Chapter (13) Six months later;
Robin helps Much to sit on his cot, standing over him angrily, "Much leave it alone until I return with the physician! You don't want to bleed to death!" Much starts to lie down but Robin stops him, "Don't lie down and don't go to sleep! I'll be right back!" Just before Robin exits, he looks back still dismayed, "Why Much? Why? You always do this! Stay still!" The King's servant watches as Robin runs off as fast as he can go to the infirmary. Curious, he quickly runs over to their tent and ducks his head inside, seeing Much sitting on his cot with a dagger protruding from his chest, pain deeply etched in his face, he ducks back out and runs back to the King and bows, "Your Majesty?" The King looks up from his maps and casually asks, "Yes, what is it?" George responds, "Robin's servant Much has been stabbed again. He's in his tent sitting on his cot and Robin has gone to get a physician but I'm sure they are all occupied at the moment attending to the other wounded." The King quickly looks up, "Then run and get mine and hurry him to their tent. Drag him there if you have to!" The servant slowly bows. The King yells, "Now!" The servant, startled, immediately runs to and enters the Royal physician's tent without announcing himself, "The King orders you to follow me immediately to treat a dagger wound!"
The physician picks up his kit and hurries after him. When they pass the King's tent he hesitates momentarily until the King comes out and exclaims, "What are you waiting for? RUN!" pointing towards his servant who's standing outside Robin's tent startled, the physician runs to George followed by the King.
When they enter Robin has returned, his hand on the dagger, "Much, the physicians are occupied with the other wounded so I grabbed a needle and thread, we will have to do this ourselves. Ready?" Much, his eyes closed, nods briefly bracing himself. Just as Robin is about to pull out the dagger, from behind the newly arrived physician shouts, "Stop!" Startled, Much opens his eyes and Robin turns his head. The physician grabs Robin's arm stopping him but the movement causes Much to let out an involuntary yelp of pain and a curse causing Robin to immediately release the dagger's handle.
Much tries to get up and bow as the King abruptly enters waving his hand telling him, "Later!" Much sits down as Robin stands next to the physician. King Richard looks Much over, shakes his head, and sighs, "Physician do what you must." The Physician speaking to Robin, "Robin when I tell you, be ready to remove his tunic so I have access to the wound."
The physician places one hand on the dagger and the other under Much's tunic holding a piece of thick white cloth ready to staunch the blood. The Physician, taking a deep breath says, "Now." and pulls out the blade and covers the wound while Robin removes Much's tunic in one swift motion. The King grabs the tunic and examines it closing the hole made by the dagger confirming that no threads are missing. George takes the dagger from the physician and holds onto it. King Richard tells the physician, "It is whole." The physician nods and says, "Robin, hold this cloth while I get the needle and thread. Robin places one hand on the cloth and the other on Much's shoulder. Desperately concerned he tells his servant, "Much… You'll be alright." Then, looking at the Physician asks concerned, "He'll be okay won't he? The Physician replies, "Yes, I believe so." Much barely nods, eyes closed, clinching his jaw from the pain.
King Richard hands George Much's tunic and his servant holds up the bloody dagger for the King to see. The King silently motions his servant to leave with both the tunic and the dagger. The King moves to the other side of Much and rhetorically asks, "How many times does this make?" He counts the dagger wounds and tells him, "I count six." Much barely smiles and nods while Robin sadly frowns knowing that all of the wounds his servant had were received while protecting him. King Richard turns to Lord Robin, "Robin, you are truly blessed. I have men who sacrifice themselves to protect me because it is their duty. You have a friend that does so because he loves you, and that is truly the greatest gift." He claps Robin on his shoulder then pats him on his back, and as he leaves says, "Physician, see to him. He is now your main concern." The King, stands at the pavilion exit and looks at the two men, departs and walks back to his tent.
The physician carefully cleans then sews up Much's wound as Robin intently watches his every move wincing every time Much does. Robin again asks concerned, "He'll be alright won't he?" The Physician answers him, "He should be if the dagger wasn't poisoned." As he ties off the last thread not looking at Robin, "See that he rests, and keep his wound clean, I'll be back tomorrow to check on him. Come get me if he develops a fever, before then, this is all we can do for now." He hands Robin a flask and instructs him, "Pour a fingers width of this in a mug and mix it with his ale, it will help with the pain and help him sleep." Robin nods unable to take his eyes from Much's dagger wound.
As the physician departs, Robin asks his friend, "Much are you ready?" Much nods painfully and Robin reaches for a mug, pours some of the flask in it as well as some ale and hands it to him, "Much drink it all then I'll help you lie down." Much eyes him but drains the mug and hands it.
The next day, Robin tells Much, "Much I need to leave you for a while to check on the men. Will you be alright?" Much replies, "I'll come along. " and begins to rise but the pain from the dagger wound causes his face to turn pale and he reclines once more. Robin smiles and asks, "How about some tonic and ale?" Much nods reluctantly and Robin mixes the brew, helps him up to drink it, puts away the mug, then lets him back down. After a few minutes Much succumbs to the effects of the tonic and sleeps. Robin confirms that he is sleeping peacefully then departs to check on his men.
Robin walks amongst his injured soldiers, bravely calling to them, "Men! Are you doing well?" They call back, "We are well!" Robin walks around the barracks checking that each of his men are being taken care of. When he finishes his rounds, the last man asks, "How is Much? We saw him take a dagger for you. Is he well?" The conversations stop as they wait for news. Robin answers the man, "He's doing fine. The physician has given him a tonic to help with the pain and to sleep." He looks around and notices the same type of flask, "I see all of you have the same thing." One of the wounded men hisses, "It tastes like rat piss." All the men laugh heartily. Robin chuckles as well, "Well, thanks to Much I don't have to drink it!" This elicits even greater laughter from the men. Their General slaps the man all the arm and tells them, "I will return to check on you."
Robin returns to his tent and notices that Much is restless, his body drenched in sweat. He thinks, It's hot but not that hot, and places his hand on Much's forehead and can feel Much's fever. Robin rushes into the physician's tent and urgently tells him, "Much has a fever." The King's physician is sitting at his work bench and has his back to Robin. He lifts a finger indicating that he's busy. Robin strides over and jerks him around then lifts him by his tunic and growls once again, "Much has a fever." The physician hurriedly points with a wavering finger to a table with many pouches on it. Robin drops him, races over to the table and turns and frantically asks, "Which one?" The physician is quickly next to him handing him three pouches, "Here, this is powdered willow bark. Mix four pinches in a mug with his ale and have him drink it. It will help the fever." Just before Robin races out of the tent, he looks at the physician and says, "Sorry." The physician merely waves a dismissive hand, nods, and Robin races back to their tent.
Robin flies into their tent and mixes the powder as told in a mug. He takes a calming breath and gently shakes Much by his unwounded shoulder waking him. Much wakes delirious, his hands frantically searching, Robin grabs them and holds on tightly calmly calling his name until Much locates his voice and relaxes. Much mumbles confused, "Robin, we where swimming in the lake. What happened? How did I get here? Why is it so cold?" Robin answer's him, "Don't worry Much, you're safe. Here, I have something that will warm you." Robin lifts his shivering friend up to a sitting position and offers him the mug. "Here drink this. It's bitter but it will help." Much's eyes light up tasting the ale, "Robin, where did you get the ale? Your father will be angry at us for taking it." Robin, trying not to chuckle, "Don't worry Much, he's gone to Nottingham and won't be back until later… Don't stop Much, Drink all of it." Much finishes the mug and lies back down, "I'm going to have a headache in the morning. Why is it so cold?" and fades out again. After a several minutes Much relaxes.
Robin spends his time with Much while he's awake and his men while his servant is asleep. After watching how the powdered willow bark helped Much, he gets more to treat his men and Much.
Robin stays with his servant keeping a cool damp rag on his forehead while he lies in a fevered state, shivering, and delirious, constantly talking to him. Much suddenly jumps out of bed and before Robin can react, his friend runs to the other side of the tent and falls to his knees, head down, and covers his head with his hands. As Robin runs to him, he can see his friend jerking as though he's being viciously lashed and cries out like a child pleading, "Please Uncle! It wasn't me. I didn't do it! I didn't do it! Please stop!" Much drops to his knees next to him just in time to hear his friend whisper pitifully, "Robin help…" A wet spot forms on the ground at his sobbing servant's knees. Robin places his hand on Much's back causing him to yelp like a child and continues to shake until Robin calls his name urgently, "Much, Much, It's me, I'm here, and you're safe, your Uncle can't hurt you now."
From under the protection of his arms Much turns his head still weeping, and recognizes his best friend and calms down. Robin gets to his feet and with his hands under Much's arms urges Much to stand. Robin leads his stricken servant back to his cot and notices that his friend has wet himself. Robin strips him, and with a wet cloth washes away the liquid then has him sit down on his cot. He mixes another ale tonic and hands it to him, coaxing the still shivering Much to drink all of it. Robin sits next to him and puts his arm around his shoulders holding him until he stops shaking and begins to heavily lean against him. He then lays his friend back down and covers him with his sheet, whispering, "Good night Much." Much smiles and fades back to sleep. Robin gathers their used clothing and quickly takes them to be washed, and hurriedly returns.
Early the next morning before the sun has risen, Much wakes and looks at his master sleeping on the cot next to him. When Robin hears his friend stir he is instantly awake and by the light of the single burning candle can see Much calmly watching him.
Robin quietly asks, "Feeling better?" Much just as quietly, "Yes, at least it's not cold anymore." Robin reaches over from his cot and momentarily places his hand on his servant's forehead and heaves a sigh of relief, "Your fever has broken. You'll be alright now. Do you need anything?" Much smiling asks, "Water?" Robin sits up, then helps Much to rise. As Much sits up he notices that he's naked, surprised he asks, "Uh, master, where's my clothes?" Robin chuckles, "Don't worry, I'll tell you later, Here drink this." Much takes the water skin and drinks several swallows from it and hands it back. Robin looks at him curiously, "That's all?" not putting the skin down. Much nods.
Robin places the water skin back on the ground within easy reach and they lie back down. Much, still staring at him, sighs, "Thank you for looking after me. I know it is not your place to look after a servant, you being a Lord and all." Robin smiles back, "Where's your cap?" Much lifts his hand and touches hair and looks around frantically. Robin chuckles, "It's on the table and since you're not wearing it, I'm taking care of my best friend. Later you can return to being my servant but for now, go to sleep." Much smiles, closes his eyes and is instantly asleep. Robin watches him for a while longer listening for his breathing to even out then returns to sleep himself.
Three months later;
Elsewhere in London in the east wing of the Royal Castle a gentle new mother gives birth to a blond haired, expressive, hazel-eyed boy. Her husband, having finally been let into to his wife's room, gazes lovingly at her and his new born son who is sleeping peacefully in her arms.
He sit next to her on their bed and quietly asks, "Have you decided on a name for our son?"
Alyssa gazing at her sleeping son quietly tells him, "His name is Much."
Her husband rolls the name around on his tongue repeating it over and over again then asks curiously, "Why?"
Alyssa sighs longingly and gazes into her husband's eyes, "It is the name of the most gentle, and loving man I ever knew."
Her husband asks her curiously, "Who was he?"
She replies thinking back to her time in the Holy Land, "He was the greatest swordsman in my father's army in the Holy Land."
He asks gently, "Was he your first love?"
Her husband asks hesitantly, "Do you still love him?"
A tear falls from her eye, she smiles sadly, and whispers, "Yes."
They gazing into each others eyes for a moment longer then he asks, "More than me?"
Alyssa sighs, shakes her head sadly, places a hand behind her husband's neck, and whispers to him, "No…" and draws him to her in a loving kiss.
Satisfied, her husband returns his gaze to the small child, places his large hand on his new born son's tiny head, and whispers, "So small