Arrow To The Heart (De Bron Saga) (31 page)

"What are you about, the man asked with a lift of his brows. His eyes roamed over her lithe, young body.

"Looking for a tumble," she purred.  "You look so handsome that I have picked you for the honor."  She inched closer, running her fingers up and down his chest in a suggestive manner.  Suddenly with the swiftness of a striking snake she grabbed for his sword, taking him completely unaware.

"What the?"

"Open that door or I will use this, you jackanapes," she threatened.  When he faltered she said it again.  "Open it, I say."

The other guard seeing his companion was in trouble, came quickly to offer aid, initiating Rowena into combat.  Thinking a woman to be easily bested, he lunged at her again and again.  "Such a pity to have to kill a woman so pretty," he cajoled.

"Pretty is as pretty does, my nurse used to say," she responded.  Wielding her sword well despite the encumbrance of her skirts and long, full sleeves, she soon had him on retreat.   The odds were two to one, however.  The tall guard also came into the fight closing in behind her.

"Watch out!"  With a frightful shriek Lankless rose to the occasion.  Bounding up he crashed his club down upon the guard's head.

Rowena at last knocked the armed guard's sword from his hand.  Holding the point of that sword at his throat, she repeated once again, "open that door."

This time he did as he was bid and Rowena and Marian pushed through together. Lankless paused for just a moment as if regretting to leave the comfort of the castle, but in the end capitulated.

"Come, come, you two.  We have no time to dawdle," he said with a laugh, pushing in front of them.  "We have to be on our way."

"How."  The idea of walking was not particularly appealing to Marion.

"Why, we'll travel in style in my jester's wagon."   He motioned to them.  "Come along."

The inner courtyard rang with the sound of dogs, horses and men.  Unlike their lords, the servants had work to do and could not stay abed.  Roused from their pallets they lighted fires and prepared for the coming day.  Thankfully they were much too busy to notice the threesome that scurried towards the stables.  Lankless ducked inside.  When he came out he was sitting atop a brightly painted little wagon, holding the reins tightly in his hand.

"My ladies......"  Giving them a hand he helped them up.  "Away we go."  Then they were off, clattering over the drawbridge which had been briefly lowered in order to bring in supply wagons loaded with food.  "Perfect timing."

"Indeed!"  Rowena felt the wind in her face as the wagon rolled down a path that led into the woods.

Misery was being Prince John's prisoner, Kendrick thought as he shivered at the cold of the cell.   It was uncomfortable.  Tedious.  Boring.  Frustrating.  "Freedom," he whispered.  "A word taken far too for granted until......."

At first he had fought  against his captivity, determined that somehow he was going to get free.  He had tried every way to escape.  Trickery, force, violence.  As time passed, however, he had to at last come to an acceptance of being cooped up.  The realization that he might be doomed was jarring.  It was possible that he was going to die.  Certainly his guards had threatened so.

"Death."  Contemplating one's own demise was beyond description.  It was frightening, even to the bravest of souls.  "By hanging."  He swallowed hard, almost feeling the noose around his neck already. 

Kendrick had always been one to appreciate life. He relished it. Had enjoyed it.  Now to think that he might see the dawn of only a few more days was tormenting.  To never see Rowena again seemed beyond belief.  It wasn't fair.  To have been allowed to love each other so briefly seemed the most ludicrous of punishments.

"Rowena!" He thought of her during the day and dreamed of her at night, aching to hold her in his arms.  The thought that most pained him was to never see her again.  Even so, if he were certain that she was safe he knew he could have born even that.  Raising his eyes towards the heavens he whispered the prayer that had consumed him since seeing her taken away.  "Please, save Rowena!"

How quickly prayers were answered.

"I tell you truly Robin Hood has escaped," Kendrick heard one of his guardsmen say.

"Oddsbody, what?  Escaped?  How?  When?"

"He stuffed his garments with straw, leaving them behind...."

"And so we have a naked man running about the castle?  It would seem he would be easy to notice."

"Nay, but how he escaped remains a mystery.  The man on duty insists he saw naught of the man.  He saw only a light haired woman leaving the cell, a lady of some rank by her appearance."

"A lady?  In the prison cell?"

"Who obviously helped him escape."

Kendrick didn't know how, but he knew who.  Rowena!  Oh, she was such a clever  one.  "Run and keep on running, my love."

"What did you say?"  The sound of the creaking door interrupted Kendrick's spoken thoughts.

"I Heard what you said about Robin's escape and freely celebrate," he answered.

"Celebrate?"  Folding his arms across his chest, the guard stared him down.  "Well, have your fun.   At this time tomorrow you will be swinging from the gallows."

"Tomorrow?"  Kendrick felt his heart leap up to his throat.  "I was told my hanging was to be in three days."  What kind of cruel jest was this?

"The Prince has decided otherwise."

Kendrick listened to the guard
s in shock.  

"You are to be taken to the courtyard at dawn tomorrow to dance upon the gallows."

It was mid-morning when Lankless, Rowena and Lady Marian arrived at the entrance to Robin Hood's camp.  They had left Lankless'
s wagon with a farmer in exchange for three horses, which they now dismounted.

"A waterfall...?"  Marian looked surprised, more so when Rowena bid her to walk through the water.  The jester, however, was the first to step through, being as he was of an adventurous nature despite his size.  Rowena followed, then Marian.

They found the outlaws sitting in a circle, obviously in the midst of some kind of discussion or other.

"Poor Arrow.  The lad is a brave one to risk his life for you, Robin," Little John was saying.

"And what of Marian?  What will become of her now," asked Will Scarlet.  "Will she be married off to the lad before he is hanged?"  He looked at Robin to see his reaction to another marrying the woman he loved.

"The lad will not marry the Lady Marion," Robin answered with conviction.  "At least of that I can be sure."

"How?"

Allan-A-Dale stroked the strings of his harp, making up a song about the incident.

              "The sheriff and Prince held a tourney,

             
All on the castle green.

             
'T was as fine a match of archers,

             
That ever was to be seen.

              Robin and Will Scarlet,

             
Roderick and Arrow, too,

             
Took each their turn, shooting strong,

             
The maiden's hand for to woo.

              But treachery flooded the morning,

             
The crown was but a tarnished one.

             
'T was with evil thought the deed was wrought,

             
And with the horn a trap was sprung.

              Sing therefore for the brave lad Arrow,

             
Praise him, so daring and good.

             
With courage and care he reached into the snare,

             
And took from the Prince, Robin Hood."

Allan-A-Dale finished and shook his head.  "But alas for poor Arrow."

"Perhaps not," Rowena said as she led the others into the camp. It was quite a vision they made, the little man and two young ladies.  Enough of a vision to make Robin choke on his ale.

"BiGod!"  Jumping to his feet, he was just about to rouse his men when he recognized his visitors, one in particular catching his eye.  "Marian!"  With long strides he ran towards her, gathering her in to his arms."

"Oh, Rob. Rob
.  When I saw them surround the victor of the tournament I....I....."  She wound her arms around his neck, so tightly that it appeared she would never let go.

"Don't cry, dear heart."

The men of the outlaw band swept forward to take a look at their guests, taking special note of Rowena.  "Who have we here?"  asked Will Scarlet, bowing low to her and taking her by the arm. 

Rowena was coy.  "We have met before," she chided.  All the while she was searching the camp for Kendrick.

"Met before?  Oh, no.  For surely I would remember."

"Would you, Sir barber?"  Taking off her headdress she smiled at him.

"Arrow!"  He looked with puzzlement upon her curves which were unfettered by her breast binding.  "But where did you get such padding.  Why you could have fooled me.  I thought you really were a lady."

"Did you now?"  Rowena toyed with him, but a more important matter goaded her to ask, "Where is Kendrick?"

"Kendrick?"  Will Scarlet looked down at the ground.  "He's not here."

"Not here?"  A feeling of apprehension tugged at her heart like a beggar
gripped a purse in the marketplace.  "Where is he then?"

Robin stepped towards her to give out the news.  "He was captured at the tournament."

"Captured?  How?"  In that moment her whole world crumbled.

"Trying to save you."  Robin explained.  "When he saw you being taken away he went wild with fury.  He was foolhardy and fell into the Sheriff's hands."

Little John intruded.  "We tried to save him but alas, could not."

Rowena put her hand to her mouth.  "No!"  Though she had never cried in front of the outlaws before, she did so now.  It was all her fault.  De Bron had thrown himself into danger because of her.  How could she live with that?

"Arrow.....?"  Friar Tuck looked at her quizzically, setting the other outlaw's tongues into motion.

"Why did Kendrick go so berserk?"

"What is Arrow to him?"

"What is going on?"

It was Robin Hood who strode forward to answer the question. "Gentlemen, we have had a lady in our midst for quite awhile, haven't we Arrow?"

Looking up through her mist of tears, Rowena knew her masquerade to be over.  Slowly she nodded her head. 

"Lady!"  They all gasped.  "A woman!"  Pandemonium broke out as the outlaws argued among themselves.  Most of them wanted Arrow to be driven from the band.  She had betrayed them, they said.  She was a fake, a charlatan.  Their verbal battle was silenced by Robin's uplifted arm.

"Order.  Order."  He patted Rowena on the arm.  "Aye, Arrow is a lady.  But after the tournament and after what she has been through, I would think not one of you could question Arrow's courage."  His eyes looked steadily at her, mirroring his respect.  "Be she woman or lad, there is no one who is her equal.  If it were up to me solely, I would let her stay."

Rowena felt like a mare at market as they all circled around her, looking at her with appraising eyes.  At last Will Scarlet spoke.  "I say Arrow stays."

"She stays," Allan-A-Dale agreed.

"Lady or lad she is a brave one,"  Little John added.  "She stays.  I will challenge anyone who says nay."

One by one each of the outlaw archers said the same.  Rowena had won their hearts, every one, with her courage and her bravery.  She smiled her gratitude, but quickly gave up her smile for a look of determination.  "Thank you, friends, but I can not bask in your adoration ere long.  Not when Kendrick's life is in jeopardy."  She roused them to action.  "We must go.  Now!  We must set him free."  Picking up the nearest bow and quiver she was prepared to set out at that very moment.

"Wait."  Robin blocked her path.  "We will try to free him...."

"Try?"  Rowena stiffened.   "What say you "
try
"?"  His reluctance angered her.  "You, a coward Robin?  Well then have no doubt but that I will rescue him if I have to do it all alone." 

She started off, but he grabbed her by the sleeve.  "Cool your temper.  I only meant that we had to use caution.  The prince will be expecting us to try something foolhardy, something daring.  We have to think."

"Think."  Rowena took a deep breath to calm her nerves.  She would not act like an impetuous woman.  Yet every fiber of her being called out a warning that they could not wait.  "When is he to be hanged?"

"On Friday before the sun reaches high noon," Robin answered.  "We have planned to act that same day before the sun rises.  We will have a little surprise in store for the prince and the sheriff."

"Rowena shook her head.  "No!  We can not wait.  I know it.  I feel it.  Call it woman's intuition if you like, but I am determined on this."