Chapters (76)
- Title Page
- Copyright Notice
- Dedication
- PROLOGUE
- PART I
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- PART II
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- PART III
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- INTERLUDE
- PART IV
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- INTERLUDE
- PART V
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- PART VI
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- INTERLUDE
- PART VII
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- PART VIII
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- EPILOGUE
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- Newsletter Sign-up
“It did happen, it did,” Munday came back at him. “I heard it from a fellow who says his brother went through Godling and heard it himself. They say this Robin is a knight who went off to war and came back again, not being able to stand being away from home and all. He walked up to King Richard himself and says, ‘I have to go back to Nottingham and take care of the people,’ so King Richard put him in irons. But he escaped and stole all the Sheriff’s money and he’s come back to give it out to anyone who needs it. That’s why they’re after him.”
“That doesn’t even make sense,” Wrinkles groaned. “You’re a right brick you are, Munday.”
Stutely laughed at this loudly, and spat the inedible piece of fat back into the pot. He’d never even wanted it in the first place. “He’s right, you’re a brick, Munday,” he said, wiping his fingers in the pot to wash off the black burn. “This Robin Hood wadn’t never no knight. Beside, anyone can steal. You want a real story, you should talk about me. I’m an outlaw, too, you know.”
Hanry grabbed the pot. “Hang off it, Will, you’re not an outlaw.”
“I am so!” Stutely barked, and Hanry flinched. Of course he flinched. All he was was a coward and that’s all he ever would be. “I had half the guards in Nottingham after me once upon a while, and they ain’t never found me.”
“They ain’t looking for you since, since they ain’t caring about you.”
Rog laughed with his brother. “Every time he tells it there’s more guards in it. Last time there was a hunred guards. Now you’ve got half of Nottingham after you. I’ll bet there was only two guards and both of them was drunk.”
Since Rog had clearly forgotten the details, Stutely started to tell the story of his famous escape. “For your entertainment, ladies and … well we only have ladies here, don’t we?”
He rounded the fire ring and plucked a bowl of stew from one of the older men who had fallen asleep. There was still plenty of food in it, the old fool.
Sarra stood up and walked away, probably to fetch the rest of the village before they missed too much of the story. She tried to drag little Hugh along with her, but he broke off and huddled under a cloak with Munday.
“It was a night just like this one.” Stutely claimed a stick from the fire and waved it through the air magically, creating a trail of smoke that floated upward and away like a trail of smoke. “I was deep in the King’s Wood. I hadn’t eaten in three days and my belly made a sound like a bear.”