Robin Hood [Spin Off] {S2} ~ Chapter Nine - For King And Country *Part Two*

It had proved difficult, rounding up the families from which a member had left for Portsmouth. But the Sheriff’s guards were getting there. By noon they’d got all the families from Nottingham Town. Now all they had to do was collect the villagers. Guards had already left.

Vaysey smiled. The Great Hall would soon be a bleeding hearts convention and he’d get to laugh at them all. He was in charge and would show mo mercy. The families of those loyal to the King were going to be used for the second Festival of Pain. Vaysey had wanted to make it an annual thing and now he had the perfect opportunity.

Gisbourne strolled into the Great Hall where the Sheriff sat, painting his toe nails. “That’s all of them my Lord from Nottingham. The guards from Nettlestone should be returning soon.”

As if on cue, one of the guards burst through the door looking a little worse for wear. Clutching his left arm, he addressed the Sheriff. “My Lord. Outlaws in Nettlestone. We couldn’t take any families.”

The Sheriff’s pleasant mood shattered. He smashed his fist down onto the heavy table, making various objects fly up then fall over. “Why are there outlaws?” He spoke through gritted teeth, making the guard cower away though the whole of the Great Hall stood between them. The Sheriff had a way of making large space seem not big enough. “Your men are supposed to be making sure the outlaws cannot get into the villages.”

“They slipped in my Lord! I don’t know how, but they did! And they defended the families.” The guard panicked and only just ducked out of the way as the Sheriff flinged a half empty goblet at him. The rest of the wine was slowly spreading out across the table.

“Gisbourne! Fetch me my horse, we’re going to Nettlestone. And someone clean up this mess!”

***

The outlaws stood in the centre of Nettlestone. It was only so long until the Sheriff arrived. Then Allan had an epiphany.

“I’m not being funny but, if the Sheriff’s coming here then that leaves the people he’s already captured in Nottingham. Why don’t we go get them and leave the Sheriff a decoy here?”

Robin stared at Allan dumbfounded. “Allan that’s brilliant!”

“Well, what can I say? I have my moments.” He said with pretend modesty. Will play hit him round the back of the head as Daine and Djaq set up quick dummies to fool the Sheriff. They arranged poles in the ground then draped cloth over them to resemble cloaks. From a distance they’d look like a group of outlaws. The Sheriff wouldn’t know until he got close. By then, the outlaws would have reached Nottingham. Especially as they were taking the horses.

They were careful not to take the path they knew the Sheriff would take, possibly taking a slightly longer route to Nottingham but they still had ample time to set the families free.

They hid themselves amongst the weapons of torture that brought back stinging memories for Little John. He could see Little Little John being forced down onto the coals. He could smell the heat of the coals cooking whatever came too close. Uncompressible rage built up in John’s veins so much that Robin had to place a calming hand on his shoulders.

John loosened his grip on his staff, his knuckles returning to normal from the white they’d gone. Daine remembered the Festival of Pain too. She’d gone into Nottingham with her father and got caught up in things. She’d watched with a stony look while all the other Nobles had coiled back in disgust. She’d just thought the entire time, Don’t give him the satisfaction, don’t give him the satisfaction.

The same stony look sealed her face now, and not even Allan’s arm around her warmed it. Those villagers’ faces burned in her memory. They were all so scared. And all she had wanted to do was not show the Sheriff it was affecting her. She had this feeling that she should have done something.

She had the same feeling now. But there was little they could do but wait. Yet somehow she felt like this feeling had little to do with the room… but maybe something to do with Adrian.

***

Once she’d force fed Peter some food, Maggie packed the remaining food and other essentials for Adrian, Daine and their friends. With her basket loaded, she set off at a quick pace. Spring may have arrived but the wind still had a winter chill to it.

 

Having not even been to the outlaw’s camp, she got directions from the messenger boy they’d sent a few times. They sounded simple enough, though finding the camp proved rather difficult. But somehow she stumbled upon it.

 

The smell of fire and a broth simmering caught Maggie’s attention and she followed her nose to an empty looking camp – save Marian. The Lady looked up in surprise, but her face warmed into a smile. She heaved herself up from the seat Will had crafted for her when Robin had decided she was in no position to be sitting on the floor.

 

Small talk was exchanged between the two women while Marian took the basket off Maggie and thanked her for her generosity.

 

“Oh it’s nothing really. It’s easier to keep an eye on Daine and Adrian this way, without having them under foot all day long.” Maggie laughed, though Marian could see that the aging woman missed having small children to look after. “Speaking of which, where are they? I would have liked to have seen my son.”

 

Marian’s heart sank. Daine was supposed to be the one to break the news to Maggie. She’d have known what to say. Maggie read the look of discomfort on Marian’s face and prayed that it was just the child inside her wriggling, though something told her it wasn’t that.

 

“Daine is with the others, in Nettlestone I believe.”

 

“What about Adrian? He not with them?”

 

Marian took a deep breath in. “He left, last night. There was a message from the King. Calling for reinforcements, and Adrian went. He said that this wasn’t his Nottingham and that he felt that his place wasn’t here. I’m so sorry Maggie, he wanted to tell you but he wouldn’t have made it to Portsmouth in time. He wanted Daine to tell you, and she probably would have made a better job of it than I… Maggie, your son is a good man.” Marian put a comforting hand on Maggie’s shoulder as the woman took in the news of her son leaving. “Our thoughts are with him.”

 

Maggie burst into tears and Marian held her close to comfort the woman. She let her cry it all out. Her son had left. Marian couldn’t begin to imagine how she’d feel if her child, be it boy or a girl, left her without saying goodbye. Especially if there was the possibility they would come back.

 

“But I only just knew he was back.” Maggie sobbed pulling herself out of Marian’s clutches. Sighing, she added, “He’s always done this. Leaving without word, though he’d return a few hours later – a day at the most. When he announced he was leaving to travel on his sixteenth birthday, I didn’t know what I would do. But he was always in England, somehow that made it safe and there was no doubt he’d return. But the Holy Land?”

 

“Adrian is a fierce fighter and he is also a careful fighter. He’ll return, he promised Daine he would.” Marian wasn’t supposed to have over heard that conversation, but she’d heard that much. It seemed to console Maggie enough for her to smile.

 

“I’d best be returning. Tell Daine that she need not endanger herself with a trip to Merton. Not that it ever stops her. Thank you Marian.” She nodded, an action Marian returned, then left the camp thinking of her son’s antics when he was younger. Tears fell, but they were happy tears.

 

***

“Hood!” The Sheriff barked as he threw open the Great Hall doors. “I know you’re in here.” The torture equipment stood proud but the shadows were wrong. Vaysey knew exactly why. Hood emerged from behind one of the devices, his men following shortly after. “Ok, what do you want?” Vaysey said adopting a bored manner, whilst Robin’s was stony. “Oh don’t give me that face. This is how it works. You trick me, do flashy things with your bow then demand something until I give in. So what is it you want? Or do you want me to guess?”

 

While the Sheriff spoke, Gisbourne moved into the shadows signalling the guards to do the same. Only one outlaw noticed, the rest were all too busy watching the show before them.

 

“Allan, Gisbourne’s in the shadows.” Daine whispered, receiving nothing but a hand to wave the idea off. She rolled her eyes impatiently and slipped to his other side. Rolling her eyes impatiently, she repeated her message to Will who, rather than dismissing the idea, gave the room a quick scan. He saw the shapes in the shadows and passed the message on. Soon all the outlaws but Robin knew, as he was too busy talking to the Sheriff about removing the threat to the families. Daine moved back to her original spot and whispered smugly, “Told you,” to Allan.

 

What she didn’t notice was a guard grab her from behind covering her mouth. But he muffled scream caught Allan’s attention, and the whole room’s attention. Vaysey smirked. “Now there’s two things you want Hood. The nasty Noble girl and my threat to the families abolished.”

 

Gisbourne and the rest of the guards moved out of the shadows though it was only Robin who was surprised. While he fumbled with his Saracen sword, the rest of the outlaws got into a defensive position.

 

“Which is it you want Hood? The girl or the families’ safety?” Gisbourne teased. Robin looked to Daine, she looked quite panicked, but the ideas were slowly falling into place.

 

He stepped down, lowering the sword. “I want the families to be safe.” He said to everyone’s surprise.

 

“What?” The outlaws chorused. “I’m not being funny but she’s one of us!” None of the outlaws lowered their weapons.

 

“Yes Allan, I know. But we have a duty to the people of Nottinghamshire.” He turned to the Sheriff. “So remove the law.” He said gravely, but the Sheriff was smiling.

 

“With joy! Why punish families when I can torture one of Robin Hood’s men instead. And it’s one of his women! He’s leaving a woman in my hands. This’ll be bad for your reputation Hood. But there’s no going back now. Tie her up.”

 

Daine let out a squawk as the guard shoved her forward whilst keeping a tight grip on her. Robin roared an order for the outlaws to attack, catching the guards by surprise. They had the upper hand throughout the fight.

 

Allan made quick work of the guards that surged towards him. He looked up to Daine, trying to find a path to her. Though she didn’t need the help he thought she did. Daine had managed to knock out the guard that held her, in the same way she had the first time Allan went to rescue her.

 

Her reckless fighting did, however, worry him and he went to her side to pull her out of the fight. She glared at him, but he just tugged at her arm, pulling her as the outlaws made their way to the door. Just before they left, Robin turned to Vaysey and said, “Oh and Vaysey, there’s no going back now.”

 

Enraged that Hood had used his own words against him, the Sheriff roared commands to have the outlaws arrested. But they'd slipped away before the guards had even left the Great Hall. Gisbourne joined the Sheriff at his side, only to be slapped by the older man.

 

“This is your fault.”

 

***

The next morning Marian told Daine of Maggie’s visit. Shortly after the past few days’ events caught up with the young woman and she crashed, just like Allan thought she would. She’d just gone running off, when he followed.

 

The rest of them knew that they’d fix it somehow, they always did. When Daine got upset, she’d run, he’d follow and they’d come back happy and smiley. Even when she’d first joined the group, it had always been Allan who brought her back on the path. Something told them that it always would be too.

 

Marian lowered herself into Robin’s arms, with difficulty. Noticing her struggle, Robin helped her down then curled his arms round the bump that was his and Marian’s child. He could feel the child kick, which made it all the more real that he was to become a father. Marian closed her eyes and rested her head against Robin's chest. Even the smallest things tired her out now.

 

She had all but nodded off when Robin said, “I think it’s a boy.”

 

“What?” She replied sleepily, even sitting down wore her out.

 

“Our child. I think he’s a boy.” He chuckled into her hair, locking his fingers with hers.

 

Marian smiled. “You said ‘it’s’ before. Surely that means you think it could also be a girl.” She pulled his arms round her as tight as her large belly would allow. Kisses showered he neck and hair, making the smile bigger. “I think she’s a girl.”

 

“Whichever it turns out to be, we’ll love it so much it won’t know what to do with it all. And I’m sure our child will be spoiled by its adoptive aunts and uncles. And I shall love you for as long as I live and longer.”

 

“Me too Robin.” Her husband slipped from behind her, settling her against the rocks that had been warmed by him. Brushing the hair from her face, Robin leaned in for a slow kiss. His free hand went to their child and Marian placed her hand upon Robin’s.

 

They’d shared many kisses, but Marian had like the past few best. Maybe it was being pregnant and all the changes going on inside her that made them so much better, but it could also be that she was enjoying the freedom of being able to love Robin without hiding it. No mask was pulled on anymore to hide the never dying feelings she had for Robin.

 

Even in those years he spent away, not a day went past when she didn’t think of what could have been. She saw the family, she saw the love, she saw everything. And now it was happening. Much often said that she glowed, and she could feel it.

 

And Robin’s kisses seemed to capture all of that in the contact between them. She could have stayed there forever.

 

Will and Djaq had decided to take a stroll themselves. They told Much and John that she needed herbs, but really they just wanted a stroll. They’d get the herbs of course, in spring there were a few herbs that didn’t grow any other time, but summer was best for herbs.

 

They walked down the wooded path hand in hand. “What did you think of Adrian?”

 

The question caught Will by surprise, but he answered in all honesty. Djaq expected no less, Will always said the truth. Djaq believed he was incapable of lying, well to a certain extent. She didn’t believe he’d ever lie to her though.

 

“He was a good man, if a little eccentric at times. He was very interested in you.” So he had noticed, Djaq thought he had. She smiled to herself, glad that Will hadn’t gone for a macho showdown. Had he have been Robin or Allan, she guessed he would have, but she didn’t love either of them. She liked it that Will knew that she was his and his alone. “Why’d you ask?”

 

“I was just wondering. I’m going to miss him.” She dropped Will’s hand to retrieve a handful of herbs, but once they were in her bag she locked her fingers with Will’s. Before they continued their stroll she stood as tall as her tiptoes would allow, still not reaching Will’s height, and gave him a quick kiss. She returned to her normal height only to have Will bend down and kiss her properly. “Love you.” She whispered when their lips parted.

 

“Love you too.” He smiled before straightening out and curling his arm round Djaq.

***

Peter returned home that night to find a tearful Maggie wandering aimlessly around the kitchen. He guessed it was because of Brian, his death finally getting to her. He went to her side, offering her comfort. What he didn’t expect was a cry of anguish to escape as she flung herself into his arms.

 

He held the older, crying woman as she sobbed. Peter couldn’t quite make out what she said, but it sounded like, “I’ve almost lost you all.”

 

“Lost who?” Brian was gone, but Adrian was still here. But who was ‘you’? Peter rocked Maggie much like she had done to him in the past, when he was upset, or hurt.

 

Then it hit him. ‘You’ were her family, which included Merton and his – Daine, his father and his mother – but how was she losing them? He understood how she felt she was losing the adults, but he was still there; Adrian and Daine were still in the forest. Unless…

 

“Adrian’s gone.” He murmured and Maggie’s increased sobs told him he was right. He swore then and there that he wouldn’t let the Sheriff find out, he would keep Maggie safe from the sadistic monster’s plans. He hadn’t been there in the Great Hall, but Gisbourne’s corridor accusations of outlaw collaboration told him that the law had been passed. But there was nothing stopping the Sheriff from re-instating the law.

 

But Peter planned to stop him from carrying out the law on Maggie. “You’ll lose no one else. I promise.”

 

***

Allan and Daine returned to see a full camp of outlaws and what looked like a feast. “What’s this?” Allan asked as he sat, pulling Daine down with him.

“A feast in honour of our good friend Adrian. A feast for his good fortunes in the Holy Land. And well, a goodbye feast.” Much proclaimed with his arms spread out.

“Can you have a goodbye feast without the one who you’re saying goodbye to?” Daine asked, helping herself to some bread and tearing it up before eating it. Much pouted at Daine, though Allan couldn’t tell if it was because she’d started eating for questioned his feast. She smiled at him. “I think it’s wonderful Much. Thank you. He’d have loved it.”

Much’s grateful smile back was indication that the outlaws could begin to eat. They ate heartily and some drunk too much. Allan carried Daine to their tent after she fell asleep, though she woke up when he set her down, like she always did.

“Shhh. Go back to sleep.” He whispered. Daine giggled, she’d gotten a little bit too drunk. “I’m not being funny, but ‘shhh go to sleep’ wasn’t funny!” He hissed in reply.

“That is also not funny.” Allan said, though he smiled despite himself. Daine was quite amusing when she was drunk. Even more so when he was drunk as well.

 

“Hmm, you’re right. That’s not funny.” She said, sounding quite giggly still. Allan looked deep into her eyes. They were surprisingly in focus considering how much she'd drank, but that wasn't what he was looking at. He was looking for anything that told him what Daine was thinking right now. Or feeling. He wanted to know what made her tick. He loved this woman and he hated it that she was still so reserved with him. “Kiss me.” She said softly, catching Allan by surprise.

“Can’t say no to that.” He answered before kissing her. Allan placed his hand on the side of her face, fingertips tangled with her hair. She put a hand to the back of his neck and her arm loosely resting across his shoulders.

She didn’t remember how long the kiss went on for. Though she awoke in the night with Allan’s warmth beside her and the memory that still lingered on her lips. It made her smile.