Whoop. Next chapter. Thanks for all the reviews! Dont you think it was so mean in this weeks episode where Daniel forgot Much and was like 'You're the servant, right?" That was so harsh! Anyone else think Mark was absolutely adorable? I wanna put him in my pocket and take him home.
Once the outlaws arrived back at their camp with the injured man, Djaq took him straight to her medical bay.
"I'll make the dinner shall I?" Much sighed and went to his cooking area.
"Thanks Much," Robin grinned and slapped his friend on the back.
"I'm not being funny but is this really such a great idea bringing him back to camp? I mean he's one of Gisborne's men and we only just designed this thing. Won't he just go right back to his masters and tell them where it is? And how it works? All Will's work down the drain and we'll have to move again," Allan pointed out.
"Not if he dies. He won't be going anywhere soon," Djaq spoke up from her lair, "Wow."
"What?" All the outlaws asked in unison, immediately looking over to the woman.
"He's young. Very young. For a soldier I mean and one of such high rank and bravery."
"How old?" Robin frowned coming over to their wounded guest's bedside. His helmet had been removed to reveal a youthful face, slightly scarred but quite handsome. Robin gaped in shock, "He looks about seventeen, eighteen at the oldest."
"And battle weary it seems," Djaq ran a long finger down the pink scar on her patients cheek.
"Do you think we should tie him down, you know if he wakes up?" Allan suggested as he joined the gathering followed by Will and John who were also curious as to their captive's age.
"He's not going to move, now, will you give me some space!" Djaq shooed the men away.
"Who wants chicken and who wants venison? I can't cook both so you have to come to a group decision," Much yelled from the other end of the camp.
"Venison!"
"Chicken!"
"Venison!"
"Venison!"
"Pork!"
"Allan, I didn't even give you the choice of pork!" Much cried exasperated.
"Fine, venison."
"Venison it is."
Much whistled as he cooked, adding bits of this and bits of that to the meaty stew he was preparing. He then shoved in some sliced carrots and declared the meal ready. Everyone hurried over, hungry after the long day, but Allan managed to make it to the front of the queue as usual.
"Oh come on, a bit more than that," he said incredulously looking at his measly portion, "I'm skin and bones here."
"Ha, you are not. Will and Robin are much thinner than you," Much laughed and ladled some of the stew in Will's bowl.
"Hey, he has more than me!"
"Have mine then if you want, Allan," Will offered him the bowl.
"Thanks mate," Allan took the proffered dish and took it along with his own before sitting down on a log.
"Allan! You can't eat Will's food!"
"He gave it to me, Much, so there," Allan stuck his tongue out at the cook.
"Will, you should eat," Robin walked passed with his bowl and put a hand on the younger man's shoulder. It was rather bony.
"Its ok, I'm not hungry."
"Well I am. Give me the food," Djaq grinned and thrust her plate at Much.
"So, how is the patient?" the former manservant queried as he helped himself to a considerable amount of stew.
"Look for yourself," Djaq replied, slurping her food.
"Elegant," Allan commented.
"I'm hungry," the woman shrugged.
Much stood up and wandered over to the medical bay. As he drew closer he caught sight of some messy dark hair and then the man's face. He stopped dead and dropped his bowl. It clattered noisily on the ground. The rest of the outlaws turned to look at him, confused at his gob smacked reaction.
"What's wrong, Much?" Robin asked, concerned, clambering to his feet from his log.
"I…he…Jesus…" Much murmured, his blue eyes wide as he stared at the boy on the bed.
"What?" He now had the attention of all the outlaws; it was not very often that Much was rendered speechless after all.
"Spit it out, Much!" Allan ordered.
"That…at least I think….yes….no one else had a scar like that…."
"Much?!"
"I think….he's named Eli Ashdown," the manservant spoke in barely a whisper.
"Yeah, and the significance of that is?" Allan was getting impatient.
"He's my brother ok, Allan, my little brother! Happy?!" Much finally burst out and sprinted out of the camp back door.
"Huh?"
"Well done, Allan, really smooth," Djaq sighed exasperated.
"Sorry," the man shrugged, "How come you never told us he had a brother?" He directed this question at Robin.
"I-I didn't know," Robin stammered, looking in the direction his best friend had gone.
"You didn't know? Whoa, well that's gotta be a shock," Allan whistled, "I thought you two told each other everything."
"So did I. I'll be back soon," with that Robin left the outlaw's dwelling.
Much had not strayed far. He was sitting in the bough of a low tree, his head resting in his hands and his whole form was quivering. Robin spotted him immediately and walked slowly over to the foot of the tree.
"Much?" He got no reply, "Much, please, you have to talk to me. I don't understand. I didn't know you had any family."
"That's because you didn't ask. You just assumed I was your servant from the day I met you," Much replied bitterly.
"Well," Robin felt guilty but he needed to know what was going on, "tell me now. I'm listening, like you've listened to me all these years." The outlaw leader gripped a tree branch and swung up beside his friend just a little way off, to give him space.
"What? Tell you about my past? My childhood before I became your servant?"
"Yes."
"You really want to know?"
"Yes."
"Ok, I ran away from home when I was ten and ended up on the Great North Road where I was picked up by your father and brought here," Much replied, stating the obvious.
"But before that Much, why did you run away?"
"My father beat me," Much answered bluntly causing Robin to do a double take.
"Your father beat you?"
"Yes, that's what I said wasn't it? That's why I have all those scars and bruises. He thumped me for the littlest thing. One time he battered me so bad I nearly died just for dropping a piece of meat on the floor. I was in bed for over a month. The doctor didn't think I would survive."
"But what of your mother?" Robin frowned, unable to believe a mother would allow her child to be hurt by this.
"She did nothing. She didn't even try and help. She stood and watched or just ignored it even when I was screaming at her for help," Much said resentfully, "At first the neighbours tried to help, they talked to my father but he scared them off almost immediately. My father was a big man - fierce and angry."
"Much, why didn't you ever tell me?" Robin asked sadly, wondering how his friend could've holed this up inside him for so long.
"I don't know," Much shrugged, "I guess I wanted to forget. But now Eli is back and it seems he suffered the same childhood as me. I knew Father would probably start on him after I left but I had to escape. That scar, on his face, that was the first time Father seriously hurt him. I was out, fetching bread, but when I came back Eli was rolling around on the floor, screaming and crying, his face covered in blood. Father had gone at him with the carving knife. He was five, Robin! A little kid."
Robin was seriously struggling to get his head round his friend's awful past. The details so terrifying and cruel. How could anyone do that to a ten year old let alone a five year old child who couldn't defend himself? Robin hated Much's father with a burning passion, much like the one he nursed for Gisborne, he wanted to seek revenge for Much. But, he reminded himself, Much had never gone back for revenge even when he was big enough and strong enough to fight his father, so why should he? Much had moved on, found a new life.
The leader of the outlaws suddenly cringed, realising how he'd always taken Much for granted, his happy go lucky, optimistic friend. He'd been just as cruel to Much as his father if not physically but mentally, with malicious and spiteful words. Yet Much stuck by his side.
It was then Robin realised Much's body was shuddering. He was crying. Well, he may not have been there for his friend all the time but he could be there for him now. Shuffling closer he put an arm round his faithful friend, offering comfort.
Some Robin and Much bonding there. I think they should have more of it in the show. They are best friends after all. Next chapter Eli wakes up. Oooh...REVIEW!