My father had headed home, as I made my way through the castle. The sound of dogs barking on a large scale made me curious as I saw Guy standing observing the courtyard which were now filled with men and their hunting dogs.

"Sir Guy." I spoke softly, but he heard me as he turned his head with a smirk, as he stood with his arms folded over his chest.

"Esme." He greeted as I stood by his side and looked down at all the dogs, feeling sorry for Robin and how he is about to be chased like a wild animal.

" All these dogs for one man?" I inquired as Guy sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, it’s my idea. The Master at Arms would have us do nothing." He sneered at the title Master at Arms, since he hated De Fourtnoy. I looked at him innocently.

"You are in competition?"I asked as he smirked and looked at me for a moment.

"He’s a little man, promoted to far. Anyone would make a better master at arms." He expressed his opinion as I must admit I had to agree with him.

"Politics. Even when my father was the sheriff, I could not grasp the intricacies. He sent me here, by the way. He thinks it is safer with a killer on the loose." I told him as I looked up at him as he looked down at me.

"You say “killer.” You do not think it is Hood?" Guy questioned as I took in a deep breath.

"Whoever it is, he thought it would be safer here in the castle." I replied as Guy didn't look at me as he looked out at the barking dogs.

"No, that’s not permitted." Guy informed me seriously as I kept looking at him. I felt slightly sad about that and I have no idea why I would be sad not to stay in this castle.

"Oh." I responded as Guy sighed deeply beside me before he looked at me.

"I will talk to the sheriff." He whispered as I smiled at him.

"Thank you, Sir Guy." I smiled as he smiled at me in return a true smile. What scared me on the inside was that I thought he was handsome and that I liked to smile at him. I mentally slapped myself. I saw the smile wipe from Guy's face as I followed his sight and saw De Fourtnoy looking away from one of the upper corridors and disappearing as I shuddered.

"Not to be rude, but I hate the way he looks at you" Guy muttered as I gulped slightly.

"I hate it too. Make me feel very uncomfortable" I admitted as he smirked, as I gave a small smile before he had to address his men, waiting.

"Right, I want a line sweeping south through the forest. Let’s show De Fourtnoy how to hunt down Robin Hood. With these dogs, he will run." Guy instructed with his stern voice as I made my way deeper inside the castle.

I spent majority of my time enjoying walking randomly around the castle, even if I walk down the same hall four times over and over something always catches my interest, I had done extremely well to prevent myself from running into De Fourtnoy, the nasty sick man. I was happily in my thoughts until the bells began to ring as I raced down the halls.

"This has nothing to do with Robin Hood! Now you lock down this castle. You tell Gisborne to scrap the dogs and find the killer!" I heard the Sheriff shout out as I hide behind a pillar listening. Obviously there has been another attack. I watched from behind the stone pillar De Fourtnoy closing the doors to the Sheriff's room, before they opened back again and the Sheriff poked his head out with the look that he obviously had when he had an idea.

"Stop! You tell Gisborne to double the dogs." The Sheriff hissed as I listened intently.

"But my lord, I thought you said it could not be Hood." De Fourtnoy asked him confused on what the Sheriff wanted him to do.

"Two words, “Mud sticks,” Hood’s already been blamed for one death, let’s blame him for two. Let Gisborne have his hunt. Meanwhile, you find out who’s really responsible for this." The Sheriff shouted annoyed before he slammed the door on De Fourtnoy's face. I covered my mouth to prevent a chuckle as De Fourtnoy bowed at the closed door and left down the west corridor.

I watched as the Sheriff walked around the castle simply surrounded by guards. You could see he was not pleased, as he was guided towards his room. Slipping into the shadows I stood outside his door listening, hoping to get something to pass back to Robin.

"What is going on? I am hiding in my own castle. I cannot move in my own castle. Get out. Get out! Get out!" The Sheriff shouted out as I saw him push out his guards. The door shut behind them as I groaned and brushed a stray strand of hair behind my ears. Quietly I quickly moved to where I know is one secret passage way that leads straight into the Sheriff's room.

I found myself standing behind one on the tapestries as I just leant against the cold wall and listened to the conversation between De Fourtnoy and the Sheriff. I could have moved the eyes so that I could see into the room, but I wasn't going to risk it today.

"Yes, my lord." De Fourtnoy answered as it went silent. I cursed mentally, had I missed the entire conversation already?

"Good. Do you think…two deaths are enough, hmm? To get them to really…turn against him, the rebel, hmm? If we’re going to blame Hood, let’s do it properly. What do you think, hmm? I think maybe…a few more deaths’d be interesting. You know, pretty deaths, not just boys, but pretty deaths." The Sheriff spoke as I heard the door opening and closing, knowing the conversation is over I quickly escaped from the passageway. Pretty deaths? Oh dear I really don’t like the sound of this.

As I was walking through one of the hallways, two soldiers started following me around. I sighed, but knew that it must be for my own safety, after just hearing the Sheriff talk to De Fourtnoy about a few more deaths. It made me slightly glad to have the extra protection. We were walking towards the courtyard as I past a servant cleaning golden goblets. She smiled as I smiled and nodded to her then kept walking. I heard a sudden scream as I ran towards her, to see she had been shot in the side.

"Guards!" I shouted out as they all started running drawing their swords.

"Quickly! The clockface!" One shouted out before I felt rather nervous. I moved out of their way as they checked the poor girl only to find that she is dead as I bit my bottom lip.

"Lady Esme. Come over here, please." De Fourtnoy told me as he tried to drag me away as I retched my hand from his. I didn’t trust him, I didn’t before and I definitely don’t now not after overhearing that conversation with the Sheriff.

"How could this happen? I thought you had the castle locked down?" I hissed at him as he gulped before another sound of a whizzing arrow filled the air, as I felt the blade of the arrow scratch my right hand side. I let out a painful cry as I fell to the floor, my hands pressing against the wound. Luckily the arrow just grazed my skin, but it really hurt.

"LADY ESME!" I heard De Fourtnoy shout out as my fingers went slightly sticky. Before my vision went slightly black…..

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

Two more servants have been shot around the castle as Guy comes down the stairs to the great hall in the castle, furious with how De Fourtnoy could let the killings happen. However he didn't know that Esme had been shot at. De Fourtnoy had gotten into a lot of trouble by the Sheriff when the Sheriff found out about the attack of Esme. He threatened to kill De Fourtnoy.

"What is going on here? Three people have been killed under your nose." Guy snapped at De Fourtnoy who kept a plain face, obviously not really caring. As the Sheriff sat in his seat in the great hall still very angry with the mistake De Fourtnoy had carried out.

"Well, that is unfortunate." De Fourtnoy replied simply.

"It’s incompetent!" Guy growled loudly as De Fourtnoy just glared at Guy.

"And what have you achieved. You found some food, the remnants of a picnic, but Robin Hood, no!" De Fourtnoy sneered as Guy's hand rested on the hilt of his sword ready to cut out this man's tongue.

"At least I found something, which is more than can be said for you!" Guy shouted over him.

"When you said there’s nothing, you would…"

"Shut up! A couple of women! Grow up." The Sheriff shouted over them as a servant hands the Sheriff a goblet. Guy was unsure slightly of where Esme was, as he sighed angrily still glaring at De Fourtnoy. With the three men bickering towards each other, they hadn't noticed a tired looking Esme leaning in the doorway. She was no longer wearing a dress, but now wearing the usual black pants, white top and black boots.

Her right side had been heavily bandaged for no reason on her behalf, and she had escaped from her quarters since she hated being trapped like some useless animal.

"Forgive me, all these killings, they are attributed to Robin Hood, but what proof is there? There were no witnesses. How could he have moved about the castle unchallenged by your guards? And you yourself must’ve been there moments before the maid was killed." Esme spoke as all men turned their heads towards her. Guy immediately noticed how pale she looked and was worried for her health.

"That I cannot recall." De Fourtnoy responded simply, but before anyone else could say a word about her going back to bed and resting she spoke once again.

"And from one point of view, the killings have been useful, no? given you the chance to shine?" Esme questioned as the Sheriff frowned. De Fourtnoy just stood stiff as Guy worried for Esme.

"Lady Esme, you should be resting" De Fourtnoy stated trying to put the subject onto her.

"Gisborne, see to that Esme stays rested. I want this killer found especially after the attack on Lady Esme!" He shouted angrily. Esme could see that the Sheriff was really furious with De Fourtnoy for attacking her. Guy was angry and shocked that any harm had come to her whilst he had been gone hunting for Robin Hood.

"Attacked?" Guy asked furious as Esme sighed. The Sheriff just jerked his head in Esme's direction as Guy guided Esme back to her room.

"Esme, why are you out of bed, if you are wounded" He pleaded her as she turned round to face him annoyed.

"I don't like to be chained or trapped like an animal" She hissed before she sighed.

"I'm sorry that was rude of me" she apologized as he sighed and took her back to her room. Guy opened the door for her like a gentleman, as she smiled softly and walked in, as he shut the door behind her. Guy noticed that Esme didn’t even touch her bed she went straight to her window and just stared out of it.

"Esme, you should rest" He told her as she sighed and hung her head before turning round to him.

"I'm not tired" She lied, and he knew she was lying. The bags under her eyes had gotten worse ever since the day they had rode out from Sherwood forest. He hesitantly walked up towards her, as rested his hand on her cheek. Surprisingly she didn't flinch or move away which made Guy happy and frightened Esme.

"Rest. Please" He whispered to her as she hesitated before nodding, Guy smiled softly before he left letting Esme be alone. Meanwhile back in the Great Hall the Sheriff was circling De Fourtnoy very close to breaking his temper.

"d she see you?" He questioned annoyed as De Fourtnoy showed no emotion.

"She’s guessing, my lord. She’s a girl." De Fourtnoy replied simply as the Sheriff glared at him before making his way back to his room. Once he had left De Fourtnoy alone, he let out the breath he was holding and loosened his shirt around his neck slightly and rubbed his sweaty palms against his legs before he left the Great Hall.