Scarlet

Rob shrugged. “Well, if he charms you, that’s enough, isn’t it?”

I shot him a look and didn’t say nothing.

“As to babies, don’t fool yourself, Scar.”

Shame filled my face and I looked down. I weren’t the sort to fool myself, to be sure.

“You’d be an uncommonly good mother,” he said.

I looked up, blood filling up my cheeks ’stead of shame. He looked fast away from me, and I stood, wanting this chat to be over. “Let’s go.”

When we came to the cave, the lads were around a small fire under the rock overhang, and they both stood up. I crossed my arms, feeling like I ought to apologize for something, but I weren’t ’bout to. Much laughed with surprise and ran over to hug me, and I gave him a little smile and hugged back.

When he let go, John were standing behind him, and he looked at me with a smile. “So, you’re back.”

I laughed. “Not for you, John Little.”

He looked like I slapped him.

“Just because you kissed me don’t mean I’m your girl none,” I told him.

I heard Much chuckle, and John stepped closer to me. “Maybe I wasn’t asking you to be my girl.”

“I’m nobody’s bit of fun either,” I told him, right serious ’bout that. I went toward the fire, and John threw up his arms.

“What does that mean, Scar?” he asked me.

“I guess we’ll have to see.”

Rob and Much both laughed at this, and John glared at them. “Will one of you talk to her?”

Rob shook his head. “I don’t get on the wrong side of a lady thief.”

“Well, how am I supposed to get on the right side of her?”

I leaned back in front of the fire. “Try harder, Little John.” Much laughed and John grumbled and sighed, and I looked across the fire to Rob, hiking my chin higher. Never would I have a man saying what or who were best for me, and that were all there were to it.

The next morning we all took some bread and hoofed it to Nottingham; the sheriff had been bandying ’bout that he had an announcement to make, and though I figured it were ’bout Ravenna, we still all wanted to hear.

We got to the town center, where market would often be, and instead of shops, there were a raised dais and a scaffold. Three nooses hung empty, swinging in the wind like the bodies that would swing later. The guards were keeping people off the two structures, but the sheriff weren’t there yet, and neither were Ravenna.

People were crowded into the town square, and it weren’t hard for us to blend in. The trumpets began to sound, and a procession from the castle began.

The sheriff were flanked by many men in black and silver, but he were on foot, not horseback, which were fair surprising. He never liked to mix with the common folk. Gisbourne were on one side of him, and at the sight of him I stepped back.

Robin caught my arm. “Scar?” he said, soft in my ear.

“Fine,” I said, shaking him off, blushing, and tucking my hat down.

Ravenna were on his other side, and she looked beautiful. Undeniable, she were the prize of the shire. She had long black hair curling down all around her, and she were wearing a white dress with gold bits on it. Her family walked behind them, and they were fair beaming. Even Godfrey looked happy.

The sheriff reached the dais, and he helped Ravenna to her seat. That were when the prisoners were marched out, and I felt like my gut had been sliced: it were Lena and Mark Tanner and Thom Walker. I grabbed Robin’s arm. His eyes hit mine and I looked to the side. He nodded.

“Spread out. Scar, take John. Much, come with me.” To me he whispered, “Take any chance you have to get them down, Scar.”

I nodded, tugging John’s arm and sliding through the crowd.

“Good people of Nottingham!” the sheriff called, and everyone hushed, looking from Ravenna to the scaffolds. “Today, we have great cause for celebration. I am thrilled to announce a truly blessed event not only for me personally but for the whole shire. In one month’s time, I will take a wife, and rather than marrying a noblewoman from a far-off land, I have chosen a bride from our fair shire. One of your own to show you my love and devotion.” He gestured to Ravenna, and she took his hand and stood, smiling at him. People gasped, whispered, and murmured.

I circled round to behind the scaffolds. Lena’s hands were tied, bloody and raw. They hadn’t just arrested her that morning—they must have arrested her bare after I left. My hands itched. I wanted to hold my knives, but with the guards scanning the crowd, I didn’t want to give myself up till the last minute, and I weren’t in the best position yet.

“Welcome the future Lady of Nottingham, Miss Ravenna Mason.”

The crowd began cheering and I darted forward, moving into position to let a knife fly. I raised my hand to throw it, but I got jostled and had to pull back.

The sheriff quieted the crowd, and I swore, losing my cover.

“Now, you have not shown to me the love I show to you. These three refuse to pay back what they borrowed from Nottingham’s coffers. For that, I have ordered their establishments burned and their lives forfeit.” Gasps and cries went up, and I raised my knife. “But the love of my future wife has reminded me that sometimes I must forgive you for being less kind, and less loving, than I am myself. My only hope is that in the future, you will remember my devotion and forgiveness. All I do, my fair people, is for your sakes, and yours alone.”

I spat to show what I thought of his words. He were a blowhard, talking ’bout love and devotion when he honestly meant monies and death.

“To illustrate that, I will let these people go free.”

Someone nudged me, and I fell straight back into John, more off balance than I ever were from the sheriff’s words. He were letting them go?

Sure enough, the executioner peeled back his hood, slid the ropes off their necks one by one, and helped them down into the crowd. The townspeople began to cry and proclaim their love, saying it were a miracle. The sheriff just nodded and walked back into the castle. Gisbourne never turned his back to the crowd as they walked, sweeping his eyes like a restless cat’s tail.

Keeping my head tucked low, I ran to Lena, and I told her how glad I were she were safe. She were crying, big tears running down her face, and shaking something fierce. She said Death brushed her hand and passed her by.

I didn’t feel like that. The sheriff weren’t no man of the people. He weren’t like Rob in the least bit. The sheriff doing something kind felt like Death wrapped his fingers round my throat and were starting to squeeze.