Redemption Penalties

Chapter Five

Kate and Meg left first so they could set up camp by the castle gates, posing as beggars. Tuck, Allan and John left next and finally Robin, Guy, Much and Lou headed to the graveyard the the tunnel that led into the castle.

III

The men of Locksley had agreed to help the outlaws and Meg watched as the guards hesitated to kill them.

She and Kate had a small fire already lit, ostensibly for warmth but actually ready to light the cloth fuses on the grenades should Tuck's peaceful plan fail. As the minutes ticked by it seemed more and more likely that violence would erupt.

The only good thing was that the commotion was drawing more and more guards away from the castle, making Robin and Guy's job easier, however when Isabella appeared on the gatehouse, they wondered what they meant for the other team. Had they simply missed Isabella or had something more serious happened to them?

Finally Isabella gave the order to her guards to kill or be killed and as the soldier raised his sword to strike Tuck, Kate launched a grenade at him.

Pandemonium broke out as more guards rushed forward and Kate and Meg threw as many grenades as they could at the gatehouse and bridge, hoping to trap the guards inside. Seeing some slip through and head towards the villagers, Kate picked up the throwing stars and began picking them off.

Seeing the chaos beginning to spread, Isabella headed back to the castle before she could be hurt.

III

Robin and the others made it through the tunnel without incident and found themselves in the main hall of the castle.

"Where is everybody?" Robin asked.

Guy rushed to the upper level and looked out of the window.

"At the gatehouse," he said. "Fighting has broken out but Isabella's on her way back here."

"Hide," Robin ordered and they each slipped out of sight in order to launch a surprise attack.

Isabella swept into the hall with four guards in her wake. They took up their usual positions while Isabella headed up to the window to see what was happening, just as Guy had.

The outlaws began fighting the four guards and when Isabella tried to run, she found her way blocked by Guy, his sword pointed at her throat. She backed away towards the steps.

"Tell them to back off," he ordered. When she hesitated, Guy drew his sword back as though to strike.

"Stand down!" she yelled.

The guards stopped fighting but Guy didn't lower his sword.

"Guy, please, don't do this."

"I'm sorry, Isabella, but you've left me no choice."

As she backed down the stairs, Guy mirrored her every move.

"Please, I can help you, I can help you all," she begged as she reached the last step. She turned and looked at Robin her eyes pleading with him.

"You had your chance, Isabella." Robin said. "Now tell these guards that you are relinquishing control of Nottingham and the castle to us."

"Or what?"

"Or we kill you," Robin answered.

"I don't believe you," Isabella bluffed.

Lou embedded a throwing star in the banister beside Isabella's hand.

"Fine, I relinquish control to you."

"Excellent decision," Robin grinned. "Let's go and tell the people, shall we?"