He laughed, mostly to keep his men calm. Letting these bastards go out fighting was precisely what they wanted, and Guy had no interest in feeding their desire to follow the traitor lord into martyrdom.

“Ooh, I have an excellent idea, actually, let’s not do this again. We’ve been here before, you recall, us hacking at each other to nobody’s benefit. Last time you shot one of my best men in the chest from the rooftop and then you all escaped. And that’s fine, that’s one option, but I was thinking another for today. Let’s have you come along willingly and we’ll save ourselves the nastier bits.”

Robin frowned. “Why would we do that?”

Guy flopped his hands out, hoping for levity. “Generosity?” From face to face he found no response. “No? No one? Alright then, perhaps this.” His black doublet gave way as he revealed the creased parchment, which he elevated above his head. “This is a signed edict from Lord William de Wendenal, the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, et cetera et cetera—that’s his signature and seal right there, if you’re doubtful—” he handed the document to Robin for inspection, “—that demands the razing of the Sherwood.”

“The most ridiculous ploy I’ve ever heard,” Sheriff Wendenal had said, even as he begrudgingly signed the prop. “Robin will never fall for this.”

But Guy had bet the opposite, because Robin of Locksley would always believe in the worst in people. Predictably, he gasped and scoured the parchment. “You couldn’t…”

“Every last tree, burned to the ground,” Guy elaborated. “Fire brigades are preparing even as we speak. They’ll leave the castle on first light, and start fires throughout the Sherwood, traveling north, burning it from the inside out. The smoke will make an excellent backdrop for Baron de Lacy’s funeral.” That much was true, even. He’d set the task to his Common Guard, in the hopes that the word would travel. To back up his bluff.

Guy spread his arms wide and bowed theatrically, then let it drop to laugh at his own charade. “Oh, stop your worrying, it’s not going to actually happen. If I give the word, I can stop it. This edict only takes effect if you refuse to surrender yourself to me. Or, I suppose, if you kill me. So no, let’s not fight.”

And it worked. John Little slumped, even Will Scarlet seemed to lose his fire. Guy had made himself unkillable—the survival of the Sherwood was bound to his own.

“All of us?” Robin asked, with a humbling defeat. “Or just me?”

Guy blinked. “All of you. Are you joking? There’s no bargaining here. You lost. Lay down, put your hands behind your backs. All of you. I can’t believe I have to explain that.”

None of them moved.