But Robin has a secret. His feelings for his friend Will Scathelock have deepened, but to acknowledge the truth would mean facing up to his past. Meanwhile Lady Marian Fitzwalter, heiress to the vast Huntingdon estate is determined to claim Robin for her own.
The leader of the men at arms brought up his crossbow. “You will hold your tongue.”
In one swift movement, Robin had nocked an arrow to his own bow and fired. It struck the crossbow, knocking it clean out of the man’s hand and forcing it to discharge its bolt into the ground. Several watching villagers gasped. The man was rubbing his hand. Robin’s arrow had caught it in passing, and a trickle of blood ran down his wrist.
“I don’t like people who threaten my friends,” Robin said conversationally. “We haven’t been introduced.”
“My name is Hugo Beaumont, captain of the sheriff’s guard. You are trespassing.”
“I am not the trespasser here. I am Robin, rightful Lord of Locksley. These are my lands. I believe it is you who are here unlawfully.”
“The Locksley estate was granted to my brother by Prince John,” Katrina said, speaking for the first time.
“Was that before or after he did for Lord Locksley?” Will asked.
For the first time, Robin saw Gisborne’s composure slip. Evidently, he had hoped Robin would not have learned the truth about his father.
Robin fitted another arrow to his bow and aimed it directly at Gisborne’s heart. “I should kill you where you sit.”
“But you won’t.” Katrina’s face twisted in a sneer. “If you harm my brother, Prince John will unleash such suffering on this village that they will rue the day you ever returned. You have no power here, Robin of Locksley. Even that title is not yours. The old Lord Locksley disinherited you four years ago. You have nothing.”
Angry murmurs rose from the villagers, but at a signal from Hugo Beaumont, the men at arms all drew their swords, pointing them at the crowd. This had the effect of hushing them instantly.
“It seems war has cost you your sanity, Locksley,” Gisborne observed. “You are clearly a danger to both our prince and this country. I have no hesitation, therefore, in arresting you.”
Father Tuck stepped forward. “My Lord, I urge you to reconsider. This man has committed no crime.”
“Hold your tongue, Priest,” Hugo ordered. He made a sign to his men. As one, they rode forward.
There were shouts and screams among the villagers as they scattered before the soldiers. Alan tried to go to Robin, but was seized and thrown to the ground. Jane rushed to help him, but was sent sprawling herself.
A soldier rode at a group of women and children, who scrambled desperately to avoid him. One little boy tripped, his hand torn loose from his mother’s. Without pausing, the soldier rode him down. His mother’s scream was lost amid the tumult.
Will engaged another soldier, fending off his clumsy attack with ease. The man was startled that one he had taken for a mere peasant knew how to use a sword, and the momentary distraction cost him his life.
Robin loosed his arrow. The soldier who had attacked Alan fell. Robin loosed a second and the man on the horse who had ridden at the crowd toppled to the ground with a garbled cry.
“Stop!” Hugo Beaumont shouted.
Everyone froze. A stunned silence replaced the chaos as all eyes fell on the three men lying in the mud. The mother of the boy who had been ridden down cradled him in her arms, her quiet sobs the only sound to be heard.
Robin nocked yet another arrow and trained it on the captain. “I can kill every man of yours, Gisborne, including your captain. Lower your weapons, all of you!”
Hugo spurred his horse towards him, but Katrina screamed, “No!”
“Listen to her, Captain. Order your men to drop their weapons.”
Hugo glared at Robin, but he had no choice, and he knew it. He made a sign to his men, and as one, they let their weapons fall.
“Very good, now, stay there, nice and quiet, until I have gone on my way.”
While Gisborne looked on with impotent fury, Will grabbed the bridle of one of the riderless horses. The animal pranced, but a calming word from Will soothed it. When the horse was quiet, Will mounted and held down an arm to Robin.
Robin mounted behind him and turned to his enemy. “You haven’t heard the last of this, Gisborne. You will wish you’d stayed in exile by the time I’m through.”
Will set heels to the horse’s sides and kicked it to a gallop.
In one swift movement, Robin had nocked an arrow to his own bow and fired. It struck the crossbow, knocking it clean out of the man’s hand and forcing it to discharge its bolt into the ground. Several watching villagers gasped. The man was rubbing his hand. Robin’s arrow had caught it in passing, and a trickle of blood ran down his wrist.
“I don’t like people who threaten my friends,” Robin said conversationally. “We haven’t been introduced.”
“My name is Hugo Beaumont, captain of the sheriff’s guard. You are trespassing.”
“I am not the trespasser here. I am Robin, rightful Lord of Locksley. These are my lands. I believe it is you who are here unlawfully.”
“The Locksley estate was granted to my brother by Prince John,” Katrina said, speaking for the first time.
“Was that before or after he did for Lord Locksley?” Will asked.
For the first time, Robin saw Gisborne’s composure slip. Evidently, he had hoped Robin would not have learned the truth about his father.
Robin fitted another arrow to his bow and aimed it directly at Gisborne’s heart. “I should kill you where you sit.”
“But you won’t.” Katrina’s face twisted in a sneer. “If you harm my brother, Prince John will unleash such suffering on this village that they will rue the day you ever returned. You have no power here, Robin of Locksley. Even that title is not yours. The old Lord Locksley disinherited you four years ago. You have nothing.”
Angry murmurs rose from the villagers, but at a signal from Hugo Beaumont, the men at arms all drew their swords, pointing them at the crowd. This had the effect of hushing them instantly.
“It seems war has cost you your sanity, Locksley,” Gisborne observed. “You are clearly a danger to both our prince and this country. I have no hesitation, therefore, in arresting you.”
Father Tuck stepped forward. “My Lord, I urge you to reconsider. This man has committed no crime.”
“Hold your tongue, Priest,” Hugo ordered. He made a sign to his men. As one, they rode forward.
There were shouts and screams among the villagers as they scattered before the soldiers. Alan tried to go to Robin, but was seized and thrown to the ground. Jane rushed to help him, but was sent sprawling herself.
A soldier rode at a group of women and children, who scrambled desperately to avoid him. One little boy tripped, his hand torn loose from his mother’s. Without pausing, the soldier rode him down. His mother’s scream was lost amid the tumult.
Will engaged another soldier, fending off his clumsy attack with ease. The man was startled that one he had taken for a mere peasant knew how to use a sword, and the momentary distraction cost him his life.
Robin loosed his arrow. The soldier who had attacked Alan fell. Robin loosed a second and the man on the horse who had ridden at the crowd toppled to the ground with a garbled cry.
“Stop!” Hugo Beaumont shouted.
Everyone froze. A stunned silence replaced the chaos as all eyes fell on the three men lying in the mud. The mother of the boy who had been ridden down cradled him in her arms, her quiet sobs the only sound to be heard.
Robin nocked yet another arrow and trained it on the captain. “I can kill every man of yours, Gisborne, including your captain. Lower your weapons, all of you!”
Hugo spurred his horse towards him, but Katrina screamed, “No!”
“Listen to her, Captain. Order your men to drop their weapons.”
Hugo glared at Robin, but he had no choice, and he knew it. He made a sign to his men, and as one, they let their weapons fall.
“Very good, now, stay there, nice and quiet, until I have gone on my way.”
While Gisborne looked on with impotent fury, Will grabbed the bridle of one of the riderless horses. The animal pranced, but a calming word from Will soothed it. When the horse was quiet, Will mounted and held down an arm to Robin.
Robin mounted behind him and turned to his enemy. “You haven’t heard the last of this, Gisborne. You will wish you’d stayed in exile by the time I’m through.”
Will set heels to the horse’s sides and kicked it to a gallop.
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She began work on the Outlaws Legacy series in 2013, and was accepted by Beaten Track Publishing in 2016. Outlaws Legacy is a historical series based around the Robin Hood legend. The author describes it as Exciting Historical Adventure with GLBT romance.
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I would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, including Knight of Sherwood. I wish the best in keeping up the good work in the future.
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