We're Almost Free

Chapter 1

"And anyway," he continued as soon as she relaxed, "I'm pretty sure you could outride my entire band."

Regina ignored him. "Remember when I said someone was after me? That was her."

"What did she do to you that made you hate her so much?" She hesitated. Her walls were still up and she didn't like to trust anyone any more. Plus just the sight of her mother was enough to make her blood boil.

"Please forgive me when I say I can't trust you. I once trusted someone with a secret very close to my heart, and it ended with the death of the one man I've ever loved."

"I'm sorry."

"I would say it's all right, but what happened after made it very not all right, if you see what I mean."

"Could you trust me with that?"

"Let's just say a marriage that's agreeable to every party but myself." Why was she telling him this? Regina knew she was in danger of crying, or worse, telling him the whole story, if she carried on so she changed the subject. "How well do you know these woods?"

"Very well, I've lived almost my whole life here. We also travel a lot for fear of getting caught so we know all its little secrets."

"We?"

"Me and my band of Merry Men. I consider them my family, as I don't remember any other."

"I'm sorry."

"What is there to be sorry for?"

"I don't know...look, I'm sorry to be a pain but could you show me the way to the nearest border? I need to get away from this marriage, I'll die if I have to go through with it!"

"Of course. It'll take a few weeks, a month or two at most, but you'll have us to protect you."

"Are you sure they won't mind?"

"Of course not! They're all gentlemen, they wouldn't be here if they weren't." He smiled. "Come, it's getting late and the camp is about a mile away."

"Shall we ride?" Regina mounted swiftly, holding out her arm to Robin. He didn't take it, not right away.

"So what is your name?" Regina smiled at the continuation of their first conversation and decided she could trust him, at least with this.

"Regina." Robin smiled.

"Well then, Regina," he bowed then grasped her arm, using her boot to swing up behind her, "ride on."

Regina kicked Jerry on into a slow trot, watching for any rogue tree roots or hidden streams on the way. Robin held onto the cantle at first, then when the going got rougher and the meagre path petered out he put his arms round her waist. Regina accepted it without question, knowing he was simply trying to stay on, but her heart rate sped up. Only slightly, but it was undeniably quicker. She could feel his muscles through the layers of clothing between them. She was very glad when they rode into a clearing set up as a camp and he dismounted.

"Men! I'd like you to meet a temporary member of our group. This is Regina, and we're going to help her run away." He turned and lifted her down, taking the opportunity to whisper in her ear, "I was allowed to tell them that, right?" She simply nodded, slightly annoyed at his presumption but also trying to suppress the involuntary shiver that shot down her spine.

The men all stood up and doffed their caps as Robin introduced them.

"Little John." A big, burly man, with long dark hair. Regina couldn't help but smile at the irony.

"Friar Tuck." Clearly the religious one of the group.

"Will Scarlett, my cousin." Regina could see the resemblance, and wasn't sure she wouldn't have thought they were brothers had he not introduced him as he did.

"Much, the miller's son." This time, the irony made her grimace inwardly.

"And Richard at the Lee, the runt." He clapped him on the back as Richard pulled a face. She smiled at the injoke.

"It's nice to meet you all. Thank you for letting me join you."

"It's no problem, miss. We're sympathetic to anyone in the same plight as us." Friar Tuck told her.

"Come, milady. Supper looks just about ready and I don't know about you but I'm starving."

Friar Tuck handed round the plates of game stew, and Robin sacrificed his log for her despite her protests. The stew was by far the most delicious dish she had ever tasted. She was quiet as they altered their plans with her in mind, grateful that they were helping a total stranger. She'd always known there was more to the 'commoners' (as her mother called them) than meets the eye, but now she was beginning to think that these outlaws weren't so bad either.

"Right, I suggest we head off early tomorrow, to give us a good start. Regina, you can have...my lean-to, and I'll sleep under the stars. No, I insist. It doesn't look much like rain, I'll be fine." He led her over to one of the little beds. There was a little boy peeping out from underneath his covers, clearly scared but curious. Regina crouched down, memories and crushed hopes flooding back.

"Hello there, young man. What's your name then?"

Robin scooped the boy up. "This is Roland. And he's meant to be asleep."

"I had a bad dream."

"Roland, it wasn't real. Are you all right?" He nodded against his father's shoulder, all the time looking at Regina.

"Papa, who's she?"

"That's Regina. She's going to be coming with us for a bit."

"Is she mama?" Robin looked at her apologetically and Regina's heart ached for the both of them. It was clear what had happened.

"No, I'm afraid she's not. Come on, let's get you back to bed. You don't mind sleeping with him, do you? I'm so sorry, he's too young to be sleeping out in the open."

"Honestly, Robin, it's fine. You're helping me get away, looking after your son during the night is the least I can do."

"Well, there you go, but I warn you, he is a fidgeter."

"I'm a pretty deep sleeper, I'll be fine."

"Goodnight then, Regina." He kissed the top of Roland's head. "And goodnight to you, you young scamp."

"Goodnight, Papa."

Roland snuggled under the covers again, and Regina did the same. She saw Robin lie down near the dying campfire, fighting with herself over whether to sacrifice her blanket or not. Eventually she figured he would be used to it, plus it was nearly summer so blankets were becoming increasingly unnecessary. Roland crept closer to her and laid his head against her shoulder.

"Can you tell me a story?" She looked down at him, well, at the glints of his eyes that were all she could see of him in the dim firelight, taken aback by his immediate trust of someone he'd just met.

"A story? All right, err..." she put her arm round him, thinking up one of the stories she'si heard when she was younger, "Once upon a time..." By the time she was finished, Roland was fast asleep. Fighting the sudden urge to kiss the top of his head, she gazed up at the stars through the gap in the trees. The night air, plus her recent sleepless nights, soon sent her into a deep sleep.