Robin Hood | Thief of Skandia

Chapter 1 (Friendly Encounter)

Song: Say It Louder by Panic! At The Disco

'Perhaps another day, Sir Horace,' he said lightly. 'I would look forward to a friendly trial of arms with you when you are recovered.'

This time, he noticed, the boy glanced quickly at his older companion before replying. 'Perhaps another day,' he agreed.

Embracing the room with a thin smile, Deparnieux turned on his heel and walked to the door. He paused there a moment, his eyes seeking Halt's once more. The smile faded and the message he sent was clear. Next time, my friend. Next time.

The door closed behind him and a collective sigh of relief went round the room. Instantly, a babble of conversation broke out among those present. The musicians, sensing that their moment was over for the night, packed away their instruments and gratefully accepted drinks from the serving girl.

Horace moved to the beam where Halt's arrow had pinned the knight's gauntlet. He wrestled the shaft free, dropped the glove onto a table and returned the arrow to Halt.

'What was that all about?' he asked, a little breathlessly. Halt moved back to their table in the shadows, and leaned his longbow against the wall once more.

'That,' he told the boy, 'is what happens when you begin to acquire a reputation. Our friend Deparnieux is obviously the person who controls this area and he saw you as a potential challenge to that control. So, he came here to kill you.'

Horace shook his head in bewilderment. 'But ... why? I don't have any quarrel with the man. Did I offend him somehow? I certainly didn't mean to,' he said. Halt nodded gravely.

'That's not the point,' he told the young apprentice. 'He doesn't give a toss about you. You were simply an opportunity for him.'

'An opportunity?' Horace asked. 'For what?'

'To re-affirm his hold over the people in the area,' Halt explained. 'People like him rule by fear, for the most part. So, when a young knight comes into the area with a reputation as a champion, somebody like Deparnieux sees it as an opportunity. He provokes a fight with you, kills you, and his own reputation is enlarged. People fear him more and are less likely to challenge his control over them. Understand?'

The boy nodded slowly. 'It's not the way it should be,' he said, a disappointed tone in his voice. 'It's not the way chivalry was intended to be.'

'In this part of the world,' Halt told him, 'it's the way it is.'

All attention was instantly averted to the taverns entrance as the door of the inn was forcefully swung open, revealing a cloaked figure who stands shadowed in the doorway. Silence filled the air and a crack of lightening outside lit up the mysterious silhouette, tension rising as the person slowly lifted their hand to the top of their hood.

What happened next was quite unexpected.

The figure unveiled to reveal the face of a woman, a sly smirk spread across her features. This confused the two Araulens, but the rest of the taverns inhabitants felt their hearts leap.

'It's Hood!' One fellow called out, sending the bar into an abrupt roar of cheers as the woman sprinted her way to the main counter. She jumped onto the wooden bench and held up two fat hessian sacks, stirring even more reaction from the crowd.

'Step right up and receive your local war lords finest riches!' She called out, aware Deparnieux had just left.

Men pushed their way through to the counter, moshing around the bench as the lady emptied her sacks over the newly formed crowd. While they might be scared for their life of Deparnieux the simple people in Gallacia were naturally greedy, their greed outwaying their fright. 

'Steady on, everyone will get something.' She remarked, placing her hands on her hips as she grinned in success.

While Halt showed no expression, on the inside he marvelled. So this was the thief he had chased through Araulen after she stole from King Duncan's treasury and multiple barons.

As all the excitement died down, the woman who had now been labelled an outlaw slid her way off the bench and into a seat next to Horace, Halt on the other side of the young man. Although instantly surrounded by chatting men, the young Araulen who stared at her eventually grabbed her attention.

'What's this?' She asked, furrowing her eyebrows together as she rubbed her forehead. 'An Araulen knight and a ranger, in Gallacia? I haven't even had anything to drink yet.'

This took Halt by surprise; people didn't usually notice him in situations such as these. The inn keeper slid the woman a mug of beer and she took a sip.

'This ones on the house Robin.' The bartender stated, grinning at her.

'Robin......Hood.... The Robin Hood! You're Robin Hood!' Horace exclaimed in Awe, the woman after all was a subject of legendary tales. Robin chuckled at his reaction. 'You're a woman! That's so cool! I mean that there is a woman figurehead. Cause there aren't very many. I mean no offence or anything.' Horace flushed.

Robin continued to chuckle and she raised an eyebrow. 'Well, I mean last time I checked I was a woman.' She pretended to look herself up and down with a friendly grin fixed on her face. Horace's cheeks heated up in embarrassment. 'Relax, your right and I'm not offended that easily. What's your name anyway?' She asked, interested now.

He looked towards the older ranger for guidance who made a positive gesture. 'Horace Altman.' He smiled easily. 

'Nice to meet you Horace.' She smirked extending her hand and the young man shook it. 'You look like your pretty handy with that sword of yours.'

Horace smiled shyly, so Robin moved the attention away from him. 'And your name?'

'Halt.' 

'You got a last name?' She raised her eyebrow at his secrecy. 

'Arratay.'

Smirking again, mirth glittering in her eyes, she replied. 'Well Halt Halt, it's nice to meet you as well.'

Robin and Horace talked for a bit, Halt occasionally joining in but mostly keeping to himself.