Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I am so glad that you are enjoying the story so far.
This chapter is dedicated to Mira-and-Allan. I hope you start feeling better. Being in the hospital is never fun.
They had been walking for what seemed like hours. His feet throbbed and ached, begging for rest. Torn and tattered boots did very little to protect the tender flesh. He muttered to himself quietly about stubbed toes and blisters. It would be nice if for once they could take care of themselves instead of all of bloody England. He did not regret his choice to return to Robin and the gang, but he did miss the nice clothes, soft bed, and supple leather boots. Maybe Allan could talk Robin into swiping some boots and clothes from the castle.
He sighed audibly as they passed the same street for the third time, "Much, is there a reason we are walking in circles?"
Much glared at the other man, "if you must know. I am looking for someone."
"Who," he asked and was rewarded with a laugh from Much. "Two eyes will find him much faster, mate," Allan reasoned.
Much thought for a moment, did he really want to let Allan in on his little secret. He chewed on his lip, "it's a her, and I'm not even sure if sheis in Nottingham."
Allan looked at Much with disbelief, "you mean we have spent the entire day looking for someone who may not be here?"
"Well, yes," Much nodded. "But we are also here to buy bread and cloth."
He couldn't believe his luck. He finally gets to go to Nottingham and he is stuck with Much. He had hoped to sneak off and get to know a village girl, but that didn't work out. "Well let's get on with it then," he said as he made his way to one of the merchants. "G'day, we need all of your bread," he gave the maiden a cheeky grin and was pleased to see a blush crawl up her cheeks.
"That'll be a bit pricey," her voice was soft as she batted her eyelashes.
Allan leaned over the cart; maybe today wasn't a total loss, "not a problem." He reached for the purse of coins that Robin had given him, but his hand felt only empty air. "What," his voice jumped to a higher pitch as he began frantically patting himself. "I've been robbed," he said as he looked up at his companion.
Much noted the dumbfounded look, "you have got to be kidding. What kind of an outlaw are you?"
Allan replayed the day through his mind, and tried to discover when this might have occurred. He tugged on his sandy brown hair nervously. How had someone picked his pocket?
Much laughed at the look on the man's face, "you have no idea." After seeing Allan's annoyed look he continued, "the girl you ran into," Much supplied hoping to jar his memory.
He knew exactly what girl Much was talking about. He smiled softly, genuinely as he recalled how bouncy, black curls framed chocolaty brown eyes, high cheek bones, and sinfully full lips. So she wasn't just pretty; she was brilliant too. He had been teasing Much about something when the young woman had plowed into him behind an overflowing basket of clothing.
Her lips formed a perfect O as her eyes filled with concern. "Forgive me," she curtsied slightly before bending over and gathering the fallen laundry.
Allan smiled and winked at her, "never fear; it takes quite a bit more to knock me over." Her smile was bright and full of joy, and it humbled him. He knelt down and helped her place the discarded items in her basket, "I'm Allan."
She bit her lip coyly, tucking a stray curl behind her ear, "well I better get back to my mum and dad, Allan."
He watched the sway of her slender hips as she walked away, "you never told me your name," he called after her.
His breath caught in his throat as the lovely face looked at him from over her shoulder. "I know," her lips turned up in the slightest smirk.
Once she returned home she pulled the small purse out of her basket. For a moment she felt a twinge of guilt. She couldn't pass up such an easy mark, no matter how nice or handsome he may be. "Mum," she called out, "I got enough to feed us for a month."
The older woman smiled broadly, "well done you. Why don't you find your brother, Miranda? It is time to eat."
Much snapped his fingers loudly in front of Allan's face, "ello there. Look I know it is a bit embarrassing to be robbed by a girl, but you don't have to get all quiet and creepy."
Allan shook his head trying to force the image of her smiling face from his mind, "right, let's get out of here."
Both men walked away with heavy hearts. Neither one had accomplished what they set out for. Much's eyes briefly scanned the many faces yet again. For the slightest moment he thought he had seen her, a flash of blonde hair, a soft knowing smile, but it must have been a wishful thought. He stopped in his tracks, or was it? The world seemed to stop as he spotted her face from across the market place. He had forgotten how truly lovely she was. His mind screamed for him to run after her, but his body was still frozen from the shock of seeing her again. When he finally got control of his limbs he hurried towards her, his heart was racing in his chest as he neared her. Millions of thoughts rushed through his head. He found her. He would runaway with her. He would never stop kissing her, loving her. They would live happily ever after. She was pregnant.
His footsteps stilled as he noticed her belly, heavy with child. Tears stung at his eyes as Allan caught up with him.
"Oi, I thought we were heading back to the camp," Allan looked at him with concern.
Much looked up at the sky, willing his tears to stay where they were instead of trailing down his face and burying into his short reddish, blonde beard. "We are," he said softly, "there is nothing for me here." The lump in his throat made speaking painful, "not anymore."
Much felt a sense of gratitude towards Allan, the man who seemed to rib him at every chance, kept his mouth shut the entire way home. Each step away from Nottingham, away from her, reminded him of the new distance that separated them. His breathing was labored, as he tried desperately to fight off tears. It was one thing to cry in front of Robin or Marian, but he could not embarrass himself like that with Allan. He and the gang's trickster just weren't that close.
As they approached the camp John came out to greet them. "I thought I would help you deliver the bread," the older man said gruffly.
"Well, about that," Allan tugged at the collar of his shirt nervously as the rest of the gang appeared, "I may have encountered a bit of a problem."
"He was robbed," Much said, his voice uncaring and empty.
Everyone was silent as they realized what Much had really just said. "Wait," Will's eyes sparkled with laughter, "someone picked yourpocket?"
Robin elbowed Allan gently in the ribs, "so what was his name?" He smiled, "we could use someone who is good enough to pull one over on you."
"Well I didn't get a name or anything," Allan said in a macho voice, "but, uh, he was good… and tall. Must have been bigger than John."
Much made his way slowly to the fireside, "he was a girl. And she was a little shorter than Djaq."
Will, Djaq, John, and Robin burst into a fit of laughter. They all took turns teasing a very embarrassed Allan. All of them except Marian, who watched Much's slow retreat. She felt pangs of sadness and pain as she watched him sit, his shoulders slumped in defeat. With all of the excitement no one noticed Marian leave as she made her way to her hurting friend. Finding a seat next to him, she placed a gentle hand on his knee, "Much, what happened?"
Her tender words and kind touch were almost too much for him to handle. He bit his lip hard as he lost his inner battle, a single tear escaped. "I saw her."
Marian did not need to ask who. She knew the moment she saw them together at Bonchurch that Much had fallen in love with the blonde servant. She hugged him to her, knowing that whatever he saw broke his heart.
He buried his head in her small shoulder, "Marian, she is with child." He looked up at her, no longer able to stop the flood that was flowing down his face. "I told her I would find her when this," he gestured to the forest and their camp, "was all over. I'm such an idiot. Why would I think that she would wait for me? Just because you waited five years for Robin," his voice cracked.
She looked into his blood shot eyes, her heart breaking for her childhood friend. "Shhhh," she whispered as she rubbed his back soothingly. "I am so sorry Much."
He wiped his tears away forcefully and took a deep breath, "we should get started on dinner."
She sighed as he stood up and walked towards the kitchen area. It was just like Much to take care of everyone else and ignore his own pain. It was one of the things that made him so dear to her. She said a silent prayer as she watched him grab a few potatoes and a rabbit that they had skinned earlier that morning. If anyone deserved happiness it was Much.
Who's the daddy?
I hope you all like the chapter. I would love to get tons of reviews. Hint. Hint!
