Chapter 10 – Old friends

"So come on, who is this friend?" said Will coyly. "What's his name?"

"His name is . . ." I hesitated, wondering if I could trust Will not to say anything. I decided that I could confide in him. " . . Philip."

"Is he English?"

"Yes. Why?" it had crossed my mind that Will might decide that it was in my best interests to inform Robin of my 'friend', but I wasn't going to give him too much to go on.

"I'm curious that's all." I watched him as he tried to think of anyone that it could be. I knew that he would never find out. "Hmmm . . ." He scratched his chin and then looked up at me, a smile upon his face.

Oh dear!

I turned an even deeper shade of red and turned away. I felt his eyes on the back of my head but I didn't turn round. How could he guess that easily? I supposed that I could deny it, and say that he had the wrong person.

"Your friend, who you obviously met in France, just so happens to have vital information about members of the king's guard out in the Holy Land, and is able to pass it onto you, and it's just a coincidence that his name is Philip." He raised his eyebrows at me as I turned to look at him again.

There was a shout from the forest path as the others returned from Nottingham. "Please . . ." I whispered to Will, my face turning from red to white in a split second.

He looked at me sternly before nodding his head and whispering, "You owe me!"

I sighed with relief as the others marched back into camp. Robin beamed at me, and I wondered what his game was, but seconds later I knew.

Someone flew at me, wrapping their arms tightly around me and my face was buried in a mane of brown curly hair. "I bumped into Marion when we were leaving Nottingham. I thought you two might like a little reunion." said Robin.

Marion and I talked for hours, off in a secluded part of the forest. I relished in her company after so long apart. I really wanted to tell her about Philip, but somehow her care for my wellbeing would bring her to tell Robin, and I wasn't anywhere near ready to explain my feelings to my older brother. I told her all about France and my family over there, leaving out any details that might involve Philip, and the day that we met. Soon Much joined us and we began talking about how things had been before I had left. They both found it extraordinary that news of Robin Hood had travelled as far as France, but I managed to make it sound convincing. At dinner I sat between Allan and john and learnt all about them, but I told them very little. In fact, I hadn't really told anyone a lot, not even Will. I had so much information waiting to spill out that I found it quite hard to speak so freely to them all.

As everyone sat around the fire after dinner, finishing their drinks and talking quietly and drowsily, I looked up from my almost empty goblet, remembering the night before. I was trying to pin-point what I had been doing in that exact moment last night, but I found that the wine seemed to have blurred my memories. I looked around sharply and found that John and Much had fallen asleep, and the others were beginning to tire. I looked at each of them in turn. Allan, Will, Marian and Robin. I had not spoken to Robin properly at all. It had only just dawned on me. I looked at him again, hoping to catch his eye and after a few moments I thought perhaps he was avoiding my gaze. I noticed Will sitting up straight out of the corner of my eye.

"Robin," he said standing up, "Allan and I should walk Marion home now. It's getting late."

Robin nodded in agreement and stood up himself, pulling Marion to one side to say goodnight.

Will gave me a smile and a wink, which all but gave his plan away and he followed Allan and Marian into the depths of the forest. I watched Robin as he tried to tidy up a bit, and then I thought that the way I was sitting, leaning on the tree behind me might have made him think I was sleeping. I pulled myself up from the ground and made my way over to him.

"I was about to throw a blanket over you," he said when he saw me.

He sat down on an old chair and patted the vacant space beside him. I took a seat and unexpectedly found his arm wrap around my shoulders, pulling me towards him.

"Robin we need to talk," Isaid lightly.

He looked down at me and raised his eyebrows. "About what?"

"About us. About me staying here." I knew that deep down inside I wanted to flee back to France again, to Philip, but I decided that I needed to get to know my brother and my friends again.

"Staying? Ruby, I thought you would want to go back to France now that you know what state this country is in. It's a shambles." He looked at me, his eyes heavy with emotion, but I couldn't tell exactly what it was.

"I want to help," I pleaded.

"Help? Look what happened last night! What if that happens again? In fact, knowing Gisbourne, it will happen again; and you want me to risk the lives of my gang to rescue you? If you stayed then you would be more of a hindrance than a help. No. As soon as I can find you safe passage, you are going straight back to France! I'll take you there myself if I have to."

Tears welled up in my eyes as his words stung me. Not a care for my safety, only for his new family. I knew I was being selfish but I didn't care. I stood up and walked away from him, and he didn't say a word. I wanted to talk about so many things with him. I had so many questions to ask, but right now all I could think of was how I had been left in France to ponder my own fate.

I turned back to face him, and found him staring at me. "Six years!" I hissed. "Six years apart. Away from home, alone." I stared at him, trying to think of a good argument. "There's nothing in France for me," I lied.

He looked down at the ground, so that he didn't have to meet my eyes and said, "You have a family in France that has sheltered and fed you for six years, and are still willing to do so, so think that you should be a little more grateful for their hospitality." He stood up and moved away towards his bed. "tomorrow I will sort out passage for you on a ship, and you will be back in France before you know it!" he turned completely away from me at that point, signalling an end to the conversation.

When I woke the next morning, I found myself staring at the leafy canopy above me. The sun was already high in the sky, and it shafted through every open space, casting a warm glow on the east side of the camp. Surprisingly, I could smell cooking, and it seemed that the fire had been burning for hours. I stayed where I was, my eyes closed and my body still. I thought perhaps I could determine whether time would move on or not from those few seconds. As all of my senses awoke from slumber, gradually I realised that there was a whispered argument going on a few metres away, but whoever it was had forgotten to whisper now.

A quiet unidentifiable whisper said, "This has nothing to do with you. You have no say in this matter at all. You are not responsible for her." That had to mean it was Robin. "she can't stay here. It's too risky for all of us. Gisbourne knows that she's returned, and if I don't get her out of the country soon, he will seek her out. You know how dangerous he is, Will!"

The person who had forgotten to keep his argument to a whisper now appeared to be Will, because he almost shouted "She's your sister for goodness sake!" I rolled over slightly so that I could see the argument from a better angle, but only opened my eyes a fraction. "Robin, if you send her back to France she will be completely unprotected out there. I know that she has a family that she stays with out there, but I've heard that things are changing in France."

"How do you mean?" asked Robin incredulously.

Will hesitated for a few seconds before replying. "Well actually Ruby told me yesterday that a revolution is at hand. French nobles are arriving on our shores every day now, wanting to escape. I understand why you would not wish your sister to stay here, but right now this is the safest place for her."

I inhaled deeply, shocked at Will's lies. He had concocted a whole world of untruths just so that I could stay a little longer. I smiled to myself. I had just found an ally.

Robin still seemed to be undecided, although Will's words had affected his judgement. he lapsed into silence as a grave thoughtful look grew on his face. Eventually he sighed and appeared to come to a decision.

"If what you say is true about France, then I cannot send her back there. I do not, however, believe that Sherwood is the safest place for her."

I had now come to the conclusion that he really didn't want me here. I had thought that he would perhaps have forgiven me, and put the past behind him by now, but he seemed determined to dwell on it. I wanted to stay in Sherwood, but if I was not wanted, then I couldn't imagine that it would be a very enjoyable existence.

I thought I could hear Will's brain ticking over, trying t o think up another argument, but he didn't need to, because Robin spoke again.

"You know what, you're right. She should stay here. It's not safe, but she will be protected." He hesitated as a pensive expression wandered across his face. "My father would kill me if I sent her back. I can imagine him in my head, you know? Telling me what to do; saying how disappointed he would be in me if I sent her away. I don't think I could live with it. She stays.