Another little quick fic- this time about our darling Much. What's not to love about this guy?
BTW, Robin Hood is still not mine, though I hear Jonas Armstrong is looking for a chica.. hmmm lol
To be quite frank, Much had never given thought to "love" in the context of himself and anything remotely romantic in nature. There just hadn't been time. While other young men of Locksley were off marrying their sweethearts (or merely collecting sweethearts as a few seemed to do), Much was learning all the myriad tasks a proper manservant needed to know. From defending his master's back with shield and sword and how to properly saddle a horse to setting out his master's clothing and preparing an evening repast, Much studied it all under the tutelage of Lord Locksley's own loyal manservant, Hodges.
It was not to say that he'd never had any sweethearts of his own, but few were interested in the earnest young man beyond a brief dalliance or two. After all, it was not as if he was free to marry any of them. A well trained manservant, as Hodges had told him, was extremely valuable to their master (or mistress, in the case of an equally well trained ladies maid), and thus, rarely would said master consider releasing their servant to anything that might draw them from their proper responsibilities. A wife or children would be at the top of that list, of course.
So, Much hadn't planned or practiced any courting as another man might. He had, of course, observed his overly charming young master with any number of young ladies, but frankly this did little to enlighten him. The fact was, most of those young ladies sought Robin instead of the other way around. If anything, their escapades might very well have taught Much what not to do. From his light-of-loves in the Holy Land (who almost always seemed to conveniently forget that they came part and parcel with an angry father/brother/lover/etc) to the Lady Marian, his betrothed (who was as likely to knock Robin for his dubious compliments as she was to kiss him), these love interests rarely seemed successful.
Thus, Much was left almost completely unprepared for the task before him. He should have been thrilled: at long last, the King had returned, the Sheriff and Gisborne were defeated, all lands and titles were restored to Robin, and Much now had his own home in Bonchurch. Still, there was one more thing he wanted, no, needed, to do.
It hadn't taken long to find Eve with all of the contacts Much had at his disposal. She was in a little village near Scarborough, just barely close enough for Much to reach her easily by horseback, and (most importantly in Much's mind) as yet unmarried. He rode hesitantly up to the cottage he'd been told Eve shared with her mother and dismounted.
After a breath to settle his nerves (or at least attempt to), Much doffed the shabby cap he still wore and knocked, praying to his lately benevolent God that she'd be home. That she'd be happy to see him. That she wouldn't laugh in his face. For all his prayers, when the door opened and she stood before him unspeaking, a strange blank look on her face, Much felt he probably should have left well enough alone.
"I… uh… I found you." His gaze dropped to the ground and he grimaced to himself; that was not the way a lord spoke to a lady. "I mean… Hello… I… I…" he stuttered and finally sighed again. "I'm sorry. I thought it would be sooner, but I still wanted… still needed to see you." He looked back up into her eyes. "Have I come too late, Eve?"
She opened her mouth as if to speak, and then shut it again. Much wondered if he'd seen her speechless in Bonchurch, but he doubted it. Finally, she spoke, voice wavering.
"I suppose I never thought you'd actually come looking for me, my lord." Much looked stricken.
"Did… did you not wish me to?" If she told him no, he would feel an utter fool. So many of his hopes had been hanging on the image in his head he'd built of Bonchurch and freedom and Eve. He wasn't sure he'd be willing to settle for only two of the three.
"No, of course… I mean, wait…" she flung up her hands. "I mean, yes, but I'm just surprised, my lord!" A wide disbelieving smile was creeping across her face, and Much could feel its match stretching his own lips.
"That's…well, wonderful is what that is, and I'll have you know, I've seen wonders recently and-"
Eve had grown a bit tired of his babbling by this point, and chose to quiet him in the most pleasant way she could think of. It wasn't a particularly long kiss, as her mother's soft call asking who'd come caused the pair to jump apart almost guiltily. They laughed at each other, and Much realized he'd forgotten whatever it was he'd meant to say all together. Still, he'd something he desperately needed to ask her now.
"Come home?" Eve smiled and took his hand, and led him inside to greet her mother while she packed.
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