Chapter Five of What Lay Beyond the Woods
I’m FINALLY getting back to Robyn Hood’s story!!!!!! *dances* THANK YOU to all of you who always read these chapters and tell me your thoughts in the comments!!!! It means a LOT!!!! *gives you all chocolate* Anyway, I know we’ve all been waiting for the next chapter so let’s go ahead and dive on in. 😉
CHAPTER FIVE
We had walked for miles. My feet were blistered and sore. Two days of travel had passed, and I felt no less ready to face what was around the next bend in my journey. The scariest thing was that I couldn’t foresee what lay beyond the boundaries of Sherwood Forest. With Calvin Taylor in pursuit, a map no one I knew could read, and me and Little John who were sadly the worst excuse for a hero, this mission was hopeless. I should’ve never left Sherwood. Did I really think there was any chance of stopping people who were nothing more than a name to me? The faces could be any weary traveler passing us.
My heart pounded. This time I had no clue who I was up against. Beside me, Little John wiped his brow and warily glanced as a peasant strolled by us, whistling. We both thought the same thing: outside of Sherwood, we had no friends. Everyone was a potential threat.
“How close to the border do you think we are?” I asked my right hand man.
He watched the sun and closed his eyes. “Probably a few more days’ travel.”
I kicked the ground. This was moving too slow! “We need horses.”
“Not to mention water and food.”
Did Little John have to voice another worry? My stomach growled at the reminder that it had been empty for the past day. Why was it such a whiner?
We continued our journey in silence. We lacked the energy to talk, and it was better to stay quiet. I needed to think and formulate a plan of what to do once we reached this other kingdom. I knew next to nothing about the people and what was the best way to convince one to read the map for us. Did they value gold or food? I sighed.
Eventually as evening pressed closer, Little John suggested we should break and find a stream for water. I agreed and we steered our path into the surrounding woods. I took in a deep breath, the smells of woodland life flooding my nostrils. But this place didn’t remind me of home.
Little John cupped a hand around his ear. I strained to listen and heard the soft flowing of water from a stream. Little John’s face lit up, and I couldn’t help but share in his joy. We dashed forward like we were in a merry race. I laughed as low tree branches slapped me. Little John made it to the river first but I wasn’t far behind. I knelt at the edge gulping as much water as I could hold.
It refreshed my parched throat. I could’ve stayed here for hours, enjoying the cool shade from the trees and the peacefulness of the forest. I closed my eyes.
But then I heard the crushing of leaves and knew I had been discovered. I flew my eyes open and jumped to my feet. My hand already reached for my bow. Little John rushed to his feet and drew his sword free of its scabbard. My pulse quickened, and my fingers itched to string my bow and grab an arrow.
The sound grew closer and louder. It sounded like there were at least two men coming our way, maybe more. If it was Calvin’s men then it was safe to assume there were definitely more. I strung up my bow. I wasn’t letting Calvin get me again. I might’ve not been a hero, but I was still the boldest outlaw England had ever seen.
As the men reached the clearing, I drew back the arrow in my bow. Its point landed in the direction of the first man. I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw who the two men were.
“Scarlet,” I laughed, “what’re you doing here?” My nephew’s eyes were wide and wild causing my heart to skip a beat. Will Stutely stood beside Scarlet, his face looked pale.
Little John tensed behind me. Something was wrong. Part of me didn’t want to know what now would hinder my mission. Couldn’t the world leave me alone for at least a couple of days? I was weary from my long walk and meeting with Calvin. I desired to rest in the shade of Sherwood Forest. Why did I take this task of stopping the assisnation plan upon me? Why hadn’t I listened to Little John?
This wasn’t about the king or England. I wasn’t doing this for the poor or my men. For the first time, I did this for me. The tales the rich men of this land told around their table was of a ruthless, cunning thief. They didn’t see a girl who had her own desires and thoughts. They knew nothing of me truly, and it was time they all saw who I was. It was time they told of Robyn Hood who had saved merry England.
“We rushed to find you as soon as we’d heard the news,” Stutely explained. “We’d asked if anyone had seen….”
“What’s the news?” I quickly asked. I wasn’t in the mood to learn how they found us because then I’d have to face the face that if my men found me then Calvin Taylor could too.
Scarlet stepped forward. “The Sheriff of Nottingham….”
“The old one,” Stutely rushed to add.
I raised an eyebrow, hoping they’d hurry and get to the point.
“He’s made an agreement with Guy of Gisborne.”
It felt like my body went numb and cold. Anything that involved Guy of Gisborne couldn’t be good. What did my former rival want with him?
“What agreement?” Little John asked.
Scarlet wouldn’t look me in the eye. “An agreement that if he accomplishes his part, he is to be redeemed from his law breaking deeds and also be given a hundred score of gold.”
“What is it, Scarlet?” I could hear the aggravation in Little John’s voice but truth was, I knew I didn’t want the news. It was easier pretending all was well.
“To kill Robyn Hood.”
Fear wanted to choke me, but I didn’t let my men see it. Guy of Gisborne was ruthless and deadly. I didn’t have the skill or strength to overtake him if we got in a fight, and I was certain he would be able to see through any of my clever moves. I couldn’t run or hide from this, but at the same time, if I faced it, Guy of Gisborne would accomplish his task. I’d be dead before I had the chance to lift my bow.
My heart pounded so hard I couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation. I walked a few paces away, trying to remember how to breathe. My hands shook but I stilled them. I was so lost on what to do. How much time did I have until Guy of Gisborne found me? Or Calvin’s men? Which was worse? My bow was still in my hand but somehow I had lost the arrow. I had probably dropped it when Scarlet told me his news. I grabbed another arrow from the quiver and drew back. It struck a tree, but that wasn’t enough. I let another arrow fly and another.
Maybe that was my way to reassure me I had something Guy of Gisborne did, or maybe it calmed me in a strange way. Maybe it just felt good to do something instead of sit around, awaiting my death. I drew another arrow back and released it.
Little John was beside me then. I wanted to crumble, but I couldn’t let anyone see it. How did my men see a leader in me? I slumped to the ground. Little John didn’t say anything for a while. Scarlet and Stutely were somewhere behind, waiting for their next orders.
“We have to keep going, Robyn.”
“I know,” I said. “How much time until I’m found?”
Little John shrugged. “Probably not long enough. But when the time comes, I will fight this outlaw myself with my own two hands if I have to.”
“I can fight my own battles,” I remarked.
“But I will not let anyone kill you. They must get through me first.”
The thought of losing Little John hurt me more than I let him believe. Something was wrong with that. My emotions were too confusing around him. And in that moment, I feared them more. They had more power to destroy me than anything else.
22 Comments
Gemma
OH MY…….. WOW….. THIS IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GENIUS!!!!!!!!! PERFECTION!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!! This chapter is amazing! Thank you for sharing this 😀 this is genius! That’s all I can really say. Great job Issabelle!!!!! I LOVE it so much! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Issabelle
AAAAHHHH, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH, GEMMA!!!!!!!!!!!! I was soooo hoping you’d like it!!! 🙂 OH MY GOODNESS, GIRL, you’re just TOO SWEET!!!!! I don’t know what to say! THANK YOU A HUNDRED MILLION TIMES OVER!!!!!! 😊 Aww, girl, you’re welcome! THANK YOU for reading and commenting!!!! It makes me soooo happy to know when someone’s enjoyed my story. 🙂 I know I keep on saying this but THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!! You’re THE BEST!!!! 😃 You’re sooo very welcome! THANK YOU for this comment!!!! It’s just made me soooo very happy!!
Gemma
You’re leaving us on the edge of our seats.
Issabelle
LOL!!! Aaaah, IKR!!! What’s gonna happen to Robyn?! *evil laughter heard in the distance*
…
😳
*cough, cough* XD
Anyway, I guess I better get started on the next chapter. 😉
Gemma
Welp! An author’s gotta keep us hooked somehow 😁
Issabelle
LOL, soo true, though!!!!!!!! XD 😆
Ashlyn
Awesome, awesome awesome!! I really liked it. I felt like I connected more with Robyn in this chapter, and therefore I was able to really root for her, and feel her emotions. The story is getting better and better with each chapter! Keep up the good work👍😉 you are doing great at the suspense too!
Oh and the quote-board (oh what do you call it🤦♀️I can’t remember) is fantastic as well!
Issabelle
THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!! 😊 *gasp* REALLY??? WHOOOO!!!!!! That’s AWESOME ’cause I was REALLY trying hard to make Robyn more rootable and connectable and all. XD Sooo YAY!!!! *dances* Aww, you think so? THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Alrighty, I shall try my hardest! 😉 LOL!!! YAY!! Suspense is my absolute FAVORITE thing to write in my stories!!!!!!!!!!! (That’s why they’ve always got so much of it. 😉 )
Aww, again THANK YOU!!!!!! (LOL!!! I literally have no idea what to call them. I keep changing it up between graphics, quote graphic, aesthetics and stuff I don’t remember. XD *facepalm* I need to stick with a name.)
Trixie
Amazing!!!! Loved it!! Woohoo!! Awesome!! So excited that another chapter was written!! So excited to see what happens to Robyn!
Issabelle
THANK YOU, TRIXIE!!!!!! Aww, you’re TOO SWEET!!!! 😊 *dances* YESS!!!! I’m really excited to write the next chapter!!! We’re getting really close to when a FAVORITE character of mine is going to come on the scene!!! I CAN’T WAIT!!!! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!! Much love to you! <33
Trixie
You are so welcome!!! Yes you deserve it!!! Great!! Can’t wait!!
Thank you!! You too <33
Oh and I have a question: What program do you use to type your writing? I was just wondering. 🙂
Issabelle
Aww, girl, you’re TOO SWEET!!!! 😊 THANK YOU!!!!! YAAAAAY!!!! *dances*
You’re welcome!!!! 💕💕
Oooh, good question!!!! I write in Google Docs, but I think most writers use Microsoft Word. I’ve used Word before but it doesn’t seem to like me very well. XD
Victoria
AAAAHHHHHHH, THIS IS AWESOME, ISSABELLE!!!! You just keep throwing more and more plot twists at us, don’t you? XD I can’t wait to find out more about the Guy of Gisborne! Isn’t he in the original Robin Hood stories? I also loved how you gave us a better look into Robyn’s thoughts and feelings! It really helped me connect to her a lot better!!! I’m SO looking forward to Chapter 6 now!!!!! 😀
Issabelle
Aaaaahhhhh, THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH, VICTORIA!!!!!!!!!!!! <33 Hehehe...yeah, I've got a problem with plot twists. I think I go overboard. XD YAY!!!! I just kind of threw this part in last minute, but I'm VERY excited to see where this part goes.... Yeah, that's where I got the idea! I just finished about a week ago The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle and in the last chapter he had showed up and I was like ooooooh, I'm getting an EPIC idea for What Lay Beyond the Woods!!!! YAY!!! THANK YOU!!!! WHOO!!!! I'm sooooo happy to hear!!! <33 YESS!!!!! I'm really looking forward to writing the next chapter. I've got some super awesome ideas I can't wait to get to!! THANKS for reading!!!
Jane
That might have been the best chapter yet!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVED it!!!!!!!!!!! You are sooooooo talented!!!!!!!! And I am COMPLETELY hooked on this story now, and I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t continued writing about Robyn!!!!!!! I’m loving how we don’t really know why Guy or Gisborne frightens Robyn so much!!!! I did notice that when she asks about the news for the first time, you put the word “face” when I think you meant “fact”. Other than that, I will be waiting on the edge of my seat until you write the next chapter!!!!!!!!! <33
Issabelle
Awww, girl, you’re TOO SWEET!!!!!! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <33 Aw, girl, I don't really know how much talent I've got but it means sooooo much to me that you think so!!!! 😊 Really? YESSSSS!!! THAT'S AWESOME!!!!! Hahaha well I'm VERY HAPPY to hear, 'cause I almost stopped working on Robyn Hood. I was starting to wonder if people were really enjoying the story or just saying it. 😉 YAAAAY!!!!!! Yeah, I'm really excited to see where this Guy of Gisborne plot things gonna go. I literally just threw it in last minute. XD LOL!! Yeah, it's probably supposed to be "fact"!! THANKS for pointing that out!!!!!!!!! <33 YAAAAAY!!!! I'm sooooo happy to hear, 'cause I REALLY wanna work more with Robyn's story!! Especially 'cause she's getting really mad that I've been working a lot with Keenum and not her. XD <333 THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH, JANE!!!!!!!!! *hugs*
Ribbon Ash
(sorry it took so long to comment. I read this two days ago, but then I reread it today to see if I have any feedback for you.)
This chapter is amazing!!! I love it a lot.
The only thing I would want of is little pieces of her backstory, her past. I still have no idea where she came from to get to this point. Though if you are pulling a False Prince sort of thing, then this comment doesn’t matter much. But I still would like to see a bit of reward in the coming chapters that after reading a bunch of them it is worth it because I am slowly learning more about who this character was. I know who she is, and this chapter is really engaging with her voice, but it kinda of lacks reward other than this guy of Gisborne, which feels like it is separate from the other glimpses of her past. I got more questions than answers. Actually I only got questions because there are no answers at present. This feedback isn’t for this chapter but future chapters since it is the only fifth. Also she has a nephew? Love to know details about this character.
Issabelle
(That’s okay!! I know all of us have been sooooo crazy busy. I’m actually thinking about changing my posting on Robyn Hood to do a new chapter the first of every month, at least until school’s done for me. I’ve been getting reallyyyyy behind.)
Aww, THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!! YAAAY!!!! *pumps fist in the air*
Aaah, yeah, that’s a good idea. No, I wasn’t planning on pulling a whole False Prince sorta thing, but she’s someone who doesn’t like talking or thinking about her past. But I LOOOOVE this idea and will totally try to get some glimpses of her past into the story!!!!! Aaah, yeah, I see. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH for this feedback!!!!!!!!!!!! <333 Haha, yeah, she does. I sorta keep forgetting that since not everyone's gonna know the original Robin Hood stories, I need to mention things like Scarlet being her nephew and stuff before now. 😉 THANK YOU AGAIN SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joy Caroline
I was finally able to read this! *virtual fist-pump* And let me just say wow! This was by far my favorite chapter because we get a lot more inner conflict. I am more endeared to Robyn now because I see she really does care for those she loves, she’s not just a hardened warrior all the time. And the introduction of her nephew was sooo interesting!
The only thing I would suggest is slipping in pieces of Robyn’s backstory more often. Of course, not an info-dump because those aren’t good, lol. But it would be nice to hear more about her past and what lurks deep, deep behind her motivation for her actions.
All in all, though, this was great! I am looking forward to reading more.
Issabelle
YEAAAAA!!!!!! *also fist-pumping* Aww, THANK YOU, girl!!!!!! It’s definitely one of my favs too!!!!!! YAAAAY!!! I’m just sooooo happy to hear this!!!!! 🙂 YES!!! It was also really fun for me to write this because I’m actually understanding Robyn a bit more!! Haha, yeah, I need to mention that Scarlet is her nephew before now. I sorta forget not everyone knows about the stories. 😉
Aaaah, that’s a GREAT suggestion!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!! <33 I'll try to remember that when I'm working on the next chapters!!!!!!
YAAY!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!! WOOHOOO!!!!!!!!
Anna
I LOOOOOOOVE this chapter!!!!! Your writing is really good! Have any of your stories been published? I would love to read more of What Lay Beyond The Woods, and your other stories! I hope you continue to write this, and your other stories. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, and pleeeeease keep posting new chapters.
Issabelle
Awww, Anna, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!! That just means a LOT to me!!!! <33 😊 I actually have a short story that is going to be published in Owl Hollow Press's all-teen anthology, Change the World, tomorrow. I've been suuuuper excited about that! Girl, you just don't know how much that means to me that you love and want to read my stories. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well to be honest, I was gonna stop on Robyn Hood, but I think I might continue with it if you really love reading it!!! You're welcome! THANK YOU SOO MUCH for reading!!!!!!!!!!!! Aww, well, I'll keep on posting chapters for you, girl!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!