me. “Thank you Robyn,” she whispered.
Behind us Alan-A-Dale was already singing a few lines.
“A bonny fine maid of a noble degree,
With a hey down down a down down
Maid Marian called by name,
Did live in the North, of excellent worth,
For she was a gallant dame.”
Chapter 7
Sir Guy the Addled
The plan worked perfectly. Almost too perfectly.
Marian, Ellen, and I, all dressed in skirts, swarmed Huntingdon Castle and left the letter on her canopy bed. We also placed a Merry Man in the castle in the guise of a liveryman. He reported the reactions of Marian’s parents and the residents of Huntingdon Castle.
E veryone was scandalized, believing Marian to be the only female in my company of Merry Men. So I had Alan stroll through Nottingham and Huntingdon, singing a made up ballad about Marian’s arrival at our camp, which also added that Marian had become fast friends with the other female in Sherwood, Ellen, Alan-A-Dale’s wife. (Indeed, the cheeky harper had already written a ballad about his wedding and it was well known.)
Several days later my disguised Merry Man reported that Marian’s father still feared her reputation was ruined. So I had Alan make the rounds through the surrounding towns again, this time with a ballad in hand that explained that Marian was known as Maid Marian because she and Robin Hood wouldn’t marry until Robin Hood was no longer an outlaw and was pardoned and law abiding.
It worked like a charm.
What I hadn’t counted on was all of these catchy ballads (Alan-A-Dale is an excellent rhymer.) enraging Sir Guy, the Sheriff, and even Prince John.
Prince John put a price of 6 0 marks on my head, which was nothing but a speck compared to King Richard’s ransom, but for a man of average wages it was a lot .
Whether it was because of the ballads or the price on my head, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Or more likely, George) and Sir Guy of Gisborne reacted far faster than any of us predicted they would. Two weeks after we dropped off Marian’s letter they were inside Sherwood Forest without our knowledge.
I hadn’t expanded my scouting distance yet because my men and I estimated another few days before the Sheriff would motivate himself to leave the comforts of his castle. Apparently money was a better motivator for the Sheriff than we speculated.
The day started simply enough: breakfast and practice before giving out the daily assignments.
Will Stutely was taking a group of 25 Merry Men with him to canvas the road and look for targets to rob. Much was staying behind to supervise those on guard duty and, surprise, the new trainees that continued to pour into our ranks.
“I think I’ll do an outer scouting pass through the forest before I meet up with you, Will Stutely. Robbing sounds like a fair way to pass the day,” I yawned before gathering up my bow and quiver.
I needed to get out of the camp. Marian had terrorized me during fencing practice that morning. I did not want to be around her gloating face for the entire day.
“Sounds good,” Little John agreed.
“Scarlet, are you with us?” I asked, running my fingers over the goose feathered fletching of my arrows.
“No,” Will Scarlet said after a moment or two of cons ideration. “I believe I shall try to rustle up some game. Do any of you Merry Men wish to join me?” he asked.
I blinked and stared as Lobb, Ryan, and two other Merry Men told my usually constant companion that they would join him.
“Will?” I asked, staring at him, drawing his gaze.
He smiled and stepped closer to me to gently ruffle my hair. “It’s fine Robyn. Enjoy your scouting trip.”
I was troubled, but Little John was waiting, so I brushed off my green hose before leading the way into the forest.
We talked and walked for twenty minutes, laughing as we swapped lines from Alan’s newest ballad, which was about Little John and I and how we met. (Of course Alan didn’t say Much had pushed me into fighting Little John, he
Behind us Alan-A-Dale was already singing a few lines.
“A bonny fine maid of a noble degree,
With a hey down down a down down
Maid Marian called by name,
Did live in the North, of excellent worth,
For she was a gallant dame.”
Chapter 7
Sir Guy the Addled
The plan worked perfectly. Almost too perfectly.
Marian, Ellen, and I, all dressed in skirts, swarmed Huntingdon Castle and left the letter on her canopy bed. We also placed a Merry Man in the castle in the guise of a liveryman. He reported the reactions of Marian’s parents and the residents of Huntingdon Castle.
E veryone was scandalized, believing Marian to be the only female in my company of Merry Men. So I had Alan stroll through Nottingham and Huntingdon, singing a made up ballad about Marian’s arrival at our camp, which also added that Marian had become fast friends with the other female in Sherwood, Ellen, Alan-A-Dale’s wife. (Indeed, the cheeky harper had already written a ballad about his wedding and it was well known.)
Several days later my disguised Merry Man reported that Marian’s father still feared her reputation was ruined. So I had Alan make the rounds through the surrounding towns again, this time with a ballad in hand that explained that Marian was known as Maid Marian because she and Robin Hood wouldn’t marry until Robin Hood was no longer an outlaw and was pardoned and law abiding.
It worked like a charm.
What I hadn’t counted on was all of these catchy ballads (Alan-A-Dale is an excellent rhymer.) enraging Sir Guy, the Sheriff, and even Prince John.
Prince John put a price of 6 0 marks on my head, which was nothing but a speck compared to King Richard’s ransom, but for a man of average wages it was a lot .
Whether it was because of the ballads or the price on my head, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Or more likely, George) and Sir Guy of Gisborne reacted far faster than any of us predicted they would. Two weeks after we dropped off Marian’s letter they were inside Sherwood Forest without our knowledge.
I hadn’t expanded my scouting distance yet because my men and I estimated another few days before the Sheriff would motivate himself to leave the comforts of his castle. Apparently money was a better motivator for the Sheriff than we speculated.
The day started simply enough: breakfast and practice before giving out the daily assignments.
Will Stutely was taking a group of 25 Merry Men with him to canvas the road and look for targets to rob. Much was staying behind to supervise those on guard duty and, surprise, the new trainees that continued to pour into our ranks.
“I think I’ll do an outer scouting pass through the forest before I meet up with you, Will Stutely. Robbing sounds like a fair way to pass the day,” I yawned before gathering up my bow and quiver.
I needed to get out of the camp. Marian had terrorized me during fencing practice that morning. I did not want to be around her gloating face for the entire day.
“Sounds good,” Little John agreed.
“Scarlet, are you with us?” I asked, running my fingers over the goose feathered fletching of my arrows.
“No,” Will Scarlet said after a moment or two of cons ideration. “I believe I shall try to rustle up some game. Do any of you Merry Men wish to join me?” he asked.
I blinked and stared as Lobb, Ryan, and two other Merry Men told my usually constant companion that they would join him.
“Will?” I asked, staring at him, drawing his gaze.
He smiled and stepped closer to me to gently ruffle my hair. “It’s fine Robyn. Enjoy your scouting trip.”
I was troubled, but Little John was waiting, so I brushed off my green hose before leading the way into the forest.
We talked and walked for twenty minutes, laughing as we swapped lines from Alan’s newest ballad, which was about Little John and I and how we met. (Of course Alan didn’t say Much had pushed me into fighting Little John, he
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