Chapter One

Missing

Missing by Ecri

A Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves fanfiction

Disclaimer: No, of course I don't own Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. No, of course I'm not making any money at this.

First an apology to anyone who has been waiting for this sequel. I told someone I would have this posted in February. I thought I would, but things got away from me. I have most of this written and will post more chapters as quickly as I am able. So sorry for the delay.

Chapter One

Disappearance

That was the only thing that Will could grasp right now. He and Marian had left for a wedding trip to London and France, and upon their return, work was scheduled to begin on rebuilding the family estate. Will had promised to keep an eye on both the site of their future home and on Marian's home as well. He was still living in Sherwood, and he had not yet found a way to tell Robin that he doubted he'd ever be comfortable living in the castle. He knew his brother wanted it, and so he'd probably try at least for a little while, but he had a feeling that he'd end up spending more time in Sherwood.

After the pardons, most of the denizens—former outlaws—of Sherwood had returned to Nottingham proper, or to relocate in other nearby villages. Will hadn't been comfortable with that. Sherwood had been the only place he'd ever felt at home, and losing it now seemed like losing a limb.

Marian's letter had taken a long time to reach him. She'd sent it to Little John, and when it had arrived, Will had been traveling between Marian's estate and Sherwood Forest. When he'd finally gotten the letter, it had taken time to find Friar Tuck. The man of God was the only person he knew besides Marian and Robin who could read. His cheeks had burned with embarrassment as he asked Friar Tuck to read it for him. To his surprise, the former outlaw had been courteous and kindly and hadn't said a thing about Will's stupidity at not being able to read it himself. It made him feel oddly grateful and that bothered him. Still, he was slow to trust, and in the end only the fact that Marian wrote much as she spoke had convinced Will that Tuck had read the missive correctly.

Though Will had tried to work out what he was meant to do about Robin's disappearance, his courses of action were limited. Even with the pardons and with the King allowing Robin to acknowledge Will publicly as a Locksley, few trueborn nobles were willing to give him the time of day and none would allow him to approach them in public to solicit help or advice.

Unable to read or write, he would be unable to send letters to anyone unless he asked Tuck to do it for him, and he didn't really know how to ask for help. Would any of them care? If Robin were gone, and the thought sent a chill down his spine and clenched his heart in a vice like grip, they could refuse to acknowledge Will's claim to the Locksley land and divide it among themselves or fight over it. It was too minor a thing for the King to concern himself with it, even with Marian intervening on his behalf. No, the nobles would be no help.

He looked at Azeem, the only one remaining with him in Sherwood. They'd agreed to share the burden of looking after Robin's and Marian's lands until the newlyweds returned, but between them, finding a source of information was next to impossible. Azeem was probably the only person in England less likely to be treated civilly than Will himself was. They had agreed their best course of action was to go to London themselves and talk to Marian. If Robin turned up while they travelled, then they would have made the trip for nothing, but that seemed preferable to sitting in Sherwood wondering about his safety. Azeem claimed he would return home on the first available ship if Robin were found safe and well.

Will was troubled by that. He'd grown to like having the big man around, and had found someone who would talk to him and help him when he couldn't take his problems to Robin.

His newest plan was unlikely to work, and, as he and Azeem drew nearer to London, the more certain he was that he would fail not only in finding Robin, but also in keeping himself, Azeem, and Marian out of trouble.

He glanced at the Moor again and heard his friend sigh. "Your plan is a good one, Young Christian. You will learn the truth and find your brother."

Will snorted. "It would be nothing short of a miracle if I manage it."

"Ah," Azeem smiled, "Allah willing, a miracle will be provided!"

They rode in silence for a short time before Will turned to his friend. "Can I ask you a question, Azeem?"

"Yes," Azeem replied, laughing, "and I will even try to answer it."

Ignoring the humor, Will pushed on. "How do you manage it? How do you live so far from home and everything you love and everything familiar without losing yourself?"

Azeem sighed, and Will had no doubt that the Moor knew precisely why he was asking. He'd hoped the man might think the question referred to his upcoming subterfuge in London, but Azeem was too astute for that. He had to know that Will was uncomfortable with the idea of entering into so-called polite society. With Robin's return from his trip with Marian, Will had been sure he would soon be living as a Lord. While the prospect would have thrilled him at the age of six, he felt nothing but discomfort at the idea now.

"It is true, Young Christian, that I have left my home and all that is familiar to me, but I have only followed the path set before me. I have found that there is often a reason behind such things that mere men cannot perceive at first. It is only when looking back on past events that we see the connections…the trails…the blessed guidance of heaven."

Will pondered that for a minute or two. "That really doesn't answer my question," he said.

Azeem smiled. "No, it does not."

Will smiled back and tried not to notice how close they were to their destination. Visiting London was the dream of many a young man in the outlying reaches of the Kingdom, but it had never been Will's. He'd imagined a little too vividly what life would be like on the streets of a city of that size, and he hadn't been eager to test the accuracy of his imagination. Instead, he had been content to hear the tales from people as diverse as Friar Tuck, Lady Marian, and Robin himself. London had become a sort of fairy story to him and facing it now, knowing his brother was lost to him somewhere beyond those walls or perhaps taken much further than that, left a leaden weight in his stomach.

He shook his head to dislodge the nightmarish images of both Robin's fate and his own as he and Azeem entered the city.

If Will had been asked what had surprised him the most about the city, he'd have said it was the sheer numbers. People were everywhere. Compared to Nottingham and Sherwood Forest, the press of it was overwhelming. He glanced at Azeem, who seemed to take it all in stride, and, not for the first time, he wondered about the Moor's homeland. What was it like? What had Azeem done for a living before ending up in a prison with English Knights? Had he lived in a town? A city? A village? On a farm? He would ask, he decided, as soon as he had located Robin and they were all on their way back to Nottingham. He tried to let the confidence in his plan that that statement implied overtake his own uncertainty.

They drew closer to the castle, which was hard to miss even in the center of so much chaos. The castle, however, was not their destination. They turned down a well- maintained street and Will searched for someone familiar or some sign that they were near the end of their journey.

Frustration, rage, and a feeling of helplessness surged within him as he searched, though he fought it down. Impatience had always been his enemy, though it came upon him suddenly. He'd be perfectly calm one moment and the next his patience would run out and he'd be screaming in anger or running away just to be doing something.

"We must be early," Will whispered more to himself.

Azeem shook his head. "We are as near to the appointed time as travel in this wretched country will permit, Young Christian."

Will sighed. "I was afraid of that. We may have to find accommodations and try back again tomorrow."

Azeem nodded. "That might be wise."

Unhappily, Will insisted they wander the alley, then double back through the town and return. After completing that circuit twice, he sighed heavily and gave in to the inevitable. "We'll have to find somewhere to spend the night. He checked his pockets. He had a bit of money. He hadn't wanted to take it, but there was some gold that Robin had left him. His brother had been worried leaving him alone when he and Marian had been about to leave on their honeymoon trip.

Will recalled his standing in Sherwood, revealing to his brother the stash of treasure he'd put aside. "This is for you, Will. In case you get tired of sleeping rough or if the hunting proves unreliable. I don't want you going hungry…"

Will had laughed. "I've been on my own a long time, Robin. I think I'll be fine."

Robin had stared him down. "I don't want to hear of you starving yourself or falling ill…"

"Robin! I've been…"

"DON'T!" Robin had yelled and the volume and vehemence he'd packed into the one word had stopped Will in his tracks. Eyes wide in shock, he'd stared at Robin hoping he hadn't already alienated this man…his brother, from whom he still felt so estranged at times. It took him a moment to realize Robin was concerned for him and not angry.

Robin looked away, his face flushed, and when he turned back, Will kept silent, unsure what he could say that wouldn't irritate his brother.

"Will," Robin said. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bark at you like that. I'm…" He sighed heavily and walked to stand in front of the younger man. "What I meant was don't remind me that you've been on your own for a long time, that you've been orphaned and abandoned and mistreated at every turn…"

Will shook his head, opening his mouth to deny his brother's interpretation, but Robin wouldn't allow the interruption.

"William of Locksley…" Robin said slowly, carefully, ignoring the shocked expression on Will's face at the words. "I have done you wrong even before I knew of your existence, and it eats at me that you lived the way you did. I almost regret this trip Marian is planning, but King Richard insists we stay with him in France for some time, and Marian needs time away from the memory of Nottingham." Robin shook his head. "I'd prefer to be able to begin our work restoring our father's reputation and rebuilding our home….and of course, more importantly, getting to know you."

Will found his voice, but was only able to give Robin a feeble reassurance. "I'll be fine. Honestly."

Robin smiled. "When I return, we will begin in earnest."

Will returned the smile. "I'll be here…brother." He found he'd liked the sound of that word.

Now, here, wandering through London, he knew he had to find a way to contact Marion. She obviously hadn't been able to get away to meet them, and he'd never been sure her plan to meet in back alleys had been best. As he pondered their predicament, a slow smile spread across his face.

Azeem stared for a moment. "Whatever you are thinking, Young Christian, I don't think I will like it."

Will turned to look at his brother's friend. "No, I don't suppose you will."

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

It was work, but Azeem would never call it difficult. Laborious, perhaps, even strenuous, and at times messy, it was work that required a person to be fit or it could never properly be done. He could even be said to like it more than he'd imagined when the Young Christian had, with a gleam in his eyes, told Azeem the plan.

Working in the King's stables, hauling bags of feed, carrying tack, mucking out the stalls, gave him time to listen into conversations among the other servants and occasionally the nobles who came to claim or stable their steeds. He'd found his foreign appearance made it easier yet. No one worried about him hearing because the assumption was that he wouldn't understand anything anyway. Their haughty superiority was not an English trait, for often his own people assumed the same of the multitude of Christians who'd come to his country for what they called Crusades.

He wished he could keep a closer eye on the Young Christian, but the boy had been appointed a spot in the kitchens and spent his days stoking fires, carrying firewood, and washing dishes. It gnawed at him that he could not ensure the boy's safety, and indeed that he had not followed his initial instinct to accompany the Christian and his Lady on their trip. If he had done that, he was sure the Christian would not now be missing.

He shook off the dark thoughts, reminding himself to trust Allah. That he had remained in Sherwood to keep the Young Christian safe had been in His plan. He could not imagine otherwise.

They had secured these jobs rather quickly after their arrival in this cursed town, and had so far made little progress. They had heard snatches of reference to a noble gone missing, and to his Lady, but they had not yet been able to meet with the Lady Marian. Will was getting frantic, Azeem knew. Each evening when they returned to the rooms they had secured, the boy seemed more agitated than the last. Patience was not a virtue he had yet learned, and the Young Christian spent hours tossing and turning rather than sleeping. Azeem's own inner calm seemed to disturb the Young Christian at times, and though he tried, he did not understand Azeem's trust in divine guidance.

It was no wonder, really. He trusted that Allah had some reason to put the boy through what He had, but from the moment he'd heard Will tell Robin they were brothers, he'd been baffled that it could have been a good thing for either of them to have missed the chance to know each other for so long.

He shook his head to distract himself from his meandering thoughts. Today, he had little to do, so his mind wandered. The king's horses all being lent out to visiting dignitaries or being used by soldiers or others on official palace business, he had nothing to clean or carry. He'd already prepared the feed for the horses return and was about to return to the Stable Master to ask if there was anything else that needed doing or if he would be dismissed for the day.

As he approached the man from a distance away, a noblewoman caught the Stable Master's attention first. There was something familiar about her looks and Azeem paused, hiding a bit behind a post to hear what was being said. He fiddled with some tack to have a plausible excuse for his position in case he was discovered.

He could not hear clearly what was being said, but he finally realized why the woman seemed familiar. This could be none other than the Lady Marian's mother. The woman's strong resemblance to her offspring was obvious, but there was a harder edge to her features, less warmth in her eyes.

He wondered if the Young Christian could approach the woman, who was now close to being his own family since his brother had married the woman's daughter. She must have news of Marian's whereabouts, and since the Young Christian had not been able to meet with his sister-in-law on his own, it might be prudent to seek another route. Yes, he would talk to his young friend.

He waited until the woman had gone and approached the Stable Master. He'd hoped to be dismissed so he could find the Young Christian and tell him of the mother, but the Stable Master had other plans. Soon, Azeem was once again involved in a project, not difficult, but certainly strenuous.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The kitchens of any estate are a study in controlled chaos. To the outside observer, there are people running about and taking care of myriad tasks, but the potential for accidents is obvious. The kitchens of a royal palace are perhaps both more chaotic and more controlled. Everyone knows their place and performs their assigned task with little direction from their superiors…unless something went wrong.

Will had taken the job in the hopes of finding Lady Marian. He wasn't sure how things at court worked, but he had wanted to preserve his own anonymity. With no way of knowing why Robin had disappeared, Will was willing to bet there was some sort of plot. Robin had not exactly made friends of the nobles since his return from the Crusades, and, though King Richard had come down on his side, King Richard was all too often an absent King. Even now, he was by all accounts, ruling England from his palace in France, though, in truth, it was his brother Prince John upon overseeing the Kingdom. It didn't sit well with many peasants, who thought he'd abandoned them, and, as for the nobles, they were more apt to try to dethrone the King in his continued absence.

Will wished he'd paid more attention to the politics when he'd heard Marian and Robin discussing it before their trip. He'd been present when the two had conferred briefly with King Richard during the wedding celebrations. The King had promised to take care of the pardons and Robin's claim to the Locksley lands, but there had also been talk of certain members of Richard's Court whom the King did not trust. He could recall none of those names now, and wasn't remotely certain he would even recognize them if he heard them again. Truth be told, he still mistrusted anyone born to the nobility. Marian was an exception, and King Richard, well, Will had been too shocked to meet the King—who had himself traveled to Sherwood Forest to see Marian and meet Robin.

He'd never had cause to give the King a first thought let alone a second. London was too remote from Sherwood, and the King too concerned with battles in other lands for Will to consider him relevant to the lives he and his fellow outlaws lived. Will wasn't sure how he'd manage to find Robin in a city the size of London. He'd never been in any settlement larger than a village. He'd never seen so many nobles in one place before. The ones that traveled through Sherwood, hence paying the "tax" that John had taken to demanding from them, had never traveled in large groups. Here, there seemed to be a noble around every corner and a peasant sleeping in every alley.

He shook his head wondering if the rich boys—if even the King himself—even saw the poor people suffering and dying and trying desperately to survive in their streets. He thought not, but he had no one to ask.

Will dropped his load of firewood by the huge fireplace and began to feed logs into the flames. He kept his gaze averted, still unable to overcome his lifelong fear of the flames. Truth be told, he'd spent many a cold night in his life finding himself unable, or maybe just unwilling, to build and stoke a fire for his own use. Living in Sherwood Forest, he'd only approached the communal fires when the nights were at their bitterest, and even then, he'd only gotten close enough to take the edge off the piercing weather and had habitually kept his back to the flames.

He'd only fed in a few logs when he felt a sharp whack to the side of his head. Falling to the floor—where he'd thankfully been kneeling and so didn't have a long way to fall—he put a hand to the side of his head and glared upwards to find himself staring at the enraged face of the cook.

"And what time do you call this? That fire needs to be hot to cook the venison! You're late getting it stoked, and now dinner will be late by an hour at least!"

Will glared at the man and tried to swallow his rage. "It's going to be plenty hot! Cut the meat smaller if you're so worried! It'll cook faster!"

The cook raised his hand once more, but Will caught it and held it fast. Before he could do more than that, however, another voice interrupted. "Forgive the interruption, but Lord Oxford has requested a cake for his wife. He wants to discuss the particulars."

The cook sighed in agitation and disbelief and tore his hand from Will's grip. "You're lucky, boy, that my duties take me elsewhere. Finish the fire and be sure there's enough wood to see to the entire feast!"

Will gritted his teeth, but his eyes still shone with his fury. He glared now at the man who'd interrupted. "Did you make that up?"

"Shhh!" The other man watched the cook leave before replying. "I didn't make it up as it happens, but I'm glad the Lord of Oxford saw fit to tell me in time to save you from yourself, Will!"

"I didn't need your help!"

"You did if you intend to keep your job! Haven't you got the sense God gave a dog, William?"

Will flinched. Only Robin had ever called him that, and that had been while trying out the full formal name William of Locksley to see how it fit. It fit, as Will had suspected it might, much the way Robin's clothes had fit Will when he'd been in need.

"I've sense enough, Joseph, and you should know better than to come between me and a man I'm having words with!" Will knew he should be playing a meek servant worried about keeping his job, but he found it harder the longer he staying in London. He and Azeem had been here a matter of weeks now, and they'd still not been able to contact Marian. That both Marian and Robin were missing worried Will more than he could say, and he quite literally had no idea what to do. He'd planned to meet with Marian to see what she could tell him that she couldn't put in the letter she'd sent. Aside from himself and Azeem taking jobs in the palace, he was at a loss as to what his next step should be.

Joseph just laughed at him. "Your bark is worse than your bite, William."

"How would you know? I've never had cause to bite you!" He ground his teeth together more from frustration than anything.

"Come along. We've got a feast to prepare for."

"Feast? Tonight? Have I missed something?"

"That's likely! The Prince has ordered it in honor of a half-dozen knights returning from the crusades. He said they had word of King Richard, whom they stopped to see in France on their way here. Whatever the King asked them to tell the Prince, it's enough to cause celebration.

Will straightened up and turned back toward the door. "If that's the case, I'd best get more firewood." Out he went before Joseph could say another word.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Morning came quickly as it always did when you had to rise early to get to work. Will had only managed a few hours sleep. The feast had gone on longer than was necessary for any meal, and the Prince had only made a brief appearance before retiring and leaving his courtiers to their own devices. He hadn't managed to see any of this, of course, because he'd been in the kitchens fetching and carrying and—hardest labor of all—holding his tongue.

He'd stumbled into the small room he and Azeem shared and had filled the Moor in on what he knew, which admittedly wasn't much. Azeem considered it all for the longest time, and then had added his own news. "I have learned that Marian's mother is in the palace. Surely she would know how to reach the Lady."

Will nodded. He'd forgotten about Marian's mother being at Court, but he wasn't certain he could approach the woman anyway. Still they had little choice. They had to do something.

He'd told Azeem to keep alert, and that he would try to arrange a way to contact Madame DuBois himself. A task, he realized, that was easier said than done.

That is, until luck finally smiled upon him, and he found that the servant who was meant to carry a tray—a light breakfast—to Madame DuBois's room wished for the morning off to meet with his girl. Will volunteered to cover for him, for a price of course. He couldn't be seen to be too altruistic.

Will carried the tray through the castle, confused by the size and the many passages, but finally finding the right room. A knot had formed in his stomach by the time he knocked and heard the command to enter, for command it was. It sounded every bit as haughty and imperious as any noble who'd ever paid the tax through Sherwood Forest.

He held his tongue, waiting to see if the woman were alone. Presuming to speak in front of "your betters" meaning those who just thought themselves better than anyone else, was a good way to lose a at the very least. He kept his eyes downcast as he'd been instructed and waited for directions. They were almost immediate. "Set the tray over there," the woman said, gesturing to a small table by the window.

Will crossed the room and did so, risking a glance at the woman as he turned back toward the door. He took a nervous breath and spoke. "My Lady…"

"Who gave you permission to speak?" The woman all but shrieked.

Will froze in his tracks, eyes wide, hands up and gesturing for silence. "Please, I mean no harm…" He stepped forward and took her arm to stop her heading for the door.

The irate woman turned to glare at him. "I don't particularly care what you mean! You are a servant! A kitchen boy…"

Will's panic swelled and he took a small step forward speaking softly and urgently. "Please…I'm looking for Lady Marian…I'm her brother-in-law…I'm trying to find out what happened to my brother! Please, My Lady, I meant no harm!"

Eyes wide with panic, Will was frozen with indecision. Step toward the window and hope the fall wouldn't kill him or step closer to the door and bolt like a frightened rabbit…

To his surprise, the woman stepped forward, her eyes softening as she examined his face. "Will? Robin's brother? What are you doing working as a kitchen boy?"

"Lady Marian wrote to me. I came with a friend to find my brother. We haven't been able to find her. Do you know where she is?"

She took his hand, and Will couldn't suppress the flinch. No noble except for Robin and Marian had ever touched him kindly. If she noticed, she didn't show it. She led him to a chair and they sat. "Marian is away. She had heard rumors that King Richard was returning and left to find him in hopes of securing his help in finding Robin. She sent word that he has not returned. She should be back any day now. Have you learned anything? Why are you a kitchen boy?"

Will shrugged. "Easier to find information in the palace than out on the streets," he admitted. "Besides, Azeem and I aren't exactly prepared for life at Court."

She nodded, seeming to know who Azeem was. Good. It saved him having to explain.

"When Marian returns, I'll tell her you're here. I wish there were more I could do, but I'm afraid Marian and I have already looked everywhere." She sighed and squeezed her hand. "There's been no sign of your brother."

Will looked down crestfallen. He'd hoped against hope that this had all been a misunderstanding, but he literally had no recourse until Marian returned. Maybe Azeem had learned more.

He thanked her for her concern and help, and went to the door. With a nod of encouragement from Marian's mother, he left.

In the hall, he'd walked only a few steps away when a noble lady came dashing out of a door knocking into Will. Instinctively, he grabbed the nearest thing to stop his fall. Unfortunately, the nearest thing was the Lady herself. Unintentionally, he grabbed her arm, but as he fell, the material of her dress ripped and the sleeve hung in tatters. The Lady screamed.

A guard appeared, and the woman gestured disdainfully at him. "He attacked me! Take him from my sight! Throw him in the stocks!" She was screeching at the guard, who had only been passing by when she'd heard his cries, and now seemed unhappy about being forced to do her bidding, but do it he did.

He tried to explain himself. "But, no, I didn't attack her! It was an accident! I fell…" He heard Lady Marian's mother trying to tell the guard the same, but the woman he'd bumped into screeched all the louder, demanding her right to see Will in stocks claiming she'd go to Prince John if the guard didn't do as she asked.

Within minutes, Will found himself locked in the stocks in the castle's courtyard wondering how he would save Robin now that he had to save himself as well.