Aiming Straight, Aiming True.

Chapter 6 - Changing plans

Loud shouts and yells of drunken men filled the small bar. A small scuffle broke out but the dark hooded figure ignored the whoops and yells of two druken idiots fighting. He sat quite still, his midnight black hood covering his entire face as he sat in the shadows. He sipped his mulled wine absentmindedly, his mind elsewhere.

His plan had been perfect, disguise the men he payed as villagers and when the prince came, kidnap him. Get all the ransom money out of the royal family and then kill the young prince. He would have gotten all the money and his men would have been blamed, not him. But his plan had been ruined by that girl. That arrogant, cocky and intelligent young lady. Her aim and her bravery had cost him months of planning.

After years of being second in command when he finally decided he wanted to be the leader. When he wanted to do more than rob the rich, when he finally had the chance to get what he wanted, the foolish girl stood in his way. Another man yelled at a young girl and the hooded stranger glared in the direction of the ruckus. He was not use to not getting what he wanted and the girl was going to pay.

A drunken man stumbled towards him sloshing his ale down his brown shirt. "Hey why so glum chum, you should celebrate life mate", the man slurred shoving his face in front of the hooded man.

The hooded man slipped his hand inside his pocket and pulled something that gleamed dully in the dull light of the small tavern. With a quick swish, the hooded figure cut off one of the drunken man's fingers and the man grunted in pain.  "Do not test me Jack or I will do more than cut a finger off", hissed the hooded figure.

"I'm sorry sir but at least we know what we are up against with the prince, it's a shame that bitch got in the way", slurred Jack as he quickly wrapped his finger up.

" Do not speak of that child to me, she made us look like fools, made me look like a fool", hissed the hooded figure. "That girl is just as noisy as Robin Hood was,  never knew when to stay out of something", he hissed as he took another sip of wine.

" I'm sorry but why do you hate Robin Hood so much, technically we are on the same side", said Jack.

" First of all Robin is not on our side, he would never kill anyone who didn't deserve it and we have a past together that I would not like to share", said the stranger.

Jack nodded and sipped his own drink. The hooded figure shifted in his chair, even though his plan had failed because of that girl, he was curious about the girl.  "Her name was Arena, the girl with the bow", the hooded man asked breaking the silence. Jack nodded and gave a crooked grin. "I wouldn't mind having her as a wife,  I like fiesty women", he said chuckling.

The hooded figure shook his head and sighed. The smoke and heat from the nearby fire was getting to him, so he pulled off his black hood. He frowned at Jack, his dark brown almost black eyes glared at Jack angrily.

He had a small prickle and his usual handsome face was marred by a long scar down his right cheek, beginning at the corner of his right eye down to his ear. His shaggy jet black hair was pulled back into a ponytail keeping his face free from hair execpt his fringe which fell across his forehead. The scar was apart of his bitter attitude and hatred towards Robin Hood.

" You are forbidden to touch the girl, she will probably be watched by the prince now, so she should be untouchable", the stanger grumbled.

"Yeah but John just imagine if we were the ones to steal the girl away, if the rumors are true that she will be granted whatever she desires and maybe become a royal herself, wouldn't it be cunning to make her be on our side", asked Jack.

"Please do not call me John around  here, people might know me", whispered John. He shifted his eyes around the bar before turning back to Jack.

" I don't understand, why would people know you", Jack asked. Jack really is clueless sometimes John thought.