New Tales From Old Yarn
Page 20
“You could have killed her,” she cried, grabbing a fistful of his collar.
“Not at all,” the Sheriff said, his lips curling around yellow teeth. “I have saved her.”
Robin, Marian, and the crowd turned to see her third arrow sticking in the ground beside the target, still vibrating from being carelessly released. The Sheriff cleared his throat, pulled back his bowstring, and released his arrow without even looking at the target. It hit the outer circle. Marian felt a stone drop in her stomach.
“You have your tricks, witch,” he said, “and I have mine.”
Robin lifted her head slowly, as if in daze. She would not meet Marian’s eyes. Around them, time slowed like a river freezing over. A group of henchmen circled Robin and dragged her out of sight. Marian couldn’t hear the crowd’s shouts or her own, even as her throat grew raw and her lungs screamed for air. Another henchman’s meaty arm wrapped around her, and her world went dark.
~~~
I failed her.
The thought ran circles through Robin’s mind as she was led down a dank and dripping staircase to the castle dungeon. Her body felt like it was filled with lead. Finally, they stopped before the mouth of a tunnel, a burning torch bathing the stone walls in an eerie glow.
“If you thought your humiliation would be granted the quick reprieve of death, you were sorely mistaken.”
Robin did not flinch at the Sheriff’s voice as he strode from the tunnel to stand over her. Instead, all the fog in her mind cleared, fire burning it away.
“It is not my humiliation, but the one who could only best me by threatening his own betrothed.”
Robin lifted her eyes to meet his, allowing every ounce of heat to blaze through them. The Sheriff winced, and the corner of Robin’s lips twitched up.
“I would gladly sever head from neck this moment,” the Sheriff snarled, “but I have prepared for this day.” Grabbing her by the elbow, he pulled Robin around the corner. Robin gawked at what lay before her. Instead of the iron bars that surrounded every other cell, there stood shimmering rods of gold. It was like standing at the gates of Heaven.
“Why?” Robin breathed.
The Sheriff smirked. “I know your Merry Maidens will try to help you escape, and I know a woodland witch needs like metal to enchant like metal, just as you cursed my sword with yours. Steel against steel.”
Robin looked back the Sheriff, realization dawning on her face. “But there is no gold. You seized every last fleck of it when the king left.”
“And what good use I have put it to,” the Sheriff said, looking up at it admiringly, “a gilded cage to hold a robin.”
“You’re mad,” Robin laughed. “Why not just kill me?”
“Oh, but where is the fun in that?” the Sheriff purred, stepping his closer. His eyes were black and wild. “Where is the fun in killing you while the Merry Maidens aren’t here to watch? Before Marian is with child...Before you beg for the mercy of my sword.”
Robin’s blood chilled at Marian’s name. The Sheriff took the opportunity to shove her past the open bars, her shoulder slamming against the back wall.
Robin listened to the clank of a key turning a lock, followed by retreating footsteps. Rushing forward, she grasped the bars and reeled off a spell, then another, and another. She closed her eyes and tried to channel her energy, gain control of just a piece of it, but it slid off the gold like water.
Robin opened her eyes. Her hands shook as they slid down the smooth metal, palms slick with sweat.
“I do not mind honoring my end of the bargain, my dear Marian, even if it was deceitful,” she said softly, “for how can I live knowing I failed you?”
~~~
Robin woke to the sound of church bells.
Jolting from where she had slumped against the cell door, she winced and yanked her head back through the bars, rubbing her neck as it popped free.
The church bells clanged on, loud and unceasing.
“Are they trying to call France to Mass?” she groaned, just before the penny dropped.
“The wedding,” she said. “Marian, you are already married.” Robin dropped against the back wall, hands tangled in her hair. “He has touched his lips to yours.”
Morning light filtered in above her, and she drew her knees to her chest, covering her eyes as if it burned.
“Your capture is my fault,” she mumbled. “I followed after you like a stray dog, and the Sheriff used you to seek vengeance against me. All I wanted was to protect you. I am nothing but an arrogant, straw-brained fool.”
“You forgot theatrical with impressively quick reflexes.”
Robin’s head shot up.
Standing bathed in the glow of a burning torch, Marian smiled broadly, her cheeks flushed, hair askew, and more beautiful a sight than any Robin had ever seen.
“I’ve come to rescue you,” she said.
Robin stared at her as if she was a ghost. “But the church bells...”
“Oh that?” Marian nodded above them. “The Merry Maidens are creating a bit of a distraction, with the help of most of the townswomen...and the men who received the Maidens’ dresses. They looked quite fetching. In any case, we should probably make haste.”
Robin pressed against the bars. “Do you have the key?”
“Not as such, no,” she said.
Deflating, Robin shook her head. “Marian, the cage is gold. I can only enchant metal with a tool of the same metal, and the Sheriff seized all the gold in the country. I am powerless.”
“Then it’s a good thing the Sheriff is too proud to let his betrothed be seen with a ring of commoners.” Marian held up her left hand, showing a thin, golden ring on her third finger. Robin’s jaw fell slack.
Wordlessly, Marian pulled the ring off and reached for Robin’s hand.
Robin smiled crookedly. “It’s a little sudden, isn’t it?”
Marian glared, but could not stop a smile from tugging at her lips. “Just for that, I shall not allow you to give me your witch’s blessing.”
“No?” Robin raised her brows.
“No,” she said, sliding the ring onto Robin’s finger. “I’m going to give you one instead.”
Robin froze, and Marian took advantage, leaning forward and kissing her lips. All at once, a swell of magic bloomed in her. The ring on her finger glowed white, but she didn’t even notice. She gripped the bars between them, and they turned soft in her hands. She pulled until, with a final groan, they gave way. Without breaking the kiss, Robin rushed forward and gathered Marian in her arms. She thought she would drown in the feeling of her solid weight against her, alive and safe. She hoped she would.
“I believe we have a corrupt government to overthrow,” Marian whispered.
“Indeed we do,” Robin agreed, while wrapping her arms tighter around Marian’s waist. She would let go soon, and they would fight, and she would clobber the Sheriff with one of his gold prison bars.
Just not yet.
About the Authors
In order of appearance:
Mari-Anne Copeland: M Copeland was born and raised in the British Midlands, and is currently on the way to qualifying as a teacher. Trained in science but hopelessly in love with words, there have long been grand machinations for a high fantasy novel, but then, isn’t there always?
They write for fun but does not do so nearly as much as they should, and whiles away free time playing Dungeons and Dragons, doodling or at the cinema.
You can find Mari-Anne on tumblr at entirely-the-wrong-sort.tumblr.com.
R White lives in Edinburgh, and spends much of their time wishing to be older, taller, or somewhere else, preferably with more dragons. They can usually be found daydreaming, obsessing over magic, or under a pile of notebooks somewhere. While they’re doing their best, they’re still too young for many of the things they’d like to do in the future, including one day publishing their own novels, travelling the world, and getting degrees in English Lit and History.
You can find
them on twitter: @mindhowyego
Audrey Rose B. spends her days daydreaming about magic and starlight. She hides in a little cozy nest somewhere in Canada with her lovely husband and her three darling cats. She likes to turn her thoughts into words and write them all down. Sometimes, they turn into stories that she hopes to share with her fellow dreamers and fantasy lovers.
You can find Audrey on tumblr at snowflakemirror
Claire Patz is 25 years old, and lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. She grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and has always loved Chicago and its history. She spends most of her days trying to find her way in life and finding the next dank meme, if she’s truly honest with herself. She loves to laugh and and apparently likes to write author bios that sound like dating profiles. She is a huge baker, an avid reader, and she loves the kind of songs that remind her of polished oak wood bannisters in dappled sunlight. As you can probably tell from her writing, she is also cheesy as hell. If you are so inclined, please feel free to visit her on Tumblr (the-glass-box.tumblr.com), or on Wattpad (chaussettebaby), or on Twitter (@patzforclaire).
Barbara Becc is a German woman who lives on the internet and feels half as old as she really is. She loves writing stories, and she's also a sorceress of all things computers, an engineer, a mother, a good cook and a master of procrastination.
Barbara has a tumblr with writing advice at the960writers.tumblr.com and a blog at barbarabecc.wordpress.com and sometimes publishes on Wattpad/barbex.
HK Lune spins science fiction stories from her home in New Orleans, Louisiana. While she thinks inspiration can be found in any medium, the written word is her chosen craft. Of the several books and short stories she’s written, “Clockpunk and the Vitalizer” is her first publication. When she isn’t writing, you can usually find her reading, playing video games, or hoping her BA in English ends up being useful. You can find her on tumblr at hklunethewriter.tumblr.com, Twitter @hklunethewriter, and Goodreads as HK.
C.D.P. Morkert lives in the United States of America, with the air conditioning high enough that he can imagine being in the mountains of Colorado again. He lives with his thoughts, characters, and crowntail betta named Roswell. He enjoys long walks playing Pokemon Go and talking about Fullmetal Alchemist, Bone, or other comics that inspire his writings, drawings, and animation. He has a B.A. in Communication Arts, a M.B.A. in Television and Movie Production, and a put off attitude whenever you mention student loans.
He can be found on tumblr at swordofshin.tumblr.com and cdpmorkert.tumblr.com.
A.S. Volk (thatwriternamedvolk.tumblr.com on tumblr) is a self proclaimed “old nerd” who has had a love of science fiction, fantasy, role-playing video games, and comic books from the time she was a wee girl. She lives in rural bliss with her husband of ten years, her daughter—a future “old nerd” in the making, and several fat, backyard-dwelling chickens. She has delusions of finishing a novel and actually getting random strangers to buy and even read her rubbish. She loves music, fluffy baby animals, and warm cups of tea while reading. Long walks on the beach are overrated (because sunburns).
Megan Fuentes is a twentysomething Floridian college student who has been described by her loved ones as “exceptional,” “neurotic,” “such a nerd,” and “a chocoholic.” She’s been published once each online and in an anthology, but is working diligently to grow those numbers.
Her tumblr is bymeganwithmeraki.tumblr.com.
Anna Goss has been writing since she could write. With dreams of being a full-time, published author she has racked up drafts of several novels in various stages of completion and a cluster of short stories. As a detour along the path to being a published author, she has earned Bachelor's in Archaeology and a Master's in Museum Studies. She currently works behind the scenes in a museum, which advances her peculiar love of the old things, dead things, and just plain weird things that tend to accumulate in museums. In addition to working and writing, she enjoys reading, playing the occasional video game, and thinking about doing outdoorsy things. She lives in Wyoming.
She can be found online at annagossauthor.wordpress.com and at her tumblr gooseandcaboose.tumblr.com.
Kat Lerner lives, toils, and makes mischief between the woods and the sea of Northwest Washington. She currently works as an online writing teacher, coach, and editor, and has been published under various monikers in Rose Red Review, Apeiron Review, Wings of Renewal: A Solarpunk Dragon Anthology, and others. In her spare time, she enjoys politics, potatoes, and arguing with her dog.
Follow Kat on Tumblr at: morecolorfulmetaphors.tumblr.com or Twitter at: @kat_lerner
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A special thanks to Lorna Davidson, who had the original idea for this project and without her, none of these stories would exist. You can find Lorna on tumblr at neenorroar.tumblr.com, her blog lornadavidsonwrites.wordpress.com and at Wattpad/NeenorROAR.
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