Chapter 9.
Will bent low fixing the sling into place.
"Much if you keep moving about, it will hurt," he told him. "Keep still,"
"Leave it Will, it's alright now," Much grimaced, as the sling brought his arm tight against his body.
Will did not have the gentle healing powers of Marion or Fryer Tuck. He was used to patching people up in battle when there was little time to spare.
"Right that's it," Will pulled the last knot tight making Much's eyes water.
John frowned in concern. Will's shirt had ridden up as he was hunched over working on the boy. There was what looked like faded stripes on his skin.
"When did you take a whipping Will?" He asked.
Will turned to him.
"What whippin'?"
John got to his feet and bending low he pulled the back of Will's tunic up.
"Here, get out of it. It's bloody freezing." Will growled.
But John was looking curiously at the marks on his back.
"They're faded, like they happened a week or so ago." John said, tracing a finger down one particularly deep line.
Neither of them could remember anything with any great clarity, they turned eyes on Much.
"Can you remember Much, was he captured in the last two weeks."
Much shook his head. "No, It was a quiet week. We spent the whole time building that hut for Marion. We were having a laugh at how her face goes all red when she's embarrassed. She started crying then and said she hated us all and hated living at the camp, then she ran off. Then Robin found her an he told us off and said we were like children. Then you had that idea Will to build her a hut where she could go when she hates us. So we spent the whole week building her that hut. No one left camp all week.
"Why can't I remember any of that," Will asked.
John thought it best to keep the questions more specific.
"Much why did the rest of the band go up to that castle?"
"It's not really a castle, it's sort of a..."
"Much!" Will hurried him.
"I don't know why. I just came back to camp after taking a piss and you were all gone, all except Nasir. Then we followed your tracks, they led to this large stone building. Nasir went in, he told me to wait for him."
Will nodded. "So when he didn't come back you headed back here, back to camp."
"Yeah..." Much agreed.
John saw it immediately.
"Much, what are you not telling us. It's important."
"Much!"
"There was a girl, she led me back here," he said quickly.
"Well why didn't you just say that," Will snapped in irritation.
"She didn't hurt ye did she lad?" John asked.
Much's face flushed from his neck upwards.
Both men exchanged looks.
"Right, well where did she go then Much," Will asked.
"I don't know," Much spoke in agitation. "There was this party at the village, they were all dancing. Next minute it was deserted as if no one was ever there. I never seen nothin like that before. And she disappeared with them."
"The girl?" John asked quietly.
Much nodded.
Will suddenly got to his feet, he walked a little away from them and stared out at the trees. They both looked up at him.
"A woman, it was a woman." He said quietly.
He could again feel her foul breath on his skin as they lay together, the coldness of her body pressed close to his.
"She had complete control, she..."
Will shook his head trying to dispel the memory of her such as it repulsed him.
"No Will," John got to his feet. He took the younger man in hand "Don't fight it, remember."
In a sudden burst of anger Will pulled from his grasp, he stood a little away from them and swiped at moisture gathering in his eyes.
It was like...she was taking my strength. I couldn't think, I couldn't act. It was as if I belonged to her. It was like...she owned me."
Will turned his face away from them then as he struggled to regain some control.
John nodded and then turning, he began issuing orders.
"Right Much come on, we need to break camp collect your traps. Put out that fire."
Much jumped up and went to collect the first of the traps he'd made. He knew he was being dismissed. He was used to it. Back at camp he'd be told suddenly to go on watch or scout for berries or something but it was usually about Robin and Marion, if they'd had a fight or Marion had a problem.
Will glanced at John in gratitude as the big man turned to him again.
A trace of a smile turned his lips as he wiped the last of the tears from his face.
"You'd imagine it's your dream, you know, some bird takin you on like that. Stuff of dreams. But it weren't like that John. It were foul. I hated it, I hated every second of it."
John put a hand to Will's shoulder.
"We'll find the others and we'll get out of this dump. We'll head back to Sherwood. Gisborne must be having a feast in our absence. We need to break that up,"
Will gave a short laugh as again he scrubbed a hand over his eyes.
~o~
Once they broke camp they hid their supplies carefully and started out to find the large stone dwelling.
Much led the way as he was the only one with any idea where it was. though now that was debatable.
"I don't understand. You've been gone only two days Will and the whip marks on your back look like they're two weeks old. I don't get that, do they still hurt Will" Much asked as he led them through the forest.
"Concentrate on where you're going Much," John told him sternly. "We want to get there before nightfall."
Will spoke little as they walked along, lost in his own thoughts. Much spoke enough for all of them glad as he was to have his friends back.
They all heard it as one and froze to listen. The sounds of laughter and gaiety.
They could see the many lanterns through the trees. Their warm glow cut through the approaching darkness beckoning any stranger in welcome.
"This must be your village Much," John smiled as he walked towards it.
Much stood for a moment, " But...I thought the village was back that way," he pointed vaguely behind him.
They walked the outskirts of the village watching as villagers danced freely with child like abandon, their colourful smocks and garlands of flowers making for a fine show. Everyone was laughing and cheering.
Immediately they saw the outlaws several of them came forward and with warm smiles they pulled them gently into their circle.
"Please you must join us, please eat your fill. Have some refreshment."
A kindly man in a bright purple tunic held out a goblet of wine to Will.
After all they had been through they were suspicious and did not willingly participate in this scene. It all just seemed too strange.
The young girl Much had met earlier came suddenly through the crowd and took hold of his good hand bringing him gently to join her.
Will quickly pulled Much's hand from her's and put the boy behind him.
"He don't feel like playin," he told her. "Sling your hook."
"Will?" Much frowned.
Will turned to him. "You stay behind me. Don't talk to any of em. Do you hear."
Much was still frowning but he nodded compliance.
Will put a hand to his shoulder. "Trust me,"
"Please, have some food," A stout kindly looking men stood by John holding up a succulent piece of pork. John could smell it and it made his mouth water but he began moving back away from them brandishing his staff as he did so. Will took hold of Much's good arm and began moving back too.
The villagers then took on a strange appearance. Their happy faces became suddenly desperate.
"No, join us, JOIN US."
They lurched forward trying to take hold of the outlaws.
John began beating them back as they reached out clinging to the outlaws clothes. Much cried out as their faces began to wither and crack. Skeletal bones clung to him as the wretched creatures wailed desperately.
"Join us, share your energy. Share with us," they wailed and screeched as their bodies began to decompose and come apart. They staggered forward and began to collapse just inches from where the outlaws stood. A sudden howling wind rose up turning their bodies to rags and dust. Then their remains just simply blew away.
The wind quickly died down. John and Will stared at the now empty village their mouths open in shock. Much stood behind them holding part of his tunic up around his face.
"What...the fuck was that?" Will asked.
"Are they dead Will?" Much whimpered.
"Course they're fucking dead Much, they exploded,"
"What in the blazing hell was that about," John put a hand to his beard as he stared around. "I've seen some things in my time..."
"Will?"
"Go behind that tree Much, stay where we can see you," Will pushed him off in that direction.
"So what now?" John asked.
"I don't bleedin know. We'll have to find where she's hiding out obviously but when we get there I don't bleedin know John. How do you fight this?"
