Robin's entire body and every muscle in it tensed as he saw the hatch open under Marian's feet - ready to snap her neck with a jerk. 'Concentrate. Don't let your emotions get in the way!' he reminded himself, but he wouldn't quite succeed this time.
His fingers on the string twitched, then he let the arrow fly. He shot away over the heads of the people, many of whom were staring at the gallows, frozen and shocked. The cruelty of the moment paralyzed their spirits and bodies in cold shock.

A thunderous ring of bells swept across the castle courtyard as Robin's arrow struck the alarm bell. Hundreds of heads jerked in shock, panicking in all directions to see what the ringing meant. Then suddenly, an arrow bored deep into the scaffold, not a finger's breadth from the sheriff's boot.

"ROBIN HOOD! Find him! Now!" roared the sheriff, entirely beside himself.

"No need, Sheriff!" rose Robin's voice loudly over the heads of those present like a mighty flock of birds. Robin Hood threw the cloak from his shoulders, and the wind carried the tattered fabric away like the banner of a declaration of war.

"There! There's Robin Hood!" cried a child, pointing wide-eyed at the king of thieves.

Immediately all attention turned to the man standing on the battlements between two lifeless guards whose torsos hung like banners over the wall.

"Sheriff of Nottingham!" cried Robin loudly, "you terrorize us all in the name of a usurper who sits in London and doesn't give a damn about the suffering of his people!" Robin let his eyes wander, "But that's going to end now! From now on, there is a place in Sherwood that will offer sanctuary to those who rise against you and the Prince's tyranny! And we will relieve every baron and earl of what has been unlawfully taken from us, so long as he bends his treacherous knee to the false regent of this glorious land!"

With that, Robin pointed directly to the gallows. "And today, we begin by stealing Nottingham's greatest treasure! Lady Marian is protected by Robin Hood and Marian's Men from this day forward!"

"Did you hear that?"

Murmours went through the bystanders. Immediately whispers and shouts spread among the people and soldiers like wildfire:

"Marian's Men?"

"Who?"

"No, I think he said 'Merry Men'?"

"What had he said?"

"Steal the maiden?"

It took a few moments for the people to realize what Robin Hood had just proclaimed. And only now did they all realize that he had diverted their attention from the executed woman. The sheriff and everyone's gaze immediately turned to the gallows.

But the lady had disappeared.

Marian's scream was stifled as the rope tightened around her throat. Would she be able to hear anything else, or would everything go black? She felt the rough, twisted hemp that chafed her skin and expected the crack of her neck.

But the expected crack did not come.

The rope scraped around her neck, burning and aching, but the knot suddenly gave way and slipped out of the lug! Marian plummeted, and her heart stopped for a moment. Then, quite abruptly, her fall ended.

The young woman blinked uncomprehendingly and was completely overwhelmed for the first few seconds. Her mind seemed to have slipped on smooth ice and needed a few moments to regain composure. Marian was unable to comprehend or form a clear thought. Only then did she become aware that a tall man in monk's robes had caught her.

"Maid Marian," a familiar voice rang out, and from beneath the wide cowl, a familiar face smiled at her: "My dear, dear little John!" gasped Marian, her build eyes as big as saucers.

"We thought a beauty like you would not be adorned with a gallows rope. So we would like to free you from it," the giant said, and Marian felt her heart somersault in her chest.

No vessel in the world could have contained the joy that overtook her! Just a moment ago, she had been plagued by mortal fear and the chilling coldness of the certainty that her life would now end here and now. So had Gillian's, and the only comforting thought was that her friend and mother would surely be waiting for her.

But now, all that burden fell away from her. Tears of relief welled in her eyes, and Marian barely suppressed a sob. Then she fell around the good-natured giant's neck, and John laughed softly. "We must go, my lady!" said John immediately, letting Marian get safely to her feet. He held her a moment longer to ensure she might not slump.

"Maid Marian!" a bright voice reached her ear, and a wide grin showed in the shadow John cast.

"Samuel," Marian recognized, and the last frosty trepidation melted in her heart with warm gratitude for her brave rescuers. At the same time, however, concern grew for the boy whom the sheriff could have recognized and who would once again face the dungeon and the gallows if they were caught!

"John, why is Samuel here?" she therefore asked. "You can't bring a child here!"

Watching the giant man raise his hand and rub the back of his neck guiltily under Marian's reproving gaze was amusing. "The monk who had sabotaged the snares with us said he couldn't leave him alone in the chape very well. He didn't let it stop him when he found out who we were trying to save," the man, big as a bear, defended himself to the angry woman.

"I have a bow for you!" the boy proudly announced, holding a short bow to Marian and a bundle of arrows tied together in his other hand.

"Where are you?" hissed another man in a monk's habit not far from the gallows.

John was already taking the first steps when Marian's fingers stopped him because they strayed to his arm. "The others!" Marian pointed upwards, where two more of the gang were also to be hanged.

John shook his head, "The others will take care of them. Don't worry... we won't leave them behind! Your disappearance will provide enough distraction for them to escape."

"Lord, give me strength! What are you still doing here? Away with you! You haven't much time! Robin's driving the sheriff up the wall right now." John nodded, grabbed Samuel's arm with his free hand, and pulled him quickly behind him. As they fled away from the gallows, Marian glanced back briefly and recognized the man who had introduced himself as Friar Tuck at the tournament. He smiled cheerfully, reached for the executioner's decanter, and treated himself to a cup of wine.

Meanwhile, one of the men in the silver and black colors of the sheriff's crest rushed after John, Samuel, and Marian. With his blade drawn, he rushed past the gallows structure - but suddenly, he fell and fell face first into the dirt.

"Whether by the grace of God, forgive a careless monk!" apologized Tuck, pulling back the wooden staff the guard had tripped over. He actually managed to look supremely guilty while doing so. Roughly, the soldier pushed him aside and pursued the fleeing men, but he had lost far too much speed and lost them in the tangle of people.

John, meanwhile, fled with the maiden into the crowd of onlookers while the sheriff let out a cry of anger. "Get them! Go after them, damn you!" his command thundered across the courtyard.

People and soldiers ducked their heads as if they feared the sheriff's wrath would be unleashed on them like lightning strikes.