A Forest for Everyone (Allen)

[goddess1girl]

Asha pulled her hair down out of her pony tail and into her face, after tying up her horse at the near by tree. Undoing her cloak, throwing it down on the ground with a sigh, she hadn’t gotten any travelers in the past little bit, they were more scared of Robin Hood and his merry men. The Raven was known but not by many anymore, maybe she could gang up with the Night watchmen instead.

Laughing silently to herself as she pulled off her light coat, fixing her corset and white blouse underneath. Flattening out her pants before Asha took a seat on a tree root and took a sip of her jug of what. The birds flew over head as a sudden cracking sound not to far out rang out. Quickly her hand raced for the dagger in her boot and waited till who ever or whatever they were showed themselves.

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan winced as he heard the sharp crack of the dead wood. It was a rookie mistake, something he didn't do often. There was someone ahead of him; he could hear their horse. The element of surprise was lost now, so he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and moved forwards. It could be anyone; could even be the sheriff or Gisborne...although it was unlikely for either of them to be alone.

[goddess1girl]

Asha got up, pulled the dagger out of her boot, placing it in front of her. Taking a breath step took a step forward, getting closer to the trees before speaking.”Come out in the open stranger ,I have no intention to harm you if you do not harm me.”It could be anyone, one of the sheriff’s men to many. Though it was hard to tell it seemed like she was only in the company of one. Whoever it was was probably not expecting to sneak up on a woman, or well she hoped.

[Allan A'Dale]

”Come out in the open stranger, I have no intention to harm you if you do not harm me.”

Sounded nice enough, but he drew one of his short swords anyway. Words were pretty cheap, and he knew better than to take an unseen stranger at their word. He kept the point of his blade pointed low; he didn't want to openly threaten whoever was there, and cautiously stepped forwards.

After navigating a thicket of brambles and ducking under a series of heavy branches he found himself face to face with a young woman; slight and dark-haired.

"Alright?" he said cautiously. "You, er, you from around here?"

Mentally he rolled his eyes. As opening lines went, it wasn't exactly smooth. But he didn't know whose sie this girl was on, and he didn't necessarily want to expose his own allegiances to an ally of the Sheriff.

[goddess1girl]

Gripping her dagger as whoever they were approached, Asha pressed her lips together in a slight annoyance as it seemed to have taken the person a little while to get out from behind the bushes. It was a man, well no surprise there; most women didn’t travel this far out into the woods because it’s not safe for a woman, that’s a complete lie.

”yes….and no.”Asha said, well she was from around here just not born here. But yes could work.”Yourself sir?” it was hard, so far neither person rust the other, it would be a while before she would find out what side he was really on. But then again she was in Sherwood Forest, you don’t know who’s wondering around in here.

Pulling her dagger down slightly, not that it would make her defenseless seeing as neither of them would get very far with weapons pointing at one another.

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan grinned despite himself. They weren't going to get anywhere like this, and she obviously wasn't going to attack him straight off the bat. He put his sword away and held out his hand.

"I've been here a few years now, you could say I'm kind of from the area. My name's Allan."

Telling her his first name couldn't hurt, he reasoned. It wasn't as if it was particularly unusual. And, to be fair, if it came down to it and she was working for the sheriff, she was on her own. He couldn't be in too much danger - although he knew better than to underestimate a woman's fighting skills. Marian had taught him that.

[goddess1girl]

Asha pulled her hair away from her face and took a step close to shake his hand. With a small smile she replied to Allen with her own name.”My name is Asha. I guess I could say I’ve been here for a few years now too. ”She said with a laugh, but being a slave wasn’t all that joyous.”And it is nice to meet you Allen.”Asha replied, removing her hand from his.

Each now knew one another’s first names; it’s not all that bad. He didn’t seem like the idiot who would work with the sheriff, the chances were he wasn’t.”But I do have one question for you, one that if you lie I may have to fight you. It is who do you owe you allegiances to?”It was a very out front question, but needed to know the answer.

[Allan A'Dale]

He raised his eyebrows slightly. Bit of a firebrand, obviously. He could tell she cared a lot, and that was probably a good sign. Not many people were on the Sheriff's side because the believed passionately that he was in the right. And he wasn't about to start making matters worse by not telling her the truth. If he lied and picked the wrong one, it'd be just as bad. Best to get it out in the open, take his chances.

Pulling his shirt away from his body, he shoved his other hand down the front of it and fished out his wooden tags, pulling the string over his head. He handed them over to her.

"See that?" he asked, a hint of pride in his voice. "That means I'm one of Robin Hood's men. I hope that's alright with you." He smiled at her again after saying it, just to let her know he was teasing. She was pretty, after all, and it wasn't fun to have an attractive woman angry with you.

He kept a close eye on her reactions, and his hand close to his sword, just in case. He'd feel like a prize fool getting tricked by nothing more than a smile and a sweet face.

[goddess1girl]

Asha smiled and took the tags and examined them. Allen would be a fool to lie or even make fake tags ,so there was no choice except to believe him. He did sound rather truthful, so she was sure he wasn’t lying to her face.

With the tags in her hand, she tossed them back to him.” I believe you Allen seeing as only a fool would anger a woman.”Asha replied with a small laugh.” if you are one of Robin Hoods men, I’m also known by another name, villager of different villages of Nottingham gave it to me. I’m also known as The Raven. I steal from the rich keep some for myself and give the rest to the poor. ” And there was no reason toile to someone who maybe helpful in the future. You never know who you can make allies with. And Robin Hood and his men would be a good one.

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan caught the string as she threw it and looped it back around his head, tucking the wooden tags back into his clothing.

He'd never heard the name before, but it was good to know that there was someone else actively on their side, rather than simply coexisting.

"The Raven, eh?" he asked with a grin. "Sounds mysterious, I like it. You should have a word with Robin, I'm always telling him we need to start looking after ourselves a bit more. We give away so much I swear the peasants eat better than I do some days."

He relaxed a little; now they'd got the awkward part over with he could maybe find out a bit more about this girl.

"So, I can guess you weren't from around here originally, what brought you to Nottingham?"

[goddess1girl]

The tags were s sign off Robin Hoods, men at least she knew that now for future reference, not like she be looking down guys tops for them or anything. ”I am mysterious.”Asha replied with a smile.

”I guess I would have to find Robin first ,wouldn’t i?”She said with a bit of a laugh, but that was a little harsh not keeping anything for themselves. They needed to feed themselves somehow and get weapons. Guess stealing ,they could do it that way. And the little awkward strange that was going on just ended with was great ,no more of that going on.

”I was born in India, brought here by English men looking for slaves, and I couldn’t help but escape. How’d you end up with Robin ?”Asha asked, hoping that it wasn’t to personal.

[Allan A'Dale]

India. Sounded far away. He'd heard of a few countries; Palestine, obviously, and France was supposed to be quite close, in country terms. But he'd never heard of a place called India before. He felt a prickle of sympathy for her, being dragged from her homeland and sold like a commodity.

"Couldn't help but escape?" He laughed. "I like the way you put it. I've got a feeling I wouldn't be able to help escaping either. Robin saved my life; I got caught poaching a deer and they were gonna hang me for it. I was on my own before that, and it seemed a bit rude to just disappear, so I ended up sticking around."

[goddess1girl]

”My father taught me how to fight, my father was a skilled bow maker, and he thought his children should know how to fight.”Asha replied a little saddened by the thoughts. Its been over four years or more since she’d seen him last. Too long, far too long.

”How would you feel if you were pushed around like cattle.”Asha said jokingly even if that’s what her life felt like then. ”It seems like meeting Robin was a good thing for yourself. I’m glad to here it, though not the whole being hanged bit.”She said, though for pouching a deer that was a high price to pay.

[Allan A'Dale]

"Your father was a bow-maker, was he? Did he teach you anything about it?"

That was an area in which the outlaws weren't as well-supported as they could have been. Robin's own bow had seen a hell of a lot of action by now and even with the best will in the world no weapon lasted forever. When it finally did give out, it would be unlikely that he'd be able to find a replacement half as good. Saracen technology blew English weaponry clean out of the water.

"I don't take orders well, I have to admit." He thought back to his brief time in the castle, and Gisborne's harsh and careless treatment of him. Even living in the forest was better than getting barked at and mistreated by Sir Guy. "Being in Robin's gang turned me around a bit, to be honest. I wasn't exactly destined for greatness, put it that way. I didn't ever used to really worry about anyone but myself. Problem is, live like that and you've got no-one watching your back. You're vulnerable."

[goddess1girl]

”Yes, tricks I guess. I know how to make a half descent bow.”Asha replied, looking over at the bow which was strapped to her horse’s saddle. It wasn’t all that bad. They did last quiet a long time and took a lot of damage, but it was all down to the cut of the wood and the type.

”As long as you try. Orders are like rules, there made to bend or break.”Asha replied, she had bent some of her fathers rules when she was a child, rules were there and so tempting to break. ” But would rather now stay with Robin or leave?”She asked interested in his response to the question. ”Everyone is vulnerable naturally ,even if your just looking out for yourself. ”