Before the Wind rose
(Disclamer: I own no rights to Robin Hood or any of the characters except Rosie because sje's my own special creation)
A/N:This is set before my story Wind rose and it just gives a little insight into Rosie's background etc
Part One-Babyhood
A man stood looking in the wicker cradle at the little baby wiggling about and crying. He gently bent into the cradle and picked up the weeping baby gently stroking her mouse-coloured hair which matched his. From where he was standing he could see his other daughters watching him intently.
Elle the oldest and the most stern and solem with a proper manner.Next was Sapphire a quiet mouse of a girl who looked up from her deep brown eyes. Then there was Willow who for most of her life has been the youngest who looked on with a bitter tinge as her father sang to the crying baby.
"What will you call her father?" Elle asked
"I do not know yet, but it will be special. Youe mother all named you after the letters of your compass but as this little one was the last to be born by her i think she needs somthing special" he replied
"What about naming her after mother?" Willow asked
"That's a nice thought but Willow my dear the little one needs to be her own person and therefore deserves her own name. A good strong name that will carry her well"
"Have you designed a wind rose yet?" Sapphire asked nervously
"Not yet my dear but soon. This little one is going to be tricky i can tell. Now look at the time it is late, off to bed with all of you" he said in a mockingly stern manner.
Once the girls had gone he sat down in a chair by the glowing girl and looked down at the baby. Out of all his daughters she looked the most like him. She had his mousey coloured hair and he could tell she was going to be tall. The baby looked up at him and he could tell that she also had his deep purple eyes that almost glowed in the light of the fire.
"She's lovely" a voice came from behind and he looked up and saw his tall apprentice standing in the doorway polishing his bow
"Ah there you are my apprentice, is the work done?"
"To the highest standard"
"I wish you would not have that weapon in here i don't want you giving this one any ideas" he said noting that the baby was looking up intently at the young man's bow
"William i do not know what you mean. Where did you get the idea of me being a bad influence from?" the man grinned
"Well Robin from that young girl who's heart you mess about with back in Locksly, what was her name?"
"Marion" Robin grinned at the thought of her "And i do not mess her about"
"That's not what her father said" William said raising an eyebrow "Do you want to hold her?" he said gesturing towards the baby
Robin nodded and awkwardly took the baby and smiled down at the little form "I dread to think what she'll be like when she's your age Master Robin" William shook his head and laughed "You are yet seventeen summers old and have caused more trouble in a few weeks than i have in my whole lifetime" and Robin laughed
The baby gurgled happliy "Oh come on that's not fair" he said as the little baby turned all her attention to Robin and curled her thumb round his fingers and chewed them gently
"It's the smile" Robin grinned "No girl can resist the smile"
"Master Robin you should watch yourself one day that Marion of your's will give you somthing to cry about if you treat how like you do"
"She loves me" he grinned "And i love her"
"Well make sure you tell her that Robin" he said "With my three daughters i never had the time to tell my love untill it was too late" he said sadly
"But you hsve the little one now" he said gesturing to the little baby "Has she a name yet?"
William thought for a moment before saying "Rosie"
"A symbol of love and passion" Robin said passing the baby back to William "A good strong name to carry her well" he said as he left the room
"Where are you going?" William called
"To tell Marion how i really feel" Robin called back
"At this hour!"
"Why wait it's as you said!" he said running off towards Marion's house
"Oh Rosie what are we going to do with him?" and little baby Rosie looked up with her deep purple eyes and gurgled in response "Well you have a name now, so i guess you're going to need a wind rose all of your own little one" he said laying her down in her craddle and pulling out some parchment and ink
"Roise Oaks, I can tell you're going to be a handful" he laughed as the baby started to cry again when his back was turned "That's the trouble with having the blood of a mapmaker, you're always wanting to explore and i know you're nothing like your sisters. You don't look like thm or act like they did and you could cry for england but Rosie Oaks let me tell you this if you i know you're going to be a real handful and you will want to explore and you must my dear. You must go where the wind take you my little Rose.
