7
"He's her uncle!" Allan exclaimed.
The outlaws were back at their camp after following Frankie to Nottingham.
"I knew she looked familiar." John said.
"How? I don't think they look alike at all." Kate said confused.
"No, I remember her. She used to come to Nottingham as a child. She was always running around Locksley. She was so sweet and friendly."
"Well are you sure she's related to the Sheriff then?" Said Allan cheekily.
"Yeah her mother was the women who came to Nottingham last spring. The Sheriff's sister, the one who died." John replied.
"Didn't she tie us up as well?" Much asked.
"Oh yeah, seems it runs in the family." Allan shrugged indifferently.
"Wait, let me get this straight. This has happened to you before?" Kate asked.
The silence that followed answered her question.
She laughed "I don't believe it."
Robin sat back from his gang listening to their meaningless banter. He felt lost. Meeting the girl in the forest had thrown him completely. Not just her similarity to Marion and the fact she was the Sheriff's niece, but the déjà vu he seemed to be experiencing since their fight in the woods. He sighed. He'd started to realise how monotonous his life had become. Stealing from the Sheriff had become too easy. Well he hoped this newcomer might bring some excitement to Nottingham. Or at least a break from the normal.
He shook himself, trying to pull himself out of the misery. It was doing him no good wallowing in self-pity.
Standing up, he glanced around at the rest of his gang. They had wandered away while he had been in a dream. He saw Much and Kate sat by the fire and Tuck and John sat by their beds cleaning their weapons while having a heated debate about something Robin couldn't hear. He smiled at the carefree attitudes of the other four, glad that at least someone was enjoying themselves.
Robin counted heads to make sure everyone was here and frowned as he realised someone was missing. He gazed around, searching for Allan but couldn't see him anywhere. Robin frowned and walked up to the top of the hill in their camp and looked down.
He looked around and spotted Allan sat with his back to a tree, gazing into the distance. Robin registered how unusual this was as Allan was normally in the thick of things causing mischief.
Robin wandered down the hill and sat down next to Allan. They sat in companionable silence for a while then Allan spoke up.
"Do you ever get the feeling that something's missing in your life?"
Robin frowned, bemused by this new side of Allan.
"No, course not." Robin said offhandedly.
Allan looked at him with a frown.
"Yes, all the time, it's terrifying."
They both laughed.
"I thought it was Marion." Robin said solemnly, "But if you're feeling it too, then maybe it's something more."
"I catch myself sometimes wishing I could have a normal life, which is ridiculous because I'd be bored stiff." Allan sighed, "It would just be nice to have the choice, you know?"
Robin nodded "Yeah, but I'm afraid we lost that choice when we became outlaws. Maybe when King Richard comes homes you'll have the chance for a normal family."
"What about you?"
"I lost that chance when Marion… when Marion…" His throat closed up as painful memories flooded over him again.
Unable to contain his emotions, tears flowed down Robin's face. They sat in silence both lost in thought. Then Allan put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"No matter how bad things look now, they'll only get better. Who know what's going to happen in the future. You just have to roll with the punches."
Robin was shocked.
"Wow, I think that's the most serious thing I've ever heard you say."
"Well that's it for the year, so don't get used to it." They both smiled.
"Master." Said Much who was standing at the top of the hill. "What are we going to do now?"
Robin glanced round at Much and saw the other three join him. He looked back at Allan.
"Well we can't sit here all day wallowing in self pity. We've got a job to do, people to rob, mouths to feed. But first." He said standing up and addressing the others as well.
"We have to pay a visit to our new acquaintance."