The Eternal Shadow

Chapter 48

XLVIII

"This is the King's annual duty to finance his crusade against the heathen, if you can't pay; you go to prison – sheriff's decree: no exceptions, no tolerance."

The villagers of Locksley were in a stupor.

They'd scarcely had time to process the news that yet another tax was being forced upon them before they were attacked by Gisborne's men and imprisoned in carts bound for Nottingham.

Some cursed their infernal luck, most cursed the cruel lord of their village, others stumbled about as if in trance - desperately trying to comprehend how things could've turned out like this, whilst a few sighed in sad acceptance of their fate – dismayed but not surprised at this turn of events.

Whilst the captured villagers were lost to their thoughts, nearby a drama unfolded as Gisborne arrested a cooper.

There was an audible gasp from all present as saracen-style bows were found – everybody knew what that meant.

"Collaborate with outlaws and you will be punished like an outlaw. Take him away!"

It only got worse.

The cooper's boy interfered and Gisborne had him by the hair, "The runt! We must make an example of him..." The boy squirmed in his grasp but Gisborne gave him no quarter, "Take the boy too."

"Leave him alone!"

"He's innocent!"

The protests were in vain. There would be no leniency.

As Alice cried out her son's name, the boy's father could bear it no longer.

Little John had kept out of sight but had seen it all.

He sprang forward to aid his child but Robin held him back. They had no chance against those numbers; any attempt to free him could only end in failure. John had no choice but to accept Robin's reasoning. There would be no letting the boy out of sight though, that much was clear.

As he made his way in the direction of the cart with a protesting Robin in tow, Sir Guy of Gisborne noticed someone retreating in the distance and his blood froze.

Oh God no. Of all the people...

*

"What are you doing here?"

His voice was tight with menace but Francesca would not be cowed by him.

"Watching the performance." She was hiding her anger beneath sarcasm for the moment but it was there alright, burning bright beneath the surface; Guy knew that another confrontation between them was imminent.

"Where are your guards?"

"I gave them time off." She spoke as if it was the most normal thing in the world, a mere trifle.

Guy's temper skyrocketed. "You did what!?" He stalked closer to her, towering over her. "You had no right! Do you care so little for your safety?"

"My safety! From what I've seen, the only people I need worry about are you and your men..." She gestured around her at the carnage in the wake of the arrests, "I mean let's face it, if you won't even spare children, what's one more woman to add to the numbers?"

"Don't be ludicrous." He rolled his eyes at her overdramatic speech but the point she was trying to make had hit home. He moved the focus back to her on purpose, "You shouldn't be here."

"Oh I shouldn't should I? Where should I be? Sitting in my bedchamber at the castle prancing and preening like a good little girl, is that where I should be? Waiting for Winchester to 'deal with the situation here before he hands me over to Prince John!?"