1 | master of arms [gisborne]

Eight

The night was dark, only a little bit of the full moon shining through the holes of the cave. Tuck sat on a rock with a book in his hands, while Robin and Linda slept peacefully, back to back against one another. Turning to a page with the chart of moons and eclipses, Tuck stopped reading.

"Maybe there is a way," he whispered.

Fiddling through his pocket, Tuck grabbed the object he was looking for. The ring was small, silver in fact, with a purple gem placed in the middle. Looking from the ring to Robin he closed the book and put the ring back in his pocket.

"Forgive me, Robin. Forgive me, Linda," said Tuck. Then he snuck out of the cave.

*****

Guy lied on top of the table, eyes wide open. He still had his black attire on, and he was clutching the small now empty pouch, Linda's pouch, against his chest. He didn't move as the figure entered the building, and he didn't speak when a cross was hovering over his face, upside down based on Guy's view.

"Sir Guy, look at me," said the figure. "Look at me."

"So tired," he whispered. "Every time I close my eyes, they come."

"They?" the figure asked, and Guy was not surprised when he came face to face with the same person from the river at Sherwood when he crouched. The Man of God.

"Demons," Guy replied. "Clawing at my brain. How can I get some peace?" The last part came out as a whisper.

"To find peace, there must be a reckoning," answered the Holy Man.

"A reckoning?" Guy was confused now.

"There are outlaws, still on the loose," said the man.

"No," whispered Guy. "Without Hood, they're lost. It's only a matter of time before there're caught."

"What it is that haunts you, my son?" asked the Man of God, putting his hands on Guy's head.

"The fear," he whimpered in a whispery tone. "The fear that my enemy isn't dead, that he's out there somewhere, watching... waiting. Waiting to kill me like he killed Linda. And..." he trailed off. "The fear that I am right about her fate. That she is not alive. That she was taken from me."

"Well, then I can help you, about the outlaw I mean," said the Man of God. "Robin Hood is no more. He was buried last night in secret."

Guy immediately burst off of the table and shoved the man into the wall, not giving a damn if the man he was about to hurt was part of the Holy Spirit or not.

"Trust me," said his hostage. "His friends will meet today at Dead Man's Crossing. You can take them there."

Guy eased his hold. "Thank you," he said. "Thank you..." Guy started to go back and walk up the stairs, but he stopped. Drawing his sword, he brought it to the man'a neck. "But if you lie, you die." Then he released his grip.

Too tired to go up the stairs, Guy returned back to the table. The man crouched down again, and asked, "About Linda, may you describe her to me, but in more detail?"

Guy smiled to himself. "She's the most beautiful creature you could lay eyes on," he whispered. "Bright green eyes that sparkle, even in the darkest of times, for they are full of wonder and excitement. Perfect dark brown hair, and it flows in the wind like a perfect river. Red-pink lips, the color of her heart: Pure. And her face... it's soft. She reminds me of a flower: So easy to break, yet so strong. And... and she gives me hope."

The man nodded. "I have seen someone like that cross by me once," he said.

Guy chuckled, no humor in his voice. "She is like an angel, so far away from me..."