Much liked Sicily. Not counting the few hellish hours that felt like eternity, when Much's heart froze in his chest and he knew for certain that either he, or Robin, or both would be slaughtered in the battle to free Princess Johanna, or was it Queen Johanna?, Much found Sicily a lovely place. Especially this mild winter's evening, celebrating Twelfth Night.

King Richard certainly knows how to host a party, Much was thinking, his belly full and his wine chalice empty. But it wouldn't be empty for long, not tonight, when everybody was having so much fun.

Much's only anxiety centered around the Lord of Misrule. So far, he had been spared Misrule's orders, and he'd laughed as hard as anyone at watching Leicester and others perform the silly antics they had been told. He only hoped Misrule would continue to spare him tonight.

"I've spent enough time, being the brunt of jokes, thank you!" he said out loud, to no one in particular.

When a female voice answered him, just at his elbow, he nearly dropped his wine-cup.

"Soldier," she said, making Much wonder whom she could be talking to, "where is your master?"

Much looked left, then right, then spun a full 360 degree turn, just to find the soldier the lady was addressing.

And she wasn't just any lady, either! She was none other than King Richard's youngest sister Johanna, Princess of England and lately, Dowager Queen of Sicily.

"Yes, I am addressing you," she explained with a regal, amused, indulgent smile, reminding Much of her mother, Queen Eleanor. "You must get used to being called 'Soldier' now, for that's what you are. I thank you for your part in rescuing me."

Much was flattered. Flattered and flustered. For a Dowager Queen, she certainly looked young. Not to mention beautiful.

She was clad entirely in deep velvet green and gold, with emeralds to match her glittering green eyes, and a filigree net holding up her red-gold hair. Tall, slender, and elegant, she seemed to Much like a Princess from a fairy story, so perfectly lovely did she appear. For once, he was speechless.

But, being Much, he didn't remain speechless for long.

"You're welcome, Your Highness," he stammered. "Your Majesty! Oh, which is it? I know it's 'Highness' for Princess, which you are, and 'Majesty' for Queen, which you also are, or should I say were? There's always so much to remember!"

The young man's sudden outburst took Johanna by surprise, though her only indication was a slight widening of her eyes. "Why don't we make it easy, and I let you call me 'Joan,' as your master does? Where is he, by the way?"

Much couldn't believe his good fortune. "Joan?" he asked, delighted, though bewildered. "Oh no, I couldn't! I'm only Much, you see, not a lord or an earl or anything, like Robin, so I hardly think-"

"Tell me, Much," the princess interrupted in a slightly more commanding tone, "where I might find your master. He's disappeared, just when I need him to lead me in a dance. You wouldn't by any chance know his whereabouts, would you?"

At last, Much seemed to understand her question. "Robin? Oh, Robin'll be outside, on the castle battlements, having a nice chat with Marian."

Johanna wondered if she'd heard the young man correctly. "Marian?" she asked in surprise, for once dropping her elegant demeanor. "I had no idea Lady Marian of Knighton was travelling with my brother's army!"

"Oh, no, Your...Your...Your Joan Highness Majesty Person! She isn't! Marian, with the army? That would be...would be...what's the word I want that means outrageous? Marian, with the army? HA! Why, she'd probably pick up a sword and want to fight alongside us! Though why anyone would enjoy such a horrible, ghastly thing as battle, is beyond me! The only good part about fighting was when the other army surrendered, and we could stop! Though even that wasn't good, with all the dead bodies surrounding us, and the men who hadn't died crying out in agony!"

"It's better not to dwell on it," Johanna said soothingly. "It's all over, for now. But back to your master. You say he's on the battlements, chatting with Lady Marian? I don't understand."

"Now you know how I feel, most of the time! But, yes! You see, it all started years ago, when Robin and Marian first learned they were betrothed. They were already deeply in love, though you won't catch either one of them admitting it, and Robin came up with a plan. He decided, and Marian agreed, that whenever they were separated, like when he had to go to Court, for example, they would step outside at the same time, look up at the stars, and imagine they were together. And it's that time now, so you see, that's where he is. Though I must say, he's been gone a long time. He must have all kinds of things to tell her, which, if you think about it, isn't really fair to me. He never tells me anything!"

"What a romantic your master is! But I thought I heard he and Lady Marian had called off their wedding."

Much snorted, then covered his mouth with his hand, realizing it wasn't good manners to snort before royalty. But the Princess Dowager Queen didn't appear to notice.

"Marian called it off," he hastily explained, "making Robin angry and impossible to live with! But he never stays mad at her for long. So you see, even though they haven't spoken or written a word to each other, not counting the conversations he has with her from the battlements, or in his sleep, which I've caught him doing more nights than I care to mention, he is sure he can get her to forgive him, as soon as the Crusade is over, and we can go home, which can't happen soon enough for me! Robin says it will be a few months more, by summer at the latest, but I'm hoping we'll be home by spring. I do so love an English spring! Though I must say, winter in Sicily is certainly pleasant! A man could get used to this climate, if he-"

Not wanting to waste another moment listening to the servant's endless stream of words, Johanna excused herself, saying, "You've been very helpful. Why don't you enjoy some more wine? There's nothing like the wine from Tuscany."

"Yes! Thank you! It is good, isn't it?"

Happy to escape, Johanna quickly departed, then climbed the stairs to the castle battlements, to look for Robin.

A mild evening, a star filled sky, the sound of the sea below them...what could be better for a private tete a tete with the handsome and dashing Robin of Locksley?

Johanna quickened her steps, her heart racing in anticipation. This would surely prove to be the most glorious Twelfth Night either had ever experienced!