Robin stood with his arms folded over his chest, looking at each member of his gang in turn. "So, who wants to be captured? No volunteers?" Everybody seemed very intent in examining their feet. Allan stepped forward. "I'll do it." he said looking Robin in the eye.
Wow, Will thought, He really is trying to step up. A memory came flooding back to Will of another time Allan had been 'captured' for the sake of a plan. However last time he hadn't volunteered to be part of the band of slaves - he had only agreed reluctantly. He grinned as this memory brought up the foremost memory he had of his wife - before he even knew she was female. Djaq's voice broke into his thoughts as she asked, "But won't he be the most easily recognized?" It had been awhile since Allan had gone to town - and that was because people were bound to remember the lap-dog that followed Gisbourne around for a few months. Despite this Allan still wanted to do it - he was sick of hiding and still wanted to do all he could to prove his loyalty.
Robin frowned thinking it over. Allan's heart seemed to sink in his chest - he really wanted to do this. He was happy to put himself in danger for the gang, after all, it was what he deserved.
Finally Robin said heavily, "She's right Allan, you would be -" but Allan cut him off mid-sentence with, "I could wear a disguise!" Robin frowned again, thinking. He shook his head slowly and stated, "No I still think it would be too risky. Of all of us Will would probably be least likely to be noticed." Will nodded accepting the indirect order. Allan's spirits fell but he stepped back into line without showing his disappointment.
"However." Robin continued, putting his eyes back on the blue-eyed man, "We do need someone to be a guard and bring Will in. With that helmet on, you wouldn't be recognized easily - interested?"
"'Course!" Allan said, a smile on his lips.
"Well, now that that's settled." Robin said, "Ok. So Will gets captured by Allan and brought to the dungeons. Down there you should find baby Seth, or ask around - one of the other guards is sure to know where he is. If he's there you simply use this -" he held up a twisted piece of metal "- to pick the lock. That is, after you've taken out the other guards. Then All three of you leave. We'll secure your exit." Robin finished. They all nodded.
"And if Seth isn't in the dungeons - we just make mild changes to fit a new plan centered around where baby Seth actually is." More nodding.
"And plan B?" Little John asked - he'd been the one who'd suggested Plan B in the beginning. Robin looked at him and said reluctantly, "Plan B is we simply give Annie the money to give to her sister which will go to Gisbourne; freeing Seth but giving the Black Knights another sum of money to work with." He would hate to use Plan B - but John was right, they couldn't risk the boy's life. John merely nodded contentedly.
"Alright then - I say we all go to bed, it'll be a long day tomorrow." And so the gang all went to their separate bunks, Will and Djaq sharing one now (Allan to the floor) and within a few minutes the quiet sounds of John's snoring and Much's constant fidgeting and turning over were the only sounds resonating through the camp.
Soon everybody was sleeping soundly - except Allan. Once again he was tossing and turning - his eyes fluttering as he slept fitfully. Falling asleep wasn't his problem - after so many months before they had the camp he had grown used to sleeping on the forest floor. But being back on the ground didn't stop his usual entourage of nightmares. Dreams in which his father told him he was useless. Ones where he relived the homeless life he once had before his friends and he had perfected the art of lying and pick pocketing in his existence as a lonely con-artist. And of course the recurring nightmare where he was suddenly surrounded by piles of money but the corpses of his friends were among the piles, and his hands, to his horror, were bloody.
Allan woke up with a start. It took him a moment to remember why he was on the floor. He was breathing heavily and his face was sweaty. He placed his hands over his face and rubbed the sweat away trying to calm himself down. As he pulled his hands away from him he opened his eyes and realized he was shaking.
It must have been a few hours since he'd first fallen asleep; the stars had moved, and it seemed lighter out - as though the sun were due to rise soon. He decided to get up rather than retreat back into the inevitable nightmares. He quietly rose to his feet and out of the camp, maybe I'll get a drink from the stream, he thought vaguely, closing the door behind him.
"What are you doing up?" Allan jumped and flew around. Annie was sitting with her back against a bit of stone that served as the foundation to the camp. Allan must have walked right past her as he left without even seeing her. "Jeez! You scared me! …I couldn't sleep… How 'bout you; what are you doing up."
She shrugged and pulled her knees up to her chest. Allan walked over and she said quietly, "I miss Seth, I'm worried about him."
Allan sat down next to her and said soothingly - "Aw C'mon don't do that. We already got a plan to get 'im out! And besides - you do realize you 'ave the help of the famous Robin Hood, right?" He was smiling at her, and she couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth a bit. They sat in a comfortable quiet - which was a new sensation for Allan - usually quiet meant awkwardness, but not at this moment. Finally Annie broke the silence and asked, "So what's bothering you. People don't wake up at this hour of the morning for no reason."
He examined his hands. They were rough, and he had a few scars from various accidents. Finally he looked up at Annie and said sadly, "I guess I'm just sick of not being a good person."
She looked at him surprised. "And what makes you think you're not?" He spent another minute or two examining his fingers. There was one scar on his left pointer finger, it was long and straight going parallel to the bone. He got it in a tavern betting on a knife game with another man when he was more drunk than he thought - bringing the knife down on his finger instead of the table.
Eventually he responded, saying, "I've done things I'm not too proud of. I -" his voice cracked and he wasn't sure if he could admit what was causing his guilt. He knew most of Nottingham knew about his betrayal anyway. He wound up just blurting it out, "I betrayed my friends, for money, and they forgave me. I don't think I deserve to be forgiven." He shook his head disgusted with himself.
A very odd feeling swept over Allan-A-Dale at that moment. He spent so much time and energy trying to protect himself emotionally, by not admitting anything to anyone. There was no one he'd confided in - he didn't even tell Will and Djaq everything. That's why he was a good liar - he had lots of practice covering up his feelings all the time. What on earth had made him spill this dark secret of his to the woman he barely knew? He was felt afraid. He'd never felt so vulnerable, and he couldn't tell if what he had just done was smart or foolish.
Annie just nodded. She looked at him but he was staring down again refusing to meet her eyes. "I don't think that makes you a bad man. I think that makes you a great one - for finding the remorse in yourself." He looked at her with unmasked surprise, he met her eyes with his and they shared a moment.
Now it was Annie's turn to cast her eyes downward as she said, "We all do things we are ashamed of. And… I know how you feel. Gisbourne has a way to persuade you to do the wrong thing - and make you think it is right."
The birds had been singing throughout their whole conversation, and at that precise moment the sun rose and appeared through the trees. Allan had momentarily forgotten who Seth's father was and Annie's words brought the reality crashing back. He felt bad for bringing up the topic. He didn't know why but right then he really wanted to hold her hand - but he resisted the urge. Perhaps it was because she was the only person on the face of the earth that understood what he did - the only other person he knew of that had also been deceived by Guy's lies and feigned companionship. Annie looked back up at him and continued, "But good can come from bad situations brought on by Guy. I got Seth, and you got the true forgiveness of your gang. Plus we both left a whole lot wiser knowing to never go back to him, and who our true friends are."
Silence. Then Allan stated, "Gawd, he's a bugger - 'aint he?" and they both had a quiet laugh at Gisbourne's expense. "You know." he said honestly, "I never really thought of it like that." And again they looked into each other's eyes. Allan's hand was off his lap and heading towards hers when a third voice broke the new morning air.
"Morning!" Both Allan and Annie's heads turned toward the source of the voice - Will was walking towards them from the entrance to the camp. He turned his head toward the door and exclaimed to what must've been the questions of the other outlaws that neither Allan nor Annie could hear, " - Yea! I found 'em! they're both out here."
Allan's hand fell to the ground forgotten as Will came out to join them. "We all woke up and wondered where you two had stolen off to - want some breakfast?" Annie looked at Allan for a moment then replied that that would be nice and allowed Will to help her to her feet. She glanced back once before going through the door. Once she was inside Will looked at his friend quizzically because he hadn't moved from his spot on the ground. He was still staring at his hand though now the scar lay forgotten as his whole mind was dwelling on the prospect of the moment he'd almost had - with her hand in his.
"You coming?" Will asked, offering his hand to help Allan up too. "Yea." Allan said breaking out of his haze, "Yea, I am." Then he took Will's hand to pull himself up and followed his friend inside, Annie's words still the foremost thought in his head.