Chapter Text
The forest god knelt down and cautiously put his hand between the thick roots that go into the forest floor. In concentration he examined something in the depths, and finally found what he was looking for. And he drew his sword. Not cleaned for a long time, slightly darkened, but quite usable. Grunting, Herne got to his feet, picked up the find and tried the blade with his finger. Still a sharp blade!
The Horned One raised the blade over his head. A beam of the already cold autumn sun glided over its surface, highlighting the inscription.
Wrapping the weapon in a piece of skin, Herne tucked it under his arm and busily headed into the cave. On the way, he thought that the detour could in some cases be faster and more efficient than the direct one, with which his son somehow did not succeed. Especially taking into account the peculiarities, so to speak, of the second side of this problem. Yes, now you can’t do without him.
So Herne needs to come up with another way. Under the circumstances, all paths must be used, even if they, these paths, seem impossible or completely insane. There's too much at stake to ignore.
Robin, by all means, must take his rightful place, because only he can resist Azael, as it should be done. And in this he needs help, timely support. And there is no guarantee that he will not miss the last chance given to him - oh, these are his vanity, arrogance and self-importance! So, for the sake of the opportunity to feel at his best, he always misses what he needs from the other side and, of course, loses.
And his opponent also has something to answer and what to oppose. And until the knight remembers his nobility, as he says, “in relation to this case”, nothing will change for anyone. And he won't do it himself, he won't be able to. And yet he does not tolerate the Son of Herne and King Sherwood even for the smell. But that goes for Robin too, only he'll have his own. And no less difficult.
In the case of that guy, it is his broken soul and hardened heart that will play against him. It is curious that there is not an iota of truly natural malice and cruelty in him - everything is “acquired”. And now he himself is making a monster out of himself, he thinks it is easier for him to live this way. The result, of course, leaves much to be desired, but the guy continues this activity with rare perseverance. Yes, he's stubborn, but that might even be a good thing. However, there is something else in him, for example, his curiosity, albeit with a fair amount of skepticism, but also with the desire to get to the bottom of the truth.
But in the case of Robin, the worst thing will play against - his own vanity, arrogance and hubris, too often ended badly for him. His task has always been to defeat them, but so far he has not moved a single step.
In the meantime, the "revived" real enemy is rapidly gaining its former strength, which means that it will soon try to attack again. The sorcery of the witch, with the attempt to steal the arrow and sacrifice the Son of Herne, was only a flower. But Weyland's swords are already berries, though not the largest. But the harvest is just beginning to "ripen". And the time is too short.
“Well, Simon de Belleme, since you call yourself that now. You won't get what you want so easily! You know that I will always stay!”
"Let's see!" came a sly chuckle from somewhere far away.
***
Robin scratched his head in puzzlement. He was ready to swear that all the protection marks were intact, but it was as if someone had been in the cache - the lid was not touched, but for some reason the things under it were not exactly the way he had left them. As if someone had been rummaging through it
And the sword that was here last time has gone somewhere. Or was it not? It seemed that Robin had left it under a bunch of arrows wrapped in canvas, but now he was completely unsure of this.
Actually, Robin remembered this sword by accident, because he decided to give a present to a good yeoman, whom he helped a little the other day. So he climbed into the cache, but there was no blade. Strange.
But Robin thought about this riddle no longer than a few heartbeats, because he suddenly got the idea that, most likely, he simply mixed up the caches. And then, it seemed, he began to remember that they had sold this sword back then, along with other things in a masse. Well, they sold it, and to hell with it!
It turns out that it is not the fate of the guy to wave that sword, he will have to be content with a simple soldier's one. It's also quite a decent weapon. Can also give him a crossbow, the benefit of this goodness is always in abundance among the forest archers, since they themselves do not need them
GLOSSARY
- General litigation is a complaint by private individuals over matters of property outside the interests of the Crown.
- Placita coranae (lat.) - criminal cases.
- Gouais blanc is a grape variety that, due to its unpretentiousness, could be grown not only in the southern regions.
- Privilegium clericale (Latin) is the privilege of the clergy.
- This is about Strabo's Geography and Julius Caesar's Notes on the Gallic War.
- Carthago delenda est (lat.) — Carthage must be destroyed.
- Vae Matrem vestram... Stercus accidit (lat.) — Your mother. Shit.
- Immanissimum ac foedissimum monstrum (Latin) is a fat, smelly monster.