Deception

Chapter 60

- Chapter 60 -

When Robin and I made it back to the camp Much and Little John must have been practising, because Much has his sword out and Little John is holding his staff defensively upright. Much notices us returning, smiles and taps his sword against Little John’s buttocks making me chuckle. Little John puts his staff away as I take the bow and quiver from Robin.

"Much, when we were in the Holy Land, do you remember anybody called Lardner?" Robin asked him as I hand off the bows and quiver to Little John, then takes off my cloak.

"No. Why?" He replied confused with where the conversation was heading.

"Because I have to find him." Robin sighs. Briefly glancing around the camp I noticed that Will and Djaq were missing causing me to frown and raise an eyebrow. I noticed that Robin began looking through the rings they had collected maybe for a clue before I noticed Djaq running towards us puffing without Will.

"Robin?" She called out as Robin hastily puts away the sack and turns to Djaq.

"What’s happened?" He asked.

"It’s Gisborne. He’s at Locksley, terrorising the people." She spoke as we gathered round frowning. Why would Guy do that?

"He’s searching for Lardner’s ring." She added as Robin and I look at each other, amazed and concerned. We sat down and listened to Djaq’s story as Robin and I sit on a short ladder used as steps. Robin has his chin in his hand. Much sits on a protruding root, holding a spoon. Little John stands next to him.

"Back home, my uncle had a friend, the Sultan’s official pigeon handler. Now, the Sultan’s very best pigeon, the smallest and quickest one, was a pigeon called Lar’d-nar." Djaq adds as I immediately see the connection.

"Right. Right, does he have a ring? And if he does, what’s so special about it?" I ask as I see the men suddenly grab hold of where this was going. We continued to listen to Djaq as she began telling us about how the pigeons worked.

"But it isn't their home they’re searching for, it is their mate. All you have to do is split the two of them up, and a pigeon will carry a message to the ends of the earth faster and straighter Robin nods, understanding the implication. than any man ever could, just to be with the one they love." Djaq adds with a smile as I was about to say something, but Robin speaks first.

"So we could get a message to King Richard halfway across the world in... in no time at all." Robin smiled brightly.

"A matter of days. My question is, why is the Sultan’s best pigeon being used by King Richard?" Djaq added as I felt sorry for her as I could see both her excitement and her distress with the situation. I could see in her eyes how Djaq fears for her family and friends.

"We have to go back to the tree." I whisper to Robin as he nods as we head our way back into the forest. McLellan would have hidden the birds in the tree to prevent them from being taken by Guy's men. It was our best chance. It didn't take us as long as I thought as we stopped at the base of the tree looking up into its branches as Robin begins to unwound the sheaf of rope slung over his shoulder.

I stood guard at the bottom as Robin, looped his bow over his shoulder and pulls himself up the tree by the rope, bracing his feet on the trunk. He reaches the first big branch and gets a foothold. I stand at the base of the tree, looking up at him, my bow and arrows leaning against it as Robin climbs further to the next conjunction of branches.

"Can you see it?" I call up.

"That’s it, I think." He answered as I watched him climb higher.