Entangled

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Emma sighed as she wiped down the same table for what had to have been the seventh time that evening, after Little John and his band of merry men had yet again spewed their stomach contents all over what was once a nice slab of oak. Now it had lost it's beauty to how often John came after a successful raid with his men to choke their stomachs full with beer and food.

Swallowing down her own urge to vomit right there and then she picked up the bucket full of fowl vomit smelling water and the now disgusting rag and moved away before the smell of alcohol and vomit made her faint.
Carful not to spill any of the water she squeezed through the packed pub to the back door.Opening the door let in a fresh gust of forest air, relieving Emma of the disgusting smell that had dominated her senses in the pub.
Shutting the door behind her with the heel of her boot she walked a few meters into the forest that surrounded her fathers pub before dumping the buckets contents into a sickly looking bush.
Straightening up she kicked the rich smelling dirty over the fowl mess, hoping to cover up some of the stench that was already wafting around her.
Brushing her long curls behind her ears she walked slowly back to the over-crowded pub, savouring the precious moments when she was able to escape the bustle of a booming pub. As soon as she opened the door a wave of smells and sounds assaulted her senses. The sound and stench of men vomiting, drunken laughs and geers along with some very out of tune singing.
Taking a deep breath she pushed past the tables full of drunken men and women to the bar where her father stood cleaning glasses for the ever constant demand for more drinks.
As Emma reached the counter to help her father the door burst open and a young man wearing a terrified expression on his face came pelting at full speed through the door.In his haste he had no time to stop so he ran head long into a tableful of men having (judging by there smell) their third round of beer.
Immediately the largest and most defiantly the strongest man at the table jumped up with a yell of surprise as the man next to him was knocked forward, his beer spilling everywhere. He turned, as livid as a bull ready to charge, he grab the young man by his collar and lifted him up.
"You stupid boy! what do ya think you're doing? barrelling in here like the forest is on fire!" he yelled in the boys face,spittle flying everywhere. Emma's father was round by the big man in a flash.
" Hey take it easy, Timmy, it was just an accident!' the man named Timmy look down at Emma's father, before gently placing the young man down
"yea...right....sorry Robin" Robin flashed him a thankful smile then turned to the boy who was now white with fear.
"whats wrong boy?" he asked gently, placing a hand on the lads shoulder.
"she's here" Robin frowned
"who?" the lad lifted his head and looked Robin straight in the eye.
"The Queen

The pub filled with terrified screams as people rushed to leave. Robin didn't try to stop them, he was too busy emptying the money from that day into a brown bag.
"Emma!" he called over the loud bustle "Emma i want you to lock the back door and the window shutters" Emma hurriedly weaved through the moving throng to the back door, pulling it shut and sliding the thick metal bolt into the lock. Moving onto the shutters around the big open room, she moved to each one pulling the shutters to and sliding the bolt across. When she had finished the pub was empty. It was erie compared to the crowd that had been there just before.
"Emma" Robin called to her, beckoning her over to him. Emma weaved her way through the tables to the bar and her father.                          
"yes father?" Robin was tying the strings on the bag that now held the money.
I want you to take a bucket and a cloth and start wiping down the tables, no one's coming back tonight"
"yes father" reaching behind the bar she grab a bucket and a cloth and filled it with water from the big pail against the wall. As she finished filling the bucket the doors burst open and two royal guards dressed from head to foot in black strode in and positioned themselves one on either side of the door.Startled by their sudden arrival Emma dropped the bucket, spilling water everywhere.But she was too curious to care as she peered through the gloom at the the figures now dominating the pub's doorway. She could not see either of their faces as a thick black masked covered them. They sent chills down her spine and not a pleasant kind at that.
"Bow before her majesty The Queen" one of them barked,though it was impossible to tell which one.
Robin gently cupped Emma's elbow in his hand and lead her out from behind the bar and into the middle of the room to show that neither of them meant any threat.
"Bow before The Queen" it repeated. Robin and Emma bowed low, keeping their heads down as the sound of heels clicking against the wooden floor of the pub rung in their ears.                                         

"Robin Hood" a deep, rich, female voice rung coldly through the air. Emma couldn't resist. She needed to see who the voice belonged too. Emma lifted her head, but before she could catch a glimpse of the mysterious voice two guards appeared out of nowhere grabbing her arms and knocking her legs out from underneath her. Emma let out a yelp of pain as her knees fell hard onto the floor, sending a jolt up her spine.
Neither of the guards cared as they twisted Emma's arms behind her back and held her there, on her knees, her hands held behind her back, one of their hands holding her head down. Robin stood straight up.
"No! please don't hurt my daughter" The heels started moving towards Emma, louder and louder till they stopped just out of view of Emma's downward facing eyes.
"please i'm begging you" Robin pleaded, his voice cracking slightly. Suddenly the hand holding Emma's head pulled on her hair, forcing her to look up. Gritting her teeth against the pain exploding on her scalp she looked at the figure in front of her. She gasped.Standing in front of her was the most beautiful women she had ever seen. Jet black hair tied in a bun with the ends cascading down her back to her waist. A blood red dressed hugged all her curves sensually, a v drop cleavage gap ran down to her stomach covered by a finely patterned black lace with holes to create the pattern and the most beautiful black gap draped over her shoulders, held in place by a silver broach at her neck.
Emma swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat. The Queen reached down and hooked a finger under Emma's chin, tilted her head up.Her dark brown eyes burning into Emma's green gaze.Emma gulped.
"Don't touch her!" Emma had forgotten her father was there till he spoke those words through his teeth.
The Queen dropped Emma's chin and turn to Robin as the guards grabbed the hilts of their swords.
"Did you say something...Robin?" the queen asked as she smirked at him. Robin shook his head, looking at floor. The queen smiled.
"Now Robin i have somewhere to be so I'm going to make this quick" she said flatly. Robin looked at her. "I want my payment"
"We don't owe you anything" Emma piped up from her position at the Queens feet.
"Oh but you do dear...see your father struck a deal with me many years before you were born. I'd kill your mothers father...and i would get something long lost to me" She turned her cold gaze on Robin "and i'm here to collect it".
Robin clenched his fists and spoke through gritted teeth.
"I don't have it" The Queens eyes glazed over with pure anger.
"What?"
"I couldn't get it from him..." The Queen stalked towards him.
"We had a deal Hood" She grabbed his throat with her left hand and pushed him against the wall "and do you know what happens when my deals aren't carried out? people...get...hurt". She raised right hand ready to strike.
"NO!" screamed Emma as she struggled against the guards, trying to stand up. The Queens head whipped round. "Please, if you want life take mine!" Emma begged as tears started to stain her cheeks. The Queen released Robin who fell to his hands and knees, coughing and sucking in great gulps of air The Queen stared at Emma in disbelief. Emma stared back, hoping  against hope that The Queen would agree and leave her father be.
They stayed like that for a few more moments, staring eye too eye until the Queen give a flick of her chin and the guards roughly pulled Emma to her feet and out the pub's door. Robin struggled to his feet,still weak from The Queen's grasp.
"No, please I have three days worth of gold in the back, take that and leave my daughter"He pleaded,his hoarse voice cutting through the air.
The Queen turned and smirked at Robin as Emma was shoved into the black carriage standing a few feet out the pub's door.
"Come to the castle when you have what i want...then you may get your daughter back" With that she turned on her heels and stalked to the carriage,leaving Robin sobbing on the floor.
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Hey guys, so this is my first story, so please comment on things i could do better and what you would like to see happen in it.
thanks
-Lucy