Linda and Guy followed the Captain down to the chamber area. The crew was up and ready now (mainly groggy, but ready), and began to go about the day. Linda walked around a little bit, until she hit Vaisey's quarters. Pressing her ear against the door, she could hear his loud snores over the commotion of men talking amongst themselves.

"Guy, I need something from you," said Linda. She whispered something in his ear, and a grin spread on his face. He nodded and ran off to go get what she had asked for.

Sighing, Linda turned around walked inside, closing the door behind her. She made her way to his bedside and shook him gently.

"Father," she whispered. No response. "Father."

"Executions, donkeys, money," he murmured.

"'Donkeys?' What?" she whispered to herself. She shook her head, speaking a little louder this time. "Father!"

Still, no response.

Linda groaned in frustration. Where was Guy with that thing she asked him of? She had no clue, so Linda just sat there in boredom and annoyance until Guy finally arrived.

"This it?" he asked, and Linda lit up. Guy was holding a wide tin bucket about the size of a chicken, filled with ice cold water. With that, he also had a change of black clothes... like full black.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, taking the bucket and black clothing from his hands. She put the black attire down, and then walked over to Vaisey. Looking down upon him, she spoke in a loud voice, "Father, last warning. WAKE. UP."

Vaisey didn't budge. Sighing, she tipped the bucket over on Vaisey, causing him to sputter and cough and flop around like a fish.

"God's teeth that's cold!" he shouted. His vision was blurry, so he had to shake his head to regain his eyesight. He looked around the room, his face becoming super red. "WHAT DIABOLICAL NONSENSE IS THIS?!?!" he screamed.

Linda looked to Guy. "You are excused, Sir Guy. Thank you for your assistance," she said smirking at him.

Guy nodded and slightly bowed. "Lady Linda," he said with a wink.

Guy left, closing the door behind him. Linda turned her attention to her father, who was now boiling with rage.

"Oh, for the love of God, quit your fits and get changed. We will be home soon," said Linda, rolling her eyes. She threw the black attire at him, and then left the room.

*****

Two hours later, all three of them stood at the deck. Vaisey was now dressed in his full black clothing, his brown eyes darkening as the boat neared closer and closer to he port. The Captain had sent a messenger to the port telling them that the company was near, and he had just arrived no less than five minutes ago.

"Ready?" asked Linda.

The two men looked at her.

"For?" asked Vaisey.

Linda kept her gaze forward, not daring to look at her father. "To step off. To go back. To go along with life. To continue ruining lives. What else?" she muttered, her voice growing softer with each word.

Vaisey groaned. Sometimes, his daughter was too hard to handle. He knew she hated this life, filled with taxes and executions, but Vaisey loved it. It gave him thrill, it was fun... it cleared his mind.

Finally, after thirty minutes of uneasy silence, the boat reached the port. The Captain lowered the bridge and said, "England, the home of treasure. Ruled by King Richard, and governed by Sheriff Vaisey."

"Lovely speech. Now can we leave?" asked Vaisey with an annoyed tone.

The Captain grumbled a little bit, and signaled them off. Vaisey didn't hesitate. Instead, he somewhat skipped off, and when he reached the end of the bridge, he did a little jump landing on his two feet. The guard handed him a letter, and he grinned ear to ear.

"AH, I'M HOOOOOOOME!" he screamed.

"Oh, my God. Here I thought he was depressed in coming back," muttered Linda.

"Oi, there are things people never understand," said the Captain nodding in agreement. Guy walked off, Linda following, until the Captain gripped her arm hard and stopped her.

"Good luck," he whispered in her ear. "You'll need it." Then he let her go.

Guy was just finishing getting the horses ready when Linda came in with a very uneasy look, rubbing her arm.

"You alright?" asked Guy with a look.

She suddenly realized that she was making a face and drawing attention to herself, so she just pouted.
"Why does there always have to be something wrong?" she asked with her arms crossed.

Guy glanced over and gave her a smug smile, making Linda pout even more. God, he was good.

"Humph," she huffed.

She walked over to the horse that Guy had just finished with and swung herself on.

"Hey!" he complained. "That's mine!"

"Not anymore," she teased.

Before he could respond, Linda nudged the horse and signaled him forward. The horse darted out of the port, running past Vaisey so fast that he literally spun around in a circle.

Good luck. You'll need it.

Something told her then that this was gonna be a long month, and she was not looking forward to it.

*****

The ride to Nottingham took longer then expected.

The two men had finally caught up to her, and Vaisey rewarded her eagerness to get home with constant meddling about how much fun they were going to have and how all the people will be so happy in their triumphant return.

"And there will be feasts, money, executions, taxes, did I mention executions?"

"Yes, for about the one-hundredth time already," she muttered.

Finally they reached Nottingham. The gates opened up, and Linda inhaled the scent that she had been away from, taking in the sights around her. The streets were busy, people coming in and out of markets and rushing to their homes. Men lounged around at pubs drinking and gambling, women were carrying baskets, and children ran around as they were playing their little games.

Linda smiled. She could get used to this.

Suddenly, all event of action stopped when the Sheriff came into view, and Linda's smiled disappeared with the eerie silence of Nottingham.

The Sheriff cleared his throat. "Carry on," he said, then he went through the crowd like nothing. Guy followed, making everyone in the crowd gasp and huddle back in fear.

They know, she thought.

Guy showed no emotion whatsoever as he passed the peasants, but Linda knew what he was feeling: Pain, agony, grief, sadness, and anger. Linda couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of sorrow for him... maybe even pity.

Linda then followed, shooting apologetic glances at everyone, who only smiled and continued to do what they were doing, and Linda's smile found its way back. She caught up to the boys, only to find Vaisey grumbling.

"Curse these people and their happy mood," he muttered.

"Hey, you yourself said 'the people will be so happy at our triumphant return!' Did you not?" snapped Linda, earning a dark look from her father. Linda only shrugged. "Besides, it's good to smile every once in a while, it makes you forget," she finished, now staring directly at Guy, who also held her gaze.

"Forget what?" he asked.

She made a small smile. "The memories."

*****

After a rough thirty minutes, Linda was now able to rest. She sat on her bed with a book in her hands, her head not moving as she scanned through the pages.

Linda was finally out of the distasteful dress she had been wearing, and had on a simple blue shirt with black leggings. Her black boots were in a corner, her green cloak hanging just above it. Her hair was now in a braid, but a few strands of hair fell over her face as she read.

With a sigh, she closed her book and threw herself backward, the back of her head meeting the soft pillow behind her.

"Home sweet home," she mumbled.

Linda looked around at her room. The walls were a sort of red, covered with endless paintings and galleries. Her drapes were purple and yellow, beaded with little golden chains. The wooden door always creaked, and it reminded her of Locksley.

Locksley. Robin. Locksley. Marian. Marian. Marian. Squeezing her eyes shut, Linda's mind replayed the event to where Guy had taken Marian and her father under house-arrest. Guy... the man that was driven by madness and grief... burning down Marian's house. Linda remembered how she had held Marian's sobbing form, and how Linda had promised that she would look over her and protect her from those two in whatever way possible.

Until now.

Linda opened her eyes, finding that the tears had already started to come down... and come down hard.

"Stop," she said gritting her teeth and wiping her eyes. "Stop it!"

Quickly, she got out bed and grabbed her boots. She needed to get out. Linda put them on and shot out if the room, only to accidentally run into a maid that had a tray in her hands. Swiftly, the maid caught everything that threatened to spill on the floor.

"Oh!" she cried. "My lady! Oh gracious me! I'm so sorry! I—"

"Please," giggled Linda. "Do not apologize for such a silly fault. Besides..." Linda straightened the maids bonnet, "nobody is perfect."

The maid grinned ear to ear. "Yes ma'am. I was just taking this to Sir Guy, but he is not here. Do you know where he is, my lady?"

Linda shrugged. "I dunno. Take this to his room, I will find him."

The maid nodded and walked away, Linda doing the same. There was only one place Guy could be, and that's where she was heading... but she couldn't tell the maid, for Linda feared of being followed. Turning to the corner, she ran into yet another person... and not one she particularly wanted to have a word with at the moment.

"Oh! My lady! Oh gracious me! I'm so sorry!" said Vaisey, mocking the maid's voice.

Linda rolled her eyes. "Nobody's perfect," she muttered.

Linda pushed past her father and made it outside. She walked for a little bit before reaching the stables, finding that someone else was also there.

"Where are you off to then?" she asked him as she made her way over to the stallions.

Guy jumped, but quickly recovered once he figured out who it was that was talking to him. "Locksley," he said. "And this is my horse."

Linda huffed, making Guy smirk. "You?"

She shrugged. "Locksley," she said with a smile. Linda went over to a big white horse and swung herself on. "Come on, slow poke! I can't go alone!"

Guy rolled his eyes and climbed up his big brown stallion. They made their out of the stables and through town before reaching the gate. It lifted open, but none of them moved. They just kinda stayed there, looking out at the view.

"Ready?" asked Linda.

"Ready," responded Guy.

And with that, they left Nottingham.