E-Written: Pirate Hood

"Ahh... we suffered a loss, Ser. A longtime servant passed in the night."

"I see. I will forgive the rudeness of having to wait so long outside then. I will return this evening. See that she is found."

Robin left, smiling again as he got in the coach. Everything was going exactly right. Lord Nottingham was going to do everything in his power to get the ransom paid and get her back home before 'Ser Lionheart' knew what was happening.

That evening and the next morning went the same way, with Lord Nottingham profusely apologizing and promising to have her home by that evening and having everything ready to go by morning. He even offered to have her already packed things loaded onto Robin's ship.

Robin waved him off, pretending to be angry and having second thoughts.

When he returned that evening, he was shown right into the parlor where Lord Nottingham was sitting with Marion, holding her hand tightly.

"Ser Lionheart! You see? I told you. It was all just a misunderstanding. It seems she did go for a short walk and fell into a crag. She was stuck there until my men found her and got her home. That was all. She is home and safe now, aren't you my little love?" he asked, hugging her shoulders.

She nodded quietly, her eyes a little wide with fear.

"Did you hit her again?" Robin demanded as he moved closer, noting her split and swollen lip, as well as a mouse on her other cheek.

"No! No, Ser Lionheart. Ahh... that was from her fall. She is fine now, aren't you little love?"

She nodded, still quiet, still spooked.

"Very well. We sail in the morning. Do you have the dowry ready?"

"Yes, Ser Lionheart."

"Send it along to my ship tonight, along with her trunks so my men can secure it. You will meet me at my ship at sunrise, with her. Do not be late."

"No, we won't. We will be there. I will send everything tonight. Right now," Lord Nottingham assured him.

Robin gave a terse nod, then left. He had intended to stay a final night at the inn, but he was upset. His men weren't supposed to hurt the girl or mark up her face. She would be worth less to the slavers. They had also frightened her enough that her spirit was diminished, at least for the evening.

He had the carriage take him straight to the docks and he boarded The Heart of Sherwood in a fury. "Little John! Where are you?"

"Rob? Didn't think to see you till morning."

"Where are Tucker and Will?"

"Their bunks?"

"Send them to my cabin, now. You come too," Robin demanded, then went to his cabin, pacing angrily. They all came in, Will having the grace to look ashamed.

"Rob, we didn't go into it meaning to lay hands on her!" he said quickly.

"She fought like a cornered badger!" Tucker accused.

"She BIT me!" Will agreed. "Sunk her teeth in and held on!"

"We were defending ourselves!" Tucker put in. "You didn't see it! She was nothing like I'd ever seen before!"

"Little as she was, she was 100% spite and venom! It was all we could do just to get her back to the ship! We had to knock her out! We couldn't have done it otherwise, on my honor, Rob!"

"It's the truth, Rob! She is a fierce little creature! If it had just been me alone, I don't think I could have grabbed her!"

"That goes double. I couldn't've taken her by myself. I didn't think the both of us were going to get it done!"

"Enough!" Robin snapped, vastly amused now. "Why was she so upset? What had her so shaken?"

"Told her if she spoke a word to anyone, we'd all have a go at her puss, the whole crew, then we'd bugger her and her sister with oars and plant them in the square for the city to see. We also may have made her think we was all gonna have a go before we let her go home. Kept her locked in them stocks you have for extracting information. Had a few looks at the goods just to keep her from kickin' and spittin' at us."

"Did any of you touch her?" Robin asked, his voice dangerous.

"No, Rob. You told us not to and we didn't. We had whores up at the inn there though."

"Little John, get the others. There should be a shipment arriving any time, be ready to load it and secure it. Wake me before sunrise and not before," Robin snapped, a little irritable about how badly they had scared Marion.

They woke him just before sunrise and he wore the finest raiment that had been in Ser Lionhearts wardrobe to greet Lord Nottingham and his retinue at the docks. Marion was in the gold dress again and she looked exquisite save for the furious little scowl on her face.

Robin managed to hide a smirk, glad she had gotten her fire back.

"Come aboard. My Captain here will say the words over us and I have all the documents for witnesses to sign," Robin announced, gesturing to Little John, who he had found a ridiculous 'Captains' hat for.

They came aboard and Lord Nottingham led Marion to Robin, but she crossed her arms and turned away when he tried to pass her hand over to Robin.

Robin bit his cheek and turned away from her, giving Little John a nod.

The 'ceremony' was over in minutes, Marion never looking at anyone but her father with eyes that were full of promises of revenge. The 'documents' were signed and witnessed and signed by witnesses and almost as soon as they were, Robin quickly announced, "We make ready to sail with the tide. Say your farewells for now, wife. Lord Nottingham, you will await my word, but be ready to come to the capitol as soon as you hear from me. Have a ship secured to be ready. I want no one to be able to contest this marriage in any way and I might need you and your family as witnesses."

"Yes, Ser Lionheart, we will be ready!" Lord Nottingham said quickly, his eyes shining with greed.

Robin stepped back, gesturing to Marion, who he purposefully had not tried to kiss. He had no wish to be bitten this morning. Lord Nottingham tried to go to her and hug her, but she danced away from his arms, then full arm slapped him across the face.

"I will never forgive you for this! Never! You SWORE to me I would never have to marry then you foist me off on the first dandy to show up for my hand! I HATE you!"

"Marion, don't be ridiculous, you know it is your duty to marry! I only said I wouldn't force you to marry some old fool. Ser Lionheart is young and you will be a queen someday!"

"You don't care about that! You care that you will be FATHER to a queen! First thing I will do is strip you of everything and send you to live with the goats! See if I don't!" she shrieked. She turned to Robin. "Where is my room?"

"Our cabin is through that door," Robin said, pointing at the Captain's quarters door and emphasizing 'our'.

She turned and fled to it, slamming the door shut, then everyone could hear her scream in a wordless rage, something smashing and breaking seconds later.

Robin sighed. "I best see to my wife. Captain, we sail now. Lord Nottingham, be ready."

Robin hurried to his cabin as something else crashed and broke, then had to use his key to unlock it so he could get in. He trusted Little John to see them out to sea.

Marion spun to him when he entered, her face a study of fury and heartbreak, then she let loose a scrimshaw he had picked up across the lands. He snagged it out of the air easily, making her pause and blink as he set it on one the velvet display case insets.

"Wife," he admonished, looking around at the broken glass on the floor. "This little display is a bit childish, don't you agree?"

"You lay a hand on me and I'll slit your throat in your sleep!" she hissed.

"Make your threats when I try to touch you, girl," Robin smirked. "I didn't even kiss you to seal the marriage. Yet. Or didn't you notice? Too busy hating your father for doing what he had no choice in. Do you even care that if he had said no, his head, yours and your sisters would be rotting on pikes?"

"He could have TRIED to talk you out of it instead of trying to sell me to you, force me to be what I am not to appeal to you! You are nothing but an overweening, arrogant old man who likes to make people bow and scrape."

"Old man is it now? I thought myself rather young at only 27."

"That is almost ten years older than me! Old!"

Robin laughed. "Marion. Wife. I would ask you not to destroy any more of the things I have collected. They aren't worth much as far as money goes, but they hold memories of places and people that I cherish. If you cannot respect that, then perhaps you would be more comfortable in the hold."

"Is the hold away from you? I would be glad for it!"

"It is below, with my men. You would rather sleep among them? Sailors and ruffians all? You may step below if you like, see how well you are treated. That's what I thought. Never try to lock me out of my own quarters again and do not break my things. Your own things are in those trunks. Break them all you like," he said before stepping back out on deck.

He no sooner let go of the door than he heard the lock click into place. He smiled grimly and went to check on the haul. The ransom and the dowry. It was impressive and Will was giddy as he sat counting it, showing Robin the numbers.

"This is the best con you ever came up with Rob!" he said happily. "How many more ports can you put in at?"

"Every one from here to the capitol! We will retire once we are done, all of us! Buy ourselves an island and live like kings!"

"We have the hold ready with the cages as soon as you want her locked up."

"Good. She is making a mess of things in my cabin. As soon as we are out of sight of the port, I will bring her down. Write all that down and divide it out like I told you. I have a 'wife' to go take in hand."

"You gonna fuck her?"

"They are worth more whole and I don't fancy having my bits clawed off."

"She would, too. Little hellion. I can put her back in the stocks for you. Well. Have the boys do it. I won't get near her again."

Robin chuckled. "I'd rather have a softer hand that was eager to please."

"I'm sure the next one will be much less... demonic."

Robin laughed again as he left, going back up to his cabin. He unlocked the door and went in, pausing in confusion. There were clothes everywhere, her chests upended as she tore through them.

"Where ARE they?" she asked in a rage, turning to him. "Did YOU tell them not to pack my paints?"

"Of course not, why would I? Pick all of this up. One of my men has chalks and pencils, along with a stack of paper. If you can act civil, I will have them brought to you."

"I will see them first!"

"No, you will clean this mess up first. Is there still glass under all of these clothes? You are a spoiled little creature, aren't you? Clean up your mess, Marion."

"Do it yourself! I'll do nothing for you!"

"Clean it up, Marion, you made it. I'll not allow you to act like a spoiled brat any longer. All you are doing is testing my patience and you will not like the results."

"Let me guess? My head on a pike? Or perhaps some other idle threat, like an eternity scrubbing pots?"

"How about back in the brig in the stocks where my men all really will take turns fucking you and not just looking at you," Robin said angrily.

She went still, going pale as she looked at him. "You... it was YOU! Why would you... You aren't Ser Lionheart at all, are you? You are some imposter!" She shrieked and ran at Robin, at the door, leaping at him.

Robin sidestepped her quickly, grabbing her by the throat as he lifted her, then slamming her to the floor. Her breath left her in a rush as she stared up, dazed.

"I am not as easily cowed as my companions, Marion. I have no compunctions at all with punishing a woman who comes at me as a man would. If you wish to test my reflexes, be my guest, but it will only end badly for you. Now clean your mess up," he demanded, standing.

He stepped back and watched her as she slowly rolled and tried to breathe for a moment. She went to her hands and knees, still heaving, then suddenly launched herself at him again, screaming in wordless fury.

He sidestepped her again, snatching her by the hair and using her own momentum to swing her around and throw her across the room. She rolled into the side of the bed with a hard thump and went still.

Robin did not fall for it, he stood waiting, smiling. He knew the second she decided her ruse wasn't going to work. He didn't have to see her slight shift to move, he knew what was coming. The handful of glass missed him by several feet and he smirked as she looked, her eyes tracking him to his new location, seeing the incredulous anger in her eyes. She came at him again, with another scream and this time he let her get close before sweeping her arms around as he grabbed them both in a single hand and spun her, yanking her hard against his chest, his other hand going to her throat and closing around it.

"One more outburst and I will put you down like the animal you are acting like, Marion," he snarled as she struggled, trying to kick at his legs. "You will pick these clothes up and sweep up all the glass or I will put you back in those stocks for the next month in nothing but your skin! The only food you will get is what my boys spend down your throat. Is that what you wish? Look me in the eye and see if I am bluffing," he hissed, turning her face up to his.

She froze, looking up at him, her anger dissolving into fear. It was warranted, he was very serious.

He let her go with a shove and she turned to him, tears filling her eyes. "You... stole me. You tricked my father for money and stole me away! What sort of monster destroys a family so?"

"I am a pirate, girl. You'll not touch my heart with your tears or sad story. I've heard them all already. Start cleaning."

She spun away, clutching her stomach as anguish hit her. She pretended she wasn't sobbing brokenly as she righted her trunks and picked up clothes. Robin watched her warily, not buying that she wouldn't try again. At least once her sorrow turned back into ire. He stepped out the door. "John! Send me Alan and Dale!"

"Aye Captain!" John called as Robin shut the door, still watching her.

"I assume the marriage was a farce as well since you are the captain and not that man?" she asked, yanking a petticoat up and stuffing it into into the trunk with force.

"Of course. I'd sooner shove a weasel down my shirt than marry you."

"As if you are some catch, you lying old..."

"That's enough of that. Finish cleaning up."

"What do you intend to do with me?"

"Sell you to the slavers," he answered with a shrug, seeing no reason to lie to her.

She stopped and stared at him, her eyes wide. "The slavers? In the south? Do you know what they will do to me?!?" she cried.

"I've a good idea, yeah. Don't worry, you won't be alone. I'm going to sell every noble bitch I con with this story."

He saw it then, the moment her demeanor changed and he knew she was about to go on the attack again.

"Don't try it Marion," he said gently. "I will always be faster, always be ready for you. My men follow me because my reflexes are almost supernatural. I can see a storm coming long before it's due to arrive. That's a metaphor. Means I know every move you will make before you know you want to make it. I know which ships to chase down and which ones we are no match for and which ones are limping along trying to ambush us. I know which cons will work and when my mark is getting suspicious. Your father, by the way, never once suspected after I first arrived. Gullible fool."

"You don't get to speak of him!"

"I thought you hated him?"

"Just because I hate him doesn't mean you can speak ill of him!"

There was a knock at the door and Robin opened it, not taking his eyes off Marion. "Allan, Dale. Do you still have those chalks and papers you got to impress that girl on the island?"

"I think so Captain?"

"Yes sir."

"Bring them. The chalks, the pencils, the paper, all of it."

"Charcoals?"

"Yes, Dale, that's what all of it means," Alan hissed as they left.

Robin shut the door, still watching her. She looked considering now. "If you mean to bribe me, it won't work," she said finally.

"Finish picking your things up and close the trunks. Sweep the glass up. There is a brush with a handle for sweeping behind that door there, along with a pail to sweep it into. Be quick."

"Are you going to put me in one of the cages I saw below? The ones not fit for animals."

"Yes. I thought to leave you out a bit longer since you will be here longest, having to sit and wait at every port as I gather more noble brats to sell. Part more greedy fools from their money. You can go straight to the cage if you prefer."

"You won't get away with this. My father will figure it out and come after me."

"I know he will. They all will. But it will all be too late. By the time they know they have been duped, I will be long gone and their daughters will too. Most will be too embarrassed to admit they were fooled by such an obvious con and they will try to let it be known their daughters were married off to a foreign power. Leave it at that. Your father will be one of those, you should have seen how hard he worked to keep it quiet that you had been kidnapped right out of his house and held for ransom. He may take a trip to the capitol, look around a bit, ask some quiet questions... but admit he was tricked into paying someone to carry off his daughter? And paying her ransom so that he could get her into the man's hands quickly? How many will look down their noses and scoff at his idiocy? No, he will keep a very tight lid on it. Hope no one ever finds out. I see in your face that you know I am right. He is a prideful man. They are all prideful men, and greedy. That's why this con works so well. They want it so badly, it narrows their vision completely."

"And you think it is your right to take from anyone you wish? To steal money, steal daughters, destroy families?"

"It is my right to take money from anyone foolish enough or weak enough to let me take it. Now sweep up all the glass. That door there, the little cupboard. You throw that at me, I will throw it back and I won't miss. Then I will strip you down and tie you to the mast and paddle you like a willful child in front of all my men, then leave you there. Is that appealing to you? To spend the next month in the weather on my mast? Sweep up your mess and put it away. You touch that Astrolabe and I will break your fingers! That was a gift. Sit down at the table," he demanded as another knock sounded.

He opened it and took the tin and stack of paper from Alan, then shut the door. He moved to the table and set the papers and tin down, then backed up and opened another cupboard and placed an apple near her on the table.

"These chalks are trash, cheap and..."

"One more complaint and you can sit in a cage instead of at my table receiving my favor. Can you sit in here and behave, or do I need to secure you?"

She glowered at him as he backed up to the door and he smirked as he left. She had fire, even if she was a spoiled brat.

He was standing at the wheel, showing Little John where they were putting in next when she came marching out on deck. He paused watching her as she looked around, then went to port and stared out to sea. At least she had enough of her head about her to know which way shore and home was, even if she couldn't see it anymore. He knew she wasn't going to jump, but even if she did, he wouldn't bother saving her.

She turned again and looked around the ship and he noticed all of his men watching her warily. They had heard Will and Tucker talk about her. Robin had known she was going to come out on deck and the whole reason he had left her free to do it was to watch his men watch her like she was a strange cat among them. He was curious to see if she would do exactly as he thought she would.

Sure enough, her gaze fell on the crows nest and she kicked her shoes off as she hurried to it and yanked her skirts to her thighs. The men stared, gobsmacked as she climbed up and climbed in, standing and looking out in every direction. He grinned and went back to what he was doing.