Chapter 28

Though her fingers curled tightly into the fabric of his shirt, Djaq relaxed. Still, even as the tension eased from her body, Will felt the small tremors that shook her as she finally gave way to her overwhelming grief over Allan's uncertain fate. She trembled, struggling to weep silently. His shirt was damp with her tears, and his heart ached from the weight of his own sorrow as well as Djaq's.

Will considered saying something, anything, but he was at a loss. Besides, he imagined Djaq didn't actually want him to speak. When she accepted his hand only minutes earlier, she offered a part of herself to him – a rare flash of vulnerability that Will knew was uncharacteristic of Djaq. Were the circumstances of this intimacy between them different, Will might have reveled at Djaq's apparent display of trust in him.

"Djaq, I wanted … before we do this … I mean, if anything should happen I wanted to tell you …"

"Don't," Djaq had whispered. "Whatever you want to say, tell me after we make it through today. Agreed?"

Will reflected that earlier, in Locksley, he had been willing to tell Djaq that he loved her despite knowing that she wasn't prepared for such an admission. But Djaq had told him to wait, to save his words for after they survived the trial awaiting them at Nottingham Castle.

Well, they had survived Nottingham. But Allan hadn't yet survived, and, because of that, Will was incapable of considering anything beyond that grim reality, just as he knew Djaq was. So, for them, right now, words were both useless and meaningless. Instead, Will simply drew Djaq closer against the warmth of his body, tightening his arm around her and offering the only comfort he conceivably could at the moment.

He did not know how long Djaq sobbed, valiantly concealing her anguish so that only Will would ever know she'd cried for Allan this night. Time was irrelevant. All Will knew was that exhaustion finally claimed her, and she slept, leaving Will to his own tormented thoughts.

Will stared blankly at the thick forest canopy above.

He and Allan-a-Dale made the unlikeliest of friend – no, the unlikeliest of brothers. What drew the two of them together, Will didn't know. It just … happened. And, right now, Will didn't want to think about how he might lose Allan. He couldn't think about that. Yet desperate for some solace from the sorrow threatening to consume him, Will recalled the first time Robin had paired him with Allan, sending the two of them to Nottingham to meet with the volatile kitchen maid, Julia. The ever devious and resourceful Julia had gained information for Robin – for a price. Julia never did anything without the offer of generous compensation. The meeting had begun poorly for Will and Allan, considering the fact that Julia was appalled that Robin would send someone else in his stead.

"I'll not talk to anyone but Robin Hood," Julia snapped.

Will glanced around, wondering if anyone had heard her say their infamous leader's name. When none of the Sheriff's guards materialized, Will breathed a small sight of relief. Since spending time in the castle's dungeons and nearly meeting his death on the gallows, any mission that brought him close to Nottingham Castle made him more than a little apprehensive.

"We've got the coin you want," Allan said.

Julia folded her arms across her chest, emphasizing an already dangerously low neckline. Even Will, who prided himself on not ogling women, couldn't help but notice, and he also noticed that Allan no longer seemed terribly interested in Julia's face. The maid might be greedy and ill-tempered, but she certainly made up for it in … other ways.

"You'll not get anything from me. Tell your master that if he wants the information I'm selling, he'll come to Nottingham his self."

Allan visibly bristled when Julia said "your master," but, surprisingly, he managed to hold his tongue and refuse the bait. Then, as Julia turned on heel, Allan glanced over his shoulder at Will, clearly asking him for some help. However, Will simply shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. He was at a loss. Besides, Allan never failed to take an opportunity to boast about his countless female conquests. Surely Allan could handle one irritable, albeit beautiful, kitchen maid.

Allan rolled his eyes and mouthed something that looked like, "Lot of bloody help you are."

"Oi, Julia," Allan shouted as she moved quickly through the crowds of people. Allan hurried through the streets of Nottingham to keep up with Julia's rapid pace while Will followed close behind. As they traversed through Nottingham trailing the kitchen maid, merchants peddled their wares, each yelling to be heard over the others. The sound was deafening, and Will resisted the urge to press his hands over his ears to drown out the cacophony of voices.

Finally, Allan caught Julia, grabbing her upper arm to halt her progress.

"Let go of me," Julia snarled, but Allan held firm, hardly intimidated by her obvious anger. When she realized Allan wasn't about to swayed into releasing his grip on her arm, she stamped her foot in frustration, acting the part of a petulant child.

"Look now, luv," Allan murmured soothingly as he inexplicably produced a bejeweled necklace that glinted brilliantly in the early afternoon sunlight, leaving Will to wonder how Allan had managed to acquire such an expensive piece. Then, Will recalled the merchants they passed while following Julia, and Will realized Allan had managed to steal the necklace, which was clearly an impressive feat considering Will hadn't even noticed the theft despite being right behind Allan.

Releasing his hold on Julia's arm, Allan carefully – almost reverently – clasped the jewels around her neck. His fingers lingered far too long against the bare flesh at her nape.

"Robin planned to come," Allan continued. "But, well, just between you and me, luv, the man can't hold his ale – bloody awful headache this morning. Arrogant git'll be useless the rest of the day. So, it's up to us, me and Will here."

Will gaped at Allan, stunned he would tell Julia that Robin was drunk. Regardless, Allan's lie seemed to somehow sooth Julia's ire and she nearly smiled as Allan murmured something else indiscernible, his lips close to her ear. Then, straightening, Allan retrieved the pouch at his waist containing Julia's generous payment. He dangled it before her and said, "All we need is the information you're selling. You could use this to buy yourself a pretty brea-oach. Broach," Allan repeated while Will closed his eyes and shook his head, wondering if Allan had ever had an innocent thought about a woman that didn't include physical attributes, however ample they might be. "You know," Allan continued, "to match that necklace."

Julia raised an eyebrow, shooting Allan a coy look. "A necklace and a broach," she said. "Don't you think that'd be a bit much for a kitchen girl?"

"Well, luv, not bein' funny, but a lady as pretty as yourself doesn't need shiny baubles," Allan conceded while he played right into Julia's sense of vanity. "Still, can't hurt to make the other girls jealous, yeah?"

"They are rather nasty to me," Julia replied, and she looked terribly pleased by the thought of making the other kitchen maids envious.

I wonder why, Will thought dryly. Normally, Will considered himself quite charitable in his opinions of others. Perhaps it made him naïve, but he preferred to seek out the good in people. However, he couldn't manage to extend that courtesy toward Julia, who seemed to have few, if any, redeeming qualities beyond the physical. Yet Allan didn't appear to have much of an issue saying exactly what Julia wanted to hear. Somehow, miraculously, in the span of an incredibly brief conversation, Allan had charmed the shrew.

After that, Julia eagerly snatched the pouch from Allan's hand, thoroughly checking the pouch's contents to make certain her payment was sufficient. Then, she quickly and succinctly outlined precisely what she overheard the Sheriff discussing with Gisborne, offering more than enough information for Robin to foil the Sheriff's nefarious scheme.

Allan and Julia exchanged a few more words – words Will chose not to hear as he wandered down the street a ways and took a decided interest in a mangy dog rummaging for food. Several long minutes passed before Julia departed and Allan finally joined Will.

"I'll buy you a pint at the Trip," Allan announced unexpectedly as he and Will maneuvered through the bustling crowds gathered around the various merchant tables.

"No," Will replied. He was anxious to leave Nottingham behind and return to Sherwood. Besides, even if he wanted to take Allan up on his abrupt offer and enjoy a pint at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, Will knew full well that Robin would be awaiting their return to camp.

"Live a little, mate," Allan said as they neared the popular tavern.

"And do you plan to steal the ale like you stole the necklace?" Will knew that neither he nor Allan had so much as a schilling to their respective names at the moment.

Allan shrugged. "I probably could," he said. "But I figured I'd try something new and pay."

"With what exactly?"

Allan glanced at Will. "D'you think I paid Julia all Robin gave us?"

Well, of course that's what Will assumed Allan did. It's what anyone else would have done except, apparently, Allan-a-Dale. "Then we should give what's left back to Robin," Will concluded without a second thought, considering that was the right thing to do.

Allan stopped short, turning to look at Will as if he'd suddenly contracted leprosy. "You're that bloody honest?" Allan sighed, shaking his head. "You, mate, need a drink and a girl," he said as he seized Will's shoulder and forcibly steered Will toward Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem.

"Robin's expecting us back at camp."

"Look," Allan began, clearly exasperated, "where would you be if I hadn't tamed the shrew?"

"I would've thought of something," Will replied.

"Not likely," Allan returned. "So, way I see it, you owe me. It's one drink. Sides, I told Julia I'd be here."

"Allan – "

"Oi, look, mate," Allan said, "Robin'll take it better if you're with me – won't go off on one of his high and mighty speeches. And maybe you like bein' a bloody monk, but not me."

As he and Allan entered the tavern, Will realized there was little hope of deterring Allan. And considering it was Allan, it would be a terrible idea to leave him alone at the Trip. It wasn't so much what Robin would say, but rather what Allan would do if someone wasn't around to keep him out of trouble … or at least drag him out when he found trouble.

So, annoyed, Will stayed. Allan ordered him a tankard of ale, but Will hardly touched it. Meanwhile, Allan drank like a dying man in the desert might drink water. One drink became two which became three and then four.

As Allan prepared to order his fifth and play another round of dice, Julia arrived at the Trip. Several men watched her, but Will barely offered her a passing glance as she sidled up to Allan, making Allan the envy of nearly every man in the tavern. Allan muttered something to Will and tossed him a few coins, but Will couldn't understand what Allan said over the tavern's din. In fact, Will could hardly hear his own thoughts over the ruckus.

Then, Allan disappeared with Julia. Despite knowing that Allan could manage to find trouble anywhere, Will certainly had no intentions of following them to keep Allan from doing something stupid.

Yet, perhaps he should have.

The tryst between Allan and Julia was decidedly short-lived. Not long after Allan vanished with Julia, a simultaneous roar swept over the patrons, and it was a sound that Will long ago learned to associate with drunken men and a fight. Somehow, it didn't surprise Will that Allan was involved.

Not in the least inclined toward charity on Allan's behalf, Will held his distance and merely turned to watch the action, which, Will decided, wasn't likely to favor Allan.

Of course, Allan was a skilled fighter. Of that, Will had no doubt. But, despite Allan's ability in combat, Allan was nearly drunk, which didn't bode well for him while facing a man twice his size and obviously less drunk.

As Allan and the larger man circled each other, the tavern's patrons started laying wagers. When asked for his bet, Will shrugged and retrieved the coins Allan had given him before disappearing with Julia, placing the money on Allan's opponent.

The crowd shouted, and the noise was deafening as Allan took the first swing. To Will's surprise, Allan at first gained the upper hand, though Will soon realized that the larger man, whom a nearby patron called Fulke, was simply baiting Allan, luring him into a false sense of triumph. The tide turned quickly, and Will winced as Allan took more than a few nasty blows. At that moment, Will debated intervening and saving Allan from a vicious beating at Fulke's hands. Yet considering the almost feverish attitude of the crowd, drunk and anxious for violence, Will concluded that his intervention might cause a riot. Still, Fulke appeared merciless, and Will was starting to genuinely fear for Allan's life. Bracing for the worst, Will stood just as Julia saved him the trouble of rescuing Allan. And, luckily, the riotous patrons were far more forgiving of a lovely woman's interference than they would have been, Will imagined, of his interference.

Still, the crowd did not mask their disappointment and grumblings as Julia pleaded with Fulke, who, Will surmised from the exchange, was a jealous ex-lover. Finally, Fulke backed down, though he still shouted a colorful string of curses at Allan, vowing to find him when he couldn't hide behind a woman's skirts. Then, since Julia had begged on Allan's behalf, Fulke was named the victor of the impromptu match, leaving Will to earn a decent return on the few coins he'd dropped on Fulke. Somehow, Will figured Allan would at least appreciate that.

Shaking his head over the whole mess, Will then pushed his way through the crowd until he reached Allan, who sported a bloody lip, a bloody nose, and an eye that was nearly swollen shut. Julia was trying to plead with Allan to stay, but Allan finally seemed more than ready to leave the Trip. "Sorry, luv," Allan said as he tipped his head in Will's direction. "But Robin'll want me and Will here back at camp." Allan swayed on his feet and Will steadied him with a hand to his shoulder before he could stumble backwards.

Julia didn't conceal her anger at their departure, cursing at Allan almost as creatively as Fulke had. To Will's annoyance, Allan stopped, returning to Julia. He silenced her with a kiss and a few murmured words that Will was more than happy not to be privy to. Still, he had to marvel at Allan's ability to calm the enraged Julia.

Based on the look Will gave Allan when he unsteadily made his way back to Will, Allan shrugged and said, "Have to keep my options open, mate."

"Doesn't seem worth it," Will replied as he figured he didn't care how beautiful Julia was. There was far more to it than a pretty face, but that was where he and Allan differed greatly in their opinions of women.

"Did you look at her?"

"Yes," Will returned.

"Guess that's why you don't mind bein' a monk," Allan said. "You're all noble and think it's about love." He said the word as if it was offensive and with such disgust that Will was slightly startled.

"No," Will conceded. Despite Allan's probable assumptions about him, Will had his share of experience, albeit limited by Allan's likely standards. "But it should at least be about respect."

"You would think that," Allan said.

Will did not respond, refusing to be goaded into an argument.

For awhile, they walked in silence. Will slowed his pace so that Allan, more than a little wobbly on his feet, could keep up.

Finally, Allan broke the silence. "S'pose you'll tell Robin."

Again, Will didn't reply, and Allan didn't press the issue. Will knew he should tell Robin as Robin would be expecting to know why it took Will and Allan the better part of the day to obtain the information Julia was selling. Even if Will wanted to cover for Allan, how would he explain Allan's injuries and intoxication? Still, a part of him didn't want to face Robin and the others and offer the truth. Maybe no one really said it, but it was obvious no one genuinely trusted Allan without reservation. They trusted him insofar as was necessary since he hadn't exactly proven he couldn't be trusted, but Will suspected the trust was almost superficial. After all, how could anyone wholly trust someone so adept at lying?

To admit Allan was involved in a tavern brawl that, realistically, could have been disastrous if any of the Sheriff's men had been about would anger Robin, and the already limited trust everyone felt toward Allan would suffer.

Will didn't know much about Allan; he didn't even pretend to know much about Allan. Yet somehow Will suspected that Allan truly did want to be a part of Robin's gang and not merely in a superficial sense. It was just that … well, it was Allan. All things considered, Allan was the piece that somehow just didn't fit right. He was so different from the rest of them, motivated by things Will did not understand. Allan certainly served Robin's purpose – a talented liar to believably front many of Robin's schemes. Aside from that, Allan was an expert pickpocket, a talent which served its purpose on more than one occasion. But beyond his obvious skills, how did Allan really fit with the rest of the gang? The answer was that he didn't, and Will imagined that made him feel isolated and lonelier than he would ever dare admit.

And perhaps he was just trying to make excuses for Allan – excuses that Allan probably didn't deserve. Whatever the reason, Will did something completely uncharacteristic.

He lied.

Much as Will expected, when he and Allan finally reached camp, Robin was waiting and he looked far from pleased.

"What happened?" Robin demanded as he looked pointedly at Allan.

"We were about to leave for Nottingham," Much informed them, standing alongside Robin. "You were gone for hours. We thought something terrible had happened."

"There was trouble," Will explained. "After we met with Julia, a guard must've recognized us. Allan and I split up and decided to meet at Mabbe's, where we hid until the search was called off. When we went separate ways, Allan ended up in a bit of a fight," he added, realizing he needed to somehow account for Allan having sustained injuries while Will had not.

"Mabbe," Little John scoffed. "She'll give you a pint for whatever does and doesn't ail you. Must be why you smell like a tavern," he added, glancing at Allan.

Robin, however, remained silent as he studied Will, processing that bit of information. Honestly, Will was surprised how quickly the brazen old woman's name came to his lips. Mabbe was the perfect alibi. She was the widow of a wealthy merchant who had provided well enough for her to see her quite comfortably into the next life. She often donated to the poor, and had a soft spot for Robin. She'd helped him out of a tight spot once or twice before in Nottingham, allowing him to use her home as a sanctuary from the guards. Aside from that, Mabbe was more than a little daft. She often forgot things, which was why no one would think anything of it if, for some reason, they happened to mention her hiding Will and Allan and she failed to recall the incident.

Finally, Robin appeared to accept Will's explanation. After all, Will realized, the others trusted him implicitly. He felt guilty about abusing that trust, but he reasoned that lying, just this once, wasn't causing any harm. Then, Will reported what he and Allan had learned from Julia. When he finished, Will said, "Allan managed to talk down Julia's price." Will handed Robin the pouch of coins he'd won by placing a bet on Fulke at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem.

Robin accepted the pouch. "The information was well worth the gold, but we can use this to help the blacksmith in Nettlestone pay the Sheriff's taxes. Well done, Allan."

It wasn't until two mornings later when Will and Allan were once again paired to deliver the tax money to the blacksmith in Nettlestone that Allan simply said, "Thanks, mate." It was the first time he'd said "mate" to Will and sounded as if he genuinely meant it. Then, Allan asked, "Where d'you get the extra coin? That was more than I tossed you when I left with Julia."

"I bet on Fulke," Will replied matter-of-factly.

At that, Allan laughed. "Good wager, mate. Maybe there's hope for you yet."

The memory of that first, rather eventful, outing that paired Will with Allan elicited a small smile. Yet, as he turned his head and glanced at the lifeless body of his once very animated friend and brother, that tiny shred of amusement disappeared. His grip around Djaq tightened. Will needed to feel her warmth beside him in a way that reached his very soul. His throat contracted and tears blurred his vision. He didn't want to cry. He didn't want to feel like the helpless boy he'd been at his mother's deathbed.

He didn't want to feel weak.

But he couldn't stop the tears. He failed against the tide of sadness just as Djaq had struggled and failed.

He loved Allan as he loved Luke, his own flesh and blood brother. Yet, much as he tried, he couldn't even remember the last words he'd said to his closest friend – the person who somehow knew him better than he knew himself sometimes.


Many thanks to …

Kizume A.W. – Thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying my portrayal as Djaq. And thank you again for reading and reviewing. I greatly appreciate it!

Capt. Cow – I nearly fell out of my chair when I realized it had been nearly a year since I updated! My sense of time is messed up. Before I sat down to write chapter 26, I seriously thought I'd only been gone for maybe 6 months tops. Well, anyway, thank you so much! I'm so glad that you've enjoyed this chapter and felt I kept everyone true to character. I appreciate that as I always worry a little when I try to write angsty stuff. I worry that I'll fail to keep characters IN character. Thanks again!

Marjatta – Thank you so much! I greatly appreciate it. Even trying to do something as simple as laundry can be a chore with a toddler, lol. Again, thank you. I appreciate the support.

Lilly Navarro – Thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear that you're enjoying the story. I know I've said it about a million times before, but Allan was my favorite character throughout the first two seasons (I never watched the third). He is also the character I desperately wanted to give more depth to. I'm thrilled to hear that you've enjoyed his portrayal throughout the story. Thank you again!

HighPriestessOfTheDreamWorld – Thank you so much for both of your lovely reviews! They mean so very much to me. I take it as the highest compliment that you've added my story to your community. Thank you. And I agree with your assessment with Robin. He was arrogant and he could be cruel with his words, especially toward Much. Yet, despite it all, Robin's a good man who loves and knows his friends and takes the utmost responsibility for their lives. And, of course, I'm flattered that you love the portrayal of Will and Djaq. Again, thank you!

Once more, thank you all again a million times over. It is much appreciated.