Running Errands -open-

[Rose Barns]

Anne walked down the road to Nottingham, her sturdy leather boots kicking up dust. Her mother had sent her on an errand to collect some items from a family friend and claimed the walk was too far for her old legs. Anne had secretly laughed at that as her mother wasn't old, nor was she unfit to travel a rather short distance. She imagined that Robin Hood and his men would have to travel much further distances than this one.

Still, Anne was sent like a good daughter to retrieve the items. She had on a light blue blouse and her average brown skirt that she wore generally. Her long blond hair fell around her face in large curls, shining as she had washed it just the day before. Her cheeks were flush from the walk and her face glowed from the sunlight. It was rather a pretty day, clear blue skies and a light breeze.

Anne arrived at Nottingham market in no time and she was planning on taking her time getting back. There were people walking around, doing their business as the children were playing in the mud. It was a common game to play Robin and the Sheriff, and they always had Robin win. She smiled as she walked by the children and they looked up at her with impish grins.

[jakeplatt]

"Emma, get out of the mud!" Jake yelled at his younger sister, who'd just started up a game of Robin and Sheriff with some kids in the market place. She scowled at him and stepped pointedly away from the large puddle she's been about to dive into.

"look, just be back here in half an hour. And don’t get your new dress dirty!" he yelled after her as she careered of around a corner with her new friends, laughing and screaming as they went. a year ago it had been a rare to see the market place so busy, what with the heavy taxes the Sheriff had been putting on them. But since Robin Hood had come back, things had started to pick up again, and now they managed an almost normal market day every week.

Jake smiled to himself at the thought of Robin Hood. The man was an inspiration to them all. Not fighting for the Sheriff, not fighting for the King - one day Jake would be like that, if only he could get the damn bow to-

"Oof!"

Jake had been so focused on his own thoughts he'd just walked straight into someone, and that someone was now sprawled on the cobbles.

[Rose Barns]

Anne couldn't resist a small giggle as she watched the kids play. She couldn't help but notice one interaction between a young man her age and a younger girl, who appeared to be his sister. She only slightly recognized him as someone she would occasionally see at the market place, though she didn't normally pay attention to the other people around her. She would remember the people running the stalls and knew some of them by their first name, but as for the young men who did not live in her village, she rarely remembered them. Most of them ran the chance of being thrown in jail for one stupid thing or another. Mainly stealing or hunting in the forest.

Anne continued to walk, minding her own business when suddenly someone bumped into her and she fell over onto the ground with a loud, "umph." A little dazed, Anne looked up, whatever little sunlight pouring into the place shining bright in her eyes and she couldn't make out who bumped into her. As she tried to get up, Anne felt a little dizzy and she put a hand to her head. As a little girl she hadn't been the most graceful and had experienced a few tumbles, once spraining her ankle, but that was it. Anne then covered her face so she could look up and saw the same young man she had been observing earlier.

[jakeplatt]

It was a girl. A pretty girl. Jake found himself starting to blush. This defiantly wasn’t his field of expertise. Plato, yes; Aristotle, without a moments hesitation - but girls? Not in a million years. It was ridiculous, he was a farm boy, it was meant to be the other way round! Curse his father for giving him an education.

The girl was looking up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun. Oh great, he thought to himself, now she thinks I’m some rude lout who's just going to leave her on the floor. He stretched down an arm to help her up.

"Erm, sorry about that" He mumbled, knowing that he should at least say something. She took his hand. Her grip was surprisingly firm, and not at all what he'd been expecting. He paused momentarily, and she gave him a strange look. Collecting himself he pulled her to her feet.

As she dusted her self down, Jake thrust his hands nervously into his pockets. What did he do now? He'd said sorry, and he'd helped her up and now what? He couldn’t just do nothing!

"I, um, er - yeah.." He started, then shut up again, his eyes trained on the floor and blushing even more furiously than before.

[Rose Barns]

Anne took his hand as he helped her up. She smiled and thanked him quickly, thinking that she could make her escape, as she felt slightly embarrassed for falling over, even if it wasn't her fault. When faced with a good looking, young man, Anne could have the tendencies of being shy, though she was mainly out spoken in her opinions and ideas.

"It's alright," Anne said. "I should have seen you coming," she added, noticing how he seemed uncomfortable. She couldn't imagine why, other than the fact that he had caused her to fall down. She couldn't help giving him a huge grin as he fumbled for something to say. Anne suddenly realized that if she wanted to continue talking to him, and she did, then she might have to make the first move.

"I'm Anne," she said, holding out a hand to shake his.

[jakeplatt]

"It's alright, I should have seen you coming"

Jake looked up at that. She'd spoken to him. Well that made things easier. Ish. He still felt about as comfortable as a chicken in a butter churn. She was grinning at him, though, which helped slightly. He attempted to smile back, but he knew it probably looked more like a grimace. He'd really have to work on this, although that'd have to wait til after he perfected shooting. Some things just had to take a back bench when there were bastards like the sheriff around.

"I'm Anne" She said, stretching her arm out towards his. That brought him back to reality.

"Jake" He said, eventually, taking her hand in his, for the second time in the space of a few minutes. There was that firm grip again, but Jake was expecting it this time. He squeezed her hand perhaps a little to much, and took his hand back as if burnt "oh, er, sorry. Again"

[Rose Barns]

"Nice to meet you Jake," Anne said. She found his grip to be firm, and a firm grip always was good in a person. She could trust a person with a firm grip. She could imagine that the Sheriff had a weak grip, or even better, wouldn't shake anyone's hand. There was a small awkward pause as Anne tried to think of something else to say. He really did seem shy, or maybe he didn't want to talk to her. Anne didn't know. She could feel her heart pounding a little faster like a small nervous rush that she would get when having to perform in front of her family's friends.

"Which village are you from?" Anne finally asked as she tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. Her hair had gotten a little messy when she fell over and she had to move it out of her face. Her brown skirt was a little muddier, but she didn't notice as she was only looking at Jake at the moment. There was something pleasant about his look and the way he didn't know what to say.

[jakeplatt]

"Nettlestone" He replied, after swallowing nervously. Well, this wasn't going as badly as it could have. She seemed not to notice what a right royal prat he was making out of himself, which was probably a blessing. Although when she realised he wasn't really as calm and collected as she might think he was thing would probably go tits up.

Heh, who was he kidding. Calm and collected? He wouldn’t fool a one eyed badger. God, he really needed to stop this introspection and actually talk to the girl. Anne. That’s what she'd said her name was, wasn’t it? Brilliant, now he was going to call her by the wrong name and look even more stupid than he did already.

"Er, you?" He managed to ask, avoiding putting her name into the sentence. Perhaps if he bluffed for long enough someone would say her name and he wouldn’t have to ask. He scratched the back of his neck nervously. Where was Emma when you needed her?

[Rose Barns]

"Locksley," Anne said, suddenly wishing that she hadn't asked the question. Generally when she mentioned her village, then people would ask if she knew Robin, or what it was like living with Gisborne "ruling over" them. It was always what they would imagine. Repressive and terrible. Anne would rather marry someone from another village just to escape, but she couldn't leave her family behind.

And of course Anne would rather marry for love. It was simple as that. Her parents had, and they were happy, or were happy in the old days when things were better. Anne had never been in love so she didn't know how it felt, or when she would know if she were, but she knew that he would probably be young and nice, and preferably a lord. The last was only a joke as she didn't quite like the nobles she knew, other than Robin Hood and Lady Marian.

[jakeplatt]

"Locksley?!" Jake gasped. Suddenly, the tables had turned. Until just two weeks ago he'd been looking after his mother almost every hour of the day, he'd not had the chance to meet someone who might actually know the Robin Hood. And now look! Just by chance, he'd knocked the perfect person to the ground!

Ah. He'd knocked her to the ground. In his excitement he'd almost forgotten that this was the self same girl he's been babbling absolute rubbish at moments before. But he wouldn’t let that stop him! He had a purpose, and he wouldn’t let anything get in his way!

"So" He asked eagerly, his eyes ablaze "Do you know Robin Hood?"

[Rose Barns]

It seemed like Anne had said the right thing as suddenly Jake became animated. "I do know Robin Hood, but he may not remember me, though he knows my family," she said, moving closer to him so that no one would over hear her. It wasn't good to broadcast that you knew a well known outlaw who is the most wanted by the Sheriff and even the Prince.

"I take it he's your hero?" she asked, her own eyes sparkling. Anne admired Robin Hood and immediately liked anyone who agreed with what he was doing, but then how many peasants wouldn't? Robin was helping them, but some of them were resentful. Anne looked down at her hands before looking back up at Jake, trying to figure him out. It was quite difficult as he didn't show much at the moment, though she was slowly gathering little tidbits.

[jakeplatt]

"Yeah!" Jake breathed, stepping closer to hopefully-Anne. What amazing luck! She seemed almost as amazed by Robin as he was - her eyes were as bright as his, he noticed, and they were blue. He had to fight to keep his voice in check, whispering just didnt seem apropriate for such a momentus occasion as this.

"God, he's amazing, he's just - wow. Fantastic."Jake was in full swing by now, it'd take a case full of black poweder to shut him up now. Talking about Robin, he was in his element. He may not know what to do when he accidentally knocked pretty girls to the floor, but in his convictions he was stronger than anyone he knew. "Actually, sometime's I-" He stopped himself, just in time. He couldnt tell her about his bow and his practicing -God he'd only just met her.

[OOC - I'm off to bed ^^;; Hope I've been doing okay so far. Until tomorrow!]

[Rose Barns]

Anne suppressed a smile as Jake took a step forward. She had never been so close nor talked so intimately with a handsome young man before, and Anne was after all a silly, young girl who talked about boys with her friends and watched the young men in her village work under the yellow sun. "He is, and all for being brave and having the guts to stand up to injustice, but think of the sacrifice. Could you leave the one you love to fight for others who mean no where as much as the person does?" Anne asked, looking straight into his eyes.

Anne had wondered about the sacrifices she might have to make, or could make to make a difference, or try to. Could she leave her parents to find ways of fighting for the people? Of course she wasn't thinking about joining the outlaws, but there must be other ways of helping. Spying for Robin or poisoning the Sheriff. "You sometimes what?" she asked, noticing him stop mid sentence.

[you're doing great!]

[jakeplatt]

Jake mentally cursed himself. Emma was always telling him he needed to be careful about what he said - sometimes he'd tell her exactly what he was thinking with not even the slightest thought about the consequence. And now look, he'd as good as told some absolute stranger about his practicing. A very pretty stranger, though, a sly voice in his head pointed out. He told it to shut up.

Nevertheless, there was something different about Anne [if he'd remembered her name right], something he instinctively felt he could trust. She was so open in her talk of Robin Hood, his hero, even though the Sheriff had as good as declared it treason to even mention his name. Still, he couldn't just tell her. No one knew, not yet, and he didn't know her.

God! Who'd have thought talking to girls would be such hard work!

"So, er, what're you doing in the market?" he asked, realising it was a fairly banal question but hoping she'd let the subject of his sudden stop mid-sentence drop.

[OOC - sorry it took me so long to reply, had a hidiously busy day yesterday ^^;;]

[Rose Barns]

Anne noticed that Jake changed the subject, and guessed what he was about to say was probably an embarrassing thing, or a secret. Either way, she didn't mind. "I'm running an errand for my mother," she said. It was easier than she thought, talking to cute guy, though she hoped he didn't notice how she was staring at him. But then she had to stare to be polite while talking, if that made any sense at all. Anne remembered the list in her pocket. She could read and write, but that was because her father had demanded that she did when she was little and Robin Hood's father was lord of Locksley. Some people might have found it odd that she could read and write, but she was glad for the freedom it gave her.

"And you?" she asked back. It was a market place and generally people went there to buy something, or sell, but since the change in Sheriff's, market day hadn't been as bustling. Still, it had improved since Robin Hood came back. Now it seemed like it was impossible to talk about anything without bringing up Robin Hood, but it made sense. He helped in so many ways.

[If you had replied, I probably wouldn't have been able to as my day was equally busy.]