- Chapter 97 -

All I could see was darkness, I could hear murmuring in the faint distance before I smelt something revolting under my nose. What is that? It continued to be wafted and it seemed to get stronger. Gagging and coughing for air my throat and eyes burned.

"Esme! Esme are you alright?" I heard Guy call my name fainting as I continued to cough and try to get onto my hands and knees.

"Isabella was trying to rip us apart." I heard Kate speak in the distant as I glanced up blinking and noticed that Archer and Kate were helping us up. What were they doing here?

"Well, that means Allan's innocent." Robin muttered.

"The entrance to the castle's blocked. Follow me!" Archer instructed as he went to help me to my feet but Guy pulled me into his arms instead.

"Why should we trust you? This would have been a trap you set!" I angrily glare at him as we all fall silent.

"He lead me here to help save you" Kate defended but I glared in her direction.

"I don't trust you!" I warned Archer. He gulped uneasy before he led us back towards the castle. Guy and I stayed at the back of the group keeping an eye out incase anyone tried to make a surprise attack. We paused for a moment as they walked ahead before Guy pulled me into his arms and gave me a passionate kiss.

"I thought I lost you" I whispered terrified as he let his fingers trail down my face, as though he's trying to imprint me into his memory.

"Never" He whispered with a promise and kiss before we caught up to the others who had captured Isabella. I was more than happy to do the honors of tightening the chains around her wrists a bit too tight. She winced and squirmed as I smirked at her. Pay back. Pushing her forward we made our way to the marketplace where the men from the forest had grabbed torches and weapons and fought off the guards that had once held Nottingham castle. I was really proud to see them stand up and fight for their freedom.Robin pulled a couple of barrels and boxes together high enough that he could stand on them to be seen by the people as the all grew silent as they saw him.

"In the name of King Richard, I charge Isabella of Gisborne with high treason and crimes against the people of Nottingham. The castle and everything in it belongs to the people!" He announced raising his arms as everybody cheered and began to celebrate. I saw Guy standing solemnly behind his sister and I wondered how he was feeling. He's probably feeling very torn at this moment. Our celebrations unfortunately were cut short as Much was running towards us from the main gait.

"Robin!" Recognizing the alarm in his voice Robin immediately jumps off his perch with us running in tow towards the main gate. Guy kept a firm grip on Isabella ensuring she didn't escape as we went to see what all the commotion was about.

Much stops just outside it where a heavy burlap roll lies, bulging in the middle. We all paused wondering what it could be and I began to feel my heart drop a little bit, not liking where this was leading. Much and Little John step forward, grab the edge of the cloth and pull it, unwinding it only to see Allan's body rolls out. Upon seeing the blood and the vacant look in his eye I gasp horrified and feeling guilty.

"No" I whisper in disbelief as Tuck jumps over the edge of the cloth and kneels by Allan's head. He turns Allan's head and the unseeing blue eyes stare up at the sky. Tuck looks back at the gang, shaking his head. Much began to sob as John drops down to sit on the ledge of the bridge. I hadn't even noticed the tears streaming down my face until Guy went to wipe them away. I felt myself stumble as Robin caught me with a concerned look in his eye. This was my fault, I gave him the dagger to escape.

"Close the gates. Man the battlements! Move!" Guy began to shout as he drew his sword. Tearing my eyes away from Allan's body I couldn't allow myself to grieve now. Glancing up towards the trees I saw hundreds of soldiers making their way towards the town. Much pulls the cloth out from under Allan and tosses it over the side while John picks up Allan's body, slings it over his shoulders and gives the new troops one last look before heading inside. I had already made my way inside with the others only to see that Robin hasn't moved from his position on the bridge. He's focused on something and he looks furious.

"Robin!" I call which is enough to make him snap his attention towards me and make his way inside. Much and Tuck each have a door push it closed once Robin is safely inside and lock it. John laid Allan's body gently on the ground inside the gates as I saw him and Much looks down at their friend with shame.

"What have we done? We doubted him, John. He did this. He killed him!" Much cried out in anger raising his sword as I saw Robin and Guy come round on their horses. Guy was holding the reigns for mine.

"No, this is my fault. I gave him the dagger to help him escape." I spoke as I could see Much was struggling to hold it together. Silently he knelt down and wept and we all knew he needed to have this moment. You never go into battle angry, you need to be clear headed.

"There's soldiers at every wall. Hundreds of them. The whole town's surrounded." Kate called out from the battlements as I swung myself up onto my horse in-between Robin and Guy.

"I put a dagger in him. I saw him die." Guy spoke unable to comprehend how the bad old Vaisey remained alive. I could very happily be the one to send him back to his grave.

"Well, that ghost has raised an army." I grumble. Before we opened the gates to ride out and meet them I raised my hood over my head, slipping on my riding gloves. I wanted to give Vaisey one last surprise. Tuck and Archer were quick to open and close the gate behind us as we rode forward towards the Sheriff and his men. I was surprised to see the trebuchet's being wheeled into place as we drew nearer. He's been planning this attack for a while. I saw the Sheriff on a horse of his own riding to meet us followed by a man with a white banner.

"Surprise. You thought I was dead. But you didn't check, did you? Very nasty wound. Gisborne, we will have our reckoning. Right now...... I want my town back!" He growls pointing to his shoulder where Guy had thought he delivered the killing blow.

"Never. You're finished, Vaisey. Your weapons are no match for the hatred these men have for you." Robin answered back as the Sheriff draws his sword over his horse's back.

"You tell your peasant army anybody who resists me will die. Poor Allan...... he squealed like a stuck pig when he died." The Sheriff smirked as I could see that comment got to Robin. I got to me as I growled.

"Robin..." I spoke in warning however my voice was deep and rough, back to when I was impersonating myself as Wolf. Guy glanced at me with a raised eyebrow as Robin stopped his horse sideways in front of the Sheriff 's.

"And you'll pay for that, you murdering swine."

"Sticks and stones, Hood. Give them a demonstration, Blamire." The Sheriff ordered unafraid of Robin's threat. Watching uneasy Blamire raises his hand signaling to a soldier behind him to light a barrel chained to the trebuchet's arm. Blamire drops his hand.

"Loose."

Robin, Guy and I watch twisting in our saddles as the flaming barrel flies high into the air, over the city walls and lands with an explosion.

"You have until dawn. Give me Gisborne, release Isabella, and then return Nottingham to myself and Prince John. Otherwise, you and your noisy friends, well, they'll be wiped off the face of the earth." The Sheriff warned as we all exchanged glares. It seemed only now did the Sheriff realize that there was a third person in this little reunion. He had been so focused on gloating to Robin he only just realized I was there.

"Wolf? Well that is a surprise. I should have known you would be protecting Gisborne." He glared at me.

"I would be careful of who you threat Sheriff. You never know who your enemies are" I warn before I allow my hood to fall back onto my shoulder. The surprise look on his face was priceless. Not allowing him the opportunity to say anything else I pull on the reigns of my horse and guide him back in the direction of the castle with Guy and Robin behind me. This fight was going to get messy and the chances weren't in our favour. As we rode closer the gates opened wide enough for us to file in one by one before they were locked behind us. Riding up towards the marketplace we saw wood still burning from the barrel that the Sheriff ordered to be set loose.

"Put lookouts on every wall! Scour the town! Tuck, I want every able-bodied man armed and ready. We hold Nottingham... for the King! We know the King's coming! He has loyal troops waiting for him at Loughborough. If we can get word to them..." Robin began to order as Guy and I dismounted from our horses.

"Robin, you could end this now by giving me up to the Sheriff. You could have done it back there why didn't you?" Guy asked as I glared at my husband for saying such a thing. Husband? I smiled briefly enjoying the fact that Guy was my husband, we belonged together and I wasn't about to let him do something stupid.

"This is bigger than you, Gisborne. It always has been. We are fighting for the future of England. You have Isabella behind bars. That's what you wanted. This isn't your fight unless you choose it to be." Robin told him before he glanced at me.

"While the Sheriff lives this is all our fight. I'm with you." Guy promises before I smack Guy on his arm.

"Don't you dare do that to me! You are my husband now Guy, you can't do things like that!" I hissed at him as he smirked down at me.

"What are you smiling about? This is serious!" I growl as he places a quick kiss on my lips.

"I promise not to do anything foolish again dear wife" He told me endearingly making me smile.

"There's something we have to do first." Much spoke as I watched him and John wheel in a cart with Allan's body on it.

"Honour the dead." John announces as we all nod in agreement and sadness as Archer and Kate help prepare the body. Taking him to a more private part of the city, Allan's body was tightly wrapped tightly in burlap and set upon a pyre. One short sword has been laid on his abdomen, pointing to his toes as Robin places Allan's tag on his chest. Waiting behind Robin on either side of the pyre are John and Much, each with a lit torch. Tuck, Kate and Archer stand several paces off at Allan's feet. Guy stands even further behind them, leaning on a post as I go to stand beside my husband. He smiles softly at me and wrap an arm around my shoulder as Robin walks to the side and nods at John. John nods back, then he and Much step to the pyre. Much raises his torch and looks round at us, trying not to cry.

"To Allan, our loyal friend." He struggled to get the words out and I know we all felt guilty inside. He had been nothing but true and they had all turned against him. There's a brief moment of silence before John and Much reach down with the torches and light the pyre. We all stood in silence watching as the flames rose higher to pay our respects to our fallen friend.