"This is how it goes."
"There's poor people going hungry."
"You tell us what you got…"
"… be honest with us…"
"… and we take one tenth…"
"….so the poor can eat."
"Lie…"
"…or resist…."
"…. and we take it all."
Djaq's heart was pounding. There they were, after so many months of waiting and traveling. There they were, Robin's gang, standing in front of her. She could barely believe it. Her child gave a leap within her, as if sensing its mother's joy.
Robin's posture was casual as he walked forward, pushing his green hood back off his head, but Djaq knew that underneath his façade he was poised and ready to spring into action.
Djaq was about to get down off the wagon to greet her friends, but Will put his hand on top of hers, stopping her before she had moved at all. She risked a glance at his face, questioningly. In the shadow created by his hood, his blue eyes sparkled dangerously, and Djaq knew he had a plan. With an almost imperceptible nod, she leaned back into the shadow of the awning, so that her face was shaded.
"What's Will doing?" Marian whispered in Djaq's ear from behind.
"We will wait and see," Djaq answered.
"Not for too long," Marian said, and without turning around, Djaq knew her eyes were fixed on the figure that was slowly coming closer to the wagon.
Will hopped down from the wagon seat and stood before Robin.
"Did you hear us, traveler?" Robin asked. "We won't hurt you, we just want to help the poor. Consider it a tithe."
"I heard you," Will answered, pitching his voice down so that it was not recognizable. "But I am wondering, Robin Hood, if this is always the way you greet old friends."
Before Robin could answer, Will pushed his hood back, showing his face to the men assembled. A look of wonder passed over Robin's face.
"Will?" he asked. "Will is that you?"
"Glad to see me, are you, Robin?" Will asked, grinning.
Robin's response was to laugh and seize the smaller man by the shoulders, hugging him tightly. Will laughed as well and thumped Robin on the back.
The rest of the gang, who until now had seemed frozen by the shock, suddenly began to act. They swarmed around Will, patting him on the back, hugging him, laughing, all talking at once.
"I'm not being funny, but that was a terrible entrance," Allan announced, making a face.
Will turned to face Allan, his eyes alight. Djaq knew how much Will had missed his best friend when Allan was working for Guy, and how much his betrayal had hurt. But Allan had come back, and Will had missed him more than ever when they were in the Holy Land.
The two stood in front of each other, sizing each other up for a few moments. Then Allan stuck out his hand.
"Friends?" he asked, looking hopeful and insecure all at the same time.
Will looked at the hand then back at Allan's face and Djaq held her breath, waiting to see what he would do.
Ignoring the offered hand and taking a step forward, Will embraced his friend.
"Brothers," he said.
A huge smile broke out on Allan's handsome face and he hugged Will back before the two men stepped away from each other. The rest of the gang, feeling the break in the tension, began to chatter again.
"You came back!" Much exclaimed. Djaq shook her head. Much had such a genius for saying the obvious.
"You we missed," Little John said fondly.
"Hang on a minute," Much said loudly.
The jostling crowd around Will stopped and fell silent, looking at Much.
"What about Djaq? Did you leave her behind in the Holy Land?" He looked at Will suspiciously. "If you've hurt her in some way, I'll… I'll… well I don't know what I'll do but it will be very painful."
Will looked at the faces surrounding him with a smirk.
"I didn't leave her behind," he said, looking towards where Djaq sat.
He offered his hand to her and helped her step down from the seat. She was clumsy, still getting used to her newly cumbersome body. Even under her loose and comfortable clothes, she knew that her growing belly showed. Self- consciously, she placed a hand on her bump.
"Hello, everyone," she said, almost shyly. It was disconcerting to have them stare at her so intensely, and with such a look of absolute shock on each of their faces.
To Djaq's surprise, it was John who moved first. He strode up to her, and pulled her into a massive bear hug, lifting her off her feet.
"It's good to have you back, lass," he said, before setting her down gently. Once again, Djaq was surprised at the gentleness that was in the large man's touch. It had always been the thing that made her think so highly of him.
"Good to have you back, Djaq," said Robin, smirking. "Although, looking a little different than you did before."
Djaq grinned.
"It's the hair, isn't it?" She asked, flipping the end of her dark hair, which now rested comfortably on her shoulders. "I know I should get it cut, but Will likes it long."
"Looks like you two have been busy," Allan commented, earning him a smack on the shoulder. He draped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a sideways hug. "I'm really happy for you," he whispered in her ear.
"Djaq?" Much squeaked. "You're… you're…" his eyes traveled down to her belly, and back up again. Much never was one for subtlety, Djaq mused. "How did that happen?" he burst out.
Will chuckled.
"In the usual way."
Much made a face.
"That is not what I meant. I was trying to say… I mean… oh never mind."
"So, you came back, did you?" Robin asked. "Didn't like living in the Holy Land?"
"There were other reasons besides missing this godforsaken rainy, cold forest and you band of unwashed miscreants," Djaq said, keeping a straight face.
"One very good reason," Will said, catching on to what she was trying to do. "We had something to deliver."
"Robin, we've long had something in our keeping that belongs to you. We've kept it safe, but now I think it is time it was returned," Djaq said.
"What are you talking about?" Robin asked, curiosity in his face.
Djaq had anticipated this moment for so long, planned the words she was going to say so carefully, thought through ever scenario. Now that the moment came down to it, she was almost nervous. Her baby gave a strong kick, as if it was sensing its mother's nervousness.
"Come out, Marian," she said, loudly enough for Marian inside the wagon to hear. Robin's face, which had been alight with curious cheerfulness suddenly turned an ashy colour, and his eyes became hard.
"If this is a joke, I will not forgive you. Even you," he said quietly.
"It's no joke, Robin," said Marian, coming around the back of the wagon.
Even Djaq had to admit that at that moment, Marian was breathtaking. She had used her time in the wagon well and changed into the dress she had made on the ship especially for this occasion. The sea green fabric made her eyes light up and look even more striking under her dark brows. The cream lace that edged the sleeves and neck gave the impression of foam-topped waves. Her hair fell about her shoulders in loose, dark curls, tousled by the wind and her attempt to smooth them down with her fingers. But it was her face that Djaq could not take her eyes from. Her eyes seemed to shine with some inner joy that made her look radiant and goddess-like. Venus rising from a foam-flecked scallop shell to meet her lover.
Robin was frozen in place, his eyes seeming to devour her. "It can't really be you," he whispered.
"It's me," Marian answered simply. She walked with measured steps to where Robin stood and Djaq knew it was taking all the restraint the other woman had not to run to Robin and throw herself into his arms.
Marian walked until she was standing right in front of Robin, looking directly into his eyes.
"I'm really here, Robin," she said softly. "I know it's hard to believe. I can hardly believe it myself. But I'm here." She raised a hand to his face and gently stroked his cheek.
At her touch, Robin seemed to come alive. He dropped his bow and pulled Marian towards him in a swift motion till their mouths met in a kiss. Her arms came around him and pulled him closer so that it seemed they were one person.
Djaq turned away, feeling that she was intruding on a deeply personal moment. Will slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, placing a gentle kiss on her temple. She smiled at him, and turned back to the couple who stood locked in their embrace.
Robin broke the kiss and laughed suddenly, pulling Marian to him. Marian was laughing and crying and holding onto him for dear life. They had completely forgotten that anyone else was there, much to the discomfort of the rest of the gang.
"Why don't we leave them alone for a while?" Much asked, taking the horse's reins with a knowing smile.
They followed the familiar path to the camp, leaving the wagon in a hidden place and taking the horse with them. Much grumbled as he took one side of a heavy trunk, with Will taking the other.
"What do you have in here, rocks?" he groused.
Little John grunted, and shouldered a trunk all by himself, throwing Much a contemptuous look.
Will and Much took the head of the column with Allan and Djaq in the middle and Little John trailing.
Allan, swinging a bag over his shoulder, kept pace with Djaq.
"I'm not being funny, but wasn't she supposed to be dead?" he asked, jerking his head back to the spot where Marian and Robin were still in each other's embrace.
"She almost was. She was grievously injured, but still alive when Robin left. It seemed impossible that she could live, sometimes, and I was scared for her. But that girl is stubborn, and she clung to live with such spirit as I have never seen before," Djaq said.
"Isn't that a bit redundant? Coming back from the brink of death again?" Allan asked before catching the look that crossed Djaq's face. "I'm not complaining. It's just… she already did that. There are only so many times a person can cheat death."
"How has Robin been?" Djaq asked.
Allan shook his head.
"Bad. At first it was a struggle even to get him out of the camp. And when he did go, he just didn't care. I think if it wasn't for the poor, he would have just given up. But they needed him."
Djaq nodded.
"I thought it would be so. Allah smiles on Marian, and returns her to him."
Allan sighed.
"I'm glad she's back. More glad than I can say. We sort of got to be friends when we both lived in the castle. Well, friends maybe isn't the right word. Allies, at least. And now maybe Robin will be back to his old self," he said.
Allan draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into another side hug.
Djaq smiled. For all his prickly façade, Allan was quite affectionate and before his betrayal they had been close. Like brother and sister, she thought to herself.
"I'm glad you're back, too. I really missed you," Allan continued.
Djaq was about to respond when in front of their path leapt Rafi, brandishing a long stick.
"Unhand my lady!" he cried.
Little John, who had been walking behind them, dropped the trunk he was carrying and it hit the forest floor with a loud thump!
Rafi jumped at the loud noise, but still clutched his stick. He pointed it at Allan.
"Get your hands off Lady Safiyya, or I will…"
"You'll what?" Allan mocked, looking the small boy up and down.
"Who is this?" Little John asked, reaching for the knife he always carried at his waist.
Djaq held out her hand to still him.
"Rafi, what are you doing?" she asked.
"You were captured by these bandits. I'm rescuing you, Lady," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Djaq worked hard to suppress her laughter.
"Unhand her, you villain!" Rafi said, brandishing his stick at Allan.
Allan smirked.
"Friend of yours, Djaq?" he asked.
"Put down that twig, boy," Little John said, glaring at Rafi under his black brows.
"Never! I won't let you hurt my Lady!" Rafi launched himself at Little John, stick raised for a strike. John responded with reflexes honed after years of hiding in the forest. With a flick of his wrist, Little John snapped the stick in half and twirled it out of Rafi's grasp, so that the boy was left holding nothing but a few fragments of bark.
Rafi looked surprised for a moment, then began to hit Little John with his small fists, which bothered the big man not at all. John picked up the squirming boy at the waist and held him under his arm.
"What do you want me to do with him?" he asked Djaq. "Dump him in the river perhaps? I think a cold dunking would do him good."
Djaq held up her hand.
"Put him down John," Sse said.
Rafi, on his own feet again, straightened his tunic, scowling.
"Rafi…" Djaq fought hard not to laugh. After all, the boy thought he was defending her. "Rafi, these are my friends. They are outlaws, but they are the outlaws that Will and I were with before we came to the Holy Land. They are my friends. They aren't going to hurt me. This is Allan and Little John. John, Allan, this is Rafi, my…."
"Her bodyguard," Rafi cut in, glowering up at Little John.
"Bodyguard?" Allan mouthed over the boy's head.
Djaq ignored him.
"My servant. He worked in Basaam's household. He would not be left behind, no matter how hard I tried."
"So they're not trying to kidnap you, Lady?" Rafi asked.
"No, no kidnapping. We are all going together to the gang's hideout where we can all sit down and maybe have something to eat. You will come with us, and you will behave. Won't you, Rafi?" Djaq gave him a hard look.
"I guess," Rafi said reluctantly. "As long as they won't hurt you."
"I promise they won't hurt me," Djaq said patiently.
"Then I will come," Rafi announced.
He threw another dark look in Little John's direction.
"But I will keep a close eye out for dangerous people," he muttered under his breath.
Author's Note: The long- awaited moment is finally here! Robin and Marian have finally been united, and the promised fluff has been delivered. Ok, so once again Lord of the Rings leaked into my writing, and influenced the reunion scene, but still.
The Allan moments are for I Am the Lev, because she asked nicely.