It was the first Christmas since Robin had returned from the Holy Land. He was with the others at their camp, when Much came running to them. He was out of breath trying to get his words out.
"What is it Much?" Robin questioned
"Rider heading North. Very fancy rider." Much breathed out.
"Come on lads!" Robin called and they follow much, who took them ahead where the lone rider would be passing. A few minutes later they did but came to a sudden stop when they saw who was in the road.
"Don't be alarmed this is..." the horse jerked back ridding itself of its rider. They let out a small scream and then a grunt. The men surrounded the rider who tried to scramble away "Relax, we mean you no harm." the rider pulled out a blade.
"Get back. I said get back." she yelled at them and pulled back her hood. Robin lowered his arms.
"Princess." he breathed and took the bended knee.
"Princess Sarah." Much did the same but looked up to the others "Kneel, idiots. She's the Kings daughter." Much snipped at them, then all took the knee.
"Your Highness, my name is Robin of Locksley." Robin introduced himself.
"Locksley?" Sarah repeated in a questioning tone "My father mentioned a Locksley. Stand up. Stand up." Robin did so
"if you are who you say who you are, lift your shirt up, show me your side.." she demanded
"Your highness we've only just met." Robin joked
"I am scared, tired, on the run and holding a blade. Don't test me. Now lift up your shit." Robin did so revealing his scar.
"Father told me you saved him from a Saracen attack, got that scar for your trouble." she traced over it for a moment then sharply pulled away. Robin lowered his shirt. "So since your Robin that must make you Much. please stand all of you stand." She tucked away her blade as they did.
"Your Highness aren't you supposed to be in London? What are you doing here?" Robin asked and she pulled a face.
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"Escaping." she answered "My uncle has become...more brazen in his ideologies. His temperament is worrying and well being the only person in the way between him and the throne I grew fearful." Sarah explained while sitting in the outlaws camp.
"I tried to leave a couple of months ago. Unsuccessfully , and he blocked ports within immediate distance of London. He's controlling but not very bright. It wasn't that hard to bide my time so I could escape again only going North as far as I can get."
"And where do you plan to go?" Robin inquired
"France. There I can safely send a message to my father."
"And then what?" Robin wondered "Is that all you have?"
"Yes that is all I have. Three steps get out of the castle, get out of England and get a message to my father. That is what I will do, and all I can think of doing. And I was doing just fine until you interrupted." she stood up and went to leave.
"Your Highness, wait." Robin stopped her "I apologise, but surely you know England is changing."
"Of course I know that. But I am no use to England if i am dead. I am one woman with a plan and that plan is survival. Survival at all costs." she snipped back at him.
"The at least take the day to rest for a moment, focus and think. Give your horse a chance to recover." Sarah looked apprehensive but agreed.
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The Sheriff and Gisborne were made aware that the Princess was missing and was wither going to pass through or already had done. Either way the Sheriff wanted to know. So they searched and questioned. Once Robin was alerted to this he made it even more of a priority to protect her.
"Princess, we need to go now." he declared waking her up from her slumber.
"What? What's going on?" she questioned sleepily as she was taken to her awaiting horse.
"The news is spreading that your missing. The Sheriff and Gisbourne are already looking and soon the whole country will be too. You'll never be able to get to safety." That piece of news woke her up. "So I'm going to get you to France under your Uncle's nose. Come one." she mounted the horse. Robin turned to the others.
"You guys stay here. Keeping doing what we normally would."
"You can't go without us master." Much denied
"I have to, all of us going would arouse suspicion and leave the people of Nottingham unprotected."
"But that doesn't mean YOU have to go. No offence your highness but if its getting you from A to B anyone of us could do it." Allan added
"No offence. I don't know you. I know of Robin and Much. They were with my father in the Holy Land and they saved his life. If I have to be escorted then it's one of them." Sarah bit back
"it will only be for a few days a week at the most. just create a diversion, make it look like she's turned in a different direction." Robin got onto the horse behind Sarah. He clicked his tongue and the two of them rose off leaving the others behind.
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Robin and Sarah rode for days till they reached North Yorkshire. Robin managed to gain them passage on a ship that would take them to France.
"Thank you Robin of Locksley for getting me safe passage." Sarah smiled to him.
"I'm not just getting you safe passage, your Highness. I'm delivering you safely into the arms of your grandmothers family. You are the future of England." Robin replied making Sarah scoff and roll her eyes.
"You sound just like my grandmother. 'We must keep you alive dear Sarah, you are the future of England.'" she quoted
"She's right."
"She's wrong. I'm not the future of England, not really. The son everyone expects me to produce is. The son I should have been." Sarah shook her head in discontent
"Your father doesn't think that. He adores you."
"He barely knows me and I barely know him. My grandmother raised me, and even then I am raised to marry and produce a boy."
"He spoke of you often and carries a scotch of you always."
"Then he loves a sketch more than me because if he loved me he wouldn't leave me to the mercy of my uncle."
"Maybe he doesn't know. Have you ever thought of that?" Robin retorts
"Oh he knows, he just thinks fighting a bunch of other people in a different country is more productive of his time than raising the daughter he got instead of the son he wanted. Even when I will write to him he will speak of displeasure that I did not raise my concerns sooner, or just at the fact that I ran away completely missing the fact that I was afeared.
Then he will say that since i am in France, maybe it would be a good idea to find a husband. Which I probably will do, having to settle with some runt of a nobleman, who thinks I'm his property, instead of the Princess that I am. Again my father will fail to show up for me as he has done for most of my life." she ranted
"My father knows a lot of things Robin. It's getting him to care enough to do something about it that's the problem.
"Then change his mind." Robin argued "If anyone can do it. It's you. You hold more sway with him than you realise. You are all he would talk about. The smile he got when he would receive news about you. Then feel guilty about not being there in person. Your Highness you are his world."
"Then where is he when I need him the most?" she questioned tearfully, then wiped them away furiously. He stared at her with such compassion before crossing that boundary and wrapping his arms around her.
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The two had to stay at an inn for the night before boarding the ship for France the next morning. Sarah exchanged a for some more adaptable clothing and was getting changed when Robin walked in.
"Oh your highness, I am... I apologise I should have knocked." he looked away.
"It's fine I was finishing anyway." Sarah assured fixing her clothing. Robin came in and sat himself in the corner. Sarah raised an eyebrow.
"Really? This Again? You've sat yourself watch for the past three days. There is a second bed right there. Take it." she gestured over.
"I'm fine here." Robin replied
"Liar." she scoffed "We are like a hundred miles away from London. And tomorrow first thing we are bound for France. Breathe."
"I won't until your safe."
"I'm a Princess. I will never be safe. That doesn't exist for us Royals. The best we can hope for is a good sense of wellness. Which the farther I am away from my uncle the better." She sat herself next to him and they lapsed into a silence for a while.
"I promise to do better." Sarah stated
"What do you mean?" Robin wondered
"To do just that. Be better. We have been humbled by our experiences in life. If I am graced with Queenship, motherhood or both. I will no repeat the same mistakes. They will know my strength and love as well as wisdom. I promise to give them a England that is safer for them. And leading their safe haven will be you. Robin of Locksley their most trusted soldier and protector." she smiled softly at him and in a moment of impulse she leant in. Not only did she lean in but Robin did too.
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The next morning the two woke up in each others arms. They did not speak about what happened that night. Both board the ship the next day as set sail for France. It took a little longer because of where they had to depart from but when docked, they secured passage to Sarah's family.
Sarah was finally safe in Aquitaine, and sent a message to her father. Now it was time to say her goodbye's to Robin.
"Thank you again Robin for bringing me here safely." Sarah smiled at him.
"It was my honour your highness." he bowed to her
"I wanted to give you something." she removed a ring." For your cause."
"Thank you, your highness.
"And this, a sign to those that you are a trusted member of my family. This will give you what you need in the darkest of times." she removed her pendant and draped it around his neck. "Be safe on your journey home and feel free to give the Sheriff and my uncle hell." Robin gave her a wink.
"It would be a pleasure." Robin left and returned to England.