Mojitos with Merry Men by Marianne Mancusi

for two people but too expensive for one. They don't bounce checks or have creditors calling them.
    Maybe it's better that I'm back in time with the other downtrodden. I'd feel sick living it up in the castle knowing others were starving down in the villages. These are my people. The ones without hope.
    I rush down the path to catch up with the men. I come to a small village surrounded by a stone wall, and from the excited cries coming from inside, I realize I must have the right place.
    I walk down the narrow dirt streets until I come to a small town square. It must be market day—little wooden stands flank the sides of the road with pitiful offerings of moldy bread and cracked eggs. Slabs of meat give off a slightly rotten scent. There are woven baskets and crude knives.
    But no one's shopping. The whole crowd of dirty peasants has gathered around Robin and his men.
    "Long enough have you been persecuted and taxed to the point of starvation by the evil man who dares rule in his brother's place," Robin is saying. "But keep your faith, good people. Soon our blessed King Richard, rightful lord of England, shall return, cast the usurper from his throne, and restore the riches of our great land to the people who toil on it."
    Cheers erupt from the crowd. Not surprisingly, Prince John doesn't seem to have a large fan base.
    "But until that day comes, your children must eat. They must grow to be strong men and women who can fight for their country. Therefore, we have brought you some silver to buy seed for your farms, bread and milk for the mouths of your babes." He lifts up the bag of silver and waves it in the air. All the peasants' eyes light up like someone flipped a switch.
    "Silver?" one old hunchbacked man breathes.
    "For us?" asks a small blond boy in the front, his big blue eyes wide with amazement.
    "Where did ye get it?" asks a suspicious middle-aged brunette.
    "We took it from a man who had much to spare," Robin says with a grin. "And are giving it to you who have so little. I think 'tis a fair trade, do you not?"
    Judging from the general whoops of cheer, I'd say they're pretty much down with the concept. Robin appoints one villager as a treasurer and gives him the silver to dole out to each peasant.
    "Now we must take our leave," he says, removing his hat and bowing with a flourish.
    "Stay for dinner!" begs a pretty maiden in the front, batting her eyelashes at our hero. Robin is so a rock star here. "I'm told I make a very lovely stew."
    "Aye," agrees a 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.