Subject: D&D Cartoon On-Line Fan Club Newsletter #6, Part 6


Okay, okay, I PROMISE this is the last part of the newsletter this issue.
Didn't I TELL you it was really long this time?  Oh well.  Read on for our
next story:

                                                *

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.  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 derived 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 Part4 of:
Henry Hood: Prince of Thieves!
Part 4: Declaration

                                                *
"Dear friends!" Henry smiled as he stood at the head table, raising his glass
to the four young men next to him.  "Will, John, Peter, and Matthew have
proven themselves to be the bravest and most honorable of young men." He gave
a meaningful glance in the direction of the cottage where Eric was imprisoned.
"And certainly more noble than the spineless vermin that Venge calls knights."
The crowd chuckled.
"Let us toast to our new warriors!" Henry smiled.
"Here here!" the group yelled.
"Let us celebrate with a dance!" Henry motioned to the group of men sitting
next to the table, who started up a lively tune.
Henry looked across the circle of tables at Sheila, who was currently
surrounded by what had to be every young girl under the age of twelve in the
entire village.  The flames of the night torches reflected in the light of her
eyes as she told them what undoubtedly were more stories about elegant dances
and parties, and the other noble ladies of the kingdom.  Whatever it was, the
girls were nothing short of enthralled by it all.
Henry made his way over to the small group, but found himself cut off as Will
seemed to appear out of thin air in front of him, bowing at Sheila.
"May I have this dance, dear lady?" Will said as he flashed a broad smile at
her.  The girls around her giggled.
Sheila smiled and was about to respond when Henry walked up to them.  "I'm
sorry, Will, but this lady is spoken for."
"Am I, now?" Sheila smiled, as she flew out onto the dance floor with Will.
Robert, who had just walked up next to Henry, shrugged at him.  "She doesn't
like people speaking for her," Robert said.
"I suppose so," Henry said with a smile.
Henry watched as Sheila twirled and laughed as she danced with the new
recruits, who all quibbled amongst themselves for her attentions in the next
dance. He crunched his face in thought.  He had been so very close to asking
her this morning -- that question he had never been more sure of asking in his
entire life.
Swallowing his nervousness, Henry stepped out onto the dance area and tapped
young Matthew on the shoulder.  "I hate to interrupt, but may I cut in?"
Matthew looked at Henry, then at Sheila.  "Yes...of course," he smiled as he
stepped back.
Henry began to twirl Sheila around the other dancers.  "I did not think I
would get the honor of dancing with you this evening.  You card seemed rather
full."
"Somehow I knew you would find a way to snatch a dance -- you are their
leader, after all," Sheila smiled at him. "But I find it strange about
you...for someone who hates the nobility and knighthood so much, you seem
still quite used to getting your own way."
Henry was surprised that her words stung him slightly.  "Some habits die hard,
I suppose."
Sheila looked at him curiously.  "I did not mean to insult you in any way.  I
have the same problem, you know."  She smiled.  "It must be part of the
birthright of nobility."
Henry smiled at her, feeling a little more relaxed.
The dance ended, and as Sheila stopped and applauded the musicians, Henry took
her arm.
"There is a conversation that I must continue with you in private.  Will you
take a turn of the village with me?"
Sheila smiled.  "I would be delighted, kind sir."

                                                *

Henry swallowed his nervousness down one more time as he looked at Sheila's
aquamarine eyes.  He wished he had been able to speak to Preston about this,
perhaps to get some last minute words of wisdom  -- but he didn't want anyone
to know that he was going to ask Sheila to marry him.  It would have just made
him three times more nervous than he already was.
"Sheila -- I must ask you something."
"Yes?" she smiled up at him.  "Would this have something to do with the
question you were going to ask me earlier today?"
The ease of her demeanor was making this even more difficult for Henry.
"Well, as I said before today, I am not quite sure that I am even of the
stature to ask you such a question, but would you, could you....?"  He looked
at her face again and felt as nervous as a deer surrounded by a pack of
wolves.
Sheila smiled.  "If you are asking me to marry you, Henry, the answer is no."
Henry's face fell.
Sheila moved closer to him. "The answer is no because I have always been of
the opinion that you cannot give an answer to that question until one has been
kissed the gentleman who is doing the asking."  She smiled again.  "To make
sure one is making an informed decision, you see."
"Well," Henry said as he leaned closer to her, "you cannot object to logic
such as that."
And, as if pushed together by a gentle yet insistent breeze, their lips met
softly.
Sheila lost track of time -- had the kiss lasted minutes, seconds or hours,
she could not have been sure.  She gently pulled away and looked up at him.
"There now.  Well, Sir Gray, I must inform you that you have complied with all
my requirements rather satisfactorily, and..." she smiled, "the answer is yes.
I would love to be your wife."
Henry beamed, and Sheila's laughter filled the night air as he picked her up
and swung her around.  "This makes a perfect evening even better.  Come," he
said, taking her arm and heading back towards the group at the other end of
the village," we must go tell the others."
In his happy haste, Henry almost knocked over a young man from their village
who was running towards them.  Exhausted and out of breath, the young man
almost collapsed in front of them, barely able to say,  "Henry!  I -- have --
some -- urgent....news from Hamlet's End."  The young man looked pointedly at
Sheila as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "I am afraid -- that you may not
find this news pleasing, m'lady."
Sheila sighed.  "It cannot be worse than Sir Eric, can it?"
Henry shrugged at her.  "I most certainly hope not." He smiled as he took
Sheila's hand again.  "Besides, what news could possibly spoil this evening
for us?"
The young man looked at Sheila again as he regained his breath.  "I believe it
is a thousandfold worse, m'lady.  I have heard from an acquaintance in town --
who works as one of Venge's messengers -- that Venge is about to make an
important announcement.  About marriage."  He gulped as he looked at the
ground.  "Marriage -- to you."
Sheila's face drained of all its color.  "What?" she asked, horrified.
"There is even more bad news, I am afraid," the young man continued as he
looked at Henry.  "He also told me that he overheard Venge and his assistant
talking about Kelek and Warduke.  They are arriving not three days from this
very night."
"Marriage to Venge?" Sheila repeated again, sinking down to the ground in
shock.
Henry took a deep breath as he tried to process all the information that had
been thrown at him.  "Michael, I want you to go back to the village, first and
foremost, and make an announcement of your own.  Tell everyone who will listen
that Lady MacGregor cannot accept Venge's proposal -- because she has accepted
my own."
Michael didn't know whether to smile or to gasp in shock at what Venge would
do when he heard such a statement.  "Henry, that is wonderful news, but what
about Venge?  And what about Kelek and Warduke..."
"Marriage to Venge?" Sheila incredulously repeated again, and Henry sat down
next to her and put his arm around her reassuringly.
"Go back to Hamlet's End and gather our reserve armies, and our spies, from
the county.  Tell them your news about Kelek and Warduke, and that they must
return here immediately.  We have no time to waste," Henry said to Michael.
"Make haste, Michael.  The time has come for us to take back what rightfully
belongs to all of us."
"Yes," Michael said, looking more and more nervous as the gravity of the
situation compounded in his head.  "I shall go back at once."  With that, he
fled off into the night again.
"It will be all right, Sheila," Henry said as he held her tightly.  "Venge
cannot take a wife who is already promised to another."
"It -- it is not that," Sheila said in a voice that was barely audible.  "It
is my people.  Venge's anger at being refused will be so great, especially if
he is to be refused because of you -- I fear my people will be the ones who
will suffer Venge's wrath."  She looked up at him, her face as pale as a
ghost.  "Henry, I am very sorry, but I cannot allow that to happen. I..." she
gulped down tears and her nausea at the very thought of it, "I have no choice
but to accept his proposal."
"You will do no such thing," Henry said as he touched her face gently.  "You
shall not have to worry about your people.  By the time Venge gets word about
our engagement, we will have gathered our army together and begin our attack,
so that by the time Kelek and Warduke arrive, we shall have long since evicted
him from the castle -- and the rights he holds over it."
Sheila looked at him as he helped her up.  "You -- you are going to attack
Venge's armies?  But how?  You must be outnumbered by at least five to one!"
She looked down and shook her head. "Look at all the trouble my coming here
has brought down upon you and your people.  I shall never forgive myself."
Henry tipped her face to meet his eyes gently.  "And I would never have
forgiven myself if I had lost you to Venge."  He embraced her tightly.  "It
will be all right, Sheila.  I swear it."

                                                *

"Henry, are you certain about this?" Preston asked, raising a suspicious
eyebrow at his old friend.  "Do you not think it is better to leave him here
than to worry about him returning to Venge and telling him of our plans?"
Henry shook his head as he turned the large brass key in the lock in the
prison cottage door.  "He does not know of any of our plans, Preston, and even
if he does tell Venge where we are hiding, it will be far too late in the game
to make any sort of difference."  Henry looked at Preston's worried
expression.  "Do not worry, Preston, for there are larger matters at stake now
than this pitiful worm."
Eric stood up slowly and glared at Henry as he walked towards the door.  "You
are just letting me go?"  He raised an eyebrow at Henry.  "Am I to be tracked
and hunted down like a dog, then?  There must be some unspeakable horror
awaiting me through the woods."
Henry barely acknowledged him and started walking off.  "I do not know and
frankly knight, I do not care one bit."
Eric sighed as he looked at Henry's retreating form.  Preston rolled his eyes
and shoved Eric's belongings, sans his coin purse, back at him forcefully.
"Pardon me!" Eric protested.  "Have we caught the powerful magician in another
one of his moments of lovecrossed hopelessness?"
"Why don't you just LEAVE already?" Preston hissed at him, pointing down the
pathway.  "Or are you actually of the opinion that anyone here would let you
stay?"
Eric snorted out a laugh. "Me?  Want to stay?  With the likes of you?  You
cannot be serious!"
"Then why have you not left yet?" Preston demanded, his arms crossed.
Eric sighed.  "If you must know, little magician, it is because I am in no
great hurry to return to Venge and his ranks.  Unlike you and your lord-in-
hiding leader there, I have no great desire to run out into the battlefields
and fight the heathens.  I simply do not find it to be an enjoyable pastime."
"You do not want to," Preston stepped closer, curiously, "or you are AFRAID
to?  That's it, isn't it?  You cowered like a field mouse when Henry held up
the royal carriage, and Jacob told me that you looked as though you'd seen a
ghost when they challenged you."  Preston snickered.  "I did not think that
cowards were allowed to become knights in our kingdom, although with Venge in
charge, it would most certainly not surprise me."
"How dare you insult me!" Eric fumed, his face turning more and more crimson
with every passing second.
"Henry is right -- we do not need to worry a snit about you," Preston smiled
sarcastically as he nodded at Eric.  "You are all bark and no bite."  With
that, Preston turned and walked in the direction Henry had headed, leaving
Eric standing there, dumbfounded.
                                                *

?What do you mean, she is not here?? Venge hissed, rising out of his throne
slowly, as Shad cringed back.
?Sire, I was told by one of the stablehands that Lady MacGregor left early
this morning with her brother, and no one has seen them since,? Shad said.
?Perhaps her horse became lame, sire, and it is taking them longer to return??
he added hopefully.
?What word do you have from Sir Eric?s search party?? Venge muttered and sat
back down in his chair, somewhat appeased by Shad?s reasoning.
Shad looked even more uneasy.  ?Well...nothing, Sire, I am afraid.  Perhaps
Sir Eric went looking for Lady MacGregor and her brother, and something
happened to all of them together.  Sir Eric is far too responsible to not
report back to the castle and let us know if he was with them, or he had found
them, and...?
?Responsible?? Venge steamed.  ?I do not call taking leave for the day without
asking  permission RESPONSIBLE!? He slammed his fist into the side of his
throne, shattering the entire left side of the armrest with the force of his
blow.  ?Wake up the rest of the guard -- I do not care HOW many of the men you
have to send out -- I want you to find them immediately!?  Venge looked out
the window. ?I will not allow anyone to ruin my plans -- whether it be Henry
Gray or a pitiful knight like Sir Eric.?
?What is it now?? Venge barked at another figure standing in the hallway.  ?Am
I to have any peace at all today??
Another one of Venge?s messengers appeared in the doorway, his face as pale as
a ghost.  Shad looked uneasily at Venge, knowing that by the look on the
messenger?s face, the news to come would most certainly not be good.
?S...S...S..Sire?  Y...Y...Your Most Ex...Exalted High..Ness,? the young man
was barely able to stutter out.
Venge looked at Shad. ?Are all my messengers as inarticulate as this?  He is
even worse than the last one.?
?I, I apologize, Sire....? the young man continued, fidgeting with the scroll
he was carrying.  ?I have just come back from, from, and I was given this....?
Losing his patience, Venge snatched the roll from the messenger?s trembling
hands.
He quickly unrolled the document, his eyes narrowing as he read the text,
until he looked up at the messenger angrily.
?Is this some sort of a joke?? he demanded, waving the scroll at the
messenger.  ?I am in no mood today for this sort of...?
?No, no Sire, it, it is not a joke,? the messenger said, slowly stepping
farther and farther back towards the door in fear.  ?Lady MacGregor has
accepted Henry Gray?s proposal of marriage.?
Shad?s eyes narrowed as he looked at Venge.  ?This is a most insulting
proclamation, your Highness.  Gray must have heard of your intentions, and is
tricking her into marriage out of his spite for you.?
?Gray is a pestilence!? Venge screamed as he lunged out of his chair, shoving
the scroll back at the messenger with such force that it almost knocked over
the bewildered young man.  ?I cannot allow this insult to continue, and I
cannot wait until Kelek and Warduke return to remedy this particular
situation.?  He looked at Shad.  ?Is Ti?amat our ally this week, or not??
Shad looked at Venge, puzzled.  ?Yes, Sire, I believe the witch is having one
of her more amiable interludes, yes.  Shall I send for her??
?Yes,? Venge said, breathing in deeply as he sat back down, dismissing the
messenger who needed no encouragement as he scurried out the door.  ?I shall
be in need of one of her more particular spells.?

                                                *

?I thank you all again for coming so promptly -- and at such an unreasonable
hour,? Henry nodded at the hundreds of men who stood around him.  ?But I am
afraid that the time for reason has passed.  I have received word that Kelek
and Warduke have been summoned to return -- and will be here in just over two
days? time.? He looked up at them as he unrolled a large map.  ?The time for
action is now, my friends.? Diana and Preston stepped forward next to Henry.
?Diana will be leading one group of you to the army?s main encampment here, to
try and cut them off at the pass,? he said as pointed towards an area of the
map in the hills next to the castle.  ?Diana, have you assembled your group
yet??
Diana nodded.  ?Yes, I have, however, I have not had the opportunity to ask
two very skilled warriors to join my party.?  She looked over at Sheila and
Robert, who were standing next to Henry.  ?Would you two care to, how shall I
say this, take a stab at it??  She smiled.
?I would be honored to fight alongside you,? Sheila smiled, and looked at
Robert, who nodded enthusiastically.  Sheila gave a sidelong glance to Henry,
who looked as if he was about to protest their decision, but he stopped
himself and turned to look down at the map again.
?Preston and I will lead the rest of you on a direct attack of the castle
itself.  Venge does not keep a large guard at the castle, only the Noblemen?s
Officer Corps and the Royal Palace Guards.  None of our spies have been able
to determine how many of these men are actually at the castle at any given
time, but despite the lack of information we have on this subject, it is
better to strike while we have the element of surprise on our...?
?Ahem...? Henry?s head swirled around at the noise, along with everyone
else?s, as Eric stood behind them, clearing his throat pointedly.
?What are YOU still doing here?? Henry asked, with more than a hint of
annoyance in his voice.
?I knew he would ruin all of our plans,? Preston sighed.  Sheila looked at
Preston and sighed in exasperated understanding.
Eric stepped back a little, as the force of hundreds of pairs of hostile eyes
focused on him was a little too much for even him to take.  ?This may sound
odd coming from me...?
Diana fought back a chuckle, and, as Preston and Henry looked at her, she
muttered a quiet ?sorry? and covered her mouth to hide her amused smile.
Eric glared at her.  ?As I was saying, I have given your predicament quite a
bit of thought, and I have decided that I will help you.?
?Pardon?? Preston said.  ?What did you just say??  He looked at Diana.  ?He
couldn?t have possibly said what I think he just said.?
?Perhaps he is delusional,? Diana nodded.
The crowd around snickered quietly as Eric looked to the ground and sighed.
Curious, Henry stepped closer to him.  ?And how can we be certain that we can
trust you, and that this is not a trick to get information from us, so you can
run back to Venge with it??
?Because,? Eric started haughtily, then sighed and shrugged his shoulders,
?Because I do believe that you are Henry Gray, son of Sir Gray.  And I do not
wish to live in a kingdom where my family -- or any other nobleman?s -- has
their fates decided by the whims of a man like Venge.?
?What are you saying?? Henry said.
?I am no warrior,? Eric said to Henry.  ?But I excel at military strategy.  I
organized the Officer Corps and the Royal Guards myself -- I know their every
shift, their every strategy, their every move.  I can help you get past them
and get to Venge.?
?Why are you doing this, knight?? Henry asked.  ?It makes no sense.?
?I know I certainly do not believe a word he says,? Diana huffed.
?Because I know -- and you all must certainly understand -- that I shall no
longer exist by tomorrow morning if I return to Venge.  I left without asking
permission, and Lady MacGregor and Robert will tell you that Venge does not
need much of a reason to dispose of those who disappoint him.?
?Much as you exasperate us, Sir Eric,? Sheila said, ?we could not bring
ourselves to tell Venge about your failure when the carriage was robbed.?
Sheila looked at Henry.  ?He is correct about that, Henry.  It does not take
much to earn Venge?s wrath.?
?I am doomed if I go anyway, so why not try to reverse my fortunes by helping
you?  What could possibly happen that would be worse than the fate I would
have in store for me if I returned today?? Eric added hopefully.
Diana raised her eyebrow at Henry in suspicion.  ?I am not so sure about this,
Henry.?
Henry sighed.  ?Fine, knight, if your wish is to join us, then so be it.
But,? he added, looking at Jacob and Will, ?until we are sure of your
intentions, Jacob and Will shall be with you at all times.?  Eric winced as he
looked at Jacob and Will, who waved at him and laughed.
?Maybe this is not such a good idea after all,? Eric muttered to himself as
Jacob and Will walked up to him, chuckling and patting him on the back so hard
that Eric almost fell over.  ?Can -- can I reconsider?? he desperately called
to Henry.
Henry tried to hide his amusement as he turned back to the map.  ?Now, here is
what we have to do...?

                                                *

?What is it that you want with us?? the old woman known as Ti?amat hissed at
Venge.  ?Do you have no respect for the few precious hours of sleep that an
old body like this is allowed every night??
?I am in need of one of your spells, Ti?amat,? Venge said, ignoring her
previous comment.  ?I need a Changeling spell.?
The woman?s eyes widened, and her wrinkled mouth contorted itself into a
smile.  ?Ah!  Something must be troubling you quite a bit if you need that
spell.  As you know, it is quite painful,? she grinned a toothless grin at
him, ?not to mention very, VERY expensive.?
?I know the consequences of the spell, witch,? Venge huffed impatiently.
?What is the price this time??
?Do not condescend to offers of coin,? she spat at him as she shuffled closer.
?We are in need of something far more valuable.? With that, she pulled a small
silver disc from her pocket, and waved her hands rhythmically underneath it.
It rose slowly in front of Venge, and a faded image began to appear in it as
Ti?amat continued.
?The Ti?amat essence is thousands upon thousands of years old, and from time
to time, we must find a new mortal home to replace the one which is dwindling.
We are now nothing more than an old, decrepit woman, and unless we are able to
find a suitable person with which to cast a ?Renewal Spell? against, we and
our spells and secrets shall die with this wretched old body.?  An image of
Diana, fighting and battling Venge?s armies, materialized in the disc.  ?This
is the one we have chosen.  She is the strongest in the kingdom.  Get her for
us so that we may begin our new life,? the woman demanded as the disc
clattered to the floor, its magic properties now gone.
Venge studied the old witch.  He did not know what irritated him more -- the
eerie way she referred to herself as ?we? and ?us?, or her utterly outrageous
demands.  ?She is one of Gray?s accomplices,? he snorted at her.  ?Do you not
think that I would have captured her long ago if I had been able to find her,
along with that leech Gray??
?We are not interested in excuses,? Ti?amat spat at him.  ?Get us Diana of
Acroba, or there shall be no Changeling Spell for you.?
Venge sighed irritatedly.  ?Witch, if my guess is correct, the woman you seek
will be with the one I am trying to capture...?
?We know you wish to have the Sheila bird,? Ti?amat interrupted.  ?We have no
interest in her.?
?And if she is not with her,? Venge continued, his patience running thin, ?she
will know where Diana is.  I will be more than able to get the information
from her.?
?Are you certain about this?? Ti?amat asked, intrigued.
?I cannot get Diana for you, or find her location, until I get the Changeling
spell,? Venge finished.  ?I think the question for you, witch, is -- how much
time do you have to wait??
?You make an excellent point,? Ti?amat said, stroking her chin in thought.
?Very well.  It is a deal.?
Ti?amat pulled a red pouch from her cloak as Shad walked closer to Venge.
?Sire, are you certain about this??
?It is the only way,? Venge said, clamping his hands down on the armrests of
his throne chair to brace him from the pain he would soon be feeling.  ?But it
shall all soon be worth it.  The kingdom shall be united, I shall have a heir
-- and Gray shall be pleading for mercy at my feet.?

                                                *
Stay tuned for Part 5: Destinies

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