"You two stay in here, I'll go check what it is." Nicholas stands up but Chase pushes him back down just as quickly.
"You have a kingdom to run." Chase insists. "I'll go check." He winces as he hears the familiar voice of a guard, screaming.
"You can't go out there!" I argue.
"Why not?" Chases quips. "Nicholas has a kingdom and you need to save your sister."
"I-" I try to protest but my words get caught in my throat. He's right, I can't risk it, but there's no way I can just let him go out there alone either. "Fine, but take this." I fish a dagger out of my bag and hand it to him.
He accepts it graciously and ducks through the doorway, immediately closing the door behind him. We still hear yelling and I grow increasingly worried.
"I'm going out." I mutter. My anxiety is only increasing and staying in the carriage makes me feel like a sitting duck.
"I'm going with you. There's no point in staying in here, if anything goes wrong then we will be captured easily." Nicholas adds.
We step out of the carriage to find guards fighting off hooded figures. Chase is farther away than the rest, and with the help of Harry, is fighting off a hooded figure that looks particularly skilled in combat. I am as impressed as I am fearful of the mysterious figure.
A hooded figure runs toward us, weapon drawn and a rope ready.
I push Nicholas out of the way and dodge his attack myself. Nicholas runs to help Chase as I try to fight the enemy in front of me.
It's no use, I'm not trained to fight but my opponent is clearly skilled in combat to some extent. I find myself tripping over a rock behind me as my opponent pushes me back. I fall on my butt and the hooded figure points their sword at my neck
I can feel my breath quickening as panic rises in me. This could be it but he's not attacking. Instead he pulls out a rope and ties my hands behind my back. I look to my left and find that Nicholas and Chase have been tied up as well. So have most of the guards.
The figure pulls off his hood to reveal a devilishly handsome face. I roll my eyes. Even bad guys are good looking in this fairytale world.
"Robin?" Chase whispers, aghast.
The mention of his name makes me flinch.
"Chase! Good to see you!" Robin says, motioning to one of the hooded figures behind him. The figure rushes over to Chase and undoes his ties. Robin helps him up and gives him a quick hug. "God, I haven't seen you since we robbed that old duke."
Chase chuckles. "Good to see you too. Hey, could you untie my friends?"
"You know I can't do that until you give me your money." Despite the fact that he's robbing us, he has a positive, friendly tone.
"Are you Robin Hood?" I ask, forgetting my worry for a second.
"Yeah, you've heard of me? Where?" He looks almost proud.
"Yeah, I heard rumors around town," I mutter, obviously not going to tell him I know him from a book and movie where he's portrayed as a literal fox.
"Is this your girlfriend?" Robin asks Chase.
I feel blood rush to my face a bit and I see Chase's face go as red as mine, if not redder. He looks at me before responding. "No, we're just friends. We're off to the mermaid kingdom."
"Wow, that's pretty far. What are you going all the way there for?"
Before Chase can respond Nicholas interrupts, clearly pissed. "Would you untie me and Violet first? Maybe you could catch up afterwards."
"Sorry your excellence, no can do. I told you, pay me and we'll let you go."
"That's not fair, you're robbing your friend?"
"I wouldn't call it robbing... more like targeted money taking?" Robin gives Nicholas a crooked smile, proud of his own joke. Yet in a second his face falls dark. "Don't act like I'm such a villain though. You haven't seen the streets of Luxia or the slums of Forlore. The rich only get richer, the best I can do is try to fight that!" Robin's voice comes out as a growl and I actually start to feel guilty.
Robin smirks and forces me off the ground and into his arms, holding the dagger close to my neck. "So I suggest you hand over your stuff willingly, or bad things could happen to your girlfriend."
Chase glares at him. "I know you wouldn't kill her, killing is not your thing."
"Oh really?" Robin smirks, a hint of pain hides in his eyes as he mutters, "Well I need that money. My sister is in trouble."
Chase's once confident expression disappears as it is replaced with one of horror.
I temporarily sympathize with Robin. I'm no different, I would do anything to save Cinderella, but that's exactly it.
"Bad news for you then Robin, because my sister is in trouble too." I swing my head back into his face causing him to drop his dagger. His hands fly to his face in pain as he stumbles backwards. I quickly unsheath the dagger that had been secretly strapped to my ankle and pull it to his neck. "You're not the only one desperate right now. I'm running low on time, who knows how long I have? I'm not even sure I'll be able to get to the underwater kingdom, but know this," I whisper in his ear as the blade makes contact with his skin. "I'm desperate and I've got nothing left to lose."
Robin swallows out of nervousness and I nod towards Chase and Nicholas. Chase and Nicholas rub their wrists after having had itchy ropes around them.
"Here's the deal, you're going to all turn around and walk back into that forest letting us go. If you try anything just know that I'm not afraid of a little blood." I hiss, my evil stepsister side emerging as I narrow my eyes at the hooded figure I fought earlier. I notice that one of the guards is stirring after having been knocked out. The hooded figures slink back into the forest and I can tell they haven't really left, they're just waiting till I've let Robin go.
I sigh, this is getting rather annoying. The one guard that is awake checks in the others and Nicholas helps an injured Chase back into the carriage. I slowly guide Robin over to a tree stump and have him sit, dagger still pointed at his throat. The sun, high in the sky, casts a dark shadow over his eyes and I can see that he is fuming.
"So what exactly happened to your sister?" I question and Robin looks taken aback.
"She... she's fallen ill, many people where we live have. Medicine prices have only gone up..." Robin stutters, still surprised at my change of attitude.
"Nicholas!" I call.
Nicholas peeks his head out of the carriage and runs over to me. "What's up?"
"Send one of the guards with Robin back to the kingdom and have him retrieve medicine for Robin's sister." I request, no, I order.
Nicholas tilts his head. "And how do we know that they won't just attack the guard?"
"What use would that be?" I answer. "The guard isn't exactly as rich as you and he can give Robin the medicine." I look to Robin who flinches. "Will you attack the guard?"
Robin shakes his head.
"See?" I relax my hand holding the dagger. "Now call off your buddies. I'm not stupid, I know they're still there."
Robin waves a signal with his hand at the trees where I suspected they had hid and I hear a faint rustle come from that direction as figures drop to the ground and gather in one spot, unmoving.
"When we get back from our little trip, you can have a meeting with Nicholas, We need to find a way to get healthcare for everyone." I inform Robin then look to Nicholas who nods in agreement.
"Huh- you may actually make a decent king someday." Robin chuckles as he bows his head ever so slightly. "And hey, maybe you could make a great queen as well."
I feel my face go bright red as he makes that last remark. "No! Shut it, I've still got a dagger to your neck, remember?"
Before we ride away I give Robin a small pouch of coins. "I know it isn't much and I probably shouldn't give money to robbers but I know that you'll do something good with it." He accepts the pouch gratefully.
"We'll probably be ambushed by you on our way back, see you soon," I call as the carriage pulls away. Robin gives me his crooked smile and waves goodbye.