Robin and Her Merry Men (2 page)

Despite the slight headache she woke with, Robin felt good about her plans for the day. She had a busy schedule and rushed to get things started. Coffee in hand, she ran out the door and down the steps
e
n
route to Sherwood Forest.

The farther out of the city she drove, the better she felt. There was a calming to the country that the busy hustle and bustle of the city lacked. Neighborhoods began to spread out, dwindling with each passing mile. Soon, only a single
stand-alone
house could be seen from time to time warning that her destination was growing nearer.
From the greenery to the crisp clean air, Robin let her senses soak in the cleanliness of her environment. Soon she ventured down the narrow road
,
l
ea
d
ing
into a thicket of trees that canopied overhead, creating a green tunnel. She slowed her speed, allowing her to take in the scenery around her. Squirrels scurried from one tree to another, jumping with suc
h grace and perfection. A jack
rabbit hopped along through the pillowy meadow, munching on the plush grass and violet flowers that peppered the area with pops of color. A rainbow of butterflies fluttered from one flower to the next, giving the whole scene an almost fairytale feel. If she didn’t know better, she would almost believe she had driven smack dab into the middle
of a Disney movie.

The road began to narrow, turning from pavement to dirt. Robin slowed her little sports car down to avoid damage
, dodging the
potholes
and rough spots carefully
. The small little low water bridges didn’t seem
structurally
sound, but she made it over each one by holding her breath and reassuring herself the little creeks that ran underneath wouldn’t be deep enough to submerge the car had it collapsed. Driving off into a body of water and drowning was one of her top three major fears
, next to being burned to death or buried alive
. Even the larger river that was crossed by a rickety wooden bridge didn’t appear deep
enough to drown in
.

An hour into the trip, she slowed to a stop in front of a fallen log that had landed across the road. “Shit. How am I supposed to get past that?” Unbuckling her seatbelt, she weighed her options. She could turn around and give up, wasting her morning, or try to figure out how to get past the obstacle. Not being one to give in to defeat, Robin walked over and attempted to pick up the end. “Ummmph!” The log was heavier than she thought. She strained and grunted, using all her strength only to get it off the ground a few mere inches. It was no use. The tree was too heavy and big for her to manhandle alone. She looked around, hoping something would appear that would help only to be ambu
shed by a group of bow and gun
wielding men
who
came from the
treetops
and out of the ground brush. “What the….
”
She jumped, startled and stunned. Her pepper spray was in the car and out of reach giv
en
their close proximity. The
self-defense
classes she had taken might help, but there was no w
ay she could fight off two
…
Her eyes went wide, spotting yet another beast of a man to make three assailants circl
ing
around her.

“Are you the people that live out here?” Her voice shook, showing her fear. She tried to steady herself but these people wouldn’t think twice about killing her. They were in survival mode. Everything had been taken from them, and if someone threatened to take their last resource, they would stop at nothing.

The man directly to her left stepped closer, taking the role as leader amongst the others. “That is of no concer
n to a bloody reporter
. We know who you are
, Miss Robin Hoode
,
of the
Seattle Journal
. And, we
won’t allow you to plaster our business in the news f
or the world to see. Sherwood F
orest is
government land. If word gets out, we’ll be forced to leave.” He stepped closer, his huge shoulders squared off in an intimidating challenge. Robin knew if she showed even the slightest bit of
weakness that
would be it. With a deep breath, she straightened her spine and tilted her chin up just enough to look him square in the eyes.

“I know. That’s why I’
ve come. I seem to be at a disadvantage though. You know my name, but I don’t know yours. I do hope living out here hasn’t affected you so as to lose all common courtesy
,
”
h
er tone sharp and equally as dominating.

One of the others behind him chuckled. “She is as they say. A firecracker that one. Miss Robin, mee
t Will Scarlet. I am P
astor Tuck. That
monster there is Duncan
Locksley
, but we call him Bull for obvious reasons.”

In a heavy Irish accent, Bull laughed, “
A
ye, but the ladies call me that
'cause
I am hung…”

“Bull! Not in front of a lady. Maybe she’s right about you and you
have
lost your manners out here in the brush
,
” Tuck interrupted.

Robin couldn’t help but giggle. She raised her hand to cover her laughs, but couldn’t stop. The whole scene was just too much. The
best of writers
couldn’t assemble
a story like this.

“It’s kind of risky, laughing at the ones who could wipe you from this earth, don’t you think
,
princess?” Will growled, only making her giggles turn into belly clenching laughter. His bright green eyes widened to match the look of disbelief that spread across his
hard-set
features, only egging her on more. Th
is
six foot five, two hundred sixty plus pounds of solid
male, whose
body many would kill for
,
had been rocked by a tiny five
foot
six, one
hundred
twenty
pounds—
on a good day
—
girl was too much to take in. Pastor Tuck soon bu
r
st out in chuckles with her, angering the devilishly handsome Will even more.

“I’m glad you’re all amused. I won’t risk losing the last place we have to go for some
little rich girl
to get her story in the Sunday’s paper for the people who put us here to read while they sip their tea in their million dollar houses
!” He took a deep breath before continuing his rant
,
“
The
Mayor has taxed all of us and
left
us with
nothing
! Look at her car! That alone could feed us all for a year, maybe more! You,
Robin Hoode
, can’t fool me. Go back to your glamorous life and let us be!” Will turned and huffed back into the woods, disappearing through a thicket of dense brush and greenery.

Tuck stepped forward, shaking his head. “Eh, don’t mind him. Will is as hot tempered as they come. He’ll settle down. So, what brings you to our neck of the woods?” He smiled at his own joke. It amazed her how they could be in such good spirits given they had nothing. Everything had been taken away
from them, yet their outlook was
still strong.

“I am a journalist by day, as Will so bluntly pointed out. But, by night, I work bringing justice to the people who have been taxed and forced into a life of
poverty. It’
s
true;
I do come from a wealthy family. Because I didn’t believe in the same social segregation as my father, I work to support myself. I also use my connections to help people like you.” Robin relaxed some, feeling less threatened by the pastor. Bull could snap her like a twig, but she was willing to put money on it that he was more
of a teddy bear than a raging bul
l. That
nickname
should have
gone to Will.

“Watch yourself, lass. What do you mean,
‘
people like us
’
?” Bull sounded offended, requiring some explaining in which Robin jumped to offer up.

“I’m sorry, I mean people who have been forced out of their homes. People who have been cast out by the rich who remain rich while you were bankrupt by taxes. There are people that I know on a personal level who spend more on a painting for their foyer than you made annually. They have to find ways to spend their money, while you have to find ways to eat, and survive. I simply give them more reason to spend their cash, while I help families make ends meet.”

“S
o, you’re telling me, that you…
little Robin Hoode, steal fr
om the rich to feed the poor?”
Tuck said, arching an eyebrow with a smirk.

Robin couldn’t help but grin at his reference, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth to keep from laughing. “Yes, I guess you can put it that way.”

“And, you came out here to help us?” Bull asked, scratching his head.

Robin smiled sweetly. “Yes. I heard about the woodsmen who lived off the land and built their homes in the mysterious Sherwood
Forest
, and had to see for myself. Are there more of you?”

Both Bull and Tuck gl
anced at each other in silent question before Tuck answered her. “Yes. Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour. You have to swear that you won’t tell anyone we are here. The woods provide us with everything we need to survive. Animals to eat…trees to make shelter. Water to drink and wash. If others discover us, we’ll lose it all. There are no other options for any of us
,
Robin.”

“Of course not. I…might be able to help soon. I have a job coming up that could possibly
wield
enough to help a
substantial
number of people.”

“Great. Come on then, Franny should have lunch about done!” Bull grabbed her hand and dr
a
g
ged
her forward through the trees. She had to almost run to keep up with him and Tuck who both had legs almost longer than she was tall. When he released her she was almost out of breath. “Who is Franny?”

“Franny is my wife.
Sh
e and the babes are back at c
amp where it’s safe. She i
s busy making the best deer steak you’ve ever tasted.” His expression lit up with the mention of his beloved. It warmed her heart to see a man still deeply in love despite the
evil that was around them.

“I bet it is.” She followed the two in a half jog trying to keep up when her foot got snagged on a thorn vine and
she
tripped
, falling
to the ground.
She hit the hard surface with a thud
—
her knees taking most of the force. “Ouch!” She stood slowly, watching as her favorite jeans grew red stains over her kneecaps. “Damn.” Tuck turned around to see what was wrong. “Oh, sorry
,
pastor.
My mouth isn’t always as lady
like as it should be.”

He smiled. “As mine, Robin. I am
a man of the cloth, but to err
is human. Our God is a forgiving God. Let me have a look.” He pulled up her pant legs to reveal the deep cuts and scrap
es
the rocky ground had caused. “Oh. These look pretty deep. Franny can fix up a salve that will stop the bleeding and help heal them up in no time. Can you make it the rest of the way?”

Robin sighed. “It’s only a little scrape. I’ll live. I am more upset that my favorite jeans are ruined now.”

Tuck laughed. “Okay, let’s get you back to camp and fixed up. Tis’ nothing a little homemade wine can’t cure.”

She narrowed her eyes
inquisitively
, her lips tilting up in a crooked grin.

“What? Even a man of the cloth enjoys a good bottle of blackberry wine now and again.” He winked at her and helped her up, slowing his pace to stay within catching distance should she tumble again.

Robin couldn’t help but be in awe of her surroundings. The moss grew up the tree bark and
overhead
, giving a mystic type feel. The huge trees towered over them, letting her see just how small she was in the world. She had to admit, Sherwood
F
orest was as close to God as one could get. His work was everywhere. It made her envy them for being in such tranquility.

*****

Twenty minutes later, they walked up to the ‘camp’. Robin couldn’t believe her eyes. It was like Smith Family Robinson on crack! Beautiful cottages were built high up in the trees, nestled against the trunks. Wooden bridges hung between each, suspended with vines and limbs woven into a beautiful braided pattern. Each home had more than one level, connected together with covered bridges. A
pulley
system had been hung so water and other items could be raised up with ease. It was indesc
ribable. She had watched fairy
tales as all little girls growing up, but none compared to this. If it weren’t for the people around, Robin would swear it was the home of fairies or
leprechauns
. She half expected unicorns and
minotaurs
to walk by at any minute. Robin was so lost in awe she didn’t hear Tuck talking to her.

“Robin?”

“Oh, uh, what?”

“I asked, what do you think?”

“I…
wow. This is…breathtaking. Amazing. Beautiful. There are no words worthy enough to describe this. How did you make all of this just from the forest?” She still kept her eyes roaming, soaking in every new little detail she discovered.

“Bull is a carpenter. And, that guy over there? That’s Tony. He was an architect before forced out of his home. Dave, there by the fire, worked at the
lumberyard
all his life, with his wife
,
Emily. Colton and Liz are off to fill the buckets of water, so you can meet them later. Gina is Tony’s girlfriend. The two have been together for years, but she refuses to tie the
k
not
.

“W
ith the few items we were able to bring with us, we put them a
ll together to create what you’
re lookin’ at.”

Robin couldn’t respond.
The fire was
actually a rock pit with a stone
cook stove and oven made from what she could only assume was the mud cement used back in the olden days and rocks found around. People paid thousands of dollars for outdoor kitchens that didn’t compare to this. She felt somewhat guilty assuming they would only cook on sticks and leaves. It never occurred to her they had household items as everyone else. She spotted the same set of pans she had by Rachael Ray, in the signature bright orange color
,
sitting atop the stove. Wooden shelving and cabinets had been made to store food and dishes. The ground, though dirt, was swept clean of leaves and pine needles. Children ran around playing games, shooting with their toy guns and dragging their baby
dolls through the trees and brush. She looked around and saw a group of people waiting to be introduced and her face heate
d to a bright red. “I’m sorry…
this place is just amazing. I can’t quit looking for fear I’ll miss something. There are even decorative carvings on the homes. This is just not what I expected.”

A
middle-aged
woman giggled, extending her hand. Robin shook it, s
till embarrassed. “I’m Fran. That there is Sara, and over there is Becky. I’ll introduce you to everyone as we go, but don’t worry about remembering everyone just yet. You’ll
get to know them soon enough. You do plan on coming back, don’t you?”

“It’s so nice to meet you. I’
m Robin. Thank you for welcoming
me into your home.
And yes, I would love to, thank you.
”

“Aw
w
, don’t th
ink none about it. I hope you’
re hungry. Wolf brought home enough deer
that
we can’t get it smoked and cured fast enough. So, I sliced it up and gave it a good coating of flour and spices and fried it. I guarantee it will be better than any beef you’ve ever eaten.” She winked and walked back to the stove, checking and flipping the food.

“Wolf?”

“
A
ye. My oldest son. He turned sixteen this last winter…hell of a hunter that one is. Takes after his mum.” Her accent made her even more attractive. She was all of five foot three and had curves instead of bones and skin like most women now days. Her long curly dark hair framed her face, accenting her big blue eyes and rosy cheeks. Robin laughed, loving F
r
anny already. She was as genuine as they came.

“Wow. It amazes me how easy you all have adapted. Most kids would be lost and in some sort of shock if they had their game consoles and electronics taken away, much less moved out in the wilderness
. You have raised four children to be great adults some day, F
r
anny.”

“Four, pshh. I have seven love. Wolf is the oldest, Shannon is thirteen, Brian is almost twelve, Jared ten, the twins Sophie and Sasha are six, and little Jenna is three months. I swear that man keeps me knocked up on purpose.” She glanced over at Bull who automatically turned to her and smiled. The love that floated through them was what every girl dreamed of. Robin didn’t think it existed, until now.
He winked and went back to tending the fire, whistling lightheartedly.

“Seven! How do you manage?”

“It isn’t easy, that’s for sure. But, after the first three, it’s all the same. I don’t think I’d know what to do without the brood running around me in circles all day. I’d be bored for sure.” F
r
anny grinned at her shocked reaction. Giving her a once over, she added, “What about you? Any little ones
keeping you on your toes?”

Robin laughed. It was odd to think that at
twenty-three
some women were working on their second and even third baby. She hadn’t given it much thought. Sure, she wanted kids some day, but that meant finding a husband
—
which wasn’t in the cards given her back list of failed relationships, or lack there of. “That would mean I’d have to find a husband, and I have yet to find a man who can last longer than two dates. I tend to scare them off for some reason.” Robin strolled around camp with F
r
anny as they chatted, admiring her new friend’s life more and more.

“Well I can’t imagine why…
Do you turn into an ogre when the sun sets or something
,
love?” Her joking tone was welcoming, making the normally somewhat tender subject easy.

“No, not that I know of…
I think my independent personality comes on too strong for most. Mary says I intimidate them.” She fiddled with pine needles, wrapping them around her finger.

“And who is this Mary?” F
r
anny’s accent grew thicker at times
more
than others, and came out almost harmonious. It was refreshing.

“Mary is my best friend since birth. She and I have been through a lot, but
even though
we are alike in so many ways, men are her department. I have yet to meet a man who called after a second date, which even making it to number two is rare. Everything seems to be going great, and then nothing. No texts, calls, no explanation. I don’t get
stalkerish or clingy like some…
don’t talk with my mouth full…
I pretty much have given up and am learning to accept the fact I am destined to be alone. As much as I would love kids, I
will have to settle on borrowing yours now so you can get a break.”

“A break? What is that?” Both women giggled, carrying on the conversation as F
r
anny took her around and showed her the different things
they had rigged up to make their little community modernized and convenient. All of the different systems they had set up were amazing. From what Robin could tell, all that was lacking was solar panels for electricity. The homemade candles Franny and Sara hand dipped made them
un
necessary.

Robin talked with the others, making friends with them all. There were twenty adults residing
t
here and kids belonging to most everyone.

It wasn’t long until lunch was ready, and everyone gathered together. The meal prayer was said and everyone sat as a family, discussing things that needed to be done or new ideas to improve. Besides Mary, Robin felt more at ease and comfortable with this group of perfect strangers than she did with her own family.

Will Scarlet had co
me back to camp seeming less agitated, sitting at the opposite end of the table than her. He hadn’t made a point to speak to her, but wasn’t threatening to kill her either
,
which was a start. She caught him looking at her a few times but he would turn his head the second she made eye contact. Either Will was still trying to decide if she was worth killing, or he was examining her for the first time instead of the blood red vision of anger as before.

When the meal was over, Robin fell in with the ladies and helped with clean up, finding it easier than she had anticipated. Water had been drawn and heated to wash the dishes in
the
two giant tubs that had been made into makeshift sinks. The women had dish soap, which seemed out of place in this little piece of the world where time stood still.
She was about to make her leave when Bull walked over. “You are going to stay tonight for the spring celebration
,
aren’t ya
,
lass?”

“Celebration?” She couldn’t hide her curiosity.

“
A
ye. Dancing, music, food, and Pastor Tuck’s famous blackberry wine.”

Before he could go on, F
r
anny interrupted
,
“Aft
er, you can sleep in our home.
We have plenty of room.
The rug rats can pile up tonight. The
youngins
usually end up shoving me and Bull out of bed and onto the floor anyhoo.
Come on, let
'
s go get you situated. Sara will have something you can wear to sleep in.”

“F
r
an
ny, I don’t want to put you out.
I can leave after if
someone can help me find my car.
I don’t think I could find my way in the daytime much less at night. The forest has changed since I first got here I think.
I don’t know how you don’t get lost!”

“
A
ye, it does change. Night
time is my favorite around here.
I always feel like we are in our own little world and get to forget the bad that surrounds us. In a twisted sense, this has been the best blessing for me family.
The youngins have never been happier.”

“I can see why. It’s amazing out here. I’d love to get away from the rat race
, but my family even more.”

“Well then. It is my job to make sure you never want to leave. We could use another woman around here. All this testosterone is hard to keep up with,” she said with a snicker. F
r
anny
linked her arm in Robin’s and pulled her away, chattering delightfully.