Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen

Author:A. C. Gaughen
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Published: 2012-05-28T14:00:00+00:00

The next morning we all took some bread and hoofed it to Nottingham; the sheriff had been bandying ’bout that he had an announcement to make, and though I figured it were ’bout Ravenna, we still all wanted to hear.

We got to the town center, where market would often be, and instead of shops, there were a raised dais and a scaffold. Three nooses hung empty, swinging in the wind like the bodies that would swing later. The guards were keeping people off the two structures, but the sheriff weren’t there yet, and neither were Ravenna.

People were crowded into the town square, and it weren’t hard for us to blend in. The trumpets began to sound, and a procession from the castle began.

The sheriff were flanked by many men in black and silver, but he were on foot, not horseback, which were fair surprising. He never liked to mix with the common folk. Gisbourne were on one side of him, and at the sight of him I stepped back.

Robin caught my arm. “Scar?” he said, soft in my ear.

“Fine,” I said, shaking him off, blushing, and tucking my hat down.

Ravenna were on his other side, and she looked beautiful. Undeniable, she were the prize of the shire. She had long black hair curling down all around her, and she were wearing a white dress with gold bits on it. Her family walked behind them, and they were fair beaming. Even Godfrey looked happy.

The sheriff reached the dais, and he helped Ravenna to her seat. That were when the prisoners were marched out, and I felt like my gut had been sliced: it were Lena and Mark Tanner and Thom Walker. I grabbed Robin’s arm. His eyes hit mine and I looked to the side. He nodded.

“Spread out. Scar, take John. Much, come with me.” To me he whispered, “Take any chance you have to get them down, Scar.”

I nodded, tugging John’s arm and sliding through the crowd.

“Good people of Nottingham!” the sheriff called, and everyone hushed, looking from Ravenna to the scaffolds. “Today, we have great cause for celebration. I am thrilled to announce a truly blessed event not only for me personally but for the whole shire. In one month’s time, I will take a wife, and rather than marrying a noblewoman from a far-off land, I have chosen a bride from our fair shire. One of your own to show you my love and devotion.” He gestured to Ravenna, and she took his hand and stood, smiling at him. People gasped, whispered, and murmured.

I circled round to behind the scaffolds. Lena’s hands were tied, bloody and raw. They hadn’t just arrested her that morning—they must have arrested her bare after I left. My hands itched. I wanted to hold my knives, but with the guards scanning the crowd, I didn’t want to give myself up till the last minute, and I weren’t in the best position yet.

“Welcome the future Lady of Nottingham, Miss Ravenna Mason.”

The crowd began cheering and I darted forward, moving into position to let a knife fly.

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