Robin was nearly dead and Much had been taken captive. I felt as if someone had just ripped my heart out and stomped on it. Things were not going far from well. England was in need of a savior, but who? Robin seemed to have forgotten everything he stood for. He cast the title of "Robin Hood" aside as easily as one does a piece of rotten food.

Little did I realize that the miracle God spoke of was to come in the form of a man I had never met. A man with dark skin and dressed like a friar. When I first saw him, I thought him to be your everyday ordinary man of God, but I was soon to learn different.

When I first noticed him, he was in the forest, wading through the river towards a body: Robin. I thanked this kind stranger and watched with hope as he brought Robin to a cave. As he lay Robin on the ground, he spotted a piece of string around his neck with a ring on it. My ring. The ring Robin had given me when we got married.

I smiled. Robin wore it with him. A small reminder of his love for me. It was his reminder. It was all he had left of me.

The man studied the ring for a few seconds, then he removed the string from around Robin's neck. Time passed and Robin was lying with nothing but a blanket over him and the man was rubbing Robin's body trying to get him warm. He had also gotten a fire going.

"Come on." he said. He moved the blanket up higher and felt for a pulse. "Come on. I didn't come all this way for you to die on me before we even started."

What did he mean? I felt my hope for England and for the return of "Robin Hood" rising. Could this man help? Could he bring Robin back to his senses?

Suddenly, we caught the sound of voices. Soldiers. I realized that they were probably searching for Robin's body in order to prove that he really was dead. The man drew a knife and I recognized Guy's voice shouting orders.

The scene shifted and Guy was by the river. I didn't notice it before, but now I could see differences in him. Before he had always been well dressed and clean shaven. Now his clothes looked like they hadn't been washed for weeks and neither had his hair. The change, no doubt, came from his guilt. I pitied him.

"Where are you?" he shouted, not really expecting a response. He poked the ground with a stick, searching.

"Lost something, my friend?" Guy turned and saw the friar standing behind him.

"What did you say?" Guy all but hissed at him.

"Sir Guy, isn't?" The friar didn't look frazzled by Guy's behavior and I had to respect him for that.

Guy drew his sword. "Who are you? And what are you doing here?"

"Man of God traveling north, finding shelter where I can."

Guy lowered his sword and moved around him as if it leave. "I congratulate you." the man said, stopping Guy in his tracks, "You struck a great blow in the war against lawlessness, it must give you joy."

"Have you seen a body?"

"No, I have no corpse." I admired this man's ability to lie so smoothly, especially considering his profession. "The river's taken maybe."

"Maybe." Guy looked around. He started to walk away.

"You seem troubled, my friend." said the friar, following him. Guy stopped and the man moved to stand next to him. "Can I offer you a simple supper? Or a confession?" He reached his arm out to place his hand on Guy's shoulder, but Guy back away. "Sooth whatever it is that disturbs your mind."

This man has very keen insight. I realized. He didn't know Guy well, but he could tell that he was greatly troubled.

"No," said Guy passionately, "I knew to keep searching. I want to find him, not to sooth my mind." Guy left and the man watched him go, but didn't follow him.

Time passed again and I saw the friar return to the cave in time to see Robin regain consciousness. He didn't open his eyes right away, but he coughed instead. I felt relieved. For the first time I was sure that he would live for many more days.

Robin opened his eyes and coughed again. The man was soon by him and held Robin's head up. "Robin, can you hear me?"

"Who are you?" Robin's voice was little more than a whisper. "Where am I?"

The friar didn't answer right away. Instead he lowered the blanket away from Robin's chest and placed his hands on his arm. "I said, who are you?"

"Brother Tuck." he answered with a smile. Tuck. I liked the name. I didn't know why, but it just seemed to fit this strange, but kind man of God. "Now," he told Robin, "hold still."

"What are you doing. Wait, don't..." he cried out in pain as Tuck pulled on his arm. Robin groaned and then coughed some more as Tuck gently placed his arm on his chest.

"Dislocated." he explained. "I didn't want to touch it until you were on the mind."

"Did I kill him?" Robin asked. No, and thank goodness for that! And you, Robin of Locksley, will not be killing him anytime soon!

"No." Tuck shook his head.

"Well," said Robin tried to sit up, "then I have to finish..."

"Whoa, you're not going anywhere." Tuck told him, holding him down. "Be still."

"You best let me up!" said Robin angrily. He tried to get up, but Tuck was stronger and held him down.

"I said, be still!" Tuck punched, knocking Robin out. "Rest in peace, my son." I actually laughed aloud. This man had guts! He replaced the blanket over Robin.

I smiled. My sadness and my despair were now gone. I felt sure that Tuck was just the man Robin needed to help recover and once again make a difference.