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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 11, 2009 1:06:04 GMT 1
Robin could see now her true character. This was a good woman. Her principles and ideals in the right place.
"It was a good thing you did, regardless of the circumstances."
Seeing her excitement as she spoke of...well, him, Robin grinned. "He does not steal for himself, and from what I know of it, they do not take all of a persons belongings - if that person cooperates, of course."
Robin gestured in the opposite direction to which she had thought to go. "The road is this way, Mary. Shall we begin our journey? I would not want you to remain in the forest after dark."
Pausing for a moment, Robin wondered how best to word his next question.
"How would you like to meet him? Robin Hood, I mean. I can arrange it, you know."
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Post by Margaret d'Anthony on Jul 11, 2009 14:01:06 GMT 1
"The foolish old man who is my father did not seem to realize that he sent me to the town where my hero does his heroic actions. Which, I can not complain about." Margaret laughed, grinning.
"Getting lost in the forest at night would not be to good. Lead on, my stranger friend." She gestured to the rode, watching birds fly through the trees.
"Could you? Honestly! I would love to meet him!" Excitement glowed from Mary, she grinned wider than ever. "Perhaps I got lost today for a reason." The idea of meeting her hero filled her to the point that she wanted to shout. But she contained it. For that to work she would have to be on her best behavior with the Matron.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 11, 2009 15:02:01 GMT 1
Robin indicated the direction that they should go and began walking, allowing her to match his pace.
"We can take the main road, or if you wish, we can continue on through the trees. Though it will take longer."
Deciding that this situation had now escalated to a point where once he revealed the truth, he would be on the receiving end of a temper to perhaps rival Marian's, Robin decided it was time to bring the charade to an end.
"And what would you say if you discovered you had...already met him?" He stopped walking, turning back to look at her, a meaningful look in his eyes.
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Post by Margaret d'Anthony on Jul 11, 2009 21:06:43 GMT 1
Mary thought for a moment, "If we take the Main road I will reach my confinement sooner. If I go the longer path, Matron will be upset at my unladylike tardiness for dinner. All in all I say the longer path." And she followed after the stranger. She didn't care what Matron Lenora said or if she critizied her. She would adhear to her methods only when it fit her, she was not one to readily obey.
She laughed in disbelief, "How could I have already met Robin Hood? I have met a few ladies in town, a few nonladies, that terrible man Gisborne - who if he is secretly Robin Hood I would rather not meet him. And then, there's you." Something clicked. Her eyes widen as she stared at the stranger before her. Blushing at the thought that she had spoken so passionately about her hero Robin, and he was perhaps the one she spoke to. "My God. You? You're Robin Hood! I should have guessed. A hooded man in the Sherwood forest, with bow and arrow. Kind hearted and good-" She stopped herself.
"You could have stopped me you know! Instead of letting me run my mouth about the great and wonderful you" Her face was bright red. She picked up a stick about a foot long and chucked it at him in a tame anger. "I feel foolish now." She leaned against her horse and looked away from him.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 12, 2009 16:09:39 GMT 1
Laughing, Robin did not bother dodging the stick, letting it hit him on the arm and fall to the ground.
"I did not mean to decieve you, Mary, honestly. Though I must say, Gisborne? Secretly, well, me? What a terrifying thought." Here Robin gave a fake shudder of terror.
"Oh, do not worry so about your words. If you know so much about me, you would know I so enjoy hearing wonderful things about myself. Or, so I have heard." Rolling his eyes at this, Robin then walked back to Mary, smiling and reaching out a hand to take hers. Leaning down and placing a kiss on the back of her hand, Robin straightened again with a smile.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mary. I am called Robin Hood." Nodding, satisfied, Robin continued,
"Now that we have been properly introduced, shall we continue on our way?"
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Post by Margaret d'Anthony on Jul 12, 2009 18:43:31 GMT 1
Mary frowned, crossing her arms harshily across her chest, shaking her head in disbelief. "It could be worse I suppose. You could secretly have withheld that you're a murderer." She laughed at his response to Gisbourne being him. Smiling.
"Formalities apart think of me like you think any other human. Not that I am the daughter of the Earl of Leicestershire. Robin Hood." She smirked, giving a mock curtsey. "You're full of yourself aren't you?" She felt rather flustered now that she knew who he was, had spoken to him, had said things to him not knowing. She covered with sharp words, her humiliation.
They countinued to walk and talk, "I am quite certain you enjoyed that bit of builiding upon your ego. If you heared what I have heared the peasents say, your ego would be quite the size of England itself." She rolled her eyes at him, picking up another stick and playfully poking him in the arm with it.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 13, 2009 1:25:48 GMT 1
Laughing, Robin grabbed the stick from her hand.
"That's quite enough of that, I think. Full of myself, Mary? Hardly."
Pausing, Robin pretended to consider his words.
"Well okay, perhaps just a little. But honestly, half of what you have heard the villagers say is I doubt not true. These things tend to get talked up quite a lot, blown out of proportion. Of course, anything you have heard regarding my legendary skill with a bow is completely true." He laughed, obviously teasing, and yet naturally he was aware of his skill. It did tend to do marvellous things for his ego.
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Post by Margaret d'Anthony on Jul 13, 2009 1:35:01 GMT 1
Mary rolled her eyes. Laughing at Robin, she couldn't help but grin at him. "You're terrible you know that? Absolutely terrible." She shook her head, chuckling, starring at the ground as she walked a few more paces. She titled her head to the side, her hair falling into her eyes as she watched Robin think over her words.
To his reply she thought for a few moments, "My people in Leicestershire look to you like you are a saint. And you've never done a thing there for them. They've prayed for your protection in the churches. They ask God to bring you or someone under you to them. It was I that answered that plead. I knew only of you from meetings I was forced to attend that spoke on preventative action against "your sorts" as they called them. And I learned from the people." Margaret sighed heavily, thinking about the life she had had, everything that had happened because of Robin's ledgendary acts, that inspired her. And here she was striding beside him.
"I dressed myself in a cloak and mask, hiding my identitiy and gave to the people the food that was rightfully theirs, the money they needed to pay the taxes that were impossible. I called myself Rowan Hood, I know - ridicoulus. But soon my father noticed my dissapperances when Rowan would make hers. And I was punishedly harshily, only to return again the next night. Thus landing me here. Which is to," Margaret made overexaggerated gestures, mocking her Matron's voice and behaviors. "Is to teach an unwilling wild child to become a lady of high status."
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 13, 2009 1:48:25 GMT 1
Scoffing, Robin looked at her in false shock. "Terrible? Me? Surely you jest, Mary."
He was amazed to hear the rest of what she said. "They pray for me, truly? People I have never even met, whom I can do nothing for..." He trailed off, shaking his head.
Robin laughed at her impersonation of a haughty noble woman.
"If the Mary I have had the pleasure of meeting is this 'unwilling wild child', then I must say I can not get behind the idea of her being taught to be a 'proper lady'. You are a delight, Mary, truly. Do not let others convince you that you must become something you are not. Do not become convinced that fighting for what you believe in is wrong. Strength in our beliefs is what keeps us strong in the face of adversity."
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Post by Margaret d'Anthony on Jul 13, 2009 2:20:34 GMT 1
"Perhaps not terrible, just slightly horrible."She grinned wildly, laughing at his response.
"Thank you for the encouragement Robin. I could've used it before I came here. Six weeks before I came here to be exact. I am sorry to bring you down, but the story is sad if you wish to hear it." She hadn't spoken to anyone about James since what had happened. Since he was hung.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 13, 2009 2:25:39 GMT 1
"Slighty horrible?" Placing a hand over his heart, Robin adopted a mock wounded expression. "My lady, you wound me."
As he walked, Robin considered the woman beside him. She was obviously a strong woman, to do all that she had done. And now, she was trapped in the unfortunate position of being unable to do what she would desire.
"Tell me more, Mary, of this cruel, wicked Matron. For the way you speak, your life must surely be horrible, what with all the hot food, warm baths and clean clothes..." As he had continued to speak, he allowed his tone to become much more teasing. He knew that such luxuries were not desirable in the face of being oppressed, but he could not help but do what came naturally to him.
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Post by Margaret d'Anthony on Jul 13, 2009 2:38:45 GMT 1
"Alas," She laughed chimely, at his mock wound. "My words have killed the legendary man! If only those who oppress him knew! Words can kill the man!"
Mary knew he was only kiding but it pricked a nerve. She knew he must've misunderstood her words. It took her a moment to form a response. Trying to be witty all the same. "I could do with out the wealth and the power, the name, the plentiful food taken from the poor's mouth, the warm baths the nice clothes. All I ever needed was the love of one man. And he's dead now. He was the reason it all started, besides your legend of course." She stopped dead in her tracks, starring up at the sky.
She was silent for a long time, before she set her eyes on Robin again."His name was James, he was the son of a carpenter. His father Thaddeus could not pay my father's takes and so was sent to prisoner, where he died on illness from the conditions. It was shortly thereafter his mother became ill and started to make it hard for him to fill the shoes his father left. I was portraying Rowan Hood at the time. They were the top of my list for money and for food. And became close to Nora and her son James. I tended to her while he would finish orders. I helped him with Nora until the day she died. And it was soon he discovered who I was, only to my unveil when he admited feelings that were mutual."
Margaret leaned against the horse, wrapping her arms around the animal. "Have you ever lost someone that you cared for because of what you do? Well I did, when my father discovered that I was Rowan and that my accomplice was a peasent who I swore to loved. My father, in anger and horror at me degrading our name with a peasent sent him to be hung as a traitor and heritic."
"Robin, I would trade it all to bring him back. Or atleast continue my duty to the people. All of it." She stomped her foot on the earth, tears brimming her eyes. "This is foolish. I am making myself into more of a fool every time my lips part." She shivered against a breeze, pulling her cloak closer.
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 13, 2009 2:53:58 GMT 1
Robin stepped closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, using the other to wipe away a tear as it made its way down her cheek.
"It is hard, isn't it? Losing someone we love. Spending every waking hour for the longest time thinking over everything we had done, and wishing we could do it differently. Your James sounds like he was a good man, Mary, and I am sorry you lost him. You say you became this Rowan Hood", here Robin paused, smiling at the name,
"because of him. I would hope Mary, that his death has not caused you to give it all up. Do not think yourself a fool. As much as I do not listen to such advice myself, I am told it is good to speak of such things, it helps us to move forward."
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Post by Margaret d'Anthony on Jul 13, 2009 3:02:39 GMT 1
Mary nodded her head, looking down when he brushed the tear away. "Many nights after my father locked the door to my bedroom, I layed awake thinking about James, and who I really was. Was the future Lady of Leicestershire? Or was I this masked servant of the people - Rowan Hood? But obviously you must guess what I chose since by repeat of my actions the cruel Matron and I were sent here."
She placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him the small smile she could muster, "You are a great man Robin. You do deserve the ledgend." Mary couldn't think of anything else to say. How to thank him for it all.
"You would not want a girl in your gang would you? Because if a day comes and I can not bare the lies the Matron feeds me. I will run. And have no where to go to. If anything I will start my own band of people."
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Post by Robin Hood on Jul 13, 2009 3:16:03 GMT 1
Robin took her arm, directing her back in the direction they were walking. "Come, we best continue."
He chose to ignore her words regarding his legend. It was obvious she was more than a little in awe of him, and it thrilled him, but he could hardly take advantage of that fact and allow the conversation to be all about him, much as so many would assume he would.
"A woman in camp?" Robin could not help but laugh at her enquiry. "I am afraid to say, Mary, that this would be nothing new. We men find our camp practically over run with women."
Robin did not want to dash her hopes, but he had to question her on her sincerity.
"Do you truly believe that is what you want, Mary? Is it not possible you could do more whilst in the position you find yourself? I do not mean to question your motives, but I see the way you view me, and I must inform you that the life of an outlaw is not always so exciting and glorious as it may seem."
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