"Thank you for your aid today Parkyla." Elizabeth said to the maid-servant as she made to curry her animal.

"Let me do that milady." Parkyla insisted, taking the brush out of Elizabeth’s hand. "You had better retire to your chamber before Sir Kyle and the Sheriff return from the Forest. If they catch in your present attire, the truth will come out." Parkyla motioned towards the boy’s clothing that Elizabeth was still wearing.

"Yes, the truth WILL come out, won’t it?"

Elizabeth and Parkyla both whirled at the sound of the familiar voice.

Sir Kyle was standing at the entrance to the stable, leaning casually against the doorframe. He was eyeing Elizabeth with a combination of disgust and fury.

Elizabeth felt Parkyla begin to tremble next to her. Aiding Elizabeth in her deception this day could get the maid dismissed…

And if Sir Kyle suspected that she knew where Max, Michael and the others could be found…

The disaster would be immense.

It was time to put on the performance of her life. "Sir Kyle! What are you doing here? Was your mission a success?" She moved closer to him, smiling serenely.

His expression did not change. "I could ask you the same question milady." Kyle replied tonelessly.

"Parkyla and I have just returned from a ride in the Forest." Elizabeth replied, hoping she sounded like she had nothing to hide.

"Unescorted and dressed thus?" Kyle raised an eyebrow at her, looking unconvinced. However, his tone had softened. Not for the first time Elizabeth thanked God that her betrothed did not possess the sharpest mind in the kingdom.

"We knew that you needed the help of all your men to find out the truth about the outlaws from yesterday - that there was no man to spare to escort us." Elizabeth replied smoothly. "I dressed thus so that I would not be accosted."

Kyle continued to stare at her, his expression unreadable. Finally he said, "The ease with which you lie Elizabeth astounds me. You are not at all the lady I took you for."

Elizabeth blinked. She heard Parkyla gasp behind her. "What do you mean milord?" Elizabeth tried to add a note of hurt to her voice.

It was no good. Kyle stepped forward, grabbed her by the arm roughly. "I saw you whore! I saw you in Sherwood with HIM!"

"My lord!" Parkyla came forward, tried to intervene. Elizabeth flinched as Kyle’s grasp on her arm tightened.

"Leave Parkyla!" Elizabeth ordered her friend.

"Milady!"

"You’ll leave now if you know what’s good for you wench!" Kyle snapped at her.

Elizabeth could sense Parkyla’s indecision, but she finally edged past them and out the door. Elizabeth knew that she was likely going for help.

Elizabeth realized that she had lost control of this situation entirely. Somehow Kyle knew that she had been with Max today…had seen her with him…She had to repair the damage as quickly as possible.

And then an even more horrible thought occurred to her…if Kyle had seen her with Max - then he knew where they were hiding!

Elizabeth had no time to reflect on what she had just realized. Kyle was dragging her out of the stable and across the castle courtyard. "I cannot believe that I trusted you!" He was yelling back at her.

"Sir Kyle, please!" Elizabeth tried to halt the pleading tone of her voice, but she was desperate. She ignored the stares of the guards and other castle servants they passed as Kyle hauled her into the Keep. She had to protect Max and the others from Kyle’s wrath. "Let me explain!" She still did not understand how Kyle could have seen her without her noticing. Yet she had to calm him down at all costs.

"I am not particularly interested in hearing more of your lies Elizabeth." Kyle replied evenly.

She decided to take another tack. "The Queen will be most displeased when she hears how you have treated me." Elizabeth told him. "She will break the betrothal!"

"You are probably right milady." Kyle replied as he thrust open the door of her chamber and threw her down on her bed. Elizabeth could not help but rub her arm where he had been holding her. She was going to have a nasty bruise there. "Lucky for me, the Queen left Nottingham this mid-day."

Elizabeth blinked at him. "What?" She gasped. "The Queen deserted me?"

Kyle glared at her. "She received word from Prince John that she was needed in London. I am told that when no one could find you, she left word that she would return in time for our wedding." Kyle sneered at her. "Of course, she will be too late."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked, not liking the expression on his face at all and still reeling from the news that she had lost the Queen’s protection.

"I mean that you will not humiliate me again Elizabeth. I do not plan to lose your dowry to a penniless outlaw like Maxwell of Huntington. My father is in agreement. We will marry tomorrow."

*******************************************************************************************

Max felt a shiver descend his backbone. He pulled his cloak more tightly around his shoulders, sighed as he stared into the flames of the fire. His mind momentarily drifted to Elizabeth, hoping that she had returned safely to Nottingham Castle. Although he would have loved to have her at his side, it had been the right decision to send her back to civilization. She was safe there and likely much more comfortable than any of the rest of them.

Max glanced across the fire at Michael, who was staring back at him, his expression unreadable. Lord Edmund had finally stopped yelling at them about half an hour before. Michael had been the most upset, clearly guilty beyond belief that he had disappointed their guardian.

Isabel had been defiant, not at all apologetic. "What did you expect?" She had asked Lord Edmund evenly. "You treat us like prisoners. We have the right to a life."

"You have NO rights!" Lord Edmund had snapped back. "Not on this planet! I am in complete control of your destiny! Do you understand me Isabel?"

Isabel had pressed her lips together, turning her back on their guardian. She had stomped away. Max had seen that she had momentarily considered going to Alexander Delucie, who had been watching her with concern during the exchange with Lord Edmund, but she had decided against that unwise course. She had entered the shelter they had built the night before and had not emerged since. Several minutes later Mary Delucie had gone to join her.

Lord Edmund had rounded on Max next. "I am extremely disappointed in you Maxwell. What were you thinking?" Max had just sighed.

"I am sorry milord. But it is too late for regrets. We are in serious trouble here."

Lord Edmund had glared at him for a full minute before replying. "We must leave England."

Max heard Michael gasp behind him. "Will we return home? It is too soon!" He exclaimed, fear evident in his voice.

"You should have thought of that before you put yourselves in this ridiculous position." Lord Edmund snapped back. "Our mission here is totally off course. We will have to return to our home much sooner than was planned. You are not yet strong enough, but now we have little choice."

Max had felt his heart stop. Return home! That meant leaving Liz behind…

Unacceptable.

He had not said anything at the time though. Yet his mind had begun to whirl, attempting to come up with a solution to their problem.

Lord Edmund had finally stopped berating them. He had taken Tess by the hand, leading her away from the group to talk privately with her. Tess had ever been his favorite, being biddable and loyal…

And yet now Max questioned that loyalty, at least in relation to himself. He did not trust her anymore. The way Tess hated Elizabeth…she would work against he and Isabel if it meant keeping him away from his love and Isabel in captivity…he realized that he did not know his betrothed at all.

As Max gazed at Michael across the fire, he realized that he had no idea on whose side his brother stood at the moment. He had only ever wanted to return to their home, but he had not sounded particularly excited when Lord Edmund had decreed that that was where they were going. He wondered what was going through Michael’s mind…

Lord Edmund had decided that they would remain at the camp for the night and then return to the castle. He had not seemed worried about the possibility of the Sheriff’s men waiting for them there.

Max moved aside in welcome as Alexander joined him on his log. "Is everything all right Maxwell?" He asked, concern in his voice. "Mayhap it was not the best decision to fetch your guardian." He added wryly.

"No." Max agreed, laughing a bit despite himself. "He is most displeased."

"Should Mary and I leave?" Alexander asked.

Max turned to look at his new friend, feeling a stab of disappointment. "Do you want to?" He asked.

"No." Alexander replied. "We would stay with you…at least until you are safe."

"Thank you." Maxwell told him. "Likely you should return to Nottingham tomorrow. The Sheriff might not even be aware yet that you are with us."

Alexander did not answer, just turned to stare into the flames, his expression pensive.

The clearing was quiet. Max could hear Tess and Lord Edmund’s voices rising and falling in the trees. He wondered what they were talking about. Max could guess…he was sure that his betrothed was filling his guardian in on all of his so-called inappropriate behaviour of the last few days.

Yet Max could feel no regret. If he and Isabel had followed the rules, he never would have met Liz.

And there was no way that that could be wrong - no matter how much trouble they found themselves in currently.

Max’s reverie was interrupted a moment later by a crashing in the foliage nearby. Both he and Alexander jumped to their feet. Max’s sword was in his hand before he even thought of putting it there. He noticed that Alexander had done the same. Michael, across the fire, had an arrow knocked in his bow.

Max stared at the girl who came stumbling out of the forest, her attire in complete disarray. "My lord! Thank God I have found you again! Disaster has struck!" She threw herself at Max’s feet, grabbing at his legs in panic.

He blinked. He realized that it was Liz’s maid-servant, the one who had accompanied her earlier that day.