As they near the camp they see a small figure waving frantically to them in front of a large pavilion. Robin calls to Much beside him, "It's Lord O'Dell. He must want us to ride inside." Much nods once and keeps up with his master. As they near the commissary the man in front waves them into the side opening where they draw up short from a full gallop with the pavilion flaps folding closed behind them.
Once inside they are greeted by Lord O'Dell, "Lord Robin, Much! So good to have you back. Was it a success?" Robin and Much both place their hands on the hilts of their swords and Robin replies coolly, "What was a success?" Lord O'Dell seeing their movements, having never been privileged to the missions of a sniper before, holds up his hands and says defensively, "Nothing My Lord, nothing. Apologies, I've never been privileged to one of your missions before and didn't know not to ask." Lord Robin and Much relax and Lord O'Dell continues relived, "The King himself told me what has happened and said to direct you here. From here you are to go immediately to his pavilion no matter when you return. There seems to have been a development." Robin nods once and tells him, "I know." Lord O'Dell waits for a moment longer but when an explanation is not forthcoming he hesitantly says, "The King is waiting for you." Robin and Much nod and make their way to the far opening to the pavilion and from there nonchalantly make their way to the King's pavilion.
When they arrive they watch the guards on duty sway semi asleep. Robin makes a mental note of who they are then follows Much around to the rear of the pavilion where Much quickly makes his own entrance. Used to being announced, they hesitate for a moment, then glance at one another and silently enter the King's pavilion. Inside, guided by dim candle light, they find seats away from the King's screened off room, sit down, and rest for a moment hoping they would be recognized as being there. Just before Much nods off, Robin pats his arm and whispers, "Find George." Much quietly rises and walks around the King's partition and finds George sleeping on his own bed within calling distance of his master. Much eases up placing his hand over George's mouth waking him suddenly and whispers, "It's only me." George relaxes recognizing Much and remains on his cot as Much returns to his seat next to his master. George rises and pads over entering the King's room quietly waking him.
King Richard, wrapping his night gown tightly around him against the cold night air, exits his room and stares perplexed at the two men casually sitting casually in front of him wondering how they got past his guards. Robin answers his unasked question, "Something Much taught me." Much grins as King Richard shakes his head and sits down across from them and says quietly, "Sure am glad you're with me." Robin and Much grin back and Robin states simply, "General Hilliard is not in camp is he?" The King and George stare astonished at Robin's statement, this being the reason they were commanded to be here when they returned no matter what time, and the King replies, "No he is not." Much stares confused at his master then his eyes widen in understanding as he quietly exclaims, "Your sixth arrow!" Robin nods and tells them, "When he does return he will be suffering from an arrow wound on his upper right shoulder." King Richard sighs and replies with purpose in his voice, "Then return to your tent and sleep. We'll address this when he returns." Robin and Much rise, bow, and head towards the opening they made. As they exit they hear King Richard, "George, hide that in the morning and hide it well."
The two tired men carefully wind their way through the menagerie of dark and illuminated tents of those loudly snoring, or laughing and talking men being careful to step over or around the wet areas in the sand knowing that not all carry their night buckets away to be dumped. When they get within eye sight of the rear of their pavilion Much startles his master by abruptly stopping him with a hand across his chest. Robin glances curiously at his servant then looks where he is pointing and sees a shadow moving around inside their quarters as though searching for something. Robin whispers firmly into his trained assassin's ear, "Much listen to me, do not kill him." Much nods, takes a deep breath, and closes his eyes. Robin steps back watching his best mate change from his lifelong companion into a trained merciless killer.
Much takes a deep breath and closes his eyes relishing the faith and trust that his master has to allow him to use his assassin training and do as commanded. Much allows the Nizaris teachings of his suppressed indoctrinated mind to come to the fore, opening his eyes as he draws his dagger, glances at the man standing next to him recognizing him as someone very special to him, someone he must obey and remembers his command, Do not kill him. Much quietly replies in a stone cold voice, "As you command master." and stealthily approaches the pavilion. Much watches the shadow move around and knowing the layout of their tent cautiously waits until the shadow is near the main entrance before lying down and smoothly lifting the lower edge of their tent causing no ripples in the fabric then gently rolls under the edge and very slowly lowers it back to the sand.
Robin watches silently from outside as his servant rolls under the edge of their tent without making the least little ripple sweep through the fabric and thinks to himself, I have to get him to show me how he does that. and watches the shadow of his trained assassin subdue the man inside running to the entrance and enters only to find Much holding Lord Carl around his chest with his dagger making a bloody red mark on the side of his neck.
Robin first calmly says, "Much?" Much responds in his cold voice, his eyes and face etched stone, "Master." Robin seeing the unconcealed fright in Lord Carl's eyes says calmly, "Release him." The assassin looks sideways at his captive and slowly does as commanded. Robin steps forwards ignoring the young Lord and slowly takes his assassin by the arms and says calmly, "Much, come back." Much stares at the man holding him and says cryptically, "Tell me." Robin whispers, "I love you." Much feels his mind return, sighs, and says, "Thank you master." As one they turn and look questioningly at Lord Carl who's holding his hand to his neck, pulls it away, and answers looking at his blood on his hand, "I called out but no one answered so I walked in… My apologies General." Robin glares at their new recruit and tiredly tells him, "We'll talk about this in the morning, for now I am tired and want to sleep. Leave us."
Lord Carl bows with respect towards his General then glares at his servant placing his hand against his wound and departs their tent. Much sighs and says, "Doesn't he know I could have killed him?" Robin shakes his head and tells him, "No, I still don't think he understands, but I knew you wouldn't have since you're getting better at obeying my orders." Much grins while checking the seals on the water, fills the basin, and after Robin washes, does so himself then blows out all candles but one and lies down but doesn't fall asleep until he hears his master's breathing even out.
Late that night a young hand slowly draws back the pavilion's flaps and silent bare feet enter then pause as the fabric whispers back into place. Angry blue eyes stare at the sleeping General then move on to glare with pure unadulterated hatred at his detestable servant. Lord Carl thinks hatefully to himself Uncle Hilliard is right. I'll teach that bastard of a servant a lesson in humility. Drawing Much's personal dagger which he stole from the servant's own cot, Lord Carl slowly creeps over to his sleeping General lifting the stolen dagger getting ready to strike but unwittingly passes in between the candle and the sleeping servant casting a shadow over his eyes. Much instantly awakens and instinctively reaches for his dagger but startles not finding it. Much stares at the back of the intruder and sees him lift a dagger ready to strike his master. Much, unable to stop his ingrained assassin training from taking over, leaps at the intruder and grapples roughly with him waking the sleeping Lord as he quickly removes the dagger from the intruder's grasp then draws the intruder's arm up in back of him causing a shout of pain as he swiftly brings his dagger up to the assassin's throat holding him tightly for his master. Much hears from the unrecognized man, "Much, I love you." and hesitates only for an instant before growling angrily in reply, "You are not my master!" As he ruthlessly slits the unknown assailant's throat he hears his true master cry out, "Much! Don't!" watching with satisfaction as the wide eyed man slumps to the ground gasping blood bleeding his life out onto the dark rugs.
Robin wakes to the sound of scuffling next to him and watches his protector grapple with an unknown assassin for a dagger. Robin swiftly wipes his blurred eyes and when he looks up again he recognizes Lord Carl firmly held in his servant's grasp with a dagger held against his throat and hears him say, "Much, I love you." Knowing that this is the worst thing Lord Carl could possibly say, he calls out earnestly to his trained protector, "Much! Don't!" but can only watch helplessly hearing his servant growl angrily in reply, "You are not my master!" as his dagger completes its lethal journey across the man's throat. Robin leaps up as Lord Carl drops to the ground and stares at his servant holding a dripping dagger in his hand staring stoned faced down at the dead man. Robin steps around the corpse, grips his best mate by his arms turning him towards him. Much stares blankly at his master and hears him say, "Much, it's me." Much, recognizing the man standing before him by sight, sound, and smell, blinks, then looks around. Feeling the dagger in his hand he looks at it and upon seeing the dripping blood looks down at the dead man at his feet and remembers what happened.
Much whispers panicked, "Master! He had my dagger poised ready to kill you. I… I couldn't let him." Robin, still holding onto his best mate's arms, shakes him and tells him firmly, "I believe you Much, but now we must get rid of his body, go get a wagon and hurry!" Much hands his master the bloody dagger, pulls on his boots and tunic then runs off to do his bidding. Robin crouches down staring at the young Lord's wide lifeless eyes on his still face shaking his head and tells him, "You knew how he feels about me and just how skilled he is, so why did you think you could kill me?" Robin reaches over and gently closes the young man's eyes, stands and sits on the edge of his bed thinking, staring, at his would be assassin while waiting for his servant to return.
Much arrives and quickly steps into their pavilion, then with his master's help picks up the dead Lord and places him in the back of the wagon. Much sadly covers him with a coarsely woven blanket then joins his master on the driver's bench and coaxes the horses out of camp and out into the open desert until they get far enough away to be unseen as they bury the corpse. Later as they ride back Much describes what happened and Robin tells him soothingly, "Thank you Much for protecting me, he knew how we feel towards one another and just how skilled you are so I don't understand why he would attempt to kill me, so it's his fault." Much shaking his head says despairingly, "It doesn't matter for I have killed a Noble and will be put to death for it." Robin sighs and tells him, "Only if someone finds out and the King doesn't believe us." Robin pauses then says as though trying to convince himself and his servant, "Don't worry Much I'm sure the King will believe us." Much sighs casting his gaze downwards and says despondently, "No master even to him I am still only a servant and am now a liability to you. When we get back I'll gather my belongings and leave so that you can truthfully tell the King that you could not stop me from killing Lord Carl and won't be killed because of me."
Robin stares dumbfounded listening to his best mate, then angrily draws back his arm and punches his servant on his jaw hard enough to knock him off the wagon, stands, and leaps down tackling him to the ground. Then rolling on top of him straddles his blood brother proceeding to punch and beat him yelling all the while at the hapless man who makes no move to protect himself, "YOU WILL NEVER SPEAK LIKE THAT AGAIN! YOU are my only brother, my best friend!" As his onslaught becomes lighter and tears form he continues to yell with his voice breaking, "You're the only one who loves me as much as I love you!" Landing one final halfhearted punch to his servant's jaw then leaning with his hands flat on his friend's shoulders tells him quietly, "You're all I have, if you leave me I'll die." Much opens his watering eyes gazing up at his master and asks sadly, "You would?" Robin takes a deep shuddering breath and tells him firmly, "As surly as you would." Much nods slightly and tells his only true brother solidly, "Then I'll stay." Robin sits back on his friend's abdomen and says sharply, "Good!" adamantly thumping Much on his chest with the knuckles of his fist to make his point then gets up and offers his hand to his best mate lifting him to his feet.
They proceed to brush one another off in the darkness then trod off under the infinity of stars in the direction of the still moving distant wagon and Robin says grievously, "Now we have to get those damn horses back." Much raises his fingers to his lips and whistles sharply. Robin watches as the horses turn and head back towards them. Robin stops and stares amazed at his blood brother who shrugs and says off handedly, "Servant!" Robin lifts his scared left hand which Much clasps firmly in his own gazing fondly at one another. Then dropping hands they continue to tread in the direction of the oncoming wagon climbing aboard as they meet it. Much takes up the reins and steers the horses back towards the encampment, glances at his best friend and says satirically, "You hit like a girl." Robin rears back and nails Much on is jaw again and says, "Oh yea?" Much, rubbing his jaw says defiantly, "Yea." Robin rears back again but Much swiftly grabs his wrist and together they laugh heartily.
After dropping off the wagon the two reenter their pavilion and Much rolls up the blood saturated rug and places it at the rear of their quarters, then using his hands buries the red stained sand and smooth's the clean sand until no trace of blood is left telling his master, "I'll take the rug and exchange it in the morning." Robin, sitting on the edge of his cot tells Much, "Good, now go to the barracks and gather all of Lord Carl's belongings and bring them here but do not answer any questions if asked." Much responds as he departs, "Yes Robin."
When Much returns with all of the young Lord's gear he tells his master, "Only Lord Mathew wanted to know why and kept staring at me as I gathered his gear." Robin replies, "He saw the bruises on your face and the blood on your breeches. We'll tell them that the two of you got into a fight and I sent him home in disgrace for not obeying my orders." Much looks himself over and shakes his head removing his clothing and piling them with the carpet to be cleaned then sits on the side of his cot looking hopefully at his master. Robin tells him confidently, "Don't worry Much! Nobody will ask after him, he wasn't that well liked." Much anxiously asks, "What shall I do with his gear?" Robin tells him, "For now we hide it. Then during our next mission we'll quietly dispose of it." Much rises and unsuccessfully tries to hide the young Lord's gear in the back of their pavilion with his own meager servant's belongings until he glances back and sees Robin staring daggers at him then disperses it so it's very well hidden between the both of them then returns to his bunk. Robin lies down and tells his protector, "Good night Much."
Much lies back and as usual waits for his master to sleep before doing so himself but after a while he hears Robin turn over and sees him staring at him by the single candle's flame. Much hears him ask quietly, "Remove your cap." Much removes his gray cap and hears his blood brother quietly tell him unequivocally, "Much, I have always felt as though we were meant to be together since birth. I don't know why but it's as if we are one person… Remember that." Much replies just as emphatically, "Yes Robin, I know. Ever since that day we met in mother's basket and you pushed then calmed me I have felt exactly the same way, I too don't know why but know it to be true." Much watches Robin nod and close his eyes then hears his breathing even out. Much says quietly, "Goodnight brother." replaces his cap and easily falls asleep.