CHAMPION (Where Dreams Come True Series)
Copyright © 2016 Marie Higgins
Cover Design by Sheri McGathy
Edition License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
Table of Contents
Copyright Page
DEDICATION
Other published stories from Marie Higgins
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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DEDICATION
I want to dedicate this book to everyone who loves fairy tale stories. I grew up loving them, and when I had children, I raised them the same way. I’m very excited to be working on my own versions of twisted fairy tales. It’s so much fun!
I want to especially thank my daughter, Chrystal. She was a huge help to me when I needed someone to brainstorm with. One of these days, she’s going to be a writer too, I just know it.
I also want to thank Veronica Mesia, Sharon Simmons, @only_me (Wattpad friend), and Mary Ann Carpenter (Wattpad friend) for helping me with edits. I also want to thank my Wattpad friends for their encouragement while I was writing this story.
Other published stories from Marie Higgins
“Dangerously Close” – Romantic Suspense
“Bargaining With a Rogue” – Regency Romance
“Royal Revenge” – Contemporary Romance Short Story
“Finding the Perfect Man” – Romantic Comedy
“Stealing the Duchess” – Regency Romance Suspense
“Secrets and Lies” – Victorian Romance Suspense
“Haunting Secrets” – Victorian Paranormal Romance
“Love Lost in Time” – Victorian Time-Travel / Suspense
“Waiting for You” – Paranormal / Time-travel Romance
“Becoming a Lady” – Regency Romance
“In the Arms of Danger” – Romantic Suspense
“Crazy For You” – Romantic Comedy
“My Heart’s Treasure” – Victorian Romantic Suspense
“Protecting The Heart” – Contemporary Short Story
The Gifted Series (Regency Romance Suspense)
“Madison’s Gift” – book 1
“Katrina’s Sight” – book 2
“Felicia’s Spirits” – book 3 (not out yet)
Your Every Day Hero Series (Romantic Suspense / Romantic Comedy)
“Prince Charming is a Liar” – Romantic Comedy / Suspense
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Altar” – Romantic Suspense / Romantic Comedy
“You Are My Everything” - Romance
Where Dreams Come True Series (fairy tales)
“The Witch Hunt” – Young Adult Fantasy
“Champion” – Robin Hood / time travel
“Her Very Own Godmother” – Modern-day Cinderella, romantic comedy
“Keep on Believing” – Historical Cinderella
“Once Enchanted” – Rapunzel romance
Christian Historical Series
“A Walk in Heaven” – book 1
“Touching Heaven” – book 2
“Reach for Heaven” – book 3
Regency Romance Series – Sons of Worthington
“The Sweetest Kiss” – book 1
“The Sweetest Touch” – book 2
“The Sweetest Love” – book 3
“The Sweetest Secret” – book 4
“The Sweetest Challenge” – book 5
“Sweet Memories” – book 6
Regency Romance Suspense Series – Heroic Rogues
“Pretending You’re Mine” – book 1
“After the Loving” – book 2
“Wonderland by Night” – book 3
“Worth Fighting For” – book 4
Victorian Romance Series
“Love Me Always” – book 1
“Charmed by Knight” – book 2
“True Love’s Deception” – book 3
“Belong To Me” – book 4
“Love Comes Blindly” – book 5
Christmas Stories
“A Thrill of Hope” - Contemporary
“Dreaming of You” – Romantic Comedy
“Love Lost in Time” – Victorian Time-Travel
“Her Own Fairy Godmother” – Romantic Comedy
“Becoming a Lady” – Regency Short Romance
“Worth Fighting For” – Regency Short Romance
“Dangerous Kiss” – Contemporary Short Romance
“Snow Angel” – Contemporary Short Romance
“Mistletoe Magic” – Contemporary Short Romance
When you wish upon a star...
All romance novel photographer Payton Fox really wants is a hero in her life. A man that is dashing and honorable... a man worthy of his own fairy tale! One particularly frustrating evening she casts a fleeting wish upon a shooting star. She doesn’t actually believe anything will happen, but in the blink of an eye the man from her fairy tale wishes—a regular Robin Hood—materializes right before her. He even claims to be the legendary Lord of Loxley, and goes by the name of Archer. Uncertain what to believe, Payton is shocked when this hero rescues her time and again, and she can’t help but be swept off her feet.
Slowly she accepts that this strange and noble man might truly be the fairy tale character of her dreams. Unfortunately, Archer isn’t connecting with the modern-day world and longs to return to his time. She also discovers that if he stays with her, his story will cease to exist.
Can she send him back, knowing he’ll take her heart along with him? Can she deprive the world of his story? How can she do that to those looking for their Champion - the perfect hero?
ONE
England, 1192
A bead of moisture trickled down Archer’s forehead, sliding along his cheek. The mail armor he wore nearly suffocated him on this sultry day. The sun constantly beating down upon him offered no respite. Not even the whisper of a wind blowing through the few trees scattered across the courtyard helped in cooling him.
Sobs echoed through the crowd, and heated murmurs of unfairness joined in. A hanging usually brought out the town folks from miles around. This was what the sheriff wanted—to make everyone aware that when he sent a decree to every town that taxes were to be paid regardless of the circumstances, he expected everyone to follow through.
Or be punished.
Which of course usually meant a hanging was close at hand.
Archer gripped the handle of the sword sheathed to his belt. In his opinion, today’s demonstration was unnecessary. Mr. Gittens didn’t make enough money for his small family to survive, let alone to pay the bloody taxes. But the sheriff pushed and pushed until he got what he wanted. People were frightened of him.
Well, most of them were, anyway.
Gritting his teeth, Archer tightened his fingers around the handle until the steel of his glove dug into his palm. More than anything, he wanted to stop this event from taking place. A part of him wished he was back fighting beside King Richard in the Holy Wars, and yet, Archer’s place was here in Nottingham. These people needed h
im desperately, and he couldn’t let them down.
He swung his gaze to Peter, a childhood friend who had followed Archer to the Holy Wars, and returned with honors. Peter had disguised himself as a beggar for today’s event in hopes that the sheriff wouldn’t notice him. Since their return from the Crusades one month ago, Peter had purposely irritated the sheriff by refusing to pay taxes. When the sheriff had tried to force the issue by sending his men to arrest Peter, he faked his death, making the sheriff believe the soldiers had killed him. Even Peter’s family didn’t know he was alive. They couldn’t or they’d be in danger, as well.
Trumpets blared as the sheriff made his grand entrance into the courtyard, casually stepping down each stone step as though he was taking a leisurely stroll through the flower gardens instead of facilitating a hanging. The self-assured grin on the so-called man of the law’s face grated on Archer’s nerves. After watching this man closely for a month, Archer couldn’t wait until the king returned and dismissed this certain ruthless sheriff from his position.
Archer had tried his best not to upset the sheriff while serving under him, because as the Lord of Loxley, it was required of him to be the sheriff’s puppet or chance losing his lands and title. The people of Loxley wouldn’t be able to deal with life without Archer’s assistance. He always went the extra mile for those well-deserving people, and in his own way, he protected them from the sheriff.
The Sheriff of Nottingham stopped on the middle step, folded his arms across his beefy chest, and bellowed, “Bring out the prisoner.”
From the side of the castle, old Mr. Gittens stumbled out of a door, followed by two of the sheriff’s soldiers, pushing him to hurry when he took small steps. Gittens’ hands were bound securely in front of him, and tears streaked down his dirty face. Watching in horror, his family sobbed into their hands, and voiced their disagreement about the injustice being done.
All of it was a wasted effort because the sheriff didn’t care. Never had. Never would.
The sheriff’s men directed Gittens to a wooden square frame where a hanging noose had already been fastened to a long beam. The old man stood on the stool just underneath as one of the soldiers looped the rope around Gittens’ head.
As Archer watched the family and heard their anguished cries for help, his heart tugged painfully. How he wished he could do something to stop the proceedings.
The Sheriff of Nottingham opened a parchment and cleared his throat. The crowd quieted as the man of the law began to read aloud.
“Let it be heard and known about the lands and realms of Richard, His Majesty, King of England, that on this the 14th day of June in the year of our Lord 1192, Jacob Gittens of Loxley has been tried and found guilty of stealing from the king by not paying his taxes. His sentence is to be hanged from the neck until dead.”
As one of the guards slipped a hood over Mr. Gittens’ head, his wife cried out and fell to her knees, her body shaking. Her grown children—two boys and three daughters—patted their mother’s shoulder, comforting her, the best they could.
Archer swung his gaze to Peter again. His friend stared at him, slowly shaking his head. Archer agreed with Peter, but there was nothing to be done about it. The sheriff controlled everything around here. As much as Archer didn’t approve of the sheriff’s antics, he couldn’t stop the man.
The one thing he’d done to help these poor people out was to sneak into the room where the sheriff kept most of the money he’d taken from the villages, and steal it back—giving it to the suffering people. Archer only took a little at a time, so the sheriff wouldn’t figure out the money was slowly disappearing. He knew he’d get caught one day and would have to pay dearly for it but until that moment came, he would continue to help the people in Loxley and in the neighboring villages.
The longer the drummer rolled out the beat, the more Archer’s palms sweat. His heart hammered along with the drum. Even Peter appeared fidgety. Archer prayed his friend wouldn’t do anything foolish.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed the sheriff nod to the hangman. Archer held his breath. The hangman kicked the stool from underneath Mr. Gittens’ feet. The man dropped until the rope at his neck pulled taut and stopped him. His body jerked around as he tried to resist death.
Screams from the crowd grew louder. Archer wanted to shut his eyes and close off the sounds around him. Instead, he watched Peter. His friend was up to something, he just knew it.
Suddenly, Peter flipped back his cloak and grasped his bow and arrow. In one split second, he’d aimed and shot. The arrow sailed through the air and sliced the rope holding Gittens. The old man fell to the ground. His sons jumped to their father’s aid. Thankfully, the man was still alive. But Archer suspected it wouldn’t be for long.
However, he had other things to worry about now. Peter was now center of attention. This was bad. So very bad.
“Stop him,” the sheriff shouted to his soldiers, pointing at Peter.
Although Archer was adorned in the same mail armor that the other soldiers wore, he wouldn’t be one of them trying to stop Peter. Instead, he took a step backward.
Peter ran and was well ahead of the sheriff’s men, until he stumbled and fell. Instinctively, Archer took two steps to help, but then quickly stopped himself. He gripped the handle of his sword, praying he wouldn’t have to use it on the soldiers.
Peter jumped to his feet again, but he scrambled away with a noticeable limp. He would be no match for the others now. Peter quickly withdrew his sword, and tried fighting off those closing in around him.
Archer’s hopes sank. His friend needed assistance. But now he wasn’t close enough to aid Peter. By the time Archer made it to his side, his friend might be run through with a blade.
Taking a quick glance beside him, he noticed the bow and arrow strapped to another soldier’s arm and back. Without stopping to think about his actions first, he withdrew his sword and using the handle, brought it down hard on the man’s head. When he crumbled to the ground, Archer grasped the bow and arrow. In fluid movements, he added two arrows at once and positioned them before letting them fly in the air. They immediately connected with two of the sheriff’s men, killing them instantly. He slid his sword back in the sheath.
A loud gasp tore through the air. The Sheriff of Nottingham whipped around, piercing his glare at Archer.
“What is the meaning of this, Loxley?”
Archer ignored the man and shot two more arrows toward the soldiers. They hit their targets perfectly, bringing down two more of the sheriff’s men.
“Stop this, I say!” The sheriff lunged toward Archer, but he sidestepped the man, maneuvering quickly around everyone who stood in his way. “Lord Loxley? I command you to stop this instant,” the sheriff shouted.
Once again, Archer let the direct order fall on deaf ears. He had already started something that he shouldn’t have...and stopping would be futile now. He wouldn’t pause until he and Peter were well enough away from the castle and from the sheriff.
Still clutching the bow and arrows, Archer ran to his friend, but the cursed armor weighed him down considerably.
Peter stared at him and shook his head. “What are you doing? Now they know.
I couldn’t allow them to kill my friend.” He tugged on Peter’s arm as they continued to run.
The crowd in the courtyard screamed and darted each way, getting in Archer and Peter’s path. Up ahead of them, Gittens ran with his wife and daughters as his sons shot arrows toward the sheriff’s men. The sheriff’s voice rang louder, issuing commands to capture the fugitives.
Archer couldn’t help but chuckle. He was now considered an outlaw, just like them.
As they zig-zagged through the crowd, he yanked off his head gear. Cooler air finally touched his face, but with him moving so fast, his body was still very heated.
They made it to the castle gates. The extra space gave them the energy to run faster. Unfortunately, the sheriff’s men had retrieved their horses. Archer and Peter
could be no match for that.
“This way,” Peter said as he darted around the side of the castle toward a grove of trees.
When Archer’s movements weren’t as fast because of his gear, Peter stopped and reached for his bow and arrow once again.
“I’ll keep the men away while you remove your armor. We’ll get nowhere with you dressed that way.”
As Archer tried to pull off his mail, Peter shot arrows at the soldiers following. Archer was grateful his friend was extremely skilled with the bow and arrow, just as he had been.
“We cannot outrun them.” Archer breathed heavily. “We shall need horses, as well.
I agree.” He shot another arrow, hitting the target dead-on. “I’ll allow one of them to get closer, and then grab the horse.” He peeked over his shoulder at Archer. “Haven’t you removed the armor yet?
I’ve been sweating. ‘Tis nearly impossible when I’m in a hurry.” Not only that, but the shirt and trouser underneath stuck to him like honey.
The whistle of an arrow sped near Archer’s head. He jerked back, barely missing getting shot. But when he heard Peter’s gasp followed quickly by a groan, Archer swung his attention to his friend. Peter’s expression was one of confusion as he stared at the arrow protruding from his chest.
“No!” Archer’s heart squeezed in pain as he jumped toward his friend.
“Get out of here. Now,” Peter rasped, motioning his hand for Archer to move away. “Run. I’ll keep them off the best I can. Lord of Loxley cannot be caught. Now go!
Peter—” Archer’s throat choked.
“Go, I say,” Peter snapped as he turned and aimed another arrow at the men on horseback.
Tears collected in Archer’s eyes. He grasped his bow and arrows and ran as fast as he could even with the mail armor still wearing him down. The sword swung from around his waist, also made running difficult.
Sadness encased him, and it was hard to breathe. This couldn’t be happening. There was no way he went through all of this just for Peter to die anyway.
He blinked away the tears blocking his vision as he headed for the grove of trees. He was still without a horse, but at least a man on foot could get through the trees faster than a man on horseback.
Champion Page 1
