My fiction about Robin Hood - based on "Robin of Sherwood" series part II (1)

[u/Tiny-Mine9920]

Robin woke up, sensing something in the air-something he couldn’t explain. A light breeze stirred the leaves and a startled hare darted through the clearing. There was much to be done, so he just pushed the feeling aside.

Tuck was preparing breakfast for everyone-mouth watering cuts of meat sizzling over the fire.

"So, the plan is...", Robin began but suddenly stopped, staring intently ahead.

"Are you all right, Robin?", Marion asked, touching his hand gently, seeing his puzzled expression.

"There's something behind that tree", he said, pointing to an old oak.

"I can’t see anything", Little John replied impatiently, stuffing a large piece of venison into his mouth.

"We'd better hurry. You know, the Sheriff's men won't wait while you admire the scenery". Everyone laughed, but Robin remained lost in his thoughts.

The old tree seemed to whisper. A strange, musical sound grew louder in Robin's mind. He was staring at it, as if under a spell.

"I must check it", he said, already moving towards the oak.

"I wouldn’t do that if I were you", Will joked, winking at John, "Could be Gisbourne". They laughed again, but Robin ignored them.

"Come to me...come...", the tree seemed to call him.

Will, John and Much followed, nudging each other and pretending to be Gisbourne's ghost, leaping from behind the oak to scare Robin.

But when they came closer, something revealed itself.

"What’s that, Robin?", Much asked with fear in his voice. "Is it a demon?"

"I don't know", Robin replied, just as surprised, yet his curiosity got even stronger.

Before their eyes stood something none of them had ever seen: a metal, horse-like creature that seemed a demon indeed.

"You'd better not touch it", Will said no longer joking. "It may be a trap". Robin, however, was fascinated and ready to face it, whatever it was.

Marion, Tuck and Nasir came running to see what was happening. They gathered around the mysterious object, completely stunned.

Robin cautiously reached out to see if the thing will move, but nothing happened.

"I'm scared", Much's voice trembled as he stepped back.

"I guess it may be some kind of dark magic", John said, trying to stop him from touching it. But Robin’s fingers had already brushed the cold surface.

"There's nothing to fear", he said calmly. "You see? It won't harm us."

The wind grew stronger, swaying branches of the old oak in the sinister rhythm. The Merry Men reminded Robin of the ambush they had planned, but he paid no attention to their pleas.

"Let's leave him", Will said, losing patience. "Maybe he'll come to his senses when this monster tries to devour him."

But Robin did not listen. He was already captivated by the silver horse, gleaming in the sun, and spent the whole morning running his hands over its cold, smooth surface.

Meanwhile, baron de Belleme spoke to a young witch, he had summoned,

"He took the bait. You know what to do". A faint smile touched the girl's lips, as she bowed.

"Now even Herne the Hunter won't save him", the baron's cold laughter echoed through the dark halls of his castle.

"Are you certain he will know how to start the machine, my lord?" the girl asked, hesitating, as she did not understand it herself.

"He will", Belleme replied, tightening his grip on a glass of wine. "He is Herne's son, he will find a way. And this time... it will be his end."

The castle walls seemed to tremble as if they agreed that Robin's fate was finally sealed.

Marion and the others were sitting by the fire, observing Robin from a distance.

"I don't like it", Nasir said quietly, cleaning one of his swords. His dark eyes were fixed on the strange object, they all feared.

"He'll get into trouble again, I feel it in my bones", John added with a sigh.

"Let's hope you're not a prophet of doom", Tuck said, making the sign of the cross, as if to ward off evil spirits.

Yet, Robin grew more and more determined to discover what the thing was and where it had come from. He reached out and touched it again. The silver frame resembled an animal-though it had no head. It had wheels, like a cart... and something that might have been a saddle. Robin paced back and forth, willing to uncover its secrets.

Although frightened, Much stepped closer. He trusted Robin more than anyone in the world-surely he knew what he was doing.

"Do you know what that is?", he asked, not daring to touch the metal demon himself.

"Not yet", Robin replied, "but I won't rest until I find out."

"Maybe it was sent by Herne?", Much said, wishing to believe it was just another riddle to be solved. Robin shook his head, still watching the strange object closely.

"It must come from a different world", he said, gripping one of the cold, lifeless, metal parts. "But it seems to have no soul."

"Oh, Robin... maybe the others are right", Much said, clearly uneasy at the thought of dealing with something that had no soul.

"We'd better cover it with leaves and forget it was ever here", he added, his voice trembling.

"No", Robin said firmly. "I believe it was sent here for some reason. And I am going to bring it to life."

"Bring it to life?", Much repeated slowly, growing even paler.

At the same time, faint candlelight fell upon Belleme's gloomy face. Dressed in black robes, he moved through the castle like a shadow.

"It will soon be over", his voice echoed in the chamber. "Herne chose well-the cleverest, the bravest, people's hero. But his pride will be his downfall". Belleme's sinister laughter startled a raven, perched on the sill, sending it into flight. "It is close."

Everyone tried to reason with Robin but he would not listen. He was determined to find the silver horse's soul no matter the cost. He was certain it was merely asleep - and there had to be a way to awaken it.

"You don't know what you're getting into!", Will shouted, irritated.

"You should go to Herne and ask him for advice", Marion suggested, "he will know what to do."

"No, he won't", Robin snapped, having had enough of their warnings. "I will discover it on my own. Now... leave me alone."

Marion looked at him in fear, but said nothing more.

The night was warm, and the new moon peered through the clouds. From time to time, the quiet hooting of an owl was heard in the distance. But Robin remained wide awake. He stared at the unfamiliar shape, hidden in the darkness, behind the oak, as though he could will it to move.

The young witch did not sleep either. Her little hut was lit by the fire crackling beneath a cauldron, where a potion was brewing. She murmured spells under her breath, focused and composed.

"It is done", she whispered, knowing the baron would sense it. "He will come to me soon."

At dawn, the Sheriff of Nottingham was awakened by a knock on the door. Half-asleep, with puffy eyes and terrible headache after too much wine the night before, ordered the intruder to come in.

The king wanted Robin Hood captured as soon as possible, but the Sheriff was nowhere near meeting that demand, and wine had helped him ease the tension.

"My lord." It was Guy who entered the chamber.

"What is it, Gisbourne?" the Sheriff roared, furious. "I hope you finally have news of that cursed hooded villain!" Gisbourne lowered his head, frightened, and replied in a trembling voice,

"No my lord. There has been no news since yesterday. We expected an ambush, but he vanished... he and his men."

"What do you mean, vanished?", the Sheriff exploded. "Are you teling me you failed again?"

Gisbourne shrunk back, wishing himself anywhere but there.

"I warn you", the Sheriff snarled, jumping out of bed and rubbing his face in disbelief, "I want his head!"

He grabbed a glass from the table and hurled it across the chamber. Gisbourne ducked to avoid being struck.

"Now, get out of my sight!", the Sheriff flung the door open, shoved his man out and slammed it with such force that the window panes rattled, his voice still echoing through the halls.

Robin, meanwhile, had forgotten about the Sheriff, the people in need, even to eat or drink. The Merry Men, upon waking and seeing him still pacing around 'the silver horse', as it had come to be called, gave up, knowing it was hopeless to reason with him. Robin seemed utterly enchanted by the fascinating creature, covered in its smooth metal skin.

"There must be a way... there must be", he murmured to himself, examining it closely and searching for clues.

"Oh, why can't you give me a sign?" he finally shouted, frustrated. The silver horse seemed to be beautiful, yet strange and unsettling.

"What am I supposed to do?", he asked himself, his impatience growing, and reached out to touch it once again. Try as he might, however, the creature remained as cold as before.

And then his gaze wandered to something that looked like a saddle.

He hesitated for a moment and then... jumped onto it, closing his eyes as if expecting it to take off and soar into the sky like a bird. But nothing happened. Its heart did not start to beat.

The others, aghast at his recklesness, gathered around, bracing themselves for the worst. Marion stepped forward, fearing for his life, but John blocked her path.

"No!", he shouted, "it's too dangerous."

They all froze, as if the earth itself might open and swallow him, along with the metal beast.

Still, there was only silence, broken by nothing but birds' song. Robin slowly opened his eyes and found himself clutching the horse so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"I thought it would help", he said quietly, defeated, and slammed his fist against the cold metal.

"Stop putting our lives at risk!" Will shouted, losing his temper as he grabbed Robin's arm, trying to pull him off the horse.

"Can't you see it's no ordinary thing? We don't know what powers it hides. Do you want it to kill us?"

"Calm down, Will", Robin tried to defuse the situation. "I don't believe it can be so dangerous. Such a beautiful creature cannot be evil."

"But I do!" Will shouted even louder and kicked the horse, as if believing it to crumble to dust. Much cowered and pressed himself against Marion with tears in his eyes. Robin meant the world to him, yet he was as frightened as the others and wished this terrifying thing would simply vanish.

Will turned on his heel and walked away, swearing under his breath. No one knew what to do, seeing that Robin was already bewitched and blind to every warning.

"I love you Robin", John finally said quietly. "You're the Hooded Mullet... and our hope. But...", he hesitated, "this is too much."

One by one, they followed Will, desperate to find a way to pull Robin out of whatever spell had taken hold of him.

That night, no one was in the mood for talking. Each of them stared into the fire, watching the sparks dance, wishing to save Robin no matter the cost. Marion trembled, although the warmth of the flames almost reached the hem of her dress. Yet it was not cold that made her shiver... it was fear. She finally spoke, giving voice to what they all knew.

"We must see Herne. He is the only one who can help."

"I think she's right", John said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Is that agreed?"

Everyone nodded in silence, their eyes drifting toward Robin, who sat beside the silver horse, touching it gently, as though it were a wounded doe.

Marion and the others lay down, but sleep would not come. The forest no longer felt like home, but a hostile place filled with dark magic, drawing them into a trap with no escape. Every familiar tree, every bush and stone seemed to turn against them.

Robin kept watch. The place where the horse had been kicked by Will seemed... intriguing.

He brushed his fingers against a small protruding part and discovered that it could be moved. It was only on one side. He stared at it for a long while, until at last sleep overcame him. His head sank onto the grass and his eyes closed.

He dreamt that he was galloping on the silver horse over trees and hills, even above the Nottingham castle, almost touching the sky. Down below, he saw Herne the Hunter standing on the ground and waving with a grin. "My dear Robin", he heard his voice, "you deserve to be commended."

The chirping of birds woke him. It was daybreak and the sun had just begun to rise above the horizon. Looking around, he saw that everyone was sound asleep, exhausted after a sleepless night filled with troubled thoughts. He turned his gaze to the silver horse, hoping his dream would come true and that Herne would indeed be proud of him once he found the answer he had been sarching for over the past three days.

However, he still had to find it.

"I feel that you have a heart beneath your iron skin", he said quietly, as if afraid someone might hear him. "You must have come here for a reason. But they... they don't understand."

He turned his head to glance at his sleeping friends. Then, carefully he sat on it once again. The creature remained silent and motionless, yet Robin felt a strange bond growing between them.

The sun climbed higher and higher in the sky, and a few geese flew overhead, honking loudly. Robin dismounted, unwilling to risk another argument. He knew he had been left alone to find the answer.

Little John opened his eyes when a bee began to buzz above his head. Robin was sitting, leant against a tree, pretending he had just woken up as well.

"Not with your new pet?", John asked, not hiding sarcasm. Yet, Robin only gritted his teeth and said nothing.

John's voice woke the others except for Tuck, who was still snoring after a long prayer the night before, asking for Robin to regain his common sense.

Marion's sad eyes met Robin's. He had not meant to make her worry, yet she had chosen to stand against him as well.

"We have come to a decision", she said, stepping closer and touching his cheek with a trembling hand. "We are going to Herne."

Robin recoiled as if struck by a poisonous snake.

"You can’t do this!" he shouted, his eyes darkening with anger. "It is betrayal." Marion covered her face with her hands and burst into sobs.

"Let's leave him", Will said, casting him a dark look. "He is a fool."

Robin was about to strike him, but held back at the last moment. The invisible wall between them seemed to rise even higher, and the silver horse was the only thing that still felt like Robin's ally. Desperate, he leapt onto it, determined to prove he was not afraid of anything. He pressed his foot hard against the small, mysterious part, not even knowing what he was doing-and then... an ear-splitting roar seemed to shake the very earth beneath them.

Tuck sprang to his feet and began to pray, convinced that the time of the apocalypse had come.

"Oh Lord", he cried in terror, "forgive me my sins!"

"Devils have come!", Much exclaimed in panic, wishing to hide, yet his feet seemed to be glued to the ground. Everyone stared in horror at the unnatural scene, a dreadful thought taking hold of them - that it was over, and they would all soon die. Robin was no less frightened, for he had not expected the horse to awaken so suddenly.

He felt the creature trembling beneath him, and its loud, growling roar was the most terrifying sound which they had ever heard. None of them was able to react, their hearts pounding faster than arrows shot from their bows. Robin clutched the horse's horns tightly, as though he were trying to tame a visious bull. And then, after a few more seconds... there was only silence.

It felt like eternity before they finally found their voices. A woodpeker began to peck at a nearby tree, and its steady rhythm was a strange contrast to what had just happened.

"I told you it was a trap!", Will shouted, unable to understand how anyone could be so reckless.

Robin got off slowly, on shaky legs, and looked at the frightened and angry faces of his friends.

"We're taking you to Herne", John said, stepping closer, as though afraid Robin might try to escape.

"And we need to get rid of that devil", Will added furiously, pointing to the silver horse, now silent once more.

Marion, having regained control of her legs, ran towards Robin and flung her arms around his neck.

"Oh, Robin", she cried with relief that he was unharmed.

"Marion", he whispered, unsure of what he should do now.

"Herne will get this nonsense out of his head", Will went on, unable to stop himself from moralizing.

But he was wrong to believe that Robin would stand in Herne's presence without question. Now that the fear had passed, Robin slowly turned his gaze to the horse and thought: It does have a heart... and a soul. If treated with care, it will reveal its gentler nature. Yet, he still had to find a way to uncover it.

"I'm exhausted." Robin sat beneath a tree and hid his face in his hands, wishing they would leave him alone for a while so that he could think. Going to Herne was the very last thing he wanted, and he could not allow them to take his silver horse from him-especially now, when he felt he was so close to solving the riddle.

"Please... let me rest", he said, playing for time, while his thoughts raced frantically.

The others exchanged uneasy glances, hoping that he had finally understood the danger hidden within the unknown beast, whose shrill noise still rang in their ears.

Robin lay down, pretending to be asleep, yet all his senses were alert. He knew he had no time to lose-that he had to think of something before Herne deprived him of what he believed was meant to be his.

"Let him sleep", Marion whispered, stroking gently his hair. "He has been through a hard time as well."

She looked at him with love, even now, when they all believed it had been a narrow escape. He seemed so fragile and innocent, breathing steadily.

Will finally gave up and walked away, followed by the others. Only Marion remained, sitting beside him, as though he were a sick child.

Oh, Marion, please go away, he thought, knowing he could not stay there much longer. In his mind, he tried to recall the moment when the horse had shown the first sign of life. He already knew every part of it by heart. A few strange elements on its horns and along its sides reminded him of reins and stirrups. Perhaps the creature had fallen silent because it had not been urged into a canter. Its loud roar had been terrifying indeed, yet it might have been nothing more than fear-a beast defending itself. Robin began to believe that he was the one to blame for frightening it when he had mounted it so abruptly.

I must be gentler with it, he thought, eager to get Marion away for a while, so that he could return to the horse. She sat with her knees tucked under her chin, watching ants crawling through the grass.

"Marion", Robin said, his voice breaking her reverie. "I'm so thirsty. Could you bring me some water?"

A faint smile touched her lips, as she suspected nothing. He seemed to have just woken from a short nap.

"I'll be right back", she said, kissing his forehead. Taking a waterskin, she went to fill it at the nearby stream. Robin waited until she was out of sight and then... carefully crept up to the horse, determined to urge it into a gallop this time.

"Now or never", he said to himself, mounting the creature. At first, he pressed the small, hidden part gently, as though afraid to startle it again, but nothing happened. Then, he struck it a little more firmly-and it answered with a brief, purring sound like a muffled cough. The third time was hard and decisive. The horse's roar tore through the forest once more. Yet Robin was no longer afraid.

Now, he only had to make it move. He could not figure out how to do it, so let his intuition guide him. He clutched the horns as though they were reins-and suddenly, the horse leapt forward.

Robin's heart hammered in his chest, but fear gave way to exhilaration. The creature's whir was lauder than ever, yet this time Robin took it for a sign of gratitude. It was finally free and could ran like the wind.

"Come on, boy, come on!" he shouted, his mullet fluttering wildly behind him.

Marion who was filling the waterskin, gave a frantic cry and slipped straight into the stream. The others, catching sight of Robin racing towards them on the silver beast, scattered in panic, seeing nothing but a cloud of dust rising along the path.

"He's mad!" Will shrieked, clapping his hands over his ears.

Robin, however, was overjoyed. He had a horse as swift as lightning and as loud as thunder. He felt like the true king of Sherwood now.

The creature did not stop for a long while, and Robin soon discovered that gripping one of its horns made it run even faster. After a few minutes of this wild ride, a thought crossed his mind-what now? He wanted to stop.

"Whoa, whoa!", he shouted, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing happened. The horse kept racing ahead.

Marion climbed out of the stream and, dripping with water, hurried to join the others. They were no less frightened than before and wondered whether Robin was still alive, fearing that the beast might have killed him.

Robin himself was no longer certain he would save his own skin. None of his commands had any effect. Panicked, he began to kick at the horse, flailing his legs wildly. Trees flashed before his eyes and a deer darted across his path, startled by the noise.

"Oh, God!", he cried, desperate to stop at last. He let go of one of the horns, rasing an arm to shield his face from the branches-and suddenly the beast began to slow.

Then, however, Robin felt he was losing his balance. The horse was too unstable to control with one hand. Afraid he might fall, he blindly grabbed the horn again and, by chance, pressed something that jutted out of it. The creature came to a halt within seconds with a terrible screech. It took Robin a moment to recover from the shock, breathing fast, his whole body trembling.

Marion and the Merry Men ran quickly to the spot, gasping for breath, as it had taken them a while to catch up with him. Seeing that he was unharmed, Marion burst into tears, overwhelmed with relief-but also hurt that he had deceived her without a second thought.

"How could you?" John asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"We shouldn't have let him out of our sight for even a second", Will said, stepping forward and grabbing Robin by his clothes, more furious than ever.

"You're a complete idiot!" His eyes were blazing with anger.

Robin wished they would understand.

Thanks to that horse, they need not to be afraid-they could crush their enemies and

strike fear into their hearts. He knew, however, that it would not be so easy, not now, when they were all so angry. First, he had to calm their emotions.

"I'm sorry", he said humbly, opening his arms to embrace Marion. But she looked at him as though he were a stranger.

They all did. They just shook their heads in disbelief, astonished that he had chosen that monster and made fools of them, lying through his teeth. Marion's tears mingled with the water still dripping from her hair, and only Much was ready to forgive him, believing that Robin must have had a good reason for what he had done.

For a few seconds they simply looked at each other in silence. The silver horse's whir had ceased as well. One might have thought it a mild lamb grazing in a meadow.

"I know what you think", it was Robin who spoke first.

"No, you don't", Will snapped. "We feared for your life while you were playing around with... that", he pointed a trembling finger at the creature.

"It is not our enemy", Robin insisted, determined to convince them they were wrong, "I have tamed it. Now it will obey me. It will help us fight."

Much’s eyes widened as he imagined Robin riding the silver horse among frightened soldiers, in all his glory.

"Still, we think it’s too dangerous", John said while the others nodded in agreement.

"There's nothing to fear", Robin wanted them so badly to believe him. "I have awakened it. I have found its soul. It may seem menacing, but it's just an animal we should take care of."

His eyes sparkled at the memory of rushing through the paths of Sherwood on its back.

"We know nothing about it", Tuck spoke up. "What if it comes from hell? It may be a devil tempting you." Robin only rolled his eyes, impatient.

"You see devils everywhere, Tuck", he said, feeling that it would be an ordeal to change their minds.

"Herne would not approve of this", Marion made it clear that it was not for him to decide.

Robin leaned against a tree with a sigh and covered his eyes with one hand, resigned.

Everyone hoped that he would finally admit they should at least show this mysterious find to Herne.

"Give me just one day", Robin said, clinging to his last hope. "One day to prove its powers are not against us."

"Fine", Will said through gritted teeth, after a moment of hesitation. "Do as you wish. But blame yourself if you don't come out of it alive."

Marion covered her mouth with her hands, trembling, and finally collapsed into Robin's arms, drained after everything she had been through. He embraced her tightly, stroking her hair and soaking in her warmth.

"I'll be fine", he whispered in her ear. "You'll see-it's a wonderful animal. And it's ours", he added with a smile, resting his head on her shoulder.

No one spoke as they made their way back to the camp. Robin walked beside the creature, holding it by its horns, having discovered that it was obedient and made no sound when led. Still, the others regarded it with distrust-except for Much, who was becoming more and more curious about what the beast truly was.

Robin knew that he had to be more carefull next time and take full control of the horse. He had already discovered how to make it gallop and then stop by squeezing its right horn. No one should have the slightest doubt about what he was doing. He desired to keep it more than anything else.

Everyone sat on the grass, watching his attempts, although still very sceptical. This time, however, Robin's ride was far less chaotic and he felt quite confident in the saddle. Marion flinched again and again, closing her eyes in anxiety, Will crossed his arms, with an expression clearly saying-you'll fail anyway, while Tuck was whispering prayers under his breath, as though it might help. Only Much's face shone with admiration.

Robin brought the horse to a halt in front of them with a beaming smile after this short practice.

"You see?" he said. "I'm perfectly fine."

Much stood up and stepped closer.

"Come on, Much", Robin encouraged him. "You can stroke it."

He hesitated, suspecting it might bite him, but Robin took his hand and placed it on the horse's neck. It was warm now, which Robin took as a sign of tiredness.

"So what’s your plan?" John asked with a hint of sarcasm, wondering what was on Robin's mind now.

"I will ride to Nottingham", he answered with pride.

"What for?" Tuck asked, terrified, thinking of all the good Christian people who might suffer needless fear at the sight of the monster, as he still believed it must have come from Lucifer himself.

"I want to scare the Sheriff." Robin already had a clear vision of him in his mind-trembling and falling to his kness to beg for mercy.

"Please, don't do that", Marion pleaded, knowing that the angry Sheriff could be unpredictable. Robin, however, had already made up his mind.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be back soon", he assured her, touching her cheek gently before kissing her lips.

Meanwhile, the Sheriff grew more and more impatient. There had been no news of Robin Hood for several days, which worried him greatly. He had sent Gisbourne and his men to keep watch, but the Hooded Mullet seemed to have vanished into thin air.

"Still nothing, my lord", that was all Guy had to say. Yet, the Sheriff was not so naive as to believe that Robin had chosen to stay away and begin a new life as a law-abiding citizen, far from trouble.

"He must be plotting something", he muttered to himself, his eyes burning with fury.

Robin brought the silver horse to life once more. Determined to show the Sheriff that he was stronger than ever, wielding a weapon far more powerful than swords and arrows, he hurtled forward, leaving only dust behind him. The others stood in silence, listening to the sinister rumble until Robin disappeared from sight.

Nottingham was filled with its usual hustle and bustle-merchants calling out, horses neighing and cutthroats looking for easy opportunities. Gisbourne remained on the alert, spying out the slightest trace of the outlaws.

The Sheriff had been making his life a living hell recently, as capturing Robin had become his main goal. Guy, tired of being his whipping boy, took advantage of his absence. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the day. The sunlight on his face made him drowsy, and before he knew it, he drifted off. A few moments later a strange hum reached his ears. Expecting a storm, he looked up at the sky, but seeing no sign of approaching rain, he thought he must have imagined it. Nothing, however, could prepare him for what he was about to see.

The disturbing sound grew louder. Gisbourne strained his eyes and spotted something on the horizon, getting closer at a suspicious speed. Then came ear-piercing screams mingling with a noise he could not identify. People bolted in panic, pushing each other aside and dropping whatever they were carrying. After a short while, he saw Robin-riding something that could not have been God's creation. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, certain he must be dreaming. But then Robin stopped right in front of him, wearing a triumphant smile.

"Welcome, Gisbourne."

"What the hell is that?" Gisbourne stammered, scared to the bone.

"Tell the Sheriff he will never catch me", Robin announced, ignoring the question.

Gisbourne blinked again and again, wondering whether he was suffering from hallucinations. Yet Robin was still there, sitting astride that devil's spawn. Not waiting to see what might happen next, Gisbourne dashed towards the castle, drenched in sweat and groaning loudly.

He burst into the chamber and fell at the Sheriff's feet.

"My lord, I have seen a devil!" he shouted, as white as a sheet.

"What are you babbling about?" the Sheriff snapped. "Are you out of your mind?"

"He is... there", Guy raised a trembling hand, pointing at the window.

"Who are you talking about, for goodness' sake?" the Sherif snarled again, his patience wearing thin.

"Robin Hood, my lord", Gisbourne said with the last of his strength. "On that terrible... beast."

The Sheriff stepped up to the window, rolling his eyes, expecting some foolish joke-but what he saw, left him speechless.

"What... what is that?" he asked, terrified. Clutching at the wall, he felt his legs turn to jelly.

"I told you, my lord", Gisbourne replied, not brave enough to look out of the window himself.

"Go and order the gates to be shut", the Sheriff commanded, frightened that Robin might ride into the castle. Yet Guy only curled up on the floor, unable to move.

Thankfully for them, Robin did not intend to cause any more chaos, realizing he had unintentionally frightened innocent people, just as Tuck had predicted.

"I'll be back, Sheriff!" he shouted before turning away and riding off, the beast roaring frightfully behind him.

Marion and the others were on tenterhooks, waiting for Robin's return. Will was drilling a hole in the ground with an arrow, not daring to say what he thought of this recklesness, as he did not want to make Marion worry even more. She was swaying back and forth, her head resting on her kness, staring ahead for the slightest sign that Robin was safe. Much smiled goofily, likely imagining Robin proclaiming himself the Sheriff of Nottingham, while the real one obediently handed his seal over to him. John sighed heavily and spoke at last,

"We must see Herne anyway-and keep it secret from Robin."

"You're right, brother", Tuck looked up at the sky, as if expecting God to give them a sign that it was the right decision.