Caged Robin (used to be Untitled)

Chapter Nine: Plans and Schemes

Shamir approached a closed door, where a cluster of men, dressed exactly like him, were standing guard. This must be where Robin is, thought Shamir, as he joined the real guards in their vigil. A few minutes later, the Sheriff came out of the room. Shamir caught a quick glimpse of Robin, sitting on the floor, by a wall, as the door swung shut. Shamir knew he was hindered from fleeing the room somehow, but in the short amount of time he had to look, he couldn’t see how.

****

Shamir rushed back to the intersection, to meet up with Much.

“I didn’t find Robin,” Much said, “Did you find him?”

“Yes, I did,” replied Shamir, “we must tell the others.”

****

Much agreed and the two bandits turned around and headed outside. Soon, they met up with John, Will, and Marian in the village.

“Did you find out who the Sheriff has locked up in the castle?” asked Will.

“Is it Robin?” asked Marian.

“Yes to both,” said Shamir.

“Now, what do we do?”

Much asked his favorite question.

“We go back to camp,” said Will, “and make a rescue plan.”

****

When the Sheriff left his bed chamber, he thought he saw one of Loxley’s men in the hall, dressed as one of his men. He knew the man was a friend of Loxley, because he didn’t employ a Saracen. So, Loxley, he silently mused, your friends have come for you, after all. He decided he’d set a trap and capture all the men at once. With Loxley and his men gone, the Sheriff could have the fair Marian.

****

Back at the camp, Shamir and Much related all they had seen and done in the castle. Will had approved of the changing clothes part. Marian was horrified by their description of Robin. John liked the splitting up to search the two wings part.

“How are we goin’ to rescue Robin?” asked Much.

“Well, we can’t all dress as the Sheriff’s guards,” said Will, thinking out loud, “and we’d need all of us to get Robin out in one piece.”

“I can distract the guards at the front gate and you can slip in, unnoticed,” suggested Marian.

“No, Marian,” said Will, “that won’t work this time, I’m afraid. We need something else.”

“What do you mean ‘it won’t work’?” asked Marian, “my idea is good!”

Will started to argue, but was interrupted by the arrival of Friar Tuck.

“The Sheriff has Robin locked up in his castle,” Much told the friar.

Friar Tuck looked surprised.

“He does?” he asked.

Much nodded.

“It’s true, Friar Tuck,” said Will, “Much and Shamir saw him.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Tuck.

“Make a rescue plan and rescue Robin,” said Marian.

“That’s good,” said Friar Tuck, ”I do not believe the world is ready to be without Robin of Loxley.”

Friar Tuck sat and listened to their ideas for a rescue and occasionally offered advice for a good hour. Finally, the friar announced he had to leave.

“Goodbye, Friar,” they all said.

“Goodbye, Friends,” said Friar Tuck, “I wish you luck with your rescue and I’ll be praying for you all.”

****

After Tuck had gone, Will had resumed his planning. He didn’t come up with anything good that day and went to sleep well after everyone else was. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Shamir and Much had reported. Why had Robin been moved from the dungeon to an upper room? It didn’t make sense. Unless…what Will suspected from the beginning was true. Dear God, we have to get him out of there!

****

“I saw your foreign friend outside the door,” said the Sheriff, “I believe they may try and rescue you soon.”

“They’ll succeed,” replied Robin, confident in his men’s abilities.

“I can’t allow that,” said the Sheriff, “I’ll set up a trap.”

“It won’t work,” said Robin, “they’ll rescue me.”

“We’ll see about that, Loxley.”

****

The Sheriff went to his study, to think of how he should capture Loxley’s men, when they inevitably showed up to rescue their leader. The Giant and the Boy would be easy to capture, but Scarlet and the Saracen would prove to be a bit harder. After much thought, the Sheriff came up with the most brilliant plan ever. He couldn’t wait for those ‘Merry Men’ to arrive. They’d come to rescue Loxley and end up needing a rescue themselves.