Deception

Chapter 14

Whilst we were waiting for Guy and the Sheriff to return I excused myself from my father's presence for a while. I needed to breath and I'm sure my father wanted time to think. I was walking down the north exterior corridor, up the side steps and about to make my way to the courtyard when a young man with a bow drawn came out from the shadows.

"Milady?" His voice sounded pained as I stopped, frozen to the spot. To be honest I was terrified, as I controlled the look of fear from my face. My heart was pounding as he slowly made his way further towards me with his arrow ready to strike me down.

"It will be quick. I’m a good shot." He told me as I took a deep breath as he took another step towards me.

"Your father died at the mine, didn’t he?" I asked him gently and evenly, hiding my fear as I suddenly remembered seeing him earlier this morning when I delivered the packages.

"How do you know?" He asked me angry, pulling the string back slightly further as I tried ever so hard to remain calm.

"It is difficult to explain. But I know he must have loved you very much. Everybody knew how dangerous it was to go down that mine." I responded simply, my voice calm, gentle and even.  My breathing remained even which shocked me slightly considering how scared I was actually.

"I told him not to." He snapped angrily.

"He wanted to feed you, and your family." I told him trying to make him see that.

"Your lover knew it wasn’t safe!" he spat at me, as I felt confused for a moment. Lover? Then it dawned on me. He seriously thought I was with Guy? I am mentally gagging, I would never kiss that man! Ever!

"Your father must have known, too." I added again.

"I’m going to kill you. Make him suffer. Make him understand loss!" He growled as I felt my breathing go slightly uneven.

"At the cost of your own life?" I questioned as my voice broke at one point, though I quickly hid it. I'm not sure he noticed for there was no change in his expression.

"It’s what Gisborne deserves." He growled once more.

"Your mother will lose the man of her house twice. What about her suffering?" I asked him sadly, as the look on his face suddenly dawned on him. What would his mother do without him now his father was dead?

"I can’t do nothing. Just stand and do nothing!" He complained, he looked like he was ready to cry as I took another deep breath.

"Well, if you want to hurt the Sheriff, win his silver arrow. You say you are a good shot. Win it. Use the silver, melt it down into coins. You could feed your family for months... compensate all the miners’ widows. Or would you rather shoot an unarmed woman." I asked him, as I saw him uneasily adjust his grip on the bow. Very slowly I turned around and began walking down the corridor. I closed my eyes taking deep breaths almost ready for the arrow to kill me here.

When Robin appeared in front of my I sighed with gigantic relief, as he glanced behind me before looking down at me, probably seeing my frightened discomforted face.

"Esme?" He asked me quietly as I took a gulp and took a deep breath. I almost felt like my voice would betray me but I guess it didn’t.

"Better late than never, I suppose. Make sure this one wins the silver arrow." I whispered to him, before I brushed past him giving his hand a squeeze signaling I was alright before I took my seat once again to watch the Archery competition.

"Will the next contestant please take his mark?!" The attendant called out as I watched Robin who was wearing Rowan's cloak came up onto the platform with his long bow. As soon as the arrow was let loose it hit the target in the dead center as I watched as the Sheriff and Guy came up onto the platform clapping. Guy was smirking as I stood clapping.

"Bravo!" The Sheriff called out as I watched as Robin takes a step back and bows deeply, spreading his arms out wide I chuckled slightly knowing Robin he would do something like that. "Robin Hood!"

"Seize him!" Guy shouted out as I was slightly surprised by his outburst to be honest as I watched as Robin turns, jumps off the platform into a crowd of townsfolk and ducks down past them. I stood nervous as the guards lead their man back to the Sheriff as I look on with apprehension. The guards pull their prisoner to his feet and the Sheriff pulls off the hood to reveal Rowan in his own cloak. Gisborne is dismayed and frustrated.

The Sheriff looks smugly at the people until he looks down and sees its Rowan and not Robin Hood. I smile broadly, knowing that Rowan will now have his revenge on the Sheriff and be able to feed and help all those widows. I carefully held the velvet pillow in my hands, as I presented the arrow to Rowan. The crowd cheered louder as I could see both the Sheriff and Guy looked very angry. Rowan hugged his mother as I smiled.

"Champion of the Sheriff ’s fair and winner of the silver arrow, Rowan, son of Dunne!" The Attendant called out as I watched the Sheriff glare harder at Guy. I chuckled slightly, as I saw Guy glance at me, as I gave him a soft smile, he didn't return it he just went back to glaring at Rowan……