“Hey!” he shouts, pulling her back. King Richard storms toward the deputy, fury on his face. The sheriff bellows, “Enough! Everyone, stand down!”
Something in the tone of his voice shocks everyone into letting go of one another. During our reunion, ten more of the sheriff’s men have come to stand in a circle around us, effectively trapping us all in the center. I still have my dagger, but my bow and arrow are behind me, out of reach. My parents and the king are not armed. Marian, Will, and Kylea huddle close together. King Richard spreads his arms out in front of all of us, like a human shield. My father moves into the same position on the other side. He winks at me, and his eyes sparkle with defiance. Marian shakes her head. “No doubt about it, he’s your dad.”
“No, you stand down,” another voice calls out from behind us, a calmer voice, but commanding nonetheless.
“Friar Tuck!” Marian shouts in surprise. We all twist around to see him approaching through the crowd.
And he’s not alone. All the friars from the church this morning are with him. And so are Little John and Much and the rest of the Merry Men from the forest! They’ve risked capture for me! My hand tightens on my dagger. I’m not going to let harm come to any of them. Little John starts to storm over as soon as he sees us trapped in the circle, but Friar Tuck holds him back.
The sheriff’s men and the friars all have swords at the ready now, pointing at one another. I’d put the odds in our favor, but only slightly. And then the sheriff whistles. Twenty men on horseback ride onto the field from behind the house. I flinch when I see Guy Gisborne in the lead. They pull up in front of the platform, load their bows, and await orders.
Our odds have just gone down. Considerably.
“Let us leave,” King Richard calls out, his voice rich and deep and kingly. “We have no quarrel with you, nor you with us. Keep my brother’s payment, or split it among the poor farmers you have been unfairly taxing for years.”
The crowd leaps to their feet. In response, the line of guards on horseback raise their bows. The crowd leans back, like they’re one person instead of a hundred.
The sheriff shouts, “Who are you to tell me how to run my town?” He makes a tiny gesture with his finger, and the battle begins! Arrows fly, shields are raised, and swords are drawn! My father immediately grabs the girls and my mother, taking them behind the stands where at least there is a little shelter.
“I want to help!” I hear Marian call out.
“Help by staying safe,” my father replies.
And then I’m swept up in it. Some of the spectators have risen to fight as well. Perhaps they’ve just been waiting for the right opportunity, and we’ve given it to them. I lose sight of the sheriff as three of his men protect him, swords swinging at anyone who comes near.
Rolo the Ratcatcher runs toward me with his spear, clearing a path through the first circle as the deputies scatter to get out of his way. Much tosses me my sword, and I hand him my dagger. He points it at one guard, then another, to keep them at bay while I come out swinging. I clash swords with any of the sheriff’s men who come my way. Practicing with Little John this week has made me practically unbeatable. Anyone unarmed I let pass.
Little John and Guy Gisborne are facing off near the pond with quarterstaffs. They seem evenly matched. By their moves, I’d guess this isn’t their first time dueling together, and I doubt it will be their last.
Arrows fly over my head toward the line of men on horseback, and I turn to find their origin. I’m not surprised to see Marian has taken up my bow. Her last arrow whizzes through one guard’s hair, knocking him right off his horse! She only has time to yelp in victory before my father yanks her away again.
One of the deputies from the wedding has caught up with me. He swings his sword at my leg before I can fully turn away. It hits broadside. The pain goes up my leg, and while I’m slowed by it, he slices at my arm. I push aside the pain and turn on him. We clash swords until I feel like my arm is going to fall off. It’s impossible to tell by the number of men limping or bleeding or both which side, if any, is winning.
“ENOUGH!” The sheriff’s voice rises above the yells and clangs of metal on metal. I’m surprised to see King Richard is standing close to his side. The fighting grinds to a halt, but not before I snatch the pouch dangling from my opponent’s belt. “Just taking back what’s mine,” I tell him.
“This day is not about fighting,” the sheriff shouts. “It is about getting together in the name of friendly competition. I call a cease-fire.” His men immediately drop their weapons to their sides. The rest of us pause to make sure it’s not a trick, then we do the same. King Richard gives an almost imperceptible nod of approval.
Marian rushes out to stand beside me. Kylea and my parents follow. “That’s what he does,” she says admiringly. “King Richard brokers peace, even out here.”
My father and I share a nod of understanding. I decide not to point out to Marian that Richard currently has the tip of a dagger sticking into the sheriff’s back.
I step toward the men. “My parents are coming home with me.”
The sheriff shakes his head. Gotta hand it to him, he’s holding his ground even with a dagger at his back.
The crowd growls in dissent again, but King Richard holds up his hand for silence.
Will suddenly steps out in front of us, a large purple bruise growing on his cheek. “Maybe this will help convince you,” he says calmly. Then he turns toward the pond and lifts up his hand. He points one finger at the lone duck, swimming in a lazy circle.
“Poof,” he says.
And all the water in the pond disappears.
A hundred shocked gasps rise into the air. The duck falls to the ground in surprise, then shakes her tail feathers and waddles onto the lawn.
Marian runs over to Will. “You have a vapor gun! Those were still in development when I left Earth. It’s supposed to turn gases into water for people to drink. I guess it works in reverse, too! How did you get it?”
“Your grandmother sent it up with the ship,” he says, sliding something into his pocket. “Cool, right?”
“I’m going to have a long talk with good ol’ Grandma when I get home,” Marian says, shaking her head. “She’s chock-full of surprises.”
The sheriff finally pulls his eyes away from the pond-shaped hole left on his front lawn. “Fine, take them!” he says, all the fight gone from his voice. “They were eating me out of house and home anyway. Now get off my property immediately.” He pushes past King Richard and storms into his house.
“Here,” Will says, quickly pulling a small device out of his back pocket. He hands it to me. I look up in surprise.
“You brought a medi-gun!”
He nods. “There was a first aid kit in the ship. You’re bleeding pretty bad.”
I rest it in my hand, fully aware now of the throbbing in my leg and the line of blood running down past my elbow.
Friar Tuck hurries over to us. “The sheriff won’t stay quiet for long. You should go.”
“Take this,” I tell him, pressing the medi-gun into his hand. “Pull this trigger here, and one injection will allow the injured to recover quickly. Offer to both sides, if you like. There should be enough in there for everyone.”
“I will,” he promises. “And you will take our horses where you need to go. They know how to find their way back to us.”
“Thank you,” I say. “For everything. Oh, I have one more thing for you.” I pick up the deputy’s pouch laying at my feet and pull out the little golden statue. “This reminds me of you. You can sell it and use the money for the school.”
My mother watches this exchange, then laughs. “I remember that statue! I made it in high school out of that leftover gold resin from the lab. Kent modeled for the class.”
“I remember that,” my father says, laughing, too. “Kent complained it was cold clad only in his underwear! You really captured his likeness.”
“What?” Will and I exclaim at the same
time. The statue doesn’t look anything like Uncle Kent!
“He ate more than his share of vita-squares then,” my father explains.
“And he was bald?” Will asks. “Dad is very proud of his hair.”
My mother shakes her head. “He wasn’t bald. I just couldn’t figure out how to make hair!”
“I’ll take it,” Friar Tuck says, sticking the statue in his robe before I can change my mind about giving it away. He leaves to help prepare the horses, and my father pulls me aside.
“We were able to watch the first round of the contest from the window,” he tells me. “It’s been our only view since we got here. I was rooting for you to win even before I knew who you were. Where’d you learn to shoot like that?”
I grin. “Virtual reality archery game. I’ll teach you when we get home.”
“Deal,” he says.
I reach up and pull off my hat. “You should have this. You wore one just like it in a picture from before you were captured. We had to make them in class. The feather was stuck in with your boxes.”
He takes the hat and runs his fingers over the feather. “You made this back on Delta Z?”
“Actually, Will made it and I stole it. Mine came out the worst in the class. I’m not very crafty.”
“I think you’ve proved yourself plenty crafty,” he says, placing the hat back on my head. “It looks better on you.”
I grin. “True! I am the more handsome of the two of us.”
Dad laughs and slaps me playfully on the back. “Oh, this is going to be fun!”
King Richard has gone ahead to the ship so he can send communications to the resistance to let them know he’s coming home. I’m about to head over to say goodbye to Friar Tuck when Robin pulls me aside. “Is it okay with you if I let Little John and Much know where to find the wreckage of the Solar Hammer? They could scavenge whatever they can use from it and sell off the rest. It would be enough to get them food and better shelter, maybe even enough to pay off their debts to the sheriff.”
“Of course,” I tell him. “That’s a great idea.”
He squeezes my arm in thanks and runs off to tell them. He’s definitely changed, all right.
Now that I’m faced with my final goodbyes, a lump has formed in my throat. Friar Tuck sees me approaching the horses and comes over to me.
I gather my nerve and say, “You knew when we met that I hadn’t come to Sherwood Forest to be your new student, right?”
He smiles gently, but only says, “You are definitely meant to be a student, Marian. Whether you study with me or not, there’s a hunger for knowledge in you, and you will do great things with it.”
I wish I could take Friar Tuck home with me!
He reaches into his robe and pulls out my grandmother’s headpiece. “I was never going to keep this.”
I reach for it, then pull back. “I’d like you to have it. That way you’ll always remember me.”
“Are you certain?” he asks.
I nod. The crown doesn’t mean the same thing to me now that I know what it really is. I’ve tasted freedom now. I won’t be tracked again. “I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll trade it for one orange. Wait, two oranges.”
“Done,” he says, and plucks them from yet another robe pocket.
I burst out laughing. “You just happen to carry two oranges with you?”
He pulls out a third. “Learning to juggle.”
I reach over and give Friar Tuck a hug. His robe isn’t as scratchy as I thought it would be. Kylea comes up and puts her arm through mine. “My turn,” she says. I slip the oranges in my dress pocket, give the friar one last pat on the arm, and let Kylea pull me away.
“Here,” she says, pulling off her beaded bracelet. The colors are glowing bright in the late afternoon sun. “We never had a chance to make yours in crafts class. I want you to have mine. When you need to remember to breathe, close your eyes and let your fingers count each bead, one by one, as they slide over them. You can repeat a word to yourself as you do it. I suggest Kylea. Ky … le … a. That has a nice, calming ring to it, right?”
I throw my arms around her. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever owned.” And I mean it. “I’ll never forget your spirit and everything you’ve done for me.” I motion to the group, now waiting impatiently for us to finish. Well, Will is waiting impatiently. He’s anxious to figure out how to fit all of us in the transport ship. The rest are too busy catching up to worry about it. “Everything you’ve done for us,” I finish.
She waves it off. “It was nothing.”
“There’s a necklace in my suitcase in our room,” I tell her. “It’s yours now.”
“The gold one with the pearl that glides along it?” she asks.
My eyes widen, and then I laugh. “You snoop!”
She shrugs. “I had to find out something about my new roommate. Never suspected she came from the stars.”
We laugh together and then cry together. Then Will comes over and drags me away. The horses are lined up and ready to go. Robin puts out his hand to help me up on my horse, but I don’t take it. I’ve gotten stronger. I can easily do it myself. “You clean up good,” I tell him as I slide into the saddle. “Green’s your color.”
“Every color pales in comparison to you,” Robin replies from atop his own horse. From anyone else his words would have sounded corny.
Will leans over and slaps Robin on the back. “Nice, cuz! You’ve finally got game!”
Robin winces. Will’s hand must have touched a sore spot. I noticed neither he nor Will used the medi-gun on themselves.
He recovers quickly and says, “Yeah, well, I learned from the best. Thanks for coming halfway across the galaxy to find me, by the way.”
“Anytime,” Will says, picking up his reins. “Race you back to the ship?”
Robin shakes his head. Then he winks at me, digs in his heels, and takes off, due east. “Hey!” Will shouts, then gallops after him. Robin’s father calls out “Eat my dust!” and off he goes.
Robin’s mother pulls up alongside me and shakes her head. “Boys.” Then she turns to look at me. “So, it’s not every day a mother gets to meet her son and her future daughter-in-law on the same afternoon.”
I’m so startled by her comment that I don’t know what to say. She winks, shouts “To the ship!” and takes off.
I sigh. Looks like I’ll have my hands full keeping up with this family. I feel to make sure my new bracelet is in place and take a deep breath before directing my horse into the woods. They may be in a rush to get to the ship, but I’m not. I plan to savor every tree and flower and bird that I pass.
When I finally arrive at the ship, Robin greets me with a goofy grin. “We have company,” he says.
“Uh-oh, that’s never good.”
“This time it is,” he promises. I climb into the ship after him. It’s bigger than the Solar Hammer, but not by much. Extra straps have been secured in place along the sides, with makeshift seats for all the extra passengers.
And curled up in the driver’s seat is none other than Deedee.
Will hurries in, shaking his head. “Don’t even think about it,” he warns us. “It’s too crowded as it is.”
Deedee lazily opens one eye, sticks out her tongue, and licks Will’s hand. Then she goes back to dozing.
Will sighs. “Fine. But you’re going to have to explain him to the commander!”
“Her,” I correct him.
“Mind if I drive?” King Richard asks Will, who jumps out of the way. “Of course not, Your Majesty.” But King Richard still can’t sit down due to a deer being in the way. When Will slides into the copilot’s seat, Deedee gets up, stretches, and climbs onto his lap before closing her eyes again.
“Looks like Princess Nosey Spots likes him better than you now,” I whisper to Robin, clicking my chest harness into place.
“I thought I was Princess Nosey Spots,” he whispers back as he checks my straps and then clicks his own into place.
/> I shake my head. “Nope. You’re Robin Hood. Little kids sing folktales about you.”
“They do?”
“Don’t go getting a big head about it, now.”
“Who, me?”
I reach for his hand and we zoom off into the stars.
Wendy Mass is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two novels for young readers, including The Candymakers, Bob (co-written by Rebecca Stead), and the Twice Upon a Time, Willow Falls, and Space Taxi series. She is helping her family build a labyrinth in their backyard while working on her next book. Not at the same time, of course. That’d be weird. Visit her at wendymass.com.
Don’t miss any of these spellbinding stories from Wendy Mass!
The Willow Falls series
11 Birthdays
Finally
13 Gifts
The Last Present
Graceful
The Twice Upon a Time series
Rapunzel: The One with All the Hair
Sleeping Beauty: The One Who Took the Really Long Nap
Beauty and the Beast: The Only One Who Didn’t Run Away
Copyright © 2018 by Wendy Mass
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
First edition, June 2018
Book design by Yaffa Jaskoll
Cover photographs by Michael Frost, © 2018 Scholastic Inc.
Cover design by Yaffa Jaskoll