A Tale of Love and Woe (Fanfic)

Chapter 9

The stone cold voice of the Sheriff made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. My skin prickled and it felt like thousands of pins were being stuck in me.

My breathing quickened and I felt my heart pounding. I didn't want to be caught, I couldn't be caught. I could not go back to living like a prisoner.

I considered my options and realized there were no real good ones. One way or another the Sheriff was going to figure out it was me. All I had to do was turn to face him and bam I was done for.

Will seemed to noticed my nervousness and replied to the Sheriff,

"No problem just this woman won't listen to me!"

"I won't listen to you?! How about you don't listen to me!" I shouted back as I watched Gisbourne coming towards us. Craaaapppp.

"My lord Sheriff what is this racket? Should I... " he stopped as his eyes passed over me.

His eyes widened and a smile of pure evil spread across his face.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? The little escape artist herself."

"What?" Will interrupted.

"He doesn't know does he? That you escaped the castle? That probably means he doesn't know why either?" Gisbourne practically cooed into my ear.

"What?" Will asked again as three guards surrounded him.

"Dear me we are in trouble aren't we my dear?" The Sheriff interrupted as he turned me around to face him.

"Look who decided to come back home," He continued.

"Home? What is he talking about?" Will asked as he struggled against the three guards who were now holding him.

"She didn't tell you. She's not like you. She's special. She's a guest and under the protection of the Sheriff," Gisbourne purred.

Will stared at Gisbourne blankly.

"You idiot she's led you all into a trap and you didn't even know it!" The Sheriff shouted gleefully.

"That's a lie!" I defended.

"Oh it's ok dear you can stop pretending now," the Sheriff laughed as he pointed towards where Little John and Much were being dragged by a large group of guards.

"Traitor!" John screamed at me.

"You are a lying coward!" I spat at the Sheriff and pulled out of his grip falling backwards into Gisbourne who instinctively caught me but quickly pinned me to him.

"Let go of me you snake," I hissed as I wiggled to get free but was unable to break Gisbourne's strong grip.

"She's a great actress isn't she?" The Sheriff triumphantly said as the smile on his face began to fade.

"Ok enough fun and games. Lock them all up. Her too."

There was a lot of struggling and shouting as Robin's men and I were dragged down to the dungeon. I took note that Robin wasn't among us. I sighed a breathe of relief as I was forced into a cell with very angry John, Much, Will, and Nasir. Oh boy, I was in for it.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT YOU TRAITOR!" Little John shouted at me as he made his way over to do something to me. I awaited the brute force of John but it didn't come. So I slowly opened my eyes to find Will and Nasir were attempting to quell John's anger.

"Listen, I am not a traitor! I hate what the Sheriff and Gisbourne do just as much as all of you! That's why I ran away in the first place."

"Ran away? Is that why they were chasing you?" Will asked.

Before I could answer Little John cut in.

"Yeah what she and them schemed together. She would play the victim and weasel her way into our camp and get us captured!"

"That's not true. Please hear me out!" I pleaded.

All eyes were focused on me as I explained everything from who I was to finding out that I was the daughter of Prince John.

When I had finished my piece nobody spoke. Then John broke the silence.

"I still don't buy it! The prince has no child!"

"What she says is partially true," Nasir butt in.

Everyone turned to look at Nasir, me included.

"She is the daughter of royalty but not of the one everyone thinks. She's King Richard's daughter. The prince, has only been led to think she's his in order to keep her safe from him. If Richard dies she is next in line for the throne not him. If he knew that he would kill her. For now she's safe because he thinks he's to inherit the throne."

"How do you know all this?" I asked, "We've always grown up with Lord Bellflake!"

"I'm his bastard son. You were brought to us as a baby. He made me swear to never tell you and from that day on you were my half sister and their daughter. Later he explained to me the truth about you, and sent me away to protect me, but also the truth should anything happen to him or Lady Bellflake."

Everyone stayed silent for a while. Then Nasir broke one last piece of information that made my heart sink through the floor of the prison cell.

"And you were promised to Gisbourne and him to you at your birth."

"GISBOURNE?! What?! Are you out of your flaming mind?! Besides he's not a prince!"

"True, but Prince John has no regard for rules or for the law! That's why you're to marry Gisbourne. I imagine wants to ensure the kingdom stays the way he's built it."

Then why doesn't he just go marry Gisbourne" I snapped.

Nobody responded so I decide to ask my next question.

"Does Gisbourne know about this?

"No. And he's not supposed to either until John is king."

"Great, just great," I muttered under my breath as I curled up into a ball and let my tears fall. I had to get out of this damn dungeon again and as far from Nottingham as I could.

As I sank deeper and deeper into despair I felt an arm wrap around me and pull me toward a hard figure. Will had come over to comfort me. I clung to him for dear life and cried my eyes out.

A little embarrassed by my outbreak I pulled away and dried my tears.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be crying."

"It's ok," Will said gently.

That's when we heard a thud and saw the key keeper fall to the floor unconscious.

"Come on hurry," Robin said as he and Friar Tuck unlocked the cell that held us.

Everyone filed out. When it was my turn to leave Robin shut the door before I could.

"I'm sorry Melody, I can't afford to bring you with us. You're too much of a risk. And honestly , I don't know if we can trust you."

I felt tears burn my eyes but pushed them away as I nodded. I watched the others try to protest but Robin told them enough and watched as they all hesitantly snuck out of the dungeon, leaving me to the mercy of the Sheriff and Gisbourne.