TITLE:Into the Woods
CHAPTER/TITLE:Chapter Eight/Strangers
RATING:T (just to be safe)
A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews! Some first time appearances for some characters finally!
DISCLAIMER:I don't own Merlin or Robin Hood.
Chapter Eight: Strangers
It was still in the early morning hours of the day when the trio crested the small hill and paused, staring down at the familiar town.
"So," Robin waved his hand in the air, "welcome to my home."
"It must be hard," Merlin lamented longingly, "to be so close and yet -" he trailed off and no one needed for him to finish.
"We should get started," Robin sighed.
Merlin said no more as he followed Robin down the grassy slope and into the village. Once again, the outlaw was met with open and gracious arms. They kept an even lower profile here as to not alert any of Gisbourne's followers. Merlin had grown accustom keeping his head down and becoming invisible while in Camelot. It was practically second nature now. Merlin was prepared for another routine day of fevers and minor injuries when they stepped into the first house.
"Oh, Robin!" A frazzled and fiery haired peasant dropped her bowl mid-stir as the three made their entrance.
The woman hardly noticed the mess now decorating her floor. Her wide and frantic eyes were fixed upon the outlaw. Without hesitation, she sprinted toward Robin, sloshing carelessly through the puddle of ingredients at her feet.
"Robin, thank the heavens you are here."
"Miranda?" Robin took the woman's trembling hands in his own. "What is it? What's happened?"
"It's my sister, Susanna." Miranda was nearly sobbing through her speech.
"She's not sick again?" Much asked anxiously.
"No," Miranda's shaking head looked as though it may never stop. "She was well. She was coping without her sight. She was - she was happy."
"Miranda," Robin urged, "tell me what happened."
"She wanted to go for a walk, alone. We told her not to. We told her it wasn't safe. She wouldn't hear of it. So stubborn. So determined to not need help all the rest of her life because of her illness. She went the wrong direction and ended up in the woods. She didn't - she didn't see -"
"Didn't see what?" Robin prompted her when tears threaten to overtake her.
"The cliff."
The words broke free of Miranda's mouth and entire house fell silent save for the woman's weeping.
"Where is she?" Robin swallowed and spoke with both concern and control.
Miranda hastily led the trio to another home that stood next to hers. An elderly woman with that same flaming hair welcomed them somberly. The three were brought to the back room where the entire family slept.
The auburn young woman who laid before them on the bed neglected to stir as the visitors entered.
"Robin Hood."
Her voice was small and fragile, but there existed this deep strength underneath the frail exterior.
"I could hear your voice from outside the door," she explained. "Two more have come with you, one who is not from here."
"How do you know that?" Merlin questioned quietly.
"You smell funny," she said with a sly smile. "All my other senses seemed to take over when the sickness took my sight. I wonder how they will make up for the loss of my legs."
At that, Merlin glanced down at her body, veiled by a thin blanket.
"May I?" Merlin asked timidly.
Susanna nodded and Merlin gingerly began peeling back the cloth. Most of the women's ivory skin was shrouded in once white fabric. The bandaging had all now been dyed crimson. Her arm was wrapped and placed in a poorly fashioned sling while both of her legs were beyond slings or dressings.
Merlin struggled to hold his composure as he studied the girl's broken body.
"Is there anything you can do?" The sister asked desperately.
Merlin glanced at Robin and then down at his patient. He could apply proper bandaging and pastes for the minor wounds. He could give her potions for the pain. But Merlin knew there was no medicine that could make Susanna walk again.
None, except -
No.
Merlin swore to himself he would never use magic again, especially this kind of magic. Nothing good would come of it. It couldn't.
And so he did what he could with hands of medicine, not magic, and quietly shared his condolences with the family for his inability - no, not inability, indecision, Merlin battled with himself - to do anymore.
"You did everything you could and they are very grateful. You cannot blame yourself," Robin whispered to the young apprentice as Merlin bowed his head once outside the hut.
"I still do," Merlin sighed.
As the trio marched solemnly to the next house, the black haired rider watched from a hidden distance. With a scowl, he turned his steed around and headed for the castle.
"So, what news?"
The man's back was cast toward the door as it opened. He didn't need to be facing the other direction to know those familiar and pathetic footsteps approaching.
The rider rolled his eyes at the man's back at the lack of any other form of greeting.
"It worked," he informed him dutifully, if not a bit smugly. "Hood heard the word that I would be at the castle for the length of the day and visited Locksley. He was with his servant and that stranger I saw yesterday."
"Mm. Yes. This stranger. Young boy. Black hair. Gangling little thing, you said. Blah, blah, blah. Boring, Gisbourne. For that information, you should have just waited outside Locksley and killed Hood while he wasn't expecting it. If it was only his servant and this boy with him, I think that even you could've achieved that."
"We never know who is in hiding," Guy shook his head. "Hood is full of surprises."
"Well, yes, and so are we," the sheriff smirked, glancing at the cloaked figure in the corner of the room.
"This stranger, he has been going with Robin, to each home, providing care for the sick and healing for the wounded. He must be some sort of physician or healer."
"Brilliant conclusion, Gisbourne," the sheriff scoffed.
"With someone of such skill in their ranks, Hood and his followers will be more likely to take more risks. If they can count on receiving care for their injuries. He is also taking profits away, providing the people with his care for no charge. It will only spread more support for Hood. I've watched him. The boy is good with medicine, but I can't see him handling anything other than herbs or potions. He wouldn't last in a fight. We could take him out. Make an example of him."
"Oh, Gisbourne," the sheriff sighed shamefully, "you're so shortsighted. You don't see the bigger picture. I don't want to make an example of some runt. I don't want to take out just one of Hood's pathetic little gang. I want them all."
"We've tried that," Gisbourne argued, "and we always fail."
"No!" The sheriff swooped around to finally face the man. "You always fail. You. Fail. Me. I needed you to rid me of that little band of cockroaches. Eliminating Hood, means pleasing Prince John. Pleasing Prince John, pleases our future king. Not pleasing him, has the two of us swinging by our necks! You can't just go for one head, you have to cut them all. Make it so no one in Nottingham, no one in England, would ever dare speak the name Robin Hood again!"
"And what to do you suggest, my lord?" Gisbourne bit back his anger.
"Well, it just so happens that we have a new ally with us," the sheriff nodded to the figure in the shadows and Guy blinked, having not noticed the third party present in the room until just then. "This new ally, too wishes to please the prince. To bring down Hood and King Richard. You know what they say, Gisbourne, 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks'," he looked poignantly at Guy, "but you can always, get a new dog. Uh, no offense, my lady. Of course."
The hooded woman lifted her head at his words, a thin smile curving against her ivory features. A delicate, and yet dangerous beauty emerged from the dark.
"Of course."
