A Hoboken Hipster In Sherwood Forest by Mari AKA Marianne Mancusi Page A
Authors: Mari AKA Marianne Mancusi
Tags: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Love Story, medieval romance, Medieval England, time travel romance, Medieval Britain
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man in the back, leaning on a crooked cane. "We want to thank you for all you've done."
Robin shakes his head, " ‘Tis not necessary," he says. "We must take our leave. I am afraid soon there may be those who will come looking for us. And I like keeping my head on my neck, thank you very much."
The crowd giggles at this.
"Farewell, brave and noble sirs," says the man who Robin appointed treasurer. "We will not forget this day, nor the men who made it so glorious."
Robin can't help but smile. I can tell—he's digging the hero stuff in spite of himself.
Chapter Seven
That night there's a big celebration at Camp Sherwood. More venison (the king is going to run out of deer the way the outlaws go through it!), more beer and more songs.
I’m very happy that the whole thing worked out, but I can't shake the sadness I felt earlier. I feel so alone here, and the longer I stay the more it weighs on me. Everyone's been nice and accepting and all, but I just don't fit in.
I slip away from the festivities and head down to the pond. I sit on the shore, staring out into the water. Why am I here? Sure, I guess I have a mission: to retrieve the Holy Grail. But then what? How will I get back to the 21st century? And if I do, what then? Go back to my pathetic life? My stupid dead-end, low-paying job? My cheating husband?
And what was it Nimue said about me finding love here? She called me the gentle soul that would tame an outlaw's thirst for revenge or something. Obviously she must have been talking about Robin Hood. But do I really want to go there? Reveal my feminine side and start a relationship with a guy who lived and died hundreds of years before I was born? Sure, I could see Robin as a pretty de-lish boyfriend. But the whole scenario seems a bit shortsighted. Like, what—we fall in love, start doing the happily-ever-after thing, then King Richard shows up with the Grail and I get my chance to go back to the 21st century? What then? Will I be forced to choose my love over my life? Give up everything I've worked so hard for in order to be with this other person? Uh, been there. Done that. And I don't much like the T-shirt I got from it.
A noise behind me makes me turn around. Robin appears through the trees, his eyebrows lifting in surprise when he sees me sitting here. I probably should have picked another spot. Or maybe I subconsciously was hoping he'd show up.
He says nothing and simply sits down beside me, close enough to touch were one of us to reach out our hand. The proximity does funny things to my insides. His scent, perhaps. A bit smoky from the fire, and musky. You'd think someone who spent his entire lifetime camping in the woods would smell sweaty and gross. But he doesn't, for some reason. I almost wish he did. Would make it a bit easier.
" ‘Tis a good spot for thinking deep thoughts, is it not?" he remarks quietly, staring out into the water.
"Yeah."
We both fall silent. But it's not the uncomfortable silence you get on a first date. In fact, it's nice in a way. Intimate. Danny was always talk, talk, talk. He couldn't stand the quiet parts of life.
"Must be a bit unsettling for you to be here," Robin says after a while.
I turn to look at him, surprised. "What do you mean?" There's no way he could know I'm not from 12th-century England, is there?
"An outlaw's life, mayhap, was not one you thought you'd lead. Your abbey likely had warm beds and hot meals."
Ah, he's talking about my supposed great escape from the church. "You got that right." Funny. He isn't far off the mark, though he's talking about some 12th-century cathedral, not 21st-century Jersey.
"I understand more than perhaps you know. I grew up in a small castle, myself. I had many servants and loyal subjects and never had to lift a finger for anything. I thought ' twould be the only life I ever knew. I would inherit our small fiefdom when my father died and be a fair and kind ruler to my people. Those who worked hard would always have
Robin shakes his head, " ‘Tis not necessary," he says. "We must take our leave. I am afraid soon there may be those who will come looking for us. And I like keeping my head on my neck, thank you very much."
The crowd giggles at this.
"Farewell, brave and noble sirs," says the man who Robin appointed treasurer. "We will not forget this day, nor the men who made it so glorious."
Robin can't help but smile. I can tell—he's digging the hero stuff in spite of himself.
Chapter Seven
That night there's a big celebration at Camp Sherwood. More venison (the king is going to run out of deer the way the outlaws go through it!), more beer and more songs.
I’m very happy that the whole thing worked out, but I can't shake the sadness I felt earlier. I feel so alone here, and the longer I stay the more it weighs on me. Everyone's been nice and accepting and all, but I just don't fit in.
I slip away from the festivities and head down to the pond. I sit on the shore, staring out into the water. Why am I here? Sure, I guess I have a mission: to retrieve the Holy Grail. But then what? How will I get back to the 21st century? And if I do, what then? Go back to my pathetic life? My stupid dead-end, low-paying job? My cheating husband?
And what was it Nimue said about me finding love here? She called me the gentle soul that would tame an outlaw's thirst for revenge or something. Obviously she must have been talking about Robin Hood. But do I really want to go there? Reveal my feminine side and start a relationship with a guy who lived and died hundreds of years before I was born? Sure, I could see Robin as a pretty de-lish boyfriend. But the whole scenario seems a bit shortsighted. Like, what—we fall in love, start doing the happily-ever-after thing, then King Richard shows up with the Grail and I get my chance to go back to the 21st century? What then? Will I be forced to choose my love over my life? Give up everything I've worked so hard for in order to be with this other person? Uh, been there. Done that. And I don't much like the T-shirt I got from it.
A noise behind me makes me turn around. Robin appears through the trees, his eyebrows lifting in surprise when he sees me sitting here. I probably should have picked another spot. Or maybe I subconsciously was hoping he'd show up.
He says nothing and simply sits down beside me, close enough to touch were one of us to reach out our hand. The proximity does funny things to my insides. His scent, perhaps. A bit smoky from the fire, and musky. You'd think someone who spent his entire lifetime camping in the woods would smell sweaty and gross. But he doesn't, for some reason. I almost wish he did. Would make it a bit easier.
" ‘Tis a good spot for thinking deep thoughts, is it not?" he remarks quietly, staring out into the water.
"Yeah."
We both fall silent. But it's not the uncomfortable silence you get on a first date. In fact, it's nice in a way. Intimate. Danny was always talk, talk, talk. He couldn't stand the quiet parts of life.
"Must be a bit unsettling for you to be here," Robin says after a while.
I turn to look at him, surprised. "What do you mean?" There's no way he could know I'm not from 12th-century England, is there?
"An outlaw's life, mayhap, was not one you thought you'd lead. Your abbey likely had warm beds and hot meals."
Ah, he's talking about my supposed great escape from the church. "You got that right." Funny. He isn't far off the mark, though he's talking about some 12th-century cathedral, not 21st-century Jersey.
"I understand more than perhaps you know. I grew up in a small castle, myself. I had many servants and loyal subjects and never had to lift a finger for anything. I thought ' twould be the only life I ever knew. I would inherit our small fiefdom when my father died and be a fair and kind ruler to my people. Those who worked hard would always have
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