Robin Hood

A Story by R

A rewrite of the classic.

Princess Marian sat by the window, weaving a bouquet of daffodils and daisies into a chain. Her fingers nimbly braiding the flower stems. This crown was for someone very special, Marian was hoping they would visit her so she could give them their flowers.

Just as she thought of that she heard a tap tap tap at her window. A bright smile spread across her face as she opened the window. Another girl clad in green tights and a red tunic tumbled into Marians room. Her bright ginger hair was tied up on top of her head and her freckled cheeks were flushed from the cool spring air outside.

“Robin!” Marian exclaimed happily, “I’ve made you something, my dearest.” She fawned while putting the flower crown on the gingers head. Robin smiled at the flower chain and kissed her girlfriend.

“The beauty of your flower nearly rivals your own, Princess.”

Marian giggled and stuttered. The other girl always managed to render her speechless. They had met one night when Robin had climbed through her window, trying desperately to escape the guards chasing her.

She’d stolen a trunk of the back of the king's chariot, she had told Marian, it was full of .enough jewels and gold to feed a village. The noble had been opposed to letting Robin hide in her room until the other girl explained that she intended to take the profit from her thieving to give to the orphanage, which was running out of food rations.

Marian couldn’t understand how a building could be running out of food as her and everyone she knew ate several over extravagant meals a day. She hadn’t known that the people in the village were deprived of food so the rich could live in excess. After Robin took her to meet the children at the orphanage Marian had decided to help Robin in any way she could. Which usually meant providing a hiding place.

But more and more often these days Robin had come to Marians window for no particular reason. “I must keep an eye on you, Princess.” Is her usual excuse. Marian doesn’t mind. She liked having Robin as company, She often reads to the girl or teaches her how to make daisy chains, sometimes they dance to tunes they hum.

Marian began to find herself anxiously awaiting Robins visits. She always worried that her friend would get captured or killed and she couldn’t bare the thought of being without her.

“Marian, Princess I have come to talk to you.”

“What is it? Is something wrong?” The dark haired girl asked worriedly. Robin sighed.

“I’m afraid so, I need to leave town.” Her green eyes searched the others face pleadingly. “You must understand this is not my wish, I cannot bare the thought of leaving but I must.” Marian shook her head as tears began to stream down her pale cheeks.

“No, you mustn’t go. I cannot live without you, please!” Marian sobbed. Robin sat on the bed and the other girl joined her, Robin though for a moment before her eyes lit up.

“Come with me.”

“I- What?”

“Come with me, Princess! We can run away together and live in a cottage with of flowers in the garden for you and you can read by the fire each evening.”

Marian shook her head. How could she leave everything behind? How could she live without Robin? Either way she was losing a big part of herself.

“I can’t, My Dear. I can’t go with you.” She whispered. Robin looked at her, shocked. Finally the red haired girl got up of the bed and climbed out the window without a final look behind her.

The next morning Marian awoke to a loud crash. She sat straight up in bed and looked around frantically, her eyes immediately going to the window out of habit. She sighed sadly when she saw her sill was empty.

Another loud crash and shouting pulled her from her thoughts and she threw on her dressing gown, running quickly downstairs. When she reached the foyer her eyes widened on the sight before her. Robin was in her knees surrounded by guards, each with their spears pointed at the girls back.

“What are you doing?” Marian shouted at her father and the guards.

“We caught the thief that has been reeking havoc on our town.” Her father, The King, said proudly.

Marian felt her hands shake and bile rise in her throat. She knew what her father would do to a thief. Robin would be sent to the dungeon then chained to a pyre on the town square. She’d burn while all the people she had saved watched on.

“Father surely this can’t be right, she’s just a girl no older than I.” Marian insisted.

“She was caught red handed.” One of the guards said.

“Well what will you do to her?” She asked, hoping the King would be lenient in his punishment.

“Now Marian, you know what happens the thieves.” Her father said condescendingly, pushing Robin farther to the ground. The whole time the girl had stayed silent, not even wincing when the guards blades dug into her back.

“Father No! You can't you must let her go!” Marian cried, rushing to Robin’s side as she slumped to the ground.

“I will do no such thing! What has gotten into you?”

“You can't kill her father, you mustn't. I love her please!” The king drew his hand back a struck his daughter across the face, she fell back against the marble floor and hit the crown of her head, her vision blurring before going completely dark.

“Marian!” Robin ran forward, only to be stopped by the shackles around her arms.

“Take her to the dungeon.” The king said.

Marian opened her eyes and felt a dull ache in the back of her head. Her cheek stung and her hair was crusted in dried blood. “No…” She whispered, the events of this morning rushing into her mind. “No, they can't!”

She got up, ignoring the pain in her limbs and ran out of the castle, pushing desperately through crowds of people. As she made her way into the village square a deep ache crushed her chest.

Robin was chained up high, with a mound of wood and tinder under her feet. One of the guards was walking towards her with a torch when theirs eyes met.

“Robin!” Marian screamed, falling to her knees. Dread ran through her veins as she stared into the deep green eyes above her.

“I love you.” The red haired girl mouthed.

Then the guard lit the fire.