Romance Fan Fiction ❯ Prayers Surpass Time ❯ The Chapter in Which I Find Out the Castle Dungeons are Even Worse Than in the Movies ( Chapter 5 )

CHAPTER 5: The Chapter in Which I Find Out the Castle Dungeons are Even Worse Than in the Movies

 

I opened my eyes, to find Robin smiling back at me, the sunrise painting colors across the sky behind him. I crawled out of my sleeping bag, flashes of last night coming back to me.

Oh. My. God.

“Good morning, Vaylie,” Robin said, a smile twitching up the corner of his mouth.

“Good morning,” I said back, pulling on my boots and cloak. Every time I didn't concentrate hard on lacing my shoes, I could feel Robin's stare boring into me. I would blush and turn back to tying my shoes.

All morning he would stare at me, and then look away if I dared to look at him. Little John and Friar Tuck were giving us wary looks out of the corner of their eyes. The camp was silent. Finally, when I couldn't take it anymore, I said:

“Robin…could I speak to you in private?” I said through clenched teeth. He just shrugged and followed me while I walked a ways into the forest. “Okay, what happened?” I asked my eyes fierce.

“What do you mean?” Robin asked, his expression innocent.

“Last night,” I said.

`What happened last night?”

“Oh, don't play dumb, Robin.” I said, and his eyebrows just raised. “We…” I blushed, and choked out the word, “…kissed.”

“Oh…okay. Now I remember,” Robin was grinning mischievously.

“Oh my God you are impossible!” I threw my hands up, in exasperation.

“Vaylie…”

“What did it mean to you?” I asked him. He blinked.

“What?” I glared at him. The knawing intensified. “Vaylie…I—” he hesitated

“Spit it out, Robin!” He was taken aback by the strange expression. “Say whatever it is you have to say,” I clarified.

“Vaylie, I care very much about you. Since the day we first met, I've been fascinated by you. I just couldn't get enough of you. I would wake up each morning and look over at you and think: what is this strange girl going to do today? I wanted to show you everything about my time…my world.” I could only stare at him.

“Robin—” Before I could say anything but his name, he gave me a quick peck on the lips.

“Its okay, Vaylie…” His eyes blazed, “I know. So you're staying then?” It was more of a statement than a question

I was speechless…and Robin was glowing

“I'll take that as a yes.”

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“All right, you can come along with us this time, Vaylie.”

I was quivering with excitement.

“Wait here and I'll call for you,” Robin whispered in my ear, releasing a strand of my hair as he turned around to go.

“Okay,” I whispered back, wrapping my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek to his back. “Be safe.”

“Um, Vaylie?”

“Mmm?” I murmured, listening to his heartbeat.

“Would you let go, so I can go?” He grinned at me.

“Right,” I said, blushing, and let him go.

“I'll be right back,” he said, touching the tip of my nose playfully. “I promise. For neither the castle walls, nor moat, nor stormy seas, or scorching flames could keep us apart, for I would conquer them all for you, Vaylie.”

Then he walked towards the house as I tried not to faint.

Minutes passed.

I hummed the Jeopardy song as I kicked a rock. I wished Robin would hurry up already.

“Robin Hood! It's Robin Hood!” Someone yelled.

Why was it always when I was around that he got discovered?

“Huh!” I gasped, fear rising in my chest. “Robi—!” I started to say his name, but a strong hand clamped over my mouth.

“In league with Robin Hood, ay?” The guard said, grabbing both my wrists. “A dangerous circumstance for a young lady like you. Off to the castle with you it is. Robin Hood's allies hold the same fate as his own.” What?! Then…I saw Robin race around the corner, more guards on his tail. “Robin!” I screamed.

“There he is! Get him!” Robin couldn't run my way…it would be suicide.

“Vaylie!” He shouted, trying to run towards me.

“Robin, stay away!” I cried as the guard hauled me in the opposite direction.

“Vaylie!!”

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I was shoved onto a damp floor that squelched as I hit it, crying out. It was so dark that I couldn't see…except for slightly from a very small window in the very high up corner of the cell about the size of a grown man's fist. I heard the door swing close with a deafening shriek and an echoing click.

Silence

Time passed

“Hello?” I heard a voice call.

“Who's there?” I asked, jumping up.

“I'm a friend,” the lady said, coming up to the door. “My name is Lady Marion.”

Despite the being captured bit, I was still floating on a cloud from the words Robin had spoken to me earlier. But now, as I heard her name, the cloud disappeared and I came crashing down to earth.

For those of you who haven't read the book…in it, Robin Hood and Lady Marion (gulp) fall in love and get married and live happily ever after. The end. Oh my God. Tears welled up in my eyes. I knew this was too good to be true. Oh, God, oh, God I was so stupid! For one minute, I actually let myself think that Robin—

“How do you—how do you know me?” I stuttered, forcing the words to form.

“I'm an ally of Robin.” Well, obviously, I thought to myself. “Robin has told me so much about you.” The knot in my stomach tightened sickeningly. Even in the poor lighting, I could tell that she was positively stunning. She was glowing. In the twenty first century, she would have made Angelina Jolie look like a Plain Jane. There was no way I could compete with this gorgeous creature. I was about to cry again. “Are you all right?”

“Physically, yes.”

“I will contact Robin. No doubt he will want to come get you. I will do all I can to help him get in, but after you are free, you two and Little John—Friar Tuck will be at the church to avoid any suspicion…but you all will be on your own after that.”

“I understand,” I said, forcing the tears in my eyes back. “Thank you so much.” She hurried away with nothing but a backwards glance.

I could tell my plain brown hair was frizzy and tangled in one spot and I had bags under my eyes. How could Robin love me when I looked like this, compared to Miss Sherwood over there.

I shoved the thought from my mind. I needed to concentrate, because tonight, Robin would be in mortal danger. I don't think the knot in my stomach could tighten much more without snapping. The thought of Robin dying…

Shut up! I told myself. I looked up towards the window where, somewhere I knew, out there, Robin was.

“In the name of all that is good,” I whispered, “let him be okay.”

 

In less than a day, I would think:

 

I guess no one heard my prayer….

 

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