Plot Summary: When Robin was in the Holy Lands, he saved a Saracen girl, disguised as a male warrior. Now, after he has been home for a while, he finds himself having to save her again. Except this time, he's only got one try before her secrets are revealed and the war forever changed.

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Robin Hood ran through the forest of Sherwood, the cracking of leaves the only noise there. Robin moved swiftly, trying to get back to camp as quickly as he could. He needed to get word to them of what was happening. He needed Will Scarlet to formulate some ingenious plan. He needed to tell everyone that they needed to go to Nottingham as soon as possible. He especially needed to tell Djac what was happening and hopefully she would be able to answer his questions. He needed to tell them now and he was running out of time. If he they didn't do something soon, Robin was afraid of what might happen.

Robin pushed the negative thoughts out of his mind, as he reached the camp. Opening the entrance door, he ran in and closed it quickly. Robin was positive that no one was following, but he just wanted to be careful. The whole gang was there: Much, Little John, Will Scarlet, and most importantly Djaq. They all stared at him as he caught his breath. Robin grasped his legs and he breathed loud and hard. He knew he should have brought his horse with him, but then they would have heard him. He needed to be careful, especially with the information he was traveling with.

"We…" began Robin, as he sat on one of the log benches. He took a deep breath as the gang came and crowded around him. Most of them looked at him curiously, while some looked suspicious. They could tell something was wrong. He would only run back to the camp if he was being chased, or if there was extremely important information he needed to tell them about. "We have a problem." Robin breathed in deeply, trying to catch his breath. He was going to need it, to explain what the problem was.

"What sort of problem?" asked Djaq curiously. Much's eyes had widened, along with Little John's. Will cocked an eyebrow, as he stared worriedly at Robin. They had had many problems, but obviously this was a big problem. This was a very big problem, guessed Will. But he couldn't figure out how big or why it was so big. Could the Sheriff have found out where they're camp was? That would be a big problem. Could they have lost the war? That would be a big problem. Could Prince John be coming on his way to Nottingham? That would definitely be a big problem. More major though, than big.

"A problem … that could mean big trouble for us and the war in the Holy Lands," replied Robin, as he covered his face in his hands. The gang gasped. What could mean trouble for the war? They hadn't spoken of the war in the Holy Lands for quite some time, but now that the subject had been brought up again, they knew this could be anything but good. They eyed him curiously and Robin sighed. "The King is sending some Saracen prisoners over to the Sheriff. These are prisoners of war he's sending over."

"What?" Much exclaimed. Robin saw the look of confusion and horror that was on Much's and the rest of the gangs' face. "That does not sound like King Richard. At least not the King Richard that we went to fight for in the Holy Lands! Why would he do this? The Sheriff will torture them 'til they're dead!"

"Why would King Richard send Saracen prisoners?" asked Will, who crossed his arms over his chest. Little John nodded his head in agreement with Will's question. Robin sighed. How was he supposed to explain this to them? Robin only had an idea why they would be sent here, but not an actual reason. It was all based on ideas and from what Marian had heard, but none of it was for sure. Maybe Djaq would know though. After all, she had gone in place of her brother. But still, this information was highly classified and few knew about it.

"Isn't it obvious?" Djaq stated in a superior tone. The gang looked over at her curiously. They were still getting used to the idea that she was smarter and better than them. "I don't think it's King Richard's idea to bring them to Nottingham. It could be Prince John's idea of getting information. It was a rumor that some Saracen fighters are given special information to guard. Though, they are normally Saladin's closest allies disguised as warriors, but I heard they were regular warriors. People who had been pulled from their families to fight in this war." The gang still stared at her curiously, except for Robin. "Don't you understand? The Saracen warriors that are being sent here could be some of the ones with information!"

"Why would Saladin do that?" asked Will, still a bit confused. Robin and Djaq sighed. This was not easy for them to explain because they didn't actually fully get in themselves. Djaq sounded like she knew all about it, but in truth, these were only rumors that she had heard. Nothing was hard based fact. And Robin had heard it from Marian. While she was spying in the castle, she overheard the Sheriff talking to Guy about it, but she didn't actually think it to be true.

"Because it is an effective way of hiding and keeping information safe," Robin explained, looking over at Djaq. She nodded her head. "Djaq, what would happen if a woman was caught?"

"I am unsure of what you're asking, Robin. Wouldn't you know the answer to this?" asked Djaq curiously. Robin looked down at his boots. How was he going to explain this to them too? Why did he have to have this secret? Of all secrets, this was the one he was going to have to divulge now. He knew it was going to be a hard topic to bring up, especially for Much. The two of them had been very close with the woman he was talking about. He hadn't even gotten over the woman, so how was Much going to have?

"Would a woman have information of Saladin?" asked Robin, sounding desperate. Much's eyes widened, as he understood why Robin was asking these questions. Much made a little gasp, as the rest of the gang looked at him oddly. Robin looked up at Much with a grave look on his face. For a second, it was as if they were almost talking to each other telepathically. Much fully understood what the look in Robin's eyes meant and Robin knew that Much had caught onto his absurd and random questions. He had a look on his face that was almost begging him to say something. Much was going to oblige. He couldn't make Robin talk about this, not now, especially if she was being transported from the Holy Lands here.

"What's going on?" asked Will, as he glanced at Robin, then Much. It was a very rare occurrence when Much knew something the rest of them didn't. And the fact that he hadn't told anyone was a miracle. He could never keep his mouth shut about anything. Much and Robin sighed. It had to come out.

"Robin?" asked Much, looking over at him for approval. Robin nodded his head as he covered his face in his hands. He was ashamed he wasn't telling the gang this, but he just couldn't bring himself to. He wasn't ashamed of what he had done, he was just ashamed that he had never told them and that his personal feelings were getting in the way of his "work". He hated it when the reason they were going to storm Nottingham was because of him and his feelings. "When we were in the Holy Lands, Robin met a wounded Saracen warrior … he was a she. Robin lied on her behalf so that she would be treated. She had some bad wounds, especially to her back. They became friends and he would visit her every time he would come back. He was always worried about her, not just because she was a girl, but because he cared about her and was always afraid they might find out that she was a Saracen warrior. When she had been treated and healed, she disappeared, but left Robin and me a gift."

"What?" asked Djaq laughingly, not sure what to believe of the story. When Robin's expression didn't change, Djaq realized the two of them were being serious. She looked down at her feet, feeling bad she didn't believe them. Will looked at Robin and Much funnily. Little John just smiled, as he sat down on a log behind them. He had an idea of what she might have given them because he thought he saw Robin looking at it in the night sometimes.

"This," said Robin, as he pulled out a necklace from under his tunic. It was a small white slab brick with Latin writing inscribe on it. Robin smiled as he felt the cool slab in his hands as he took it off from around his neck to admire it. He hadn't looked at in awhile, and now it was bringing up so many memories of the Holy Lands and of her. All of the blood and violence, but also of the new friend he had made. She didn't belong to be there and she definitely didn't belong to be in Nottingham if she was one of the Saracen warriors being transported.

"What does it say?" asked Will curiously, as Robin handed the necklace to him. Will stared at it and felt the same cool feeling that Robin had felt. It was very nicely made, thought Will as he passed it along to Little John.

"It says 'from your friend Nafisa'," Robin answered, as Djaq shot her head up. Robin noticed her sudden movement and eyed her curiously. "Djaq, do you know her?" Djaq looked away from Robin's gaze. Now it was her time to tell a secret about Nafisa. She was about ready to cry, but she knew she couldn't cry in front of them. She had to be strong for both her and Nafisa.

"What name did she take?" asked Djaq, as the gang's eyes bore into her. She couldn't believe that it might be her. It actually could be her, but if it was her, she had been going through Hell for the past three years.

"Hasim." Djaq shuddered at the name. It was her, she thought. It was Nafisa. "How do you know Nafisa?" Djaq sighed. Did she have to tell this story? She had promised herself she would never speak of it again, but it was Robin and the gang; she had to tell them. Djaq sighed again. She nodded her head. "How did you know Nafisa?" he asked again.

"Nafisa and I were neighbors. We had been friends since infancy and her parents were good friends with my parents. When we became older, her father and mine decided it would be a good idea if I married her brother, Hasim. They had planned out everything, but then it happened. They made a man from every family come fight in the war for the Holy Lands. Hasim was the only one who could go, so they decided that he would. We were supposed to be married before he went to fight, but it never happened.

"One day he was in the market with Nafisa and they met up with an old friend. It was Dayyan. He was in love with Nafisa and asked Hasim if he would go and suggest the idea of them getting married to their father. Hasim was never fond of Dayyan, and he said no. Dayyan got mad and demanded that he do this. But still, Hasim refused. Dayyan got so mad he pulled a small dagger on Hasim. He stabbed him to death. Then Dayyan took Nafisa to his horse, but she ran away back to her father to tell him what happened." Djaq started to cry. It had been so long since she had thought about what had happened and there was a good reason for it. She always got emotional about it, and she didn't want to cry, especially in front of the gang.

"It's ok, Djaq," Robin said, as he hugged Djaq. Djaq continued to cry, but she wiped her tears and shook her head. She had to continue the story. Once she started, she had to finish it. She had to, for Nafisa and Hasim.

"Sorry. Uhmm…right. When Nafisa got back, she told her father what happened and he told my father, who told me. I was devastated and angry with Nafisa. She had just stood there and watched her brother die before her own eyes. But now when I look back at it, I understand. She was only sixteen and she was a good girl. She did everything she was told and was the perfect Arab woman. But she was too afraid to fight him at the time.

"Anyway, then they had a problem: who was going to go to the Holy Lands as Hasim? Her older brother, Basil couldn't because he was injured and they would be able to tell he wasn't Hasim. Her father couldn't go because he was too old and he had to take care of her little sister, Karima. Then Nafisa stepped up and said she would go in her brother's place. Her father begged her not to go, but they had no other choice. Her father trained her in swordsmanship and how to shoot a bow and arrow. Nafisa was a quick learner and picked up everything extremely fast. And then she left to go to fight in the Holy Lands. I never saw her again."

Djaq wiped her eyes. It was so painful to bring up that memory. She lost her supposed-to-be husband and her best friend. She never got to tell Nafisa that she was sorry and didn't actually mean to yell at her and say those cruel things. That's what made the memory so painful, Djac figured. It was because she desperately wanted to change what she did, but she knew she couldn't. She desperately wanted to go back in time and tell Nafisa that it was ok that she didn't know what to do and it wasn't her fault. Maybe, if Nafisa was one of Saracen warriors being brought in, she could tell her what she had wanted to say for three years.

"We go now then," Little John said. Everyone looked at him, as Little John got up from the log he was sitting on. He picked up his staff and grasped it tightly. "We go to Nottingham to find out if she is there and to save her. We do not allow women to get hurt or die. We go to Nottingham."

"Yes," Djaq said, "we must go to Nottingham. I must speak with her. I need to tell her I'm sorry and she might have information and I … I just want to see her again." The gang chuckled.

"Figures," said Much. After the story Djaq had just told them, anyone would want to tell her how they really felt. Much completely understood her reasoning and thought Djaq was a good person for wanting to apologize.

"So," said Will, after a long silence, "when are we going?"

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A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter. Sorry if I got any of the facts mixed up or anything like that. So hopefully, I will be good about continuing this story. XD And I'm not sure who Nafisa is going to end up liking, so give me feedback please! Still figuring out who she'll end up, but I have a good idea. Anyway, I hope you liked it(: