"Your baby's wailing again."
With Grace wailing obnoxiously by the main door in Locksley Manor, Much couldn't enjoy the peaceful, warming cup of cider he had so eagerly anticipated while braving the cold and the horrible, horrible cave with Robin today.
"She's not wailing!" Marian automatically threw her response back at Much, while hurrying to see what was bothering Grace.
"I don't know, Much," Robin said, coming down the stairs with his peacefully sleeping son in his arms, "he seems perfectly quiet to me."
"Not that baby...that one!" Much pointed at Grace, who lifted her voice and wailed even louder.
"Don't cry, Gracie," sweet little Ellen coaxed from her spot on the floor by the fire, trying to piece together a wooden puzzle Will Scarlet had made for her.
"For your information," Marian told Much, gracefully crouching down to be at Gracie's level by the doorway, "Grace is no longer a baby."
"Please!"
"She's a big girl. Aren't you, Precious?"
"She's got a big wail!"
"Much, stop." Robin knew the banter was friendly, but could turn ugly in a matter of moments. Marian was a tiger when defending her "cubs." "What's wrong?" he asked, turning to Bridget Thornton.
"She wants to go outside, Master Robin. See the storm that's blown up? She wants out in it."
One quick glance out the window informed Robin they would have Much's company for the night. A heavy snow was falling, with flakes coming down so thick and fast, the treeline in the near distance was invisible.
Marian was sitting upon the floor, with a sniveling Grace on her lap, comforting the disappointed child. Robin grinned in understanding. Who wouldn't want to go out in that wild flurry of white? He wanted to go himself, just to feel the power of the storm.
"I'll take her out," he volunteered.
"What? Robin, surely not! You can't go out there!"
"It's only snow, Much."
"I know that! But, even so, you oughtn't reward her for wailing."
Marian was already bundling Grace into her warmest things. "She just wants to see what so much snow is like," she explained. "It's perfectly understandable. Do you want to come, Ellie?"
Ellen was more interested in her puzzle. "I got a cold," she sniffed, fitting in another piece.
Robin handed Edward to Marian, threw his cloak over his shoulders, and took Grace's small hand in his. "Alright, Grace, don't let go of my hand, alright? Time to disappear!" he jested, for old time's sake.
