Robyn Hood: Fight For Freedom (4 page)

“Thought so,” Maxine
said in a tiny voice so George wouldn’t elbow him again.

“Please
reconsider your sudden departure, Lady Mary,” George handsomely pleaded, walking up to me. He made a movement, as though to pet Crafty, before he remembered my horse’s temperament.

I considered my options. I could say yes and try to sneak out
again in the days to come… but it wasn’t like I had a plan anyway. My brain was currently occupied with the sole thought of fleeing Nottingham. What would I do when I left the castle? I had my male clothes to change into, but I had no plan beyond that.

“At least stay for the masquerade party in two nights,” George reasoned. He was genuinely upset that I seemed to be so set on leaving.

I sighed and gave in. “Alright,” I smiled. I didn’t really have a choice. Besides, as long as I was careful I could surely avoid Marian, especially if Maxine was under the impression that I wanted to avoid her as much as possible. “I shall stay until your masquerade party, George.”

George’s face split into a grin. “I am very glad to hear that, Lady Mary.”

“We’ll have such fun,” Maxine insisted, coming up on my other side. “And don’t worry about Lady Marian. We shant have any problems avoiding
her
. Sir Guy has been practically glued to her side since her arrival.”

Together George and Maxine herded me back to the stable, assisting me in untacking Crafty. (Maxine chattered at me, saying it was very daring to be leaving in the middle of the night without my dresses and men. Apparently he presumed I had left my clothing behind for my imaginary guards to handle.)

Some minutes later George and I strolled toward the castle, Maxine roaming in front of us, my saddle packs slung over his shoulder.

“I am very glad to hear you were so eager to leave only because of Lady Marian’s arrival,” George announced.

I curiously glanced sideways at him. “Why else would I leave?”

George looked rather uncomfortabl
e. “I thought you might have heard some of the rumors.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Rumors?”

George looked rather cross with himself. “Being a deputy to the Sheriff I hear all the news regarding Robin Hood, and, well, apparently his band of outlaws are in an upheaval.”

“Why?”
I asked, like any good, nosey lady would.

“Supposedly…
Robin Hood has disappeared.”

Around this time I began to wonder if a few of my men were leaking information to the Sheriff. How could George know this? He answered
my question himself, actually.

“They’re getting desperate, his men that is. Will Scarlet
, I mean your cousin, William Gamwell, appeared in the Nottingham’s market today, shouting for Robin Hood at the top of his lungs, unabashedly appearing as one of Robin’s Merry Men. Reports from neighboring villages say that Little John was doing the same in village squares. About three Merry Men accompanied them each time.”

I almost hissed
. The dynamic duo of stupidity was going to get caught, or worse, hung!

“In
both cases they were able to successfully slip away,” George said, sounding disgruntled. “But next time, I assure you, they will not.”

In my mind I so passionately
prayed they would that I didn’t notice some odd feet behind us another couple had taken to following George, Maxine, and I.

It was Marian and that wretched Sir Guy.

And as they trailed after us, Marian studied me, in my lady disguise, with intense blue eyes. “Robyn?” she quietly whispered to herself.

I unknowingly walked in front of her, listening to George’s vows to capture me.

Lord Maxine was true to his word. Each day Maxine, complete with Lord Edward and Lord Elizabeth, would drag me down to the lower part of Nottingham Castle (the markets, the shops, the stalls) during the morning, and would then drag me out for rides in the afternoon.

Marian famously did not rise until noon, and after that her mother usually forcibly paraded her around the castle grounds, usually with a knight or two, like Sir Guy, trailing in their wake like dogs.

I didn’t see Marian once until the night of the masquerade ball, and truth be told I believe Lord Edward enjoyed our excursions to the markets in the morning. He was far more eager and attentive when examining livestock or haggling with a weapons dealer than he was when stuffed in the gardens, chatting about the weather. Lady Elizabeth faired as well as she could. She didn’t like it, but she bore it for Edward’s sake.

The masquerade ball had Elizabeth in a tizzy. She spent the morning getting ready for it, even though Maxine, Edward, and I visited the lower city as was custom for our group.

While in the city I, on the sly, managed to buy a lovely, burgundy mask with little roses sewn into the corners. My dress was the same shade of burgundy, and was one of my few ensembles that I truly enjoyed. The sleeves were long and open with little roses sewn into the cuffs. It was a v-neck, and had pretty veiling over the red skirts.

Lord Maxine was to be my escort for the night. I suspected that George might have bullied him into it, but Maxine was willing enough.

I left my room that evening, meeting Lord Maxine at the stairwell. He admired my cost
ume and mask most beautifully. “You look positively stunning Lady Mary. Or should I refer to you as Lady Rose?” he winked.

Maxine was dressed as a crusader. He wore the white linen tunic with the red cross and the silvery boots and chain mail gloves.

“Thank you, Lord Maxine,” I said, a smile briefly gracing my lips as I fussed with a strand of hair. (I had taken the trouble tonight to pin my hair up.)

Although a large part of me, the peasant part, was excited about
the prospect of attending, I was worried. I would be able to leave Nottingham Castle tomorrow, but I didn’t have a clue what I should do when I left.

Maxine
took my quiet silence in stride and chivalrously led me to feasting hall, where Lady Elizabeth and Lord Edward were waiting for us. Lady Elizabeth looked positively exquisite, dressed in a beautiful white gown that completed her swan disguise. Lord Edward was dressed like a knight from a chess piece.

Lady Elizabeth and I gushed over each other’s dresses, but I fell silent when Marian entered the room, on the arm of Sir Guy of Gisborne.

Marian was wearing a dress that was colored with the muted tones of the forest. She wore soft leather shoes and kid suede gloves that looked suspiciously liked mine. Slung across her back was a rabbit skin quiver, and perched on her head was a brown hat, complete with a pheasant feather.

Marian was dressed as Robin Hood
.

Marian was dressed as me
.

Chapter 3

My Undoing

The crowds murmured and shifted, staring at the lively lass who dared to dress like an outlaw in front of
Prince John
.

The Prince nervously laughed when he saw her, a whining noise, much like the noise Much makes when Will Stutely sits on his head. Marian smiled prettily, looking as unassuming and innocent as possible.

The awkward moment blew over without a problem. It was almost just as well Marian had daringly dressed up as Robin Hood because no one saw the tall, gallant gentlemen who entered the room after her.

Elizabeth
turned away from Marian, eager to lay claim on Edward’s attention. “Shall we dance?” she suggested, gesturing to the dance floor where couples were already spinning.

Edward wordlessly offered his palm.
Elizabeth glowed and took it before the two swept off to the dance floor.

I sourly watched them leave. Dancing was one of the
few things I would never be able to fake. Dancing around the May Pole is one thing. Dancing with nobility is an entirely different matter.

“Do you want to
dance?” Maxine asked me with obvious hesitation and dislike. Apparently I was not alone in my distaste.

“No,” I emphatically replied.

Maxine looked utterly relieved. “Great,” he brightly said before correcting himself. “I mean, w-what a shame,” he sheepishly laughed.

By now I was comfortable enough with Maxine that I would occasionally let my peasant-y-ness get the better of me. A perfect example of this is my next action.

“Man eating fire!” I shouted before hurrying off to stare one of the players.

Maxine
followed and watched me with great amusement as I gazed wide eyed at the players who were hired for tonight’s entertainment. The man had already swallowed the fire, and breathed it out the way a dragon would. He then proceeded to juggle torches, never burning himself on the brilliant flames.

My eyes were practically popping out of my mask ten minutes later when Maxine pulled me away, handing me a goblet of wine.

“They were just about to bring out the trained bear,” I muttered, disappointed.

Maxine laughed, a loud, fun sound.
“I will never tire of your company, Lady Mary,” he roared.

I couldn’t help but grin
in return before I cast my eyes over the crowd and had a heart attack.

Two men were walking together, carefully searching the room. One was a mountain of a man, a
giant
who looked as strong as an ox. The other was tall and limber and carried a sword with the assurance of a man who knew how to use it. They could only be Little John and Will Scarlet.

I wildly twisted a
round, trying to avoid their stares. Marian must have seen me and tattled after all. The snitch.

“Lady Mary, are you well?” Maxine inquired.

“Yes, I’m perfectly fine,” I said as I slowly side stepped until I was hiding behind Maxine’s body. “I just saw some acquaintances I would rather not run into at this moment,” I said as I looked for the nearest exit.

There was no way around it, I would have to leave.
Now
.

To my surprise Maxine grabbed my hands and
swung me out to the dance floor.

“Wh-what are you doing?” I hissed as Maxine twirled me around.

“It’s those two strapping young men who entered after Lady Marian, right? They’ll be less likely to spot you in this whirling mob,” Maxine logically pointed out.

“Thank you, how
ever did you know?” I asked, bumbling on my feet like a hobbled horse.

“Your
facial reaction was pretty obvious when you spotted them,” Maxine dryly said, spinning me in a wild circle.

“Perhaps,” I agreed.

Maxine snorted. “You are much more mysterious, Lady Mary, than I originally thought.”

“What makes you say that?” I asked, nearly ramming into a beautiful girl who was dressed to resemble a fox.

“Because with each passing day you seem to run into more and more acquaintances you would like to avoid,” Maxine said, spinning me into his arms. “Are you an angry woman, Mary?”

“Excuse me?” I sputtered before he swung me away from him again.

“Do you make enemies easily?”

“I never said Marian was my enemy,” I countered, narrowly avoiding a man dressed like a court jester.

Maxine arched an eyebrow while reaching out to grab my waist with his free arm. “You don’t say?” he asked.

“Excuse me,” rumbled a deep voice I
would never be able to misplace. “Could I have this dance?”

I slowly dragged my panicked eyes away from Maxine and settled them on Little John, who was clogging up the flow of the dance while he patiently waited for my response, his hand outstretched.

Maxine opened his mouth to deny Little John’s request while he tugged me backwards, but I moved first.

“Thank you, Lord Maxine, for the lovely dance. I shall
return to you shortly,” I said, pulling my hand out of his grip before transferring it over to Little John’s.

“Are you sure, Lady Mary?” Maxine asked, eyeing Little John.

“Yes. It’s no use, I’ve been caught,” I said with a half-hearted smile before I allowed Little John to pull me away.