Does He Understand Flight, the Pale One?

Chapter Seven

When Robin, Much, John, Allan, and Tuck all arrived in Nottingham a few hours before sundown, they saw everything was busy as usual, as the street vendors were out selling food, cloth for clothes, as well as jewelry and accessories to those travelling through from other towns, or to anyone who could afford these things, which not many could thanks to the Sheriff and Guy of Gisborne, who stole their money and what little the people actually could afford.

When Robin spotted the person he had come into town to see, he quickly looked back at John and said, "You know better than any of us the kind of herbs Djaq needs. Take Brother Tuck with you. I have to see someone about what it means to steal from someone worse off than he is."

Allan looked at their leader quizzically as he asked, "If you're talking about talking to the Sheriff or Gisborne again, don't you think it's a little useless? How many times will it take for you to realize that they won't ever change?"

"Of course I'm not talking about them," Robin replied as he glared back at their friend who had once betrayed them until he saw his mistake and fought at their side once again. "I spoke with an old friend of my father's. He was robbed by someone claiming to be the Night Watchman."

"I can't believe someone would think they can impersonate Marian!" Much exclaimed in confusion. "Or at least who they believed her to be."

John added, "Whoever is doing so must be trying to destroy the Watchman's good name if he or she is stealing from the poor. Who is doing this?"

Robin responded, "Someone whom I don't believe is trying to sully her good name, only someone who is hungry and he certainly does love the theatrics."

"You don't mean…?" Allan began to ask, then cut himself off when their leader smiled.

"That's right, Nottingham's very own Fool," the thief answered smugly. "I caught sight of him when we came through here last night. He was still dressed in the Watchman's gear, without the mask. I didn't think much of it then until my father's friend mentioned he had been robbed. But this isn't like the Fool. We may not know him well, but he is an ally. He wouldn't steal from Nottingham's people unless he had a reason, a good reason. That is why I want to talk to him."

All of a sudden, the very man they were speaking about appeared behind the outlaws as he quickly replied, "I'm grateful that you would still defend me, though I give you reason to doubt me, Sir."

Much glared at him as he shouted, "You! How did you…? Master, we should do more with him than simply talk with him. I think we should deliver him right to the Sheriff so that they can arrest him."

"He doesn't really mean that," Robin responded as he looked over at the Fool, while John and Tuck walked off to get the supplies. "Much just doesn't like being snuck up on, or being surprised at all really. What are you doing? You robbed an old friend, who doesn't have hardly anything at all."

"Who didn't have anything at all, you mean?" the man answered cheekily.

They all looked at him quizzically as Robin asked, "What are you talking about?"

The Fool sighed and then replied, "Late yesterday afternoon, I was having me self a drink in a tavern and I happened to see Guy of Gisborne walk inside, then take a seat at a table along with your friend, as well as one other gent, the other whom I did not recognize. From the way he dress, he was clearly not from anywhere around here. Your friend I've seen a few times there. I actually met with him once, seemed like a decent man. But after a few minutes into his meeting with Gisborne, any respect I had for him changed."

"Did you hear what it was they were saying?" Robin asked again.

"Not really, no," he responded in frustration. "I could hear them say a few words here and there, something about you lot… Gisborne hating you and such I suspect, and I believe he mentioned something about the other guy owing him a favor I think. And then I finally saw Gisborne give your so called friend a money purse, looking quite full if I might add. It looked to me to be a bribe of some sort. I assumed then it might have been something to do with the tax collection. But if so, why would the three of them meet together? Look, I don't know much, but I followed after your friend to find out where he lived, then transformed myself into the Night Watchman, as he represents someone who strikes fear into those who are guilty of treason, which my act clearly did. He didn't admit his crimes of course, but I knew he was guilty."

Robin continued for him, "And then you robbed him, although he told me that you stole only the little money he had saved from the market, as well as all the food he had. Whatever the money Gisborne gave to my friend was meant for, it can't be good. I take it that you still have it?"

The Fool nodded as he pulled the back out from under his tunic he was wearing, then answered, "Of course I do. I would never steal blood money and then keep it. I was planning on coming to see you this afternoon, but you came to find me first, although I still managed to find you first after all."

"Thank you," Robin replied as he took the purse from the man and looked around for any sign of their other friends before they left the square. "Eventually, we'll have to get to the bottom of the conspiracy and find out who this out of town stranger really is, but we currently have something of more importance to take care of."

"Hopefully John and Tuck will have found the medicines Djaq needs by now," Much responded nervously, while keeping a lookout for any trouble. "We should leave here now so long as our luck is holding out."

The Fool looked between his friends as he asked, "Is someone ill, and did you just say Djaq? I thought she and Will remained behind in the Holy Land?"

Robin answered grimly, "Yes, but they're back and Will is the one who is sick. It's a long story. If you wish to come back with us, you are more than welcome. We've just got to find the others first. Let's get out of here."