Ye Olde Fan Fiction: The Sequel, or should that be Ye Olde Fiction II, or maybe Ye Olde Fan Fiction Returns, or maybe Son of Ye Olde Fan Fiction.....oh nevermind! Let's just call it: The D&D ELSEWORLDS FAN FICTION CORNER! Well, either all of you are working on War and Peace-length Elseworlds epics based on the D&D Cartoon, or no one has quite gotten to this writing assignment just yet! Well, never fear -- yours truly is here! Yeah, yeah, I remember -- last issue I said that I wouldn't accept anything but a completed Elseworlds story in the Newsletter. But, seeing as I didn't get any of them, I've decided to run Part I of my own D&D Cartoon Elseworlds story, with the rationale being that continuing a bunch of Elseworlds fan fiction stories can't get all that confusing when you only have one of them in an issue! Besides, the final version of my story is OVER FIFTY SINGLE-SPACED PAGES long, and I figured that you all valued your computers too highly to have me overloading them with that many pages of text at one time! So, from now on, you may send in the Part 1s of your Elseworlds stories. If I get more than three at a time, I will require that the story be sent in its entirety -- to save everyone's sanity. As you can tell from the title, my "D&D Elseworlds" story places our favorite group members in a world very similar to that of Robin Hood's -- with, of course, a few little changes. Look closely at subsequent parts and you'll find almost all the characters from the show -- from Shadow Demon to Lorne from Odessey of the 12th Talisman to Tiamat! I didn't take any one interpretation of the Robin Hood story as my reference -- it's kind of an amalgam of all of them -- but most of it is inspired from the storyline of the 1991 movie, with my own little changes here and there, of course. This story is rated RBPOTM (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Movie), as it has the equivalent level of action, references, and language, etc., as the movie does. (It was rated PG-13 for those of you who didn't see it). But unlike the movie, my Robin Hood actually keeps his English accent throughout the story! (Sorry, I like Kevin Costner too, but I couldn't help myself on that one). If you didn't like the movie, don't read the story. If you don't like PG-13 level action-adventure movies, don't read the story. If you don't like to read stories where people rarely use contractions and speak all fancy-schmancy-like, don't read the story! So there. So, without further adieu, here is Part 1 of: HENRY HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES Part 1: The Feeling Begins by Amy Elizabeth Hodman "Shhh," Diana of Acroba hissed as she held the end of the long net, her feet shifting precariously as she poised on the edge of the tree branch twenty feet off the forest floor. "Preston, silence! Or you may end our efforts before they even begin!" "Sorry, madam," Preston sheepishly whispered back up at her, hidden behind a small cluster of shrubbery next to the tree. He furiously flipped through pages of a well-worn book. "I cannot seem to locate the spell for fog casting..." "You are both making more noise than that four-horse carriage, and it's still a minute away in arriving," Henry Gray sighed from his post in a branch next to Diana's, pushing some of his blond hair from his face "We cannot afford to miss this opportunity. How many times does one of Prince Venge's royal tax carriages cross right next to the Forest -- our Forest?" Henry crouched down lower, waiting to spring, as he drew his bow. "We shall, how does Venge say, 'make out like bandits'?" Diana and Preston had to stifle their giggles of amusement at Henry's pun as the carriage rolled over the hill and into their direct sights. "Here it comes," Diana smiled with anticipation. Henry nodded as he glanced at her. Much like the Roman goddess who was her namesake, Diana seemed to thrive on the thrill of the hunt during these robberies. Her cool head and fearless approach were as dependable as the rising sun each morning. Henry looked down at Preston, who was still fumbling with his spellbook, squinting as he tried to read the faded text. Preston, well, Preston certainly had his moments of brilliance, but Preston's greatest asset to Henry's band of thieves was his humor and spirits. No matter what the cards dealt them every day, Preston was always ready with a joke or a smile to brighten everyone's day. Yes, Henry thought, no one could ask for better partners. At least, not in this line of work. The carriage rattled down the road, getting closer and closer with each passing moment. Henry held up a hand in warning, then, as the carriage was mere seconds from intercepting their path, he threw his hand down and yelled "now!". Mere milliseconds after hearing his command, Diana dropped the long net onto the horses below, who soon came to a full stop they as tangled each other up in their hysterical confusion. The four Royal Guardsmen riding behind the carriage did not have much time to defend their precious cargo, as four other members of Henry's band swung out of the trees and knocked them off their steeds. As they jumped up, cursing under their breath, to retrieve their weapons, they found themselves met instead with the sword points of more of Henry's men waving their steel-tipped warnings in front of their faces. The rest of Henry's men quickly tied up the befuddled guardsmen. "I say, what on earth.." the driver started, his eyes darting about at all the chaos ensuing around him, but was met with an arrow drawn only inches from his face in response. "I am relieving you of your carriage, driver," Henry smiled. "And who are you?" the driver retorted. Henry's deep blue eyes twinkled in amusement. "Take a guess, sir." The driver's eyes widened in horror. "Henry -- Henry -- HOOD! You scoundrel! How dare you assault members of the royal family? Have you no dignity, sir?" "Royal family?" Diana's eyes widened as she dropped to the ground and picked up her bo-staff. She grinned. "Did we capture Venge off on holiday?" Henry's head turned towards the carriage as he heard the muffled whispers of its occupants. "Wait here," Henry said as he walked away from Diana. Henry walked around towards the door of the carriage, and slowly opened the door. Its occupants shrunk back towards the other side in a mixture of surprise and fear. "Take it! Take it! Please don't kill me, " a dark haired, haughty looking young man in knight's armor fearfully cried as he blindly threw his coin purse in Henry's general direction. The purse fell to the ground outside the carriage next to Henry, but he hardly took notice of it. His eyes were instead drawn like a magnet towards the young lady sitting on the other side of the carriage, who was protectively holding on to a boy who could not have been older than ten. "What do you want?" she asked. Henry could not keep his eyes off her. Her auburn hair was wrapped up partially in the fashion that was customary for ladies of a noble lineage, but most of it flowed down her back in elegant tendrils, and her long green dress made her aquamarine eyes shine like jewels. "Do you have a name, kind sir?" she asked. Henry could not help but note the mock sincerity in her voice. Henry was finally able to grasp words again and leaned into the carriage, smiling. "I am incapable of speaking any further until I know the name of this enchantress who addresses me." She couldn't fight a shy smile as she looked at him, embarrassed by such attention. The young, blond, freckled boy sitting next to the girl rolled his eyes impatiently. "Aren't you going to rob us, Henry? That is what you do, right?" Henry was impressed with the bravery of this young boy to speak in such a way to a man whose name struck fear into the hearts of even the bravest of Venge's knights and warriors. "Oh, so you know who I am, do you?" He smiled as he crossed his arms. "Doesn't EVERYBODY?" the boy indignantly smiled back. Henry couldn't help but be amused. Despite his obvious royal bloodline, this boy acted as if he was born to be one of his own thieves. "H-H-H-H-..." the young dark-haired man on the other side of the carriage stammered. "H-H-HENRY -- HOOD?" His face drained of what little color still remained. Henry's attention was riveted back to the young woman sitting next to the boy, who smiled and said, "Her name is Sheila, and I'm Robert, and we're...." "Robert! Shush," the young woman hissed at him. She raised her green eyes to Henry's. "We don't have that much, I'm afraid. But if you must take it, then take it," she finished as she gently placed her small coin purse in his hand. "From what I have heard of you, at least I will know that it was well-spent." Henry looked at her and placed the purse back in her hand. "You mistake me, m'lady. I would rather die a most gruesome death than take what is rightfully yours from you." Sheila looked up, surprised. "But I was told that you were..." "What I am, dear lady, is also mistaken, for I was told that this carriage was one of the royal tax carriages. I do not rob from everyone -- I merely take the money from those who steal what does not belong to them and make sure it is returned to those they took it from in the first place -- those it truly belongs to." His paralyzing fear apparently having subsided, the dark-haired young man snorted under his breath as he wiped the beads of nervous sweat from his brow. "A thief is still a thief, noble intentions or not. Prince Venge will hear about this latest insult, I promise you." Henry stepped out of the carriage and threw the man's purse back at him. "You're welcome." The young man glared at him. Henry strolled around the front of the carriage and looked at the driver, who still looked rather shaken. "Go," Henry demanded, as four of his men shoved the tied-up guardsmen towards the top of the carriage, as another one untangled the horses from the netting. "Leave this place." He motioned to the guardsmen, who were now seated rather awkwardly on the top of the carriage. "They shall stay as they are until you are five miles from our Forest's edge." "What about our horses and our weapons?" one of the guardsmen, presumably the leader, glared at Henry. "Just because I'm not taking any coins this trip doesn't mean I won't be taking something for my troubles. Just let Venge know that Henry Gray is collecting on what is owed him, that's all. He will understand, believe me." The guard scowled at him as he turned away. Henry stepped back from the carriage and addressed the driver again. "Move along, make haste, for it is getting late. These woods can be dangerous at night, you know." He smiled cockily. The driver gave him one last indignant look as he urged the horse team forward. Henry stood off the roadside and craned his neck to try to get one last glimpse inside the carriage. As the carriage pulled away, Sheila's head appeared outside the window. She watched him with a deep curiosity, and smiled as the carriage sped away. Henry didn't move from where he was standing, intent on watching her until she disappeared from sight. Suddenly a strong arm shoved him to the ground. Looking up, he was astonished to see Diana standing over him, looking extremely angry. "Have you lost your mind, Henry?" she demanded. "Giving back their purses? We needed that money, Henry! We are in great need of every single penny we can get!" "It was not right," Henry muttered as he started walking away. Diana grabbed his shoulder and turned him around to face her. "They are ROYALS, Henry! R-O-Y-A-L-S! As in related to Venge! Why should you treat them any differently?" "You have no evidence to prove that they were related to Venge. They may have been related to our true King. Besides, I do not need to explain my decisions to you," Henry snapped. Diana looked as if she could scarcely control her anger. "Remember Maya? Who just had the baby? She is in desperate need of better clothing for her new child as well as her other six children! And old Peter can barely get out of his own bed anymore, he needs more medicine..." "You don't need to remind me of my responsibilities, Diana," Henry hissed, surprised at how much her words stung him. "I know that the only safe place for those people is with us, here, protected from Venge in this forest. But I just could not...I would not," Henry trailed off as he walked towards the road again. "You would not steal from such a pretty face, is that it?" Diana snorted in mock amusement. "Does that mean that you will no longer steal from Venge if he rides through the Forest wearing a pretty dress and lovely shoes?" Hank swirled around in anger to face her. As he strode towards her to confront her latest accusation, Preston stepped between them. "Henry, you are tired. It has been a long day." Preston put his hand on Henry's shoulder. "We can sort through this later." Nodding at his friend, Henry turned and silently began making his way back to the village. Preston looked over at Diana, who was still glaring angrily in Henry's direction. He walked towards her and offered her his arm. "M'lady, may I escort you home?" Diana couldn't help giving him a smile. "Thank you Preston. I would like that very much." * "Do NOT tell me, Sir Eric, I cannot bear it!" Venge shrieked, flying out of his throne chair as his pale, almost blue, face turned crimson in anger. "Gray has struck again? At the royal family?" "Yes, your Highness," the young dark-haired man from the carriage stated as he approached Venge. "You did send me along to ride with Lady MacGregor and her brother to ensure their safety, and I feel I have failed you. But they ambushed us, sire. There were at least forty men." Robert tugged on his sister's green cloak at the back of the room. "More like ten men, and Eric couldn't protect a squirrel, much less you and me," he whispered. Sheila suppressed a giggle as she put her finger to her lips, cautioning Robert to be quiet. "This is an outrage!" Venge spat as he paced around the front of the throne room, his billowing black and red cape swirling out around him as he walked. "This cannot be tolerated any longer." Venge snapped his fingers at a royal guard standing at the doorway. "Dispatch a messenger at once and order Sheriff Kelek and Captain Warduke to return here immediately!" Venge sank back down into his throne chair. "I will find a way to settle this with Gray once and for all." Venge looked over at Sheila and Robert in the corner. "Were you hurt? Or injured? The damage I shall inflict on Gray will be twenty times anything he may have done to..." "No, Sire," Sheila interrupted his tirade. "We are well, thank you." Sheila looked up at Venge. "Have you any word from my uncle, King Daniel Matthew?" Venge's face drained of all color as soon as the name was spoken. "No, no, my dear, no word." Venge spun the royal scepter between his fingers and replied absently, "we are still searching for him and his lost Crusader party. I fear that he may have been captured -- or killed." Venge saw Sheila's eyes as they reflected her horror of that very thought, and he immediately added, "Of course, as members of his family, you shall remain safe as long as you stay here at the royal castle." Robert couldn't help but interrupt. "But I thought this was just a week-long visitation trip. We must get home." Sheila nodded. "Sire, since the death of my father, the people in our province have only me, Robert, and only a few of my father's most loyal men to help and protect them. The crops have been especially bad for many of our people this year, and so many of them need our assistance at home. I must return there at week's end." Venge looked rather annoyed as he studied the two of them. "Your people shall be protected and assisted by me, my dear," Venge said as he leaned towards them in his chair, his eyes glowing in an almost red, sinister light. "As long as you continue to swear your allegiance to me and -- unless your uncle returns shortly -- to lend your support to me as King. The people have become discontent without a real leader. The people need ME." Sheila squeezed Robert's hand. "Of course, Sire," she said as she looked down. "Forgive me, I was not thinking." "No, my dear," Venge smiled menacingly. "You were not." "May we take leave of you, Sire?" Sheila said. Robert was looking up at her, fighting to keep tears from his eyes. Sheila did not dare look at Robert, for she knew she would start crying as well. "Yes, yes," Venge muttered, waving them away dismissively. As they walked out of earshot, Robert began pulling on her arm. "Sheila, we cannot stay here! We will be no better than royal prisoners under house arrest." Sheila sighed and looked at him. "What else can we do, Robert? Without King Daniel here, we must do whatever we can to protect our people. It's...it's what Father would have wanted..." she trailed off. "Father would have wanted us to stand up and fight Venge," Robert said determinedly. "There must be something we can do." Sheila shook her head in resignation until a realization struck her and her eyes widened. "There is something we can do -- something we must do. Meet me at the stables at dawn," she whispered as she started up the narrow stairs to her chamber. "Where are we going then?" Robert asked confusedly. "Where we shall say we are going and where we are actually going are two different things," she smiled as she raced up the stairs. "Just be ready." Shrugging in confusion, Robert walked down to his own chamber and closed the door. * "Henry, I apologize for what I said," Diana sighed as she sat down next to him at one of the wooden outdoor eating tables. "You are right -- you do not need to explain your actions to me. You don't expect me to explain mine. I should respect the same thing for you as well." Henry smiled. "There is no excuse for how antagonistic I was about the whole thing, Diana. And you certainly have the right to your speak your opinion about things as freely as you wish. I am very sorry, Diana." Diana patted him on the shoulder as she began to eat her venison stew and bread. "I am glad we have settled things and are friends again." She smiled. "I, too, Diana," he smiled warmly at her. Preston sat down next to Diana, his plate heaping with food. "Are you a little hungry tonight, Preston?" Diana grinned in amusement. Preston looked embarrassed. "It's Marion," he shrugged, indicating the old smiling woman who was serving out the soupy meal onto platter after platter.. "She says I need to eat more." He looked at his overflowing plate. "I don't think Venge's entire army could eat this." Diana laughed, and Henry could not help but notice how Preston's face seemed to light up every time he made Diana laugh. Preston is still as much in love with her as he was the first day we met her, Henry thought with a smile on his face. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but it had only been a little over two years since Preston and Henry had escaped from prison near the Holy Lands, captured while fighting in a small corps of the Crusaders. They had been fortunate to get out alive -- Henry still shuddered when he thought about the fate that might have befallen them had they not managed to get out. They ran blindly out of the enemy city, running in the sands until they both dropped from exhaustion. When they had woken up, they found themselves lying in a large, billowing tent. Confused, both of them jumped up to see a tall, stunningly beautiful dark woman smiling at them. Her dark hair was tied back in a long braid, and she wore some sort of ornate beaded costume that looked like a warrior's uniform of some kind. "I take it that you rested well," she said in perfect English, although with a slightly accented voice. Preston just nodded back, and Henry looked at her, puzzled. Why did it feel like he already knew her, somehow? There was no way he could have, yet there was something that seemed familiar about her. Henry shook his head. It was a thought he would have to wait to ponder until later, for now, there were much more pressing questions in his head. "Where are we? And who are you?" She laughed. "Well, young Crusaders, I will tell you that you are safe, and I am not your enemy. My name is Diana, I am from Acroba, and I am a princess." Both Henry and Preston's jaws dropped in amazement. Diana looked at their reaction to her statement with apprehension. "But, you see, I do not wish to be a princess at all. My father demanded that I marry a man I did not love, and when I refused, he imprisoned and executed the man he knew that I did love, Kosar." Diana picked up a water pitcher and filled two tall glasses with water, handing them to a grateful Henry and Preston. She set her jaw defiantly as she continued. "I am never returning to Acroba. I knew of your people and your homeland from the tradesmen who travel in our kingdom -- that is how I learned your language you see, as well as many others -- so I set out and journeyed two weeks to the north to the land of the Pyramids by myself, and then set out in this direction, hoping to find some way to get as far away from Acroba so that no one from my father's kingdom could ever find me again." She smiled hopefully. "And that, my friends, is where I hope you shall be of assistance. When I came upon both of you in the desert, something told me I would be able to confide in you. There was almost a certain -- trustworthiness, a dignity about you, as if I'd met you both before, somewhere. Somehow...." Diana shook her head as she trailed off, then looked straight at both of them again. "You ARE from the Far Northern Island, are you not?" Diana asked, with a hint of excitement in her voice. At first neither one of them quite understood what she meant, but then remembered that other countries didn't always call other nations by the same name as they did. Come to think of it, neither of them had never even heard of a country called Acroba before, but seeing as how little of the African continent had been officially explored by their countrymen, it wasn't much of a surprise. "Y-Yes," Preston stammered. "You are both sons of noblemen too, I can tell," she nodded with confidence. "Yes, we are," Henry said. "How does this help you?" "I would like to come with you back to your homeland," Diana proclaimed. "I know that I will never be bothered by my father's minions there." Henry and Preston looked at each other. Diana noticed their glance and raced towards them. "You do not need to worry about me once you get there -- I am more than capable of taking care of myself." Henry and Preston looked at her blankly. "You -- you do not believe me?" Diana asked, aghast. "I am certain that I am a far better warrior than either one of you." "Is that a challenge?" Henry asked, eyebrow raised in suspicion. "Are you up to the test, young Crusader?" Diana asked. "I am a gentlemen, dear lady. I would not even think about fighting a woman -- even if she was a most hated enemy -- nor do I wish to start now," Henry said as he turned around to sit back down. "Who said that you would be the one to start the fight?" Henry had not even a second to react to her statement as Diana's arm slammed into his shoulder. Henry barely had time to think as he tried to unsuccessfully step out of the way of her high flying kick, which connected with his jaw. A quarterstaff, which seemed to appear out of nowhere, struck him in the stomach, and as Henry fell to the floor, clutching his midsection in agony, Diana stood victoriously above him. She glared at Presto, staff raised. "I believe you," Preston stammered. "I believe you." Henry wiped the blood from his jawline, looking at Diana in amazement. "Where -- where did you learn how to fight like that? So quickly, so swiftly?" Diana chuckled as she handed Henry a wet cloth for his face. "You both have spent far too much time on that little island and not enough time in the rest of the world," she stated. "You both have a great deal to learn." Henry smiled at the recollection, mopping up the last remaining drops of the stew with a crust of bread. Preston had confided in him long ago how much he cared for the Acroban princess, but that he dared not say anything for fear that she did not feel the same way about him. Poor Preston, Henry thought, watching Preston's eyes gleaming as he listened to one of Diana's tales of adventure from her homeland. It was almost painful to watch him, knowing how he longed to tell Diana how he felt about her. Perhaps in time, he can muster the strength, Henry thought as he got up from the table. I cannot interfere, no matter how much I want to. I cannot tell Preston -- or Diana -- how to live their lives. Henry's mind soon began to wander again, remembering how his first meetings with both Preston and Diana had been so, well, almost easy and natural, as if they were meant to happen, as if they had almost already happened. Henry kicked a small rock down the pathway as he thought back to the events from earlier that day. He hadn't let on at the time, but when he looked inside the carriage, he had the same kind of deja-vu feeling about the occupants of the carriage. Perhaps that's why he hadn't robbed them. It's not like they didn't need the money desperately -- Diana had been correct about that -- and the young knight had been especially irritating. In any other situation, Henry would have taken his purse and not given it a second thought. But it just didn't seem -- right, somehow. It seemed all wrong, as if those three people were on his side, not Venge's. He couldn't explain it. But there was one thing that he could explain, he realized. And that was his feelings for one of the passengers in particular. It was as if those blue-green eyes were going to haunt him until the day he died. No matter how much he tried not to, he could not stop thinking about the young woman he had seen in the carriage for more than a few moments at a time. Before today, Henry had never really understood what Preston was talking about when he would speak with him about his feelings of love for Diana, what it felt like, how it made him feel, and how her very presence turned an otherwise horrible day into a perfect one. Henry had never had been in love before. He simply had not had the time to. Between going off to the Crusades, helping Diana return with him and Preston, and.... And what happened after they got back... Henry shook his head to rid the thoughts from his mind. He didn't want to think about what had happened to his father. Or about Venge. He just wanted to think about Sheila. Henry sighed as he slid to the ground. Even if he never saw her again, Henry somehow knew that he would think about her every day for the rest of his life. * "Sheila, you are crazy!" Robert hissed as he handed her his small satchel. "We will never get away with this." Sheila strapped the small bag onto the back of her horse, next to her larger satchel. "We have to, Robert, we have to," Sheila replied. "We have to warn Henry about Venge's plans." Sheila stroked her horse's chestnut neck affectionately, and he nuzzled her arm in return, looking for one of the small apples or treats that she usually spoiled him with. "Sorry, Spellman, not this morning." She moved towards his large ears and whispered, " Where we are going you may graze to your heart's content." The sleek thoroughbred neighed happily in response, and as Sheila climbed up into the saddle, a strong arm clamped on to her riding boot. "What....?" Sheila yelped. "It is not safe for a morning ride, Lady MacGregor," Sir Eric frowned at her. "Perhaps later in the day would be more appropriate." He looked at her outfit disapprovingly. Unlike the rest of the ladies of the kingdom, Sheila rode in long pants and jacket and riding boots. With her auburn hair wrapped under the hood of her riding cloak, she looked more like a common page or messenger than a genteel royal lady. "Sir Eric, thank you for your concern," Sheila started as she gathered the reins and looked nervously at Robert. "But I assure you that we will be just fine this morning. We are not going that far -- just over the hills into the valley for a midday picnic." She patted the satchels in confirmation. Eric looked at her, one eyebrow raised in suspicion. "I'm sorry, dear lady, I am just following my master's orders." Sheila sighed impatiently. "Look, Sir Eric, do what you must. We have no more time to wait here. If we do not leave immediately, we will most certainly not make it back to the castle by nightfall. And that would most certainly displease Venge." With that, Sheila urged Spellman on, galloping down the dirt path that led out of the castle, Robert fast on her heels on his small but sturdy Highland pony. Eric stood there, almost powerless, watching their retreating forms. What had just happened here? he asked himself. What was it about Sheila and her brother that made Eric act so -- irrationally? From the moment he had picked them up at their family estate, he had felt a strange familiarity with the spirited brother and sister pair. Was it just something he had imagined in his mind? An overactive imagination was certainly the most convenient explanation for it -- except that Eric had noticed that neither one of them had told Venge about Eric's embarrassing panic attack during the Henry Hood robbery. It certainly did not benefit them in any way by not telling -- in fact, they may have ensured future wrath against them if Venge ever found out about the incident from the driver or one of the guards. Had they told Venge about the way their "protector" had acted, Eric would not only have been summarily dismissed on the spot, but would probably have been executed as well. Eric shuddered at the very thought. Why did they not tell Venge? Eric mulled over in his head again and again. Perhaps it was because they felt the same kinship between them as Eric had. He could not be sure. The one thing he was certain of was where they were headed. Eric may not have excelled at bravery in a crisis situation, he knew, but one thing that he prided himself on was the strength of his mind. It did not take a genius to see the instant attraction that had formed between Lady MacGregor and Henry Hood during their first meeting in the forest the day before. She was heading to him, he knew. Why now? There had been such urgency in her voice -- that could not be the result of merely amorous feelings. Eric walked over to one of the royal guard steeds and signaled the stablehand to saddle up the horse. Whatever the reason was, Eric knew, he had to find out. Not because it was his duty as a nobleman knight or because of any true loyalty to Venge. Right now, those things were the last on his mind. The main thing it all came down to was the fact that Eric didn't like riddles that he didn't know the answer to. And this whole mystery involving himself, Lady MacGregor and her brother, and Henry Hood was perhaps the biggest one of all. * "Someone approaches!" Preston called to the four men surrounding him in the tree branches above. Preston squinted, trying to get a better look from his hiding place behind a dense patch of shrubbery as the two horses galloped madly towards them. Two of Henry's men, hidden behind the bushes across from Preston, slowly made their way out to the road, swords drawn. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, but this pathway is restricted," one of the men stated, holding up his hand as the two riders pulled their horses to a halt. "We MUST see Henry Gray immediately," one of them asked. Preston tried to get a better look. The speaker must have been young -- he had a very high voice. And even with his poor eyesight, Preston could tell that his companion was even younger than the gentlemen speaking was. The two men on the road laughed in amusement. "There are many people who wish to see Henry, my boy. Some have good intentions..." he smiled as he walked around and flipped open the pouch of one of the satchels, "Others have not so good intentions." He took out an apple from the saddlebags and began to eat it. "Tell me, young man, how are we to know what kind of intentions you and your other companion may have?" "Please," the figure on horseback pleaded, "it is of utmost urgency that we see Henry immediately. It is a matter of life and death." Preston scratched his head in confusion. Where had he heard that voice before? "It will be a matter of life and death for both of you unless you can give us a better reason," the other guard smirked menacingly. The figure on horseback sighed as he looked at his smaller companion. "I suppose we must do this the hard way." The guards chuckled in amusement. "Richard, let us show these two young men some manners." They walked menacingly towards the figures on horseback again. They didn't make it very far. The two guards fell to the ground with a painful thump as the two figures on horseback leapt at them ferociously. The four guards hidden in the treetops immediately went into action, swinging from their branches onto the ground. One of them knocked the taller figure to the ground, but the young man soon recovered and kicked the guard's feet out from under him, grabbing the fallen guard's sword from his holster in one sweeping movement. Flipping the blade from one hand to another, he ran towards the other treetop guard, matching him movement for movement as their swords clashed. The young man's smaller companion, meanwhile, had grabbed a thick, short tree branch and was clashing with another two guards who were trying to knock him down with quarterstaffs. Presto emitted a low whistle, impressed with their fighting skills. I do not know who these two are, but I must let Henry know immediately, Preston thought as he made his way silently out of the back of the shrubbery, heading towards the village to warn Henry. As he glanced back, he almost fainted from shock as he saw the taller young man's cloak hood fall from his face. He was not a he at all -- but a she. Preston didn't need to squint to know who it was. The aquamarine eyes he saw answered any question he may have had as to who this lady was. "Stop! Stop!" Preston yelled, running out towards the mad battle scene. Four of the guards were on the ground, writhing in pain. One of the guards who remained standing was looking at Sheila, jaw hanging open in surprise, frozen to one spot in his shock, as she stood in front of him, holding her sword in a defensive pose. Robert and the one guard who was still standing looked each other up and down disapprovingly, but did not fight. Sheila put her sword into the dirt as Preston approached. "You were one of the people with Henry yesterday, were you not?" she asked hopefully. "Yes, m'lady," Preston said, walking towards her quickly. "Forgive me for not intervening earlier, but I did not know it was you." "Do not worry, kind sir," Sheila smiled as she brushed off her cloak. "This was nothing that my brother and I could not have handled." "It certainly looks that way," Preston couldn't help but reply. "We need to see Henry as soon as possible," Robert said as he moved next to his sister. "It is very important," Sheila said as she looked down at her brother. Preston nodded at the two guards who were still standing. "Michael, Joseph, help the others back to the village. I am taking these two to see Henry." Sheila and Robert smiled at each other. Preston pulled two long strips of cloth out of his bag and shifted around uncomfortably. "I am terribly sorry, but we must protect our location. You must wear these blindfolds until we reach the village. It is not that we do not trust you, but considering the many enemies we have, we can never be too certain." Sheila put a reassuring hand on Preston's arm. "We understand." Sheila looked back at Spellman and Robert's pony, Trickster. "The horses are well behaved and will give you no trouble if you lead us back on them." Preston nodded, and suddenly the forest turned black as the blindfold wrapped around Sheila's head. Preston led her to her horse, and as she made her way back up into the saddle, she reached a reassuring hand over next to her towards Robert and his horse. "Everything will be all right, Sheila," Robert said quietly. She felt Robert's small hand grab hers tightly. "And we will be home soon, I know we will." "I hope so, Robert," Sheila said, as Robert dropped her hand to grab his reins as both horses began to move under Preston's direction. Sheila gathered up Spellman's reins in one hand and patted the horse's neck, almost more to reassure herself than her horse. "I hope so," she repeated quietly. * Thanks to Vic for all her help and encouragement on this one! Be sure to catch Part 2: Revelations in the next issue of the D&D Cartoon Fan Club Newsletter! ************************************************************************************** TRIVIA CORNER! This issue's trivia questions come to you courtesy of Justin Alexander. Enjoy! Send in your guesses, and we'll post the winners' names next issue! 1. What is the year written on the barrel in Servant of Evil ? (a) 1456 (b) 1941 (c) 1865 (d) 1984 2. What's the name of the Giant's slimebeast in Presto Spells Disaster ? (a) Killer (b) Willy (c) Fredrick (d) Kurt 3. What Marvel Superhero's theme music did you constantly hear in Dungeons&Dragons ? (a) Spiderman (b) Fantastic Four (c) WonderWoman (d) Incredible Hulk 4. What 80's sci-fi show does Eric mention in The Time Lost? (a) V (b) Buck Rogers in 25th Century (c) Starman (d) Doctor Who 5. Which city is the road map of that Presto pulls out of his hat in Child of the Stargazer ? (a) Pittsburgh (b) Brisbane (c) Miami (d) Cleveland OOOPS! It appears as though some of the Issue #2 newsletters were missing the answers to our first trivia question feature from Issue #1. So, just for you, we're reprinting them here: (1) SHEILA and BOBBY were the two characters who were brother and sister on the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon. (2) TIAMAT was the name of Venger's dragon nemesis. (3) ERIC was the character who was granted Dungeon Master's powers once during the series. (4) SHADOW DEMON was the name of Venger's "sidekick". (5) KARENA was the name of Venger's sister, and she appeared on the CITADEL OF SHADOW episode. (6) JOSEF MUELLER (I think that's the correct spelling, anyway -- they never really did spell it on the show) was the name of the WWII pilot that the group helped get back home on "The Time Lost" episode. (7) QUEEN SOLONARA was the queen who was protecting "The Treasure of Tardos". (8) WILLIE AAMES (voice of HANK) and ADAM RICH (voice of PRESTO) were the actors who played brothers on the 70's TV series EIGHT IS ENOUGH; and actor DONNY MOST (voice of ERIC) starred in the 70s series HAPPY DAYS. (9) "THE DRAGON'S GRAVEYARD" was the episode where Dungeon Master says to Venger, "Rise, my son." AND, just in case you forgot, here's the answers to our questions from last issue.... THE ANSWERS TO OUR EXTRA-SPECIAL 70's TRIVIA FLASHBACK FROM LAST ISSUE! Hi! Remember those questions we asked last issue about three of the actors that provided voices on the D&D Cartoon -- Willie Aames, Adam Rich, and Donny Most? Well, to all of you who just couldn't plain remember, Willie Aames played TOMMY BRADFORD, and Adam Rich played his little brother NICHOLAS BRADFORD on EIGHT IS ENOUGH, and Donny Most was the unforgettable RALPH MALPH on HAPPY DAYS! And the bonus question -- CHARLES IN CHARGE was the series on which Willie Aames co-starred with Scott Baio in the 80s, where he played clueless sidekick BUDDY to Baio's ultra-responsible CHARLES (who always seemed to have the worst luck when it came to embarrassing costumes -- remember when he had to dress up as Carmen Miranda? Scary!) Hope you all enjoyed the walk down amnesia lane! =) ************************************************************************************** COMING SOON IN THE HOLIDAY 1997/98 ISSUE (can you believe we're up to Number 4 ALREADY! Geez!) * An all-new humor feature (well, at least I think it's funny, anyway) -- be sure to take the "What's Your D&D Cartoon Personality?" quiz... * More fan fiction from Victoria Bishop and Mike Bugg -- be sure to catch Part 3 of their ongoing fan fiction stories! And don't forget to read Part 2 of "Henry Hood: Prince of Thieves"! * Also -- your chance to tell everyone -- what do you think the D&D Cartoon gang will be up to ten years after the series ended? Put on your "Hello: My Name Is" tag and be sure to make it to the party and register your story in the "D&D Cartoon 10-Year Reunion" Yearbook! (There won't be any nasty Kool-Aid punch or embarrassing old high school photos, I promise!) **************************************************************************************