A Diamond Among Men

Chapter 4: Discovered

The next morning, Snow wandered into the main room to see the little boy named Jon still there, while everyone else was gone.

"Where is everyone?" She asked him.  Jon answered.

"They went to the city."

"Why leave us behind?"

"They are looking for Robin's old freind Hector. They will be back soon." Sure enoough, an hour later, Robin and the rest, returned with Hector. Hector was an lanky, young man. When he saw her he whistled.

"So this is the beauty who has the famous jewels you were talking about?" Snow frowned.

"This beauty also knows her way around a sword, so watch what you say." Hector lifted his palms up.

"Of course!"

Robin turned to her. "Hector is a friend of mine, someone who has a large carriage. He has allowed us to ride in them so no one won't suspect us and take us to the port." Robin explained. Snow nodded. "Very well, lets go then."

They boarded the carriage and with Hector as the driver, they rolled out from the abandoned farm towards the city.

The city was noisy. Cattle were bleating, carriages were rattling and people were prattling. The air was stuffy in the carriages especilly when they were packed with no space to breathe. Finally, the carriage came to a stop and they came out. Instantly the salty smell of the sea reached her nose and Snow took a deep breath. Ships were docked along with the port, the smell of fish was all around her. Snow glanced around, a small crowd started circling them. A group of women and children who were nothing but bones and rags. This sight forced Snow to stop. The crowd as sullen eyes with dark rings around them. For the most part, their eyes were dim and hollow until they saw Robin and their eyes lighted up in delight. One of the children ran and jumped into Robin's arms. The thief laughed and ruffled her head.

"Robinhood! You are back!"

"Of course I am back, Sue." He said. "I also have something for you and your family." He said. He took out a small pouch and showed the girl. The girl squealed in delight. She took the pouch and ran towards her mother who gave Robin a grateful smile. "Thanks to you, my family can have something to eat tonight." Snow's heart sank. They were starving. Even though Snow didn't eat anything in the past few days, she was offered an  apple and decided not to eat it. She had a choice. She always had a choice. Ever since she lived in the palace, she could eat whatever she wanted, she could have everything that came to her mind, while people here had nothing but the rags they wore. She watched by the carriage as Robin began handing more bags of money to the crowd until there was none left.

Snow finally understood, they were not thieves, people who steal for gain, they were good men, sheep in wolf clothing.  She walked over to Robin.

"Is this why you needed the jewels?" Robin smiled.

"Not the thief you thought?"

"No." She said. Snow pulled out her bag that had her jewels and stared at them. They were her mother's jewels, the last thing her mother gave her before she died and handed them to Robin.

"Here, a deal is a deal." Robin chuckled.

"Why don't you give it to one of them?" He said. "I don't need it."

Snow glanced among the happy crowd was a old man who didn't get a bag. She approached the man handing out the bag of jewels. The old man's eyes widened.

"Here, take them, you need it more than I do." She offered. The old man didn't take it, instead he pointed a bony finger.

"I know you." He said. Snow frowned.