How can I have fallen in love with someone I barely know? She wondered to herself as she crossed her arms, hugging them to herself as shiver suddenly went through her.

A premonition. The image of Max lying in a pool of blood suddenly flashed through her mind. She threw her hands to her head, tried to push the picture away.

She swallowed convulsively, took deep breaths.

"Milady! Are you well?" Elizabeth's eyes snapped open. She was still standing in the doorway to her chamber. A servant passing by with a tray in her hands eyed her worriedly.

"I am fine Parkyla..." She shuddered as the horrific vision tried to reassert itself. "Are you taking that to the Sheriff and the Bishop?" She asked Parkyla suddenly. More than ever it was imperative that she hear what the Sheriff was planning. She had to keep Max and the others safe.

Parkyla nodded her head. "Aye milady." Elizabeth reached out and took the tray from the serving girl.

"I will take it in to them. I must speak to the Sheriff this evening. They are in the Solar?" Parkyla nodded, curtsied and hurried away, glancing once behind her, her expression curious.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and hurried down the corridor, the tray balanced carefully in her hands.

The Sheriff's Solar was up a flight of stone steps in one of the castle's towers. As she approached, Elizabeth tried to make as little noise as possible. She was pleased to note that the Sheriff had left the door to the room slightly ajar. Had the heavy oak been closed there would have been no way of hearing...

"......insist that you take care of this Sheriff." Elizabeth gently set the tray on a nearby ledge, inched closer to the door.

"But Your Grace, the whole story seems somewhat outlandish. My men are occupied with collecting taxes for the King. They have no time to chase two likely innocent boys through the greenwood." The Sheriff replied.

"I trust Father Desmond to speak the truth de Valence. If he says that those boys used witchcraft, then I believe him." The Bishop replied in ringing tones. "Do you doubt ME?"

"No, of course not Your Grace." Elizabeth could hear the Sheriff sigh. "Very well, I will send my men out tomorrow, but I must insist that those boys be given a fair..." The Sheriff was cut off. Elizabeth heard someone tapping on a door. She recalled that there were two entrances to the tower. She crossed herself quickly, thanking God that the messenger had chosen the other one. She would have found it difficult to explain her presence in the corridor with her ear pressed to the door...

Elizabeth felt an hysterical giggle about to erupt. She quickly clamped a hand over her mouth, forced herself to listen.

"....some horrible news milord." Elizabeth recognized the voice of the Captain of the Guard.

"What is it?" The sheriff barked, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

"We fear that the outlaws that were rumoured murdered in the forest might have been our men in disguise..." Elizabeth threw her hands up, covered her mouth, sure that she was going to cry out.

"What does this mean captain??" The sheriff sounded confused and annoyed.

The captain's voice was sheepish as he replied, "We've been trying without success to ferry the taxes through the Forest milord. Every shipment has been stolen to date." Elizabeth heard the bishop snort, mutter what sounded like "outlaws..."

"We thought disguising the men as outlaws might cause other outlaws to leave them alone. There is a certain honour amongst thieves you see...We thought that if the real outlaws thought our men had already robbed the taxes, they would leave the convoy in peace..."

The sheriff erupted. "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of!!! Why was I not notified that this was happening???Who originated this insane idea to begin with???"

"Well...." the captain trailed off..."It was Sir Kyle."

"Well deValence..."the bishop interrupted. "If you won't go looking for those demons for the Church, perhaps you will do so to avenge your men..."

"We do not know for sure that there were any murders!" The Sheriff yelled in frustration. Elizabeth jumped. "We are going to the clearing tomorrow - I refuse to make hasty decisions..."

"And if you find proof of what Father Desmond has said?" The bishop inquired annoyed.

"Then I will act by God..."The Sheriff replied coldly. "I cannot allow my men to be slaughtered, whether by demons or real men."

Elizabeth sent up a silent prayer that Max had heeded her warning, that they were moving the bodies. She knew that if the Sheriff found any proof whatsoever that his men had been harmed, there would be Hell to pay...whether Michael had been acting in defense of Isabel or not...

None of this makes sense...Elizabeth thought frantically. Why would the sheriff's guard, posing as outlaws, really rob someone? If the story that Isabel had told was true, then those guards had been robbing and threatening her and her siblings...

I must speak with Max. The thought appeared unbidden in her mind, but she knew it was true. She was going to have to break her promise to him, only one day after she made it.

She was going to have to go find them in Sherwood.

I must - I must warn them that everything has worsened.

"The Queen must be informed of these developments." The bishop was saying. "Where did that tax shipment disapear to? She will be furious if we do not let her know...King Richard needs that money to ransom himself from the Emperor..."

Elizabeth decided that she had heard all that was important. She needed to prepare for her journey into Sherwood.