Loxley

Audition

     "ROBIN!!" Yeah that's me, Robin. And that shrill voice is the sheriff, he doesn't like it when I take from the prince. Spoiled brat if you ask me. Ever since the king passed away he's been taxing heavily on the towns people, if this goes on they'll have nothing left. So, every once in awhile I take back what rightfully belongs to the people. I don't like to call it stealing, but that's exactly what it is. It's stealing, but it's also the only way the people are able to afford anything, otherwise the entire kingdom would be in poverty.

     Now the sheriff knows it's me, everyone knows it's my men and I that steal back the money, but he can't prove it and no one in town will testify against me because they want their money back. They're grateful for what my men and I do for them. They don't care for the prince, much less the sheriff. Now if you ask me, the prince is greedy, he cares only for himself. Poor thing knows nothing about basic economics, but why should he! He's royalty! He doesn't need to know anything because it's all handed to him! It bothers me so I even out the playing field for the rest of us.

     I got to the edge of the woods where my merry men await, "We've done it again boys! Now, to give back, Much, you go on ahead and tell everyone we're on our way. Little John, you take the south quarter. Will, my darling nephew, take the east. Arthur, stay back and make sure we're not followed. Stutely, start scouting the next raid. Alan, you take the north. Gilbert, take the west. We'll regroup at nightfall at friar Tucks." they all nod and we go our separate ways.

     I begin my walk back to town when get this weird feeling that I'm being watched, I know better than to take this lightly, it could be the sheriff. Treading carefully I continue on, I get quite a ways into the woods and away from the other men before the watcher makes themselves known. Jumping in front of me with little to no sound is a masked figure with a sword. "Now now, this isn't a fair fight. You brought a sword to a bow fight." I smirk pulling out my bow and arrow. Luckily for me I kept my hood up and my mask on. I don't want to reveal myself to a stranger.

     They lunged at me and I narrowly avoided getting stabbed in the stomach. Dodging a couple more stabs, I swiftly blocked the sword with my arrow jumping back and bounced back and forth on my heels. They're good, really good. Moving swiftly and almost elegant, not many move this way. If they survive this fight I might ask them to join my merry men. After putting enough distance between us I pulled my arrow back, took a deep breath in and let it go. The head of the arrow hit the blade of the sword, blocking it effectively. One after the other, they got closer and closer until the sword was at my neck, "Looks like you're out of arrows."

     I laugh, "Every closed eye is not sleeping, and every open eye is not seeing." the look of confusion in their eye told me to make my next move, I brought out my last arrow and blocked the sword and pushed it out of their hands, dropping it to the ground. I picked it up before they could.

     "Now," I nod, "the mask and hood. Take them off." I point the sword at their neck stopping them from running away. Slowly they lift their hand to their head pulling the hood back revealing short, curly, red hair. I was shocked to say the least. They pulled off the mask to reveal beautifully soft and delicate features. She took my breath away.

     "What's your name darling?" I ask lowering the sword.

     "Marian." She states, head held high.

     "And why did you ambush me?" I hum raising the sword to her chest.

     "Call it an audition." she smirked slowly moving the sword from her chest with one finger and crossing her arms.

     A smirk finds its way to my lips, "An audition for what exactly?"

     "Why to be one of your merry men of course."

     "Is that right?" she nods. "Very well then, follow me, we have a meeting to get to Marian." I smile at her. We walk to friar Tucks as I ask more questions about Marian trying to get to know my new recruit a bit more. Just before we got out of the woods I stopped her, "Put the hood and mask back on," she didn't argue. Walking through the town everyone cheered and clapped upon seeing us. Once we get in front of friar Tucks I turn to her again, "Wait here until I call for you." she nods.

     Walking in all my men are there waiting along with the friar, "Good news boys, we have a new addition to our outlaw family." I smile opening the door for Marian. She walks in and the boys cheer for her and clap. She smiles and turns to me. "Alright boys, hoods down, masks off, let introductions begin and we'll speak of what's next."

     After everyone got settled, I began introductions, "Boys, this is Marian," I say watching their jaws drop one by one. "Marian, this is, Little John, my second in command, Much, the miller's son, Will Scarlet, my nephew, Arthur a Bland, David of Doncaster, Will Stutely, Alan-a-Dale, Gilbert Whitehand, and last but certainly not least, the great friar, Tuck here is our clergy, he makes sure all our math is correct when we return the money to the people." I smile pointing to every man. She turns to me, "And I," I pause to take my hood and mask off, "am Hood, Robin Hood." I smile at her shocked face.

     "You- your- a-"

     "A woman yes." I smile at her.