Disclaimer: I don't own Robin Hood or other related characters. These characters belong to the BBC and Tiger Aspect companies and are their properties. I am getting nothing from this fanfic except a good story that I'm sharing with the world.

Author's notes: apologies for the extremely long wait but I was unsure of where I was taking this story but I've figured it out now and hopefully it will be quicker next time. Not very much happens in this chapter but more happens than in the prologue. I've had to write and rewrite most of this chapter as I wasn't satisfied with the way I was taking it. Therefore reviews are welcome and desperately needed.

Chapter 1: A Hero's Return

His body was exhausted with the strain of walking for the long amount of time that he had. He was older now than before and struggled remembering that he couldn't do as much as he could before the fighting or as quickly.

He had fought side-by-side with the King, he'd seen so much death and suffering, but that didn't matter now, he was almost home; it was almost over. Soon he'd be home, he'd be with his children and he'd be able to provide for them once more. They'd be a family again.

Elation filled him as he climbed the final hill before Locksley. Looking down into the village he saw the group of houses that stood exactly as he remembered them. At the far end of the village stood the proud manor house. He had fought along with Robin in the Holy Land and continued fighting after King Richard sent Robin home. Surely Lord Robin (as he is when in England) would be back by now and would have watched over his children.

Descending into the village he searched for the house that he knew would contain his son and daughter. Looking though, he couldn't see it. It was impossible it should have been one of the last before the Manor house but nothing was there, certainly not his house.

He walked to the last place he remembered it being and gazed at the empty patch of grass that should have been his house. All that death, that suffering and pain he'd witnessed, the only thing keeping him sane through all that was the thought that he would return to his home and family. But where was it?

Will was watching the villagers of Locksley live a normal life and wondered what life might have been like for him if he'd stayed one of them instead of joining Robin.

"Ow." Said Much to the side of Will. "There's a spiny bush there. Why didn't you tell me?" Will rolled his eyes. Robin had sent him and Much to see if they could see any trouble brewing anywhere. It had originally been just Much so he'd get out of camp for a while but Much refused to go on his own so Will volunteered to go with him.

"You owe me big time." Mouthed Will to Robin as they left.

"Thank you." Robin mouthed back with his hands clasped.

"Where do you think Allan is-oof?" Much said as he fell into the spiky bush.

"Probably snuck off to get some peace and quiet." Mumbled Will as he moved a branch to one side. "Hang on. Who's that?" Much dusted himself off as he came over.

"Where?"

"Over there." Will pointed and Much saw the person now.

"Oh yeah!" Will screwed his eyes up.

"Is that-?" Will began Much looked at Will.

"Who?"

"Never mind." The man was moving about flustered and afraid now.

"We'd better stop him before he causes some trouble and the Sheriff is alerted." Said Much. "Or worse."

"What's worse than the Sheriff?" Will argued and caused Much to pause.

"Nothing comes to mind now but I'm sure there must be something out there that's worse."

"Still you have a point." Will let the branch swing back into place and turned to Much. "Let's get him out of there."

He was confused. Everyone he had asked about his house had avoided him and one person had actually run away. Standing there he failed to notice someone come up behind him. He jumped as someone placed a hand on his shoulder. Turning he saw a boy with a slight face and dark hair like his own son. In fact, he would have sworn that it was his own son but there was something about the way the boy looked. He was familiar but not his son.

"Are you alright?" the boy asked. He couldn't reply as he was shocked.

Eventually he said, "I can't find my house." Another boy, older than the first one, joined them.

"What do you mean?" said the second boy. Then a thought occurred to him.

"I need to see Master Robin."

"What?"

"I can't find my house but Master Robin will know what happened I'm sure." A small smile appeared on his face. If only he'd thought of that sooner. The boys didn't seem to share his enthusiasm. They turned to each other with a slight frown on their face.

"You haven't been round here recently, have you?" said the second boy.

"I've been in the Holy Land for the last few years." He said looking at them both. The boys exchanged glances again. "Why? Did something happen?"

"You could say that." Replied the second boy sarcastically.

"We can take you to Robin." Said the first boy elbowing the second. "But you've got to trust us."

"Why? Where is he?"

Robin was laid on the ground outside the hideout staring at the treetops. Now that Much was elsewhere with his moaning, he had time to relax and think. Except he kept thinking of Marian with her soft flowing hair and her soft-to the-touch skin, not that he was allowed to touch it. Still, no relationship's perfect.

A short way away Little John watched Robin with fascination.

"I wonder what he's thinking of." He said. Djaq walked up behind him and glanced over at Robin.

"It's obvious." She said sitting down. "Marian." John looked at her.

"And how, pray tell, do you know that?"

"Several things really." She began. "First of all, he's in that position he takes when he daydreams. You know, lad back with his hands behind his head. Second, he's got that cocky smile he wears when he flirts with her. Finally, every so often he closes his eyes and sighs." As if on cue Robin sighed.

"And you can tell all that?"

"Yes." Said Djaq confused. "Can't you?"

"No." said John laughing.

"Oh." Djaq paused. "Must be a woman thing."

Robin listened to his friends' conversation and smiled widely. Hopefully they didn't realise he could hear them.

"Hey." Said someone and Robin felt someone nudge him in the side. He opened his eyes, Allan was towering over him. "Comfy?"

"Very." Replied Robin smiling. "You alright?"

"Yeah."

"As long as you're sure." Allan shook his head and walked off to the others while Robin settled back into his train of thought.

"He been like that long?" Allan asked John and Djaq.

"Like what?" said Djaq.

"Laid out and relaxed."

"Only since Will and Much went off." Said John.

"I thought it was quiet." Allan laughed.

"Where were you?"

"Nowhere." Allan said hastily. "Just went for a walk."

Will, Much and the man were walking through the woods and it was taking a long time. After having walked for days on end, sometimes even overnight, to get home from Palestine, the man seemed to be on his last legs and couldn't walk very fast.

"This is taking forever." Much said to Will as they stopped for the eleventh time.

"Be nice." Said Will. "Remember how painful it was when you got back." Much paused in thought.

"It did hurt." He said.

"Now imagine being older and getting back to find your house missing."

"Yeah alright. You made your point. But still…" Much didn't want to be proven wrong but couldn't argue with the case Will had put forward.

"Come on, we're nearly there."

Robin had settled back down and didn't listen to his friends this time but instead listened to the sounds of the forest. Every breeze that whooshed through the trees accompanied by the low murmuring of his friends talking behind him soothed him. Sometimes it was good just to relax, even if it was only for a few minutes. His eyes snapped open and he sat up. He could have sworn someone had called his name.

"Robin."

There it was. He could see someone coming through the trees. Patiently he waited while the figure got closer.

John noticed that Robin was watching something in the trees and instinctively reached for his quarter-staff.

Out of the murkiness came three figures. Robin recognised the first two as Will and Much but couldn't make out the third one.

Will and Much explained what had happened in Locksley. Robin turned to the man.

"You say you are from Locksley?" he asked. Robin stood opposite the stranger with Much to one side, Will to the other and the others gathered in a sloppy circle around him but he only looked at their leader. He nodded. "I apologise but I cannot recall ever having seen you." The man chuckled.

"The years have not been kind to me, Master Robin. I was hoping to come home to my house and children but find them gone."

"But who are you?" blurted Much. Will hit him. "Ow!" he said rubbing his arm.

"I am Ben Taylor, swordsmith to the King."

"Oh no." Allan gasped as Ben spoke his name and all eyes turned to him.

"What?" said Will. Allan looked across at him and mouthed one word to him. "Oh." Said Will in response.

"Will someone enlighten me, please?" said Robin impatiently. Will leant over and whispered into Robin's ear. Listening, his face fell.

"What i-" began Much but Robin raised a hand to silence him. With a sorrowful look on his face Robin stepped forward slightly and tried desperately to look Ben in the eyes but couldn't do it.

"Your children." He said. "Are their names Faith and David?" Ben's face was filled with worry.

"Yes. Why? What is it?" as Ben answered everyone else except Djaq gasped or their faces fell. Robin swallowed and decided he should be the one to break the news to him.

"I'm not quite sure how to tell you this, Ben." He couldn't start at the beginning, building up to the truth would only make it harder to say. The tension was already bad enough.

"What's the matter?"

"David has been missing for a few years now."

"And Faith?" Everyone was willing this moment to end.

"She was murdered. Six months ago by Guy of Gisborne. They burnt her body." None of the outlaws could look Ben in the eyes.

"I'm so sorry."

Next: Unfinished Business