~Chapter Ten~
The Arrow
Evemina slowly became conscious, but kept her eyes closed stubbornly not wanting to wake up. However she became curious on what was in font of her. Whatever it was it radiated a lot of heat and that interested her to figure what it could be. She patted sleepily in front of her and her hand felt something warm. It had a hard bump in the middle, also had some stumbles along the bottom edge, and something squishy.
A chuckle sounded in the hut, causing the maiden to pause from patting whatever she was feeling.
Slowly, her emerald eyes carefully opened to her hand poking at the cheek of a amused and smirking Will Scarlet. Her cheeks bloomed into a bright blush, she had forgotten she had slept in his hut beside him.
Oh gods, she's never going to hear the end of this.
"Good morning, Mina." Will mused as his grin grew bigger if that was even possible.
Her hand quickly retracted from his cheek, Evemina's eyes were wide as saucers as she stared at the young man. "Morning... Will." She whispered.
His hazel eyes glimmered as if to taunt the maiden in her shocked state.
"How was your sleep?" Will questioned.
"Fine." Evemina replied as an annoyed expression started to take over her startled one.
"Did you forget about sleeping with me last night, Mina." Scarlet taunted with amusement sparking in his hazel eyes.
"No." She lied as her emerald eyes glanced away from his face.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm perfectly sure, Will."
"Aww is little Mina embarrassed?"
"No." Than her eyes flicked over to his, "And I'm not little!"
"You are changing the subject."
"I'm not!"
"Yes you are."
Evemina huffed annoyed with his taunts and knowing that he knew that she has been lying through her teeth.
"But I have to break the bad news to you, Mina... You are little."
"No! You are just big!"
"Are you calling me fat?"
"Yes!"
"Ouch. Low blow, Mina."
"You deserve it."
Will Scarlet chuckled before he sat up, "Whatever you say." He tousled her hair before getting out of his hut.
Evemina quickly sat up right and stuck her head out of the hut. Will was starting to walk towards the forest, "Will!"
His hazel eyes glanced back to the maiden, "Yes?"
Her emerald eyes flickered down to her clothes, she had not changed her clothes in well... nearly a week. Evemina desperately yearned for a bath, she could feel the dirt and grime all over her skin. "Do you have a pair of clothes I could borrow... and is there any place I could bathe?"
Will studied her dirty face, "Will you be able to walk fine with your hurt foot?"
Evemina touched her wrapped ankle tenderly, it was not hurting as much as it was yesterday. And she needs to bathe now or she might smell as putrid as if she rolled in feces. Or worse... look like Robin's ugly face.
She gave the man a nod.
Will returned a swift bob of his head, "Yes I happen to have some."
A smile broke out on her face, the first one of the day.
Most likely will not be the last.
Will walked back towards the maiden and crouched down in front of her. "That basket there has my extra pairs of clothes." He pointed to a wicker basket just behind her.
Evemina turned to the basket and opened it tenderly. To her surprise, the clothes inside were neatly folded. A smirk formed on her lips, she was going to have to pester him about this. Quickly she gathered one pile of clothes that had a cotton shirt of pale purple and closed the basket. She turned back to Will, holding his hand out to her.
Her emerald eyes carefully studied his hand and his smiling hazel eyes. She placed her free hand into his and Will guided her out of his hut like a gentleman.
Scarlet and Evemina stroll side by side as she gets lead to a place to bathe.
Her eyes gaze over to her as a gentle smirk graced her face, "I noticed something."
Will's hazel ones glance over to her than back forward, "What would that be?"
"You neatly fold your clothes. That is something a man would never do."
The young man grinned, "I didn't fold them, Mina. But nice try."
"Who did then!?"
"Wulf did. Fanny, John's wife, is a tough woman and the boy had to learn to help out while she tended to the six other kids."
Evemina's eyes nearly popped out of the socket, "Six!?"
Will nodded, "And she is pregnant with the eighth." His eyes gazed over to the flabbergasted woman as he watched the series of emotions changing on her face.
"I cannot imagine giving birth to one let alone eight."
Will chuckled loudly at her words. "I took you for the girl who wanted a huge family."
Evemina stared at him, remembering saying something like that. She could see her five year old self smiling brightly, talking of huge family full of laughter and joy.
She grinned and shook her head at her child self, "I was five years old, Will. I did not know that giving birth hurt. I thought babies came from storks at the time for God's sake!"
Scarlet grinned at her, "You were quite naive."
"Says the man who thought it was brilliant idea to climb the highest tree because the crazy lunatic Lohan said so to prove your ability to climb. Than proceeded to fall to the ground from half way up the tree, thankfully in a brush."
"That was stupidity on my part but not from being naive."
"So? Both were pretty stupid and naive on our part."
Will grinned and nodded his head at the maiden. They continued to stroll along the forest under the canopy of tree cover.
"Oh, Will!" Evemina exclaimed suddenly, remembering something she wanted to say. His hazel eyes turned to her curiously and nodded to tell her that she had his attention. "I wanted to praise you for knocking Locksley into the river with your rope. It made me quite content."
Scarlet devilishly grinned at her words, "Well thank you, my Lady. But I have to say...You attacking Robin yesterday was also quite... entertaining."
Evemina giggled at the thought of Robin being clobbered by her, "Thank you, kind sir."
His eyes twinkled at her laughter and studied her joyful expression. Than he remembered something that happened two nights before. "Mina, do you truly still have my daggers?"
Evemina's smile brightened, as she bent down to the dagger in her boot.
She revealed the ordinary weapon to Will, who immediately snatched it. His eyes studied the dagger in his hands, seeing the initials W.S.
He smiled at the engraving, "I can't believe that you kept them. By now I thought they would be lost."
Will handed the dagger over to her as they walked over a small log. She grasped it and slid it back into her boot with a smile, "Never. These daggers meant a lot to me... even when I did not remember how I received them."
Scarlet studied her carefully, as he came to an halt. "I overheard what you told the painted man. You... You lost your memory of... me..." A frown took over his grin, a very sad one at that.
Evemina also frowned but at the sadness in his voice, stopping beside him. "Will, I remember now."
"I know. But it is weird to me think that for fifteen years I thought of you and you never thought of me."
"Will, I-"
"I visited your grave every day, placing your favorite wildflowers on your grave and spent hours talking to you. I wished for you to okay and to be alive. And now you come along after all that time. "
Her emerald eyes stared with sadness in them. She couldn't find the words to say, so she wrapped her arms around him pulling him into a hug.
"I wished everything was different, Will. That I never forgot... that I ran away from Dubois Manor to you. I always had that missing part of me that I never knew why it was so empty. Now I know what that was. It was you, Will. I never knew what I missed and all these years it was you. You were my best friend. I had the best moments of my entire life with you."
Will stared at the top of the maiden's head, "Mina." He gently whispered her name before he embraced her into his strong arms. His anger melted away at her broken voice, "I'm sorry."
She shook her head, "You have no reason to apologize. I should be. You suffered and I did not." Her emerald eyes flickered up to Will's hazel ones, "I do have a long overdue express of my gratitude." She gently kissed his cheek, causing the man to tense up. His eyes widened, watching the beautiful pair of emerald eyes staring into his, "Thank you for protecting me from the Sheriff of Nottingham, Will. I would not be here if it weren't for your bravery. No matter what they say or call you. You are a hero in my eyes."
The normally cool and collected Will Scarlet turned red across his cheeks at her words and her kiss. Evemina grinned at the vulnerability of the young man, "Aww it's a Scarlet Will!" She poked his cheeks while giggling like a small child.
Will pouted at her still blushing, "Shut up!"
"Aww is Scarlet Will embarrassed!"
"Don't turn my name against me!"
"Too late, William!"
"Will! Just Will!"
Evemina giggled at his protest, before resting her head against Will's chest. She breathed him in than went into series of gags and coughs. Scarlet quickly let go of the woman, startled at her sudden outburst of coughing.
"Mina are you okay!?"
"You smell-." Cough. "-Really bad, Will." Cough cough.
His mouth hung open by its hinges for a few seconds, "I do not smell that bad!"
"Oh yeah?!"
"Yeah!"
"Take a whiff of yourself!"
"Fine!" Will brought his shirt to his nose and took a sniff, immediately his face turned that of disgust. "I smelled fine yesterday! Did you rub a dead animal carcass on me so that I would have to bathe with you?!"
Evemina's face contorted into one of horror, "No! That's just disgusting. Why would I want to bathe with you!?"
"Wow. Way to destroy a man's pride."
The maiden sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose, "You know what I meant. It would be weird!"
"But deep down you want to see me naked." Will taunted with a teasing grin.
"Oh yeah. That is my hidden fantasy to see Will Scarlet in the nude." Evemina sarcastically retorted with a swift roll of her eye. "And my plan was to rub a dead deer all over you than get myself dirty than the next day get him to bathe in the exact water that I will be. Oh the fantasy!"
Will smirked at Evemina before placing a hand in her back, "Lets get us to the water hole to relieve your fantasies." He winked down at her, causing Mina to become flustered.
"William, I hope you are kidding!"
"About what?" He innocently questioned, blinking down upon her as if he had said nothing.
Evemina eyed the man, "You know exactly what I mean!"
Scarlet grinned teasingly down at the small woman, "I have no recollection of what that may be, Mina."
The maiden scowled at his insistent teases before she became face to face with the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. Flowing water tumbled down off a stone cliff into a large pool of water. The waterfall was elegant and had a space of cut stone behind it if someone decided to change behind the wall of water. A exquisite waterfall beckoning the maiden to approach.
"Will..." Evemina whispered breathlessly.
Scarlet smiled at the woman as she stared at the water hole not noticing Will watching her.
"I'll keep watch. You go and bathe."
"Keep watch?!"
"For no one sees you, Mina. Including myself."
Evemina studied his unwavering hazel eyes before nodding, "Okay."
With that Will took off into the forest, leaving Mina watching him standing beside the water hole. Once she no longer saw him, her eyes went to the waterfall and decided she would strip down there. Evemina carefully stepped along the rocky path til she was behind the waterfall.
Feeling some sort of closure, Evemina quickly removed her stinky, dirty clothing and set it off to the side of her borrowed clothing. As she faced the pool of water, she dipped a toe in testing the water.
A shiver ran down her spine at the cold water. She grumbled at the chill of the water, however she had no other choice. So with her hurt foot out over the pool, she jumped with the other leg into the water.
Under the water, she felt weightless as if she could fly and there was no such things as troubles. Her muscles went into a spasm of shivers as her body reacted to the cool temperature of the water. It was euphoric at the feeling, but her lungs squeezed tightly at the need of air that cut her moment of bliss short. Her head broke the surface, making her gasp for what her lungs desperately needed. A smile graced itself upon her face as she felt the waterfall tumbled down upon her, messaging her scalp.
Her emerald eyes glanced over in the general direction of where she last saw Will. Inside of her she was in turmoil, one side of her that held her childhood for reason against Will taking a peek, but the other side the womanly side had a secret wish to have him see. Kinda of like what animals do to attract mates in the natural world. Her cheeks reddened at her thoughts. She should not think of Will in such manner no matter how incredibly handsome he became.
Evemina grumbled to herself before retreating behind the waterfall to an awaiting fresh pair of clothes. Goosebumps littered her skin at the nips of the cold air, she shivered before crawling out of the water to her clothes. Quickly, Mina stepped into the over sized trousers and lifted them to cover her bare legs and bum. Than she slipped easily into the pale purple linen shirt. The shirt cut off at her mid thigh, making her very much aware of how big Will was compared to her. She tied the strings tightly since the neck of the shirt exposed her breasts and quite frankly she did not want Will seeing them. She would definitely never hear the end of that.
Than Mina went to work at ringing out her black hair till no water dripped from her squeezes.
Her thoughts drifted back to Will Scarlet. For her it was strange to be so close to someone who she did not see for fifteen years. He was a stranger who helped her escape the soldiers and the forest. Than found herself back in Sherwood Forest. Than just last night, they reunited with that long embrace.
How could she be so like herself with him?
And how can she just pester him anytime she could?
Their bond was so strong for just 'meeting' officially last night.
She had forgotten that he existed for God's sake.
A smile gradually found its way to her lips.
It was an easy answer.
Her memories along with her true self came to her when she discovered her past. He was her best friend... and he had not changed one bit. Being on his presence brought out a side of her that she had forgotten long ago. It was as if she left a bookmark in a book and left for a good amount of time and picking off where she started.
She whiskly grabbed her dagger from her boot and set it off to the side to slip on her boots without being slashed. Once her boots were on, her dagger was placed back in the boot.
With a sigh, Evemina grabbed her dirty, utterly disgusting clothes and held them out arms length away from her now cleansed self. She walked out from behind the waterfall carefully and traveled to the forest.
"Will?"
There was silence and no response. She called his name out again and received the same answer: nothing.
Her head frantically glanced around the forest where she stood. Nothing stirred or disturbed the calmness of the nature surrounding her. The birds softly tweeted being awaken by her calls to the man that seemingly left her in the forest all alone.
"Will?!" Evemina hollered trying not to start panicking.
"Mina?" A voice sounded behind her, causing her to squeak in fear jumping around to the voice.
Will stood a foot from her with his brow raised at her startled form, "W-W-Will, never do that again! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
A grin flashed across his face, "Sorry Mina. I didn't mean to get your heart racing because of me."
Evemina scowled at his smirking face, causing the man to chuckle.
"I'm going to take a swim. I'll be back shortly." Will informed her, before turning swiftly on his heel towards the water hole.
She stared at him as he walked silently away, immediately something flashed in her thoughts. "Will!"
His hazel eyes flickered over to her as he peered over his shoulder, "Yes, Mina?"
"You do not have a extra pair of clothes to change into after you bathe." Evemina pointed out.
His face changed from his smiling face to a thinking one in an instant. She was right. He didn't have any thing to change into.
As quickly as it left, a smug grin returned to his face. "I guess I'll have to return back to camp naked."
Horror once again stretched across her face. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing could form on her tongue to retort against his words. To Will she looked like a fish gaping for air and he found that utterly hilarious as he went into a fit of laughter.
Evemina blushed heavily at his reaction and stubbornly glanced away from him, now glaring at a tree.
"Mina, you know I'm kidding!"
In response Mina huffed and continued to glare at the tree.
"I'm sure that tree had nothing to do with anything. But you are right I do not have anything to change into."
"Any bright ideas, Scarlet?" Evemina questioned boldly. Will knew the moment Mina uses his last name is the sign that she is very upset.
"I could walk you back to camp and I could grab a pair of clothes than go back here. But that would take so long and I wouldn't want to come back to swim when you are at camp."
"Will, you smell really bad though!"
The man pouted, "I know that!"
"So what would you do then?" Evemina than thought of something outrageous that later made her wish that she never said it, "Make me give up the clothing you gave me?"
Will grinned evilly while Evemina covered her mouth in horror.
~
After Will finished well needed bath in the water hole, the two walked side by side. On one side Will Scarlet was grinning widely, sporting only a pair of clean trousers and his boots as he carried his dirty clothes and hers. Evemina, on the other hand, was scowling like an upset puppy. Her hands continuously keep guard of the shirt fluttering around her mid thigh to make sure her bare bottom was covered. Will did not need to know that she was that much vulnerable than she already was.
His hazel eyes flickered down to the grumpy maiden, "You are weirdly quiet."
Her emerald eyes glanced over to Will, failing at her glare when it was clear that she was embarrassed. Both at her condition and the fact that he was shirtless."What if the others see us?! They are going to think... differently of us."
"Differently?"
"Will, do I need to spell it out for you?!"
The young man shrugged nonchalantly, "Maybe."
She stepped closer to him, staring up at him unsettedly, "They would think we... did it."
"Did what?" Scarlet echoed teasingly.
Her cheeks turn scarlet red, before she quickly turned her head away.
Will's grin grew bigger as he reached over to the woman slinging his arm on her shoulders. Pulling her close to him, making her face turn even more crimson that it already was. "Do not mind what they think, Mina. If they think that I'm not telling them otherwise."
She wanted to scream at him, but all that came out was a soft mumble, "What?"
His mouth opened to speak when a series of twig snapping caught their attention.
"Will!"
They look forward to see Wulf bounding over to them with a smile. Once he stopped in front of them was when his face blushed. He noticed how little clothing they wore and the fact a woman was wearing only a linen shirt made the young boy extremely embarrassed.
"Oh- I uh..."
Her emerald eyes widened, "No-no-no, Its not like that! Will brought me to bathe and I was borrowing his clothes but he forgot clothes to change into. So I had to give up the trousers or I would be walking here with a... naked Will."
Scarlet pouted childishly down upon the maiden.
Wulf's eyes blinked a few times before smiling, "Oh!"
"Why are you here, Wulf?"
The walnut brown gaze of Wulf glanced over to the man who spoke to him. "Father was concerned since no one had seen you nor Mina all morning. So they sent me out to find you."
The two nodded at his words, before Evemina turned to Will. "Can we get back to your hut so I can have the trousers back?" she whined, staring up at Will's face.
Will stiffly nodded and the three were off again heading towards the camp. The maiden could not help but notice the young man become tense at the presence of Wulf.
Why is he not grinning or well... being Will? Wulf has not done a thing to upset him.
These thoughts swarmed in her mind as the three headed towards camp. It bothered her that Will wasn't teasing her like he normally would. Once they got there, Evemina made a break for the hut and got inside without anyone noticing her. Will on the other hand took his time to reach the hut, trying to get the woman upset.
He placed the dirty pair of clothes on the ground beside the door of his hut before crawling in. There huddled in the far corner with her back turned against him was Mina. Her long, lovely ebony black hair covered her back completely enabling him to not see her body.
"Hurry up and get changed!" She ordered as remained facing the stick wall.
Will quietly chuckled before shutting the stick bounded door.
Behind her she could hear the squeak of the basket lid being lifted and ruffling of clothes. It was an uncomfortable, awkward silence as Evemina waited for him to change.
In the same room as a naked man?!
Who was not even your significant other or husband?!
And her wearing nothing but a man's shirt!?
Oh the ladies of court and the maids would scream and scold the emerald eyed woman for doing such a sin. Than possibly drag her to church to purify the woman with chants of God's songs and hymns. Maybe even douse her with holy water. Evemina could practically envision the disappointed face of Granny as her dark blue eyes watch her with extreme disapproval.
She could hear the fellow maid' s speech,
'Evemina! You are a woman and a smart one at that. But for you to sit in the presence of a... naked man. He's neither your promised one nor husband! Do you understand how that can be seen, Evemina?! You are twenty years. You should know the right from the wrong!'
But Evemina did the impossible! She did not stare at Will's chest the entire time nor did she glance at it. She was tempted to but she kept strong. Women across the land would be proud and some very disappointed.
The maiden bitterly sighed as her thoughts scattered. She missed her fellow maids truly, but... she felt more at home with the man just behind her. A smile spread across her gentle face as she waited patiently for Will to be done. A shiver ran through her body, realizing how cold she was.
It was silent.
Strangely quiet as her teeth chattered.
Evemina stiffened in apprehension, What is he going now?
"Will?"
"Yes, Mina?" His voice was right next to her ear, causing her to jump a few inches off the ground. The warmth of his breath lingered in her ear as she glared deathly at him. Evemina shivered as her cold, wet hair stuck to her skin.
A concerned, serious expression crossed his face as he placed his heavy cloak on her shoulders and placed the trousers on her lap. "Get changed into warmer clothes. I'll wait outside."
Mina stared unblinking at Will before nodding. As he said he would, he left the hut and closed the door behind him.
Evemina immediately took action and slipped the trousers back on. She swiftly stuffed her boot with the cuffs of the pants. With a smile, the maiden tied the cloak Will gave her securely around her shoulders.
The maiden crawled her way out of the hut to not see Will nearby like he said he was.
Her emerald eyes scoured the camp to see him running off. Evemina gazed past him to see here a band of people from the village make their way into Sherwood. Men, women, and children who all look worn out and hurt. Blood smeared on their faces and bodies. They had been beaten by whom? That was no question to be asked.
Nottingham...
He did this to the villagers because of what that damned Locksley did yesterday by stealing that horse. What else did that man do!?
Unconsciously, Evemina jogged towards them but stops by the large fallen tree stump, staring at the sight before her.
The badly beaten villagers were spotted by Bull who hollered, "Over here!"'
Some of the men of the forest and Wulf including Will ran to the new comers.
Evemina glanced over to a curious Robin sitting on the large fallen tree and polishing his bow with Azeem sitting nearby.
Her emerald eyes glanced over to Will, who approached a skinny man, "What's happened to you?"
"They've burned the village, all of it!" The man replied to Scarlet's question, "Where is this Robin Hood?"
Will turned around with a deadly glint in his eyes as he pointed to the rich boy nonchalantly sitting on the tree trunk. "He's there!"
The man glowered before picking up his son, "Look!" The man tilted the boy's dead to the side showing Robin the large lash across the boy’s face, " Look what they've done!"
Men of the villages and of the forest marched over to Robin with Will in the lead. His eyes were full of anger, a sort of anger she never imagined she had ever seen in him before.
Azeem glanced over to the rich boy, "If it's fame you seek, Christian, I think you have it."
The painted man stepped off the tree and walks away from Robin.
Will glared up to the rich boy, "You brought this misery on us, Locksley."
Robin gestures to the crowd with his bow, "This is Nottingham, trying to divide us."
Will opens his arms, "We are divided, rich boy." He hissed sending fear into Evemina. She had seen him angry before but this is Will at the extreme. The young man points over to Duncan, "I'm not as blind as that old man over there. " Than Will pointed to Robin, "You're still trying to be lord of the manor." Men behind him made incoherent noises of agreement, "I heard today that the sheriff now values your neck at five hundred gold pieces." Will turns to the men behind him, "I say we take him in!"
The men nod their heads and again agree with Will's words. Robin just smiles at the lot as the young man turned back to the rich boy, "Will, do you think that the sheriff will give everything back when I'm gone?"
Will again stretched his arms out, "They'll give us the reward and our pardons."
"Wrong." Robin jumped off the trunk making all the men jump in fright except for Will. Locksley pointed to every man with the tip of his bow. "He'll stretch your necks one by one."
"Well, what will you have us do?" Will questioned softly but deadly. "Fight men on horsebacks with rocks and our bare hands?"
Robin grins as he nodded his head, "If it needs to be. But with the one true weapon that escapes you, Will." The rich boy approached Scarlet til they were face to face, "Courage."
That word contorted the young man's face into rage and set Evemina glaring at the rich boy. Before she could say some snide remark to fight for Will's honor she stared at the scene before her with shock.
Robin was walking away with his back turned to Will. The irked young man pulls out his dagger and prepares to throw it at Robin’s back.
"Look out!" Wulf warned the rich boy.
Locksley turns quickly and shoots an arrow through Will’s hand forcing him to drop the dagger. Evemina stared at Will who held his hand in pain while Robin simply looks at him.
After a few seconds, Will takes off running. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she watched him retreating.
Will.
Evemina quickly sprinted after the man, worried about him beyond belief.Behind her she heard the echoes of that rich boy finally getting his way at moving the men to join the war against Nottingham. But her thoughts did not linger on that pompous brat. She worried about Will.
Her ankle ached in pain as she ran but she needed Will to see if he was okay.
Without a clue of the land around her or how to go back to camp, Evemina sprinted into the forest after the quick Scarlet ahead of her.
After a few moments, she lost sight of him but she continued to follow what she judged to be his path. For about two minutes of running, she finally found Will sitting on an overgrown root holding his hand dearly. He sat by a calm river, but there was no such thing existent in his eyes. He glowered at the arrow stuck in his hand as if it was Robin himself.
She stepped on a twig, making the young man snap his head toward her. When he saw who it was his grimace did not waver, "Why are you here?"
The reproachful tone in his voice startled Evemina and quite frankly scared her, but she remained calm as she stood beside him. Her hands tenderly touched his hurt hand, examining the wound carefully. Evemina glanced up to meet the intense stare of Will's hazel eyes, "I'm going to have to break the arrow to get it out."
He responded without an answer which she uncomfortably took that as an okay. Her hands slowly felt around the arrow, searching for the weakest point. When she found it, one hand softly gripped his to stable him.
SNAP.
Will's eyes and scowl twitched at the pain he felt, but remained dead silent. Slowly she removed the broken arrow out of his hand. Quickly she went to her boot and removed it than she unwrapped the bandage that hugged around her ankle. The air was cold so she shoved her foot back into the boot. Her eyes spotted the water and hurried over to it. She drenched the bandage in the cold river water and rang it out than she rushed to Will's side and carefully wrapped his hand with her bandage.
They both spoke no words to each other as all of this happened. Will was both too angry and embarrassed to speak while Evemina was afraid he may snap at her.
When she tied the knot to secure the bandage, Evemina stepped back and sat away from him on a different root across from him. Her emerald eyes avoided looking at him as she stared uneasily at the river instead. Her nerves were on edge, doing all she could to not speak to her best friend.
It was hard.
All she wanted to do was hug him tightly and talk to him like usual.
As she could see now, that was impossible.
This uncomfortable silence lingered for what seemed to be like eons, until... "Mina?"
Her body jolted at the sound of her name and peered over to Will. The anger that was there had waned and left in its place was uneasiness. To Evemina, at this time, Will looked more like a bashful little boy who knew he was in trouble than the adult he is.
"Yeah?"
Will shifted as his eyes flickered down to the ground, "Thank you."
He lift his bandaged hand to her with a shy tone of his voice. Evemina's nerves eased slightly at the sight, as she flashed him with a uneasy smile. "It was nothing."
Then silence brewed again, making it even more awkward.
Mina could not take it any more so she leaped up from her spot and hugged Will with all her might. The young man stared at the woman holding onto him with shock and surprise.
Why on earth is she hugging him... It was not like Locksley shot him in the heart or something.
Locksley....
Will's eyes narrowed at the thought of him. But his thoughts of stabbing the stupid rich boy over and over again was driven away by the voice of Evemina.
"I just have never seen you so infuriated before." The maiden spoke with a gentle voice. A soothing, placid tone that calmed Will some from his previous images of Locksley. Her head nestled into his chest, "It scared me." she whispered, but Will heard those words clear as day.
He suddenly felt guilty that he had frightened Mina. That was the last thing Will wanted to do to her. Not even the last thing! He never wanted to scare her. She means a lot to him. Especially now when he had thought she was dead for fifteen years. His arms quickly cradled the maiden into an embrace.
"I never meant to scare you." He whispered seriously as he frowned.
"I know... But you have every right to hate Robin."
Will bobbed his head at her words, not saying anything.
"How's your hand?" Her sweet voice questioned.
"Stings a little but I'll be alright."
"I'll have to keep checking on it to make sure its healing properly."
A small smile worked itself on his face, "Worried about me, Mina?"
Her emerald eyes glanced up to meet hazel ones, "I always worry."
The young man rolled his eyes playfully at the woman, "I am a grown man. I can handle myself."
Evemina smiled at Will, "I know that. But 'grown men all need a person to worry about them, because if they know someone cares about them than their heart and abilities strengthen. Most importantly they won't be doing reckless, stupid things.' I remember my mother telling my father that once when he almost lost an arm during a duel."
Her emerald eyes twinkled at the memory, remembering her mother's worried frown as she tended to her father's arm.
'I love you, you idiot! Don't get yourself hurt by doing stupid things!'
'So if I got hurt doing something smart it's okay?'
'... No it's definitely not okay! Stop twisting my words around!'
'Yes, dear.'
'Don't call me dear! It makes me feel old!'
Evemina smiled absentmindedly as she was lost in her pool of memories.
"...Mina?"
The maiden shook her head a little, shaking her dreamlike trance off before meeting the eyes of Will.
"Yes?"
"I asked if you wanted to go back to camp."
Evemina blinked a few times before smiling, "Sure."
The two let go of each other and quietly Will lead Mina back to the direction of camp.
She crossed her arms across her chest and glanced over to the man at her side. "Will?"
The young man gazed over to the woman, making a 'hmm' telling her she had his attention.
"Were you going to throw that dagger at Robin? To kill him?"
Will's face immediately changed into one of slight anger and thought.
"I was thinking about it. I would have done it too... if he hadn't shot that arrow.
"You know exactly how much I dislike Robin, Will... and I can not believe that I'm going to say this but... he's your brother... killing him then and there would not have taken the pain away. It would only make it worse."
"So? Did you hear what the villagers went through?!" Will's blazing eyes burned holes into the face of Evemina, "Did you see them, Mina?! They were bloody and beaten up! Because of that rich boy!"
"Will... calm down."
Scarlet did not hear the frightened voice of Mina as his anger went into its peak, "Did you hear what Robin told me?! He's a god damn spoiled little rich boy!! Courage?! I have courage! He has no idea what courage is!" The young man hissed.
"Will... please."
His hazel eyes glared at her, "And you! You are my friend, you should not side with him!"
"I'm not siding with him!"
"You backed him up!" Will retorted hatefully.
Evemina clenched her fist tightly, now losing her fear and gaining anger instead. "Yes! Because he is your family!"
Will rolled his eyes and scowled, "He is no family of mine! I rather be alone than have him as a brother."
Those words hit her hard in the heart.
Alone?
He'd rather be alone and not have someone that he call a brother or family.
She lost hers in a night and he had the guts to tell her this!
Even when his mother that loved him and cared for him sadly died from that illness, he said those words. She could see why his father wouldn't be in his good side... But Will's mother never wanted him to be alone forever.
If he wanted to be alone. She'll grant that... even though her heart broke a little at this.
"At least you have someone in your family living!" She screamed at his face as tears streamed down her pale cheeks, "Being alone is the worst thing you could ever wish for. You of all people should know that! If you want to be alone than I can help you with that!"
Evemina than took off running in a random direction into the woods. The tears rolled down her face as she bounded over rocks and logs. She could hear Will calling for her, but soon his calls waned into silence. The upset maiden crashed through the forest, not caring if she would never find the camp. All she wanted was to be get away from Will and everyone.
His words broke her heart. She wanted someone that she could call family. When he has another chance of having a brother or a family he turns it away so rashly ... in front of her.
She wanted a family... more than she ever did when she was a child. The maiden continued to run down a large slope. Her injured foot got caught in a hole, causing the maiden to tumble down the slope.
Her world spun around and around till it finally stopped.
She could smell the dirt under her nose and the wet leaves on her skin. Her breaths came shallow from her dead sprint. Her ankle began pulsing with sharp pains, creating more tears in the maiden's eyes.
The pain... it hurt as if she was shot by arrows into the ankle a thousand times.
Evemina weakly tried getting to her feet but crumbled back to the ground in pain.
Mina could not run anymore... so she crawled over to a nearby tree and rested her back against it. Her emerald eyes leaked more tears as she realized she was stuck in the forest with an extremely hurt foot... God knows what Will is doing and if she would ever be found. The boys back at camp would not preferably listen to Will at first since the scene he had caused. And God only knows if any one really cared about her other than Will.
Her eyes flickered to the sky at a distant rumble.
A thunderstorm... Her eyes widened in fear.
If there was one thing she feared the most it was thunderstorms.
The maiden prompted up her knees and brought them close to her chest, trying to keep warm. The cold had already begin to nip at her due to her fun time of rolling down the slope. It was during this time, she began to regret storming off from Will. He would have been angry at her words but he'd come around and realize what he had said. Than she could be safe and warm in his hut away from the storm... and not in the cold covered with wet leaves and dirt with a hurting ankle, having no shelter of the lightning that may strike.
She's dead... for certain now.
She was going to get hit with lightning... Than die.
Or die of fear. That too.
Evemina pressed her forehead against her knees, trying to block out the metallic rolling thunder up in the skies above.
Her body began to tremble like a leaf. The maiden quivered and quivered under the cloak. She was not getting warm nor comfort from the storm above.
Behind her eyelids, she saw a flash of yellow light that made her jump knowing exactly what that was. A loud boom roared above her head, causing her shivers to quicken.
Than... darkness.
(End of Chapter Ten)