Robin Hood

October 26th

Dear Robin,

I apologize for the hen scratch writing. I write this in great haste for I do not have much time before they come. I have just received word that the King’s soldiers are coming for me, before they come for me I must tell you things I have been meaning to say for a long long time. Robin I have not been faithful to you and your group…before you jump to conclusions keep reading for what I have to say may give you the full picture. Please Robin, give me that much after all the things we have been through.

It pains me to write this but I must. Do you remember three years ago when King John’s soldiers found your camp and you wondered who had betrayed you? That was I. That was I who sold you out and all for a bag of gold and silver. At the time I was in dire need for that money, my little girl was starving and the clothes on her back was nothing more than a piece of cloth. I sincerely apologize but maybe someday when you have children of your own you will understand the reason behind my actions. I know that means nothing in comparison to the evil I have committed…

King John’s soldiers are coming for me now. Somehow they got word of my involvement you’re your group. They will be here by dawn I am sure. I am sending my girl Katherine with this note, by the time you receive it I will probably already be in prison, or maybe even worse.

I beg of thee to forgive me, but most of all I beg of thee to keep an eye on my Katherine. You own me nothing I know yet my heart aches at the thought of what would happen to Katherine with no one in this world. She doesn’t know of the crimes I have committed or of my involvement with you and your men. She thinks you are just an old friend of mine… Take care of her, please Robin! Consider it my dying wish…

I am so sorry.

With deep guilt I sign off,

Snow

***

Kieran stared at the paper in his hand with sorrow.His mind was still trying to piece together what he had just read.His eyes flickered to the third paragraph and he read it once more to make sure he understood correctly all Snow had just admitted to doing. Snow was one of his long-time friends; she had saved his neck from the noose as many times as Kieran had saved hers. This was the last thing he ever expected from her. As much as it solved his problem of trying to find the betrayer in his small band of men, he wished she hadn’t admitted to doing any of it.The letter fluttered from his hand and landed gently on the ground at his feet…it was followed closely behind by tears of grief.

It is probably too late, Snow is probably dead. King John wouldn’t have wasted much time with a trial. Kieran thought bitterly, Still I must try, if not for my own assurance but for her daughter. Her daughter! How could he have forgotten? Snow had mentioned that her daughter would be delivering the letter. Jumping from his place on the ground, Kieran started for the door.

“Connor?” he called as he peeked his head out from his tent, “Would ya send in the girl who delivered the message?” Kieran asked the short muscular man who was sitting on a log by the fire sharpening his sword. Connor nodded and set his sword and tools down before starting off to find the girl.

Kieran sighed and looked around his tent, it was an absolute mess! Quickly, he stuffed all his dirty laundry into his pack and fixed his few belongings. He needed to make a good first impression on Snow’s daughter. He didn’t know why he was so nervous it was just Snow’s daughter, and Snow was just an old friend… She is more than that, you old fool, and you know it. Kieran thought. At one time there was something between them, but that was long ago…before her daughter was born. Kieran reminded himself. At the time, Kieran had thought his love for her was just a foolish desire of his, yet now he was convinced it was more than that. He had loved her and that is why he let her go. Snow had deserved more than to be constantly in danger and on the run.

The sound of approaching footsteps snapped Robin back to the present and he quickly looked around for someplace to sit, finally settling in the corner on the ground. He picked up his back of arrows and began sharpening them.“Kieran?” Connor said. Kieran mentally thanked him for not using his code name Robin. He didn’t want to scare Snow’s daughter with being a wanted outlaw because that wouldn’t make a good first impression. Robin Hood was his full code name, first because the Robin was his favorite type of bird, and second because of the hooded cloak he always wore

“Come in Connor,” Kieran replied.

Connor entered, “Shall I let her in?” he asked.

Kieran nodded hoping he didn’t look to nervous. Without another word, Connor opened the flap of the tent and left. He spoke quietly to girl waiting outside and then he went back to his work. Kieran took a deep breath as the flap of the tent opened and he was greeted by a red headed girl in her early twenties.There was no mistaking that the girl standing in front of him was Snow’s daughter, she looked exactly like her mother except for the bright red hair. Her eyes were of a lighter green than her mother’s though and her complexion was a little darker. Other than that it was like seeing Snow twenty years ago…right about the same age as when Kieran had first met Snow. Painful memories came flooding into Kieran and he tried to push them away.

Obviously uncomfortable with Kieran’s heavy glance the girl cleared her throat and asked inquiringly, “You wished to see me?”

Kieran mentally smacked himself over the head and resumed his usual rigid faced look, “Yes. Would you sit down?” he asked gesturing to the small log in the corner of the tent that usually served as a chair for him.

The girl looked from Kieran to the chair and shook her head her eyes showing evident distrust, “If it’s all the same to you I’ll stay standing,” she replied. Her body hadn’t loosed much from its tense position; Kieran hadn’t expected her to trust him right away so this came as no surprise.

Kieran didn’t bother telling her that trying to run would be pointless, especially since his men were everywhere outside and wouldn’t hesitate to stop her. Instead he just nodded understandingly, “What’s your name child?” He already knew the answer since Snow had mentioned her in her letter yet he didn’t want Katherine to know that just yet. For some reason his mind told him to keep that information to himself for now.

“I am no child,” she stated proudly, “Give me your name and I shall give you mine.”

Kieran was a little taken aback by her reply, it was a very unlike Snow answer. You need to quit comparing her to Snow, he told himself; she may look like her yet not necessarily act the same. Kieran who was now standing nodded and bowed. Feeling guilty for not telling her who he really was,Kieran bit his tongue then replied, “Robin, Robin Hood here to be of any service to you…”

The girl’s eyes went wide with shock then her shock quickly turned to disbelief, “Thank you for the gift of your fake name, I am called Rosa” she said using proper manners even though her face held disgust.

“Who pretends to be the greatest hero of all time? Everybody knows Robin Hood is tall and muscular. He stands six feet tall and he always wears green…” she glanced at Kieran’s plain brown clothes and not so muscular build, her disbelief growing.

“Besides,” she continued “Robin Hood is supposed to be the handsomest of all men,” the girl raised her eyebrow and looked Kieran up and down “So far you match none of the descriptions that I have heard.”

Kieran looked at the young girl, at first he hadn’t thought she looked like much on the outside. Now he knew she could hold her own and he thought that may have been the point she was trying to get across. “You have quite the tongue on you, don’t you?” without waiting for an answer Kieran kept talking “Despite the ridiculous rumors you have heard it doesn’t change the fact that I am who I say I am…whether you believe me or not.”

She looked at him and laughed, “Right if you are Robin Hood, I am King Arthur’s daughter.”

Kieran hid the grin threatening to form on his face; everybody knew King Arthur’s daughter was a bit of a snob. “Yes,” he nodded “You do seem to be the type.”A burst of laughter came from outside the tent where Connor was listening to their bantering, causing Katherine to blush. She hated being insulted especially by men who thought they knew everything. Determined to get him back for that but having nothing come to mind, Katherine just sent one of her famous deathly glares his way.

Kieran flashed her a smug grin, “Now Katherine, shall we stop with the childlike bantering and try introducing each other like adults?”

Katherine stared at him mouth open, “How do you know my real name?” she asked glaring at him darkly.

A flash of pain crossed Kieran’s face and he lost all of the smugness he had before. Taking Snow’s letter from his shirt he silently handed it to Katherine. It would be the fastest way to explain to her what exactly was going on.As Katherine read tears slipped down her cheek, when she had finished she looked at Kieran with hatred in her eyes.Without another word she threw the letter at Kieran and ran from the tent.