Sherwood Rogue

Chapter Fifteen

King Richard laughed heartily.

"Majesty, if I had but known—" Robin stumbled over his words. It was the first time I had seen him at a

complete loss.

"Robin Hood," Richard said again, adopting the royal "we" as he continued. "You may rise in our presence. If you were any other man, you would hang, and all your men, too. You are extraordinary outlaws. You accost the rich travelers, but you don't take all their money. What you take always seems to make its way to some village or family having trouble meeting its taxes, while you live like paupers. We see your hollow cheeks that speak of not enough to eat. You kill the king's deer, but only enough so you can survive. Your people make up the best yeomen we've ever seen. And as king, we've seen many good men. You sit here at table and condemn the monarchy as being cruel and selfish, but in the same breath, you praise your king. And you did not know your king was with you."

"Your Majesty?" Robin asked. The whole clearing held its breath.

"We are generous, Robin Hood. Learn this lesson. Our barons and dukes have taken advantage of our generosity. They still tax the people for our ransom, though the money we needed was met long ago. This we have learned by traveling in disguise. We have come to set things straight. Learn that the king's generosity is taken away as easily as it is given. Tonight, we have seen you are not what our nobility had told us. Tonight, we will pardon you and all your people."

A collective gasp went around the clearing. A pardon! Somebody raised a cheer. Soon, we were all cheering our King Richard.

I found it strange, though I cheered right along with the rest.

Robin Hood despised the monarchy and how it and the nobility abused the people of England. It seemed to me we were a group of thieves, vagabonds, and cutthroats cheering a supreme judge. Then I figured it was loyalty. These thieves, vagabonds, and cutthroats were loyal to their king, but that didn't mean they didn't want to change the system. It was love of their country. To them, their king personified the country.

Richard held up his hands for quiet.

"We can see," he said in very royal tones, "you people are loyal to your king. Because of that loyalty, we will reward you handsomely. If you but ask, we will consider appointing you to your chosen position. Brother Tuck, please keep all this in mind to recall before the proper witnesses." Tuck nodded, still speechless. "Robin Hood?"

Robin stepped forward. "Majesty?"

"Ask, and you shall receive."

"Your Majesty," said Robin, something like hope glinting in his eyes. "I was raised an earl's son. For several years, I acted as Earl of Huntingdon before I was outlawed. If it please Your Majesty, it is but a small thing to ask."

"Aye, a very small thing. We appoint you Robert, Earl of Huntingdon, and give you back your land and estates." Robin knelt and kissed Richard's signet ring. "But there is one condition," Richard added, looking down at him.

"Your Majesty?" Robin looked up quickly, still holding the king's hand.

"Should we have need of you, Huntingdon, you will attend us at Winchester and in our army."

Robin smiled wryly. "As my king commands." He executed a formal bow before turning to go back to the table.

Next, Little John stepped forward, asking nothing and being given the sheriffship of Nottingham.

Will Stutely was made Robin's steward in Huntingdon.

Will Scarlet leaned over to me as Alan a Dale went forward to ask for his wife's lands back.