Disclaimer- I don't own any of the characters etc and blahness.
This story is set in the 4 months following the end of Something New? Which ended with Will walking out of the gang following a row with Robin. What happened to him? How will Allan cope with being a dad? Read on
Thanks to Summersparkle for the idea for this story.
Allan liked this pub. It was quiet and out of the way. So what if he didn't know any of the men that drank there, or if it was blatantly obvious that the girls there did more that just pour drinks for money. It was an escape from Djaq's demands and Robin's orders.
"Usual Greg." Allan took a seat at the bar and took a long drink from the tankard in front of him. A movement and a noise on the upstairs landing made him glance upwards and he saw a door shut hastily. "Here Greg, what's going on upstairs?"
"One of the lads has got a room, if you know what I mean." he winked and Allan nodded. "Seems some of the clients are a bit rough with the poor kid at times. Some days I see him and he's covered in cuts and bruises. Still he pays his board and that's all that bothers me."
Allan nodded again, "thanks." He looked up again and saw the door opening. The boy that Greg had told him about was standing the doorway staring down at him. Allan couldn't believe his eyes. "Will?"
The door slammed shut before Allan had time to fully register that he had just seen his missing friend.
"Will? Yeah that's the kid's name. D'ya know him?"
"I used to. Never thought he'd end up like that."
"No one ever does. Another one?" Greg asked pointing at Allan's now empty tankard.
"No thanks, better get back before the wife murders me." he laughed as he swung himself off the stool. "See ya tomorrow."
XxXxX
The gang were gathered around the fire eating the stew that Much had cooked for dinner when Allan burst in.
"Where have you been?" Djaq snapped at him.
"In Nottingham."
"In the pub more like."
"Anyway that's not important." Allan waved his hand in Djaq's face. She huffed at him. "I found Will."
"What?" Much practically yelled. Everyone had given up on finding Will months ago. He had disappeared completely after he had rowed with Robin. "Where?"
"The Merry- Go- Round in Nottingham."
"What the pub? I knew it Allan a Dale." Djaq was angry, she didn't like it when Allan went to pubs- he always ended up in a fight.
"Wait a second, I've heard about that place." Robin tapped his chin with his fork. "It's that where the prostitutes go to pick up clients?"
"How would you know anything like that Robin?" John laughed.
"It's where Will's mother used to meet Gisborne. I remember her telling me. Right before I left for the Holy Lands. But what was Will doing there?"
"Entertaining." Allan raised his eyebrows in Robin's direction. "If you catch my drift."
Silence fell across the camp- Will was a rent boy? That was unbelievable. Robin shook his head.
"No Allan you must have been mistaken. It couldn't have been him. Or maybe the barman was confused?" Robin searched in Allan's eyes hoping to find a glimmer of something, anything that showed that Allan too doubted it was Will.
"I saw him Robin, and he saw me. Greg was very clear about what Will was up to as well. By the sounds of it he picked the wrong type of client though. Very rough."
"What do you mean?"
"Greg said he's always covered in cuts and bruises, especially after a busy night."
XxXxX
In his room at the Merry- Go- Round Inn, Will Scarlet sat in his bed shaking with disbelief. What was Allan doing drinking in here? He always went to the Trip. A knock at the door interrupted Will's train of thought.
"Come in." he called.
The door opened and Greg stood in front of him. "Rent day kiddo. Come on pay up."
"Can't I have a couple more days Greg? Please? It's been a slow week is all." Will looked at the older man with pleading eyes. "I can get the money by Wednesday I promise."
"Sorry Will. I gave you extra time last week and you still got the money to me late. If you can't pay me tomorrow then I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"Can't we come to some arrangement. Please Greg I've got nowhere else to go."
"I'm sure we can sort something out. Your clients do bring a lot of business to the pub. Let me think about it. I'll get back to you tomorrow." Greg turned and left the room, pausing before he shut the door. "Oh I had a friend of yours in last night, Allan a Dale. Drinks in here quite a bit actually. He'll be back later, got a message for him?"
"Yeah if he tells anyone where I am I'll kill him. That's a promise."
"Sure thing Will. Whatever you say." Greg closed the door as he left.
XxXxX
Allan sauntered into the pub and took his usual seat at the bar. Marian came in behind him and took the stool next to him.
"Evening Greg." Allan nodded at the landlord. "Usual and... er... same for her." jerking his thumb at Marian.
"That your wife? Allan a Dale you dark horse." Greg chuckled as he placed two tankards on the bar.
"No. She's just a friend." Allan threw some coins on the bar to cover the cost of the drinks.
"Oh, like that is it?" Marian blushed as Greg chattered away with Allan. "Spoke to your kid this morning."
"Oh?" Allan raised his eyebrows and looked at Marian.
"He said that if you tell anyone where he is, he's gunna kill you." Greg shook his head. "Just don't shoot the messenger."
"Thanks mate." Allan downed the last of his drink and waited impatiently for Marian to finish hers, before they left and headed back to the camp.
XxXxX
Djaq was sulking, why did Allan have to take Marian to the pub? Why couldn't she go? Robin was sat next to her, patiently trying to explain that a pregnant woman would look fairly out of place in a pub, and that he was just as annoyed as she was.
"Listen Djaq, I'm not exactly happy about this either. I don't understand why Marian had to go with him. He could have taken Much or John. But no, he had to take a woman."
"Think about it, if Allan walks into a bar with Marian on his arm, everyone thinks he's some kind of God. He gets an ego boost..."
"Not that he needs one."
"Thanks honey, nice to see that you're so supportive of your husband." Allan and Marian walked back into camp right at that second. "Anyway, it's defiantly Will. Greg said he spoke to him, and he gave him message for me."
"Which was?"
"If I tell anyone where he is, he'll kill me."
"Charming, that's just charming."
"I hate to say this but, Much is right. That's really rude, for Will anyway." everyone looked at John in disbelief, he was agreeing with Much!
XxXxX
"Will, it's pay day." Will rolled over and looked at Greg, who was smiling softly. "Sorry kid, but I have to do my job."
"Come on Greg, you know I only got two guys last night. Please I need more time."
"There could be another way you can pay me." Greg's smile grew as Will lifted his head off the pillow. "I know some men who could use your, services. They're not very nice, but they would pay enough."
"The men I see aren't exactly angles Greg." Will looked at him. "I'll do it."
"Good. They arrive tonight. Oh but trust me on this, they'll make your regulars seem like angles. Later kid." Greg walked out, slamming the door behind him.
Will sat up and gazed out of the window. What have I gotten myself into? They could kill me, or worse.
There we have it folks, chapter one of my new story. I hope you like it. R&R please, and I'll give you another chapter soon.