Romance Fan Fiction ❯ Prayers Surpass Time ❯ The Chapter in Which I Find Out the Meaning of Heartbreak ( Chapter 6 )

CHAPTER 6: The Chapter in Which I Find Out the Meaning of Heartbreak

 

“INTRUDERS IN THE WEST WING!” I heard a guard holler over the clanging of a distant church bell.

I ran. I ran and ran.

“Vaylie, once you have heard us enter, someone will throw the keys into your cell—everyman (or guard) has his price. You must unlock the cell and run from the castle into the forest to the camp. Little John and I will meet you there later.” I remembered the words of Robin's note that Lady Marion had slipped through the bars “Just run!”

They keys came, and I undid the lock with shaking hands, and sprinted up the stairs to the main level of the castle.

But then, all the warnings the world could have given me went out the window, for I heard Robin shout. Even after only less than a week here, I would still know that voice anywhere.

“Robin!” I cried, pushing myself to run faster. I heard voices around the corner, and grabbed a sword from one of the empty knights of armor lining the wall, and pressed my back to the cool bricks, breathing hard. I started to scream when I felt a hand go over my mouth but…there was a hand over my mouth

“Vaylie, you idiot! I told you to run!” It was Robin!

“Robin, I—” But he didn't want to hear it

“Run, Vaylie,” he commanded, cutting me off, hefting the gleaming sword he held in his hands, turning his back to me, to face the hallway the voices I had heard earlier had been coming from. “Something went wrong…they found out about us!” He looked at me over his shoulder, “Run!”

“No! Robin…Robin! I won't leave without you! I won't leave you here to be killed!” I yelled over the noise of clashing swords and shouting voices.

“Vaylie, for heaven's sake, go!”

“Robin, I won't leave you! I-” I took in a deep breath, “Robin, I love you.” He looked at me, studying my face, and then said;

“Vaylie,” he drew in a breath, his expression seemed pained. “I don't- I don't love you back, Vaylie.” His voice was tight; strained. “Now go!” he shouted. “Get out of my sight before you get killed!”

And so, for the first time that night…I obeyed him…his words turning my stomach, my mind…my heart: icy cold.

 

I

Ran

And there was Little John

“Come on, Vaylie!

I ran

back to the camp

Oh, God

Oh, God, Robin!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

“Little John?” I said, opening the tent flap, and walking out into the circle of light presented by the low burning fire. It was the middle of the night, but neither of us were surprised that we were awake. And we both knew we were up for the same reason. “I couldn't sleep.” Was all I said on the matter. “Is Robin back yet?” I asked. He didn't answer, only looked away. There as something about his silence that scared me. “Little John,” I asked tentatively, “Little John, where is Robin?” I asked. Again he did not respond; his only reply was to turn his gaze to the trees surrounding the camp. “Where is Robin?” I asked with a little more force, and finally he looked at me. When our eyes met…I knew. “Oh, God, he's been captured.”

“The news just came. Vaylie, I-”

“It's all my fault.” I said, the horror building inside of me. “He went to rescue me; and he got captured. God, I'm so stupid!”

“Vaylie…”

“Everyone would have been better off if I'd stayed in my own time, and not meddled. You, Lady Marion, and Robin. Oh, and mostly Robin. Everyone would have been better off if I just hadn't come into your lives.”

“Vaylie!” he scolded, “That isn't true, and you know it. Robin lo-” I cut him off.

“Robin doesn't love me.” I said in a cold voice. “He told me earlier tonight.” Little John gave the smallest gasp, trying to hide it from me. And then he whispered, almost to himself:

“But the look in his eyes…I was so sure…”

“So was I, Little John.” I said, gazing off into the trees. “So was I.”

“Vaylie, you know that he wouldn't have sacrificed so much if he didn't care at least a little bit about you.” His voice was low and cautious.

“What is his sentence?” I asked, my voice calm, which surprised me.

“Vaylie, you know he-”

“What is his sentence?” I repeated, this time through clenched teeth. Again, he remained silent. “He's been sentenced to death hasn't he?” I said in the same soft, cold, emotionless voice. I looked over at Little John, my eyes as numb as my insides. “When?”

“He is to be hanged at dawn.” I gave no answer. I wanted to run and jump and cry and scream and throw things and smash things, but I remained rooted to the spot. He had been captured and would be dead tomorrow at dawn, and it was all my fault. Robin…

Then Little John turned to me. “Vaylie…” he started, “I don't know if…Vaylie,” he sighed and started again. “I know what you're thinking. There is no way we could rescue him. He's under `round the clock guard, in a prison within a prison, and chained by all four limbs to the wall. We're badly out numbered. And even if Robin…” he knew as well as I that neither of us could say it. “Well, we would still need to carry on what he started. Sherwood Forest need us, Vaylie…Robin, or no Robin.” Again I did not respond. “Vaylie…?” He said as I turned to go. I paused without turning around.

“Yes?”

“If it's any comfort, I was as sure as it is the moon shines that he loved you.” I paused for another moment before continuing back to the tent. I lay down, alone in the dark, and stared up into the space where the moon and stars should have shone through the hole in the roof of the tent, if it had not been for the dark storm clouds covering the entire sky.

“Robin…” I whispered. “Robin, wherever you are, I love you, Robin, and I always will, no matter what you say, or what you do. And even if you say you don't love me, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that for that time, for however brief…I thought you loved me too.”

And with that, I fell asleep; crying under a moon and stars I could not see.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~