Scarlett Eyes

(A/N: If you read BeckyScarlett, you'll probably know the character of Juliet. I am not stealing her from Becky. She's ours… ;) Prouds

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from BBC Robin Hood. I part-own Juliet Scarlett (see above), and some of the other characters (Katie, Cass) belong to my friends. The other characters belong to me.)

Chapter One

"That will be your crowning glory

Darling when they tell your story

They'll call your heart of gold your crowning glory

The most glorious part of you!"

"Crowning Glory", Raven & Julie Andrews

Juliet Saffiya Scarlett was beautiful, there was no question about that.

At fifteen years old, she was petite, with oaken foreign skin like her mother's, and midnight black hair which she wore long, tickling her elbows as she walked through the forest. Out of both of her parents, though, she most resembled her father; she had his features, his attitude and she undoubtedly had his eyes; the bright green, startling Scarlett Eyes.

Although she wore simple clothes and a wooden pendant on a leather thong around her neck, she was still a real head-turner, and she knew it. If she was honest with herself, it embarrassed her; all of the boys at the camp flocked round her, much as their parents might tell them not to… especially, she had noticed, David A'Dale.

As she stepped through the leafy entrance to the camp, her father considered all of this, he sat, carving a wooden something, and smiled as his only child perched beside him on a log.

"Where's Mum?" she asked him for the millionth time that year.

"I don't know, Jules," her father conceded, sighing, "I just don't know…"

"Does anyone?"

"If anyone knew, they would tell us, sweet." Will Scarlett murmerred, more to the watching eyes than anyone else.

Ironically, his wife, Djaq, had disappeared shortly after Juliet had turned fifteen - almost a year ago, now - whilst looking for honey.

"Honey…" His lips formed the word, but grief would not allow the sound to escape. For once, Juliet noted, her father had succumbed to tears.

She was a coward, and she knew it. As Djaq Scarlett stared at the same dusty patch of wall for the three-hundred-and-fiftieth night in a row - she knew for she had counted - the only thing she could think was that she was a coward.

She didn't have to remain here; she had returned before, had she not?

Except… except returning would mean conceding that she had been wrong, and Djaq was so used to being correct that she didn't know if she would be able to stand it.

And… and last time she had returned with Will. She had not been alone…

She had had help.

Help.

Help.

"HELP!"

Juliet, Will knew, was not going to stop asking. A million and one times, it had been now. A million and one…