After Robin Book 1: The Burning Testimony

Chapter 15

- Callum's POV -

We trudged through the forest, ignoring the pouring rain and the mud. We pulled branches out of our faces and tried to stay quiet at the same time. It was probably one of the hardest task I've ever had to do. We took a five minute break after maybe forty five minutes of walking then continued on again.

A twig snapped!

I signaled for Sam to lie low and I did the same, ducking behind a large tree. I couldn't hear anymore noise but I wasn't going to be fooled that easily. I stayed behind the tree while a assessed the situation. We were already under cover, but we didn't know if who ever made that noise was either. We-

"You know, you had an unfair advantage. The sun was behind you." Came a deep voice out of no where.

I jumped and spun around quickly, just to bump right into a tall man with flaming red hair. He had a sort of smirk on his face, and his well muscled arms were folded across his chest. He had very wide shoulders and tanned skin, nearly pushing 6.6 feet. He had a red goatee and he wore farmers clothing, but he was no farmer. I looked up at his face, into a pair of emerald green eyes. They looked like they were laughing at me. But I felt as though I had seen them before...

"Don't worry, sonny, I won't turn you in...I'm Robin Hood of Locksley." He said, holding his hand out.

My jaw dropped. Those green eyes. Of course! I had seen them before, but not on him. On Em. He gave me an expectant look before I realized I was just standing there, gaping. I reached out and shook his hand saying, "Callum McClain."

"Pleasure, Callum." Then he looked up over my shoulder.

"And who is this young lady?" He asked.

I realized he was referring to Sam.

"Oh, this is Sam." I said gesturing toward her.

As soon as I said it I mentally face palmed myself. I was in the presence of one of the biggest legend in the kingdom and I tell him my friend is called Sam. I guess I was just use to calling her that.

"Samantha Raymond." Sam covered up with a smile, shaking his hand.

"And who might you be?" She asked.

"Robin of Locksley, at your service." He answered, nodding his head politely.

I could see the surprise in her eyes but unlike me, she managed to contain it.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"I was just about to ask you the same question...I...Well, you won't believe this, but I just escaped from a hidden prison."

"Wait a minute...Was it under a stable?" Sam asked.

"Yes! How did you know?"

"Well, we just came from the same place."

"Huh. That's a coincidence. But, if you just escaped, why are you heading back in the same direction?"

Sam and I looked at each other and then, as if we had read each others minds, we both asked, "Would you excuse us for a minute?"

He nodded and Sam pulled me out of ear shot of...You know who.

"We have to tell him." She said, flatly.

"I don't know, it's been a while since he was home. Em said she didn't even remember what he looked like. I don't think it would be...You know...Healthy."

"Healthy?!?" Sam asked, puzzled.

"Callum, he's her dad. He has to know!"

"Yeah! Of course he does. What was I thinking. Come on."

I waved for her to follow me back to um...Robin... and then I said, "What we're about to tell you will be kind of hard to believe, but I assure you, it's the truth. Now don't freak out...But, we're friends of Emmalina."

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- Emmalina's POV -

"Dang it!" I hissed at myself.

I was hiding behind a large pile of crates against a stone wall. I could see the barnyard gate only a few hundred yards away, but between me and the gate was a guard patrol of 20 men on break. They were slouching against the wall next to the gate, not laughing or nudging each other, just silently staring at whatever their eyes landed on first. They were so lifeless. Even if they were trying to kill the other wards and me, I still felt kind of sorry for them. No, no, no, I thought. No time for that. I gotta focus on getting out of here.

"What do you think, Dax?" I asked.

He was perched comfortably on my shoulder again and I realized how much I had missed the familiar feeling. He gave me a feeling of security. Though he be but little, he be fierce! At least, that's what I thought of him. He looked harmless, but when I told him to, he'd flash those white spears of his and send screams flying through the air.

He looked at me now, expectantly.

Do you really need me to tell you? I always knew what he was telling me. I don't know why, but I just could. It's perfectly obvious.

I looked around at my surrounding and my eyes landed on a long pole that a couple of slaves were using to measure a ditch. I got a mischievous grin on my face and said, "Haven't done this in a while."

I walked over to them casually, but still keeping my distance from the guards, staying out of sight as much as possible. I eventually got to them and when they looked up at me I put one finger over my mouth.

"Can I borrow this?" I asked in a whisper.

The older of the two nodded as if he knew what I was up to and I flashed him a weak smile. I ducked behind a pile of rock, peaking out to see if anyone had seen me. I was only eighty yards from the wooden table next to the wall, which was where I wanted to be. I took Dax off my shoulder and told him to go first. He ran swiftly across the eighty yards and scaled the roughly made wall, nearly 17 feet tall. As he disappeared over the top I took a deep breath and ran. I lifted the pole, jumped on top of the table, lunged forward digging the end of the pole into the ground, and jumped, catapulting myself over the wall. I flipped once before landing on the ground and rolling onto the grass to absorb the shock. I lay there a minute, then let out the breath I had been holding. Dax crawled over to me and patted his fuzzy little head.

"Good boy." I said, and then got up, heading toward the forest.

- Hey there guys! What do you think of Dax? I wasn't sure about giving Emmalina a pet at first. Do you think it was a mistake? Hope you liked the chapter. Thanks again :D - Anna