Basket Case

Lady Annora of Locksley carried her bundle on one hip, ignoring the little pudgy fingers that pulled at her long brown curls. She sighed, how was she ever supposed to go to market and then carry the baskets of goods home with this little one? Annora had tried to leave Robin with his Father, Lord Malcolm, but the insufferable man insisted that he (she was not sure which "he" Malcolm was referring to) would be dead by the time she arrived home. Sadly Annora noted that her husband had lost his patients with Robin some weeks ago when the little fellow had rearranged his ledgers for him. She loosed his baby fingers out of her hair, despite his audacious nature his Mother didn't see how one could loose tolerance for a year old infant. It was only when baby Robin Malcolm Locksley gave one of her locks a sharp tug that she consented it was possible.

Robin squirmed in her grasp - he never did like to be still long. Annora shifted him to her other hip, where he reached over and snatched her silver necklace, attempting to pull it into his mouth. How could she take him to market and get all the things she needed to do accomplished?

Lady Locksley brushed her unruly hair out of her face (it was getting unrulier by the moment thanks to Robin's assistance) and thought about her options. Could the Scarlett's watch him? No, Dan was busy with his carpentry and his wife was sick after a miscarriage - she definitely wouldn't want to see Robin for a while… What about Thornton? No, no, he was with Malcolm. Lynne Binder the midwife! She had often left Robin there with her when she and her husband had to go somewhere - Lynne had delivered Robin and treated him like he was her own son. Wait, that wouldn't work… The Binders were starting to plow their fields today and Annora didn't want to impose her feral (as Malcolm so lovingly called him) child onto the family while they were occupied.

Annora walked briskly through Locksley village still gripping the ever playful - ever squirming Robin. She was a kind woman and, like her husband, always took time to speak with or even just acknowledge the villagers. So it was with this intent that she stopped to talk with Mary the miller's wife.

Mary was outside hanging clothes, from her recent wash, out to dry. The busy woman was diligently working on her bulky pile all the while humming a lullaby. Annora thought that this was rather odd, being as how she didn't see Mary's babe. But, mayhap the humming of soothing melodies had become second nature.

"Hello, Mary," Annora said, approaching the working woman and shifting fidgeting Robin yet again.

Looking up from her hanging, Mary smiled broadly, "Lady Locksley! Oh, how good of you to stop. How are ye and yourin?"

"We are doing quite well," Annora said, though most of it was drown out by a wail from Robin - who figured that since they were stopped it was high time for him to be set down. Gently placing a hand over Robin's open mouth (he was so like a baby bird) to hush him, his Mother continued, "Where is your little one today? With his Father?" Annora regretted that she could never recall that babe's name - Mitch or, oh it was some odd name like that…

"Oh, merciful heavens! No!" exclaimed Mary. "No, Much likes to be with his Mama. Besides, his Father wouldn't have a clue as to what to do with him when he started to get upset."

Smiling wearily as Robin kicked his chubby legs, Annora responded, "I know exactly how that can be. I am headed to market and Robin, here, is not exactly glad about the notion."

"You know, Milady, you're more than welcome to leave him here to play with little Much. Yours is only a wee bit older than mine - I am sure that they would get on nicely."

Soothing Robin, Annora's look changed from wistful to hopeful in an instant, "Would you be willing to watch him? I'll only be gone the afternoon."

"Of course! Just set the little mite in that there basket with Much."

Her countenance having transformed completely, Annora gleefully carried her bundle over to a basket - plopping him inside without hesitation. Immediately Robin stopped his howling and looked at the other baby in the bin. The little blond Much was pleasantly sucking on his thumb and playing with his bare toes. Robin had never been this close to another boy his age before and it thrilled him to no end. The brown haired babe gently reached out and touched Much. The other boy wiggled away from Robin's outstretched hands. This action, however, made Robin more determined than ever to touch the small blond again.

Forcefully, Robin jabbed a finger at Much - who started to whimper at the harshness of the deed. This startled Robin, who pulled backwards and stared at the other baby with a frightened look in his eyes. Annora tenderly took Robin's hands and admonished him, "You must be gentle Robin. See, like this," she smoothed her lad's hand over Much's pudgy arm. She then proceeded to do the same with Much's hand on Robin's arm.

Robin let out a peel of giggles and clapped his hands. His Mother turned back to Mary, "Are you certain that you don't mind watching him? He is a bit of a handful…"

As Lady Locksley's words trailed off Mary held up her hands, "Oh, no Mam. It will be my pleasure!"

Feeling rather sheepish about having unloaded her child onto Mary the miller's wife, Annora slowly slinked off to market. Meanwhile, little Robin went to inspect tiny Much further. The latter shrunk away as Robin reached forwards. Much whimpered as the brown haired little babe grabbed at his shirt. Instantly Robin let go when the sound hit his ears and ran his hand over Much's arm as his Mother showed him. The little blondie quieted and gave Robin a tentative tap. Robin smiled and then Much did as well - with that the friendship was sealed.

That was not the last time she would have to leave her baby with Mary, Annora sadly realized. It soon became apparent that Robin was lonesome for his little companion and he moped when Much was not by his side. This resulted in either one parent or the other having the care of the infants - because, according to Mary, Much had the same feelings for Robin. Once, when Annora left Robin with Lynne Binder, the good midwife had to go and borrow Much to keep Robin in high spirits.

Robin crawled on the floor by his Father's feet contentedly poking and prodding at Malcolm's calves. The tall man gave his foot a slight shake in hopes of getting Robin to explore elsewhere - to no avail. He knew that his young son enjoyed keeping busy (he kept his doting parents in that state as well) and didn't think that it was wise for him to constantly be set in a basket with little Much - unable to move or do anything. Lord Malcolm heaved a loud sigh as Robin grabbed his Father's vellum off the desk - he believed wholeheartedly that his son was becoming a 'Basket Case…'

A/N Thanks for reading. Reviews make me smile (a lot!) so please leave one before you go. I must say that I have been planning to write this piece for several months but didn't know how it would turn out. It did better than I imagined it would (as you can see I must have not had any hopes whatsoever for it… That's a joke - I hope…) and so here it is! Till next time, thanks!