"Robin!" a friendly voice called to the lord of the manor. Robin turned to see an old friend coming towards him, his arms open wide. Robin smiled and embraced his hug. "Dan, it is good to see again. After so long." Robin laughed. "I knew you'd return, I said to the boys one day this would all end." Dan smiled holding onto robins shoulders and giving him a good look over, "Will! Luke! Come here!" Dan hollered over his boys. "My haven't you both grown!" Robin said obviously shocked at how different both the boys looked. "Boys this is Sir robin of Locksley, you probably only just remember him."
"Pleased to be re-acquainted with you, and I'm sure you've both eaten well?"
"Yes sir. It's been ages since we've had a proper meal!" Luke said smiling and ecstatic. "Actually we haven't had a decent meal since you left for the holy land…" Will added a smile curving his lips. "Well that is all about to change…" Robin added placing his hands on his hips, "I know, that's exactly what father kept saying to us, that when the rightful owner returns we'll all be fine and out of poverty." Luke told robin still almost jumping with joy.
Much sighed standing in the background of this happy reunion. "No one's happy to see me again…" he mumbled kicking a stone across the dusty ground. Sometimes he felt seriously undermined. "Now I must be off Much and I have a council of nobles to go to, we must carry on this catch up later." Robin said pulling away from the group and going over too Much. "Master, can I ask you a question?" Much asked a look of concern crossing over his features, "Of course Much you may."
"I do worry master that, well, I know it sounds strange, and of course people should not, but I can't help wondering –"
"Spit it out Much!"
"That people do not remember me." Robin stifled a laugh trying not to show much that he was laughing. "Do not laugh at me Robin! I am being serious! Sometimes I feel very looked over…"
"Oh Much, you should not be easily wounded." Robin said smiling as he threw an arm over Much's shoulder. "I remember you is that not enough?" Much just sighed and rolled his eyes, "I do hope you remember me! I went to war with you!" This annoyance on Much's face just made Robin smirk even more, "You are not over looked by me, I think of you very highly. And at the end of the day Much, isn't that all that matters?" Much rolled his eyes once more. "That is not the point master. The point is I have been your man servant ever since you became Lord of Locksley manor and your friend for even longer, I should be welcomed home with just as much happiness as you. I also deserve to be remembered."
"Much." He turned his head to Robin, "Have I ever told you I love you."
"So that means I want you to get me my taxes!" Sheriff Vasey shouted almost rising from his giant chair. "You need to squeeze those peasants dry! We need the taxes for the king! You cannot expect him to fight a holy war knowing we are not backing him all the way!" The sheriff sighed a look of pure anger on his features.
"Sorry I am late my lord! I hope I have not missed too much, as you can obviously understand I had to see to my villagers." Robins voice echoed through the seated area as his cheeky face appeared over the banister. Gisborne who was stood behind the sheriff sneered as he appeared. "Ah, Sir Robin. I hope your lands were kept to your liking." The Sheriff falsely smiled, something Robin could see right through, "I think they were kept to your liking." He retorted as he came down the stairs and made his way over to his chair. The sheriff did not answer. "Well I'm sure I join with everybody here in saying welcome back." All the nobles nodded in agreement, robin glanced to one in particular, Sir Edward of Knighton, and his daughter who was stood behind his chair; Lady Marian. Robin and Marian were caught in a glance for a moment, before her attention was drawn back to the sheriff's words. Robin sighed at her brush off, she was entitled to be mad at him; he'd run off to war. Although an ounce of hope crossed his eyes as seeing she was still by her fathers side, which meant she was still a maiden, un-married.
Much stood solidly behind robins chair just as Marian did with her father, and each servant with their noble. Much swallowed, this was extremely awkward and they were both getting evil stares from Guy, much decided to retort with a smile to him. That only received and even harsher scowl. He quickly stopped smiling and tried to focus his attention somewhere else, although Gisborne was making him very nervous. He swallowed and then the thing that much most dreaded happened, his stomach gurgled. The sheriff stopped talking and looked at Much, as did everyone else in the room, including Robin. Much just smiled embarrassed. "Locksley could you please keep your man servant quiet?!" The sheriff said with annoyance obvious in his voice. "I am sorry my liege," Robin drew himself away from staring at Much, and turned back to the Sheriff. "We have had very little time at home and so have had no time to eat anything. My servant is merely hungry. I apologise, it will not happen again."
"It better not." The Sheriff told robin shortly. "Anyway, that concludes this council of nobles, I expect you all to return with my taxes." Robin sighed standing he walked over to the Sheriff's table, a glance from Marian caught on his way. "Yes Locksley, what is it?"
" I hate to be a bother my lord, but I think you have one of my villagers in your dungeons." Robin said simply. "Do I? Probably, villagers these days don't know how to obey the laws, we must stamp in our authority."
"Yes but I would like to know his crime and see what his punishment is." The sheriff stared boredly at Robin for a moment. "What is his name?"
"Allan a Dale."
"Gisborne is there an Allan A Dale in the dungeons?" Vasey said turning to his 'right hand man'. "Yes there is, apart from he did not say he was from Locksley, he said he was from the Dales."
"Well he's probably been living there since I left, but I definitely remember him living in Locksley whilst I was here." Gisborne scowled for a moment. "Fine, you and your servant can go down there, talk to the jailer and he'll bring him up for you." The sheriff told robin with a sigh. "Thank you my liege." Robin and Much turned to leave, "Oh but Locksley." They looked back to the Sheriff and Guy. "You do know there is nothing you can do to save him from his awaiting fate."