The Sheriff's Daughter

Part 2

The morning light shines through the small window at the top corner of the cell. My eyes ache from the crying and my body shakes from the cold. I hear the sounds of boots coming towards the door so I move away and sit on the small ledge, waiting for my father and Guy to arrive. My upper arm bruised from Guy's grip. My head shoots towards the door when it swings open. My father steps in with a sickly sweet smile. "I assume  you have thought about what you did?" he doesn't give me a chance to answer before he claps his hands together. "Wonderful! Go to your chamber and get ready for the entertainment," he leaves the cell and walks away. As usual he doesn't stop or look behind me to see if I'm following. I silently walk to my room not making eye contact with anyone, not even the maids who bow respectfully to me. My personal maid Maria waits for me in my chamber. As soon as I get in there she pulls me into a hug, as I sob in her shoulder. She became my mother figure when my own died. She gets me bathed and dressed quickly, for what my father would call 'entertainment' before he throws a fit for me taking to long. 

When I walk out my chambers,  I walk straight to the courtyard. Upon arrival I see Robin and Much. Robin walks towards me smiling. But I just walk away quickly avoiding eye contact, when I look back at Robin he has a sad concerned look on his face. I quickly step back into the castle looking for my father, as I have to be by his side for his 'entrance'.

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The castle doors open to a fanfare as me, my father, Gisborne,Canon Richard, and some nobles walk out and line up onthe steps. Robin despondently looks up at them. My father stops halfway down the stairs, with me a step behind him. Robin trudges to meet us there. "Lords! Ladies! People of Nottingham!" Robin takes his place between my father and Gisborne, I look up to see Marian and Edward, her father, watch solemnly from the cloister. "We are gathered here today to witness the carrying out ofjustice in the name of God and King Richard. Bring out the prisoners!" my father smiles in anticipation.Everyone turns to their left to watch the Jailer lead Will, Luke and two other men, all with their hands tied behindtheir backs, down the side stairs to the gallows my father continues his speech as they walk. "Robin of Locksley, Earl of Huntingdon, having recentlyreturned from the Holy War with a personal commendationfrom the King himself." One of the men tries to make a break for it, but is pulled back by thejailer's assistant. He's handsome with a slight scruff of a beard. "Will read the proclamation." My fathers words make my head snap to him, he has made me do this many times as punishment for questioning him and I know that he is making Robin do this to punish him. "Father, please don't make him do this," I say quietly as he hands the scroll to Robin, who roughly takes it. My father raises his hand to silence me.

 "Enjoy." His grin makes me feel sick.  The man who tried to escape is pulled up onto the platform by the assistant, followedby the boys. "Oh, and, er, no second thoughts, Locksley,or your friend Much will be dropping in on us as ourspecial guest today." My father says quietly for Robin, so quiet I almost miss it. I look up at the battlements where Much is beingheld bent over near the edge. Robin looks up at his servantand his shoulders fall, frustrated at himself not realisingMuch was missing. My father smiles in wicked satisfaction.The boys stand bravely as their sentence isread. "Let it be heard and knownabout the lands and realms of Richard, His Majesty,King of England, that on this, the twenty-sixth day ofApril, in the year of our Lord eleven hundred andninety-two, the following men, having been tried underlaw and found guilty: Benedict Giddens of Locksley,Will Scarlett of Locksley, Luke Scarlett of Locksley,Allan A Dale of Locksley. These same men havebeen sentenced to hang by a rope until they are dead."