Sherwood

by S. E. Roberts

  The man pulled out his sword and let the sun light bounce off the metallic blade. “Well,” He started, making a show of the sharpness of his blade. “You wont see the sunrise again.”

  “Oh yeah?” Harlow asked, raising an eyebrow and taking another step backward.

  The man was getting arrogant; so much so, that he hadn't noticed how far away Harlow and Enders had gotten form him.

  “Here's the funny thing about Outlaws,” Enders said, his voice remarkably confident. “We never let anyone take us alive.” He turned around and sprint off as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

  Harlow followed his lead, barely keeping up with him as her legs wobbled back and forth, making it hard for her to sprint. As her legs took her away she heard the sounds of whizzing arrows, although she couldn't tell if the arrows were fired by Elwin and Reggie or by the soldiers.

  The two outlaws dodged every tree branch and twig, bobbing and weaving in different directions.

  “Left!” Harlow called out as loud as she could, catching up with him. The two turned and rounded a tree, hearing the faint barking of the man yelling out orders. The two heard some distant crunching leaves and twigs breaking, but they'd gotten some ground on the soldiers behind them.

  The two ran in silence, still hearing faint pitter-pattering of the soldiers far off in the distance.

  It was only when they couldn't run anymore that they'd decided to stop for a breather.

  Enders slowed, looking around nervously, an eyebrow raised as he searched the area around him. “We should head back and find Reggie and Elwin.”

  Harlow immediately shook her head, looking at him. “No, we can't do that. They're smart men. They'll keep each other alive.”

  Enders looked at her, frustration apparent behind his eyes. “Then what about us? We wont survive out here, Henry!”

  Harlow took one look at his angered expression and shoved him hard against a tree. “This is my raid. This is my team. I say we go forward, and that's exactly what we'll do.” She whispered, harshly at him as she kept pressed against the tree.

  Enders nodded, angrily looking off in the other direction. “Yeah? And when your raid fails, and your team falls apart, it'll be your fault.” Enders said, his eyes set off to his right, his jaw clenching tightly. “But, whatever you say, captain.”

  Harlow nodded her head. “That's fine. As long as you understand my orders.” She let go of him and moved backward, surveying the area as Enders straightened himself out.

  That's when she heard the faintest sound of rushing water.

  “Come on,” She said, her eyes focusing heavily on the area, ensuring there were no soldiers that way.

  Enders wordlessly fell in suit behind her.

  The silence was deafening to her as they crossed a mile of forestry.

  The sound of flowing water became louder and louder.

  But, as the water got louder to her ears, so did the sound of crunching leaves and barking orders. The soldiers were close, and the panic rising in Harlow's chest wasn't helping.

  “Stop right there!” An unfamiliar voice called out.

  Harlow turned around and looked to the person calling out. It was a man in soldier attire, his arm outstretched toward them, a sword pulled out and at ready.

  “Run!” Harlow shouted to Enders. He bolted ahead of her, barreling down the forestry, hopping and jumping over littered branches and shrubs.

  There were soldiers coming up on her right side, and as she turned to her left, she noticed new soldiers closing in on her right side. Her heart fluttered with madness. How could she have been so stupid? She was going to die and her father would have to spend the next ten years running away from the memory of his disappointing daughter.

  Then there was Enders who only had his mother left. What would she think? That he was a trouble maker or was he in the wrong place at the wrong time?

  All these thoughts ran through Harlow's head as she sprinted forward, and she'd forgotten the sound that sent her here in the first place.

  Straight ahead was some kind of water way, that they were coming right up to.

  The closer she got, the bigger it seemed. She felt the ground under her feet become softer, but not enough to become mud.

  Then the roaring sound came into view and the trees were gone. She slowed down as she saw what was before her.

  This was no river channel. This was no lake.

  The sight of a huge waterfall took her by surprise. Her heart froze and her eyes widened at the massive body of water.

  She felt fear and panic rise in her chest as she thought of no escape plan.

  The roaring water echoed loudly in her ears. Her blood seemed to freeze like ice on a cold winter's evening.

  The sound of barking orders and soldiers' stomping feet shook the ground behind her. She stared, wide eyed at the waterfall, watching the rushing waves cascade over the edge on her left.

  In her panic, she couldn't move, and just when she was going to turn around to bargain with the men, a hand grabbed her upper arm and propelled her forward.

  She watched Enders as he jumped over the edge of the canyon, letting go of her arm and free falling away from her, horror written all over her face.

  It was quick and effortless, but the last thing Harlow felt just before she plummeted into the lake below was the feeling of the rushing wind as it blew through her hair.

  *~*~*

  Enders felt like his lungs were going to implode when he emerged from the small body of water that the waterfall pooled into. He took in a big gulp of air and rubbed his eyes clear of the water.

  At first he almost mistook her for someone else, as she looked around nervously. She was frantically shoving the waters aside, searching for something below.

  Enders felt his jaw drop, losing all tension he'd had before.

  'Henry?' He thought, feeling his eyes blink involuntarily, and his breath catch in his throat. He wanted to get out of the water and look at her, think back at every time he'd been so sure he knew who Henry was.

  'Who are you? What are you doing here?' He wanted to ask her, but found his mouth uncooperative.

  It was both the sight of her and the lack of her hat that shocked Enders the most. Henry never removed that hat. Now he understood why.

  His eyes widened as they fell on her cascading hair, examining it from afar. It was amazing that she'd kept it hidden for as long as she had.

  As if on cue, Harlow's hat floated past him, and without thinking twice about it he quickly propelled the hat forward.

  After taking one last, long glance, at the person she really was, he ducked back under water, with one name echoing in his head: Harlow.

  Chapter Eleven

  Harlow panicked as she waded through the water, searching fervently for her hat. Her worst nightmare was coming true: Enders was going to find out about her. This would be the last of the line.

  Just as she was about to give up, a loud splash resonated throughout the lake area, and her hat came rushing toward her. "Oh, God!" She exclaimed, snatching the hat from the water. As quickly as she could, she tucked all of her hair tightly into a bun and tugged the hat on top.

  She took a loud, long breath of relief as she made sure all the strands of her hair were covered under the hat.

  Suddenly, Enders emerged from the water, taking in a long, drawn out breath, his hair swinging backward a bit as he threw his head back.

  "Enders!" Harlow exclaimed, sloshing over to him in the water. The rushing water making it hard to speak and hard to hear.

  Enders swam forward as Harlow managed to get waist-deep in the water.

  "Are you okay?" Harlow asked, putting one hand on his arm as he came out of the water. She immediately dropped her hand after the contact was made, determining that the action was far too feminine.

  "Aye," Enders responded, looking at her through the side of his eye. "Are you okay?"

  "Aye," Harlow nodded, letting the conversation die as the two walked toward th
e shore.

  Harlow wiped her face with her hands as she sat down on a patch of dry grass off to the side of the lake area.

  The silence that filled the air wasn't uncomfortable for Harlow, as she leaned back and let herself rest on the grass. She replayed the event over and over again in her head. They were being chased, Harlow was going to bargain with the soldiers, to tell them to take her as a captive in exchange for Enders' freedom. Then with no warning, Enders had grabbed her and thrown her over the edge of the waterfall. She'd almost been found out, and if that had happened she knew her father would have been so disappointed in her.

  Enders, on the other hand, wasn't so comfortable in the silence. He took awkward side glances at Harlow as she closed her eyes and hugged her knees tightly. Enders tried to think back and remember if there were ever a time that he were genuinely nice to her. 'Why?' Enders thought, shaking his head. He couldn't decide if he were angry at her or sad for her. 'Why, Harlow, did you think coming here was a good idea?'

  Enders wrestled with himself about saying anything to her. She looked hardened and cold. Enders couldn't decide if she was really unaffected by what had happened or if she was just hiding her emotions. Now that he knew she was a woman, she seemed so much more fragile and quiet. Now t hat he knew about her, he thought her aggression was somewhat cute.

  "Are you really okay, Henry?" He asked, causing her to look up at him.

  Her eyes betrayed her voice. They looked distant with a hint of worry. "Aye," She answered, offering a nod.

  "That was," Enders paused, trying to read Harlow's facial expressions, "very close. They almost got us."

  Harlow nodded in agreement. "Aye, they did."

  Silence occupied the space between them again.

  "It's going to be dark soon. We should stay put until the sun comes up." Harlow said, trying to regain control of the situation.

  Enders nodded, rubbing his hands on his pants before standing up. "Ill collect some fire wood." He said, turning his back and taking several steps toward the forest area beyond.

  "Enders," Harlow called out just before Enders entered the forest.

  He turned around, one eyebrow raised as he faced her. "Yea?"

  Harlow found herself speechless for a moment as she looked backward at him. He was handsome, she'd realized that before, but now she was left struck by him. "Uh," She struggled to get the words out of her mouth, "Thank you for pulling over the edge back there. I wouldn't have made it if you hadn't."

  Enders nodded, offering a small smile, hoping it wasn't too friendly. "You would have done the same, Commander."

  Harlow offered a smile back at him before he turned his back and entered the forest to gather the wood.

  *~*~*

  It hadn't taken long for Enders to come back with a large stack of acceptable fire wood. After a while the two had managed to start a well set fire that would keep them warm throughout most of the night. Even though Harlow worried about the soldiers finding them during the night, they had no choice but to light a fire to warm themselves.

  Harlow had spotted a nearby fruit bush full of edible berries that she'd gathered as their food for the night.

  "How long do you think it will take to get back to camp?" Enders asked, munching on a berry he held in his palm.

  Harlow shrugged, trying to hide the fear and apprehension that resided within her. "I'd guess a days walk."

  Enders nodded. "Yea, sounds about right."

  Harlow munched on berries that she held in her hand as she laid back on the grass, looking up at the sky, the fire's light illuminating the air around her.

  Enders looked over at her, watching as she simply looked over the sky above. "Why did you decide to leave home for this?"

  Harlow reluctantly looked over to Enders as he continued to eat the berries with knitted eyebrows. "My father," Harlow answered, removing her eyes from him and looking back to the sky.

  Enders nodded, "No," he said, pausing to chew a berry. "I mean, what was it about him that made you come here? Did he force you to come here?" Enders asked, popping another berry into his mouth.

  Harlow knitted her eyebrows together this time and moved her free arm under her head. "He didn't force me to come here. I came here on my own."

  Enders let the silence fill the air between them before asking another question. "Does he know where you are?"

  Harlow's body stiffened. She stretched, trying to cover up the reaction, but Enders had noticed it. "He knows I'm away from home." Harlow answered.

  "So, he doesn't know you're at Sherwood?" Enders asked again, prodding for answers.

  Harlow shrugged, trying to make the movement look nonchalant and normal, but it came out tensed and rigid. "I'm under the conviction that he has an idea."

  Enders chuckled softly, the sides of his mouth twitching with laughter.

  Harlow hadn't relaxed. The conversation had captured her heart and put her focus on her father. What would he think?

  Without hesitation she sat up and faced Enders from the other end of the fire. "I came to take my father's place in this war. My father has already been in one Sherwood war, and now he's finally getting along in society now." Harlow offered some of her heart. She knew she'd regret this later, for seeming so weak and vulnerable, but for now, she trusted Enders. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, Enders made her heart melt and her brain freeze.

  Enders kept his eyes even as he looked at her, examining her movements and her expressions. "That's quite a sacrifice. Don't you want a family instead of a war?"

  Harlow nodded and looked toward Enders. "I could marry after this war, but no one in my village really wanted me anyway."

  Enders raised an eyebrow, trying to hide a smile. "You're father hasn't arranged a local wife for you?"

  Harlow laughed at the true ridiculousness of the question. "No," Harlow answered, a laugh still on her lips. “The women in my village are not welcoming of my behavior.”

  Enders let his chuckle die, listening to Harlow's laugh, which she'd tried to cover with a masculine tone. The sound resonated in his head and made his heart melt. Enders paused for a moment before he asked another question. "What is Harlow like?"

  Harlow again stiffened at the reaction. "What exactly do you mean?"

  Enders shrugged, "What does she do? How does she act?"

  Harlow shrugged, trying to think of anything to say. "She's stubborn. She argues with our father all the time. She thinks she knows what's best for everyone even though she doesn't. She's," Harlow sighed and kept her eyes pointed toward the sky, "she's a handful." She felt the heaviness on her heart. This is how the townspeople had described her; this is what she was like.

  Enders nodded. "You describe her so harshly."

  Harlow shrugged. "She's a harsh woman."

  Silence fell on the two of them as they ate their berries and listened to the world around them.

  Harlow chuckled to herself before looking down at her hands in her lap. "Remember when I told you about the details missing from Little John and The Cook?"

  Enders immediately placed his eyes on Harlow. "Aye."

  "There's another missing piece of the story." Harlow popped a few more berries into her mouth. "I know I told you this before, but there's one key detail I neglected to mention."

  Enders shifted to a more comfortable, upright position, his eyes on her the entire time. His arched an eyebrow at her. “Why didn't you mention it?”

  Harlow chuckled, a sad smile on her lips as she looked at the berries in her palm. “It's not something I'm exactly proud of. I was worried that you'd see me in a different light.”

  Enders nodded, sitting quietly. He was at a loss for words. “I wouldn't see you differently.” It was all he could manage to get out of his mouth as his heart began to flutter.

  Harlow nodded. “Do you want to hear the real story from the beginning?”

  Enders nodded, his eyebrows arched in curiosity and concern. “Aye.”

  “I've never told anyone
this part of the story. My father doesn't enjoy this part being circulated, so this needs to be kept between you and I.”

  “Aye.” Enders agreed instantly, waiting to hear the missing pieces.

  “The Cook was picked up by King Wesley and taken in. He'd spent most of his young years serving as the cook for the sheriff.” Harlow started, “So, Little John comes into the story and winds up getting into a fight with him. The stories that people always tell says that The Cook agreed to come with Little John and set up the sheriff. The truth is that The Cook was actually reluctant to leave. He had refused the offer, but within a week had ran off in pursuit of Little John and the outlaws.”

  “Why did he want to stay?” Enders asked, propping one arm up onto his kneecap.

  “He was in love.” Harlow said, receiving an odd look from Enders. “The Cook lived in the castle and made food for the nobles. He was often in contact with the Princess of England,” Harlow sighed, “and the two fell in love.”

  Harlow looked up at the sky. “It was forbidden for the two of them to be together. So, when the Princess became pregnant, it was a problem for them.”

  Enders let his jaw drop at the taboo nature of the details.

  That's when he'd started to put two and two together. He'd heard this story before, and he knew Harrison McBride was the cook.

  “The Princess was executed by King Wesley, her father, after the birth of the child. The Cook came back to the castle and rescued the infant, running off with the baby into the night.”

  Enders felt himself stiffen and felt his jaw drop as it completely dawned on him what she was going to say.

  She sighed and lifted to eyes to meet his. “My mother was the Princess of England and the daughter of King Wesley.”

  She saw the shock on Enders face as his jaw hung open and he leaned forward as he looked at her. “That makes you...”

  “King Wesley's granddaughter, and the only living heir to the throne.”

  Chapter Twelve