Robin and Her Merry Men (3 page)

Once the sun disappeared through the trees and darkness fogged in around camp, the celebrations began.
Sherwood Forest h
ad taken on a different feel than in the day. There was an almo
st spooky calm that settled in
as the predators came out to hunt
and animals scurried about
. Robin knew there weren’t many animals to fear,
besides a mountain lion or
bear, which
were rare
due to over hunting their species, but she still got a shiver up her spine nonetheless.

The festivities were quickly put together with all the hands, kicking off with a bang.
The fire pit had been stoked and a wild bo
a
r roasted above. Food of all sorts cooked and was prepared, with fresh wild greens and
vegetables
they had gathered from a garden planted in the meadow not far away.
A group gathered with various instruments, and people danced around happily. Out here, they were free. They celebrated life, the earth, and God. Robin hadn’t ever been to a party quite like it, and of all the social celebrations she had been dragged to growing up, this was the best hands down.

Franny and Bull spun around in a waltz, laughing and swaying to the folk
-
like music. Everywhere she looked, there was happiness. Pastor Tuck walked up beside her and smiled, handing her a glass
. “Here, Robin Hoode. May we toast the riches you have stolen to feed the poor, and hope they covet more
of their wares to our benefit!
”
Robin took the chali
ce and smiled, raising it to her lips.

“This is the
best wine I have ever tas
t
ed!”

“Ahh. Fruit
is a gift
from the earth, which any fool can eat, but for which the Lord intended a more divine means of consumption. Let us gi
ve praise to our maker and appreci
ate this glor
ious bounty by sharing his sacri
fice in wine!”

Robin giggled at hi
s rationalization but in a sens
e
,
he had a point. Plus, it was delicious. She watched everyone dancing around and laughing, enjoying her new friends. Deep down she envied them.
Pastor T
uck kept her company, conversing about his life before and the blessing God had bestowed on him by allowing him to strip down back to the basics.

“Some might see us and
pity
us. But, it is I who feel for them. We have left behind the influences of the world and are back to the primal basics. We are closer to our creator out here. Money and material things no longer matter. For the first time, I am embracing my purpose.”

Robin thought about it for a moment, pondering on his words. He was right. The world was full of evil and greed. Every day, t
hey were faced with temptations. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to make such a drastic change. Could she be happy out here, secluded from everyone? No Starbucks, no cell phones or laptop, no Facebook or Twitter. In return, she would have real
face-to-face
relationships, hear the tweets of the birds, and drink fresh teas straight from nature. Granted, they still went to town for supplies when they were able to, but for the most part, the forest supplied everything. More importantly, how bad would her parents freak? She couldn’t ever let them know where she was to protect the others.

Given her secret profession, it might be her only choice. Sooner or later, the reality
was she could only tempt fate for so long. Someday, she would make a mistake and have to run to stay out of jail. If
M
ayor Sherman Nottingham caught wind of her rebellion, he would stop at nothing to see her locked up in the highest security prison for the rest of her days.
Soap on a rope and
cornrows while trying
not to
become someone’s ‘special lady’ weren’t
on her
top
ten things to do.

*****

“How about it? Care to see my two left feet in action?” Preacher Tuck cut through her thoughts, holding out his hand in invitation.

Robin stood frozen, finally snapping out of her shock and nodded with a smile. “I’d be honored, good sir.” She couldn’t help but giggle. He took her hand and led her out into the crowd, swaying her around with grace. Her cheeks hurt from laughing so much. She was having the best time ever.

Part
way through the second song, they waltzed by a scowling Will who sat perched against a tree. He watched her intently, not taking his eyes from her. When she smiled in his direction he stood and stormed off into the darkness.
What the hell is his problem?
He hadn’t spoke to her since he ambushed her, and as much as she wanted to deny it, it bothered her. Robin had to fight the urge to chase after him and force him to face her, but she refrained. There was no use in letting him ruin her good time. If he wanted to be miserable, so be it.

Bull and F
r
anny spun in their direction, flinging her into Bull’s arms as F
r
anny spun to Preacher Tuck in step. One by one she was passed off, dancing until her feet ached and her breath came in pants. As the band took a break to refill on wine and food, she rushed to drink herself. The wine slid down her throat, warming her tummy and fuzzing her head. She knew she shouldn’t chug it, but she was dying of thirst. It was nice to let loose and belong
. Everyone had done just that
—
accepted her with open arms and accept her for who she was, not what she had or
whom
she knew. No one in her life besides Mary fell into that category. It
was…
refreshing.

The music struck up once more, filling the air around her. It was impossible not to tap her foot to the catchy beat. Robin no sooner finished off her chalice before another man whose name she couldn’t recall pulled her out on the dance floor, taking her glass last minute and tossing it on the table. “Now that is one way to ask a lady to
dance…” she
giggled.

“Ahh…
see that’s the problem
,
Robin, princess of thieves.” His dark eyes danced with amusement, matching his quick tempo and seamless steps. “If I’d
have
asked, there would be an opening for you to decline. By taking your hand and showing you what a great dancer I am, there is no room for rejection.”

“A tad arrogant, don’t you think?” Her mouth curved up in a flirtatious smirk, challenging him.

“No. Confident. Let’s see if your fast footwork from swiping jewels and paintings
,
extends to the dance floor, shall we?”

“Might I at least know your name?” Robin gasped when he pulled her flush against him.

“You might…then again, you might not.” He smiled, baring his teeth to show a perfect sparkling white smile.

“Cheeky bastard.”

“Ahh, now there you are right
,
ma’lady.” Before she had a chance to continue their little duel, he set her in a set of spins that had her laughing with delight. Around and around he led her, tugging her back against his front at last. With his arm wrapped around her middle, she felt his warm breath along her neck and squirmed. Just as she regained her bearings and thought to give this nameless modern day Romeo a taste of his own medicine, Will stepped in front of her, looking mad enough to Hulk smash.

“Enough, Collin
,
”
h
e growled. Once again, she was pulled away without permission, straight into the arms of Mr. Sexy-grumpy-pants himself.

“I was only having some fun, big brother. Tread lightly, this one might be too much for even you.” He kissed Robin’s hand, keeping his eyes locked with hers. He was sexy in every way possible. The fire reflected in his dark eyes, playing well with the unruly waves that swept over his forehead.
Lord help the world if there are more Scarlet boys like these.

Without further explanation or a single word, Will pulled her tightly against him in a possessive claim, smashing her breasts to his hard chest. From the feel of him, he was as ripped as she first anticipated. His hold was firm, but she didn’t feel threatened or in danger. Instead, Robin felt protected. Ironically, the woman who worked endlessly to help and protect others from the poverty of the world reveled in his somewhat Neandertha
l claiming. It could be worse…
he could have pissed on her to mark his territory. Where Collin was witty and charming, Will had a mysterious silent dominance that set her blood on fire.

“What do you think you are doing?” Will growled. It was said more like a
n
accusat
ion
than a question. It took a moment for her to collect the underlying meaning, and set her temper off when his
implication
sunk in. She attempted to pull back to no avail. His grip only tightened around her.

Robin narrowed her eyes, tilting her chin up to lock her glare with his. “I
was
having fun ‘til
you
came along. Now, let me go if you don’t mind.” Her words were sharp, slicing the tension that grew to a heightened state.

“I do mind.” Without elaborating, he moved her back into the swirling bodies and forced her to sway to the slow
ballad
that now played. “What
ever you plan on gaining from this little
c
h
a
rade won’t happen. These are good people
—
too trusting, but pure of heart. I won’t think twice about snapping your little neck and leaving you for the bears to protect them.” He tightened his grip around her waist to get his point through.

“My gain is their gain. As I said before, I want to help. Your threats mean nothing, Will. Maybe other people cringe in fear when the big bad wolf growls,
but
I have
news for you…
I’m not little
R
ed
R
iding
H
ood. It’s gonna take a hell of a lot mo
re than that to scare me away.”

“You’re a spoiled rich girl, Robin Hoode. No matter what stripes you try to wear, your spots will shine through. Go back to your pedestal
and leave us alone.” He caught a glimpse of hurt in her eyes and fought the twinge of guilt
that arose. It had to be done.
S
he couldn’t get her fifteen minutes of fame by plastering their business across the Sunday paper.
This was about the lives of his family and friends
—
something she would never understand.
Playing super
hero on the weekends wasn’t helping. It was nothing more than a way to deal with her guilt.

“And
y
ou
must be mistaken,
Will Scarlet
. I’m not asking permission. These people deserve more than your ego.
Now, get your damn hands off
me. At least not all the Scarlets share your
perspective
.” Her voice
rose above
the music, drawing a few stares in their direction. He shoved her away, storming off.

Will couldn’t handle sitting idly by while a little rich bitch ruined everything. It was time to send her back where she came from and away from what he had worked so painfully to
protect. How dare she? This was his home! How could he be the only one who saw through her
bullshit
? His own damn flesh and blood fell hook
,
line
,
and sinker for her sparkling smile and good looks
—
both of which were probably bought with stacks of cash. She was j
ust like the others—
only out for personal gain. He couldn’t take it anymore.

He trek
ked back through the dense
foliage
to where her car was left
,
turned it around, carefully maneuvering it between the trees and narrow road. Come morning, as she drove out the way she came, he would see to it that it was impossible for her to ever return. There were plenty of logs to fall and brush to drag that would make the road simply vanish.
When reporters came dragging in, as he knew would once she ran her article, they wouldn’t find anything.

The next morning Robin woke before sun up, unable to go back to sleep. After Will had left, her night had been pretty much ruined. She didn’t know why he got to her so bad. Granted, he was hot as all get out, but she had been around tons of pompous rich assholes with the looks and the charm without a second thought. On one side, she half commended his loyalty and dedication to preserving their community. On the other side, she wanted to kick the living shit out of him for being so damn blind. While she laid snug
in her surprisingly comfy bed st
ewing over
their conversation, in the back of her mind she fought down the feelings that surfaced. Over and over her mind went back to him pulling her in
to
his arms. Did he feel it too? Was that what pissed him off so bad
ly
? Or was she hoping that under the jackass and through the rage was desire?
Ugh
.
It didn’t matter. In a coupl
e hours, she would say her good
byes
and leave, back to her life. When she brought back the bounty of her next heist, maybe then he
w
ould see her intentions. There was no way he would ever apologize, for that she was certain. Hopefully he
w
ould at least be civil to her when she visited.
Visited
? Was she really going to come back frequently? She adored everyone here, but it was evident she didn’t belong as Will had pointed out every chance he could. Secondly, she
'd
put them in danger of being found. If she were to ever be followed…

“What are ye doing awake so early, love?” F
r
anny asked in a hushed whisper.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Was the bed uncomfortable? I could put y
e
in one
of the kid’s rooms next time ye
visit, or maybe let y
e
have mine and John’s.” It touched her heart to see F
r
anny offering more
accommodations
given they lived in a tree house.

Not wanting to offend her generous host, Robin
cut her off before she continued. “No
,
F
r
anny, the bed was perfect. Everything here is perfect. I am so grateful for your hospitality.”

F
r
anny walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “Then what has y
e
st
ewing in the wee hours, lass?” Her accent was thicker in her sleepy state, bringing a smile to Robin’s lips.

“I don’t know…
a little bit of everything I guess. I come out here and feel like I belong somewhere for the first time. You all are amazing. Growing up, we had everything, and I was never happy. Here, when all the bobbles and sparkles are stripped, I’m happier than I have ever been. Will…
”
Before she could collect her thoughts and attempt to explain in words without giving her feelings away, F
r
anny patted her hand.

“Don’t mind Will. He has a good heart, but the manners of a barbarian.”
She took a breath in a hesitant pause. “He fancies y
e
, ye know.”

“Me?” Robin laughed. “I think he wants to pluck out my eyes and hang me for the buzzards.
If not that people would come looking for me, I’d be belly up in the river.”

“Oh pish posh. He is afraid. For us, but also for his feelings. If he trusts y
e
and something were to happen, he could never forgive himself. Deep down he knows y
e
are only wanting to do what’s right. But if he admits that, he has
to admit to himself he likes ye
.”

“I don’t think so, F
r
anny. Last night…”

“Last night he couldn’t stand seeing y
e
dance with Collin.
It’s always been a competition with those two.
When he had y
e
in his arms,
we all could see through his gruff tough act
,
love. John caught him when he stormed off but didn’t get a chance to talk to him. He’ll c
ome around. Don’t y
e
fret
,
my dear, not for a minute
.”

Robin felt her face heat to a bright neon red and sighed. Did she want him to come around? Was F
r
anny right? Sure, he was attractive, and his domina
n
t wa
ys set her blood on fire. But…
they were worlds apart. She lived in the mix of society, him in the secluded forest away from the world. Like her split life, they were polar opposite. “I don’t know
,
F
r
anny. We are worlds apart
,
”
h
er voice trailed off with her thoughts.

“Not as much as y
e
may think
,
love
.
Y
e
are here, aren’t y
e
?
” She gave Robin something
more
to think about. With a sweet hug and pat to her hand, F
r
anny walked out of the room, leaving her to ponder as she watched the first glow of morning seep through the window, giving her hope. Maybe there could be room in her life for love
—
someday.
For now she had a job to do
,
and by
the
time this job was over, there would only be another. She couldn’t stop
.
Not until the country had changed back for people to survive.
Maybe it wasn’t too far
-
fetched. Who knows what the future will hold
.

Giving up on sleep, Robin got up and dressed after washing up in the water that had been brought to a bedside
washstand
. She smiled, loving the nostalgic feel, half enjoying experiencing how things were done two hundred years ago. With candles lit for light and the wee hour sun barely casting in, her reflection was warm and soft. She forgot on so many occasions how feminine she was. Like all women she had areas she wanted to change,
like the few extra pounds she carried, and the roundness of her hips. B
ut all in all, she was happy with what the good
L
ord gave her.
It just took moments like these for her to realize it. She slipped into the fresh clothing Sara had so generously lent to her, giggling. A long linen gypsy type skirt was paired with a
peasant
top, only adding to the trip back in time she was on. The plunging neckline showed off the girls, hiding her troubled spots and accenting her femininity. Wanting to give back, she quietly slipped out to start breakfast.

*****

With the fresh wild hog bacon and sausage sizzling on the stove
along with the
eggs, and fresh homemade bread toasting in the rock oven, she quickly found herself humming and enjoying herself. Collin was the first to appear, offering his playboy smile she was sure kept all the ladies swooning at his feet.
“Good morning. I see you are adjusting well.” He cockily leaned up against a tree, watching her every move. She could feel his eyes wandering, so she did what any woman would do
—
added an extra sway in her hips as she moved
,
and squared her shoulders ever so slightly, just enough to raise the girls up for a perfect focal point. Now
,
more than ever
,
she was glad she wore her good push
-
up bra. As she bent over to remove the toast, she made sure she faced him, giving him a
bird’s
eye view of her cleavage.

“Yes, it’s
hard not to enjoy normal every
day tasks in a place like this. I don’t see how anyone could be in a bad mood here.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw him
shift, turning to hide the bul
ge that grew in the front of his jeans. He busied himself stoking the fire and made coffee.

“I never am.” He flashed a full grin, walking up behind her. “Something smells amazing.”

“It’s probably the fresh bacon. I’ve never had meat that didn’t come out of a package.” She flipped the thick seasoned strips with a fork, unaware of how close he was until he rested his chin on her shoulder.

“It’s not breakfast that has my mouth watering.” His warm breath cascaded across her ear, sending an instant shiver up her spine. Before she could react, Collin went hurdling away from her, almost knocking her against the pan of hot grease.

“What the…
”
She turned just in time to see Will standing over Collin, ready to dive on top of him. “Stop! What the hell is wrong with you!” Robin screeched.

“You! You are my problem! It’s time for you to leave, Robin Hoode, and never come back! Collin
—
disappear!” Just as Collin growled and stood, both fists cocked, John came barreling out of the house and jumped between the two vicious beasts just in time.

“Boys! Stop
NOW
!” His voice boomed, having more of an effect than she expected.
Both men stormed off in opposite directions, slinging cuss words at each other. The others had
come
to see what the fuss was about and stood staring. It was all too much. Before she could cause any more damage, Robin fled.

“Father, can you show me to my car please? I’m so sorry…
I only want to help. Not
…
this.” Her eyes burned, pooling with tears.

“No no no
, Robin…
those two are always at each other’s throats.
Please, don’t pay any mind. You have been an absolute delight.” The good preacher wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving her a friendly hug. Sara and Franny took over breakfast duties, changing the subject and planning where her house should be built next to theirs. She pulled herself together and sighed.

“I really need to get back. You all have been so wonderful and I have had an amazing time. Thank you.” Robin hugged both women and stepped away.

“You will be back soon, right?” Sara’s voice was soft and sweet just as she was.

“Of course. I don’t think I could ever stay away from here.” She winked, hugging first her
then
Franny. After making the rounds, giving good
-
byes and
forcing down half of a pig that was thrust at her randomly, she finally broke free and faded out of the crowd to Pastor Tuck. He walked her back toward the main road, helping her over the thick
briar bushes
like a true gentleman.

“You are gifted
young lady. I figured you’d be stuck until nightfall, or you puked from all the food. I’ve never seen them take to someone so fast.”

“Yeah…they are great. It’s the reason I do what I do.”

“They are counting on you, Robin. You are a good girl. Please don’t let them down.”

Robin turned, stopping to look him in the eyes. “Pastor, I will do all
in my power to give these people what they deserve. I had my endless cash flow ripped because I didn’t fit in. All of the artificial friendships and stupid social get togethers were enou
gh to gag a maggot. So, when I alienated myself and quit attending my parents poor attempts at matchmaking, my inheritance was put under lock and key and most of my allowance ripped
away. Not like it’s a big deal,
I work. Which kills them that I have lowered myself to working such a blue collar job and live in a
—
gasp
—
apartment.”

“It sounds like to me that you have succeeded more than you give yourself credit for. You feed yourself, have a roof and clothes on your back. What makes you rich is your heart. In God’s eyes, you are wealthier
beyond your comprehension.” He continued walking, holding the branches along the way. The rest of the walk was in silence, besides the occasional ‘thank you’ and ‘watch your step’. Somehow, one preacher managed to justify her doubts that had held her back for so long. She felt like she had betrayed her own blood at times, despite their wrong way of putting riches over the lives of so many. Granted, her family was better than most and donated to charities, but
they
never got their hands dirty with commoners. It had led her to give her lunch money to the homeless on her walk to schoo
l each day, and take left
over dinner to them at night. For as long as she could remember, she had always felt
like it was her duty, even if it was one random act of kindness at a time.

As they neared her car, she had a feeling of regret. Leaving meant going back to the corruption she fought against. At least now she could bring a bounty that would help more than one person.

“Thank you, Pastor Tuck…
for everything. I had more fun than I’ve had in a long time.”

“Anytime. I will keep you in my prayers for your safe return. We all can’t want to see you again, Robin of the Hoode family. You are a true delight.” He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head
in a
fatherly
way
before opening her door. “Drive safe.”

“I will. Tell everyone I’ll be back, bearing gifts.” She smiled and shut the door, unable to stop the
peace the forest brought. But she had a job to do
—
and nothing would stand in her way.