The Tales of Robin Hood

Chapter Seven - Robin

I felt him stiffen beside me—I really need to ask him his name—as he realized who it was.  I myself am just another tree in the forest, standing straight and unresponsive, barely aware of what's happening right in front of me.  He takes a small step to shield me from the evil Head—no, shielding me from Him—and I mentally thank him, I don't think I'll ever be able to move as long as he's here.

"I see you've got yourself a man," he said with a smirk.  He's not drunk; he's just his evil self, wishing harm upon all those around him.

"He—he's not m—my man," I said, barely able to comprehend what I was doing.  My brain was working without me, going on ahead, while I'm left behind in the dirt.

He smirked. "Of course he isn't." He took a few steps forward to stand right in front of the only person who might be on my side. "What's your name, boy?"

"William," he said strongly.

William.

"Well," he started, eyes full of malice, "you shouldn't fight her battles."

"No," he said, not daring to back down, "but you shouldn't be terrorizing her in the first place."

"This isn't your place!" he snarled, raising a hand.  I flinched, knowing exactly what he was about to do, he was about to send William's world spinning.

"No!" I shouted, and he froze, his hand suspended in midair.  We just stood there, staring at him, as he didn't move, his eyes the only things that could.  Alarm arose as I realized that I must've frozen him, unintentionally, with my magic, and I grabbed William's arm.

"I did that," I said as he looked at me, "didn't I?"

He nodded, and then took a few steps back, motioning for me to do so as well.  I followed, and when we were a few yards back, I concentrated on him moving again.  His hand fell, and he looked even angrier.

I didn't have time to wonder why he wasn't surprised, though.

But I didn't really need to.

He raised a hand and a staff appeared, for some reason making me even more scared.  He picked it up and pointed it at William, then waved it off to my left, and William went with it.  He rammed into a tree hard, and he crumpled onto the ground.  I looked back and forth between the two before realizing what had happened: he has magic.  Then, what does he want with me?

"Why did you come?" I asked hoarsely. "How did you find me?"

"Oh, trust me, it wasn't easy," he said. "But eventually I could track down your powers."  He paused, smirking at William who was trying to stand up, clutching his head. "Now, why I came, that's a little more complicated."

I'm not quite sure what happened next, I don't really remember.  All I do remember is darkness.

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"Robin, Robin, wake up!"

My eyes opened and I stared at nothing but dirt and rock in dim light, and when I looked to where the voice was coming from, I could only see a silhouette.  I blinked and my eyes adjusted slightly to the light, and I could just make out William crouching over me.  I tried to move my right hand to my head, but I was stopped by something wrapped around it.  I looked down to see it binded in cloth, and when I wriggled my hand I could feel rope tied to my wrist.  Then I noticed William's hand was tied to mine.

"W-what?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said. "I just woke up and found us like this."

I tried to twist my hand around to see where the fabric ends and felt my hand brush against his, that's when I realized why we're like this.