Lady in Lincoln Green - chapter 2

Within the next couple weeks Robyn had shown enough leadership and skill she had been appointed the leader of the men living in Sherwood. She no longer was Robyn of Locksley but Robyn of Sherwood, a name that was soon shortened into Robyn Hood. Despite making many wonderful friends she also made a few of the worst enemies. King Richard treated her the same as any other outlaw, but Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham were determined to have her hanged. Somehow still with all this going on Robyn couldn't help but keep in mind Nottingham’s condition and her promise to Will Stutely. The rest of the group consisted of five score men, and no other women. Not one of which seemed ashamed of having a female leader.
The group stayed at the major oak. The largest tree in the most hidden part of the wood. The sun could shine through the leaves on a sunny day, but rain and snow had a slightly more difficult time of it. It was surrounded by bright yellow, green, and red flowers at the base of the tree, as did some fallen trees that got cut to be very nice for sitting upon. The fire they created served the purposes they needed it to including not burning the tree every time they lit it.
Finally one day an unsuspecting lord or Earl came thru Sherwood. One of the men coaxed him to the great oak where the rest of them were. The guys decided to entertain him. Robyn seemed a bit leery at first.
“Hello sir,” Robyn began to the lord. Then she turned to the men, “What is this?”
“Just a little fun.”
“Don’t hurt anyone,” she turned back to the lord. “Why don’t you sit down sir.” She beckoned him to a log laying down. David of Doncaster brought the lord a mug of ale.
Robyn finally gave her consent to the men to have their fun nodded. They began to demonstrate their personal excellence in weaponry and hand fighting. A couple of them decided to take on two or three men at a time. Robyn sat on the side laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe until archery. The men Stuck a stick in a tree after cutting it into about the size of an arrow, a quarter of an inch in diameter and about seven inches long. Everyone got three shots. The first to hit it won. The males of the group started without her, but at nearly the end of the first round. She quietly picked up her bow and standing behind the rest of the line by a good five yards. Her first arrow split the stick; her second arrow split the first; her third arrow was hard enough she split the second and all three before it fell down from the tree.
“Bravo!” the lord called. He even gave a standing ovation. Robyn began forming a truly devilish plan, Fee the rich lord, he fees those that pass in his land so why not fee those that pass in mine.
“Will,” Robyn whispered. “Lighten his purse a little.”
Will took out his sword again, “Hand over your purse. I’ll lighten your load either way.” The lord obeyed shaking half to death. I nodded excusing the lord.
“Come on Will, what did we get?” I asked running over to him. He proceeded to count the contents. It contained 16 pounds 18 shillings and 7 pences.
“Could you pay off your debt with this Will?” Robyn asked.
“Yes, this should work. Thanks Robyn.”
Will took what he needed for his debt leaving 8 pounds 3 shillings. I took the 8 pounds 3 shillings and Will back to Nottingham to keep some others out of Sherwood. This was a sunny day, so Nottingham actually looked like it had quite a bit of hope; the nooses were gone too. I stopped off at the church there.
“Hello, Friar,” I called into the old church.
“Robyn of Locksley, Will Stutely what are you doing here? If the Sheriff caught either one of you he would not hesitate to take you straight to the gallows,” the friar warned.
“Not possible, Will has enough to pay off the debt plus a little extra, and I be too quick too clever and too smart for the likes of the Sheriff,” As Robyn said it she began to grin wider and wider. “We stopped by to give you this,” she threw him the money. “Split it up between the people here, I’ll come back with more eventually.”
“God bless you both,” Friar Tuck said. “But should I ask how you two rogues got a hold of all this?”
“No,” Robyn said with a lilt as she walked out of the small chapel doors into the warm sun.