Will's arm burned. He'd been holding the bow drawn in a ready position for over an hour. John had told him that he may never hold the bow that long in actual combat but that building up that type of stamina would help to quicken his fire rate. It was true, Will's fire rate had improved greatly. He could unleash three arrows in rapid succession having all three of them in the air at the same time at the same target. He would often teach whole lessons, orating his knowledge while keeping a bow drawn.
Over the course of months, his upper body strength had increased and John had wanted to make sure that he exercised himself physically as much as he did mentally. There was no getting around that he was a swift learner and so John found himself being taught lessons by Will shortly after he'd teach Will a lesson..
For instance, he'd taught Will a parry and thrust maneuver. After leaving Will to experiment, he returned and Will showed him a different take on the move, instead of simply parrying, he moved sideways into a semi-crouched position then he gripped his opponents armed wrist and thrust upward with his sword, using his leg muscles to increase the speed of his blade. It was things like this that had established Will as not just a formidable mind in John's thoughts but as a formidable warrior. He could spot weaknesses like his father but he could also keep an eye on the strengths of his enemies.
Between Will's ability with the bow and arrow and his viciousness with a sword, John knew that he would grow into a leader worthy of followers.
Two springs had passed since the founding of sanctuary and Will had acquired fifteen students. Most were children of poor families who couldn't afford to send them to proper school but there were a few adults mixed in amongst his disciples. Mornings Will spent teaching principles and ethics to his students.
Will found that many of the books of knowledge he'd read were very infantile in their execution and he and Tuck had set out to make a manual for the students. It included everything from math to history and even religious concepts. Will thought it was important for every man to make up his own mind in that area and left the religious teaching to a minimum, covering only the general aspects of what most religions believed and leaving it at that.
There were whole sections dedicated to ethics and how the most government types abuse them or ignore them completely. Will taught a form of anarchy where every man was responsible for himself and his brethren when needed. Ideally, he wanted people to see each other as a type of family where every person pulled their own weight but were also looked after with compassion in times of need.
Tanner had made a type of uniform for the students. Upon reaching a certain point, the uniform was traded for a type of leather armor that hat iron reinforcements. Layne and Smith had worked feverishly to produce the platelets that were sewn into the armor. At this time, no one other than Layne, Smith, John and Tanner wore the armor. It's uniform deep red reflected their alliance with Will Scarlet and his ideals.
By the time Will celebrated his twelfth birthday, he'd been teaching for almost four years. Matilda was visiting for his birthday. She had visited twice before and on this visit she witnessed Will spar with John and Layne. She was worried when she first saw the spectacle but she saw instantly that Will could easily hold his own against the two grown men. After the practice, she sat with Will at dinner.
"You've got so much of your father in you," she said.
Will smiled as he tore into a steak with his bare hands.
"I should bring you some forks," Matilda offered.
"We'd only melt them down for the iron," Will admitted with a smile. "We all know how to use proper utensils but out here, no one minds. Besides, there's less to clean up after."
Matilda looked down at her plate. She was about to pick up the steak when Will offered her a knife and fork. "You'll always have these here," he said.
Matilda smiled at her nephew. He was so much like his father.
"Where is your father?" she asked.
"He's...," Will paused, "He isn't like he used to be. He keeps to himself most of the time. Occasionally we get a load of goods that he's stolen from passing nobles or a visit to see how I'm doing but he feels he does more damage by being around than being away."
Matilda was saddened by the news. "Why would he think that?"
"He's a lone wolf," Will said. "I find that killing is a dreadful option but he relishes it to the point that he feels he's not safe around people."
"Thomas is that bad off?" Matilda asked.
"Father has always been the wolf, it's just that before, he had Ma and the farm and the family to give him focus."
"What about you?" She asked.
"Like you said, I'm a lot like him," Will answered, "I needed family to keep my focus. Now my focus is this," Will motioned to the area around him. The group was noisily eating their meals. "He knows I don't need him. I want him here but..." Will looks around. "He makes them nervous."
She understood. It had been four years since she'd seen her brother face to face. The notes she left him were one way. He never responded with notes of his own. She knew that he'd become focused on his revenge and worried that it would devour him but she also knew that her brother was smart enough to stay alive however he needed.
After the meal, Will and John escorted Matilda back to Nottingham. About a mile away from sanctuary, Will felt like they were being watched.
"John," he said, "Aunt Matty and I will be alright from here on."
"As you wish," John said as he turned back toward sanctuary.
The two continued walking for a few minutes before Will stopped and broke the silence once again. "You comin' out or not?," he said out loud. From behind them came a rustling in the woods.
Thomas stepped out. His beard reached his chest and his hair came out of his hood in a matted mane. "Hello, Matty," He said.
Matilda could barely recognize him. He was so savage looking. His hood looked like it had been torn and restitched several times, along with the rest of his clothing.
"Oh Thomas," she said as she hugged him. He smiled. It wasn't the same blood thirsty smile that he'd grown accustomed to. It was the warm smile of his youth. Thomas felt alive again.
"How have you been?" she asked Thomas as the three began walking toward Nottingham.
Thomas was afraid to answer but he did. "You know I've done many wicked things."
"Nothing more wicked than what's been done to our family," she said, easing his thoughts. "You are only doing what you need."
For a moment Will felt like it was the old days when he and his family would visit his aunt. Then the thought slipped away as he heard something in the road up ahead.
"Bandits," Will said and he focused his gaze. They were victimizing two people on the road up ahead. Thomas and Will motioned for Matilda to stay behind but she quietly followed as they rapidly approached the disturbance. There were five bandits and they were holding a couple that they'd pulled down from a horse. Will flew into a rage.
"Will wait," Thomas said through his teeth but Will ran out into the road. The bandits turned and faced him.
As Thomas approached he could see Will had begun pacing in front of the men.
As Matilda approached she mumbled a curse under her breath. Thomas turned to her with a look of question on his face. "Two of them are wearing uniforms from the school," she said, "and they aren't the victims."
Will had regained composure. "What's the meaning of this?" he asked. He recognized the two men in uniform as two of his adult students.
His two students started to speak but he held his finger up and they silenced themselves quickly. "I wasn't speaking to you," he said as he went over and knelt in front of the couple that had been beaten badly. "Are you okay?"
The man looked up in a pleading manner, "Please help us," he begged, "they... they pulled us down from our horse and want to know where we live so they can rob us."
Will stood up and one of the men that wasn't in uniform moved in to attack him. Will let the man get close enough before he fired a lightning fast kick to the man's groin. He followed through after the man dropped to his knees by stabbing him in the side of the neck and cutting across, blood pouring down the man's front as he dropped to the ground.
His two students stepped back only to bump into Thomas.
Matilda couldn't believe her eyes, Thomas and Will seemed to think in unison. Will launched at one of the other bandits as he turned to run. He tackled his ankles and crawled up the back of his legs then rolled so that he sat on the man's shoulders and broke his neck. The other bandit tried to run but Thomas threw a dagger that stuck into his back and through the man's heart.
Will turned his attention on his students. It was obvious that he was incensed by the audacity of his students. To use their trained skill and knowledge to take advantage of those around them was unacceptible.
Will tied his students up as Matilda looked to the injured people in the road.
"What do you plan on doing with them?" Matilda asked.
"Bring them all back to sanctuary, " Will said, "they will be welcomed there for however long they want. I'll make an example of betraying my teachings out of these two," he said, motioning to his two ex students.
Will said bye to his father and aunt and he left them and guided the others back to his home using the point of his dagger to prod his two captives.
Thomas escorted Matilda to the edge of Nottingham.
"You should know something," she said, "your letter shook a lot of people up. They increased night patrols in the town proper and Guy has found sleepless nights more frequent. The king has had to set up drills to handle you if you try to breach the castle. The sheriff didn't like the king interfering but he had little say in it."
"Are you close with Guy?" Thomas asked.
"Somewhat," She answered, "You do what you must, though. I've kept him at a distance because I know he's on your list."
Thomas hugged his sister. He missed her hugs.
"I love you, Matty."
"I love you, Thomas. Be careful."
Thomas smiled that smile again.
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