I want to thank tragicallyinlove for the amazing cover :) I love it. Enjoy the next chapter sorry for keeping you all waiting

Loveyourtalent x

- Chapter 44 -

It's show time! The great hall is well lit by countless candles and well decorated. Men and ladies of the court and other characters of pleasure strolled around tables and cheered or groaned to their success or failure. I was dressed in a black gown too tight and revealing for my comfort but I knew that after tonight I will burn these gowns. I watched as the Count’s men carry the money chest into the Hall.

"Put it here." The Count instructed to his men as they put the chest on a table by a small iron door in a pillar. As he stood by it I casually walked over to him as we dismissed his men so they could get into position as they bowed before leaving.

"There. The money you lose tonight goes into that. It connects directly to the strong room below. Now once it’s in there—" I informed pointing to the small door in the wall where the money would go before the Count interrupted me.

"Ja, ja, I know. Our outlaw friends will steal it back for me. It seems unfair. No gambler likes to lose, even on purpose." He pouted as I chuckled.

"Well, if you win, the Sheriff will never let you leave Nottingham alive." I teased though my message gave a strict warning as he reconsidered the thought and muttered in agreement. He led me to the craps table where I sighed slightly still not seeing any sign of the Sheriff or Guy.

"Now play as long as you can." I whispered as he nodded.

"Take your time. And then, when we get the signal, start losing." We smirked to each other before he carelessly threw the dice. Winning obviously as I stayed by his side bored but also slightly nervous. My nerves were put at ease slightly when I saw the Sheriff enter the room as I saw him eyeing the Count's money before making his way in our direction.

"Count Friedrich. Fortune awaits. Good luck." He chuckled as the Count is stacking chips on the rail at the end of the craps table.

"Lady Esme is my good luck charm for this evening." The Count flirted as I flinched slightly with a forced smile. Even though he seemed nice enough for being a friend. Hearing him flirt carelessly still made me wince as the Sheriff smirked at me as I gave a deep sigh. The Count tosses the dice carelessly while looking at the Sheriff. I watched them as they finished on a 4 and a 3.

"The Count wins!" He smirked as I gave his forearm a slightly squeeze in support. This kept going for at least another hour into the night as the Count kept on winning. I could see the Sheriff getting annoyed by the luck the Count had as I watched them from the corner of my eye. To say I was relieved when I saw Djaq coming down the stairs was an understatement. I watched as she takes a pitcher from the small table base of the stairs nodding to me eagerly as I smirk.

"They’re in. Better start losing." I whisper as the Count looks at the dice and tosses them carelessly. Guy and the Sheriff walk slowly towards the Count’s back as the Count grimaces.

"If that’s the way he loses, you might have to use your contingency plan sooner than expected." I heard Guy behind me as I gulped slightly. Unfortunately the Count was having no luck losing as I bit my bottom lip. Time is running out as Djaq came to fill up my goblet.

"Esme." She urgently whispered.

"We have to start losing." I warned to the Count as he grumbled.

"I’m doing my best." He hissed under his breath annoyed to why he was still winning.

"Time is running out." I warned as I soon gave the Count the look. We had a plan B and we needed to put it into action otherwise we will never lose.

"Sheriff, let us make things interesting.. Everything I have against the entire contents of your strong room. As we say in Bavaria, “Das letzte Hemd hat keine Taschen.” The Count challenged as I saw the Sheriff take a step towards the Count with the corners of the his mouth twitching as he looks around. Even I was confused though when the Count spoke German as the Sheriff and the crowd is silent as none understands what it was he said.

"You cannot take it with you. Sheriff, what do you say? It’s only money." He translated as everyone laughed before falling silent as I saw the Sheriff pause at the challenge. Only money! In the Sheriff's eyes money means the world as I scoffed slightly.

"I agree." He finally spoke as I let out my breath that I didn't know I was holding as the crowd applaud.

"It’s such a... momentous game. Might I suggest....... a change of dice." The Sheriff spoke as I was nervous at first but now I know we will lose I slightly smile inward.

"As you wish." The Count speaks pretending to be an idiot as I chuckled. He did a very good job at pretending I will give him that. A man holds out new black dice as both the Sheriff and the Count reach for them, and the Sheriff lets the Count take them. I watched closely at the Count as he inspected the dice at first before smiling and closing them into his hand.

"Excellent!" The Count cheers as the Sheriff steps back from the table slightly causing me to smile slightly as the nobles around the table gladly place their bets.

"Ho-ho." The Count cried out as he tosses the dice carelessly: 1 and 1. Snake eyes.

"The house wins!" The crowd groans in disappointment. On the inside I was smiling brightly as I look at the Count, who pretends to be stupidly disappointed.

"Lady Esme... You have brought me nothing but bad luck. Your attentions are no longer welcome! Auf wiedersehen!" He feigned his anger as I kept in a chuckle as he winks at me when his back is to the Sheriff and Guy before storming away.

The Sheriff feigns a sad face, before then clicking his fingers at the soldiers and points to the Count’s money chest, indicating they should get it. I turn my back to both the Sheriff and Guy but angle my body slightly so I can watch them money as I could hear movements behind me. Probably Guy stepping closer.

"Excellent. The war chest has doubled in one night." I heard the Sheriff chuckle towards Guy as I watched in the corner of my eye as the soldiers opened the vault door and began pouring in the coins.

"Well done, Esme. It wasn't so hard, was it?" Guy sneered behind me as I felt my smile drop from my face and pain etched across my face. I wasn't going to hide it, I didn't care anymore, and the game was over as I turned to face him. I saw the confusion wipe his smirk away as I looked at him broken hearted before leaving in a separate direction. I heard him sigh deeply but what I wasn't expecting was the sound of his boots to follow as I tried to pick up my pace.

"Esme, the others are getting ready" Djaq informed as she noticed that Guy wasn't far behind.

"I'll be there as soon as I can" I whispered as she vanished.

"Esme!" He called out once again as I swear his pace picked up though I refused to turn around as I felt his leather grip capture my forearm as I was turned around to face him, my back pressed against the wall as he looked confused and slightly hurt.

"Congratulations, you and the Sheriff got what you wanted, but I will no longer be a piece of your game to be thrown around as you wish" I whispered bitterly and upset as I went to leave only to have him gently push me back as I refused to look at him in the eye.

"You're not a piece to a game" He whispered as I turned back to glare as I felt tears bubble up slightly.

"Then what do you call throwing me to the Count? I'm not meat, a possession to pass on when you or the Sheriff feel like it!" I snapped upset like a child as I saw his eyes flash with pain and anger.

"Esme" He warned with a growl though it was silenced when a bell began tolling throughout the castle making him freeze before growling.

"No!" He hissed before running down in a separate direction. I took a few deep steady breaths and wiped a fallen tear before running down to the courtyard where I noticed the gang was dressed up as the Count's servants and loading the money in bags into his coach. Robin is waiting outside the coach with the Count as they both turn to see me coming down the stairs. Robin is about to hop onto the back as a footman when he smiled brightly and distracted in my direction as I chuckled.

"Esme. Look at you!" He smiled winking as I chuckled watching as he jumps up onto the back of the coach. I quickly walk up to the Count standing by the coach door, I was going to miss him, and he was a good friend. He made the castle bearable at times, since Guy wasn't on good terms with me now.

"You must be careful. If I can see the friendship between you, so may others." He warned as I chuckled and thanked him for the warning.

"Don’t worry. I crave the danger." We both laughed as I had repeated his own words.

"If you are ever in Bavaria, I remain, my lady, your servant, your booby.... and your friend." He smiled kissing my hand and bowing as he quickly joined Much into the coach.

"You’re funny." I laughed.

"You are beautiful." He flirted as I playfully rolled my eyes.

"You are leaving." I told him as I closed the coach door and took a step back and watched it go.

I watched as Will, Allan and Djaq hang onto the sides as Robin and Little John wave from the back and duck under the overhanging portcullis. I linger a moment, then hurries up the steps towards the east corridor, smiling brightly as I went.