Robin

Escape

Chapter Seven

Mother started to sob. The only other time I had seen her cry was when my father left. Richard is my father. I would know otherwise. Wouldn't I?

"You liar." I said. James sneered at me.

"Ask her," he replied, gesturing towards my distraught mother, "Ask her to tell you the truth." Mother walked towards me  

Slowly but stopped a few feet from me as if she was too ashamed to come any closer.

"Mother? He is lying isn't he? Isn't he?"

"Evelia...." She said quietly.

"No. No!" I stood up and grabbing the nearest abject which happened to be a vase, I smashed it against the wall. It seems the palaces china got the worse end of my anger.

"How could you?" I looked at the wisp of my mother, bewildered.

"I didn't love Richard when I was betrothed to him. My father had forced me into a marriage with a man I did not even know. In a last act of defiance, the night before my wedding I invited James to my bed. I thought that would be the last of it. After we were married, I soon fell in love with your father. Not soon enough. A month after our wedding I discovered I was with child. It was too soon that it could have been Richard's. I hid my secret until the following month, to which I told him I was with child. His child." I did not know what to feel. I slumped down onto the bench once more.

"Did Father know?" I whispered.

"No, Richard does not know." How could she have lied to father? My true father, the one man who I trusted, the one who was cheated of a child. I am I bastard child, born out of wedlock. From a father I despise and a mother who I scorn.

"Well," James clasped his hands together," now that we have that all settled, lets not keep the guests waiting." I could have killed him right there. The knife in my pocket looked tempting. It was too much. It was my life and I was going to live it how I wish. Father or no father.

"No. You cannot control me any longer!" Tears pricked my eyes and I felt the quenching in my throat. "I will not be your puppet anymore! From now on, I will live out my life how I wish to live it!" I glared at James, my breath heavy, daring for him to challenge me.

"So be it." He said. I noticed a movement behind me, the two guards were back. Mother looked terrified and backed away from me in cowardice shredding the one last piece of respect I had for her. I focused back on the emending danger. Two of them, each with a sword, equally burly. Speed was my advantage.

"Take her to the dungeon". James screeched. Now was my chance. I whipped out my knife, slashing one on the arm causing him to drop his sword in pain. I ducked from his blow and avoided the other sword threatening to end me. He grabbed my arm and twisted it behind me, remembering the kind wanted me in one piece. I did what any desperate girl would do. I kneed him in the groin. Hard. This seemed to be a recurring pattern with me whom I hate. He yelped and dropped his sword. I retrieved it and noticed his accomplice was recovering. Before they could catch me I ran out the doors. And onto the aisle. Guests screamed at my frenzied appearance, not to mention the bloody knife I held in one hand, the sword in other.

The cardinal who was to dictate the ceremony yelled, "What is she doing?" I ignored him, pushing him to the ground as I ran past the altar. The confused guards surrounded me in order to help.

"Don't." I warned with a crazed look. They backed away and let me go.

The gates of the palace were closed and I screamed in frustration. I started pounding on the doors, eager to leave. I could almost hear James and his men approaching me from behind. The one lazy guard who had not been assigned to the wedding, glared down from his post at the top of the wall. I frantically gestured for him to come down and his disappeared from view. My heart pounded. Hurry! I urged him silently. A minute later he emerged from a small wooden door in the wall.

"Yes?" he sounded half asleep, one hand clasping a jug of ale.

"I need to leave." He took in my tattered appearance and the unmistakable white dress. His eyes narrowed.

"Aren't you the-" I flashed him my bracelet with the royal crest.

'Your Highness, I can't just-"

"I am telling you this because I do not what to do something I regret. Do. Not. Contradict. Me." I hissed threateningly.

"Yes-yes your highness." He ran up the stairs, not looking back. After a few minutes the gates slowly opened. Once it was wide enough so my dratted dress would pass, I dashed through. It closed behind me in a bang. There was no turning back. I looked at the road ahead of me. This was my life now

***

Robin

"Little John!" I yelled across the damp camp. A brunette head peeped out of the tan tent.

"Do not call me that!" Johanna threw a knife that whizzed past my ear and lodged into the tree where I crouched. I laughed at feeble death threat.

"Robin, you know what happens when you call her that." Jal shook his head while sharpening his broadsword. Of course I did, that is why I teased her so. I laughed and nimbly jumped to the ground. She glared at me and stomped away to the watch post

"You've mad her angry a'ready? Its just nearly eight this 'morning!" Tuck said and shook his head while washing the dishes from last night's feast. I laughed again.

"Robin!!" I heard a frantic yell and immediately dropped my smile, turning towards the sound of the desperate voice. Little John came into view, in her hand on a young lady.

"This wench says she knows you."

"Who are you to call me a wench?" she glared at Little John.

"I can call you whatever I want you-"

"Little John! Who is this?" I shouted to end the argument.

"You don't remember me?" the young lady whispered, her green eyes tearful. I shook my head, she looked familiar, but with the dirt everywhere on her body, it was impossible to tell anything, except that she was a woman. She sighed and whistled. A short tune that the birds around soon picked up. A tune that I knew very well and had only shared with one person.