Another chapter lacking smut I'm afraid mates. This one has a lot more of those gushy aww moments, and less of those flirty innuendos we've all come to love and know of the Archer in my tale. Well, stay tuned and see how it progresses…
I don't own BBC Robin Hood, or any of characters, with the exception of the OC.
Comment if you like, they are appreciated but never forced. Enjoy.
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The itching had subsided, but the itching he had for her didn't falter. She had been so challenging, so difficult, she was impossible compared to the countless noblewomen that he had so easily melted with his words and a cheap smile. She didn't seem to fall for his tricks of mouth or flattery. She obvious knew his dark intentions…but perhaps she didn't quite know at full what his intentions were with her?
Months had passed since she was caught in his trap…quite literally…and joined up with them. Even a week had passed from the intimate night they shared together by the fire, as she tended to his wounded body with the ointment she had made specifically for his ailment. He wasn't accustomed to anyone doing anything specifically for him, especially without the promise of gain in return. He understood this barter system. But this…was new, he couldn't quite grasp this system. Despite his best and quite frankly obvious efforts in courting her, all took to failure, as he would near her and say some devilish immoral taunt or flirt teasingly whispering in her ear, and she in response would storm off and roll her eyes or fire back with some sarcastic smartass comment. Leaving him with a smirk on his face and a chuckle resounding in his voice.
They had taken to stolen glances now, when they thought the other wasn't looking. He had watched her even more intensely, and not just at her when she bent down or swayed her hips when she walked, but at her…when she helped mend the fire, gather wood, talk with the others, laugh with the others, even as she moved strands of hair from her face, running fingers through the blacken strands. He watched her, all of her. And she did him. Despite the previous reassuring she had given herself. He was obviously handsome in his own right that she knew, and oh how he wielded that fact coupled with smooth words like a sharpened dagger. But aside from that, she began to see past the exterior rogue charmer extraordinaire who always painted his face with a sideways smile.
She began to see him, he was more like his brother than she or anyone could've imagined. Despite his obvious skill with the bow…he was obviously his brother Robin's match in both skill and talent…he was contemplative like Robin, when he wasn't chatting with the group or helping around camp, he was off sitting alone lost deep in thought, and he was able to strategize with the best of them, he was a brilliant thinker, a planner, and he thought on his feet….he was even a natural born leader like Robin, he easily and effortlessly took command of the group with no protests. He was loyal like Robin, despite his misleading guise as one only out for profit and gain…he had a sense of right and wrong, of loyalty…he never would leave a friend behind, or turn his back on those in need, and most importantly, he was kind…just as Robin was…he showed so much kindness, so much compassion to others…to the poor, and wretched…he committed these acts even when no one was around to see them done, or he thought no one was watching. She often wondered how someone so vastly, and inconceivably different from Robin could be so similar, so much the same…and yet so different at the same time.
One night after dinner, while the rest of the group occupied their time elsewhere, it was just she and Archer again sitting by the fire. She had began almost habitually fidgeting with one of the many bracelets she wore, as she lost her in thought.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Hmm…?…nothing…" she said broken from her day dreaming thoughts.
"You fidget a lot…and you wear quite a number of adornments milady…" Archer piped.
"…and so? Your point being?"
"Mmm…nothing just merely stating an observation." he said now smirking, "…it actually shows your colorful personality m'dear…it adheres to you love."
Great, she thought as he took to his usual teasing of her.
"…in fact I don't think in all my travels I've ever seen so many adornments on one woman, not even on a noble…"
"…have you now." Anna said getting a little peeved, and trying to not fidget with the bracelets on her wrist.
"…it's befitting for you…you're hardly plain…" he said honestly, getting to his feet and about to turn and leave.
There was a seriousness in his tone that she was able to sense, and she looked up at him as he turned, and said, "Archer…".
He turned back around to face her, "Yes?" he responded.
"…do you ever question what we're doing…if it's worth it…or if it'll even make a difference…I mean of course what we're doing is the right thing to do…but if things were different…I mean if we even survive to see England free…what then…what are we suppose to do after all this is over?" she looked away from him and forwards into the fire, trying to see past it into the uncertain future that lay ahead.
It was silent for a few moments, he didn't say anything to her instead, he sat back down closer to her near.
"…I haven't really thought about it to be honest…I imagine after this is done I shall go back to weaponry, it proved lucrative enough, maybe this time I'll be more careful about not getting myself caught and actually deliver on the goods…make an honest business out of it." he said chuckling.
"What of Locksley?…with Robin…having…passed…and technically you being the son of his father as well…then I suppose…you would…"
"…well damn, I never even thought of that milady…though I'm sure they could find better governing Lord's, then a illegitimate bastard noble born out of wedlock and adultery…I mean they have a pick of good young blue-blooded, lazy, spoiled, and high maintenance noblemen to choose from…but I suppose it's something to consider now isn't it…" he replied with a smirk and a wink.
"…and you're not high maintenance?" Anna said teasingly.
"Ha!…hardly love, that's one thing you can trust me on…" Archer said laughingly, "…and what of you milady…after this is all over?"
"…I imagine I shall go back to the circus or thievery…" she said, "…it was after all…really the only thing I was ever good at…".
"…oh I highly doubt that good lady."
"…I'm hardly good." she said in a breathy laugh.
"…neither am I, but you did manage to say the same for me…however in your case…it's a matter of truth and not of opinion…"
"…right." she said laughingly, "…opinion masking around in the guise of truth."
"Yes…exactly in both the same and in separate…you hold high in both truth to me and in my opinion…"
Archer was straight-faced and now he too was looking into the fire, trying to see past the uncertainty. Anna didn't quite know how to respond his statement, it lacked the usual suave, flirtatious tone she had expected to come paired with such words.
"And regarding also what you said…yes…I have thought about it…but…let me assure you milady, what we're doing here may not have importance or make a difference afterwards…but it makes a difference now…this is the right thing to do…and before…if things had been different I would most likely be dead laying in an unmarked grave somewhere…" he chuckled slightly, shifting back into a serious tone, "…I would be living a life without purpose…and I would never have met you…".
Anna started to blush meekly, unsure of what exactly to say or do in response to this…his sudden honest tone, and plain spoken words…with no loaded innuendos hidden beneath them…she didn't know how to respond to what he had said…
And like that Archer rose to his feet again, turning to leave, as he did so he said facing away from her, "Goodnight milady…"