A Chance To Believe In More.

Death and Taxes Gisborne, Death and Taxes

The courtyard filled quickly with guards resplendent in the gold and black colours of Nottingham, as soon as they had gone to the kitchens to retrieve Gwen and found her gone, Hell itself had broken lose. Guy had found himself pacing behind the chair of the Sheriff, anger and confusion flowing through him. His mind even after the sun had moved across the sky was still on that last brief second he had seen her. Where was she now? Guy prayed that she wasn't lost in the forest as so many could be...

* * * *

Robin in the Hood, the man known in what seemed another lifetime as the Earl of Huntingdon was along with the men who like himself were outlaws, walking the forest floor planning for the attack on the monthly tax collection that would naively make it's way through Sherwood. Year after year they did the same thing and in the few years Robin had been wearing his hood they had gained back the taxes and distributed them back to the people of Nettlestone, Clun and Knighton amongst others. His eyes searched through the trees for signs of soldiers from Nottingham but none came, instead he saw brown hair and a white dress - his breath caught in his throat, had she returned to him as he had dreamt so many nights? Could it be Marian... could his angel be haunting him, watching over him as he had longed her too...

No, as he crept closer and saw her hair was hidden away, and her frame not as curved as Marian, he saw that she was a young girl, perhaps eighteen summers if not less and she looked terrified. What was it they said 'curiosity killed the cat' well curiosity might kill Robin at that moment as he let himself be seen to the girl who look startled at first then relieved, as if she had expected to come across Robin or one of the outlaws here. She showed no fear as she approached him, her brown eyes looking at him questioningly.

"Are you him? Are you the man who calls himself Robin Hood?"

Robin froze.

He wondered if this girl was part of some set-up by Gisborne to distract him from the tax collectors, it wouldn't surprise him - nothing would. They had hated one another since their first meeting and that hatred had bred like poison between the two as the obsession for Marian that they both experienced, turned the two men to monsters. Robin knew deep down that Gisborne was haunted by the death of Marian but the uneasy truce they had kept for maybe a year had long since gone. His scepticism over-ruled all things when it came to the possibility that Gisborne had indeed changed as he'd been told repeatedly by the men who hid within the trees with him.

"I am. What brings you to Sherwood alone, 'tis a foolish thing you are doing - men who do not have the chivalry I have would have taken advantage by now."

The girl' face went from contemplation to anger, her hand reaching to beneath her cloak and produced a small dagger.

"My name is Gwen Verrall, a friend possibly of Sir Guy of Gisborne and believe me when I say I'd rather be at his side now that here with you but he believes you're the man who can keep safe. You can look at me as if I am telling you lies, it is up to you but every minute I stand here where the guards of Nottingham Castle can find me, my life is forfeit."

Robin stood there in shock, uncertain if his disbelief was for the fact the girl clearly knew how to use her weapon, her stance showed that, or the fact she announced herself as a friend of Gisborne. He couldn't help the smirk appearing as he replied to this Gwen Verrall, who no doubt was another kitchen maid who had given Gisborne a bastard. Foolish chit that she was thinking that man was capable of anything that didn't benefit himself and his ruthless ambition.

"Very well, I shall look after you and keep you safe for your friend. It would be good for him to be in my debt. You need to move fast and do as I tell you, something if you are indeed a... friend... of Gisborne you are used to doing."