The Queen Of Arrows

Chapter 43 - Damsel in Distress

Guy was an enemy not to be underestimated with a sword. Robin knew that he could not compete with him in a duel. Even before the war, Guy had repeatedly beaten him when it had come to a duel. Even though his fingers itched, Robin meant what he said: he had no time for this nonsense now!

People were running around with buckets; Horses were breaking out of the stables and galloping wildly through the yard, trampling everything and everyone in their flight. In the confusion, Robin finally rediscovered the fiery red hair that stood out like a beacon between everything.

"I'm not going to fight you now, Guy!" therefore, Robin hastily retorted. Around them, chaos grew. People were running cross-country. The fire was spreading to the castle by now. But he only had his eyes on his target.

"I don't care what you want! Defend yourself, or I will arrest you first and drag you to the gallows myself!" Guy, meanwhile, had picked up his sword again. He backed up his words with action and responded with a powerful thrust. He swung the sword with impressive speed. Robin just managed to dodge it.

As Guy lunged again, the thief reached for the clasp of his cloak and unfastened the brooch with a deft move. Dark green fabric fluttered as he threw it towards Guy and straight into his face, entangling him with his arms and sword.

It was the perfect moment to knock him out - but he didn't get the chance. With a panicked whinny and thundering hooves, a horse with a burning cart galloped straight at them. Robin and Guy jumped apart frantically. Robin felt the flames' heat, heard the fire's crackling, and smelled burnt straw. The steed tried in vain to flee from the fire, took a sharp turn, and the burning cart overturned to crash into the nearest wall with a loud crash.

Wood from the wagon splintered and shattered with a crash. Burning straw and sharp-edged splinters flew through the air. The horse reared and dashed in another direction. Hooves thundered just past Robin, and his heart almost stopped for a second. Gasping, he struggled to his feet, and a deep, suffering groan reached his ears.

Guy was pinned under part of the cart and pressed against the axle of the farm wagon with clenched teeth. The wood groaned and creaked, and Robin saw out of the corner of his eye that soldiers were already coming running.

"I'm sorry, old friend," Robin said, giving Gisborne a serious yet deeply hurt look, "Your lady is in distress, and unlike you, her welfare is more important to me than my revenge!"

"If you dare to touch her...!" Guy pressed against the heavy wood of the cart, but it did not move a bit. "Robin! ROBIN!" But the latter did not listen to him. Instead, he took the next opportunity to dive into the tangle of fleeing and helping.

Robin's feet flew across the floor. He could see Marian not making it easy for the guard, and now he recognized the incongruously dirty face to go with the smart tabard. 'Not so stupid, Scarlet!' he had to concede to the other thief as he stopped and drew the bow from his shoulder again. He raised the bow, bowed his head, and pulled back the string. Just then, a servant, in his rush to take a bucket to the stables, bumped into him, and a horse dashed past in front of his arrowhead.

'No clear shot,' Robin quickly realized and rushed ahead again to fight his way through the crowds.

Marian, now a damsel in distress, fought the bandit tooth and nail.

"Now hold still, woman!" he clamored, and his grip tightened, "I'm wearing armor, you stupid girl! Keep fighting back, and I'll throw you over my shoulder!"

Did he really think she would make it so easy for him? Marian's eyes narrowed. These fools had forgotten one thing: she was surrounded by these soldiers daily and knew their armor's weak points pretty well. She gave in to the man's next tug and, due to his amazement at her stifled resistance, bounced against his chest. Then she pulled her knee up and let it drive full force between the man's legs. The man's eyes twisted rolled back, and with a sound of whimpers and groans, he sank to his knees and then rolled to the side.

"You picked the wrong maiden to kidnap," Marian was about to announce when a new hand clamped down on her upper arm. Marian struck directly out of reflex and tension - and Robin just barely dodged the flying fist.

"Robin!" Marian breathed a sigh of relief as she recognized Robin, and for a brief second, chaos and danger were almost forgotten.

"Marian," Robin laughed and couldn't help but feel a little pride and admiration welling up in his chest after all. "Fiery as ever, I see!" This time he reached for her hand and enclosed the delicate fingers with his. "How about it, my Lady? Would you run away with a thief again?" At this, Robin wiggled his eyebrows teasingly.

"Stop that nonsense already," Marian hissed, poking him in the chest. After all, it couldn't look too easy.

Robin let out a harsh laugh and took the first step forward with Marian. Suddenly an alarming hiss made every muscle of the thief tense and his stomach tighten. Just the split second that a hunch could precede an event. Then the bullet caught him in the shoulder and smashed him against the wall of the bleachers from the force of the hit.

Robin's heart raced, his pulse flipped, and he felt an uncomfortable tug. Immediately his eyes shot to where his tunic and shirt had been pinned to the wood with a long, sharp blade. As unerring as his arrows had been, the knife had only caught the fabric. Immediately he clasped the dagger's hilt to free himself from captivity; a second blade whizzed up and bored into the wood just beside his face.

"You have our prey, Hood!" a voice called out between whinnies and shouts, and Robin's gaze latched onto the brazen bastard who now rushed up: Will Scarlet! He, too, was wearing a tabard, and with ease, they were lost in the crowd. Without the voice, not even Robin would have recognized this son of a bitch among all the other soldiers. But Robin would not make it so easy for him! Hastily, the thief raised his index finger and thumb to his lips and let out a shrill whistle.

Marian let out a startled cry as, at the exact moment, an arm wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her back. Robin's hand gripped Marian's tighter, being pulled back by the bandits.

"Robin!" Her fingers clung tightly to his, but with each tug on her, they slipped more and more from his grip. This was all getting entirely out of hand! Robin tugged at his clothes, fabric groaning, and tearing - but not releasing him! He reached for Marian but only got hold of the collar of her dress. His fingers literally dug into the delicate fabric, and red curls tickled his hand.

"I guess this contest is decided," Scarlet said, confident of victory.

"Don't touch her!" Robin's eyes flashed as he bared his teeth like a snarling wolf. "Nothing's decided yet, Scarlet!"

Meanwhile, one of the two crooks was now throwing the Lady over his shoulder like a flour sack. Marian lashed out, kicking and struggling like a cat gone wild.

"I don't think so!" retorted the Will, pointing at the clamoring Lady and turning to his comrade.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" at this, he turned on his heel and gave Robin another condescending look. "I guess we won't be seeing each other again. Therefore, farewell, Robin Hood. You will surely soon be a dead king of thieves!"