When Robin lost his Hood

capitol eich: the mistake

 The sound of the wild has led me to the other side of Sherwood forest, to the side of the road where the main exportation between the castle and the town resides- I see the naked road fleetingly as I flash by the bushes and trees, jumping over weaving roots and pushing away leafy branches. Morning sun spreads her rays out from the horizon, a blushing pink the color of a boy's cold cheeks as my rattling run alerts Noah from his howling- he turns to me like a deer paralyzed by my sight as he lowers his hand, stretching them out to me, "No, no wait!" I ambush him, jumping on him with all my weight, tackling him to the ground. By then my bun has loosened and my hair is wet and my curls are out and Noah yelps, pleading, don't kill me. I must look feral. I must look like the beast he was merely imitating.

The carriage passes us, we both turn our faces to the side. He curses befor I say-

"I'm going to do it."

"Excuse me?" Noah says dropping his mouth. He's gasping for a breath though I've been the one running.

"I am going. To do. It." I enunciate each word like an oath.

"It? It what," he exclaims. "Kill me?" I get off of him as he staggers up, Gaderian breaks through the bushes, anger in his throat before he halts in his step, seeing me. "What the shait are ye duin-" His voice fades as he takes in Noah, mud smeared clothes and all, drenched from rain.

"You better have a good reason why you didn't send the signal." Gaderian remarks. As the boy opens his mouth to answer, I spread my arms as if he'd been talking to me- "I'm doing it."

"What- are you doing?"

"Yeah that's what I've been wondering as well yknow?" Noah says, shooting me an annoyed glance.

"I'm joining the merry men!"

"That's swell and all, lassie. Really, warms my heart- but if tis the way to impress on me y'know you're doing a shait job." Gaderian peeks his eyes through the treeline at the carriage who keeps on vanishing. He curses underneath his breath, his neck muscles bulging underneath the loss of a missed opportunity.

"What are we going to do now, Rob?"

"Nothing," Gaderian says. The impact of my rare impulsivity drawing me into my shell seeing the effect of its consequence. Then when I realize it must have been Zaphira's and the girl's carriage I feel relieved at my perceived mistake, I exhale. "There's another transport coming through soon, we'll catch that one." And he turns to me, regarding me with a steely look. He sweeps his eyes up and down my drenched form, coming close as to intimidate me he curves his hand to the back of my head feeling for the wound. I flinch as his fingers graze skull. He retracts his hand.

"Are we done here?"

My mouth falls open before I collect myself. "Gaderian, I'd like to join the merry men."

"I apologize las, men only."

"That's not what you-"

"Stay out of our way, yes? And retrace your steps back, you know how to get back, right?"

"But Gaderian you-"

He vanishes into the underbush again, leaving me with Noah, feeling emptier than i was before. Noah, a head shorter than I shrugs, "It's nothing personal, Bricteva. Rob doesn't give second chances. And anyway, it's for the best."

"But you invited me- he told me-"

"The stakes are too high to make mistakes, and lost goods can mean a loss of life for the people of Nottingham. Really, nothing personal." He hesitates as he reaches the underbush where Gaderian just left. He turns as if to add something, a promise, perhaps a soothing balm to the rejection but he thinks better off it, staring up to the trees and leaves. Leaving me alone. I follow his eyesight to the thick afro of leaves and before thinking of it, perhaps still alive fuel from tonight I yell. "You won't get rid of me that easy. You hear me!" I want to go home, I don't say as I begin retracing my step.