Robin Hood laid against a tree. This was it, his death, oh how he wished he had more time, more time to help his people and England. He tried to breathe, but that made him weaker. Robin closed his eyes and waited. Waited for death to take over. The more he waited the weaker he became. Robin's breath became slower and slower, and Robin knew its time. Robin's eyes closed, but nothing happened nothing. Robin was still weak, but he could not feel the poison in his veins. "Master! Master!" Much called. Robin hears him, but how? Was'nt he supposed to be dead. The last thing that Robin heard before he fell unconscious was Much's tears.
Much and the rest of the gang carried Robin to his favorite part of the forest. "We should bury him," Tuck told the gang. They all nodded, all except Archer who was standing behind them all. With tears in his eyes. He had just met Robin and now, now he was dead. Then without warning, Robin's eyes fluttered open, and he started to cough and he coughed violently. Much could not believe it. "No, no you were dead…. I, Robin!?" The gang had tears in their eyes, but they were also confused. For their fearless leader was suppose to die at sundown, but they were happy, happy that he was not dead. "Robin. Are you ok, I mean you were dying?" Little John asked wiping away the tears in his eyes. Then Robin tried to stand but he was still too weak. Then he started to cough again. After he was done he said, "Yes I was but now, now, now I'm…." Robin did not finish for he was coughing again. "Ok that's it we are getting you back to the camp right now," Archer said as he helped Robin stand. "Are you sure Archer, I mean Robin could die. What if this was just the end of it all," Much said worried. Robin gave him a look. Then they all walked back to the camp. However Much was helping Robin walk because he was still recovering from the poison. They all walked in silence until Robin spoke. "If I did die. Would you all carry on and still fight for me?" Robin asked, but no one answered. Robin sighed and coughed again, but it was it as violent
When they got back to the camp Much with Archer's help put Robin down on a fallen tree. However, Robin was telling them that he was fine, but he started to cough again. "You're not fine, master look at you." Much protested as Robin rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, really I'm fine," Robin told the gang, but they were not buying it. "Now" he continued. "I'm tired. Its been a long day, and I need rest." Robin said as he closed his eyes. Much looked at him worried. "He will be fine Much don't worry,"Tuck told him as he helped get the fire started.
Much was watching Robin sleep as Little John and Archer cooked dinner. Robin started to rock in his sleep making Much nervous. The only time he stopped watching Robin was when food was done. The gang ate in silence until Robin woke up coughing again. "Alright, whats for dinner lads?' Robin said quietly voice ruff from coughing. The gang looked at him. He could see hope in their eyes. He smiled at them but he could feel himself falling. Robin felt arms holding him up. The arms that held him up was Archer. "Are you ok Robin?" Archer asked as Robin stabled himself. "Yes." He said simply. "Are you sure brother? Because we can take you back to Locksley. The sheriff is no longer there." Archer said carefully. Robin looked at his half-brother shocked. "Why, why would I leave the forest, my friends. We cant abandoned our mission." Robin snapped. Robin was angry but also confused. Confused on why he would go back home. That would be wonderful to go back, but England, England needs him, he cant just leave just because he is hurt and recovering, but still. His coughing interrupted his thoughts. "Ok, that's it." Little John said. "We are taking you back to Locksley until you are better, got it." Robin gave him a look, then giving in he nodded.
The gang walked into Locksley in silence. Robin had his hood up but it did not stop his coughing or the stares of his people, but his people welcomed him back with loving care for they were grateful that he had taken down the sheriff. They walked in front of Locksley manner. Robin's servants ran out when they saw him in one of his coughing fits. "What is wrong with him?' One of them asked. The gang looked at the servants but did not say anything. Robin was the one who spoke up. "I was poisoned, and dying, but I survived." He started to cough again. "Bring him in please," Sam one of the servants said. The gang gently brought Robin into his home. "Bring him over there," John told Much and Archer as they guided Robin over to a chair. Robin sat down making a noise. Then he started to cough again. Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep. The gang and the servants relaxed as robin slept soundly, but they were also worried. How did he survive? How did he survive? This thought went thru everyone's mind's as they all relaxed around the house. However, Much was still with Robin watching him sleep. "Much why don't you come and eat," Archer told him, but Much did not come he stayed by his master's side. "You will be alright. You will be alright" Much mumbled.
Its been hours later since Robin fell asleep, but he did not wake, why did he not wake? Too Much's relief, Robin's eyes snapped open. "Much? What are you doing? Have you been watching me?" Robin asked voice ruff. "Yes, you have been asleep for 11 hours. The others are asleep, but not me, I will be here." Much told him. Robin smiled, as he tried to stand but he was still weak. So Much pushed him back down. "You need to stay down master."Much commanded him. Robin looked at him. He obeyed because he was too weak to argue. "I have a letter for you. It's from the king." Much gave it to him. Robin took the letter and read.
"Dear Robin,
I am writing to see how you are doing with the fight over there. Also, I will be coming over there to check on you. Write back when you get this.
Sensrley,
Your king." Robin put the letter down. "The king is coming." He said quietly.
Robin stayed up all night looking at the letter, he just stared at it thinking, thinking about what would King Richerd think about him, now weak and sick. Robin let out a breath that he was holding in. he looked over to his men sleeping. Then he looked at Much who finally fell asleep. Robin smiled as he looked into the fire that burned and flickered in the night, in the quietness of the house. Robin yawed but he knew that he could not go to sleep. For he will be plagued with nightmares and he did not need that right now. He needs to be strong for his men and course the king. Robin stared at the fire until sunrise. Robin closed his eyes, for they were getting heavy, but he forced them open when he saw one of his servants came into the room. "Good morning master Robin." He said but Robin did not reply, for he got lost in the fire that lit the dark room. Robin hums when the servant dabbed his forehead with a wet cloth. Robin at that moment realized that he had a fever, but it was a small one. He can't let the king see him like this, even though he has after he was stabbed in the Holy Land. "Good morning Sam," Robin said before he started to cough. "The king is coming here to check on me," Robin informed him. Sam gave him a nod. Robin smiled at him. "How bad is my fever?" Robin asked him. Sam looked at him, put the cloth down on an end table, and said. "Its small, but it's not bad. You said you were poisoned?" Sam said. Robin looked at the window to watch his people work. Then after a long moment, he said. "Yes, I was. I thought that I was going to die, but nothing happened." Robin looked at the door when he heard a knock.
The gang was still asleep when Sam opened the door to see Marian. Sam was shocked to see Robin's dead wife alive and well. "Lady Marian, how? I don't understand. How?
"is Robin here?" She cut him off. Sam nodded. "Yes he is but I'm afraid he can't come to the door right now," Sam told her. However, she pushed past him and ran up to Robin who was looking at the letter again. "My love." Robin herd her say, but he thought this was it again, now he was dead, but when he looked up he saw her, as beautiful as ever standing right in front of him, smiling. 'Marian? Is that really you? I'm dead now." Robin said sadly. "but your not dead my love and neither am I." Marian said with a happy laff. Robin wanted to jump up and hug her but he was too weak to stand, but he tried anyway. He collapsed in her arms with tears in his eyes. Marian could feel his hot skin on hers. "Robin your hot, and that's not a good thing." She said as she put him back down on the chair. Robin smiled at her, but then he started to cough again. Robin looked at her, he could see worry in her eyes. "Whats wrong? You looked worried." He said after he fished coughing. "Whats wrong Robin? I think you know. Are you dying?" she asked worried. Robin did not answer he just looked at her. "Robin please tell me. I don't like it when you leave me out in the dark" She pleaded. However, Robin still stared at her but said nothing. Then he sighed. "I was. I, I was poisoned. I was going to die, but I lived." Robin said voice breaking. She stared at him shocked. "Oh, Robin." Was all she said because she was choking on her own tears. "Don't worry my love. I'm fine." Robin reassured her. Marian gave him a nod. Then Robin started to cough again. "When will this go away? I want to hug my wife that I just discovered that is alive." Robin thought to himself. Marian saw the sadness in his eyes. "What was he thinking about, oh I wish I knew."
After a while it started to rain, pouring in fact. It rained so hard that it woke the gang. Robin watched as the team started to wake, and looked at him and Marian. They were all shocked to see her. "How? How are you feeling Robin?" Archer asked who, clearly did not know who Marian was. Robin looked at his half-brother, coughed a little and said. "I'm better than yesterday, brother." Then he started to cough again. Much and Marian ran over to him. "Robin, um, when is the king coming?'" Much asked trying to make things a little better. Robin nodded as he cleared his throat. "Yes, I think….." Before Robin could finish his thought he started to cough and there was a knock on the door. One of Robin's servants went over to open it. They were shocked to see the king standing in the doorway. In the pouring rain too. "My king. Are you here to see master Robin?' He asked as Richerd nodded. The servant moved out of the way so the king could see Robin. Richerd's eyes grew wide when he saw Robin coughing very loudly. "Robin! What happened?" He asked calmly as he walked over to him. The gang and Marian moved out of the way, except for Archer, who hid behind Much but it did not work. Robin rolled his eyes at his half-brother and chuckled a little, but that made him cough a lot more. The king waited for him to be done. "I was poisoned, and dying, but for some reason, I lived," Robin explained. The king nodded as he got on his knees to meet his eye's.
Robin explained everything he is feeling, and the king listened. "I don't know why this happen but I'm glad it did. Robin, you can rebuild everything you all can, I believe in all of you, I will see you soon," He said walking towards the door. Robin waved then started to cough. Then he nodded as the king left. Things are looking up, I will rebuild, we will rebuild.
The End
The Hood lives
-By Alia Voxland