A good man lives.

Today is not a good day to die.

The smell of pine was buried deep inside his nose, even the taste coated his tongue. It was fresh and welcoming to him. Memories flashed through his mind or where they dreams, Marian had been there beside him hadn't she.. But wasn't she dead...He saw Guy stab her and he had buried her...

He remembered or dreamt his men had mourned him, and then burnt him alive. The fire raging as he could feel the heat, though surely that wasn't possible if he were to be welcomed to heaven. He had done his job in serving God and the King's people, he just wanted to rest in peace with the love of his life now.

'Master?'

The darkness seemed to leave his closed eyes as a voice came from his left, he knew that voice but from where, and now the fire continued but it was more around his neck that he seemed to feel it. Painful and irritating.

Master!'

Robin's green eyes flew open and he screamed in agony, Much was beside him on the ground in a crouch and jumped as his old master screamed at him. But Robin was feeling pain for the fact he would not be reunited with Marian, he would not be with the love of his life again. He was screaming for the pain that had his top half on fire and that burnt so fiercely. Something hard and leather based was forced into his mouth so that he had to bite down hard onto that instead.

'Hold still Robin...This'll be over in a minute' The gentle tones of Tuck came from his left hand side and this time something cold touched his neck, well he had thought it was cold. The metal was so hot it took his brain a few moments to realise it was so. He bit down harder onto the leather but it wasn't long before darkness took hold of him again.

Time passed and time usually passes when the sudden darkness swallows you up until that last moment when it lets you go again .

Robin...? Come on Robin, don't you let me down now' The gruff tone of Little John made Robin stir slightly, his jaw felt stiff and sore from having it clamped down tight on the leather strap whilst he'd been screaming. The rest of his body felt cold, weak and powerless, but it was the sensation in his neck that he really noticed now, it felt hot and itchy and the pain was like being stabbed over and over again but at least it had lessened then the last time, enough for him to say .

'Marian?'His voice croaked into life as figures focused into view when he opened his eyes, he was under cover in shelter, he could smell a fire burning not far from where he lay.

His green tired eyes picked out his loyal men, dark skinned Tuck, strong giant John, and small worried Much his former man-servant when he had been a Lord. They looked to one another when he had said his childhood sweethearts name, of course he knew Marian was dead. He knew he had dreamt of her reuniting with him and that he had dreamt he had died . The fact was, he was not. After the build up of the Sheriff thinking he had won, the death of Guy after he had helped them and switched sides after all. The poisoned sword which Guy's sister Isobella had cut him in the neck with . Nottingham destroyed , after all that...He was alive..Robin Hood was alive.

'Much..fetch Robin some water...he's a fever burning and he's not out of the woods yet.' Tuck instructed as he wiped a cool damp cloth over Robin's head. It felt nice to the touch and he was in no way able to move anyway.

'...How...?' Robin spoke again his mind was slightly muddled, Tuck had said there was no way he would be able to win against the poison that had coursed through his body. He was supposed to be dead, for a brief second he wondered if he was, but then he wouldn't be in heaven without Marian he knew that much and she was the only one not here.

'It took a lot of work my friend, and you were indeed dead for a moment, but I believe God has not quite believed you have finished your work here yet' Tuck spoke moving the cloth to dab at the wound to his neck, Robin shivered pulling the furs up tight to his chest as Much came back '

'Will the fever pass Tuck?'

'Much...stop..worrying' Robin groaned lightly shaking off Much's concern, Tuck hmmed as Robin tried to move away from Tuck's hand.

'Stop your fidgeting otherwise I shall ask John to pin you down. I've tried hard to make sure you dont get an infection, but now I want to see you pass through the fever.. Do as you're told Robin..for once in your life'

He scolded gently, just as he had done those months ago when Robin had first met Tuck, he had dived over the waterfall when the Sheriff's men had been upon him, he had lost all strength to fight his injuries then as Tuck nursed him back to health. Marian's death had been fresh on his mind only just really back from the Holy Lands, he had no wish to outlive her then, but now ..of course he did. Although a big part of him wished that he hadn't lived, he would've been reunited with Marian to live happily ever with her together.. But if God wished him to live then he could not go against him, he would do as Tuck said, he knew he was just as stubborn as he was so he had no choice.

'Fine ...do what you need to' Robin sighed literally at his mens mercy to make him better, as Much gently held water to his dry lips, the cool water felt pleasant as it ran down his throat , he would do all he needed to be better once again. He owed his people that honour at least.