Steal from the Rich

Five

Chad sat in the bushes with Chloe and Johnny, trying to piece together what he could say to convince Robin Hood he wasn't like the people who killed his wife.

"Chad? What's your plan?" Chloe inquired in a soft voice.

Chad looked over at his sister and sighed, "I don't know. There's so many words I could use, but what I've been stringing together don't make a lick of sense."

Johnny clamped a hand over his bicep, "Hear's my advice. Don't focus on convincing him you're good. Focus on convincing him you're good for HER."

Chad swallowed and smiled limply, "Thanks, Johnny."

Chad got to his feet, absolutely not ready to face the full of Robin Hood's camp, but ready to see Robyn; the girl who stole his heart.

Robyn sat on the ground, carving at the dirt with a pocket knife, when someone called.

"Royal!"

Robyn's eyes flicked up and she felt her heart flip into her throat at the sight of Chad. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her dad rush out of their tent and draw back his bow. Robyn scrambled to her feet.

"Dad, no!"

Robin Sr. ignored this plea from his daughter and called to Chad, "Get out! You royals aren't welcome!"

Chad stepped back slightly, hands in the air, "I know you don't like royalty."

"What gave that away?" Robin Sr. inquired sarcastically.

Robyn looked into Chad's perfect, blue eyes and was relieved to see that he was just as terrified for himself as she was.

"I just wanted you to understand that it wasn't my intention to fall for your daughter!" he told her dad. Robyn felt her heart lurching forward in excitement at that sentence.

"So you're saying you'll leave her be?" Robin Sr. said as he lowered his weapon.

Robyn looked at him, confused by her dad's conclusion.

"On the contrary." Chad stated, which made Robyn look back at him, "I'm here to convince you I'm okay. As is the rest of my family." Robyn wanted nothing more than to run into Chad's arms, but she couldn't do that yet. Chad continued, "You're saying is 'steal from the rich and give to the poor' yes?"

Robin Sr. put his bow over his shoulder and folded his arms, "What's that got to do with anything?"

Chad swallowed and licked his lips, "Because that's exactly what your daughter did. She broke into my home, rather clumsily but that's okay, and stole from me. My most prized possession." Robyn furrowed brows in confusion. Chad met her eye and smiled dumbly, "My heart."

This comment, though it might've been sickening to Robyn before, made her worries melt away and she ran to Chad, locking him in an embrace. Chad wrapped his arms around her in a way that made her feel safe.

She looked around at her dad, "I know you want me to be safe, but grounding me for dating a royal isn't that. I love you, dad, but I need my own happiness."

Robin Sr. stared back and forth between Chad and his daughter before taking a step forward; followed by another. And another. Until he reached the two of them. First, he addressed Robyn.

"You love him?" he asked.

Robyn nodded, "Uh-huh."

His gaze moved to Chad, "If you hurt her, I won't hesitate to kill you."

Chad bowed his head, "I wouldn't expect any less, sir."

Robin Sr. narrowed his eyes, confused, "You have surprised me today. I thought you royals were all stuck-up and pretentious. I was wrong."

"If you had met me before, you wouldn't like me very much." Chad told him.

Robyn bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"You were that bad, huh?" Robin Sr. inquired.

Chad let out a chuckle, "Oh, I was terrible."

Chad walked along the creek, holding Robyn's hand, as she talked to Chloe.

"Wait, so you went into our home just to prove something to your dad?" Chloe asked as if it was hard to understand.

Robyn swallowed sheepishly and nodded in confirmation, "Though, I guess I did steal something after all."

She looked up at Chad before reaching up to play with his curls. Chad, though weary of people playing with his hair, loved the feeling of Robyn's fingers going through it.

He smiled and looked directly at her, hoping she saw the loving look in his eyes. She met his eye and smiled back. He didn't even notice that Chloe and Johnny and gone ahead and were caught up in what Chad could only assume as an intense conversation about some kind of weapon.

He stopped quickly, pulling Robyn to a stop as well. Looking at her, he swallowed.

"This feels like a good time to do something I really want to do. If not, you can tell me not to, but—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Robyn pulled his head down to her and planted her lips on his. He closed his eyes and kissed her back. Her kiss was soft and gentle. Careful and cautious. She fit in his arms so perfectly, that it was almost like a dream.

As Robyn stood by the creek kissing him, she could only think of how he smelled. Like a mix of soap and berries. As he held her, she felt as if she would melt into his arms. His lips were soft and the way he kissed her felt like a reassurance in how safe she was. The longer she stood in his embrace kissing him, the more she felt she wanted to stay in it forever. Eventually, though, they had to break apart for air, but she stared up at him and smiled.

"You're a good kisser." was all she said and immediately she felt a surge of embarrassment rush through. Why those words of all words?

Chad chuckled at her words, but found them endearing, so he said back, "So are you."

He turned back forward, keeping ahold of her hand, but a dopey grin plastered on his face. He was the happiest he'd ever been. And it was because of this one detail.

Robyn Hood stole from the rich.