The Founders Four

Stand And Deliver!

The fading summer sun was hanging lower than usual over Sherwood forest, a sure sign that autumn was not far away. Its pearly light cast long, half-hearted shadows through the trees, dappling the forest floor with an amber glow. Small breezes kept scuttling through the leaves upon the trees, causing them to rustle noisily one after the other as the wind disturbed them; if you listened hard enough it even began to sound like distant applause.

There was a main road that ran through the forest, a few miles from the heart of Nottingham. It was very exposed because the trees of the forest overlooked from steep embankments on either side. Robin Hood knew that most were reluctant to travel along here now, for fear of being robbed, even though that kind of thing had stopped long ago where Robin was concerned. At this present point in time the road was deserted, not a single being moving in either direction.

Robin was perched uncomfortably in one of the larger trees, staring down at the road with unblinking eyes, like a bird of prey seeking out its next meal. He and his men had awoken Godric and Helga at dawn so that they didn't miss Salazar, should he decide to leave earlier in the day. They concealed themselves behind a thick section of undergrowth, occasionally catching glimpses of John and a few more of Robin's men on the other side of the road.

"Is that really necessary?" Helga hissed.

She was referring to the bow that Robin had brought with him. Even though there was no sign of anyone yet he clung onto it rather tightly. He had a quiver of arrows strapped to his back too; Godric hoped that this wouldn't turn nasty.

"Don't worry," he murmured, not taking his eyes of the section of road he had in view in the distance. "They're just for effect. I'll use these to scare the coachmen. When it has come to a stop and Salazar comes out to see what the problem is you will both make yourselves know."

This all sounded rather simple but Godric had a feeling that things would become more difficult when the time came.

*

"Well, my daughter!" The king boomed, rocking backwards and forwards on the balls of his feet in a very annoying fashion. "The preparations are complete!"

He'd just led her down the cold castle corridors and into the great hall, which had been decorated for the upcoming masquerade ball. It would take place tomorrow evening, in fact. She couldn't believe how fast the weeks had flown. She was this close to her wedding already. She was numb but forced a smile as she looked around.

Great golden garlands hung from the high ceiling, the wall on one side of the room had been draped in embroidered golden fabric and ugly golden angel statues stood around the room. This was obviously her father's take on good taste but she thought it was really rather vulgar. She just about managed to disguise it, though.

"I hope you're prepared for the ball, daughter," he beamed, looking proudly around the room. "Your dress and whatnot is decided upon I hope?"

"Yes, father," she replied. "It has all been dealt with."

"Good, good!" He chuckled happily. "I hope you've been learning your steps. Edmund will want a capable dance partner as a wife, I'm sure!"

"Yes, father," she said again.

"Unfortunately, your husband-to-be will not be able to join us this eve. He is delayed until tomorrow evening."

Rowena tried not to show her relief. One more day without Edmund was bliss in her opinion. She just dreaded the moment when they'd have to meet again.

*

The sun had risen a little higher above Sherwood forest and it was now noon. The trees rustled every now and then but, aside from this and the gentle scurrying of animals, all was still. Until something strange could be heard in the distance. A rattling...a tapping...a churning...a rustling...

"Look lively, Alan!" Robin snapped, throwing a thick branch at his head.

Alan, who'd been dozing whilst leaning against the tree beneath Robin suddenly jerked awake, his elbow slipping from the branch and causing him to stumble forwards.

"Where?" He demanded sleepily.

"Here it comes, lads!" Robin announced, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. "Make sure you are not seen until the coach is within our range!"

Godric and Helga took heed to this, hastily ducking down behind a large boulder nearby. There was no mistaking the coach as it got closer, the horse's harness rattling loudly as it trotted along the path.

Robin suddenly leapt from his hiding place, landing haphazardly in front of the coach. The horse whinnied in shock and the driver's eyes widened. He reached for his sword but Robin showed that his bow was ready to fire if need be.

"Stand and deliver!" Robin shouted, as the others - along with Godric and Helga - all poured down the embankments at either side, surrounding the coach.

"Thieves!" The driver cried, looking highly affronted. He was obviously trying to hide his fear but wasn't doing too well.

"Actually, no," Godric piped up. "We wish to speak with the man in the coach."

"Gregory, what is going on? Why have we stopped?"

The coach door swung open as a familiar, dark-haired man looked out to see what was going on.

"Oh, don't even think it, my good Sir!" He said sarcastically, unsheathing his sword the moment he saw Robin. "I know who you are and you should know I will not let you rob me!"

"Oh, put it away!" He retorted, shaking his head in amusement.

"We're not here to rob you," Helga said.

"A young woman in these parts? I suppose she's been forced to live out here. Get her outlawed, did you?" He demanded, still maintaining a tight grip on the sword.

"You don't remember us then?" She asked, smiling in amusement.

Salazar paused for a moment as he took the time to consider her properly. He stared with narrowed eyes, as though trying hard to remember. His eyes suddenly widened with comprehension but he still looked disbelieving.

"Helga...?" He said slowly. "It can't be, you're - "

"Dead?" Godric laughed, stepping forwards. "She looks real enough to me."

Salazar now turned to face him, looking even more shocked. He just stared, taking in his entire appearance.

"This man cannot be the weed of a boy I used to know as Godric, can it?" He joked.

"Who are you calling a weed, my good Sir!" He mocked, laughing along with him.

"But I thought..."

"It would take more than a fire to stop us!" Helga pointed out, beaming widely at him.

He took them both by surprise as he stepped forwards and pulled them both into a tight hug, letting go almost immediately to stare at them again, as though he thought he was dreaming.

"Friends of yours, Sir?" The coach driver asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, old friends," he smiled. "I have so much I could ask you," he began.

"There's not much time for that now," Godric explained hastily. "I hear you're going to London?" He nodded, looking slightly confused. "Good. I hope you don't mind if we join you."

"Join me?" He asked, looking surprised. "But I'm going to the king's castle."

"I know."

"If he knows you're still alive then - "

"The king will not find out," Godric assured him. "But I very much need your help. Come on, I'll explain on the way," he said, jumping into the open coach with Helga following close behind.

"John, Alan, you're with me. The rest of you - stay here!" Robin said quickly, jumping aboard the coach and sitting next to the driver.

They were soon trundling along the main road to London, whilst Godric explained everything they were planning to do to Salazar.


"Godric," he said seriously, after the explaining had ended and the time for worry and panic was upon them. "I know you had strong feeling for Rowena - "

"He still has them!" Helga pointed out indignantly.

"That may be so but...well, how do you know she is not happy?"

Salazar knew all too well that she was perfectly miserable but wanted to avoid all of his friends getting involved in lives they didn't want.

"Surely you don't believe that she is!" Helga laughed.

"I have to speak to her," Godric said defiantly. "I don't care if I'm caught, if she doesn't want me...I have to see her!"

"I would love to help you," Salazar began, trailing off and determinedly avoiding eye contact with them both.

"Then what, may I ask, is stopping you?" Helga demanded, looking astonished. "All he needs is your invitation and an inconspicuous disguise," she pointed out. "Besides, it's been years. The king won't even recognise him!"

Salazar stared between them both, their expressions hopeful.

"I have no one else to turn to," Godric said quietly.

Salazar had always considered them friends but never as much as he did at this point. The fact that they were asking him for help in such a perilous situation gave him a warm glow inside. Who was he to let his friends down at a time like this?

"Well, I just hope you have a plan to get out if things go wrong," he smiled.

"That's not very optimistic!" Helga said indignantly.

"Here," Salazar sighed, handing Godric the invitation that he'd kept folded up inside his cloak pocket.

Godric took it with sweaty palms. The prospect of this small piece of paper being his only chance to see Rowena before her wedding was a little frightening. His heart started to race as the fear of her rejecting him hit home. He didn't know if he could bare that.

*

Many hours later Robin climbed haphazardly into the carriage, his cheeks glowing red from the cold winds outside.

"We're approaching the capital," he informed them. "Your driver informs me that you are to stay at an inn near the castle," he said to Salazar. "That should be a good spot. We'll have a good view. We can plan possible escape routes."

"What makes you think we're all going to share one small room?" Salazar demanded, looking rather taken aback.

"It's for a good cause!" Helga pointed out, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

They soon arrived at the inn and, sure enough, it provided a very good view of the castle, which towered high above it upon the hill opposite. It was rather nerve-wracking now that they were in the heart of the city and this close to the king. Godric knew he wouldn't sleep too soundly tonight.

*

The next morning a low-hanging sun was all that the skies brought to lighten the day. This didn't seem like a very good omen. Godric had woken up shortly before the sun had even began to rise. Needless to say, he hadn't slept well. Robin, John and Alan had slept by the window, taking it in turns to keep watch. The fear was that someone knew Godric and Helga were here. It wasn't likely but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Don't worry," Helga said quietly, moving over to a tired Godric, who'd been standing near the open window, in the hope that the breeze would keep him awake. "I'm sure, if we disguise you well enough, no one will be able to tell."

He nodded distractedly but Helga could tell that this wasn't what was playing on his mind.

"Listen," she said cheerfully, in the hope of lightening his mood. "If you're going to this ball then we'd better make sure you look good. Salazar," she said, as he conveniently walked through the door, returning from his breakfast downstairs. "I need silver."

"Excuse me?" He asked, looking rather confused.

"I need money to buy Godric some clothes for this evening."

"Oh, very well," he nodded, handing her some dull silver coins from the inside pocket of his jacket. "But shouldn't Godric choose his own attire, as he'll be wearing it."

"I'm afraid men have no idea when it comes to fashion," she chuckled. "Best leave this to me!"

With that she dashed from the room, leaving Godric and Salazar to exchange amused glances.

A few hours later, and just when they were all starting to get worried, Helga returned with a very luxurious outfit for Godric. She'd managed to acquire a red and black tunic that had finely stitched details all over, black plus fours and a smart pair of shiny black boots.

"A good choice," Salazar nodded, as he examined this attire.

"And this," Helga said, handing Godric the mask he'd wear to cover his eyes.

He stared down at all of this, the sight of it making him realise what he was about to do. It made his nerves tingle but he tried hard to ignore them.

"Well, off you go!" Helga insisted, shoving him behind a small screen at the back off the room that he could change behind. "You don't want to be late."

Godric did so but, for some reason, he did this a lot slower than was necessary. He supposed that his subconscious mind was trying to stall. He was now more worried than ever about what Rowena would say to him. He tried to put these thoughts to the back of his mind and stepped out from behind the screen. Helga and Salazar's expressions immediately told him that he looked the part.

"You look very handsome," Helga smiled, obviously pleased with the choice of clothing she'd made.

"The ball will be starting within the hour," Salazar said. "You'd better get to my coach. If you're going to pass yourself off as me then you'll need to arrive in it."

Godric nodded, his head spinning with many thoughts. He absent-mindedly followed them down through the inn, hoping that the mask he wore would hide most of his appearance. Only his sparkling blue eyes revealed his real identity; Salazar had given him a hat to help with his disguise.

Once outside the inn he climbed aboard Salazar's coach and saw that Robin was in the driving seat, also cleverly disguising his appearance.

"Godric," Helga said quickly, before he closed the coach door. "Give Rowena my love...and be careful!"

"Aren't I always?" He remarked, forcing a smile.

"Just remain inconspicuous," Salazar warned. "And avoid the king."

"I'm not foolish enough to go near him!"

"Good luck then, my fiend," Salazar smiled, shaking his hand and staring meaningfully.

Godric tried to show how grateful he was for his help with just an expression but it probably didn't work too well. He closed the coach door and took a steadying breath as the coach began to roll up the street towards the gates of the castle.

Far sooner than he would have liked, the coach was joining the masses streaming up to the castle doors, where the king's guards greeted them. Godric's heart began to hammer painfully against his ribs at the thought of having to go near them. He tried to calm himself, thinking instead of Rowena.

The coach rolled to a stop a short distance from the entrance, where the shadow of the castle loomed forebodingly over everyone. Godric composed himself and clambered down from the carriage, clasping tightly to Salazar's invitation.

"Good luck," Robin muttered, urging the horse to move onwards.

This now meant that Godric was completely alone and left to stroll up to those front doors, which felt like the longest walk of his life. His heart was now racing so fast that he was sure someone would be able to hear it.

"Evening, Sir," one of the guards said.

Godric smiled weakly in response and handed him the invitation, trying to act as though he had every reason to be here. He glanced around and noticed that all the other guests were of high stature, without even having to be told; it was the way they carried themselves. Godric made a mental note to walk with a little more confidence.

"Lord Slytherin?" The guard demanded, sounding rather surprised.

Godric started to panic as he saw the guards eyes narrowing.

"That's right!" He snapped, thinking fast. He was smart enough to carry off Salazar's English accent.

"Sorry, Sir. I didn't recognise you," he said apologetically. "Must be the mask..."

Godric marched past and glanced back over his shoulder. Robin was standing at the bottom of the hill, concealed by a band of trees. He was obviously there to see that Godric got into the castle safely. The only problem now was to get back out in one piece.