Free Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

be for someone to slit my belly and watch all my inner bits slide out.
    We took them back to the cave, and John and Much set to skinning them and cutting the meat. I watched, sharpening my knives and unstringing my bow. I never liked hunting. Well, I liked hunting right fair, but I didn’t like blood. So much of it had to come from an animal to feed a town, and it felt strange to me.
    This, more than stealing baubles, were what made us thieves, and outlaws, and all the names the sheriff called us. Sherwood were the king’s forest, a protected land that were meant to be his hunting grounds. But En gland were a country without a king. King Richard, him they called the Lionheart, had taken his lion paws over to the Holy Land. He were off fi ghting infi dels while his people—
    while my people—
    starved. There
    wouldn’t be no game left for hunting when Richard returned.
    ’Stead of deer, En gland would be full up of wolves, the biggest among them Prince John.
    John and Much wrapped packages of meat in the skins, and Rob and I set off quick. Rob headed for Worksop and I went to Edwinstowe, delivering the meat before sunup. We parceled out the meat as best we could, trying to get to each family a cut that would feed them for the day at least. Some of the families had more luck than others; farmers had 212-47765_ch01_1P.indd 68
    212-47765_ch01_1P.indd 68
    5/31/11 1:45 PM
    5/31/11 1:45 PM

S C A R L E T
    . 69 .
    crops to feed their families, and some of the summer crops did fair well. Even if they were settled, though, when we got food, we shared it around.
    I were through most of Edwinstowe when I heard the soldiers. I slid against one of the house frames, hoping they didn’t have a dog with them. I were covered in the smell of raw meat.
    “Damn night patrols, ” one grumbled.
    “Gisbourne’s a fool. Everyone knows the Hood’s just a ghost. ”
    “Yeah, but somebody’s poaching, ain’t they? And we’re meant to catch the poachers. ”
    “And kill them. That ain’t on. ”
    “We bring ’em in and the sheriff ’ll kill ’em. We don’t have to do it ourself. ”
    “I don’t get the plan. He thinks killing all them we catch together in some big thing will get the Hood to come out. Hood’s a ghost!”
    “And if there were a Hood, and I were the Hood, I’d get them out the night before. Gisbourne’s none too smart. ”
    “No. ”
    “Maybe we can amble by Tuck’s. Rosie’s had that sparkle in her eye lately. ”
    The other chuckled. “Mind it ain’t no apple in her eye, lad. ”
    “Sheriff won’t never know. Let’s go over. ”
    The other man nodded.
    I stayed hidden until they cleared, and then I bolted to Major Oak.
    212-47765_ch01_1P.indd 69
    212-47765_ch01_1P.indd 69
    5/31/11 1:45 PM
    5/31/11 1:45 PM
    . 70 .
    A. C. Gaughen
    “It’s fi ne, ” Rob said when I fi nished telling him all I heard.
    “We just don’t let anyone get caught poaching. ”
    It didn’t feel fi ne. It felt like a big storm, and Gisbourne were in the eye of it.
    212-47765_ch01_1P.indd 70
    212-47765_ch01_1P.indd 70
    5/31/11 1:45 PM
    5/31/11 1:45 PM
    C H A P T E R

F I V E
    T he next morning were a long one spent on the road. There were a slew of travelers that morning, and I felt fair fl ush as I sussed them out. Some lords tried to look like the poorest of men, but they still rode huge horses and were hale and fed. Shameful. I liked picking those out the most. One set of knights were hauling a big chest of jewels for a lady, delicate and fi ne indeed, and when we cracked it open, far to the side of the road, I felt a smile bubble out of me.
    “This will cover most of the people in Nottinghamshire, ”
    John marveled.
    I let a string of diamonds run through my fi ngers like rainwater. “Feed ’em and clothe ’em too. ”
    Robin winked at us. “That was a good spot, Scarlet. ”
    I grinned, watching the sun bounce off a silver bar. “Oh, I know. ”
    212-47765_ch01_1P.indd 71
    212-47765_ch01_1P.indd 71
    5/31/11 1:45