Sherwood's Shadow(the Story of Robin Hood's Unheard of 'Enemy/Aly')

1 year before.....

   I walked towards Little John and he looked away reflexively under my glare. What business did Robin have denying me? I was the one girl who didn't drool in his presence,  plus I could hold an intelligent conversation and hold back the urge to kill him. Most of the time at least for that last bit..."I want to see Robin." I grit my teeth, searching his dark, coffee eyes.

He continued to ignore me, much to my chagrin, prompting me to start poking him in the chest until he would pay attention. Damn him and his rock hard muscles. I had little doubt my attempt at annoyance was being thwarted by the fact that he couldn't even feel it. For once in my life, I desired to have the talons most girls saw as attractive just so I could make some kind of impression on him. At least then my nails could annoy him with their click-clacking  against his chest. 

Finally after what seemed like an eternity of poking, he said something, "Come on Celeste, I already told you Robin is-"

   "I'm what Little John?" Robin asked cheekily with a smirk on his face as he stepped from behind me.

    Little John grit his teeth, and was satisfyingly enough, irritated by his appearance, "I was just telling Celeste here you were VERY busy Robin."

    "And I was just telling John here that it was urgent business." I said matter of factually. However, I, for one,  knew I hadn't actually told John that. As a result, he just glared at me as if it could make me disappear. I could easily push anyone of the Merry Men's buttons...but I enjoyed pushing Little John's the most. I was, after all, the one who gave him is ironic nickname. 

   "Oh really?" Robin questioned baring his teeth in a blinding smile that most of the village girls swooned over.

I was probably the only girl he knew that didn't throw themselves on him. He nodded to Little John and started walking to the near by creek. "What do you want Celeste?" he queried, still grinning.

   I almost burst out laughing knowing what he thought my intentions were. All men have the same things on their mind and I'm not nearly naïve enough to fall for it, especially coming from him. I cut to the chase, not stopping to take a breath, "I want to join your band of Merry Men."

   His smile faded and was replaced by a look I had never seen on his face, a straight face. I had to say with how damn annoying his smile was, it was a nice change. Not that he wasn't still damn annoying to me, because he certainly was annoying.  "No." he said, not even batting an eyelash as he grabbed a pebble,  and skipped it across the creek. It bounced twice before hitting the embankment on the other side.

   "What do you mean no?" I asked with a new edge. I could do anything just as well as he could, probably even better. Not that he was aware of anything besides my sharp tongue and...sunny disposition.

   He sighed avoiding my intense gaze, "No, you can't be in my Merry Men, hence the MEN." I was fuming at his words, he wasn't letting me just because I was a girl, and girls are 'fragile'.

I hate being a girl, it always gets in the way of what I want to do.

When I was learning archery, with Robin, the teacher's attention was always on Robin. So, I had to teach myself while Robin bragged about how good he was getting. Sure, he could send an arrow directly to the center of the bull's eye on his first try and the second would splitt right down the middle, but I didn't have a proper trainer and could shoot an arrow- and while it still in the air- shoot a second arrow to split it right down the middle. But no one, I mean no one has ever seen me shoot. Not, at least, since I was younger.

   I glared at Robin, mustering my strength and anger, "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I'm too fragile and can't do anything. I bet I can write better and read better then any of your Merry Men, even you. I'm also a better strategist." And at archery, not that I'd bring it up. That was still my ace in the hole. 

He laughed, "So what? For our job, your wits have to be about you. It's unnecessary to be book smart. Besides, there isn't much strategizing necessary either. We can make do with the men we currently have. In truth, you have nothing to offer us but a pretty face. Not that I'd mind one around..." he trailed, not finishing his thought.

I clenched my fists, feeling my nails digging into my palms. Perhaps it was good they were still short. "So you say Robin, but do your men know the truth behind all of this? Who's idea this all was?"

His eyes met mine, surprised, "How is that even rele-"

"Of course it's relevant! Neither you, nor the Merry Men would exist without me. You'd be a simple hunter. Even Little John wouldn't be Little John, and you wouldn't be Robin Hood. It's all because I came up with a game when we were younger. A game where we were in a band of thieves who protected the weak from the wealthy. Stealing from the rich, giving to the poor. Promising each other that without a doubt, one day we would do it. It's obvious one of us gave up on that though." I exclaimed, taking a step closer.

"What do you expect? As we got older, we discovered what you being called 'Lady' truthfully meant! With time, I discovered that it was impossible for a woman to become a bandit. I knew that for a fact when you of all people gave up on archery. So don't even TRY to blame this all on me."

I laughed dryly, my stomach turning at his words. I had in fact given up in his eyes, but it was no excuse. Besides, I had only stopped learning from the useless trainer. He never taught me anything than how to knock an arrow and hold a bow anyways..."No, that is called monkey see, monkey do. While I matured, YOU became boring, unable to think for yourself. Without Little John's help, you would've been caught long ago by the Sheriff and you know it. If only you were still the boy I had grown up with, maybe he wouldn't be a chauvinistic pig."

"Think what you'd like Celeste, but I mean what I said-no."

I took a deep breath as my eyes burned, blurring slightly, "F-fine," my voice shook slightly much to my annoyance, "Goodbye Robin..."And I turned, walking away from him.

"Celeste, wait, I need to tell you somethi-"

But I ignored him, staring straight ahead as I made a promise to myself: Robin would regret his decision. I'd make sure of that...