Beautiful Lily

Sherwood forest

A hooded figure took cover in the darkness of the trees. Nightfall always made a good companion for the cloaked man. He stared at the building before him reading the layout of the castle; just two guards carrying torches making their rounds. A light flickered on within the tower closest to him. The man threaded his head through his bow and looked carefully at the guards. Timing and patience. Always take those extra seconds, he thought to himself. The camouflaged man waited patiently for the guards to pass. They were too involved in the noise of their own conversation to notice a hooded man dart behind them. He dashed into the clearing and made his way to the tower. He inconspicuously crept up the building, using exposed brick and stone to propel him up. He focused carefully on one limb at a time, placing a hand or a foot meticulously on each rock. His steady breathing helped keep him calm and collected, warily looking and feeling for any unstable stone.

He reached the top in a matter of minutes and approached the window's opening cautiously. The skillful wall-climber glanced into the dimly lit room and scanned for any unintended guests. Seeing that the coast was clear, he lifted himself into the room and immediately began searching the drawers for something precious. Empty.

"I told you, Robin," said a beautiful maiden just beyond the veil, she entered the room and bravely stepped toward the hooded stranger, "eventually there would be nothing else left for you to steal in this room."

Robin Hood removed his hood, smirked and replied, "Ah, but you see my dear Maid Marian, I've one last treasure to steal..." he stepped slickly toward Maid Marian who was grinning playfully back at him. He smoothly wrapped his arms around her and their willing lips met for a kiss, "...I've come to steal your heart. Come with me Marian, tonight."

"I've told you Robin! That dirty rat for a Sheriff has me hostage. As long as he thinks he has me, he'll let the people in my village live in peace," Marian groaned out of disgust for the Sheriff. "The worst part is, he's been stealing money, manipulating and torturing my people to display whatever power he thinks he has to look good in front of our tyrant king."

"Well, I don't live by any king, and it sounds like the Sheriff is getting the better end of that deal you made with him. Why not expose him for the belligerent fool that he is?"

"What do you propose?"

"You see, I know a thing or two about these authoritative royalty types. What they don't understand is that in order to have power, one must gain the respect of its people. It's through the masses that a leader can have the power to usurp even a king. I've seen it done! You have that power Marian, because you have the respect of your village," Marian was listening, but still had a perplexed and doubtful look on her face. Robin continued, "So... in order to take away the Sheriff's power, take away the people he supposedly has power over. Your people, Marian. Convince your village to evacuate to Sherwood Forest tonight. There'll be such a quick unanticipated vacuum of power that the Sheriff will be on his arse faster than you can say 'diamond'."

"A whole village?" Marian said hopelessly, separating herself from him. "Robin, we were barely surviving as it was. I was ransacking the royal kitchens and giving them to Friar Tuck to disperse, but even still that wasn't enough."

Robin Hood puffed up his chest and confidently smiled at her, "There's a saying, amongst us Forest Folk, 'Be grateful for what you've got and make the most of what you have.' And it's true, it's a good motto. But I'm not gonna lie, we've seen some dark times and we've been pushed, but that has only forced us to become... well, let's just say, creative."

"You mean steal."

"No more than what you've been doing down in the Royal kitchens." Robin walked over to the window and straddled the ledge. He threw out his hand to her, gesturing for her to take it, "Come with me Marian! Let's escape your ghastly prison and save your people."