"Esme!" I heard my father shout as I sighed, rolling my eyes, and fixing my black boots before I headed downstairs. Once he saw me, ready to go riding, my hair pulled away in a high bun, he sighed at me.

"You can't keep visiting Locksley" He informed as I shrugged.

"I have five years to catch up on father, I haven’t been there since Robin left to go to the Hol…" I began before my father cut me off.

"I know. But if you go there too much, people will start asking questions" He hissed afraid that he would be overheard. I sighed, I did know he was right as I walked over to him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Then I'll say I wanted to visit Sir Guy" I smiled as he shook his head at me chuckling, knowing I would never do it. I kissed his forehead before I ran to the stables, where my father's horse had been prepared, as I mounted and rode off. The breeze against my soft skin as I smiled, I loved the feeling of being free. I was riding to Locksley, because I wanted to visit Dan and his sons.

As I rode in I stopped outside Dan's house, tying my horses reigns to the wooden fence as Dan came out smiling and overjoyed. I smiled and ran up to him as he gave me a tight hug laughing. I saw Luke walk out cautiously from his house as I frowned slightly, wondering where Will could have been. Luke looked ready as if to be leaving, which I guess if a very wise choice.

"Thank you" Dan kept whispering happily as we drew apart.

"You should be thanking Robin. I am glad that your boys are safe Dan" I smiled as I patted his shoulder, as he smiled and took me into their house. It was the same like I remembered five years ago, simple and yet comforting.

"You tried, that's enough for me to thank you for." Dan smiled as I saw Luke disappear somewhere as I turned to Dan.

"Your leaving?" I asked sadly as he just nodded.

"I must. Luke and I will return someday. But for now I guess it's safe for us to be far away from Locksley" He told me as I nodded sadly agreeing with him. The Sheriff would hang Luke again if he knew he was still here in Locksley. I suddenly heard the sound of hooves, as I gasped. I glanced out from the gaps in the wood to see the Sheriff, Guy and his men coming towards Locksley.

"You must leave. Now" I told Dan as he tried to protest but I ensured he got out safely.

"I have come to visit Robin of Locksley, but find him not at home. Perhaps one of you would like to inform me of his whereabouts. He and I need to have a little chat, a conversation. Nobody knows, nobody knows. Then, there is a reward. Shall we say…20 pounds? And then all of a sudden somebody does know." The Sheriff announced as I saw people being dragged into the square, and the Sheriff was waving a bag full of money.

"Loosen your tongues or lose your tongues." I heard Guy shout out as I flinched from where I was hiding, at his sudden forcefulness of words. I watched as Guy's gaze drew over the people of Locksley, I notice his eyes paused at where my horse was currently waiting. I held my breath before he looked back at the people. I hoped he didn't know it was mine.

"Cut out his tongue. One an hour until somebody talks." The Sheriff announced, as two guards came forward and grabbed hold of a man. I looked away as they cut his tongue out with him crying out. I noticed the Sheriff sitting in a fancy chair that must have been brought from Locksley Manor, as that sickly smirk ran across his face.

I crept towards my horse where I grabbed my black cloak that I always had kept in a small bag on the saddle. I slipped it on, and drew the hood, pausing hoping I wasn't noticed. My horse neighed as I patted his nose trying to make him quiet, before I quickly mounted my horse and rode.

"After Him!" I heard the Sheriff cry out as I felt my pulse quicken. I glanced over my shoulder to see just Guy riding on his horse after me as I gasped and urged my horse to go faster. I knew I was in trouble, as I came to a crossing, either the rode or into Sherwood forest. I gulped, I hadn't been in that forest since I was a girl. I knew I wouldn't like this as I urged my horse towards the forest.

I could hear the neighing of Guy's horse behind me, as I kept my eyes focused on what was in front of me. All the lush green scenery was like a blur to my eyes as I kept riding past. I quickly glanced back to see the blur of Guy coming towards me. I turned my eyes back to the rode to gasp as I saw a man in front of my horse, as my horse frightened threw his front legs up, sending me tumbling.

I felt myself rolling down a rather steep hill, until I stopped landed on my back. My body stiff as I groaned. My head pounded as I clutched my head, only to pull back to see a drop of blood on my finger. I closed my eyes forgetting about Guy, and stayed lying on my back before I heard footsteps coming towards me, as I opened my eyes to see a serious looking Guy.

"What are you doing out here Esme?" He questioned as I just sighed, and held my head with squinted eyes adjusting to the light.

"Enjoying the fresh air?" I joked as he smirked, before offering me a hand as I accepted and got to my feet, only to feel slightly light headed as I stumbled, to feel his strong arms around my waist to support me.

"I'm alright" I told him as I knew he was looking at me worried.

"You're not alright Esme" He whispered as I could feel his warm breath on my forehead as I felt my blood pumping faster. I glanced up cautious to see how close he was as I took a step back to see hurt flash in his eyes.

"You're bleeding" He told me as he took a step forward, his glove carefully grazing on the small cut on the side of my head as I winced.

"It's just a cut" I whispered not looking at him, as I turned away.

"I know why you were in Locksley" He muttered strongly as my head snapped up looking at him in the face, as I was greeted with his emotionless stern face. I glanced over his shoulder to see the same man who I saw before. He stood their smirking with his yellow stained teeth. I knew him, that man lived in my nightmares, out to haunt me. I let out a small gasp horrified, taking a step back as Guy frowned and turned round, as he disappeared.

"What is it?" He asked worried as I shook my head biting my lip, before I gave a weak smile.

"I should be heading home" I told him as he sighed, before we walked towards his horse where I noticed stood beside was my father's brown horse, making me smile slightly. I mounted as he looked up at me worried.

"Thank Sir Guy" I told him as he sighed and smiled weakly before he moved out of the way, I was about to urge my horse forward before I stopped. I could tell he was watching me, as I felt his gaze on me before I sighed and looked down at him.

"Would do me the honor of guiding me out of the woods" I asked as I saw a spark ignite in his eyes as he smirked, and mounted his own horse as we slowly made our way through the forest. It was quiet between us as we soon came back to the crossing.

"What will you tell the Sheriff?" I asked him as he smirked raising an eyebrow before glancing in the direction of Locksley. He gave a small chuckle as I just frowned at him.

"What is so funny?" I asked as he looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes which made me uneasy.

"Nothing. I should be heading back. Lady Esme" He nodded his head to me before he started galloping off in the direction of Locksley, I just turned my horses reigns and rode home, I didn't want to witness the Sheriff cutting out more tongues…..

*************

Back in Locksley, Guy yawned as he leant against the chair, with a chalice of wine in his hand. The Sheriff sat looking at the peasants bored. Everyone was bored waiting for the second hour to be up. The people of Locksley had no idea where Robin was, and were scared they would be the next ones to lose their tongues.

"Tick tock, tick tock." The Sheriff muttered annoyed and bored, how nothing was being done. He glanced at his silver chalice looking inside at his wine, and taking another gulp, as Guy had to hide his second yawn from being bored.

"Have I told you that I can’t taste wine? Not the best. Of course, but I don’t have the palate for it." The Sheriff boasted as Guy rolled his eyes knowing he had heard this story from the Sheriff a thousand times over, as the Sheriff dumps the rest of wine out of his chalice. Many of the peasants looked at the spilled wine in thirst, wondering how he could waste such a thing. He held it up as Guy annoyed grabbed it out of his hands waiting for the people to talk.

The Sheriff was angry that Gisborne had returned to him with nobody, and Guy just explained how it was some old man trying t escape. Guy also lied saying he had dealt with the matter which made the Sheriff smile slightly thinking that Guy had actually killed him. Guy wished he could have stayed longer in the forest with Esme, just the two of them.

He was bored stiff, and he knew that she had visited Dan Scarlett, though he was nowhere to be found. He let it slide, not involving the Sheriff as he knew it would only get Esme into trouble, and he didn't want to risk it. It his mind he tried to think it was nothing important, she was merely visiting an old friend of hers, even if it was a peasant which made him snarl.

Back at Locksley Manor, soldiers were placing Sir Guy's things back into the Manor, as he would now be the master of Locksley Manor. A servant woman was horrified to see two soldiers carrying in Sir Guy's possessions as she tried to stop them.

"This is unacceptable! The master will…when this dispute is resolved, Robin will return. He will." She snapped as the two soldiers looked at her then each other laughing.

"Robin. He’ll never be master of anywhere now." One soldier chuckled as they went to grab the next chest from the wagon to be taken into Guy's chambers.

"Master of Sherwood maybe." The other chuckled as they began coming up with names for Robin chuckling as they continued.

"Robin of the Wood." One suggested as the other soldier snickered at the name.

"I like that. Robin of the Wood." He agreed.

"Robin Wood." They both laughed as they lifted the heavy chest and began to slowly take it indoors.

"Guy would like that." The soldier spoke as they both nodded in agreement.

"You should tell him."

"You tell him."

"I’m not going to tell him." The argued as the other soldier froze confused on why the other refused to tell him.

"Why not?" He questioned as they started making their way up the steps.

"He might not like it." The other stated obviously as the Bell begins to ring signaling another hour has past, as Guy back out in the square sighed. He wanted this to be over and done with.

 "Another hour. This is not necessary. Where is Robin? Talk! He will never be your master again. You need have no fear of reprisals from him. I’m your master now…for good." Guy questioned as the Sheriff jumped when Guy shouted out 'Talk!', he glared at Guy before looking back at the people once more. No one said anything for they didn’t know anything as they hung their heads down. The Sheriff rose from his seat as he walked to and fro amongst the peasants.

"It is unfortunate. Man goes to war, ‘t his spirit can be damaged, his, his vision blurred, his understanding of law and order, this is what has happened to Robin. I have heard that there are camps in the Holy Land where men are taught to hate their own land, to return home to wreak havoc and destruction. Maybe this is what has happened to Robin. We don’t know; but what we do know is that, by his actions in Nottingham, your former master, he did not as some of the romantics amongst you might believe, strike a blow for freedom. Make no mistake about it. He perverted the course of justice, and in so doing, he attacked the very fabric of our state, hmm? The state that we all work for, the state that we all pay our taxes for. He would rob us of that. Of our taxes, of our hard work. Another tongue, I suppose." The Sheriff finished his little speech, very persuasive as he sighed like he meant he cared before he sat back down.

Guy nodded his head as two more guards grabbed the next victim to lose their tongue, which happened to be a woman. Alice. A mother, and also Little John's wife, who was currently holding Robin to hand him in for the twenty pounds.  

"No, no, no, nahh!" Alice cried out as from the shadows John saw them grabbing Alice and preparing her to have her tongue cut out as he gasped and looked horrified.

"No. No!" He whimpered as Much who was tied up, on the same rope as Robin, Will and Allen looked disgusted as the soldiers grabbed the scissors to prepare to cut out her tongue.

"That is nasty. And that is brutish." Much grimaced not really caring as he didn't know her as John looked heartbroken. "That is Alice!"

"Alice?" Much asked confused, as if he had missed something.

"My wife." John quickly spoke.

"You’re Alice’s John? She thought you were dead." Will questioned as he looked up at John. He remembered Alice, she was a very kind woman in the village, and her son was always well behaved.

"It’s you they want, be gone now, agh!" John snapped angrily, as he swung Robin over his shoulders ready to give him up, he didn’t care if the Sheriff noticed him, and got hung.

"You can’t they’ll arrest you! You’ll hang!" Roy exclaimed as John hesitated, he looked desperate.

There is no time! I can save your wife. Put me down." Robin convinced him as John did what he asked quickly placing him back on the ground.

"Untie me. My bow, quickly. I am good with a bow." Robin instructed as John hesitated, looking towards his wife, who was about to have her tongue cut out before he let Robin go. Just before the soldiers are about to cut off Alice’s tongue, one arrow knocks the scissors out of guard’s hand. This made the Sheriff shoot up from his seat, and made Guy draw his sword, the second arrow was sent and shot skillfully through the scissors breaking them in half.

"He’s here. Find him." The Sheriff commanded Guy. Robin hops over a fence and starts to approach the crowd, as Much looked horrified that Robin was giving himself up, knowing that Robin would be hanged.

"Good scheme, Sheriff! Very effective. Impressive logic. Now, I wonder, if I tell you where I am, can I claim the 20 pounds? That would be a pound or so for each family here. Eat a whole winter off that." Robin smirked as he walked through the crowd, his bow slung over his bow as he chuckled. Every member in the crowd looked at Robin thankful yet sad for.

"Amusing. Uh, put down your weapon, you’re surrounded." The Sheriff smirked.

"I’m Guy of Gisborne, the new lord of this manor, and soon to be Earl of Huntington. Your presence here is no longer required. Put down your weapon." Guy chuckled using Robin's own words against him as Robin pulled back his empty string as it makes a slapping sound, as Guy flinches. Robin chuckled at his satisfaction before throwing his bow to the ground, and letting himself get tied up to the back of Guy's horse. One of the soldiers slapped Robin, and sent to his knees as he just rubbed his cheek slightly.

"That was a cruel game to play." Robin muttered to the Sheriff.

"Game? You don’t understand. You do not play games with me. (Robin chuckles) You made a mistake in Nottingham, hmm? Trying to be the peasants’ hero." The Sheriff slapped Robin with his glove as he snickered.

"Well why don’t you be the peasants’ hero and show me how it’s done?" Robin teased as the Sheriff growled at Robin.

"Aw. Shall we have a meeting in the morning to discuss it? A clue: no. In the morning, you shall hang." The Sheriff announced as Guy urged his horse forward, sending Robin onto his stomach, being dragged covered in dust before he is able to get to his feet and starts walking after Guy, since he is attached to his horse.

"Aw. All hope lost?" The Sheriff teased the peasants from their sad faces, as he chuckled and smirked to see Robin caught and heading to Nottingham Castle…..