Summer: Age 13
The arrow sailed straight embedding itself in the center of the crudely drawn target on the bail of hay.
Robin smiled as he lowered his bow.
Beside him Michael Tuck, drew his next shot and landed it slightly off center.
"Excellent, Robin," Tuck Sr. said, looking out from the workshop where he was hanging herbs to dry, "I see you've been practicing."
Robin beamed at the praise.
"Michael," Tuck nodded, turning back to wrapping a bushel of sage.
His son sighed, folding his long legs underneath him and standing from where he'd been sitting on the grass.
Robin stepped aside, allowing the other boy to step up and take aim. Michael's shot landed slightly off center of the target.
"Good," Tuck Sr. nodded as he wiped his hands on his apron and went inside the cottage, "Keep practicing!"
Michael sighed, letting his bow dangle by his side.
"What do you hate about it so much?" Robin laughed, lining up his next shot and landing it inside the target as well.
"Because I might some day have to use it!," the other boy grumbled, rolling his eyes as Robin shot two other arrows, placing them in a perfect line, "To you it's just a game!"
"Don't be daft!" Robin told him, "There isn't going to be a war!"
Michael frowed, shrugging his shoulders.
"You're just mad I'm finally better than you at something!" Robin shoved him playfully.
"You mean besides reaching high shelves?" Michael shove him back, conspicuously towering over the older but shorter boy.
Growling, Robin dropped his bow, charged, and headbutted Michael in his stomach. The two fell to the ground wrestling each other until a stalemate was reached with both boys pinning each other in the grass.
"Alright!" Tuck Sr. broke up the lighthearted fight, "I think that's enough for today."
The two broke apart, standing up and dusting themselves off. Both picked up their bows and carried them into the Tuck cottage. Robin hung his on the set of hooks on the wall with a wistful sigh. He wished he could take it home with him, but when Tuck Sr. made him this bow they both knew that it was something that would have to be kept from his father.
"Robin," Tuck called as he headed for the door. Robin turned to him questioningly.
"This is for your mother," the apothecary held out a pouch to him, "Tell her to mix it with a cup of tea twice a day."
Robin nodded, taking the pouch and storing it in the pocket of his tunic.
"I'll try to come by to see her later this week."
"Thank you," he answered.
"Alright, lad, best be getting home," Tuck said, walking him to the door of the cottage to see him off.
After waving goodbye to both his friends, Robin set out on the path back to the castle.
The courtyard was bustling with activity when he got back, servants running every which way. They stopped briefly to nod to him before hurrying along their way.
Furrowing his brow in confusion, Robin jogged up the steps. The front door was wide open, letting in light and warm air.
As he reached the main room, he was surprised to see his mother up and in one of her finer gowns.
"Mother?" he asked.
"Robin!" she turned, "There you are!"
"What's going on?"
"We're having a visitor," Lady Gwendoline explained, "He'll be here any minute so I need you to get washed up!"
"A visitor? Who? Does Father know?"
"You'll see in a moment," she rushed him toward the stairs, "Go get washed!"
"Wait," he spun out of her grasp to pull the pouch from Tuck out of his pocket, "Tuck gave you this."
Her eyes flashed gratefully at the sight of it.
"Oh, thank you, my love," she breathed, taking it from his hands.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked quietly.
She looked up, meeting his eyes with brief alarm, but quickly put on a brave face, "I'm fine. Hurry now!"
He knew she was lying. With a sigh he climbed the stairs and made his way toward his room to change into clean tunic.
When he emerged, he ran into Hester coming out of her room.
"Ah!" she exclaimed, "Watch where you're going, you oaf!"
"You watch where you're going!" he shot back. As the two walked down the stairs together he took in the fancy gown and hood she was wearing. It was her best dress but he wasn't sure whether their mother had instructed her to put it on or whether she'd simply taken any excuse to dress up, "Do you know who's coming?"
"Mother says it's our cousin," Hester smiled.
"What cousin?" he asked in confusion.
"I don't know," she said as she leapt down from the last step, "But it must be someone important. Mother's been running around all morning getting ready!"
"Does Father know?" Robin asked.
"I don't know," she answered, "But Father won't be back for another few weeks."
The boy frowned, but walked alongside his sister to the main hall and out to the courtyard. Their mother was already there alongside an anxious looking Wynnifred.
When she caught sight of them, she took in her two children, nodding in approval at their appearances.
Her attention was quickly drawn by the distant sound of hoofbeats. Instantly she turned toward the gate standing tensely as she awaited the approaching rider.
Robin and Hester both stood on tip-toe in an effort to see who was coming.
He wanted to run to the guard gate to get a better look, but a sharp glance from Wynnifred rebuked the idea before he could even voice it.
Finally, the rider came into view, revealing himself to be a man on a great white steed with an attendant following on an equally impressive tan horse.
The two children watched in awe as the riders clattered through the gate and across the stone courtyard, bringing their mounts to a stop near the steps.
Drawing herself up, Gwendoline smiled widely as she made her way down the steps, "Roland."
The lead rider dismounted gracefully. He wasn't wearing armor, and his clothes were utilitarian, though, still obviously of expensive leather and wool. Even off his horse he cut an impressive figure.
After his attendant dismounted, he handed off the reigns to him and climbed the steps to meet her.
"Cousin, you look a bit thin. Have Locksley lands fallen on hard times?" he asked as he took her hands and leaned in to kiss her cheek, "Not that you aren't still the fairest in all the land."
"I am an old married lady," Gwendoline laughed off the compliment, "However, I assure you we are doing quite well. These are my children, Robin and Hester. Children, this is my cousin Earl Roland."
He nodded to them, "Hello."
Hester simply stared. Robin, however, managed to shake off his silence to step up and offer his hand, "Hello, Sir."
Smirking in amusement, the man shook his hand firmly, "Hello to you, Cousin. And you Miss."
Blushing, Hester bobbed a curtsey.
"Come," Gwendoline said, taking his arm to lead him into the castle, "I have some wine and fruit waiting."
"Lead the way then," Earl Roland laughed.
At Wynnifred's direction, Robin and Hester waited by curiously as their mother hosted her cousin in the main room until a maid arrived to announce that dinner was ready.
The four moved to the dining room where the table was laid with plates of bread, fruit, sweetmeats, and roast boar.
"My," Roland commented as Gwendoline led him to the head of the table, "This is quite a king's welcome. What have I done to deserve such luxury?"
"Don't be silly," Gwendoline teased, "We are family."
Robin could see from the man's expression that he wasn't quite convinced, but he didn't press the issue, "I see. Well then let's enjoy this fine meal."
Robin, Hester, and their cousin dug eagerly into their dinner while Gwendoline, as was her habit of late, ate sparingly.
Over the course of the meal the conversation turned to the company of knights that Earl Roland commanded that were presently deployed to patrol the northern borders of the kingdom.
"How long are you in the north?" Robin asked.
"During the warmer months," Roland answered, taking a sip of wine, "My companies are patrolling now. I had to leave them to carry a message to the king, but I am on my way back now. Luckily the Locksley holdings were on the way so I had a chance to visit my cousin and family. We keep the mountains safe until they are blocked by the first snow fall, then we return to our homes for the winter."
"Your wife doesn't mind?" Hester asked.
"I'm not married," Roland answered, "Perhaps some day...if I meet the right woman."
"I've heard there's trolls in the mountains!" she went on excitedly, "Have you seen any?"
He laughed, "No, Lady Hester, I'm afraid I haven't encountered any trolls. I'm afraid they're quite rare these days. Mostly my men and I find bandits and highwaymen who make life difficult for the villages."
"Is that why the king sent you there?" Robin asked, "To look for outlaws?"
The man paused at the question, exchanging a tense look with Gwendoline.
"Among other things," he finally answered.
"Alright, that's enough questions, finish your supper," Gwendoline instructed.
They ate the rest of their meal in relative quiet before retiring to the main hall. There Gwendoline instructed the children to say goodnight to their cousin.
Hester stepped forward first, long since having gotten over her initial shyness in their cousin's presence, "Goodnight, Cousin Roland. It was lovely meeting you! You will come see us again soon?"
"If fate permits, Lady Hester," Roland smiled at her, turning to Robin to shake his hand, "Master Robin, good to meet you."
Robin returned the handshake before heading to the stairs with his sister.
Once they were out of an earshot, Hester said to him, "This so exciting! I wonder why he's here?"
"You only wonder that because you think he's handsome."
"Don't be daft!" she protested, "He's our cousin!"
"Yes, that's why you should be ashamed of yourself," Robin teased.
"You shut up!" she stomped her foot, "Did you see how odd Mother was acting?"
"No," Robin lied.
"Well she was up all morning," Hester said conspiratorially, "You know how tired she gets. Something must be going on."
"You're imagining things," Robin told her, refusing to think about the truth in what she'd said.
"I'm going to find out what it is," she declared.
"And how will you do that?"
"Easy," she said proudly, tip-toeing back to a spot near the landing of the stairs, "If I stick to the shadows I can sneak down to hear them!"
"That's foolish."
"Well if you're too scared…" she turned, turning away from him.
"Do what you want but don't blame me if you get caught!"
Hester stuck out her tongue in response and continued sneaking down the stairs.
Shrugging off his sister's stubbornness, Robin continued along to his bedroom, trying not to admit that he was also curious.
* 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 *
"Robin!" he was jolted awake by Hester poking him in the ribs.
"Ah!" he startled, groaning at he made her figure out in the dark, "What?!"
"I know why he's here!"
"What?" he repeated.
"Cousin Roland," she said in exasperation, "I know why he's here!"
Robin groaned, covering his arm with his eyes.
"It's to take you away!" she said.
He looked up at her, "What?"
"Mother wants him to take you away to his arm! I heard her say so?"
He was fully awake now.
"You can't go, Robin! You can't leave me here!" he could hear her tearing up.
"I'm not going anywhere, Hes," he promised as he stood up, "Just go back to bed."
"But-"
"Go," he insisted making his way to the door, "I'll go see what they're saying."
As the light from the candles in the hall poured in he could see her frown. Rushing forward, she hugged him around his middle.
He hugged back, before urging her again to go to her room.
She left with a nod.
Once he heard her door close he slowly crept halfway down the steps until he could make out voices in the main hall.
"As much as we may be glorified magistrates, I command an army, Gwen, not a nursery," Roland said.
"Robin's thirteen now," his mother insisted, "In two years he'll be old enough to become a squire anyway! And since he's family no one will say anything if you take him early."
"What does Lord Walter think of this?" Roland asked.
He was met with silence.
"You haven't asked him?"
"Roland-" his mother started.
"Gwen, you can't just send his son away to apprentice without his permission!"
"I'm trying to do what's best for my son!"
He heard Roland sigh, "You know this sort of life is difficult? And it can be dangerous! As a second son I have little choice, but Robin will inherit some day. As his heir, surely his father will teach him what he needs to know?"
His mother spoke very measuredly, "I think some...outside influence would be good for him."
"Why do you say that?"
Robin didn't the get the chance to hear her answer as he heard the creaking of the bottom steps, likely Wynnifred coming up to check on them.
He scrambled back up the steps and ran as quietly as he could back to his room.
With the door safely closed behind him, he took a deep breath. His chest felt hot as he sucked in air.
Hester had been right. His mother wanted to send him away!
* 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 *
The rest of the night had been fitful for him, and he woke early that morning at the echoing of hoofbeats in the courtyard.
Springing up, he threw open the shutters and saw Earl Roland's valet leading their horses from the stable.
Moving quickly, he changed into his breeches and tunic, and raced to the front door.
It was already open, his mother and Roland standing side by side.
He quickly stopped before they could hear him approaching.
"Have you thought about what I said?" his mother asked.
Roland sighed heavily, "When I come back down for the winter...if Walter agrees, I'll consider it."
"Thank you, Roland," his mother said, the relief audible in her voice.
With a brief kiss on her cheek, Roland mounted his horse and rode alongside his valet out the gate, onto the road north.
Gwendoline stared after him quietly until Robin broke the silence, "So it's true, then?"
She startled whirling around, "Robin! You frightened me…"
"You want me go away?!" he demanded.
Her breath catching in alarm, she tried to calm him, "Robin, I-"
"You asked him to take me away!" he protested, "You don't want me!"
With that he whirled, preparing to flee her presence.
"Robin wait!" she yelled, running inside after him.
"Robin-" she gasped, falling to her knees in the middle of the hall.
He turned back, prepared to fight her fruther, but was alarmed to see her swaying on her hands and knees.
"Mother?" he asked.
She tried to push herself up but wavered.
"Mother!" he ran over to catch her as she stumbled against him, lightheadedness over taking her.
"Help!" Robin yelled, "Someone help!"
The comotion drew the attention of a couple maids who reacted with horror upon seeing their lady nearly fainting.
"M'lady!" the ran over, helping lower her to the floor.
"What happened?" the older one asked.
"I don't know!" Robin said, his voice shaking, "She started to fall!"
"Run and fetch a groom from the stables! Hurry!" the older maid said, sending him racing across the courtyard.
When he returned with one of the grooms the maid's young boy was dispatched to run to the Tuck cottage, and the groom lifted Gwendoline from the hall to carry her up to her chambers.
Robin followed, Hester joining them having been awoken by the commotion. Wynnifred stopped them short of following their mother into her chamber, though.
After what felt like forever, Tuck Sr climbed up the stone steps and was immediately shown into Gwendoline's chamber.
Robin tried to catch a glimpse inside, but the door slammed behind him too quickly.
Hester reached down, taking his hand and squeezing it encouragingly.
Finally, Tuck came out.
"Is Mother alright?" Robin demand.
"Yes," Tuck nodded, "She's resting now."
"I want to see her-"
Hester ran toward the door but Tuck managed to grab the back of her nightgown, "She needs to sleep now. Why don't you get dressed and you can see her later?"
A nod to Wynnifred helped usher Hester back to her room.
"Robin," Tuck said, "Will you come with me?"
As the two walked down the steps, Robin finally spoke, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset her-"
"I understand," Tuck said, "But she needs to rest. You must help her do that."
"And she'll get better?" Robin asked.
He paused on their way to the front door, "It will help her."
He nodded quickly, "Okay, I will."
Tuck put an encouraging hand on Robin's shoulder before excusing himself back to his cottage.
After the doors closed, Robin walked back to the main room and climbed the steps upstairs. There he found his mother's door open, and Hester talking quietly with her while she lay in bed.
He stopped to watch from the doorway. Looking over, she held out a hand beckoning him to her.
"Robin…"
Swallowing he stepped into the room, "Mother, I'm sorry-"
"It's alright, my love," she assured him, "Just sit with me for a while."
She setled her head back into a pillow, eyes sliding shut. Standing on opposite sides of the bed Robin and Hester met each other's eyes briefly, but found little to say to each other.
