her comes up with a plan to out smart Robin. However Robin, being Robin though, just couldn't help himself rubbing the fact in Gisborne face that all this wealth was going right back to the people he stole it from originally.

"Do not worry folks, you will sleep well tonight knowing that your donations have helped the poor of Nottinghamshire, and that by tomorrow morning they will be able to buy provisions thanks to your generous donations" Robin said staring directly at Gisborne.

Aria couldn't help herself; she snorted and rolled her eyes at the blatant jab at Gisbornes failed attempts at collecting and keeping the taxes. Suddenly there was pounding on the door, the signal should unexpected company show up. The gang looked to Robin, waiting for the next order.

"Master!" Much begged, trying to emphasize the fact that unwanted company was coming, most likely the sheriff.

"Almost done." Robin replied, a little too calmly, as he walked over to Marian and held up her left hand where Gisbornes engagement ring was.

Everyone from Robin's gang began to leave the house to meet up in the woods behind Locksley Manor. Aria shoved the bag of goods into John's hands, telling him to take it as she was going to stay and help. She wracked her brain of what had happened in this episode and decided that hiding behind a post would work well enough.

"My Lady, I see you did not give a donation. This ring will do very nicely, the people thank you." Robin said as he slipped the ring off her finger and put it in his pocket.

"No, please don't!" Marian begged, trying to make her self sound believable for everyone's sake.

"You've taken everything else Robin, you can leave that" Gisborne said, more upset that the one thing he had actually put thought and money into was being taken from right under his nose.

"We should do this again, it was entertaining Gisborne." Robin replied as he started to back away from the couple. That was the last straw for Gisborne; he drew his sword and went after Robin.

Robin knowing that this would set Gisborne off was one step ahead of him. He dodge Gisbornes downward blow easily and picked up a remaining candelabra to deflect the next blow. Gisbornes was caught momentarily giving Robin the upper hand, or so he thought. Gisborne threw his weight downwards and towards Robin, catching him off guard, causing Robin to abandon the candelabra and retreat a few steps. Gisborne wasted no time and charged Robin giving him no time to recover. That's when Aria decided to jump in and help a bit; she stuck her foot out just as Gisborne was about to pass her causing him to trip and fall.

Gisborne, confused as to why he was on the ground looked over to where Aria was.
"You!" He sneered at her as he pushed himself up off the ground. "I wondered where you had run off to. I see our suspicion about you was correct. That you were indeed in league with Robin all a long." He said in annoyance.

Aria saw Robin coming up from behind Gisborne and decided to keep him busy until Robin could sneak up on him. Gisborne advanced towards Aria and as she backed away from him she replied to his earlier comment. "Ahh Gisborne, as usual you jump to the wrong conclusions. I recently joined Robin's gang, which I have you to thank for. If you hadn't taken me prisoner I wouldn't have met Robin."

Robin came from behind Gisborne and with a yell stuck Gisborne to the railing of the staircase with his dagger, immobilizing his sword arm. In the process Gisbornes sleeve was torn and reveled a funny looking tattoo. Robin's face went from his typical cocky grin to a snarl in a matter of milliseconds. "You! It was you, and all this time I thought it was the Turks. I will kill you Gisborne mark my words. Why Gisborne, why?" Robin shouted at him.

"Robin we have to go now, you can deal with Gisborne at another time, it's not like you don't know where he lives. LETS GO!" Aria said to Robin as she started to pull him away from Gisborne.

"This isn't over Gisborne!" Shouted Robin over his shoulder as Aria was pushing him out the door.

When everyone had reached the meet up spot Will pointed out that D'Jaq wasn't with them. D'jaq had been left behind.

So I went back and changed all the "Will's" to "Allan"...I still keep getting this two mixed up when I'm writing, I think it's because while watching the series with captions they don't tell you who's speaking. I finally came up with a way to remember who's who, Will is the "pretty boy", and Allan is the "scruffy one, who betray's Robin".

I promised you there would be action in the next chapter!

I want to thank my readers for their support, you guys rock!

I want to say thanks to Littlered951 for adding me to their Favorite Author list and for adding my story to their Favorite list as well.

Please remember to check me out on Wordpress under FFAMasquerade2005 for notes on this story.