Hello Old Friend

3

It wasn't difficult for Alex to sneak past the gate of Nottingham Castle. She was nothing more than a shadow. One by one, her men were awoken and given orders to ride for 3 days north, as far and as fast as they could. Alex said that she would join them after she took care of things here. They were to ride with their colors. And not stop for any reason. Fight if they must, but take care. She would see them soon.

In the morning light, her knights were gone and Alexandria d'Auvergne found a place to hide while the sun stayed in the sky. If this was to be the last honorable act she did for King Richard, so be it. She had no quarrels with God.

From her hiding place, she saw Gisborne and his fury. The urge to smile was hard to keep at bay, but Alex managed. Her long lost love was angered and she was thrilled with that. Something was going on, and what she knew not. Vaisey, the Sherriff, was on a dais before the people. Sir Guy was seated next to him with a woman on his left. Interesting, the woman did not seem to care much for Guy. She merely was there because she had to be. That couldn't be his betrothed could it?

Alex's eyes widened slightly, four men to be hanged for something a slap on the wrists would be more apropos. Silent curses were uttered. The nobility seemed to welcome the show. Slowly, Alex started to slide out of hiding. There was no way that she could permit this.

Without warning she was grabbed from behind and hand sealed over her mouth. "It's Robin." He whispered. "Do not get into the middle of this. This one is OUR fight my friend." Alex nodded.

Robin somehow disappeared before she could realize where he came from and then where he went. Everything moved so fast that it was a blur. The men to be hanged were freed by arrows flying everywhere. Guy and Vaisey were screaming for their men to get Robin.

Skirting her hiding place, Alex shimmed up onto the roof of one of the stalls. A bale of hay lifted with her, and with a quick spark of flit and stone, she kicked the flaming hay down on top of the guards. She fired at Vaisey's men. There was always an arrow in the air when the next flew from her bowstring.

Jumping down, Alex rolled and ran. She was almost out when an arrow sliced into her bicep making her fall. Saying nothing, a mere grunt of pain when Alex rolled to her feet again. Running for a new hiding place, the arrow was caught on something and it spun. What little was in her stomach threatened to come up when she realized what had happened.

Sir Guy of Gisborne stood there. His hand on the shaft of the arrow, he pulled fast. The arrow was yanked back through the flesh making the wound far worse. Without warning, Alex threw up on his boots.

"You might need to have those blacked again Gisborne." Rising to her full height, she was as tall as he. Spitting the leftover bile in his face, she didn't see the fist crashing against the side of her head, rendering Alexandria d'Auvergne unconscious.

Hours later, Alexandria woke in the castle dungeons. Cursing at how her head hurt, she checked herself over. Clothing was still intact, even her head covering. Of course, all of her weapons were gone. She wasn't surprised. Spitting, to clear the awful taste out of her mouth, she rose to her feet.

The ugly little man that apparently was her jailer tried speaking to Alex. She ignored him. Apparently, Gisborne had not told anyone her secret. No one seemed to realize she was female. At least there was that.

Alex sat in a corner of the cell. Her back was to the bricks. Arms rested on knee tops while eyes were closed.

"Wakey wakey 'ickle slavey." The jailer spoke while running something along the bars of the cage.

"I'm not asleep moron." Alex didn't move.

"Ohhhhhhh a tough one are ya?"

The singsong voice of this thing, he could hardly be called a person, was annoying. Once again, Alex ignored the male creature. She sat still. One would think she was dead, if they weren't paying attention. In the jailer's frustration, he opened the door to her cell.