Deception

Chapter 20

I stood watching the hanging from the cloister, as the castle doors open to a fanfare. The courtyard is packed with spectators as the Sheriff walks out, raising his arms to the sky.

"Ah! All those eager faces." He chuckled as he steps up on to the gallows and addresses the crowd.

"You’re all expecting Robin Hood to turn up, aren’t you? Hm? Do a few tricks with his bow and arrow?" He chuckled as I watched the Sheriff pacing on the platform. He almost seemed too happy as if he knew he had already won. I frowned as I continued to watch.

"Well, this is no time for schoolboy tricks. This is justice. We have laws. Robin Hood has no respect for the law. Robin Hood flouts the law. He would have us all be criminals, murdering and stealing. And yet still you wait here, expecting him to come and save one of his own. Yes, of course you do. Which is why... I have brought the hanging forward by one hour. Look up there!" The Sheriff announced as we all followed his finger as he pointed to the top of the west wall. I gasped as up on the battlements above, guards pulls covers off three hooded bodies hanging from separate gibbets. The crowd gasp in horror. Poor Robin, poor Allan one of them was his own brother.

"You’re too late, Robin Hood!" The Sheriff shouted out with glee as I was horrified. Even though this was the sheriff and he was a monster I didn't think that he would be this cruel. Yet he never ceased to surprise me.

"Your men are already dead! Oh, I wish you could have seen the look on their faces just before they realized that you weren’t coming to rescue them. Hm? Oh, it was very moving. First there was... disappointment... tinged with confusion... soon to be replaced by anger and then tears, just before they realised that it was the final, fatal drop." The sheriff mocked as I gulped down my emotions.

"It was very moving, very touching." The Sheriff was feigning his sadness, as my level of hatred grew for the man. How dear he!

"I wish you could have seen that, Hood! Well, thank you very much." The Sheriff snickered as I watched as he started to step down. He paused and then turned back as if he remembered something important.

"Oh, will, er, will one of you tell Robin Hood if you do see him? Thank you." He snickered before he stepped down from the gallows and up the steps, whistling.

"All in a day’s work." He chuckles, before he disappeared into the castle with the doors closing behind him. I immediately left the cloister, and made my way down the west exterior corridor. I was halfway down the corridor before two soldiers grabbed me and lead me into another corridor. I watched as Robin pulled off his helmet as I gave him and Much a tight hug.

"Gisborne knows you gave me the necklace. He knows you betrayed him. You are in grave danger" Robin warned me as I gasped shocked. No, he wouldn’t, he couldn't. I gulped wanting to not believe it is true.

"No..." I whispered in denial as Robin looked worried for me nodding.

"I will get it back for you. He’ll be leaving for Knighton Hall, now." He promised as my eyes went wide.

"My father..." I expressed alarmed.

"Wait for me." Robin pleaded as I shook my head frightened.

"I can’t leave him!" I snapped frightened.

"Esme, you cannot go home now. It is too dangerous." Robin begged.

"He is weak already. He cannot defend himself. If..."

"Esme, look at me. Look at me. Give me time. I will get you the necklace." Robin pleaded as I turned to leave. I tried to make it not so evident I needed to leave as the stable boy came out with my horse. I thanked him and galloped quickly out of Nottingham. The one time I wasn't afraid to use the forest road. It was faster, as I heard a sudden swoosh.

The feeling of metal scraping across my side, made me cry out in pain as I fell from my horse. My hand clasped over my right side which had been grazed with an arrow. I looked up frightened, horrified and scared. My nightmares, my past coming to haunt me. The tip of a sword rested against my neck before it scratched a long mark down my left cheek. I tried hard not to cry out.

Looking up it was the same man who murdered my mother. Who tortured her in front of me and then hurt me. His crocodile skin was rough as he gripped my neck hard making me struggling to breathe. His black hair with silver strands was oily, like before. His teeth were yellow; his nails were sharp and rotten.

"Remember me deary?" He asked me with his raspy voice made me gulp as I tried to claw at his grip on my neck…..