The Prince and the Outlaw(Private for Sultan)

[Hopes~Wings]

/I feel so sorry for these kids right now. Robin Hood can be/is a jerk.

Rowan had her head down, unable to even look at her father. She could sense his angry gaze on her, and she knew she was in for it the moment Tadeas was gone. She slowly glanced at Tadeas, her eyes filled with sadness. She knew this had to be the last time she ever saw him. She could not risk her life, his life, or the life of her family. She lowered her head once more, gulping silently.

Wolf slowly glanced between the small group. He sighed heavily. He then moved forward, gently gabbing Tadeas's shoulder. "Come on," he muttered, gently pushing him away from Rowan and Robin. It left the father and daughter alone.

[sultan]

/saaame

Robin Hood waited until the pair were out of his sight before turning to his daughter. He did not speak immediately.

"You didn't need to do that, you know." he said after what seemed to be a minute or two of silence. "Impressive, nonetheless." he walked past her, turning when she didn't seem to be following.

"Well?" he crossed his arms. He had disliked Tadeas from the second he saw him, and that wasn't even due to his heritage. It was something else entirely, and it bothered him - he didn't like passing judgements without giving someone a chance, first. But the boy's behavior worked against him every time. It made him laugh if he thought about it too hard.

"Come home, Rowan."

[Hopes~Wings]

Rowan's head had jerked up when Robin Hood finally said something. The guilt, the shame, the regret, were all clear upon the young girl's face. She had watched him walk past her before she had looked back to the spot where Tadeas and Wolf had disappeared. She flinched slightly as she heard Robin turn back to her, but she did not respond yet. Something was drawing her to Tadeas, and she knew it was going to be hard to fight in the long run.

"Come home, Rowan." That got her attention. Rowan looked over her shoulder at her father. She knew he was right. Her home was the forest. She would never belong to the town, and today had proven it. She glanced back one last time before turning and walking to his side. She was still not meeting his gaze. She was holding something back.

[sultan]

Robin slowed to a stop. He hesitated, then took her wrist gently. "Rowan," he began, unsure of how to continue. He didn't like separating friends. He didn't want to be the one to establish order, especially when he had always been the one to challenge it. But all he wanted to do was keep his daughter safe; he wouldn't know what to do with himself if anyone harmed her. And if keeping her safe involved taking away a potentially dangerous..friend, then so be it.

"I have given that boy a chance. Multiple chances, actually. But his behavior today proves that I can never entrust you with him again." Not that he ever had, really.

[Hopes~Wings]

Rowan glanced up at Robin as he took a gentle hold of her wrist. Sometimes, she was too much like him for her own good. Even he could not read whatever emotions she felt at that moment. Her face was passive, blank. As his last words left his lips, she looked away. Internally, she was at war with so many different emotions. It was almost overwhelming. But she was a Hood. She would survive, even if it killed her.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Rowan finally whispered softly. Her voice was far steadier than she felt. "You've been trying to teach me my entire life to protect myself, and the one time I needed that training most, I panicked. Tadeas is and always will be one of my best friends, but we will never belong to the same world. I belong to the forest; he belongs to the village. I should have known that from the beginning. I know it now."

[sultan]

/sorry this is late!

His eyes narrowed a fraction. Again, controlling his daughter was the last thing he wanted to do. But he couldn't bear to ever see her get hurt. "No. You don't need to be sorry." Robin Hood paused. It didn't matter if she fought for herself or not; perhaps it was better that she didn't. She would've been recognized, and that would've been a whole new battle to fight. One that she, nor even he, could win alone.

"I think the quicker Tadeas learns that, the better."

[Hopes~Wings]

/you're good!

Rowan looked up at Robin Hood once more. She was tough, she had to be in the world they lived in, but right now she looked vulnerable. She looked like the child she still was. "How did you do it?"she suddenly asked him. "How did you leave one world for another?"

[sultan]

Robin began to walk again. He felt like he could hear the wheels in her head turning. "I didn't want to be a part of a system I didn't agree with." He didn't choose to leave; he felt like it was more like an obligation, than anything. "I couldn't bear to stay in a place like that."

[Hopes~Wings]

It all seemed so strange to Rowan. She glanced back towards the village one last time before turning and walking back to Robin's side. Her head was downcast. She was struggling, and she could not hide it. Most of the time, it was easy to forget how young the girl was. She never showed it. She was tough and rough like the other guys in their little family who called the forest home. This was not one of those times. "Are," she hesitated. She knew she would not be easily forgiven, not this time. She swallowed hard before forcing the words from her lips. "What's going to happen now?"

[Hopes~Wings]

Bump