3
All the men were sitting around the fire when Robin walked out of the forest. He approached the camp with his bow over his shoulder, carrying two rabbit's by the ears. "Breakfast is served."
Muck sprang up from his seat by the fire to take the hare's from Robin's hand. He made quick work of skinning and gutting them before skewering them and laying them across the fire. The whole task took five minutes to complete, and Robin stood smiling at his eager friend while he prepared their meal.
Once the meat was over the fire Robin took a seat by the fire. Allan and John had composed themselves by this time and were in a heated debate over the easiest way to skin a trout. Daqe was sitting quietly, meditating. And Will was working with a piece of wood, creating who knows what.
Robin smiled faintly at his gang composed thus. He knew they were bored, it was as obvious as rain in the spring. The group had not had anything to do the past two weeks, and the lack of action was beginning to weigh on all of them. "Oy!" called Robin, " I been thinking that things have been a bit bor'in round ere. I should think it would be rather fun to venture into Nottingham and see what mischief we can cook up for the sheriff. What do you say?"
Allan, John and Much answered with a hearty "Hurrah!" They were as bored as Robin had expected, and longed for some excitement. Daqe looked up from her meditation and nodded with silent approval. Will was the only one who seemed against the idea.
Robin immediately noticed Will's lack of enthusiasm, stood and strode to where he sat not two yards away. "You don't want to join in this Will?" Robin asked.
"Well, it's…. it's just…you know I…. I…." Will's voice was soft. His word's, though broken, caught the attention of the rest of the gang, holding their own excitement at bay. "Robin ya see….I haven't seen me brother since our dad…."
"I know Will."
"Well I kind of need to see Luke, to be near him, ya know, to know he is all right."
Robin stared at Will's tormented face. Normally he hid his emotion well, but Robin had known him all his life, and knew that his father's death, coupled with the distance of his brother was torturing Will. As he looked at Will's pleading eyes, Daqe came to stand behind Will, and placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder. Will seemed to tense, but his eyes never left Robin. "Please, Robin… I have to see him."
"Go, go to Scarsdale. See Luke and give him our best," saying this Robin gave will a hearty shove on his shoulder. Will's face immediately broke into a huge grin. Robin looked to the rest of the gang, "the rest of us will go to Nottingham."
Daqe's eyes were set on Will as he turned to look at her. He gave her a smile and a nod, his eyes fixed on hers.
But Will's were not the only pair of eyes trained on Daqe. Across the fire Allan's gaze smoldered as he saw Daqe hold Will's gaze. He knew Will cared for her almost as much as he. Allan had tried to make himself appealing to Daqe, knowing that he and Will were secretly vying for her affection. But the look she just gave Will proved that he hadn't recommended himself well enough. His blood boiled in his veins. He knew Daqe was unaware of both his and Will's affection for her, but he had to find some way to get Will out of the way so his affections could be known, and possibly returned. Will didn't deserve her, didn't understand her as Allan did, and he would make sure Daqe would never be Will's.
