- Chapter 55 -

I was dragged harshly down through the castle as we stopped outside a door, in which one of the guards knocked waiting for a response. I gathered this room was Lord Winchester's room, as I tried to look over to Guy for help though he refused to look at me as I could see the conflict in his eyes.

"Enter!" The door opens and I get pushed inside in with shackles on my wrists and ankles, each pair connected by a foot long chain.

"Ah, the icing on my cake. Daddy’s little girl." Winchester chuckles as I saw he was dressed in his black knight robes, putting down a small mirror.

"I will not be treated like this." I snap as I hold up my shackled hands.

"You’re quite right. These handcuffs and leg irons, can they be made a little tighter?" Winchester smirks as I glare in response.

"How dare you!" I hissed bitterly.

"Oh, gag her, for God’s sake. She’s pretty till she talks. To business. Come along!" Winchester threatens as I snarl at him as he turns and walks past me. Glancing back I send a pleading look towards Guy as I saw the distress in his eyes by my situation and the pain he felt before I watch as he turns helplessly away and closes the door. Sighing in indignation I try to pull off the cuffs though that didn't work well.

I probably spent a fair amount of time trying to remove my cuffs as I was unable to reach my dagger before the door opened as I rose to my feet. Winchester strolled in smirking at though he owned the place. Snapping his fingers two guards came on either side of me and dragged me along after him as I winced slightly in the pain and discomfort as I notice we were heading to the courtyard.

I gasp slightly as I see both Robin and Allan are standing in their undershirts on a plank which has been stretched across an enormous vat of black oil in the middle of the courtyard with a fire crackling underneath it. Two guards with halberds stand, one at either end of the plank as I saw Robin slowly nod in one direction as I followed it to see the gang dressed up to be musicians.

A drum roll began as Robin scowls with narrowed eyes at Allan, who warily stares back before a fanfare plays. The young buglers step aside as the Sheriff and Guy come out from the main doors. The Black Knights are sitting on either side of the door and a chair is waiting for the Sheriff in the middle.

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

"Behold the outlaw, eh? The, er... invincible and legendary Robin Hood." The Sheriff chuckled loudly holding his arms out wide. Esme, the cuffs still on her wrists, is standing next to Winchester in the corner of the cloister, watching uneasy. Winchester has a generous plate of cake on the ledge in front of him, a large piece in one hand and a goblet in the other.

"And his friend, Allan A Dale. How fitting then, that these two renegades, these enemies of the law, which make them enemies of good King Richard himself, should provide us with entertainment on this, the day of the King’s birthday, huh?" The Sheriff continued as Robin glares at Allan, who looks warily back at him.

Winchester leans into Esme, who turns her head aside with a grimace. However the Sheriff just chuckles and claps his hands and rubs them together. Robin glares contemptuously at the Sheriff as he speaks his last line.

Thank you, legendary Robin Hood. Now the game is very simple. Fight, or fry! Hm? And of course the winner gets his freedom. Not. Cake!" The informed as he was handed a generous slice of cake. He chuckled as he knew that he would have his double execution today. Robin and Allan each pick up a padded club from his end of the plank. A guard pokes Robin in the buttocks with his halberd. Robin is forced to shuffle towards Allan as Allan is also poked by a halberd.

"You don’t have to do this, Allan. Don’t give them the satisfaction. Even if you do kill me, they won’t let you go." Robin told him quietly.

"Come on, poke him!" The Sheriff shouted out loud beginning to get impatient.

"You know, if you had listened, you might have understood. You should have given me a second chance, Robin." Allan warned as Allan is poked by the halberd. The Sheriff grunts and Robin takes a quick glance, knowing Allan will take the chance. Allan does so and swings his club at Robin’s head. Robin steps back to avoid it. Allan advances and brings down his club, but Robin blocks it with his, one hand on each end of his club. Esme watches anxiously as Robin adjusts his grip to put both hands on the handle and Allan pushes aside Robin’s club, forcing him to catch his balance. Allan comes back, jabbing his handle into Robin’s chest, and Robin takes several steps back along the plank to avoid falling in.

"How did you get to be so low?" Robin hissed disappointed towards his old friend.

"That was always your problem, Robin, so high and mighty, eh? So much better than everyone else." Allan snapped.

"No, just better than you." Robin retorted as he swings at Allan’s shoulder, but Allan steps back. Robin swings again and Allan blocks. Then Robin pushes the club aside and kicks a foot out from under him. Allan catches his balance as he ducks a swing from Robin. The gang watch anxiously as Robin looks as if he will swing at Allan’s feet, but Allan swings first at Robin, who takes a step back. Allan comes back for another swing, stepping towards Robin. Robin blocks it and butts Allan with his club. Allan jumps back, almost falling.

"Careful!" The Sheriff taunts as Allan swings, Robin blocks it low, then twists his club up and around to the other side, pushing Allan’s club with it. Robin swings for Allan’s head and Allan steps back, losing his balance. Robin catches his own balance, sets his feet, ready to go on, then happens to see Esme watching with her shackled wrists, standing next to Winchester, who is leaning into her, enjoying his cake and his power over her.

Robin’s stunned gaze lingers too long and Allan, seeing him distracted, stands up and swings hard. Robin sees Esme’s eyebrows go up in a silent warning and turns his attention back to Allan, pulling his club behind his head to block, but at that odd angle Allan easily knocks it out of his grip and it falls into the oil below as Robin fights to keep his balance.

"Ah! Well, it looks like our little Robin Redbreast is just about to become fried chicken!" The Sheriff laughs maniacally. Robin gets set to fight Allan bare-handed. Allan feigns a jab and Robin flinches, then is poked forward again by the halberd. Much watches his master, helpless to intervene. Esme looks on, worried as Allan feigns another jab.

"Music!" The Sheriff ordered as he motioned towards the band. His eyes fixed on the fight as Much looks up at the Sheriff, then determinedly at Little John.

"I'll give him music." Much hissed as he pulls out a small flute. With a nod from Little John Much puts the flute to his lips as if to play, then turns and blows a dart at the neck of Robin’s guard, who goes down. Much blows a second dart at Allan’s guard, who also goes down as panic starts.

"Outlaws! Get them!" The Sheriff cries out as he throws his cake at the guards. The soldiers begin to gather as Much and Djaq pull their swords from their instruments.

"Charge!" Much roared as Robin takes a quick glance back and sees his guard on the ground. Much, Djaq and Little John jump off the stage and engage the soldiers. Little John butts one with his staff while Robin jumps down from the plank.

"Will!" Robin calls out as Much fights off a guard, swinging his shield at him.

"Robin!" Will shouts out towards Robin as he pulls the harp from a stool on the side of the stage and tosses it at Robin. The unnecessary pieces fly off when Robin catches it turning into his bow.

"Stop him!" The Sheriff cried out as he pointed towards Robin. Djaq ducks a sword and strikes back. Allan jumps off his end of the plank. Will pulls some arrows out and tosses them to Robin. Robin catches them as Little John battles a soldier and Allan gets to his feet. Little John swings his staff, knocking out a guard, and spins round on the follow through, coming face to face with Allan.

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

"John, friends." Allan apologetically spoke to John as he held his hands up slightly in surrender, however the fury in Little John's face frightened me.

"Traitor!" Little John's voice carried out loudly as he punched Allan across the face causing him to stumble to the floor as I wince. I watch as Guy comes down the steps towards Little John causing me stiffen slightly.

"Oi!" He shouted as Little John blocks Gisborne’s sword with his staff. Robin runs up on the stage and Will intercepts the second guard coming from the gate. On the stage, Robin aims an arrow at the vat while holding another along the curve of the bow. Robin shoots and the arrow pierces the vat. Hot oil pours out the hole onto the floor.

"What’s he doing?" The Sheriff called out confused as I saw the second guard jab his sword at Will, who deflects it away with the bow from his fiddle, turning it up and around, then comes back with it, slapping him in the face, causing me to chuckle. Meanwhile, Robin lights another arrow from a sconce on the wall, then nocks it in his bow. I glanced over to the Sheriff with smirk as I watched his face drop as he now realizes Robin’s plan.

"Oh, no." He hisses as Robin draws. Little John waves his bells in Guy's face, distracting him, then butts him in the groin as I heard beside me Winchester hiss as though he felt his pain. I growled if only I could get away from the leech. Robin lets the arrow loose at the spilled oil at the base of the vat and ignites.

"This way!" Robin called out motioning to his gang as Little John, Much and Djaq run past the stage to the other side of the burning oil as the flames spread along the black path between the vat and the stage. They wait safely on the other side of the wall of fire as Guy struggles to his feet.

"Guards!" Guy ordered as two guards charge, but the fire is too intense for them to get through.

"Fire! Fire!" I heard the guards shout out as I continued to watch.

"Let’s go! Let’s go!" Robin shouted out as I kept my eyes on him as the gang run out into the town, but Robin waits a moment, glaring through the flames at Winchester, who is casually sipping from his goblet. I smile brightly at Robin being free as I saw his expression soften as he looked at me. I slowly nodded as Robin finally turns and runs.

"Guards!" Guy shouts out as I watch as Guy watches the gang disappear into town, then goes to the wall and leans against it in pain. Winchester approaches the Sheriff, who is sitting slumped in his chair with his head on his arm.

"Well, you said it’d be entertaining, but that was really something. And once again, gentlemen, it’s a pleasure doing business with you. Bring the girl." Winchester gloats as he turns to both the Sheriff and Guy with a nod of the head, before turning in my direction and pointing towards the guard who begins to drag me away.

"Esme!" I could hear Guy shout out for me as I lost sight of him and I tried to struggle harder, though it did little effect.

"Guy!" I cried out as I struggle with my chains as I am pulled away into the east exterior corridor.

"Esme!" I heard him shout out once more before I am pulled down the main steps and shoved into Winchester's coach. Growling Winchester gets in and sits by me as he just smirks at me like he won a trophy.

"Home!" Winchester shouted out as I sat down tensely looking out the window. I hated this agreement I wished the Sheriff hadn't been such a greedy man, poor Guy; he had tried to save me if only I had left a little earlier! I felt Winchester's hand on my chin forcing me to look at him as I glared darkly.

"Get your hands off me." I hissed slowly.

"Spirit... just like your mother." Winchester smirked as I jerked my head away from his filthy grip. Suddenly the coach stops just inside the clearing as I look out, coolly wondering if Robin is at work. Winchester kicks down the steps and stands on the top one. I let out a sigh to be rid of his horrid company only to snarl at his voice.

"Why have we stopped? It’s you!" I heard him call out as I frowned slightly wondering who it was that he recognized. The voice wasn't clear or loud enough for me to understand the conversation however I saw a figure coming up behind Winchester and tapping him on the shoulder.

"Hm?"

I watched as someone stabbed Winchester making me flinch and retreat back into the coach. I gulped as I watched his body fall to the ground lifeless. I was nervous as the figure drew closer towards the door before I let out a massive sigh of relief.

"Guy!" I whispered never had I been so happy to see him as I slowly got out beside him as he grabbed hold of the keys and began unlocking the cuffs round my wrists.

"You’re safe now, Esme." He smiled comfortingly down at me as I smiled back thankful. Before I pulled him into a tight hug as his hands rested on my waist, though it was only brief.

"Thank you." My voice quiet and my smile disappeared as I turned and looked at the Sheriff, who chuckles, satisfied with his deed. I rubbed my bruised wrists whilst Guy led me to his horse, his hand firmly on my waist, mounting before assisting me as I sat behind him. My arms wrapped around his torso as I felt him take in a deep breath at my touch as I leant my head on his shoulder from behind.

"Sweet. Very sweet." The Sheriff chuckled before dashing off ahead of us with Allan as Guy and I rode quietly and slowly behind them. I bit my lip to suppress a smile on my face as I thought I saw something in the bushes to my right as I turned and met with Robin's eyes in disbelief. I gulped seeing Robin’s anger flares as though he is helpless to intervene. I however wanted him to stay out of it. When we drew away from Robin I glanced at Guy as he turned and glanced at me making me blush. I heard him chuckle deeply, as I buried my face into the back of his neck breathing in the scent of leather and wood and holding on slightly tighter.