Page 70 of Far From Sherwood Forest
I round on Robin, glaring, ready to maybe punch him too for scolding me. “Really? You think he didn’t deserve that? He fucking betrayed you, Robin!”
So, apparently, I’m more angry about that than the fact he’s the reason Marian is dead.
How fucked is that?
How fucked does that makeme?
Clearly, pretty damn fucked over Robin Hood. Who’s obviously in a state of shock considering he’s gone quiet.
“I saw him that day from one of the tower windows,” I tell him since Will is currently incapable of speaking, his hands cupping his nose, blood seeping through his fingers and dripping to the ground. At least the other men aren’t attempting to comfort him. “He was leading Marian around one of the buildings. He checked around the corner, and hesawthe guards and the archers there. That’s why he motioned for her to go ahead of him. The fucking coward!”
“I’m s-sorry,” Will sobs, voice muffled by his hands.
“Fuck you!” I snap back.
Robin ignores his cousin and asks me, “Why haven’t you said anything? Why didn’t you tell me what you saw?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?!I’mthe one on trial here?”
He sighs and shakes his head. The frown on his face is so deep, and I can tell he has no idea what to think or how to feel right now.
“Of course not. I just…I’m sorry. I don’t understand any of this.”
I take pity on him when I notice he hasn’t looked at or spoken to Will since the truth came out. Robin can often be a bleeding fucking heart, and I imagine his is currently breaking after finding out his own cousin betrayed him.
“By the time I got down there, he was gone,” I say. “When I saw Marian…dead…nothing else mattered, I guess. I never figured out who it was, so it didn’t seem important. Now, of course, it does.” Turning to Will, I scowl, my jaw clenching until the pressure turns painful. “How could you do that to your own fucking kin?”
Will finally drops his hands, revealing the bottom half of his face completely painted red. His nose is crooked, most likely broken.
“It was a mistake,” he slurs, his voice nasal and wet from the blood probably dripping down the back of his throat. “I didn’t know they were going to kill her. I was told they were only going to arrest her.”
NowRobin moves, reacting how he should’ve reacted before—though, I can’t blame him for needing a minute to process. He fists the front of Will’s tunic like I had done and gets in his face. When he speaks, his voice is deeper and his tone angrier than I think I’ve ever heard it.
“Told by who?”
Will swallows. “The prince.”
“What the fuck, Will?!” Robin shouts as he shoves him back.
“I’m so sorry, Robin.” He sniffs as tears start to fall. “It was the worst mistake of my life.”
“No fucking shit.” Robin’s breaths come quick and heavy as he turns to look at the others. “Did any of you know about this?”
John and the other two shake their heads but say nothing.
“Please,” Will begs. “Let me explain. I—”
Robin shoots his hand up in the air, silencing him. “I can’t fucking hear it right now.” He takes one last look at Will, shakes his head with rage and disappointment and heartache, and turns away to head toward the bunkhouse. “Everybody leave me the fuck alone.”
I move forward, about to barge my way past his Merry Men to get to him. “Robin—”
He stops and glares at me over his shoulder, halting me in my tracks. “I said everybody.”
I think that’s the first time Robin has actually refused to speak to me, the first time he’s sent me away instead of trying to get me to stay. The one time I think Iwouldstay. I try to keep the hurt off my face, but I’m not sure how successful I am as I watch him walk away.
When the silence between those of us he left behind becomes too much, I turn to look at John. I’m not sure why, but he seems to know.
“I’ll take care of him.”
