Robin Hood by Courtney Garner (the beginning after the end novel read .txt) 📖

was walking towards a large group of people around a fire with what I assumed was a cauldron of stew cooking over it.  I scurried quickly after him.

I watched as a scowling woman pressed two bowls into Will's hands. Her scowl was meant for me. What was wrong with these people?

"So about those questions..." I said, catching up to Will. I stood akwardly among the other people as he filled the bowls with stew. This close I could smell the rich aroma and my mouth watered. The days without eating had finally caught up to me as my stomach almost cramped from emptiness. Will turned around and offered me one of the bowls. I took it eagerly, putting it to my lips and draining it in seconds. Over the rim I could see him smiling at me but I didn't care. He offered me his bowl which I also took, drinking slower this time. Now that we were standing still, Will seemed to be moving my way in covert shifts and shuffles. He probably didn't even mean to do it.

I was halfway through the it when a little boy broke away from his friends and bounded over to pull on Will's shirt. The boy smiled sweetly at me before turning back to Will.

"She's not really Robin Hood, is she?" I coughed and almost choked on my mouthful of food. When I was finally done sputtering, I used my hand to wipe my mouth. Will laughed.

"I hate to tell you that she really is."

'Will!" All I could do was stare at him. Now I was getting angry. The little boy looked at me, awestruck. It wasn't unusual for anyone to have that reaction. I was a bit of a celebrity.

"Go on Koray. You can talk to her later." Koray- a pretty name i noted absentmindedly- hurried away just as quickly as he came, this time shooting looks of wonder back at me. My eyes strayed to the other people around us. The staring had become less obvious now but I would have to be blind to not notice that they were still looking.

"What's wrong with them?" I whispered to Will. I could understand hostility or curiousity, but this was just rididculous.

He answered in a whisper that matched mine. "You scare them." My eyebrows rose.

"If they all know who I am then they shouldn't be scared. Maybe a little diasapointed that Robin Hood is a woman, but not scared." I said, handing the bowl back to him half eaten. His eyebrows lifted but that same smile stayed where it was. And the worst thing was, I was staring to like it. Hell, I think I liked it from the very first moment it appeared.

"They don't care that you are a woman." I thought about this, pieces clicking in my head with an almost audible snap. No dresses, tents in the woods, not caring if I'm female- these were strange people. But were they dangerous people? "They are afraid of you beacause you are an outsider, but they're willing to accept you because you saved one of ours."

"Isabelle, right?" I asked, thinking about the girl's scared eyes. There was no way I could have not helped her.

He nodded and shuffled forward, even more into my personal space, right before a woman walked up to us with large, proud steps. If I hadn't been paying close attention I wouldn't have noticed the questioning look she sent Will's way. I could understand why she would, I could practically feel his breath on my neck.

"Robin, this is Linota. She's the one who took care of you." Now that he said something I could see the resemblance in the two. They had the same dark blonde hair and cheekbones, but she looked too young to be Will's mother. There wasn't a gray hair or wrinkle on her. I realized suddenly that most of the people around me looked young and healthy, each of them pretty in a slender, graceful way. Those must be some damn good genes.

"Thank you for that." I said, holding out my hand to her. She hesitated a moment, looking at my outstretched hand as if it were a foreign object, before taking it and giving an akward shake. Weird. Just as soon as the akward moment came, it was gone and her features softened into that of motherly concern.

"It's my job. I'm glad you are awake. I wasn't expecting the drugs to wear off for a while longer but of course I'm not use to treatin-" Her gray eyes widened and she stopped speaking abruptly. I felt Will tense beside me. "Will, why has she not bathed yet?" Linota spoke in a soft, rumbling voice. She fixed her glare on Will who, to my astonishment, looked down at the ground. I got the feeling that he was almost submitting, something I had yet to see him do.

"We were going there now actually." This was news to me. I didn't know we were going anywhere. "How is Isabelle?" He asked. Will was concerned about her. I had the feeling that everyone was concerned about everyone as far as this group went.

"She's fine. And this one-" She gestured to me. "needs to get cleaned up. I'm sure she would appreciate it." I nodded vigorously, suddenly feeling the grime that felt as if it had worked itself into my very being.

Just like that she turned on her hill and walked purposefully away. I got the idea that she was a woman who couldn't be stopped when she put her mind to it. I liked that thought.

 

 

 

 

Scrubbed Raw

It I had just decided to stay in the stream a little longer, I don't think things would have gone quite as, uh, rocky as they did.

As it was, I really did enjoy the bath. I wasted no time stripping naked. Will barely cleared the tree line before I was wading in with the rough bar of soap in one hand and grimy leather clothes in the other. My bow and weapons sat on the bank. Smooth pebbles shifted underfoot as I made a beeline for the small, picture perfect waterfall.

We had walked long enough into the forest that I could be sure I was alone. My spirits had immediately been lifted by the sound of running water and Will had almost been laughing as I assured him I could find my way back, all but stripping then and there.

Ten minutes later I trudged out of the water scrubbed free of a layer of dirt and skin. It's odd how much better being half raw feels after an extended period of not bathing.

Imprint

Publication Date: 04-07-2013

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To myself, which may seem a little ridiculous to some, but I think is remarkably appropriate. Also to my favorite authors, for writing what inspired me to.