Part 8

Robin groaned and Much looked down at where his Master's head was resting against his shoulder.

"Robin! Robin!" he said gently.

After a few moments Robin replied. "How long was I out?" he sat up carefully and blinked finding the darkness startling.

Much waited until Robin's eyes had adjusted and replied. "The first or second time?"

"They knocked me out twice?"

"The second time you fainted. What do you remember?"

"I remember…Gisborne…his guards. Did the others get away? Marian?"

Much shrugged and said, "I don't know, they are not in this cell with us, I presume that is good news. Gisborne hasn't been down to jeer that he has Marian. But he did give you a flogging."

Robin moved then winced as his back protested in pain.

"Do not tell me that was when I passed out the second time…" he said dryly, feeling each welt stretch agonisingly as he moved.

"Yes indeed."

"How many?" Robin asked, glad it was dark as his eyes watered from the sting of the lashes.

"Strokes?"

"Yes Much. How many blows did they give me?"

"Ten."

"Feels like fifty."

"If it was fifty you would be dead, I am sure or as good as."

They drifted into silence the only sounds the dripping of the moisture from the walls and the scurrying of mice and rats.

"I hate rats. I hate mice and I hate being here in a cell with you chained to the wall. Do you have a plan?" Much said in the way he had.

"No."

"Half a plan?" he added hopefully.

"No. But I will think of something." Robin vowed.

0o0

"Marian is this a good idea…?" said Will as they all watched her within the confines of the forest, load an arrow onto a bow.

"I need to see if….if I have regained the skill."

"But you have not practised since the accident." Added Djaq.

"I still need to see," she told them, as she predicted her middle finger did not want to move as the others did and she inwardly bit back a groan of frustration.

"Let her," Allan said to keep the peace.

She fired the arrow and it missed the target by a good distance.

"I could shoot better than that." The Count told her and she gave him a frown. "Sorry," he added with a shrug.

"Marian," said Allan as casually as he could.

"What ?" she asked her gaze going to her midriff where the dress had ripped at the sides and she swore in an unladylike manner under her breath.

"Here," said the Count offering her a cloak and she covered herself up a little too late.

"You are…" Allan said with a knowing smile.

"Does Robin know?" asked Will.

"Do you think he would let her out of his sight if he knew?" asked Djaq.

"Robin doesn't know?" asked Little John to clarify the point.

"No and I would appreciate if you see him before I do if you do not tell him." She snapped back. "This is not helping us save him, Much and the King."

"No but it is an interesting topic," smiled Allan. "Congratulations by the way."

"Well wishes can wait until Robin, the King and Much are safe," she told them her expression solemn.

"Well we have decided that none of us are good enough with the bow to cut them down on the day of hanging." Will said, getting the conversation back on track.

"So just how are we going to get them out of this?" Allan asked.

An arrow whizzed past the Count's head and they all turned to where the foliage began to part and a figure emerged.

"I have been looking for you all for ages. I knew you would come."

"Carter!" said Marian and wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug which he reciprocated.

"What are you doing here?" asked Little John.

"I followed the King from when he was first captured. I thought if I waited around long enough help would surely come about and it has."

Marian smiled and said. "Now I may have lost the art of the bow but…"

"Carter!" Said Little John, Will and Djaq in unison. "Carter hasn't."

"I think," Marian said with a smile. "We have a plan after all." And the others smiled in agreement.