Secrets of the sherwood forest

3

The fox falls down, my bow right in the middle of its side.

I take a few deep breaths before I realise I just exposed my cover.

I look down and I see four eyes looking straight at me, confused and shocked.

I awkwardly smile at them and say: "Hey, what's up?"

They don't answer, and I jump down to them, green dress flying in the air. I bend my knees as I hit the ground and quickly get up, just to see Kendra staring straight to my soul.

The awkward silence goes on for maybe 30 seconds before Kendra breaks it: "Sorry, uh, do I know you? You look really familiar for some reason."

"Kendra,it's me, Rue, we were friends as kids, remember?" I answer her smiling. You canclearly see the moment that she realises who I am on her and she immediately pullsme into a big, warm hug. Her red hair is partly in my mouth, and I can't tellwhere her dress ends and mine begins. But I don't care because the moment she touchedme I felt small sparks on my skin, and shivers going down my spine. It feells weird,but really nice and I don't want her to let go, as if she'd disappear the moment she backs away.

But she backs away and I'm left with an odd, happy, and REALLY nice feeling.

"Oh my God, Rue! I've missed you so much!" Kendra particularly yells in excitement. "Wait, what are you doing in the forest? Why were you up in the tree? Why is your hair wet? Is everything alright? When did you learn archery? You have to tell me everything!" she continues, talking so quick I can't keep up.

"Sorry, what? Also aren't you going to introduce us" I say hugely smiling, looking at Eden at the 'us.'

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I got way too excited that I forgot all manners, Rue this is Eden, my maid and best friend, and Eden, this is Rue, the childhood friend I told you about." Kendra goes while slowing down.

I shake Eden's hand as I say "Hi, nice to meet you" to her. She gives me the same words and smiles brightly.

"Okay now, Rue, tell me, what happened to you" Kendra asks looking at me up and down. 

I look down at myclothes: loose, green, and ankle length dress, brown leather belt and corsetand a quiver full of arrows on my back, wooden bow still in hand. My leather shoes are black and full of dirty spots in different shades of brown. My dress has ripped from here and there but not too badly. My brown hair is still wet from my quick swim and my tanned but still pale hands are mostly covered by my loose sleeves but the parts visible are dirty and full of bruises.

I think for a moment before answering her. I haven't seen her in 10 years, and she is about to get proposed by The Prince. I'm not sure if I can trust her. What if she goes and tells the serif where I am? Wait if I just don't bring her to the camp I'll be okay, right?

"I can tell you, but only if you can prove me that I can trust you two." I tell them, looking both of them in the eyes.

It takes them a few heartbeats to proses this before Eden confidently replies with "So, what should we do?" I'm not sure if it should be possible to like somebody this much after only knowing them for five minutes.

Kendra joins the conversation again; "Do you want us to give you our darkest, best hidden secrets or a loaf of bread, you look hungry."

I smile for a split second before going seriousagain. I answer her that I'd appreciate both and an agreement is made. And don'teven ask what the secrets were, I already forgot them by the time I'm writing this. But before I tell them mine I make one of them, Eden to be exact, to bring me the fresh bread from the town. Don't look at me like that, she's still a maid and it could get the serif suspicious if Kendra, the highest status lady in town to go to the bakery by herself looking like she just walked around in the dirty forest. Everyone in Nottingham knows that Eden is a maid and it's not as odd for her to be a bit dirty.

While Eden is getting the bread I make Kendra tell me everything about her life in the past 10 years. I learn all about how after her mother died her father made it basically impossible for her to leave their castle yard until she turned ten-years-old. Even then she could only leave with his permission and with the company of at least one staff member.

I learned about how she hadn't spoken to a lower-class person (other than her staff) until she turned thirteen. And even then it only was to buy an amber necklace made by some Norse woman.

I was told about Miss Baine, the woman who raised Kendra after her mother got ill and died, became a mother figure for her, loved her like she was her own daughter.

When Edith comes back with my fresh, unbelievablydelicious smelling loaf of golden-brown bread, Kendra is telling me the story of how she learned to ride a horse. The moment the smell hits my nose I turn my head and smile. I get up from the blanket me and Kendra are sitting on and run to Edith and the bread.

Edith hands me the still warm loaf and reminds me about the deal we made.

"Okay, so, this is going to be a long story, be prepared. And remember; you can never, and I mean never ever, tell anybody a world of what I'm about to tell you."

And then I tell them my whole story. How I was just having dinner with my family when a maid came and whispered something to my fathers' ear. How he quickly looked at me before demanding proof. How the maid pulled out my very personal, very well-hidden diary and made my father read the entire thing. I told them about how my fathers' face progressively got redder and angrier as he read forward. Until he closed the diary, looked at me and told me to leave his lands before the sun raises the next morning.

After I finish my story neighter Edith or Kendra say anything, but both just hug me as I start crying for the first time after that night.