Will and Scarlett (undergoing rewrites)

The Bet

I later found out that I was in a sort of village. By sort of I meant that all of the men in the village were outlaws. Some of their families, like Fanny, came with them. Some were fathers, and grandfathers, wanted for poaching deer, or stealing bread to feed their families. There were even several boys.. The men knew if they got caught, they would lose a hand for their crimes, or worse, so they lived in the forest. 

It didn't take long for me to become part of the village. John and Fanny took me in. They already had three kids by then, all under four years old, and Fanny was pregnant again. Their oldest was Wulf. Fanny taught me how to make a blanket for myself, and I slept near the children on the ground. It took me a while to get used to it, but my new life meant too much to me to give it up because I was too spoiled. 

We walked back to our camp with Robin. By the time we got there, it was almost dark. The rest of the gang was there already. They were gathered in the clearing around a fire. "Guys!" I called out. They looked up, nodding at us. When they spotted Robin, they stood up. 

"Who the bloody 'ell is that?" Much asked. Much was a walking warning of what happened to outlaws who got caught. He had a stub on one arm. He was my age when he lost his hand to the Sheriff. That was before we all left the village, but that's a whole other story. Much was almost thirty, and very good with people. Usually.

"My names Robin of Locksley," Robin answered, nodding at the other man.

"We don' hold wiff titles 'ere." Allan said, crossing his arms. Allan was Will's age, and had two moods; cross or flirty. Being in the middle of the forest most of the time wasn't good for one of those, since I was the only girl.   I rolled my eyes and leaned against one of the trees. 

"Sorry bout that then. I'm Robin." Robin didn't seem shaken, just sat down on a log near the fire. 

"The cross one is Allan, the one who got caught by the sheriff is Much, and the one who hasn't spoken is Jack," I said. I looked around, letting my eyes adjust after staring at the fire for too long. "Wulf?" I called out, and not five seconds later, John's son landed on the ground. He loved the trees. 

"Hey Scar," he grinned. "Dad, that's the fella that killed six of the sheriffs men today!"  I looked at the eleven year old. 

"What?? Where were you today?" John asked him.

"Killing a deer..." Wulf realized his mistake. "They came after me, but he saved me!" 

"Wulf, how many times..." John sighed.  "Thank you Robin. I suppose i owe you for saving my son." Robin shook his head with a smile. 

"Don't worry about it." 

I loved to play with John's children. But more than that, I liked watching the boys, mostly teenagers, who had made their own bows. They created targets out of straw in the shape of a man and saw who could "kill" it. They made their own arrows as well, and they were always loud, cheering and booing, depending on each lads result. They fascinated me, but I'd always known girls couldn't fight, so I just watched. Until I realized if I wanted revenge on the sheriff, I would need to know. 

So the next time the boys were out, I went over to them. "Can I try?" I asked timidly. Most of them laughed. An eight year old girl wanting to shoot did seem ridiculous. The bows were almost as big as I was. But I was determined, so I didn't move away. 

Finally one of them said "Come here." I looked at him, unsure. He looked serious, holding his hand out. He didn't look as old as the rest of them, and he wasn't. He was eleven. So I took a deep breath and went to him. "I'm Will," he said. "Will Ferrer."

"I'm Scarlett." I answered quietly, my hands shaking a little.

The next two hours Robin spent telling stories of the Holy Land while we all listened intently. We wanted to know what our King was doing while we were home and starving. We wanted to know if it was worth it. 

When he finished, John started to tell him about our lives. He told him how when the Sheriffs men discovered the outlaw's village, they burnt it to the ground. He told Robin how we escaped to the forest, and everyone we loved went back to living in a real village. The rest of the gang told their own stories.

"So now you just live out here. Stealing from anyone that comes across that river. What do you do with what you get?" Robin asked us. 

"Scar brings it to Locksley to sell, and then the money to our families." Much answered. I winced as Robin looked to me, hidden in the shadow of the tree.

Will ignored his friends as he helped me. He was tall for his age, and I was short for mine. It must've looked comical as he showed me how to pull back on the bow, how to aim and release. He stayed patient as I failed over and over, and the other boys laughed. Eventually they got bored and left. I had to stop after less than an hour, my arm aching.

The next morning I left the hut and almost tripped over a bow. Much smaller than Will's. I grinned and picked it up, looking around for who had made it, but no one was there. I put it inside and went about my daily routine. 

When I had time, I decided to go further into the forest, where none of the boys would find me to laugh, taking my new bow and several arrows with me. I used an arrow tip to draw a target on a wide tree, and shot, over and over. I would shot my arrows, most of them missing by feet, and then retrieve them, and do it all again. I did that for weeks, until I could hit the tree. It was as if the arrows marched themselves from the edge of the tree, and finally closer to the middle. One day I heard a crack, and turned quickly. Will was leaning on a tree, smiling. 

"You're getting good," he said, walking over to me. I grinned and put the bow down. Now I knew who it was. I hugged him tight around the middle, grinning.

"Thank you." I whispered. He nodded against the top of my head. 

"I'm glad you like it."

"I love it."

"Well what's your story?" he asked me. His tone was light, but I could see the look in his eye. He knew it couldn't be anything good, and he must've thought if I was a girl, it must've been even worse, since girls aren't as strong as men. At least they don't think so. 

"I don't have one," I answered shortly.

"One girl in a gang of men, living in the middle of a forest, stealing from nobles that ride through? I don't believe one word of it," Robin said, his tone challenging. 

I came out of the shadows, just looking at him. "How about we make a bet?" 

He raised his eyebrows, looking interested. Good. "Alright..."

"If I can guess when you left for the Holy Land within six months, then you leave me alone about my past." I figured this would work. He didn't know me, and only Will and John knew anything about my past.

Will shot me a look of disapproval that I ignored, and Robin nodded. "Deal."

I smirked and closed my eyes, thinking. I was six the first time I met him. I remembered he left a few months later. That meant that I was seven when he left. Sixteen minus seven... "Nine years," I said with confidence. I opened my eyes to look him in the eye. He was pale and didn't say anything. "I win," I said softly and stood. I walked away, going to the hut I shared with Will. I laid down and listened. I could hear the murmur of their voices, and then footsteps as Will came in the hut. 

"Scar, why did you do that?" he asked, sitting on the sea of blankets next to me. I cuddled close to him.

"I didn't want to tell him." I whispered, rubbing my forearms until he covered my hands with a sigh. 

"Okay. Maybe someday you will though."

I shook my head and buried my face against his chest. My body relaxed against him and I closed my eyes. He didn't question me any more, but held me until I fell asleep.