As the days passed Maid Caroline heard very little from Robin or his men, but perhaps this was for the better. When returning the night of her kidnapping she was met by an inquisition. How did you escape? Why did he let you go? Did he let any plans slip? Do you think you could find your way back to the camp? Question upon question. It was not until three hours after her return that they let her retire to her chambers. Caroline had become much more engrossed in the conversations of Prince Johns and the Sheriff as of late listening for anything that might help Robin. Nearly a week had passed since her kidnapping and still she had no information to pass to the Merry Men. Finally, in the late hours one night laughing waked Caroline. As she crept down the grand stairway towards the banquet hall she recognized the guffaws and cackling of Sheriff Paris and Prince Johns.

"All has been arranged my lord", squealed Paris

"Excellent." Coed Johns "I have him this time. I really have him."

"The Archery contest is set for Friday my lord. I can't wait for this. At last revenge." A look of pure insanity scrolled onto Paris's face; his evil smile twisting ever larger.

"And you’re sure he'll enter?"

"Sir, Robin is the greatest archer in these lands. How could he resist an archery contest in which the winner would be officially declared so?"

"He has spies everywhere Paris. I fear even my own trusted servants and supporters." Flashing Paris a glare of suspicion. "But if all has gone according to plan I will she Robin Riddick hanged Saturday morn!" Johns slammed his fist down onto the table.

"Oh" shuddered Caroline, who then quickly clamped her hands over her mouth. Had they heard her?

"Quiet fool!", Ordered Prince Johns; Paris' snickering was silenced at once. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what sire?" inquired Paris.

"See what this has done to me Paris? I am to the point of breaking." Grasping his goblet of mead he gulped it down bitterly. "Leave me Paris, I must sit and think awhile."

"As you wish my lord" As Paris bowed out Caroline realized that he would be at the foot of the stairs any moment. Gathering her nightgown up she scampered as quickly and stealthily as she could up the stairs. He was already on the first step and climbing. Not being able to run back to her room for the amount of noise and time it would take her she speedily swooped behind a large Tapestry. Just as she did so Paris reached the top step. Looking around a moment he finally seemed satisfied that all was well, shrugged his shoulders, and continued onto his quarters. Having had a few glasses of Mead himself he did not notice the pair of white slipper clad feet poking from underneath the tapestry as he passed thru the corridor.

Caroline waited a moment after she heard the door to Paris’s room close and snuck back to her own room. Now that she had this information she would send it to Robin by way of dove at once. Robin had decided this was the safest way to carry messages since Caroline was confined to the castle. Rushing to her desk she pulled out a roll of parchment and a quill. Writing quickly and quietly she tried to include all she could remember of the dastardly plan she'd heard but minutes before. Upon finishing the letter she bound it of the leg of the dove with a bright red ribbon.

"To Robin", she whispered releasing the bird through her window and into the night air.

Later at the camp of Robin Riddick…

“Robin a message from Maid Caroline.” Jack came bounding into the tent holding the dove gingerly in his hands.

“How’d you know it’s from her?” asked little Zeke a few morsels of food falling from his full mouth.

“How many Maid Caroline’s do we know?” Zeke grumbled and continued on with devouring his leg of mutton.

Untying the note from the bird’s leg he unrolled the parchment.

“She has gone to great risk to herself to send this to us. Evidently Sheriff Paris and Prince Johns are holding an archery contest of which the winner will be announced as the best in the country. They do this in hopes that I will enter and deliver myself into their clutches. Ha ha!”

“We have got to do something about that laugh”, mumbled Jack under his breath.

“Well you simply won’t enter and that will be the end of it, eh what Robin.” Said Zeke.

“Well…” said Robin. Zeke and Jack exchanged looks of dread. They both knew Robin’s ego would have difficulty ignoring the chance to be named the Greatest Archer in all of England, but if he entered it might mean his capture and execution.

“I will enter!”

Zeke rose to leave the tent, mutton in hand. “Sorry mate, but your off your rocker.” With that he left.

“I will not let the title of England’s greatest fall into the wrong hands.” Robin insisted.

“Robin, how can you? You will no doubt be captured.” Professed Jack.

“That’s were your wrong my little friend.” Robin patted Jack tenderly on the head. Jack rolled his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh “I’ll simply disguise myself as a peasant.”

“If you ask me its insanity. Pure and simple.”

“Friday I shall claim the title of Greatest Archer in all England!”

“Ya, I’ll make sure they put that on the brass plaque under you when Prince Johns has your head mounted on his wall.”