by K. M. Shea
His eyes grew big. “A lot,” he said as the Merry Men, who were at this point truly merry, continued to dance and sing.
We exchanged similar looks before we grabbed remaining bags, eager to see what else we had gotten away with. By the end of the night we came to an agreement. Robbing Prince John had given us more money and gold than all of our previous robbing jobs put together.
“The prince is bloody rich,” Little John said as he reached in a bag and grabbed a fist full of precious gems, letting them trickle out of his hand like water.
“And a liar,” Scarlet said as we crouched around the fire. There had been another loud round of singing when Scarlet and I explained what we had stolen, but now it was far past midnight and only the night guards, my two best friends, and I were awake.
I ran my hand through my ever growing hair, a troubled feeling settling in my gut. “This will be a good down payment on King Richard’s release, but I cannot believe that Prince John would hoard this much money and claim he needs more taxes to free his brother.” I stretched and I gazed up into the star filled sky.
“Perhaps we’ll be able to free King Richard by next year,” Little John said as I continued to look upward.
“No, the Prince’s funds might run out by then,” Will Scarlet argued.
Little John snorted. “I doubt it. If this is what he carries around in his carriages then he must have loads more at his palace,” he flatly said.
They continued to banter back and forth, glancing at me as I stood and walked over to the pen where I stroked Crafty and the pony. Crafty gave the smallest of neighs as the Pony wuffeled and thrust her silky muzzle into my hands. I pet both of their necks, mostly to keep Crafty from getting jealous.
“Robyn?” Will Scarlet’s voice brought me out of my daze.
“Yes?” I asked, turning around.
“We’re going to turn in,” he said jerking his thumb backwards to point at Little John.
“Alright. I won’t be too much longer either,” I smiled.
“You did well today,” Will said as he walked forward and closed the distance between us, hugging me. I was a little surprised, but Little John was flabbergasted. In order to keep any…misunderstandings from occurring there was a pretty strict code when it came to touching me. Slugging me, throwing an arm across my shoulder, and ruffling my hair were all accepted. Hugging me was generally discouraged. Of course Much and Will Stutely occasionally broke these rules, but our friendship was more parental anyway.
“What did you do that for?” Little John fished mouthed to Scarlet.
“Do what?” Will innocently asked.
“You know what I mean!”
“I haven’t the slightest idea as to what you’re talking about.”
The two proceeded to bicker like old women as they walked across the camp, their voices leaving my hearing range.
I watched them go, a tight smile on my lips, before I sighed and rubbed my aching head. For some reason my stomach was upset and my head was throbbing while I felt a little colder than usual. Shrugging it off, I walked off to my own hut and threw myself on my bed when I reached it.
Chapter 10
Robin Hood No More
I should have taken more notice of my symptoms. Half a week later I came down with a vicious sickness. I had a high fever, a gargantuan headache, and it felt like a creature was eating away at my insides. My muscles often got cramped because of the positions I stayed in, and the only things that ever eased my pain were heat and massaging my sore muscles. For a while my men were frightened out of their minds that I was dying. They called for Friar Tuck and Marian, who both did their best and managed to wake me from my feverish dreams that had plagued me for two days. The sickness nearly took my life.
I was able to recover, but it took a while.
I was still sick a week later when my Merry Man were scavenging the forest for lords to rob and deer to kill while a few scouts headed into town. It was dusk and I was huddled near the campfire, praying for either deliverance from the sickness, or for a lightning bolt to strike me and kill me. Little John was practicing archery near by while a few scouts were walking around the edge of the camp, sending me nervous glances whenever a shriek of pain ripped out of my throat.
“Will this not end?” I moaned as I beat the ground with a fist. I had my back facing the fire, hoping to ease some of the cramped muscles.
“Do you want me to knock you out again?” Little John asked.
“Not yet,” I groaned.
I heard someone walking and I felt the person sit down next to me. “Do you want me to get Marian again?” Will Scarlet asked as he bent over me and gently massaged the muscles in my lower back.
“No, I think I’m getting better,” I said as I cringed.
“Are you sure?” he asked as I started to relax under his touch.
“Yes. This time three days ago I was ready to take my own life. Now I’m just praying for it,” I drearily sighed. The only sounds in the air were my labored breathing, the cracks and snaps of the fire, and the solid thunks of arrows hitting a tree while Little John continued to practice.
Scarlet eventually eased my pain enough that I could sit up and breathe a sigh of relief. I laid out on the mossy floor and Scarlet continued his ministrations, slowly easing the cramped muscles. I could feel Little John’s gaze on us when he paused his practicing. There was something about his gaze that I couldn’t put my finger on. It was threatening, but not towards me.
“I’m sorry, but I must take my leave. It’s my turn for sentry duty,” Will Scarlet said as he stood, brushing my back one last time.
I mumbled, my face in the dirt and my mind incoherent. Scarlet slowly walked away, and I stayed motionless in my temporary yet comfortable position.
The sun had all but set, but Little John stood near the archery range and was quiet for several minutes.
“Robyn, would you mind shooting this target I’ve been practicing on?” he asked.
“Little John, it’s dark. I cannot see a thing. I’m comfortable. I’m happy, and I’m painless. I’m not moving,” I said.
“Come now, Robyn. I just want to gauge my improvement. Please just fire once, your longbow and quiver are right by you,” he cajoled.
“I’m not in the mood for games,” I said as I felt the pain start to come back.
“Are you afraid you won’t beat me?” he questioned.
“Little John you are being ridiculous! I’m sick! Where have you been for the past week, Sir Brilliant?” I loudly said. “I can barely pull back the string right now, much less fire an arrow!” I had recovered a great amount of strength since I had woken up several days ago, but my muscles were still a little on the queasy side.
“Robyn, come on! You never turn down a challenge,” Little John said.
“Yes I do. I never actually take on a challenge unless my idiotic men are around to make me do so!” I snapped as my head began to throb.
“Robyn—,” he started.
“Oh shut up!” I demanded as I sat up, quickly notched an arrow and released it in the direction of the stupid target that I could barely see in the stupid darkness. Before the arrow hit the tree I had fallen back to the ground, cursing Little John as pain wracked my arms that were protesting at the vigorous exercise they had just experienced.
Little John walked by the fire and picked up a stick, setting the end on fire. I thoroughly ignored him while he walked back to the practice area and inspected the target. He was quiet for a few minutes, and I was glad, thinking I had pacified him. However, he opened his mouth and dashed all my thoughts.
“Robyn, I beat you,” he excitedly said.
“Good for you,” I grunted as I scooted as close to the fire as I could get before my clothes would start smoldering.
“I really beat you Robyn!” he joyously said. “Do you know what this means?”
“You will leave me alone?” I said as I squeezed my eyes shut while the pain crept up my spine.
“D
on’t you remember your promise?” he questioned.
“No John! Right now I can’t even remember what I did yesterday!” I roared.
“It means I’m the new head of the Merry Men.”
My blood froze for a second before I reassured myself. Surely Little John was joking. I mean he had made me shoot in the dark, from a sitting position, when I was half delirious with pain! No one would be able to make a clean shot. Plus I had made the desperate promise that anyone who could beat me at archery could lead the Merry Men just a few days after Little John’s arrival in my band. (I had been a mess when I uttered those words and tried to purposely lose against them. Will Stutely and Much brushed the whole matter away. Truthfully I had entirely forgotten it.)
“You are jesting,” I said as I lifted my head.
“I beat you Robyn. I am the leader of the Merry Men,” he said.
For this I picked myself up off the ground. “It was an unfair contest, Little John.”
“It was not,” he stubbornly said as I was thoroughly tempted to deck him in the face.
Instead I made do with whirling around, grabbing my signature hat from where I was sitting, and stomping off to my hut. Little John followed me, talking the entire way.
“I’m the leader of the Merry Men, Robyn,” he repeated as Much and his band of scouts entered our camp. “You need to give me your hat and your cape.”
I turned to the large man and gave him a heated glare before I continued off to my hut.
Much ran up to us. “What did you just say Little John?” he lightly asked. Although his voice was sing-song his kind features were narrowed and distrustful.
“I beat Robyn in an archery contest, so I’m the leader,” Little John pompously said.
Much said a few undignified words to let Little John know exactly what he thought of that. “You’re out of your mind Little John,” he argued as we neared my home. “The Merry Men will always follow Robyn!”
“I won the contest!” Little John thundered. “So I am the rightful leader!”
“Robyn was joking about that. It was just her trying to slither out of being Robin Hood!” Much argued, waving a hand. “That was months ago!”
At this we had reached my cottage so I walked in and slammed the small, makeshift door behind me. I slid the bolt across the door, keeping my men out, before I let a few tears leak out of my eyes. I walked over to my pallet and slowly eased myself onto it, listening to the voices of my men outside.
“You’re a liar Little John!” I heard Hob protest. “No one could beat Robyn, even if she is half sick and praying for death.”
“I beat her! Go look for yourself,” Little John smugly reported. By this time almost all of the Merry Men had returned from their various activities. The camp was quite loud as everyone argued on my behalf.
Several of the men walked up to the arguing group, attesting to Little John’s story.
“His arrow is closer to the center than Robyn’s,” Gilbert grudgingly said.
“So?” Will Stutely spat. “We swore our allegiance to Robyn, not to Little John! Never mind the fact that the contest is completely unfair. Robyn was too sick to punch Much this morning. Much, men, Much.”
“Agreed. She’s obviously not well,” Ryan stated.
Will Scarlet entered the fray. “My fellow Merry Men, do you not remember our beloved leader’s condition? A week ago we weren’t sure that she would live much longer! Just before I left for my lookout duty the poor girl was almost screaming in pain.”
“Until you gave her that backrub,” Little John sneered. “She was feeling much better after that.”
My main men were quiet as the Merry Men whispered to each other. I’m sure Much and Will Stutely were glaring at both Will Scarlet and Little John. Although they allowed each other to break that little code of hugging me, they jealously guarded that benefit for themselves.
“Little John you are being rash! You pledged your loyalty to Robyn too, how can you want to overtake her?” Tom pleaded as several men walked away. “Please, take your comments back.”
“I will not,” Little John growled.
“Robyn is our leader. No one can replace her,” Will Stutely stubbornly said. “If we have to banish you, Little John, don’t think we won’t do it!”
“Maid Marian herself will come and beat you out of the forest if you do anything to Robyn,” Much warned in a voice that said he wouldn’t be far behind the blonde lady.
The men who had previously walked away returned. “Little John is right,” Will Scarlet said. “He did beat her. But…,” he trailed off and I heard someone, Little John probably, whisper in his ear.
My heart slightly rebelled as I lay on my bed. I had lost.
“Little John is technically the rightful leader,” Will Scarlet concluded, suddenly not sounding so sorrowful.
I was outraged.
He was my right hand man! He and Little John were my best friends, and now they were both betraying me in one night?
“No he isn’t!” Much growled.
“He beat Robyn,” Will Scarlet angrily said.
“Let him fight her in a fair contest. Then we can declare a winner,” Will Stutely sneered.
The argument went on through the night. I drifted off to sleep as they continued to fight about what to do.
Several hours later I woke up to a dull pain in my lower back. I gently eased off of my pallet and I removed the bolt to poke my head outside my door. It had to be around three in the morning. Only four men were on guard duty, everyone else had retired.
I slunk back inside, bolting the door behind me before I lowered myself to the floor. The pain was livable, but my heart was deeply hurt. A few tears leaked out of my eyes before I sniffed and wiped them away. Little John, my right hand man, had declared himself the new leader. Did he think I was incapable? Was I unsuitable for the job? I was no fool, Although I might be the best archer I was probably one of weakest members of our band. Quite a few people could beat the stuffing out of me, and the only reason I survived is because they were always watching over me. And why did Will Scarlet suddenly switch sides?
Little John and Will Scarlet’s betrayal was like an arrow that tore apart my heart. They were my most trusted friends. Did they really find me detestable? Why would Little John want to unseat me? I swallowed some cool air as I tried to calm myself. This time last year I would have been thankful to step down from my position of leader, but times had changed.
My mind was in a jumble for about half an hour as I wondered what I should do. After I shed a few more tears and had a couple of good sobs I glanced over at the hooks on the side of the wall which held up the clothes I used for my disguises. My eyes landed on a pretty, blue dress. I closed my eyes and thought for a few minutes before I stood, cringing with the slight pain. I silently changed into the dress, frowning as I stood in my cottage in the slightly foreign clothes. The feeling of the skirt around my legs was something I would have to get used to again, and I would have to learn the heavy under skirts since I had never worn them before. I looked at myself in the cracked mirror on my wall.
My hair had grown out almost to my shoulders. I know Marian usually had some part of her hair pinned up, but I didn’t have any pins since I had never cared about looking like a girl before. I would have to go without.
Marian had gotten this dress for me in the middle of winter, saying I might want to go into town disguised as noble girl sometime. My men had laughed it off and I had dubiously taken the heavy dress.
I scowled slightly as I walked over to my pallet and took my cape and hat off the hooks. I slipped out of my cottage and walked across the small circle of six huts. Little John’s was across from mine, but I had to be careful since Will Scarlet’s was directly next to mine and he slept lightly. In addition Much and Will Stutely’s huts were next to Scarlet’s, and they would stir if I moved a muscle in my own cottage.
When I reached Little John’s hut I folded my cape and laid it in front of his door—the
hat placed on top. I didn’t need to worry about waking him. Little John could sleep through a herd of sheep running about his hut.
I crept toward the edge of the camp, keeping out of sight while the dreary eyed scouts walked around. Two of the dogs got up and followed me, whining slightly when I reached the horse pen. I patted their heads and ruffled their ears before I saddled Crafty.
Crafty seemed to know that he had to be quiet, and he watched me with a concerned look, or at least as concerned of a look as a deviant animal like him can muster, as the pony butted my side while I tried to tighten the girth. I patted the silky animal before I bridled Crafty and led him out of the pen.
I mounted the black horse, sitting astride. Later I would ride sidesaddle when I neared Nottingham. Crafty slowly walked away, tension and excitement cracking in his movements.
One of the dogs continued to follow me and sharply whined before barking. I froze for the moment, afraid he would alert someone, but the camp remained silent.
I turned Crafty around so I could get my last gaze of the camp. The cheerful fires were burning, and the camp looked dreamy and nostalgic in the starlight. I gently stroked Crafty, who was sneering at the dog. I stared at the camp, burning the image in my mind the way a thirsty man drinks water. I intended for it to be my last look at my Merry Men and our home.
I breathed in, drawing my shoulders back, and directed Crafty into the darkness of Sherwood.
I would no longer by Robin Hood, the Bold and Brave Outlaw of Sherwood Forest.
About the Author
K.M. Shea is an extreme book lover, champion web surfer, and all around geek. She’s been writing for over ten years, and has worked as librarian and a newspaper reporter. K.M. lives in the quaint countryside with her pets: Perfect Dog and Fat Cat. K.M. suspects that Perfect Dog has secret plans for world domination.
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Visit her blog: http://legendaryarchive.wordpress.com/