The Eternal Shadow

Chapter 63

LXIII

"Today is the day."

Two men.

One mantra.

Winchester said it, but Smythe could not help but smile as he heard it.

"Today is the day I settle all old scores."

They were deep in the forest now, Smythe had gotten the last known location of the outlaws from Gisborne's men and had mobilized the guards directly. They'd waited for Winchester to finish addressing the people of Nottingham before departing for enemy territory.

They were not making good time.

The reason for this lay with Winchester. Or to be more specific, the frequent stops their leader had to make along the way. When it came to determination and grit, the elder man could not be faulted, were it not for his err... physical shortcomings. Smythe had noticed straight away that he was injured and asked him about it, but a peculiar vanity on the lord's part meant that instead of answers, all he received were curt orders to drop the subject. Smythe did as he was told, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the more Winchester hobbled and winced, cursing under his breath and adjusting his breeches.

"Perhaps we should postpone."

"No. There will be no delay."

"But you are hardly in any state to..."

"No! I am fine!"

"Clearly, you are not."

"I will not have that man deny me my due. I am going to be here to watch when the rats come scurrying out of their hidey-holes and nothing will stand in my way. Do you understand?"

Smythe nodded and pressed the subject no further. This remark was merely the confirmation of that which he'd suspected. He'd planted a seed in saving Winchester's life and this was what it had grown into. Revenge was nothing if not predictable.

He bowed to his master before commanding the men to search the cave. The entrance was well hidden which caused confusion in the ranks, but Smythe patiently showed the way (another tip courtesy of Gisborne's men, who'd come to learn of it during their most recent standoff against the outlaws). He'd found it whilst scouting up ahead during one of the breaks, before returning to the sheriff, who was leaning against a tree and fumbling with his crotch in a very un-sheriff-like manner.

"You should ready yourself. If they are hiding here, it will not be long before the men flush them out." Smythe advised and Winchester nodded in agreement, gritting his teeth and wincing as he took position a few metres from the mouth of the cave. Smythe continued his circuit of the surrounding terrain, listening intently for any disturbance.

"Today is the day" Winchester whispered once more...

and sank to his knees.

*

The arrow had hit him clean in the shoulder.

Silent.

Swift.

The first he'd known of it was the white hot sensation as it pierced his flesh.

"Outlaws!"

It was Smythe yelling, but Winchester hardly registered it as another arrow joined the first, this time in his chest, jolting his body backwards. His shield dropped to the floor with not a scratch on it and had he been able to think, he would've quickly realised his fatal mistake: he'd held it too low - unconsciously protecting the most vulnerable part of him, i.e. the part that had been wounded that morning. Had he possessed a sense of humour and been lucid enough to call upon it, he might have found it amusing that his earlier injury was no longer a problem by this point. As it was, he was having a job doing anything other than palpitating and breathing. Indeed, he was lucky to be upright - his position on his knees was the only reason for this, otherwise he would've long since collapsed.