The Band of Merry Kids

by David Skuy

  The soldiers turned toward him.

  “Begone with you,” a soldier barked.

  “I mean no disrespect,” Pip said. “It just sounds like something Robin Hood would do. And you’ll never catch him. No one has ever caught Robin Hood. He’s too smart.”

  The soldier shook his sword. “It is forbidden to say his name … and Robin Hood would not dare come here.”

  “I doubt it,” Pip said, laughing. “I bet you couldn’t find your own helmet if it wasn’t on your head.”

  The guard shook his sword at Pip.

  “We will go back now,” Merec said in a very low, powerful voice.

  For a moment, no one spoke. Pip cast a terrified glance at Archie.

  “Yes, your lordship. We will go right away,” Lucy said.

  She bowed her head and pulled on Garrick’s reins and set off. Harold tugged on Aubrey’s.

  “Why do you wear those helmets?” Archie said. “Do you have ugly noses?”

  Pip and Arabella burst out laughing.

  “I’ll teach you …” A soldier took a step forward.

  “Say hello to Robin Hood for me,” Pip said, grinning broadly. He spun and ran the opposite way, Arabella and Archie along with him.

  “Are they following us?” Pip said after a hundred paces.

  “They stopped. Now they’re walking,” Archie said.

  “Do you know another way to the wall?” Pip said to Arabella.

  “What do you think?” Arabella said. “Turn here.”

  She led them to a narrow street and then cut through a small opening between two crumbling buildings. A jutting rock nicked Pip’s arm. Behind him he heard Archie groan.

  “We’re almost there,” Arabella said over her shoulder. She carried on, even faster this time, over a half-tumbled-over wall, under an archway that seemed ready to fall and crush them at any moment, and finally through a window. They were back in the street — at the old section of the wall.

  Merec clutched his head. “You are safe?” he said. “I wor-ried the soldiers had arrested you.”

  “Not yet,” Pip said. “And we were fortunate the Sheriff of Nottingham cleared the streets for us. Harold, are you ready?”

  “Ready for what?” Harold said.

  Pip took the bag from Archie and pulled out the bow and arrows. Now he could reveal his plan. He hadn’t told them until now because Harold got nervous when he thought about things too long. He took Harold by the arms. “You’re the best shot in Nottinghamshire, better than any country kid, and definitely better than me. You need to shoot arrows into the wall so they can use them to climb — like a ladder. You can do it.”

  “Where’s Felix?” Barda said.

  Pip pulled him out from under his shirt. “Thanks for letting me carry him for a while,” Pip said. “He was beginning to miss you.”

  Barda petted Felix’s head. “Did you have fun on your adven-ture?” he said. “You’re such a brave boy. I’m proud of you.”

  Pip and Arabella looked at each other. It had certainly been an adventure, but Pip wasn’t sure it had been all that much fun.

  Pip gave Merec the rope. “When you get to the top, tie this rope to the top of the wall and use it to climb down the other side.”

  Merec slung the rope over his shoulder. Harold took the bow and pulled on the string.

  “This is a bigger bow than I’m used to,” Harold said.

  Lucy gave him an arrow.

  “I’m not sure I can —”

  “You can,” Pip said. “And we need you.”

  Harold bit his lower lip and put the arrow in the bow. He faced the wall and pulled on the string.

  Thunk!

  The arrow lodged itself into the wall, about knee high.

  “Now a second one a few hands above that,” Pip said.

  Harold let it fly. The arrow stuck deep into the wall, in the perfect spot.

  “They went this way.”

  “Follow me.”

  Arabella’s head turned, and she gasped. “People are coming.”

  “Keep shooting,” Pip said to Harold. “Lucy and Archie, come with me.”

  All three took off like a shot toward the main street.

  Pip looked back over his shoulder. Harold let an arrow go — another perfect shot. He would need to shoot about ten more arrows. As they got closer, Pip could make out a few voices. His heart plummeted.

  Time. They needed more time … or all would be lost.

  ip’s worst fears had come true. Those voices belonged to Ronald and his two friends, and they were headed toward the wall.

  “We have to delay them,” Archie said.

  “We have to defeat them,” Pip said.

  Archie nodded. “I had a feeling this was going to be painful.”

  “Lucy, stay back,” Pip said. “You’ll get hurt.”

  “So will you if I’m not with you,” Lucy said.

  She matched them step for step.

  “Turn around and go home,” Pip called out. “We are searching for criminals. It’s not safe for cowards.”

  Ronald signaled for his friends to stop. “Is this the same commoner whom I bested in the joust this afternoon?”

  “I’m the true knight whom you cheated by lifting the board,” Pip said. “You are obviously a coward and do not have the courage to face me in battle. So turn around and go home.”

  “Off with you,” Ronald said. “We do not have time to waste with the likes of you … commoners.” He looked at Archie. “Or with thin-blooded nobles who are barely better than peasants.”

  Pip heard the distant thud of an arrow hitting the wooden wall.

  “We settle this here and now,” Pip said. “We shall prove our valor on the battleground — and then collect the reward when we find those criminals and turn them over to the sheriff.”

  “You could not catch a cold, little boy,” Ronald said. He took a step forward. “But if you insist, I don’t mind thrash-ing you both again.”

  Ronald’s two friends grinned. One punched his palm with his fist. The other growled and held his fists up.

  “Tell the girl to go home,” Ronald said.

  “Tell her yourself,” Pip said.

  Ronald rolled his eyes. “This is below me. But I will enjoy seeing vermin like you cry for mercy.” His lips twisted into an arrogant smile.

  Pip heard another thud. He hoped Harold was almost done.

  “Make this last a long time,” he whispered.

  “You had to steal that pig?” Lucy whispered back, grinning.

  “Think how boring the fair would have been otherwise,” Pip said.

  “I’m starting to really like the sound of boring,” Lucy said.

  The three boys charged. Pip headed straight for Ronald — and then flew straight back. The larger boy had knocked him to the ground.

  “This is too easy,” Ronald boasted.

  Pip swung his right leg and caught Ronald behind the knee. He crashed to the ground like a tree felled by an axe. Both boys scrambled to their feet. Ronald snarled and threw a punch. Pip ducked and circled to his left. Archie was wrestling on the ground with one boy, and Lucy and the other boy faced each other a few paces apart.

  “How am I supposed to fight a girl?” the boy said.

  “Like this,” Lucy said.

  She grabbed him by the shoulders and tossed him to the ground.

  Pip turned back to Ronald — and ducked in time to miss a nasty blow to the head.

  “Stand and fight,” Ronald yelled.

  Pip knew better than to get into a wrestling match with Ronald. He was too big. He feinted a punch to Ronald’s stomach, then faked a second punch to his side. Ronald backed up.

  “I thought you wanted to fight,” Ronald said.

  Pip guessed Merec was climbing
by now — hopefully with Barda on his back.

  “I’m waiting for you,” Pip taunted.

  Ronald let out a roar and charged again. Pip slipped from his clutches at the last moment. Ronald threw a wild right hook. Pip ducked and backed away.

  “Get off me,” Pip heard a boy say.

  Lucy had the boy pinned face down on the ground. Archie and his opponent were back on their feet, looking at each other.

  “I’ve had enough,” Ronald grunted. “You will now suffer the consequences of insulting the House of Geoffrey.”

  Pip needed Ronald to keep fighting to give them more time to get over that wall.

  “I’m not insulting the Baron Geoffrey. I’m insulting his thin-blooded son,” Pip said. “Look at yourself. You’re more like the dog-faced jester than a noble.”

  Ronald surprised him with a body blow to the ribs. Pip struggled to catch his breath. Ronald launched a flurry of blows.

  “Knock that loudmouth out,” the boy facing Archie cried out.

  “You can take him,” Archie said.

  Lucy let the other boy up. Everyone was watching the two of them. It had come down to a one-on-one battle — Pip versus the Black Knight.

  Pip wasn’t a knight, though — and he certainly wasn’t Robin Hood. Pip had learned that well enough lately. He was the son of Aldwin Draper of Nottinghamshire, a seller of wool blankets. Ronald was the son of the Baron Geoffrey, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the kingdom.

  That was his advantage. Pip finally understood who he really was and what he was capable of doing. Ronald assumed he’d win because his father was a baron.

  A plan came to Pip in a flash.

  “You hit like a little boy,” Pip said loudly. “This won’t take long.”

  “You will change your mind about the power of a little boy,” Ronald said.

  He threw a left hook. Pip jumped back. The punch barely touched him, but he acted like he was badly hurt.

  “Oof,” Pip gasped, and he grabbed his ribs.

  Ronald moved closer and tossed an overhand right at Pip’s head. Pip deflected it with his left and fell to the ground holding his side, as if he’d suffered a terrible blow.

  “Do you submit?” Ronald said.

  Lucy was twirling her hair. Archie looked worried. Pip got up on all fours and then, from under his arm, gave Lucy and Archie a wink. Lucy let go of her hair, and Archie clapped and gave a loud whistle.

  “It feels good. You hit like a feather,” Pip said, staggering to his feet.

  Ronald didn’t respond. Instead, he launched a vicious attack with a series of lefts and rights. Pip twisted and turned and ducked and backtracked. The punches hurt, but not too much — nothing he couldn’t handle — and every moment that passed gave Merec and his family a chance to climb the wall.

  Ronald was breathing very heavily by now, his punches a bit slower, and he stumbled every so often. Pip figured it was time.

  “Will you cry mercy?” Pip said, hunched over, cringing, hands up in front of his face warily.

  “This commoner has gone mad,” Ronald grunted.

  “I warned you,” Pip said. He straightened up and exploded with a right hook.

  Ronald’s head jerked back. He grabbed his nose with both hands, doubling over and turning his back to Pip.

  “Hurrah!” Archie cried.

  “You had your chance for mercy,” Lucy cheered.

  Blood dripped onto Ronald’s upper lip. He seemed dazed, unable to believe that he’d been hit.

  “I will never ask for mercy … from a commoner,” Ronald mumbled.

  Pip stepped toward him, cautiously. He wasn’t going to fall for another of Ronald’s tricks. This time he would be careful — and finish this fight once and for all.

  ip,” Lucy said urgently. “Soldiers.”

  A group of ten soldiers marching in two straight lines came toward them, led by Sir Lanford and Johnson. Ronald quickly wiped the blood away.

  “Master Ronald, you need to return to the mayor’s palace,” Sir Lanford said.

  “We are searching for the criminals,” Ronald said, puffing out his chest.

  Pip jutted out his lower lip and shrugged, and he cast a challenging look at Ronald.

  “We cannot have you in the streets with criminals about,” Sir Lanford said, “and now there is a report that Robin Hood is in the area.”

  “We will hunt him down, also,” Ronald said.

  Sir Lanford bowed to Ronald slightly. “Measures have been taken to secure the town, Master Ronald, and the sheriff’s men will capture the criminals. Your father would like you to return now.”

  “Humph,” Ronald snorted. “We were getting close — and now they shall elude me.”

  “Did you see them?” Johnson said.

  “I caught a glimpse, and we were chasing after them,” Ronald lied.

  “Where did you see them last?” Johnson pressed.

  Ronald flicked a thumb over his shoulder. “They went down that street.”

  “Double-time,” Sir Lanford ordered, and Johnson and the soldiers set off. “I will see you at the mayor’s palace, Master Ronald. Your father awaits you.” He turned to Pip. “You had best go home as well, son of Sir Duncan of Raventhorpe and son of Aldwin of Nottinghamshire,” Sir Lanford said darkly.

  “What about me?” Lucy asked sweetly.

  Sir Lanford growled in response and set off after the others.

  “You are fortunate they came to save you,” Ronald said. “We shall settle this … tomorrow.”

  “I look forward to it,” Pip said.

  Ronald and his friends set off toward Cathedral Square. Pip, Archie, and Lucy waited until they were out of eyeshot and then ran back to the wall as fast as they could. Pip’s heart was in his throat. Had they made it? They turned the corner.

  Sir Lanford and his soldiers stood in front of the wall. Harold was beside Johnson, showing him his bow. Arabella was pointing at the wall — which was covered in arrows. It was impossible to tell there had once been a single row of arrows leading to the top. They ran over to join them.

  “Who gave you permission to shoot arrows at this wall?” Sir Lanford said.

  “No one — I was practicing,” Harold said.

  “I can see that,” Johnson said.

  “Shoot another one,” Arabella said.

  “Don’t you dare,” Sir Lanford said.

  Harold lowered his bow. “My father says I must practice every day if I want to be a soldier in King John’s army.”

  “I will be a solider too,” Arabella said gleefully. She pretended to take a sword out of a scabbard and began to thrust and parry with an imaginary foe.

  Sir Lanford whirled around. “I told you three to go home.”

  “This is the way home,” Archie said.

  Sir Lanford let out another growl. He faced Harold and Arabella again. “Have you seen others — a man and woman with two children?”

  “Have we seen them where?” Arabella said.

  “Have you seen them here — in the streets?” Sir Lanford said.

  “I’m not sure,” Arabella said, putting her imaginary sword back in its scabbard. “I did see a man carrying a small boy.”

  “What did he wear?” Sir Lanford said sharply.

  “Clothes,” Harold said.

  “What kind of clothes?” Sir Lanford thundered.

  “Gray ones, ragged and dirty,” Arabella said. “There might have been a woman and another boy. I believe so … I’m certain of it, now that I think about it.”

  The soldiers exchanged dark looks.

  “When did you see them?” Sir Lanford said.

  “It wasn’t too long ago, about when we started our shoot-ing practice,” Arabella said.

  “In which direction did they pass?” Sir Lanford pres
sed.

  “They went that way, and then turned left,” she said.

  “Toward the Southern Gate?” Sir Lanford said.

  “Is the Southern Gate that way?” Arabella said.

  Sir Lanford nodded.

  “Then toward the Southern Gate,” she said.

  “We have doubled the guards at both gates,” Johnson said. “They won’t escape.”

  “They had better not,” Sir Lanford said, “or we may be taking their place tomorrow morning on the scaffold.”

  “The sheriff has ordered the streets to be cleared,” Johnson said. “Go home at once.”

  “But I’m not finished practicing,” Harold said.

  “Go!” Johnson shouted.

  “And tomorrow morning you will come back and remove those arrows,” Sir Lanford said. “That wall belongs to King John — and you may not shoot arrows at it.”

  “I’m sorry,” Harold said. “I will take them out. I didn’t know.”

  Sir Lanford pointed at the soldiers. “Follow me, double-time!”

  They ran off in formation.

  “Wait until they turn the corner,” Pip said.

  As soon as they were out of eyeshot, they all hugged each other in a big huddle.

  “It was Arabella’s idea to keep shooting after they’d climbed the wall,” Harold said. “They should be deep into the woods by now. Hopefully, they’ll make it to the north.”

  “You were both magnificent,” Pip cried.

  “We all were.” Lucy laughed.

  “Let us go back to my house,” Archie said. “My father, Jeffrey, and Aldwin will be astonished at our story.”

  “We can’t tell my father,” Pip said. “He will never let me leave Nottinghamshire again. He won’t even let me play in the forest with the country kids. He is not used to adven-tures like this, and he will tell Lucy and Harold’s parents, and they may say something to someone else — and the baron’s men may hear of it. We have to keep this a secret to protect our families.”

  “You have my solemn oath that I will do so,” Archie said.

  “Mine too,” Harold said.

  “And I,” Lucy said.

  “So let us go feast,” Archie said.