The Friar's Tale, стр. 81
"Most of it was the ransom."
"I know. And I wouldn't have asked the prince not to pay it." He had to bear in mind this man, too, was Richard's brother.
Robin had developed the thoughtful expression he often had when he got an idea.
Then there was a tremendous commotion from the street.
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Nobody stopped Tuck from moving to one of the narrow windows, almost like arrow slits, on that side of the building.
Of course, nobody cared if he took an arrow from exposing himself, either. Except Robin...
"Gisbourne."
"I will talk to him." Salisbury glanced at the two. "You will stay here. If you don't, I'll lock you in the root cellar."
Tuck could not help but laugh slightly. The man didn't have an actual dungeon, but Tuck did not want to be locked in a root cellar. He stayed put.
Well, for a moment. Then a sense of strong alarm flowed over him. "Salisbury's in danger."
Robin had lifted his head at the same moment. He nodded.
"I think it's time to risk getting locked in the root cellar."
Gisbourne was so determined to rid himself of them that he was willing to also rid himself of the Earl of Salisbury. Or, perhaps, it was not quite that simple. Whether there was even a relationship between the two men, Tuck did not know.
There was no obvious weapon in the room other than an iron stick by the fire. Robin had already taken it. Tuck resigned himself to using the oldest weapon of all, should it be necessary.
Robin was on the move. He was out the door before Tuck could even move further, or finish that thought. John flowed after him, more like a great cat, right now, than the bear he more commonly resembled.
Tuck was left in their wake, but he followed, nonetheless. Onto the landing. The hall was on the first floor with steps upwards.
"Salisbury. I know you have them...and there they are!"
From the angle he was at, Tuck could see the archer on the far side of Gisbourne, the one that was circling. He would put a shaft into Salisbury and then they would get the blame.
If he got the chance. Tuck saw Robin hesitate and knew what caused it. The archer, or Gisbourne himself.
Both would have been ideal, but he had one weapon, the fire poker, sharpened to a point as it was. With a good throw, it could easily kill a man. A hesitation...
...then he threw it. Towards the archer as he lifted his bow towards Salisbury's back.
"On the contrary, I have..."
The man cried out, then crumpled into a small heap.
"Take them!" Gisbourne exclaimed.
The men started to launch up the stairs. Robin leapt, somersaulting to land on his feet between Gisbourne and Salisbury. "Excuse me, Your Grace."
Then another of the men grew a shaft and feathers. Tuck spared a glance and his eyes widened as he saw the pattern of the barbs. He did not know how she had done it, but he knew exactly who's hand had fletched that arrow.
Salisbury was just standing there. "Guards!"
"Your men won't come, Salisbury. I paid them off." They were coming up the stairs towards Tuck and John, but the latter kicked them back down again, into each other. They went down, bowling each other down the stairs.
Somebody tossed a length of wood upwards towards Tuck. He caught it. Too light...but Clorinda had got everyone out. That was Will...who had escaped the sting. Had he somehow broke them out? He felt it more likely it was Clorinda's hand entire on the matter. The staff would serve. A second one landed in John's hands, and the big man broke it on a guard's head.
Tuck flinched, but then charged past the man. He was more careful, aware now that this stick would not take the sort of punishment a good oak quarterstaff would, knocking men out of his way.
Robin was still facing Gisbourne. "I suppose we should probably have let you assassinate him, but I don't accept a man's hospitality and then let him get killed."
Gisbourne drew his sword. Not a weapon Robin knew well to counter, but then the outlaw was pushed out of the way, a blade in Salisbury's hand. "And I don't let men under my protection be harmed."
The two blades met. Clorinda, in skirts, but with her bow ready, moving into the courtyard, but unwilling to fire into the melee. Robin might have attempted it.
The two men showed surprising finesse. This was no duel of hacking blades, it was a deadly dance. Tuck realized he was holding his breath, forced it out of his body as they circled one another. Light on their feet.
If Gisbourne won, he would destroy all witnesses to the duel. If Salisbury won, he might well do the same thing.
If anyone interfered... One did not interfere, not in such a battle. It was the utmost of dishonor to even consider doing so.
Tuck was an outlaw now. Did he care? He wanted Gisbourne to die.
Then Gisbourne broke from the fight, backing away rapidly. Tuck still only had the light stick, but he knew what was about to happen. He didn't need to see what was hidden.
He moved. Towards Salisbury. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Robin stepping on the foot of one of the guards, but then he leapt...hitting the earl full on and knocking him to the ground. He did not hear the arrows...Gisbourne's men did not use whistlers...but he almost seemed to sense their passage. He felt a bit of red pain in his side.
Salisbury had stuck him with his sword as he went down. "My pardon, your Grace."
All that came from the rather squashed earl was a faint 'Oof'.
Tuck rolled off the man, quickly, coming up into a crouch, hands spread. As he did so, he saw Gisbourne's face. It showed surprise rather than fear. No less than three feathered shafts sprouted from his body.
As Tuck watched, he