- Chapter 79 -

I quickly rode into Nottingham Castle courtyard where I glanced up to see Palmer is sitting in the birdcage on the ground in the middle of the courtyard looking gloomy and uncomfortable. Isabella is clinging to her brother Guy, playing the victim to being robbed to her brother as I saw that Guy was slightly suspicious yet falling for her stupid act. A stable boy came to grab my horse as I ran up the steps and practically flew down the corridors before coming to a halt at the doorway and stood patiently as the Sheriff and Prince John were talking to one another.

"Her brother will be dead before supper, yes?" The Prince clarified as I gulped slightly knowing that I needed to act quickly to protect him and warn him.

"Well, I wouldn't set a place for him myself, sire." The Sheriff chuckled.

"Mm. Have her brought to me." The Prince ordered before he glanced over to see me as he smiled and clicked his fingers before I bowed and went back down to the courtyard where Isabella froze slightly when she saw me and attempted to hide behind her brother.

"Prince John requests your presence in the Great Hall Isabella" I gruffly inform as she straightens her shoulders feeling proud with herself and picking up the base of her dress to make her way inside. Guy went to leave but I quickly catch hold of his arm as he stops and glances down at me as I watch Isabella head out of reach.

"Beware the Sheriff before dinner" I whisper in warning as he gave me a small smirk and nodded before heading off towards his chambers. I followed on after Isabella towards the Great Hall where the Prince was sitting on his throne listening to Isabella as she enacted and recounted her encounter with Robin Hood.

"Then I took the sword in my hand and tugged it from its sheath..." She continued as I stood beside the Prince, watching as she pulled the sword out from the guard's sheath. The nobles all around us gasped at her actions as Prince John looked alarmed and looked to me as I placed my hand on my sword ready to draw it if necessary. Isabella slowly sweeps the sword around, then approaches Prince John. Four guards step forward with their spears, then retreat when they see there is no danger.

"Ooh!" The Prince exclaimed as she slowly drew closer and placed the sword at his throat.

"And I put the sword to the soft part of his throat." She whispered seductively to him as he smiled. I however growled and withdrew my sword as she paled slightly that I had it angled at her ready to strike only to have the Prince wave his hand at me. I placed it back my sheath but withdrew one of my daggers from behind and held it ready.

"And?" he questioned as I watched Isabella step back to the middle of the room.

"Dozens of outlaws appeared from nowhere. And I shouted, "Long live King John!"" She cried out as I rolled my eyes knowing she was exaggerating as Isabella drops the sword and throws back her head and arms.

"Oh, you adorable girl! Everyone leave us!" He exclaimed as Isabella lifts her head upright while the nobles mumble and leave the hall. Isabella turns around, watching Prince John as he stood up clapping at her with delight. He waited until everyone had left and turned to me in my direction as I bowed knowing I had been dismissed, even though it rarely happened. I was exhausted as I made my way towards my chambers.

"You!" I called out as one of the soldier's froze and turned to me bowing slightly.

"Report to me if the Prince summons for me!" I instruct as he nodded and dashed off in the direction I had just come before I made my way towards my chambers. Yawning I removed my mask and placed it on the opposite side of the bed and curled up before closing my eyes and allowing myself to get some rest after a long day.

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

"Come on Esme!" I heard my voice being called as I laughed and turned to see Guy smiling and relaxed. He wore a simple black undershirt and black leather pants before his arms wrapped around my waist pulling me into his chest. I giggled as he trailed kissed up my neck and around my face until finally my lips as I happily sighed melting into his warm embrace.

"Get a room!" I heard Robin laugh, as we broke apart causing me to blush deeply.

"Go bother someone else Hood, we're busy" Guy laughed loudly with a smirk as I playfully slapped his forearm as he stuck out his tongue. Giving him a final kiss I ran over to Robin as he twirled me around and ruffled my hair as I let out a growl.

"ROBIN!" I let out an annoyed cry as both men laughed at me causing me to pout.

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

My dream was shattered by a harsh loud banging on my door as I wiped the sleep from my eyes and let out a growl in acknowledgement. I heard my chamber's door opening as I quickly faced away from the door and ensured that my hood covered my face since my mask was lying on the bed beside me.

"The Prince requests your attendance in the Great Hall" He informed as I waved him off. Quickly adjusting my mask back on I quickly made my way towards the Great Hall where all the nobles were filing in whispering to themselves as I quickly picked up on what was happening. The Prince had found a woman with a case of scrofula. I remembered that it was said that only the true king could heal the disease by their touch. I knew then that Prince John was trying to prove he was the rightful king by cursing this woman.

I stood beside an empty throne and eyed around the room before I noticed that I couldn't see Guy anywhere, or the Sheriff. I felt something deep down in my gut saying something was wrong and I was about to go look for him when suddenly a fanfare began as Prince John enters from the doors on the upper balcony as he nobles applaud.

Prince John leans on the banister a moment, reveling in the adulation, then goes down the stairs. Meanwhile, Isabella enters through the lower doors underneath and ushering behind her Robin and Kate, in a cloak, cloth cap and headscarf, to the side opposite the stairs where Palmer is waiting. I chuckled knowing that Robin and Kate were here, meant that this was a plan to embarrass him. A dozen guards follow the Prince down the stairs as the Prince sits on his throne beside me.

We waited as Isabella draws Palmer forward to the Prince. I notice her whisper something in his ear as he nodded looking very nervous as a servant sets out a cushion in the middle of the floor; the nobles are standing along both sides of the room. As Palmer reaches the cushion, he announces.

"Bring the poor afflicted woman forward." He called as I watched as Isabella escorts Kate to the centre of the room and Kate kneels on the cushion. Isabella takes her place at Prince John's side as Palmer stands behind Kate and pulls off her headscarf, revealing large blisters on her neck and lower jaw, I saw the Prince grimace and wince in disgust.

"This woman has scrofula...... the "king's evil," and can only be cured by the touch of a king." Palmer informed the nobles who weren't aware of what this would mean if Prince John 'were' to heal her. Prince John closes his eyes, steeling himself, rises with his hands up, and approaches Kate, who takes in an uneasy gulp as he approaches her.

"I shall now lay my hands upon this young woman... cure her of her affliction... and save her life." The Prince spoke to the crowd as he raised his hands up towards the heavens.

"When she's cured, Prince John will be revealed, like his father before him, to be the rightful King of England." Palmer announced as Prince John closes his eyes as though he was focusing deeply on what he was about to do. As if this procedure was going to be difficult.

"I command you now, in the name of all things holy, to leave this body now and never to return." Prince John announced as everyone drew silent as the Prince puts his hands on either side of Kate's face, over the blisters. The third fanfare plays over the silenced crowd. When Prince John finally pulls his hands off Kate the nobles applaud towards him as the page brings a bowl of water to the Prince for him to rinse his hands. Isabella shifts in her chair as the fourth fanfare plays and starts to clap as Prince John takes his seat and leans back with his eyes closed.

"Has the disease been cured?" The Prince asks as I watch Kate shifts uneasily as Palmer peers closely at her.

"No, sire. The woman is not cured." Palmer reported loud and clearly as the nobles all gasp and begin to murmur around themselves. I smirk slightly as I knew this would spread, and it would reach ears saying that Prince John was not the true King of England. I glance over at Prince John as he stares blankly at Kate causing me to smile triumphantly. I was thankful that my hood prevented anyone from seeing my facial expressions otherwise I would have been caught out ages ago.

"How can this be?" He demanded as the silence in the hall grew as he stands up in distraught and slight panic before he quickly stands back in front o Kate, as though he didn't believe Palmer's word. The nobles also came to gather around Kate and too see with their own eyes how she hadn't been healed of her disease.

"I order you to be cured!" He shouted in front of Kate as I saw that it made her uneasy as I glanced up slightly to see Robin steps out with an arrow laid on his bow. Kate must have heard the bow twang like I did as she ducks as the arrow whistles past Prince John's head and lands in the wall just above the Prince's throne. Isabella immediately stands and draws attention to the arrow.

"Oh, good lord! It can't be!" She speaks overdramatically as I draw out my sword as the nobles and Prince John gather round her.

"What is it?" Prince questions as I see from the corner of my eye that Palmer pulls Kate to her feet and they run towards the door.

"Robin Hood." She spoke as we all turned. I sprung into action by running towards the door after them, not super fast with the guards following my lead as I heard the bar lock into place locking us in as I smirk slightly.

"Get him!" Prince John ordered as I turn to the soldiers ordering them after Robin and Kate as they soon break down the door. I didn't remind the stupid guards of the other exit from the Great Hall in hope of giving them more time to escape as they flooded out of the Great Hall in search of Robin Hood.

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

Meanwhile down in the castle dungeons Gisborne punches the Sheriff, then grabs him from behind.

"You're the reason Esme is dead. You poison everything!" He angrily hissed as the Sheriff looked at him as though he had grown two heads.

"All this for a woman?!" The Sheriff screeched out as Gisborne pushes the Sheriff forward into the wall, then kicks his behind, turns him around, pushes his back into the wall several times, then punches him in the stomach and pins his shoulders to the wall. The Sheriff grabs the knife still stuck in Gisborne's leg. Gisborne roars in pain and grabs the knife. The Sheriff punches him. Gisborne staggers away. The Sheriff picks up the sword and follows on after Gisborne until they are at the top of the battlements. Gisborne staggers along the battlements, the knife still in his leg. The Sheriff follows with the sword.

"I've enjoyed your company." The Sheriff truthfully spoke before he stabs at Gisborne; Gisborne ducks aside. The Sheriff swings and Gisborne ducks. The Sheriff holds it overhead and Gisborne grabs his arm, then elbows him in the head, grabs his neck and pushes his head over the parapet. Gisborne slams the Sheriff 's hand into the merlon until the sword drops over the side, then holds both his hands on the Sheriff 's throat.

"Gisborne." He gasped as Gisborne pulls his dagger out and holds it above his head. The Sheriff knees Gisborne in the groin. Gisborne swipes with the dagger, then stabs at the Sheriff. The Sheriff catches his arm and punches it, causing Gisborne to drop the dagger. The Sheriff backslaps Gisborne. Gisborne falls into the gap between two merlons, one hand on each keeping him from falling. The Sheriff shifts the knife in Gisborne's thigh causing Gisborne to howl in pain.

"You know, I loved you like a son. And you loved me like a father once... I know you did." The Sheriff spoke as Gisborne looks up at him whilst adjusting his grip to try and pull himself back up. The Sheriff grabs Gisborne's feet and pulls them over Gisborne's head. Gisborne now hangs from the merlon with one hand. The Sheriff retrieves the dagger and holds it over Gisborne.

"You dropped something." He snickered ready to deliver the final blow to Gisborne only to be kicked in the side and sending him to the left.

"You stay out of this Wolf!" The Sheriff hissed as he clutched his side struggling to breathe, as he was pretty sure the kick had fractured one of his ribs. Gisborne let out a small cry as his fingers continued to slip before Wolf quickly reached over and grabbed hold of his wrist. From this angle Gisborne could see the outline of a black mask over his face and his eyes looking down at him with fear.

Gisborne with help was almost up before he could warn Wolf as the Sheriff hit him with the back of his dagger making him cry out and slouch to the floor. Turning back to Gisborne the Sheriff smirks before Gisborne quickly pulls the knife out of his leg and stabs the Sheriff in the chest just as the Sheriff is about to stab him. Gisborne grabs the stones with both hands. The Sheriff drops the dagger, staggers backwards, then leans on a merlon. Gisborne pulls himself up over the parapet onto safe ground. The Sheriff lowers himself to sit on the floor.

"Gisborne... don't trust him.. Do you hear me? Nothing... is what it seems. Nothing." The Sheriff warned him as he puts a hand on Gisborne's foot to gain his attention before his heavy breathing silenced and Gisborne stares at him, hardly daring to believe it. He had killed the Sheriff.

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

I groaned holding my head tightly before I felt Guy's warm arms around me and helping me off the floor. I breathed in his scent and took comfort knowing he was all right before I gasped slightly to see the Sheriff dead. I knew that soon the Prince would be holding his festivities for tonight as I helped Guy to his chamber's as he winced clutching his leg. I did the best I could to bandage it, well as much as he would let me.

Silently we both made our way through the halls together as we reached the great hall where two tables run the length of the hall. The nobles sit around the one closest to the fireplace. Prince John sits at the center of the other, his back to the wall. Isabella sits at his right. An empty chair is to his left. Prince John stands, visibly disappointed and depressed. He glanced at us entering before we approached the table.

Guy sits in the empty chair, sighs and places the Sheriff jeweled tooth on the table and looks up at Prince John. I sat beside Guy and slouched down in my chair, I needed a break from all this work as I glance at the Prince who chuckles and smiles slightly before he stands.

"It is with great sadness that I must announce the death of the Sheriff of Nottingham. He has been murdered by the villainous Robin Hood. These outlaws must be stopped." The Prince announced as the nobles all gasped and murmured between them as I rubbed my head, I felt dizzy as Guy looks at me with slight concern. Isabella quietly stands and raises her goblet.

"Long live Prince John!" She called before we all stood and raised an goblet to the Prince who sat back down with a deep smirk on his face.

"Long live me." He chuckled as I saw that Isabella and Guy glare at each other as they drink, then sit. Prince John puts his hand on Gisborne's arm catching his attention

"Tell me all about it." He smiled as Guy beside me winced and covered it with a small smirk and looked at me briefly before informing the Prince on what had happened at the battlements......