As a big fan of robin hood i like to dabble in writing a little fan fiction. here is a short chapter. If you'd like to comment you are more than welcome!
I know its not very long.
The Cart lunged forward as it sank deep into the thick mud. The two men on Robin’s left stood up almost instantly as they had been asked the last four times to push.
“Sit down lads.”
Robin recognised the voice almost immediately.
“Let his majesty have a go.”
The mocking tone was almost too much to bear. Already he was wishing he had waited for Marian to return home so he could say good bye.
“Afraid to get your hands dirty my lord?”
The two men who had stood up glanced down at Robin.
“He’s never going to be able to push it alone Sir James.”
Robin stood up, pulled back his sleeves and jumped into the knee high mud.
There was laughter from behind him on the Cart but Robin walked right to the front to the horse. It snorted in his face and then let out a long whinny. Robin stoked its head and looked deep into the animal’s eyes. Just like him it was longing for warmth. Then Robin walked round the cart and examined all the wheels.
His hand met a gap on the bottom of one of the wheels and pulling himself back onto the cart he picked up his broad sword. There were two other sloshes as she leapt back into the mud.
“You two get back on here now! That’s an order!” Sir James of Winchester yelled.
Robin fixed his sword in the gap made by the missing spoke and then called for the driver to urge the horse forward and pushed.
There was yet more laughter as the moving cart left Robin face down in the mud.
Struggling up, caked in mud Robin sighed. This was going to be a long trip.
Walking back up to the cart Sir James of Winchester held out his hand.
Wiping it clean of all the mud he could Robin took it and was hauled up back onto the cart.
“You did better than I though you would Master Robin. Clearly all of your childish exploits have paid off in some way.”
He turned his back on Robin before he could think of anything to reply.
“Don’t take it to heart.” A voice said as Robin sank back down onto the cart.
“He does this to every person born to some title.”
The voices owner passed Robin a length of material to wipe his face with.
“Wessex, Sussex and Dorset all had the same treatment.”
Robin looked up.
“Sir Chase is fighting?”
“Sent home last week.”
“Dead.”
It was only then that Robin realized that there was two men not one talking. Both casually finishing each others sentences and statements as if one.
“Chase is dead?” Robin asked.
“Came home with the second wave.” The first said taking a seat to Robin’s right.
“Arrow in the back.” The other said sitting on Robins left.
“Punctured his lung.”
“Didn’t see it coming.”
Both paused before both adding.
“Poor thing.”
Both got up nearly in time then sank back down as the cart swayed once again into a heavy stop. Robin rose to his feet and leapt off walking up to the horse and gently coaxing it forward the cart began to move. As soon as it was free of the mud
Robin turned to Winchester.
“The horse needs to rest.”
It had been many hours since the small cart and the others following it had started travelling through the day. Day had turned to night several times already.
“Who are you to make such judgment?”
Winchester drew his sword.
“Get back on this cart or I will proclaim you a traitor to your King.”
Robin didn’t move.
“The horse needs to rest.”
Jumping down Winchester walked right up to him.
Robin didn’t move.
“You picked the poorest of the bunch he is going lame in his back leg and the shoe on his left foreleg is loose. If you continue to work the animal any more he will be fit for nothing days before we even get to the shore.”
Winchester turned to the cart.
“The young boy here claims we’re hurting the horse…”
He turned back to Robin with a glint in his eye.
“How’s about we relieve the burden this poor beast has to carry and walk some of the way?”
The carts occupants were already disembarking.
“And since the boy here is worried for the poor beast…” he announced to the cart before turning.
“You won’t mind pulling the cart instead will you?”
For seven, heavy, mainly up hill miles Robin pulled the cart with Winchester sitting at the driver’s seat. Until finally he called him to stop.
“I can keep going…” Robin breathed.
“No need.” Winchester said putting his arm around him.
“Your bed for the night awaits.” He motioned to a small camp.
“I'm impressed Loxley.” He said lifting up the horse’s reigns. “I'm very impressed.”
He smiled and pushed him over towards the camp.
“Get some rest otherwise you’ll end up like the horse.”
