Sherwood Rogue

Chapter Seven

As we neared the gate, Mark outlined a plan. Before I could agree or disagree, he turned aside, as though to talk to someone. After hesitating, I walked on. It was a hasty plan, but I thought it would work. 

Noticing my approach to the gate, the guard stepped forward. 

"Milady?" he asked. I cursed under my breath. I had hoped to get by without a scene. At least it was the same guard we encountered before.

"Sir," I said, still hoping for a clean exit. "My husband has told me to go to the inn in the village." I made to step past him.The guard frowned. "Alone in the dark?" 

My mind raced, trying to think of a plausible excuse before he wondered why I didn't just go the safer route through the city. I sighed heavily, affecting boredom. "He has gone to see about a horse and wants me to wait there. I will probably spend another lonely night."

"Allow us to accompany you, milady. There have been wolves howling as of late. I'd not want you to be attacked." I opened my mouth to protest, but he laid a hand on my arm. "I insist."

I didn't think I could handle two of them. If I had to have an escort . . . . 

"Would you . . . could only you accompany me?" I smiled as prettily as I knew how and fluttered my eyelashes, letting him know I was suggesting more than just an escort.

The guard caught on and doffed his helmet to me. He gave a rakish grin to his duty mate. "As you wish, milady." He made a low bow, then tossed his helmet to his mate and offered me his elbow.Taking it, I stepped out with him, leaving the city."Oh, thank you," I said as we walked into the darkness of the trail, away from the torchlight at the gate. "I don't like wolves.""There's no need to be afraid, milady. They won't challenge two people. I'll protect you." He moved closer to me, putting his arm around my waist.I smiled at him in the last of the torchlight, though I had tensed up. He was on my left, and my knife was strapped to the inside of my left leg.When the torchlight had faded completely, I knew we couldn't be seen from the gate, and we both had our own reasons for wanting to be in the darkness.As I contemplated how to reach my knife before he acted, I stumbled over a stone in the darkness and the idea came to me. "Oh dear," I said, leaning into him. "I think I've turned my ankle."The guard looked back toward the gate. "There's little enough light here, but let me see if I can tell." We both bent down and I raised my skirt, as if to show my ankle, but my hand snaked under to grasp the hilt of my knife. 

"What's this?" the guard asked, amused, his hand on the fabric of my trousers.

I whipped out my knife, slid it under the chain mail at his neck, and buried it in his throat. Looking at me with his face upturned, he had presented a perfect target. He collapsed against me, a small sound of surprise coming from his lips, and I staggered beneath hissudden weight.He hadn't even thought to be suspicious about my pants. I heaved his dead weight off me, letting him fall to the ground with a small clatter of armor.I knelt and unbuckled his sword. My ki!, I thought, my sword. I took the dagger I found in the opposite sheath, too, glad of the darkness so I didn't have to see my handiwork.With a small sense of shock, I realized this had been my first kill and I'd done it without blinking, without even considering another course of action.But there was no more time for thought. I picked up my skirts and ran across the field, making for the road to the forest.Reaching the spot where our gear lay hidden, I uncovered the sack of supplies, along with my bow, arrows, and sword. I ditched the dress, buckled a sword on each side of my waist, and strapped my quiver on my back.Working quickly, I removed an oil-soaked cloth from the sack and wrapped it around the tip of an arrow, then unscrewed the hilt of my survival knife. Adrenalin pumped through my body and my hands shook as I tried to pull out a single match, scattering several into the dark grass. The hilt of the knife was sticky, and I recognized it was blood.