Robin fixed her gaze on him. “This is not your choice Arth—"
“Since you have reminded me of that fact on several occasions, I am quite aware my vote on the matter is nulled.” He wiped his face with his hands. Then, crossed his arms and leaned towards her.
“And as I’ve told you before, I don’t care. I will not see you hurt, Robin.” He set his eyes on her.
She had never wanted to hit someone so badly, well, except Morganna that is. The way he was watching at her brought on a fresh wave of rage…and wanting.
The softness in his eyes, the determination…he shouldn’t have been allowed to look at her like that. Not anymore.
Morganna’s vision moved between the two. Her teeth dug into the corner of her lips. She had noticed, as well.
Robin steeled herself and let the rage gleam in her eyes. “I never knew you as one to try and lock women in cages, Arthur?”
“You know that’s not what I’m doing,” he said, gaze still locked on her.
She quirked a brow. “Isn’t it?”
“Robin—"
“Let me make something clear.” She stared around the room, before finding his eyes again. “Dismiss my decisions all you want but they will still be mine and I will still do as I please. With or without your blessing, I am still leaving for the north.”
The veins were pulsing in Arthur’s neck.
She rested her head on her fist and looked at him directly. “No one will tell me what to do. I make my own choices.”
Maddy patted her knee under the table and Alistair grinned from ear to ear beside her. She could feel their pride building with her own. The flutters stopped in her stomach.
“How dare you speak to him that way?” Morganna had finally managed to find her voice. “After everything we’ve done for you. After—"
“Lady Morganna,” Maddy chimed in with a smile on her face, “I don’t think your cousin was done speaking. Were you, Robin?”
The green-haired girl nodded to her friend. Robin sat tall and turned to her cousin. Her blonde tresses seemed more frizzled than they had a moment ago.
“No, I wasn’t. I wanted to tell you both I think we may have a plan for killing Cadfen.”
Arthur eyed her. “I assume you want to offer yourself up as bait, then?”
“Actually, no.” She grinned at him. “We’ve come up with a different strategy.”
“Infiltration,” Alistair said with a nod.
Morganna narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”
Alistair pulled his white hair from his face. He grabbed utensils from the table and lined them up.
“Here,” he said pointing at Robin’s plate “is Satbury. And here is Camelot.” He gestured to his own dish.
“Camelot knights don’t often travel between the two cities,” he said. “When they do, it’s because of one of four reasons. Either an important event is about to occur and the surrounding counties need to be informed, there is word of an attack, someone from Camelot has died, or the guards need to switch posts.”
Arthur nodded. “So, you want to use one of these four methods to get into the castle? Now, the question is which one.”
“Exactly,” Robin said. “We can’t wait around for someone to die or Satbury to be attacked. We need to speed up the process. The only sure way is when the guards switch stations from Satbury to Camelot. Maddy knows the route the guards take and she knows how many switch at once. If we distract them as they make their way back to Camelot, we can attack them, disguise ourselves as knights, and sneak into the castle.”
Maddy leaned over the table and followed the trail of utensils from Robin’s to Alistair’s plate.
“Midway will be safest because it’s far enough from Satbury no one will notice any commotion. Plus, it’s closest from here. Five guards come and five return. I’ve watched them from the trees. There’s a sort of backroad that leads them to the castle and around the Cursed Forest. Cadfen may have erased it from the maps but it’s there. I can describe the route to Alistair and we’ll have to stake it out before trying, of course.”
“And who exactly will be sneaking into the castle disguised as knights?” Morganna used her own fork to flick at the laid-out utensils. “We can’t send anyone and we need a plan for what happens once we’re inside.” She moved down the trail and turned over a fork and knife, before gazing up at the three friends from under her lashes. “Did you three manage to think of that?”
Alistair moved his hand over the utensils and straightened them out again. Morganna watched him. Her fork hovered over his hand and Robin was ready to slam her cousin’s head against the table if she stabbed him. But she didn’t. She placed her fork on the table and tucked her blonde hair behind her ears.
When he was done, Alistair sat up and nodded at his work. He turned to Morganna and offered his hand. “May I have your fork, Lady Morganna?”
Why he and Maddy feel the need to call her “Lady” is beyond my comprehension.
She handed him the fork.
“Thank you. All right. If this is halfway down the road—" he placed Morganna’s fork midway--“it is at this point we’re going to attack. As I said, there’s not much travel between the two, so it’s not likely we’ll run into any other wagons. But we shouldn’t chance it. Maddy will act as the distraction. We’ll need two or three others for the infiltration.”
“I will be one of the three,” Robin said.
Arthur opened his mouth to speak.
“And,” she continued, “we believe Lancelot and Alistair should accompany me.”
“And why am I not included in this plan?” Arthur asked. He pointed at Morganna’s fork. “What I mean is why am I not one of the three?”
“You’re too valuable.” Everyone turned to stare at Maddy. Her eyes were locked on him.
“I am not of royal blood,” he replied. “I understand why Morganna should not be included but fighting and protecting is what I do as a knight.”
She nodded. “Yes, and who will protect these people if you were to be captured, tortured, and, eventually, killed?”
Robin could feel a chill run over her skin. She would need to keep that in mind. Death and worse were all real possibilities for this mission.
Arthur’s bright blue eyes seemed to dull at Maddy’s statement. He shook his head and inhaled a heavy breath, before turning his sights on the table top.
Then, as if it were something she did every day, Maddy reached out and patted Arthur’s hand. She peered into his eyes as his gaze lifted to hers.
“These people need you, Sir Arthur.” She squeezed his hand. “If the mission fails, there needs to be someone left to make a rescue attempt. Or at least incite a rebellion. We all must play our part. I’ll be the distraction and you must remain here. These people would not have even lasted this long without you.”
“She’s right,” Alistair said on Robin’s other side. “We need to be strategic about who goes in case...” He met both Maddy and Robin’s gaze.
Her heart swelled and Robin could feel her eyes begin to burn.
Later, Robin.
“In case you fail.” Morganna reached out where Maddy held Arthur’s hand and gently moved his hand under the table with her own. She turned to Robin. “I understand your thinking, but if that is the case, why is Robin going? True, I am the heir, yet my cousin has no battle experience. I am much better at holding my own than she.”
What would it feel like right now if I reached out and cut her throat? Robin eyed the knife less than an inch from her hand. Arthur had his eyes on Morganna. He wouldn’t even notice. Then, at least one of my problems could be solved and maybe I could finally be with--
Alistair slid the knife onto his plate.
“As tradition dictates, what Cadfen did was an offense against your bloodline and so a representative of that line should be present.” He nodded towards Robin. “And believe me, she is quite capable of taking care of herself. Ask the men who tried attacking us during our first journey.�
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With his white hair and purple eyes, Alistair turned on Robin and shone a huge grin. The dark thoughts receded from her mind. Robin wanted to do nothing more than wrap him in a hug. Sometimes it felt like he was her own personal sun, always warming her, comforting her.
She took in a gulp of air and moved to look at her cousin.
“He’s right, Morganna. I will see Cadfen dead in the name of your father, my uncle. If he managed to kill you, the direct line would end.”
“So, you’ve changed your mind about being used as bait, then?” A blonde brow rose.
Robin eased the words out. “When we kill the guards and take their place, Cadfen won’t even know I’m among them.”
Morganna rolled her eyes. “I—"
“They aren’t wrong, Morganna,” Arthur said.
Her eyes bulged. “But I can help. I can kill Cadfen. If you come, we can kill him together. And Robin hasn’t received half the training I have.”
His eyes turned on Robin. She refused to look away and she found herself searching his face.
The lines were creasing under his eyes. There was a strain on his lips.
“Though I think she should remain here, as well, I understand I no longer have a say in the matter.”
If Robin was made of air, she was sure she would have deflated that very moment. She clasped her hands together in front of her and beamed.
Finally, he’s letting me go.
“When will you all be leaving for the north, then?” Morganna had pressed herself by Arthur’s side again.
The three looked at one another.
Robin said, “A week for preparation. Then, departure.”
Morganna smirked. “God’s speed.”
“Would you like me to leave?” Robin asked.
Alistair glanced from Robin to where Edwin stood in the corner of their room.
“You still can’t see him?”
She shook her head.
“And I look mad, don’t I?”
Robin smirked. “All the more reason for me to leave you to it. I’m sure Maddy’s with Fred. We can take him on a short ride around the clearing.”
Alistair sighed. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel put out.”
She waved a hand. “Not at all. After this morning’s conversation, I could do with some fresh air. I’ll leave you to it.”
Robin headed to the door.
“By the way?”
“Hm?” She turned and stared at him.
“You were great today, Robin,” he said with a smile. “Morganna took quite a few of her own hits.” He winked.
Robin’s lips curved and she pushed her shoulders back. “I think so, as well. Thank you, Alistair.” She stepped through the door and slid it shut behind her.
“Do you like her?” Edwin asked, looking at the door and rocking on his feet.
Alistair chuckled. “Not in the way you may be thinking. She’s more like a sister I stumbled upon.”
“And how did you stumble upon her again?”
“I thought I told you this story already.” Alistair plopped down on the bed and stretched out his legs.
“I want to hear it again,” Edwin said. “I don’t have many chances for stories now. Well, not good ones anyway.”
Alistair cringed as he thought of eternity in the Ether. One’s only companion, a constant gray mist and other wandering souls. According to the boy, he could sometimes cross back to the world of the living. When he did, the act always drained him and he wasn’t able to stay long, except this time.
Alistair was acting as his anchor.
“Are you going to tell me the story or not?” He tapped his foot and crossed his arms.
Alistair released an exhale. “Fine. I will but the short version. I have other things to tell you, too.”
Edwin sat cross-legged on the floor and turned his eyes upward to Alistair.
He started. “I was running late on my deliveries after working an odd job for an innkeeper. I decided to cut through the Cursed Forest to save some time. What I didn’t know was my life would be changed forever.”
Alistair paused and waited for a reaction.
Edwin sighed.
Guess, it’s only good the first time.
“Me and Fred slowly made our way through the twisted and tangled trees. The forest allowed little light inside but something caught my eye.”
“The bracelet with the dragon charm?”
Alistair nodded. “Exactly. You have a good memory, Edwin.”
He sat straight and smiled. “My parents always told me I was quite clever.”
“I’d agree.”
He moved his misty form a bit closer. “What happened next, Alistair?”
He cleared his throat. “I found the bracelet hanging from a tree branch. I grabbed it but I noticed something was pulling at my hair. I thought it was Fred. Instead,” --he stretched his eyes and stared down at the boy-- “it was the tree branch and it refused to release me. Oh, how we struggled!”
Edwin giggled as Alistair threw himself on the bed and began to roll around. “The tree tried to take me. It had quite a grip. Still, I refused to give up. When I finally got free I grabbed my rusty knife—"
“You should start saying it was a dagger,” Edwin chimed.
Alistair narrowed his eyes. “But it wasn’t. It was a rusty knife.”
The boy shook his head. “Dagger sounds more dramatic. No one wants to hear about an old butter knife.”
It’s not exactly a butter knife…
“All right,” Alistair said, sitting back up. “I grabbed my dagger, prepared to fight whatever creature escaped from the possessed tree.”
He puffed out his chest before quirking a brow at Edwin. “An arm emerged. I gripped the dagger. Another arm and, then, I pounced!”
Alistair leapt from the bed and landed in a squat position beside Edwin who watched him with amusement in his eyes.
Alistair held up a finger. “But, at the last second, as I was ready to end the creature, I curved my blade to the side. For it wasn’t a monster that emerged from that tree. It was a lady.”
“And her name was Robin,” Edwin finished.
He nodded and fell back on to the floor. “Yes, it was Robin. Now, are you ready for the other news?”
“That sounds like a very simple name,” he said.
“It’s actually just her middle name. Her birth name is Gwynevere. She prefers Robin, though.”
Edwin looked at the door. “She seems like quite an odd woman.”
Those manners definitely need some work.
Alistair had no clue where all this curiosity was coming from. Still, he couldn’t blame him for seeking out entertainment when he could.
“Edwin, have you ever heard about the sly fox and the sleeping bear?”
The child’s eyes widened. He shook his head.
“Would you like to hear it?” Alistair smiled.
For a moment, Edwin looked like he was going to nod. Then he turned his eyes to floor and his shoulders slacked.
“No,” the boy said. “There’ll be times for stories once we defeat Cadfen. What else did you have to tell me?”
“Are you sure?”
He nodded.
“All right,” Alistair sighed. “Well, first, we’ll be going north. Me, Robin, and Maddy.”
“The green-haired southerner?”
“Yes, though, you can call her by her name. Once, we reach the north and I figure out if this” --he pointed to his hair--“is another curse, we’ll return here and start our plan to defeat Cadfen.”
Edwin perked up.
Alistair smiled. “A good story, isn’t it?”
The boy grinned. “The best I’ve heard. Tell me more.”
Chapter Eighteen
R obin slipped on her cloak and clipped the hood around her neck. She slid the door closed behind her and made her way down the hall. In her right hand, she held her boots as her bare feet palmed the cold floor. She couldn’t risk putting t
he boots on and someone hearing her leave.
The crumbling castle was quiet. Even the cook had not stirred yet--a fact Robin was very proud of actually. The woman had almost caught her last time. She had made a note to wake earlier in order to avoid the cook and so far it was paying off.
Robin tiptoed to the back of the western tower. She pressed her ear to the door and waited.
It was silent, but she had to be certain. Moving slower than she thought possible, Robin pulled the door open and looked outside.
There weren’t any guards. They must have been switching positions around the clearing.
Perfect timing, Robin.
She stuffed her feet into the boots and started outside, making sure to shut the door quietly. Another quick look around and she was off. She reached down to pull up her dress, before remembering she was wearing a tunic and pants.
A smile tugged at her lips. Without hesitation, she ran full-speed, pumping her arms and legs with all she had. Her breath came out in fog in front of her and Robin’s chest burned like an evening hearth as she moved deeper into the trees.
This was her time.
She stretched her long legs, enjoying how easily she could move in her new attire.
Dresses may be pretty, but pants are quite useful.
When she reached the crest of the hill, Robin’s run slowed to a jog then a walk. She slumped to the ground, landing on her back, and gazed up into the early morning sky. It was a murky, cloudless gray. Always a sure sign of a harsh winter.
She tilted her head back.
The gray was endless and empty. The only intrusion to her vision were tree branches. Their leaves were falling; a few were bare already and in the place of leaves, Robin was left to stare at the thin, ragged branches.
The wind blew and, for a moment, it looked like the branches had stretched, further blocking her view of the sky.
A tension wrapped around her heart. Her mind went back to the feeling of bark covering her, merging her into the tree. The slow creak that engulfed her.
She had been a prisoner. She had been without the sky for ten years but there, on the hill and alone, that’s all there was.
An endless expanse of sky.
And it was hers.
Robin pressed the bracelet to her chest and closed her eyes.
The Woman In the Tree Page 20
