Roe Returns Home to be a Carpenter (Tag Mira)

[Robert Williams]

Robert Williams, otherwise known as Roe, emerged from Sherwood much worse for wear than he had entered it. That character Allan or Patrick … or whoever he really was had knocked him out and taken his horse. Fortunately, he had left him his swords and in his haste t get away had ran off with the bag of tools. It was a shame about the horse of course; he had served him well in the last couple of years in the Crusades and in his trek back to the west across Europe to get back to his home. He had met a couple of interesting people so far, and if he ever ran across Allan again he would get even. Roe didn’t hold grudges for long, he had found with all the death in the Holy Land, life was to precious and short to waste.

He had heard much of the hard times, but had had no idea until he had talked to Marian, and he person he thought was a man named Allan, even though he had told him his name was Patrick. Roe had trained as an apprentice to a carpenter in Locksley when he had been a teenager, before he had left to fight in the Crusades, where his buildings skills were used to destroy. He was determined that that would not happen again. He had also heard that the carpenter Dan Scarlett had been killed and his wife Jane had starved to death, but there was no knowledge where the younger son was, but the older son was somewhere in Sherwood with Robin Hood’s gang of outlaws he had been told. How could things have gone so wrong. A voice inside his head told him that they might not have if he hadn’t run off to fight in the wars. However, the effective result was that Locksley was short a carpenter and a general handyman.

When Roe had passed through when he arrived, he remembered that Dan’s home and shop were in a sad state, ad they were. He decided that the best tribute to the Scarlett’s would be to renovate those structures and give back Locksley a tradesman that they sorely missed. Speaking of sore, Roe’s head and shoulder still ached from his encounter with thief in the forest, but he knew he would survive. He also knew he was lucky he hadn’t lost his life. Maybe the real reason he had survived the Crusades and the encounter in the forest was to do some good for his old village.

He had once been a nobleman and even a knight in the Holy Land, but all he had ever had was a title. He would now do what he was trained to do, and there was no need for anyone to know anything else. He entered what was left of the main hut, hung his cloak and crusaders garb on the wall, removed his swords and his bow, and began the long process of straightening up and re-building the thatch-roof structure and the small adjoining shop. First, though, he carried out some rotten material from the inside, and began to repair the front door and the fence-row. This required him to cut some new pieces, using some sawhorses out in front of the hut, and then the tedious process of assembling them.“After 15 years I doubt if anyone will remember me anyway. I left a bare-faced 17 –year-old and I return an older bearded carpenter. Hopefully they will accept me for my skills, and I can fit in well here. All I really want is some peace ….. I think I’ve earned that after 15 years of war,” he said to himself.

[mira]

Mira had spent the morning out on the grasses that edged the forest going over some new moves she had been teaching herself. She was very proud of the way she could dance from spot to spot with grace, for she was so light on her feet and many days she would simply dance with her sword to get that agility. It wasn’t always easy being the bounty hunter and not a job she was not always proud of. That she sometimes had to work for Guy was something she hated but it paid good and between that and the spoils of her catches, it was enough to get her by most of the time. Besides if nothing else, working to rid the forest of the rogues that roamed meant she kept the Sheriff happy and didn’t have to pay taxes. Still it did not help the general disarray of her house and ever since the old carpenter had been killed, a decent craftsman was nowhere to be found.

It was getting close to lunch and as she did three times a week she would drop by Mrs Henty to look after the kids while she got some work done. Poor Mrs Henty had 4 children and nary a husband in sight. What had happened to him Mira did not know but if Mira did not occasionally take them off her hands, the poor lady would never make a living. Mira loved the children though and it was somewhat a contrast to her otherwise violent character. But she never let on to the townsfolk what she did for a living. To them she was an angel in disguise and was always there for anyone who needed her.

Mira had lived here all her life and knew the people well. She always had a smile for them and knew most of them by name. Her walk home, took her past the old hut where the carpenter and his wife had lived many years ago. Usually it was empty but today she noticed someone working on the front fence. She merely glanced at him as she walked by thinking of the young man who had worked here so long ago. She had had such a crush on him and it made her smile to think of such things when she felt nothing for men these days. Such an innocent time it had been, when Father had still alive. A happier time and Mira stopped for a moment as a tear slid down her face thinking about it.

She really was a contrast sort of person. On one hand she was this ruthless Bounty Hunter, on the other this delicate fragile girl that could cry over a rainbow. Silly girl she told herself and looked back at the young man. Not so young she noticed, dark and tall, not that Mira was interested in such things. To her men were nothing, something she had inherited the day the Sheriffs men had sent her packing and done nothing about her fathers death. Basically telling her . . it had been her own fault.

Mira found herself staring at the man, scars all over his back and she wondered how he had got them. Fighting no doubt, men were all alike. Most of them only knew violence. Yet the more she looked at him the more she thought she should know him. It worried her for she knew most everyone yet this stranger . . she did not . . or did she? Maybe he was someone from a dream. Sighing she adjusted the sword that lay across her back and turned to continue her journey . . dreams were only for those who did not understand real life.

[Robert Williams]

Roe had found lot of general debris inside, from leaves and twigs that had either blown in or from areas of the thatched roof that had developed holes. He had quickly gathered some thatching to repair the holes in the roof before getting the insides cleaned out. After inspecting the front door he had found a hinge that had failed and repaired it next. Upon inspecting the outer walls he found some holes where leakage would probably be an issue, so he determined that he would have to use some pitch to solve that problem. He didn’t have any at his ready disposal, so he knew that he would have to see where he would acquire some later in the day.

Since he could not deal was that problem immediately, he saw that the last repair to be dealt with was the fence-rail out in front of the structure. He had found two saw-horses inside that were in good shape, some wood from the shop that was in good shape, and he got out a short saw that he had brought with him. He needed to cut some replacement pieces and then fashion them to fit the damaged portions of the rail. Fortunately, none of the posts were in bad shape, so he didn’t need to worry about digging rotten posts out of the ground, or finding a post-hole digger. He set up the saw-horses and laid the wood that he was working on across them to start the measuring and cutting processes. It was beginning to become quite warm and he didn’t want his shirt to get snagged by the word he was working on, so he took it off. He thought to himself that if felt good to be doing work again where he could see it had practical results, even if his shoulder still ached from his earlier struggle with Allan

He was about halfway through the cutting and fitting process when he saw a striking young lady walking down the lane past where he was working. She had a darker complexion than most and striking features that indicated that she or her parents were from an area foreign to Britain. She looked Mediterranean in some ways, he thought, but was quite attractive. Outside of t hat, however, she was familiar to him in some way, she reminded him of someone he had seen from a distance years before, he realized. There had been a young girl, in Locksley, from his youth who she bore a strong resemblance to in the face. That girl had been several years younger than he was at the time. Some of his friends at the time told him that they had heard that she had a crush on him. However, he had had eyes for only one person at that time, so he hadn’t wanted to do anything to encourage her, so he remembered that he had done his best to ignore her at the time. He did remember that she was quite pretty for a young teenager, just as this woman was quite attractive. However, this one seemed to walk with a quite determined stride as well. He wondered if that was reflected by a determined personality as well. As she had walked past, after just giving him a brief glance, he said to himself, “No, its just a coincidence I’m sure. It can’t be the same person ….. she’s probably been married for some time and moved far away from Locksley.” It was an interesting coincidence, though, he thought, and her appearance had provided him with a welcome break in his work. He wondered if she passed this way often, then he shrugged his shoulders, sighed, and got back to his work.

[mira]

Mira had only gone a few more steps, and already her mind was elsewhere. She was thinking about Sir Guy and did she really have to go see hi again. He really was the pits of humanity that one, yet he was the one that supplied her with most of the bounties she brought in, and he paid well for some of them. Not enough to keep her going which is why she would make sure she brought in were relieved of their goods first. That she had to resort to having to work for Guy was something she hated with a passion. That her initial search for revenge had led to this point was something she was not proud off and these days she merely viewed it as a job, and would lay it aside the moment she had made her delivery to go back to being the person the villagers had come to love.

Something compelled her to look back though and when she did she saw the man at the old Scarlett place had gone back to work. Why did he bother her that much and she stood watching him from distance. He was quite unaware that she was watching as he went about fixing the fence. Was it was scars or the fact he was a stranger, then it hit her, no it was the fact it was the old Scarlett place for Dan Scarlett and his sons had been carpenters. She almost smacked herself in the head with her hand for being so dense. It had gone through her head when she had walked past yet she had not made the connection.

Who ever this man was, surely he was looking to take over, which was why he was fixing the place up. Who ever this man was . . was most likely a carpenter. And if he was then he possibly might be one of the good things that could ever happened to Locksley. Well there was only one to find out and she started to retrace her steps.

The sun told her she still had time to get to Mrs Henty and her brood and as she came back down the lane she kept her eyes on the man. Even from where she was she could still see the crisscross of the scars and once again she wondered what hardships this man had seen. In a way she felt akin to him knowing that like her there had been hard times and she always felt that anyone who had been through them at the hands of others was more than likely a friend. Yet she never let her guard for it was hard to tell these days, so many rouges were taking to lying their way in.

So it was with wary steps she approached the man again , adjusting her sword for easy grasp if needed. His back was turned to her as she approached and once again she got the feeling she should know him. Yet she was sure she had never seen him around before. Maybe he was someone’s brother and he bore a remarking resemblance . . but she could not recall anyone in the village that looked like him. She guessed there was only way to find out and she stepped into his vision.

“Greetings Stranger” she said in a husky yet soft low voice. “ I welcome you to our humble village and forgive me for asking but per chance . . you don't happen to be a carpenter do you”

[Robert Williams]

“Greetings Stranger” she said in a husky yet soft low voice. “ I welcome you to our humble village and forgive me for asking but per chance, you don't happen to be a carpenter do you.?”

Roe’s old crusader training and experience had kicked in. First, he had heard someone approach from is rear and then he picked up the motion at the edge of his peripheral vision. He did a quarter-turn to his left, while picking up his hatchet. He suddenly found himself face-to-face with that striking young lady who had passed him earlier. This time, however, she was speaking to him. Although the greeting was relatively friendly, her manner did not seem to be that trusting of him. He immediately recognized that as a gesture it would be best if he set his hatchet down quickly, which he did. Next, he realized that he still had his shirt off, and he thought that would be best to be fully clothed.

“Many pardons miss, I merely had my shirt off since the weather was warm and I was doing some physical labor, and I didn’t see anyone else about, save when you walked by before. Thank you for our welcome to Locksley. However, I must say that this is not my first visit to the village. I did pass through quickly several days ago. However, much longer ago I lived and worked here. In fact, it was right here that I worked. You see, when I was a young lad I was the ward of a local Earl, but I was no longer considered to be a real nobleman or possessing any likelihood to be a nobleman. So it was determined that I be apprenticed to learn a trade under an established craftsman. They thought I had a certain skill with wood so it was decided that I apprentice with a carpenter, and that carpenter was Dan Scarlett.”

Roe quickly put his shirt back on and leaned back against the fence that he had jut rebuilt while he told part of his story. “I apprenticed with him for 5 years, and grew to know Dan and Jane quite well, as well as their 2 young sons, Will and Luke. When I was 17 I made the decision to leave the shire and seek some adventure outside of England. First I went to Iberia, where the Spanish were driving the lat of the moors out of Iberia, and then I travelled farther east to the Holy Land. I’m afraid that all of my knowledge of carpentry and construction were put to the service of building articles of war. After the successful defense of Jerusalem in’87 the English began filtering into the Holy Land, and I had lost my taste for blood, so I began the long and slow trek back to the west toward Britain.

When I arrived n the shire my only intention was to see how everything had changed after 15 years, and also to see if the stories and rumors about the hardships here were true. I was sorry to see that they were true. When I first passed through Locksley a few days ago I noticed that the structures of the Scarletts were empty and abandoned, and after talking to some folks in Knighton and Sherwood, learned that Dan and Jane had both died, that Luke was in parts unknown, and that Will was with the outlaw Robin Hood in Sherwood. In fact, the person I ran into in Sherword, knocked me out and took my horse. Fortunately, my injuries were not as bad as they could have been. However, I thought that since Locksley had lost its carpenter, and I still have those skills, that perhaps I could provide a valuable service. So, I’ve been making repairs here where I have been able, so the shop can function again, and I can have a roof over my head. So …. In short …. That’s my story. I must say ….. though … from the moment I first saw you ….. you have reminded me of a person I knew when I was a lad. Are you originally from around these parts?”

[mira]

“Oh” she simply said in the same low husky voice as he turned around to pick up a hatchet. She had startled him but she did not feel any threat from him so she simply just smiled. She could often tell upon meeting someone if they were friend or foe and since he started talking straight away she deemed him friend for now. She listened to his words and a smile came upon her face. No wonder she had thought him familiar, and she felt a blush come to her face. He was none other than the young lad she had first crushed upon when she had been but a mere child. Back then he had been a lanky boy . . but the years had taken their toll and standing before her was a man who had been through a lot.

“So you must be Robert Williams” she said, still in that same low husky voice, which he would soon learn was her natural voice. She had never forgotten the name and had often wondered how he had fared after he had left. Her father had told her he gone off to participate in the crusades, something as young girl, she had dreamed of herself. She smiled remembering the way her father used to laugh at her. “My pardons then” she said “You are no stranger at all”

She could not help but smile when he modestly put his shirt back on. It was alright to work without it when he thought no one was looking but had to put it back on when he was talking to a girl. She said nothing though as he pulled it on and went on to tell his tale. She had heard some of the stories that had come out of the Crusades and a lot of them were gory and full of horror. Robert told no such things, merely skimming over where he had been.

He continued and she nodded knowingly as he talked about Dan and his sons. The boys were younger than her and Luke must have been just a baby when Robert had left. She knew Robin of course and his band of men that roamed Sherwood Forest and she had felt proud that someone from this village could thwart the Sheriff.

She did not interrupt him though until he was done and when he was she had a grave look on her face. “yes indeed they have hit us hard over the last few years” she said solemnly still in that deep, soft husky voice. “The Sheriff sent his right hand man Guy out to rule this place and he is a tyrant to them all. That I should smite him from Nottingham one day” and her voice hardened a little in the last sentence. She hated everything the Sheriff stood for, but one day, she would delight in taking him down. In a sense she felt it was what she had been born for.

“ This place has always been my home” she told him “My father brought me back here after my mother died giving birth to me and I grew up knowing no other place” In fact Mira still carried the picture of her mother that her father had once carried. “He died when I was 17 and I have lived in his house ever since” She had decided that since he had left well before any of what had happened to her had gone down, that he did not need to know what she had been through. “His name was Jasper Morgan, perhaps you knew him” she finished off still not having given him her name.

She looked up at him realising for the first time just how tall he was. She was no slouch herself, yet he towered over her and she had a feeling she would not like to meet him in battle. Yet someone had bested him, he had fleetingly mentioned it . . but it had not escaped her attention.

“Did I hear you right that in Sherwood you lost you horse and got knocked out. If it is not too forward of me, what happened and who did it” she asked for she most curious as to who could knock out someone so large.

[Robert Williams]

“So you must be Robert Williams” she said, still in that same low husky voice, which he would soon learn was her natural voice. “My pardons then” she said “You are no stranger at all”

Roe was a bit surprised that she remembered him … and his actual name as well. He didn’t expect that anyone would remember him. “My friends, few of them as there are, call me Roe. In a way, I misspoke. If you are who I think you must be, I didn’t really know you … we hadn’t been formally introduced, but I knew you by sight. If I’m not mistaken you are the girl that might friends told me had a crush on me,” he said as he looked at the ground. I think I was 17 at the time, and you were only in your early teens, and was ‘involved’ with Ellie. I didn’t want to embarrass you so I didn’t even talk to you about it. I expect that you are married by now and with children.”

Quickly knowing that he had strayed into an area that he knew was too forward and personal, Roe tried to change the subject. “I am talking way too much and about things I should not. I expect that I have bored you unnecessarily with my stories about the past 15 years. I have purposely omitted many of the details, since they should not be the subject of polite conversation. Suffice it to say that I killed many, and led many to their deaths. I was happy,, though, on a few occasions that my presence and actions saved the lives of some of my comrades. I can not be proud, though, of the lives that we took, and the damage hat we wrought. However, I will not speak of it again, since it is not something that many want to hear.”

She did not interrupt him though until he was done and when he was she had a grave look on her face. “yes indeed they have hit us hard over the last few years” she said solemnly still in that deep, soft husky voice. “The Sheriff sent his right hand man Guy out to rule this place and he is a tyrant to them all. That I should smite him from his place one day” and her voice hardened a little in the last sentence.

Roe suddenly had a dark and far-away look in his face and his eyes a look of intensity. “Yes, from what I have heard was that Sir Guy was directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of Dan and Jane Scarlett, as ell as the flight of Will to the forest. I hear that he was also involved in the ejection of the Huntingdon’s from the manor and the estate. Tell me, is this Robin Hood that I have heard of actually young Robin, the one who was to be Earl of Huntingdon? I hear that he is best archer in the shire, maybe in all of England.” At this Roe chuckled to himself. “Its because of him tha I have the scars on my back that I know you were staring at when you came up behind me. I could tell by the look on y our face. Anyway, I gave him some of first lessons with the bow. He was a good boy back then …. I expect he grew into a fine man. However, this Sir Guy is definitely that kind of man, and one day I will get revenge and justice for the Scarletts and the Huntingdons. There may be a few ahead of me in line, though, judging from what I have heard,” he said rubbing hi beaded chin.

“ This place has always been my home” she told him “My father brought me back here after my mother died giving birth to me and I grew up knowing no other place. He died when I was 17 and I have lived in his house ever since. His name was Jasper Morgan, perhaps you knew him” she finished off still not having given him her name.

Roe thought to himself that she had grown into quite a beautiful woman. He could not see her not being married. He quickly stopped his thoughts on the issue since it was truly none of his business. “I would say then that he has been gone for more than ten years. If I remember right you were about 4 or 5 years younger than me. To lose your father and protector at that age I expect toughened and hardened you as much as what happened to me at the same age. Going off to fight in the Crusades just hardened me even more. …. Yes I knew who Jasper was …. He seemed to want his privacy ….. losing a loved one like a wife or a lover I expect will do that to you. By the way, I do remember that your name is Mira, but I have no notion if your other name is still Morgan,” he said with a slightly mischievous look on his face.

“Did I hear you right that in Sherwood you lost you horse and got knocked out. If it is not too forward of me, what happened and who did it” she asked for she most curious as to who could knock out someone so large.

He looked down at the ground with a little a bit of shame written across his face. “Its quite an embarrassment for an ex-crusader such as myself. Actually I lost the horse after I was knocked out. Anyway, I ran across a fellow in Sherwood that called himself Patrick. I had suspicions that he was in the process of setting myself up to be robbed. Fairly quickly, though, I figured out that he was a man that I had heard of who calls himself Allan. I was not very cooperative in trusting him …. So our conversation turned to conflict fairly quickly. He did not appear to be amused that I had figured out who he really was. We circled each other for several minutes, each of us looking for an opening the other could exploit. I wasn’t looking to hurt him …. just to knock him out of commission …. that was probably a mistake.

Anyway, finally he made a lunge at me and then I tried a counter-move. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that one of my feet was on the edge of a depression in the soil, my foot gave way, and I spun around as I fell, as he hit me in the shoulder with his sword. He came up behind me and knocked me on the back of the head and out I went. I was actually lucky he didn’t run me through. I woke up several hours later I think, finding my horse gone, gathered my wits, and walked out of the forest into Locksley, and here I am. Thankfully, in his haste, he left some of my bags of tools and other items. They would have been worth something I expect. He probably sold the horse quickly. It’s too bad …. It was a good horse and a good companion,” he said ruefully. “Not very impressive am I?,” he smiled.

[mira]

“No” she smiled “we did not know each other personally. I was just a child and I would often just see you as you worked. But I did make a point of knowing everyone in the village, something I uphold to this day. Hence me stopping to see who you were” She decided it was best not to dwell on her childish crush, that he knew about it took her slightly by surprise though. The way she viewed men these days was entirely different although she was quite happy to call them friends. She had to suppress a laugh though at his feeble attempt to see if she was married. At least he had manners she thought, not like the young ones who were more forward.

“It’s fine” she told him when he said he was talking too much “When I was young I often dreamed of going off to fight in the crusades myself, A silly child’s dreams I know” she said thinking once again back to the days when her father and her used to talk “Father always told me stories, he had travelled far before we settled here.” She smiled so broadly at that moment, that it made her whole body glow with a radiance that in that instant . . could have rivalled the sun. “Please, it does not bother me at all”

He had a nice melodic voice, soft for one so large and had seen such horrors. But in reality that was good thing, so many came back from the war hardened and not being able to adapt back into a normal life. That was why so many of the families in the shire no longer had a man ruling them. Hard times indeed and even harder under this sheriff.

His voice darkened which made her look up, he had misunderstood her and it was easy she knew but Guy was not always the bad man he tried to portray. In fact if it had not been for his kindness at the time, she herself may have hung. She had often thought he might be Ok if they had not been under the rule of this particular sheriff. But he did have a ruthless streak she did not like and if he did not have the hold over her that he did she may indeed have taken him out.

“Sir Guy is a blind fool” she said quite harshly. “He follows orders just like anyone else, if you wish to blame someone blame the Sheriff. It was he that tried to hang Dan’s sons for stealing wheat. If it had not been for Robin they would surely have died but his arrows struck true that day” she told him, remembering the accuracy of which Robin’s arrow had severed the ropes that they been hanging from. “He was branded an outlaw that day and they all fled into the forest and yes he was the Earl of Huntingdon, it was Guy who gave him the name of Hood”

This man intrigued her, for he seemed to know bits and pieces but not the full stories. She would delight in filling him in but only if he promised to tell her tales of the crusades. For one thing had changed in all these years was Mira’s love of stories. Stories she would often soften and pass onto the children. She checked the sun, it was telling her she would need to get a move on soon.

He was looking at her queer again and it made her uncomfortable, as if he was trying to figure out who she was, see who she really was. It scared her at times that people might find out how she earned her money. It was quite funny how she fell into it really. She had been out one night and have caught up with one of the sheriffs men that had ridiculed her. He hadn’t stood a chance and Mira thought she had got away with it, but she had not realised that fateful night she had a witness, who just happened to be the new occupant of Locksley Manor. For some reason he saw in her something his men would never have and put her to work under threat that if she failed him he would surely see her hang.

“I am she” she said as the memories came crashing back but she neither confirmed nor denied if her name was still Morgan. She smiled in spite of the niggling warnings, that was his second attempt to find out if she was married.

Mira listened carefully at his story of this guy he had met in the forest. Allan . . and her face dropped into a frown “He’s a tricky one that one. I’d be careful, he too had been strung up with the Scarlett boys when Robin rescued them. Some say he’s a traitor and works for Guy but I think he’s just out to look after number one. I wouldn’t trust him too much but I am told he runs with Robin." It was pleasing to hear that one such as Allan had not really bested him, but for a hollow in the ground, Robert most probably would have made it. That Allan stole the horse after he had knocked out came as no surprise.

“Well not all thieves are smart” she smiled for he seemed pretty casual about the whole thing “and horses are easy to come by if you know the right people” she said thinking if he could bring a trade back to this shire then she would help him.

She gazed up at the sun again and gave a sigh. She would have like to stayed and talked some more but she knew Mrs Henty was relying on her. Ever since the Sheriff had stopped the markets, a lot of the trade had to go on underground. Mrs Henty could do the most exquisite embroidery, and every couple of weeks Mira would slip into Nottingham and sell or trade it for her. She knew Robin was trying to do goo by giving the peasants food and money but Mira tried to give them their honour back, and she knew any man and woman would rather work for their money than just be given it.

“Well it’s been a pleasure Robert, but I have made a promise to someone and I hate to break promises” she told him “Perhaps if ye permit I might drop back later in the evening, for I am most intrigued to hear more of Robert Williams” She gave him a nod of her head and a smile then turning continued her journey , not knowing that this man would be soon helping her in her endeavours to help this shire.

[Robert Williams]

Roe listened carefully as she talked. She was a woman of striking beauty, as well as someone who obviously experienced a lot and had a strong intelligence. This could be a person that one could both admire and respect. He thought she was probably someone who was looked up to in the local community and therefore, someone who was good to know. “It is always a good policy to be knowledgeable of everyone around you, both for their potential good and their potential to do harm. Sorry … that’s just a remnant of my training as a crusader. And I’m glad you stopped by … it would have been a boring afternoon otherwise,” he smiled.

Roe smiled again, this time in relief. “It’s good to know that I’m not boring ….. at least not yet. Yes … we all have such dreams …. of glory on the battlefield. One must remember that the stories are sometimes a little different from the reality.” He laughed, “Oh …. I have plenty of stories to tell you. When I left here at 17 I was already skilled with the bow, but not with the sword, so I had much to learn. A learned many of my skills on the battlefield in Iberia, where the Spanish were seeking to drive the Moors out of some of their strongholds.

I was taught, since I am ambidextrous, to fight with a sword in each hand. They told me I could kill twice as many that way. Those two swords were held in scabbards down my back … I just had to reach behind my neck to pull them out. I also carried a small hatchet, along with a Saracen bow over my shoulder. I was as an effective soldier and knight, I would say. And after having our success there we went on to the Holy Land, where I fought alongside Balian, and others under Frankish command.”

Roe shook his head slowly. “There is always someone else to blame, I have found. There may be others more at fault than he, but still he gave the final orders. Yes .. that does sound like our Robin, does it not. He always did show great promise with the bow, our Robin. It makes me wonder if things would have turned out different if I had never left. But I had my own things to run away from at the time.” Mira then confirmed that she was the person that he was thinking of, but she refused to verify whether she was married or not. Roe thought to himself that there were obviously components of her past that she was not entirely with, but she might be more forthcoming if she found the ability to trust him more at some point. So, he elected to let it pass, and at some point, she might be willing to talk and trust more.

Then they began to talk about Allan …. or whatever he calls himself. “He’s a tricky one that one. I’d be careful, he too had been strung up with the Scarlett boys when Robin rescued them. Some say he’s s traitor and works for Guy but I think he’s just out to look after number one. I wouldn’t trust him too much but I am told he runs with Robin. Well not all thieves are smart” she smiled for he seemed pretty casual about the whole thing, “and horses are easy to come by if you know the right people” she said thinking if he could bring a trade back to this shire then she would help him. “Hmmm …. And you wouldn’t know who any of those ‘right people were perchance. Well, about the only thing O could do right now his trade carpentry work in exchange for physical goods. On the subject of Alan I think he may have some positive points. He may actually feel that he’s mot just looking out for number one, but that he’s forced to provide for himself in the best way that he knows how to” he shrugged.

Roe was disappointed when she said that she had to leave, he visit had definitely improved his afternoon. If she had made commitments, ten she should do her best to live up to them. Besides, the people may be relying on her. “I would be more than happy to have you drop back by. However, I must warn you that I don’t have much food that I can provide at this point. However, I am more than willing to answer your questions or give you some more stories about the Crusades if you so desire it.” He waved good-bye to her as she receded in the distance.

Roe went back to his work now, but many of his thoughts were now centered upon Mira. She did still seem to have, at least a casual interest him, even after all of this time. And he had to admit that she was both a pleasant creature to look at and to talk to. He hoped that she would come around again, as he once again began cutting some more support beams for the interior.

[mira]

Her thoughts stayed on Robert as she made her out to the Henty cottage. She could not bring herself to call him Roe for some reason, somehow it took away the dignity the name inspired. That he could talk so freely of his times in the Holy Wars so in owns a miracle for so many who came back were reclusive and took to a life that ended in no good. That Robert could come back to this though, this rules under the new Sheriff that had half the people starving. She did her best and so did Robin but it did not stop the daily deaths.

She tried to put such thoughts from her mind as she approached the hut where before she had a chance two screaming five year olds wrapped them selves around her long legs. Mira laughed and a woman came of the two roomed hut where 5 people lived. “You two oi,” she screamed “get off Lady Mira” and Mira smiled “It’s all right Mary, and please I am just Mira”

“If my Lady says” Mary Henty said and Mira shook her head. She had never considered herself a lady, even though she was entitled to the title, and to these peasants she guessed she was. She let it go for now. “I’m heading into Nottingham tomorrow” she told the lady depositing the two children off her legs and striding into the small hut where a 12 year old boy was feeding the 3 year old baby. “If you have something finished I know Lady Harriet is interested”

Before Mary Henty had been married, she had been Mary Pipkins, and had worked at the Nottingham Castle as a maid. Her specialty had been embroidery and Mary was very talented at it. After she had fallen pregnant to Matthew Henty ( a stable boy) at the age of 17, the pair of them had been tossed from the Castle and had made the short journey to Locksley where Matthew had built this hut for them. Matthew Junior was born and the young couple were happy and full of ideals. But after the birth of the twins, Patrick and John, hard times had hit and Matthew senior had taken to the forest to hunt deer for food. He got away with it for a while but then just as Mary found out she was pregnant for the third time, Matthew mysteriously disappeared, and had not been heard from since.

There were many speculations of course, with the best one that Guy had caught him and killed him, leaving his body to rot in the forest. Other stories he was now running with some of the wild packs of rogues that also roamed the forest. Whatever was true, nobody knew and Mary had been left for the last three years to fend for herself. Mira had been helping out a little, and had managed to convince Mary to start her embroider again and once a week she made the journey to Nottingham to sell her wares, which brought enough money in to support her and her 4 kids.

“Lady Mira, I can get them finished if you would be so kind to take the kids until supper” she asked ever so humbly. Mira sighed, she would never get this lady to call her anything less. “That’s why I am here Mary, in fact maybe you can help me today, is that fresh baked bread I smell” Mira smiled, for it damn well did smell good and she was thinking of Roberts last words as she had walked away.

“I would be more than happy to have you drop back by. However, I must warn you that I don’t have much food that I can provide at this point.”

“Would you like a loaf” the womans face lit up. Mira did so much for them, she rarely ever got the chance to give anything back “I baked two, I would be most honoured if you would take one” The woman was almost beaming, such was the way of the villagers. They had pride, and would much rather trade then be just given. Mira smiled back “ Thank you Mary, I am humbled and if I may, could I also have a few vegetables, a couple of spuds and carrots would suffice and in return I think we might go rabbit hunting, what do you say Matthew” she smiled turning to the young boy who had finished feeding Amy and had now put her down.

“Yes Ma'am” he said breaking out in a smile. Now that he was 12, rabbit hunting meant Mira would let him a go at the bow, something she not done until he turned that magic age. “Then is settled” Mira said picking up Amy and cradling her in her arms. “We shall trade 4 hours of childcare, 3 rabbits and a trip to Nottingham . . for a loaf of bread, 2 potatoes and two carrots” Mira nodded as if to seal the deal, knowing that this was what a community was all about. Of course Mary knew that she was getting the better deal, but she also knew that this was the way. But that she could get something back was better than nothing. “Mathew go dig up some vegetables and pick a few of beans too, can’t have spuds and carrots without beans” she told Mira, and Mira took her hand and squeezed it. “You are too kind Mary, I will make sure I get top price tomorrow”

That was the way things went, and once Matthew had gathered the said vegetables, they got packed into a basket along with the loaf and set it aside for when she came back. Carrying the baby herself, Matthew walked along side her as they made their way back to her place. The twins ran ahead playing their little games and Matthew had little to say. Since his dad had gone missing , Matthew had stepped in as man of the house and she knew how tough on him it was sometimes. “Would you like to have a go today” she asked and he nodded so enthusiastically she thought his head might fall off.

All too soon they had arrived at Mira’s place and she left the kids outside while she went in to lay her sword away. Father had had a secret compartment installed in the house when he had it built. It had been the reason all those years ago the rogues had not found it nor the money her father had hidden. It was where she now placed her sword and picked up her old bow. It was one Peter had made her years ago and had seen better days but it still served her well.

Mira took the children to a small clearing about half a mile into the forest. She knew the rabbits abounded here and she instructed the twins to sit very still. Putting Amy down, the little girl sat between them. In this land, even at there age they were all aware of the way things worked. Mira had given the old bow to Matthew and was now instructing him on how to use it. “Remember Matthew, keep your back straight, pull back smoothly and keep you eye on the rabbit” The young man, ever so eager to learn bagged his first rabbit just moments later. The twins got up squealing to go fetch it and Mira smiled to see Amy had fallen asleep in the grass, her thumb stuck firmly in her mouth.

“Good one Matthew, now we need four, three for your mum and one for me” she said sitting down next to the sleeping girl. That she was teaching Matthew how to do it meant the boy could provide for them rather than her, giving them step closer to their own independence. Of course she could have had four rabbits within minutes, but today she wanted Matthew to learn, and thus it took him an hour an a half before he had the required 4 rabbits. But it didn’t matter for today was the day he learned he could do it, and it was time now he needed to improve. Today young Matthew Henty truly became the man of the family. Of course to kill meant you had to skin and gut and Matthew spent the next hour doing just that. A job that was rather messy but had to be done and once they were, Mira strung them up and headed them all off to the river to clean up.

Matthew was feeling rather pleased with himself and strutted along while the other three danced and laughed. It was good to see them just having fun, as it should be with children. She loved the children and often wished she had her own, But due to her inability to truly love a man, she knew that was never going to happen.

Checking the sun, Mira knew it was time and she bade them dress so they could get back in time for dinner. They had spent two hours by the river and it was getting dark and the forest was no place for children once it got dark. The five made their way back to Henty hut where Matthew proudly presented his three rabbits, for one went into the basket with Mira’s bread and vegetables, along with the linen that Mary had managed to get finished.

Matthew went to give Mira her bow back but she shook her head as she picked up the basket. “You keep it Matthew, you did well today, you should be proud of him Mary” she smiled “Keep it and feed your family, it’s time I got a new one made anyway” she told them, them bidding them farewell picked up the basket and made her way out, with promises to return the basket after her trip to Nottingham in the morn.

Singing softly to herself Mira made her way back to Dan’s place. Robert’s place now she smiled to herself, she would need to remember that. Not that she had any real interest in Robert anymore, well not in that way. Dreams of her childhood had got shattered the day they had killed her father. No more she thought that no one should spend their first dinner back in town alone , besides she was most keen to hear more stories and maybe she could give him some work . . for she now needed a new bow.

Arriving back at the carpenters abode she saw he had made good progress and already the place was looking better. Readjusting her basket she opened the gates, made her way up the short path and gave two light taps to the door.

[Robert Williams]

Roe watched her recede steadily in to the distance. She did have a striking and pleasing appearance he admitted to himself. He could also tell from her body language and defensiveness there were some secrets he was holding back, as well as an intelligence combined with a strong will. He sensed that this was person who felt vulnerable and would not allow herself to be exposed to the possibility of being hurt, physically or emotionally. “She definitely going to be a challenge to get to know, but it would be well worth it to have her as a friend.” He also got the feeling that she had gotten over her crush of him years ago.

She did say that she would be stopping by later, probably around sunset he figured, and by implication it sounded like she was bringing food. The first thing he wanted to do was to repair the table that was in the central room of the hut, and get at least 2 of the chairs or benches in usable condition. The first thing that he did was to inspect the supporting posts in the table to see if any of them suffered from rot or dry-rot. He was pleased to see that they were not. However, several of the planks that made up the table-top were not in such fine shape, and when he looked at the chairs he realized he wood need tools for a bit finer more detailed work. How was he going to get around that problem?

Suddenly a brainstorm and an old memory converged in his mind. Just before he had left for the Crusades, Dan Scarlett had called him aside to show him something. He took him around to the back of the hut where there was a walkway made up of several flagstones. Dan counted until he reached the seventh one and suddenly knelt down. “Come down here and help me,” he said to the young Roe. They used their fingers to pry underneath the flagstone and lifted to the side. Underneath the flagstone had covered a burrow, and I n that space was a cache of different-sized wood-working tools from big saws and hatchets to small chisels for fine detailing work. Dan had said, “I dug this place out so that I had a place to hide some of my tools in case the tools in the main shop ever got stolen or seized for one reason or another.”

Roe went back to the old hiding place and found almost all of the tools that he remembered, and they were in excellent shape. He marveled, “they must have been there more than 15 years and nobody ever found them.” In short order, he had the large pieces for the table finished and most of the detail work and general repair on the 2 chairs completed. Once he had that work completed he swept the interior out in as effectively and quickly that he could manage. There had not been much air moving the interior of the hut so he once again to his shirt off to do the work that he had been completing on the inside. When he had finished with the chairs and the table he moved them over by te wall where he had mounted his weapons from the crusades, and his old Frankish Crusader uniform hung from a hook on the wall as did his greenish brown cloak. Taking up the center of the display were his 2 criss-crossed battle swords and below those hung his Saracen bow, quiver, and hatchet.

He went out front to complete the final parts of his clean-up of the hut, when a man driving a lop-sided cart pulled up to the front of the hut next to the wooden rail. “Pardon me,” he said, “my name is Jacob Weaver. I farm and make some cloth goods that I try and sell in Nottingham at the market once a week.” “Sounds like a good trade to conduct as long as people are buying,” Roe said, squinting his eyes as he was looking into the sun. “The problem is that there seems to be something wrong with the wheels or axle ….. This hut used to belong to the Scarlett’s …. they were carpenters and wood-workers … you wouldn’t happen to be one too would ya?,” Jacob asked. “Yes I would,” Roe said with a smile. “Just pull it around the fence here and take it to the back and I’ll fix you right up. I would appreciate to barter the service for some goods, preferably produce that won’t spoil. When I’ve finished with the work you can give me what you think its worth,” Roe said. “Hallelujah and thank you sir, and what might your name be?,” asked Jacob. “Robert Williams is the name sir, but my friends call me Roe,” he said. “Robert Williams … name seems familiar,” said Jacob thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin. Once they got it around back, Roe quickly found that part of the hub had broken on the wheel that was wobbly, which was easy to fix, and he did.

Singing softly to herself Mira made her way back to Dan’s place. Robert’s place now she smiled to herself, she would need to remember that. Not that she had any real interest in Robert anymore, well not in that way. Dreams of her childhood had got shattered the day they had killed her father. No more she thought that no one should spend their first dinner back in town alone , besides she was most keen to hear more stories and maybe she could give him some work . . for she now needed a new bow.

Arriving back at the carpenters abode she saw he had made good progress and already the place was looking better. Readjusting her basket she opened the gates, made her way up the short path and gave two light taps to the door. “I’m around back, you can help me pick out what produce I’m to receive for repairing this cart,” Roe yelled. He had quickly thrown his shirt back on, but had not had time to button it, and it hung loosely off his shoulders.

[mira]

Mira had been standing there for no more then 10 seconds when she heard a voice from round back and it intrigued her Robert mentioned produce and cart, well repairing of cart to be more precise, so did this mean he already had a customer. She smiled, not even a day and already it was obvious how much this village needed a carpenter. She trod carefully over the bits and pieces that were still laying around and made her way out the back where she found a man with a wagon and Robert just finishing repairs on what looked like had a broken hub. She stopped for a moment to look at him, thinking if things had been different she could have gone for a man like him.

“Hello” she smiled at the stranger deciding it was best to put such ideas out of head. Robert would make a fine friend and that was all she could hope for. “on the way to the market tomorrow I see , I’ll be heading that way myself” she said patting the linens that lay on top of the basket.

“I’m Mira” she offered her hand and the man shook it “Jacob” he told her “and yes I am heading into the market. Your man here has been kind enough to fix my wagon for me” he said automatically assuming they must be married. “Oh he’s not mine” Mira laughed “just friends, now let’s see am I to understand we may pick some produce in return for the repairs.” Jacob’s face seemed to turn beetroot red “Yes Miss, and I am sorry , I just assumed” Jacob nodded but Mira cut him off “It’s Ok , do not let it worry you now let’s see what you have”

She went to his wagon to look, he was obviously a farmer for he had all sorts of vegetables and fruits and to her delight some herbs hanging from the roof of the wagon. Still she knew he would be battling like anyone else so she did not wish to take too much “How about ½ dozen apples and a few of those herbs” she smiled. “Take a dozen” he told her as he started counting them out, happy that at least someone was happy to give him a fair deal for he knew he might not get the same in Nottingham tomorrow. Mira thanked him and selected just the herbs she needed for that nights meal. Really they could ask for no more and with six extra apples she could do another trade. ”it’s been nice to meet you and I shall look out for you to see how you fare in the morn” she told Jacob as she placed the herbs on top of the linen. As for the apples she had an idea and she turned to Robert.

“Just be careful with the linen, I have to sell it at market tomorrow but under that is enough to make a stew. If you have a pot, get some water boiling and I will be right back” she told him pointing to her basket then darted quickly out of the yard with 8 of the apples cradled in her arms. First she made a stop at the Jenkins place where she swapped 4 of the apples for 2 eggs and a bit of milk. Then she crossed the road and made her way down to the mill where she swapped the other 4 apples for a bit of flour. Last she stopped at the local inn and paid for a small jug of ale with her own money. This was not something she would do everyday, from here on he would have to fend for himself, but she saw no shame in giving the returning hero a nice welcome home meal.

She was gone longer than she expected and it was getting dark when she arrived back. Jacob and his cart were gone and so was her basket. The back door was open so she wandered in to find herself in a cosy kitchen dining room. He was standing by the fire where a huge pot hung. It only just been put on she guessed but she could already smell the aroma the rabbit and vegetables and herbs gave off, but it would be yet another hour before it was ready. It would give them time to talk and get to know each other for she really wanted to get to know the man that the boy she had once loved had grown into.

“sorry about that, I saw the apples and thought it might be fitting to finish off the meal with an apple pie. I got eggs and milk and flour so if you have a pan for me I can whip it up” she smiled. She made her way to the table where she placed the ale down and it was then she noticed the things on the wall and she stopped to look. Two swords lay crisscross on the wall and underneath . . she gasped . . a Saracen bow and she reached out with her hand to touch it gently. She had read of such weapons but she had never seen one before, what beauty it was and what a dream it would be to own one. . . “It’s beautiful” she mumbled.

His old uniform also hung to the side on a hook and it made her smile, trying to imagine what he would like in it. Handsome no doubt but she shook the images from her head. It was no good thinking of such things. . maybe once but not anymore. Still it would not stop her enjoying a good meal with him. She turned back to him.

“Let’s have a drink while we wait for it to cook” she told him hoping he at least had a couple of mugs “and talk of old times”

[Robert Williams]

Roe turned around a chair to sit on and motioned to Mira .... "Please have a seat while we wait." He had left his shirt untied , and he crossed his arms across the top of the chair and he rested his chin on his arms. "The hatchet there is the only thing I brought from the shire that I still have. The rest of the items I picked up in my travels. As I may have said, I was a good to a superior archer when I left here. I didn’t begin to concentrate on swordplay until after I reached France, and joined a Frankish unit that was on its way to Castille to help the natives to drive the Moors out of the remnant of the province. They soon found in my training that I was ambidextrous, and that I could fight with a sword equally well with either hand and with all the strength and dexterity that I had developed as a carpenter, that I could wield each single-handed. Soon they found, especially when I was off my horse; I could do at least twice as much damage as the average soldier could.

They also fine-tuned my ability to shoot bow accurately while riding t a half-gallop on horseback, timing the horses stride correctly. There was no more effective training than actual combat itself. And I found more than enough of that in central Spain. The fighting was brutal, just as brutal as it would be later in the Holy Land. Being able to fight with 2 swords often allowed me to effectively fight more than one opponent at a time. If I was up against one opponent, I usually had them at my mercy quickly enough, and if they ended up at their knees, it often ended in a signature decapitation, where the my two swords would bisect with their necks. Actually, it was as quick and merciless a death as any I can think of. It was much different than killing with a bow ... it was up close and very personal. I do hope that I am not ruining your appetite. I can stop and talk about other things,” he asked with a questioning look on his face.

At any rate, by the end of the campaign, partially as a result of my ability to save some of my comrades who got themselves into tight spots, I was given more and more responsibility, and earned my Frank knighthood. We then moved on to the Holy Land via Messina, and me and then was attached to the Frank forces under t he command of Balian, the Baron of Ibelin. Most of the forces outside of Balian’s unwisely went out into the desert to fight Saladin’s army and her massacred. It fell to us to defend Jerusalem in a siege in ’87. We were outnumbered at least 20 to 1. However, the walls were strong, our defenses against their siege towers were adept. We knew if we could predict where they would penetrate the wall we had have a chance to survive. Balian chose well.

You see, even with a vastly superior force, there were only so many soldiers that you could send through a small space at a time. If you could meet them at the gap, and prevent them from massing their troops within the walls we had a chance to prevail. And that’s exactly what happened. Some of my men insisted, of those who survived, that there were times when I was engaging as many as six Saracens at a time. All that I know is that finally, the Saracens ceased their attack, and Saladin called us out to discuss terms. On the way outside the walls those who went with Balian never stepped foot on ground. Bodies and body parts lay strewn over sever hundred yards of open ground. Fortunately, the oil was sandy, and it absorbed much of the blood that had been spilled or we would have been wading through it. Saladin was honorable, he allowed us to surrender the city, and with a ransom paid, allowed all to leave the city, and we began our long trek back to the Mediterranean. We fought in some other battles, but I had finally had enough of fighting other people’s wars. I had had enough of killing for awhile ….. I just wanted to come home. Is there anything else you wanted know?, and he began to re-tie his shirt. “the food does smell good don’t you think?”

[mira]

His voice was soft and melodic and sitting in front of the fire made her so at peace as he talked about his days in the Holy War. He told it so well that she saw the images in her head, images she had only dreamed of as a child, but listening to him, they leapt out to come alive. “I used to dream of such glory” she said yet in her heart she knew what horror he and the others would have gone through. “But twas my luck to be born the wrong gender” for truly if she been born a male, nothing would have stopped her going when she was old enough. She was however so grateful that her father taught her anyway, for as much as he had loved his daughter, he had longed for a son.

Still it was amusing he had misinterpreted her words for she had hoped of some tales from her childhood. Never mind she thought as she got up to check the stew. It did indeed smell wonderful but when she poked it determined they still had half hour before it would be tender enough to eat.

He had not, as she had asked, retrieved two cups so while she was up she checked the shelves and found 2 mugs along with a bowl and a pan which was about it but it was enough to make pie and she got to work. Even though her father had taught her to wield a sword and ride a horse, he still made her learn the daily routines that a woman should, and would give the maids he hired to come tend to them each day, a few extra coins each week to teach her. Cooking and cleaning she did not mind, but even from a young age she had refused to pick up a needle and sew and no matter what her father had tried she never had.

She started talking as she dumped the flour into the bowl and added the eggs. “You stories are nice, I wish I had such tales to tell, in fact compared to thee, my life has been quite mundane” Not quite true , but she was not about to divulge everything on the first night. “Did you know your parents” she asked as she added the milk and started mixing with the flat of a knife she had pulled from the waist of her trousers. “I never knew my mother, she died giving birth to me so father used to tell me. It was after he had buried her he brought me back here when I was but a baby. He had a drawing of her” and she stopped mixing for moment to extract it from her pocket to hand to him “Beautiful is she not? I do not even know where she was from, but father always told me she was a princess. She looks like one does she not, but whether she was or not I do not know, it may just have been a name he called her.”

Mira went back to mixing the pastry “I would like to think she was” she said softly. Leaving the pastry for moment she took her knife and wiped it on an old rag, then taking the four apples that were left she swiftly peeled and chopped them. Tipping the dough out she quickly moulded it into the pan then added the apples with just a little water and a bit of sugar she tipped from a pouch in that hung on her belt “For the horses” she explained with a smile, and sprinkled just a bit over the apples to sweeten them off a bit.

She felt quite at home in this place. Perhaps it was just the thought of being able to cook for a man again or it might just have been the urge to need good company. Either way she did not feel out of place or unwanted and she happily gave the stew another stir then place the pan with the apples over the griddle that sat on the coals. Grabbing the two mugs she filled them both with a drop of ale and handed him one before she took her seat once again.

Mira looked into his eyes and saw the pain, the sorrow but also the relief that he was finally home. She wanted to reach out to him but she didn’t know how . .to tell him about what he come back to. . a war he had left . . but in a sense he walked straight back into one. She raised her mug to him and took a sip “Tell me about your childhood” she said ever so soft, wanting to draw the conversation away from the drudgeries of life.

[Robert Williams]

Mira seemed to be quite comfortable in the kitchen, preparing the meal that they were to eat. He had gotten so wrapped up in his war stories that he had both forgotten of the cups she had asked for, and had apparently gone on about something she had not asked about. She wanted to know about what his life was like when he was quite young. But be had to respond to her first comment first. “For those of us who were trying to live through it …. it wasn’t so glorious. And don’t take this the wrong way, but I definitely think that you were born the correct gender.”

“My apologies for not following up on your requests … it was quite rude of me I think.” She did seem to be quite at home preparing the food and watching over it, while listening to him at the same time. She looked both happy and beautiful he thought. Then, suddenly, he shook his head from side-to-side and told himself to clear his mind of those thoughts. She was being neighborly and that’s all there was to it. He shouldn’t read into it any more than that. “You may think your life is mundane, but I’m sure that the people around here who rely on your good works find you and the things you do to be necessary for their well-being, just as you are taking care of me this evening. Thank you for all you have done.” He looked at her intently but he thought she kept her eyes on her work and not on him. Then she asked some more questions.

“My parents …. my you do want to go back a ways, don’t you? I have no memory of my father or mother. I was an infant when he went off to fight. He was a baron, but he was deep in debt. My mother died while he was away, and later he died in the fighting. I was an only child, but my father’s title and lands were used to pay off the debt. So, although I was born a noble, I had no title or lands in my name. Fortunately, the earl was a family friend, and he took me into his home and raised me ….. almost as one of his own. I learned to shoot bow, to hunt and to fish, and to learn the ways of the forest, and to behave as a noble, even though I would never be one, officially. Yes …. Your mother was quite beautiful … you look much like her,” as Roe appraised her positively with a ready smile. Yes …. I would not doubt that she may have been a princess …. Stranger things have happened. I would imagine, though, that he considered you his princess as well.”

Roe looked on while she worked the apples and dough into a pie, quite approvingly. “You are full of surprises Mira and quite resourceful. Since your mother died when you were born, how did you learn all of these domestic skills?” Suddenly she looked up and gazed into his eyes. It felt like she was looking straight through him, and that she had some understanding of what he was thinking and what he had been through. She broke eye contact for a moment, raised her mug to him, and softly asked him about his childhood. “it took me some time to feel comfortable in the household I know. I felt alone and an outsider. I didn’t really feel part of the family for some time. That’s why I became so familiar with Sherwood Forest ….. it was my escape from not being understood by the others. Tat al changed when the Earl’s grandson was born. I think I was about 7 years old when he was born and he was like a little brother to me.”

As I related to you before, the scars on my back were directly related to the boy. When I was about 14, early one morning I realized that one of my bows was missing. I reported it to the Earl and he announced that whoever was responsible would receive 30 lashes as a punishment. Well, later that morning I found young Robs trying to shoot a bow and arrow, and he was afraid of what I might do. I was not willing to turn him in, because I knew the Earl would give him the punishment. So I went to the Earl and told him that I had simply misplaced the bow and some arrows. He said that I was negligent, and as a result I had to take the 30 lashes, which I did gladly. I knew, at that moment, that Robs wanted to learn bow and we started training him … slowly. I’ve always thought that that was the most productive punishment I ever endured. I would have taken 30 score for him.”

“Now, when I was 12 it was determined that since I was no longer a true nobleman, that I should learn a trade. The trade they thought that I had the greatest affinity to was carpentry, so I was assigned to be apprenticed to Dan Scarlett in Locksley. I learned my trade well and was with him for about 5 years. When I started working there in Locksley I made the acquaintance of a young village girl named Ellie, who was a friend of Jane Scarlett’s. Over time we became quite close …. In fact I wanted to marry her, but it was not to be, and I left for the Crusades,” he said with a dark and far-away look in his eyes.