A Diamond Among Men

Chapter 12: One Chance

After a week of recovering, Snow was allowed to leave. So she mounted onto her horse and rode to the new camp on the farm. The only evidence of her incident was a cut that sliced her temple and part of her left eyebrow. During that week, she felt out of place in the cozy cottage, longing for home. Which was strange, as her real home was taken over by an evil lady who wanted her head, while the home she wanted to go back to was the makeshift camp in the middle of the forest, surrounded by men who were a far cry from her court back at in the castle. As a princess, she never would imagine her home was in the den of thieves.

As she slowed her stallion to a light trot, she spotted Robin outside with a big piece of paper in his lap. At her arrival, he looked up and his face brightened. She smiled as he jumped off. 

She guided her horse as she walked into the barn with Robin close behind her. "Welcome back Snow." 

"Thanks." Snow said as she locked her horse into his stall. She turned to face him. "How is everyone?" 

"Everyone is good, they missed you." He said with a tender look in his eye. Them or you? She almost said but bit it back. As much as she loved when he smiled at her, feeling her heart expand at the sight at him, he always felt cold to her and sometimes not willing to open up as much, so she didn't want to force him and so she kept her distance.  

Robin took her on a tour of their new home. It wasn't much, something Snow expected.  But they did take everything from the camp and made them useful.  They also gave Snow her own space like the last time they were there. Something Snow was very grateful for.  

Suddenly it came to her that on the tour, she only saw empty rooms. "Where is everyone?" 

"They are going to see if anyone are still willing to join us on our new plan. He scratched the back of his neck embarassly. "We haven't got any good luck so far." 

"So what is your plan?' His face reddened. 

"Storming into the castle is a lot harder than we thought." Snow nodded with understanding. She herself knew how hard it is. With its imperative walls and guards on every floor, getting into the castle is harder than trying to escape it, yet she managed and so will they." 

"There is a weak spot, " snow said remembering the night she broke out. "The kitchen is the least supervised as that is where the servants work. If we can get inside the kitchen, we can take over the castle floor by floor." Robin's face was crestfallen, opposite to the determined face she expected." 

"But there are no doors to the kitchen from the outside." A small grin tugged at her lips. Robin frowned. 

"What?" 

"I never said doors." At Robin confused face, Snow sighed. "Sewers, Robin. There are a bunch of underground roads under the castle." 

"And you know this how?" She crossed her arms and scoffed. 

"How do you think I escape that witch?" 

That night the men returned with no success. Everyone they knew was not willing to help a second time, due to the unfair punishment of no food for winter. Something Snow was personally ticked off about. While they planned on how to take over the castle, Snow created a to-do list. 

1. Take over the castle

2. Grant the poor free food

3.? She looked up at Robin who was currently speaking about her idea of the sewers. She could tell him how she felt, but it wouldn't matter if he didn't want her. A sickly sense of unease came over her, a feeling she was familiar with and rather hated. For the most part, she had a clear direction in life. She was going to be queen, no matter if her aunt chased her out if they faced a setback, she was going to reclaim her throne and make her mother and father proud.