26Hey anyone who reads this but doesn't review. The fact that I have no reviews depresses me. Oh well. Here's a new chapter and I'm sorry it took so long to update. I've been snowed in under schoolwork and study. I've also had my other commitments, so it's been difficult to write. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and please, please, please (x 100) review. They make me smile (and just between you and me, they make me dance around the room), but more importantly, they get me motivated to write the next chapter. Seeing as nobody appears to read this, I'm talking to myself again. At least, I hope I'm not.
Guess what? I got 89% on my Geography test! All the study paid off! This is a slightly longer chapter to celebrate that fact. *Dances around the room* Yay me! I also came top in my German test! Fantastisch! Wunderbah! Spitze! Toll! (Fantastic! Wonderful! Great! Yay!) And now, for the big one…. I CAME TOP IN MY MATHS TEST! (Sorry, that's really big for me, I never come top in maths)
Ok, getting on with the chapter now before I get killed…
Disclaimer: What, you still think I own Robin Hood? Tough luck mate, you're wrong. I own nothing but Charlotte. (But I wish I did own Robin Hood, because if I did, the second series wouldn't have ended so sadly.)
To her surprise, it was Will's younger brother, Luke. "Do you have a message from Will?" Charlotte asked curiously. "Yes," Luke replied. "He says you might want to come down to the village, and to be quick. There's a surprise for you." "Is it a good one or a bad one?" Charlotte wanted to know. Luke grinned. "He thought you might say that. He also says that you'll just have to find out."
Charlotte shrugged, threw Luke his pebble back and went downstairs and out to the village. There, she saw two men walking towards the manor. As they got closer, Charlotte recognised them. A smile crept onto her face and she started to run towards them. "Robin! Robin!" She almost shrieked his name as she threw herself at her brother. She hugged him tightly and felt a small tear creep from her eyes. She blinked it away and drew back, surveying him.
He'd grown and become more muscular. He was thinner, as if he hadn't eaten properly in a long time. His hair, exactly the same colour as hers, was still the same though. His forest green eyes danced with laughter and they both hugged again. Relief flooded Charlotte's mind. He's home, she thought. He's finally home. Now I don't ever have to face Gisbourne again. No more excruciating boredom. Finally, I can go back to normal.
"What about me?" asked a forlorn voice. Charlotte laughed as Robin released her. "Same old Much," she teased. "Do you still have the same appetite?" Robin rolled his eyes. "I couldn't get him to shut up about food for the entire journey. It was torture!"
"Speaking of torture," Charlotte said, narrowing her eyes. "Why didn't you write? I got a year of letters, practically one every day. And then nothing, no letters, no warning, nothing but silence." Robin frowned. "I was occupied. We were on the move and it was hard to predict where we'd go next. By the time your letter would have arrived, we'd have moved on, so I thought I would write when we found a permanent base. But when we did, circumstances caused me to return here, so I thought there was no real point in sending them," he told her.
Charlotte shrugged. "Never mind that now. You two will want a bath; sleep and-" "Food?" Much practically begged. "My belly cannot take this anymore!" Charlotte grinned. "Definitely the same old Much," she replied as they walked back to the manor discussing changes in Nottingham. When Robin started to talk about the new Sheriff, Charlotte clapped a hand over his mouth. "Not now and not here. Walls have ears," she muttered, moving her lips as little as possible. She removed her hand and continued talking about the changes in Nottingham.
When they reached the manor, Gisbourne was waiting for them inside. "Locksley, I am Sir Guy of Gisbourne. I have assisted Lady Charlotte in taking care of your lands and I would like a bit more respect in front of the peasants," he said. The tone of his voice was disdainful and his eyes flickered with some sort of emotion. Charlotte couldn't decide if it was hate or if it was contempt. Wait a minute, she thought. Emotion? Since when did Gisbourne show emotion?
"If this is how you treat my peasants, now wonder they steal," Robin was saying to Gisbourne. As Gisbourne drew breath to reply, Charlotte cut him off. "Brother, you are weary and hungry. You need food, a bath and sleep. Goodbye Sir Guy," she said, taking Gisbourne's arm and steering him towards the door.
She closed it and brushed her hands, feeling a weight drop from her shoulders. As she looked at Robin, she frowned. "Who stole?" she asked wearily. Robin explained how a boy had been found with two sacks of flour in his home. "Speaking of stealing, why does Dan Scarlett have only one hand?" Robin asked sharply. Charlotte's shoulders drooped. "Because Will and Luke stole. I warned them not to. I said I'd give them my own food, but they decided not to listen to me. I did try to go and after them on my horse, but my teacher caught me leaving the house and so I could do nothing," she said sadly. Robin saw that she regretted being caught and he hugged her again. "What's done is done," he said. "Anyway, you were saying about the Sheriff?"
Charlotte looked at him and had drawn breath to speak when Much spoke up before her. "I'm starving," he whined. "Can we not discuss this later?" "How inconsiderate of me," Charlotte replied. "Come on, baths, food and sleep. You have certainly earned it." When Robin started to protest, she shook her head. "No buts, Robin. You need it."
Robin had refused both sleep and food and only washed briefly. When he was dressed in clean clothes, he came to Charlotte's door and tried to open it, but it was locked. So he knocked and called, "It's only me." The door unlocked and Charlotte stood back to let him in. "You never used to lock your door," Robin said accusingly. "Things changed. Especially since we had a new Sheriff," Charlotte said, sighing.
"Yes, about that. What's he like?" Robin asked. Charlotte looked outside to check if there was anyone, then looked around the window. She locked her door and turned back to Robin.
"The new Sheriff's name is Vaysey and he is both cruel and vicious. He does not care what others think, but seeing as everyone is too afraid of incurring his wrath and losing their lands, it is not a problem," Charlotte explained. "Surely you have not been like them all this time?" Robin asked sceptically. Charlotte laughed and her musical laughter filled the room. "It is as if you do not know me at all," she replied, smiling. "I have tried to intervene and appeal to his better nature, but of course it does not exist." "So what have you done?" Robin wanted to know. "Well, I have tried appealing to the other nobles. Sometimes it works, such as when the Sheriff wanted another act that would have forced all nobles and peasants to give two tenths of our income to Nottingham. As it is, people cannot even afford food, so I appealed to the other nobles and to their sense of security, albeit quietly. We took a vote and decided against this act," Charlotte explained, feeling a touch of pride. "What did the Sheriff say to this?" Robin wondered aloud. "He was not pleased. I am still awaiting his punishment," Charlotte replied. "Punishment? Why?" Robin said incredulously. "He had just lost the opportunity to gain a lot of money. He is greedy, and therefore he wants everything. Even when he is satisfied to gorging, he hungers still," Charlotte replied. "Were I him, I would punish myself too."
"That settles it. I'm going to see Edward," Robin decided. "Why? I have told you everything," Charlotte replied. "I need to hear his side of things before I go to Nottingham tomorrow," Robin replied. "I wish you luck," Charlotte replied.
As Robin left, Charlotte started another embroidery, feeling bored again. But this time, she felt confused as well. This wasn't how she was supposed to feel. Robin was supposed to come back and she was supposed to have more freedom. She wasn't supposed to be doing this embroidery. She frowned and then winced as she pricked her finger on the needle. Suddenly, she heard raised voices coming from the village.
As she went out, she saw Gisbourne and his men once more. However, this time they were outside Will's home. Charlotte frowned and started to run, anxious to find out what was happening. "What has this family done to permit such behaviour?" she asked as she reached them, her hands going to her hips.
"They have assisted the one who was arrested for stealing flour and will be punished for their crimes," Gisbourne said smugly.
Charlotte's heart sank, followed by sudden realisation. This is it, she thought. This is my punishment. "Surely it cannot be all of them," she argued.
"No, it is just the two sons," Gisbourne replied. Charlotte fought the urge to slap his smug face. She sighed resignedly. "Very well," she replied quietly, and as they took Will and Luke away, Charlotte heard a voice inside her. You'll never see them again, it said. She refused to listen to it. Then she heard Gisbourne riding back.
Charlotte almost fainted at what he said.
Ooh, I love cliffhangers, don't you? They drive you mental and yet they're brilliant at the same time.
Luv Sarah.