[WATTYS2023 - GERMAN WINNER/Most Engaging World] ** Marian, a thieving nobleman's daughter with too big a heart, meets Robin Hood, a daring thief with a huge ego. Will they be able to overcome pain, longing, and, finally the cruel Sheriff of Notting...
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Marian could only stare at the arrow shaft and the attached rope for a second. At the same time, the tax collector beside her snapped out of his sleep.
"What the?" put in Roger, his voice dark and ominous. The chair fell to the floor from the momentum, and the rumble boomed through the silence. Then his glazed gaze caught the uninvited guest in the chamber, and immediately his whole posture hardened. Instantly his hand shot forward. "Got you, brat!" The rough fingers closed painfully around her wrist and squeezed. The shadowy light made his eyes seem even more sinister, and the greasy strands of unwashed hair fell into grim features.
At that moment, the rope on the beam tightened, and instinctively both eyes darted to the source of the whirring sound. A shadow preceded the loud clang as the window shattered from the force of a body. Shards trickled from a leather cloak and glittered for a second in the candlelight like shimmering rain. The flickering flame of the candles died out, smothered by the incoming gust of wind.
Darkness descended over the chamber as the unexpected new guest rolled on the floor. He deftly got to his feet again, and shards trickled, clattering onto the floorboards. The newcomer had pulled his hood far into his features and covered his face with a blood-red cloth. But even without the broad shoulders and the unnecessarily exaggerated appearance that ruined all her plans, Marian would have immediately recognized who it was. After all, his image adorned countless yellowed posters on the walls of Nottingham's houses: Robin Hood.
"Thieves!" groaned Roger, who seemed to have snapped out of his stupor.
"Let go, you bastard!" she hissed in a harsh voice, immediately tugging at her arm. But even drunk, this scum still possessed more strength than she did.
"I'll put an end to you, dirty rat!"
Marian's heart tripped as the pale moonlight flitted across a dagger blade drawn from his belt. Her eyes widened as the point shot toward her. Ready to end the life of the hapless thief. Her breath caught, and in that one second, a thousand thoughts flashed through her mind without gaining substance. Let alone her body moving to prevent the seemingly inevitable, perhaps. Frozen, she awaited the fatal blow.
Then a hissing sound passed close to her and jerked the man's body a step back. Blinking, Marian also staggered a step backward. She saw the next arrow. The feathers glinted briefly as it shot past her and pinned Roger to the wall just above the shoulder on his doublet. A muffled >>Plock<< sounded, and another arrowhead dug straight into the wall just beside the lanky hook-nosed man's face. His eyes were now wide with shock as he stared toward the dark silhouettes of the intruders. However, the shock quickly turned into a distorted grimace of sheer anger.
"They'll hang you!" snarled Roger and followed up louder, "Thieves! Alarm! Guards!"
At this, the archer straightened up, braced a hand on his hip, and looked almost indignant." I am not just any thief! I am-" the cloaked big shot continued but got no further.
