Ok, I'll admit - this is kind of a filler chapter. I am trying to pick up the pace a bit.

Hope you guys still keep reading. I have a lot more story to tell.

Chapter Eleven

Change of Plan

Robin walked to his camp after coming back from seeing Julia. She told him about the mare and the small boy. If Robin wasn't worried about her before, he was now. He knew that after her theatrics Gisborne was certainly going to be keeping an eye on her. He just hoped that she will be able to keep herself in check. The more he thought about her, the more he realized how much like Marian she really was. Marian could sacrifice for the greater good; in fact her final sacrifice was for England. But if pushed, Marian would fight. Julia was always more quick-tempered than Marian. When Gisborne was involved, Robin knew he would kill if he had to; he already had. If Gisborne could kill Marian, of all people, Robin was afraid for Julia's safety.

"How is Julia?" Allan asked as he caught up to Robin as he came back from Nottingham. He matched step with Robin as they entered their camp.

"She still has not found out anything. It's been hard for her to get into Gisborne's confidence,"

"Good luck to her, ya'. Gisborne don't trust anybody. Especially after…." Allan stopped himself. Both of them knew he was going to say Marian. Allan and Robin did not share much more conversation as they made their way into camp. Allan had come a long way since he betrayed the group last year. His moral decent while working for Guy and the Sheriff was enough of a punishment. He still left guilty for things that he was forced to do and he hoped working for Robin was enough to redeem himself. Allan never was one to take the moral high road, but he was finally beginning to see why Robin did the things that he did. He was beginning to feel that swell of pride when he helped the less fortunate and that pride was worth more than a bag of coins. Just one blessing that came from Marian's death.

Robin and Allan came into the camp and saw Much and John standing with their backs to them. It looked like they were talking to someone. But who would know where the camp was. Unless...

Much and John turned to see Robin and Allan; revealing Djaq and Will Scarlett standing there. Robin was so excited to see his two friends. Robin and Allan ran up to them and hugs were given and laughs were shared. His gang. His gang was back and hopefully nothing would separate them again. They swapped stories around the campfire while Much attempted to make a welcome home celebration feast.

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, Robin was up and milling around in the camp. He didn't sleep much anymore. Was it any wonder? He still saw Marian lying in the sand with a sword in her side. Hearing her say her vows over and over again in his head. Seeing Gisborne and the Sheriff fleeing like the cowards they were. He sat at the fire and inattentively played with the hot coals. He was so distracted he didn't hear Djaq come up behind him.

"Robin, you should be asleep,"

"Why aren't you?" He asked, shifting attention onto her.



"One thing I did not miss, John and Much's snoring," she said as she sat down next to him. They shared a laugh at her confession. "Why are not sleeping?" She asked with much concern. Robin shrugged; she already knew the answer. "Robin, you need to sleep. If you don't you could fall ill,"

"I know Djaq. It's just; every time I close my eyes, I'm there all over again," Robin said as he dug deeper into the burning embers. "I lose her every night," he said in a voice so quiet Djaq could barely make it out.

"We all miss her Robin, but if can't….,"

"What?! Forget her!" He overreacted and he knew it.

"No. Move on. If you can't move on, then you might as well as been buried with her. Marian would hate to think that you lived the rest of your life in mourning," Djaq eloquently said. She rubbed his back in silent support and stood up. "Now, if you will excuse me. I'm going to go join my husband and try to get a little rest," she turned to walk away, but stopped and turned back to Robin. "Besides, isn't there a "Julia" I heard a lot about at dinner tonight?" she asked with a slight smirk.

"Go to bed Djaq," Robin said with a chuckle in his voice. She winked at Robin and went back to bed. She was right about moving on, but it felt like a betrayal of everything that he and Marian meant to each other. When he proposed he promised her forever and was having a hard time even imagining being with someone else. Robin stomped out the rest of the fire and tried to go back to sleep.

Julia had a much easier night, besides from hearing Gisborne yell during the night. He had recently quit drinking himself to sleep every night. Julia wondered what the reason for his sudden change in behavior. Gisborne was up and gone without even having to speak to Julia and she was relieved. It was becoming quite a chore to cower to him every day. She was keeping her eyes and ears open to all around her. She knew that two of the house guards were having liaisons with the same kitchen girl. She found out that two of Gisborne's night guards did indeed retire for the night; she was going to have to remember that one for later.

It wasn't until she was washing out Gisborne's under clothes that she decided she needed to up her plan a bit. She was tired of cleaning up after the man that destroyed her family. She was going to have to visit the market and get a few supplies. Mary was very protective of the house and everything in it. Market day was just yesterday and there was no way Mary would let her go into town for no reason. Julia looked out the window as she prepared the food for the nightly meal. The sun was high in the sky; if she was going to make it into town while the market was still open she had to think quickly. While Mary had her back turned, Julia quickly knocked the mutton she was cutting out the window. Julia withstood the yelling from Mary and given a task to go to town and get more.

This was her chance.

That night she brought Gisborne in his dinner with a few special ingredients she picked up during her last minute visit to town. She watched as he devoured the entire meal and even drank the mead she poured for him. The apothecary she spoke to didn't know what she was going to do with the seven different herbs she bought, but the recipe she was using came from a monk she meant in her travels just the previous year. She was holding in the glee she felt, but even she could not have anticipated what would result from her trip to town.

Thanks guys for reading. Let me know what you think. Love all ya'!