A Diamond Among Men

Chapter 3: Apples

Snow blinked away the remains of her dream and woke up to the sun streaming through the cracks of her tent. She glanced around the small space in confusion. Normally she was used to opening spaces, either in her grand chamber at the palace or in recent times, sleeping under the trees. Slowly but surely she remembered making a deal with Robin Hood and was given a tent asleep in. “A very small tent.” She muttered. Thankfully she was short than average, or her feet would be out in the cold. She was wearing nothing but her worn out stockings and snow white chemise. Since sleeping in her ball gown was impractical. The gown itself was folded neatly by her head, torn and filthy. Beside it was a pair of men’s pants, boots and a large shirt that was relatively clean. She picked it up, it was soft to the touch. She brought it up to her nose and sniff, it smelled like fresh pine and a very faint scent of beer. She scrunched her nose in disgust and put it back.

On her knees, she crawled over to the entrance and pulled back the flap. She squinted her eyes to cut the sun’s glare to see some of the men already around the fire pit. One of them she recognized as the little boy whom she met at the bush. Another was very tall and didn’t know him very much but the last one she recognized. The one who she pulled her sword too. She dropped the flaps and allowed the darkness to come over her. Except for a small crack of light between the flaps. She looked back at the clothes that were given to her. Why were they given to her anyway? She did nothing but threaten them, and yet they were nice enough to give her clothes and a place to sleep. She sniffed the air.

Beside the crisp smell of the forest, she could smell something sweet.  Some thing her nose had a hard time identifying Her stomach growled. She had not eaten in two days, except for a few berries she managed to find. She eyed the clothes than her dress. She sighed. “It’s better than nothing. She put on the clothes. Rummaging through her dress she found her small pouch that contained her jewelry was still there. It seems she could trust them. Yet again, as she stepped out into the sunshine, she glanced her sword resting in the corner. Would she need it again? Her stomach growled, louder than before. She decided to risk it.

    Snow walked over to the fire pit. The men were laughing. In their hands was around the fruit. It's shiny, red coat caught her eye and instantly Snow’s chest tightened and her fingers trembled.

“What are you doing?” She demanded. They looked up at her. William spoke first.

“Would you like an apple, Miss Snow?” Snow face paled and she backed away.

“Get that thing far from me.” She snapped.

    “You don’t like apples, Miss Snow?” He said biting the apple. She sniffed.

    “How dare you eat the forbidden fruit. My fa- I mean, King Madias banned the growing of all apples years ago.” William shrugged.

“It's just a fruit, it Isn't like it's hurting anyone.” Snow swallowed a gasp as she remembered what her father told her all those years go. Besides telling her how the bite of an apple would send her into a cursed state of death like sleep, she was never to tell anyone about her weakness in case someone wanted to take over the throne. Because of this curse that was put onto her as a baby, all apple trees were burned down.

Except for one as Willam and the others, all had their own apples in their hands. Snow shook her head.

“Sorry, I guess I should have known outlaws like yourselves would violate the King’s law.

“Who's law?” Said Robin. Her host was walking over, trailed by (insert name of other men).Strapped across his back was his quiver, filled with fresh arrows.

“King Madias.” Snow answered him. Robin's voice saddened.

“Yes, he was a good king,” his eyes darkened. “ much better than his brother King John.” He said. He shook his head and his face brightened.

“Shall we get going? We have a lot of things to do.”

“Like what?” Snow wondered. “Stealing?” Robin scoffed.

“You say we are thieves, but I assure you, every young man here is an honorable man of dignity, Miss Snow.”

Snow rolled her eyes.

“If you say so.”

At Robin's command, everyone  packed up the campsite and jumped onto their horses. Robin extended his hand to Snow. "Ready to go to London's port?"  Snow nodded and took his hand. Robin helped her onto the saddle first then hopped on and grabbed the reins.

"I hope you had some thing to eat, Miss Snow because we won't stop until sundown at the outskirts of the city." He said. Snow inwardly groaned, hoping her empty stomach will be able to handle it.

With Robin at the lead, they traveled through the dense forest and rugged terrain. At sundown they left the shelter of the trees and walked into the exposed farmlands. A head of them there was a barn. Robin hopped off. "Stay here," he said. He picked William and Kai to follow him and Snow watched the three of them slip across the field like fleeting shadows. The sky was fully dark when they returned. "We can stay here for the night." He said to the rest of them.

After tying up the horses, they enter the mostly empty barn. Mice squeaked at their arrival and skirted away. Snow's nose wrinkled at the damp smell. She  has been in barns before, but never did she have to sleep in one. The men instantly went for the hay bundles and made a bed for themselves. Snow turned at a light tap on her shoulder. It was Robin. “Follow me, I know where you can sleep. He said. Snow followed him into a separate room into where the stalls where. In one of them, there was a huge pile of hay. On top of it was her blanket.

“Thankyou.” She said. Robin turned to leave, but Snow stopped him.

“Why are you being nice to me? After all I did pulled a sword on your men.” Robin’s face darkened. Snow instantly regretted asking.

“Yes you did.”He said. “However, you have something I want.”

Snow sighed. “The jewels.”

“Yes, the jewels. The same jewels you promise to give to me once I drop you off at the port.” Snow glanced at her boots. Robin snorted and turned to leave. “See you in the morning.” Robin paused by the door.Once he left, Snow collasped onto her makeshift bed and tried to fall asleep, convincing herself that her mother’s jewels were worth the trouble. Soon, Snow would board a ship and will be sailing towards her mother’s home country, Germany.