Just gonna skip the introduction today and begin :)

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Valeria left Guy standing there and found herself returning to the camp alone. She figured that he would most likely stay out there for quite awhile. If there was one thing he hated, it was for his emotions to be in disarray—especially in front of Robin Hood or the gang. Men and their damned pride, Valeria hissed under her breath as she reemerged into the small camp.

All of the men turned to her and looked at her with concern. "Are you alright?" Robin asked.

"Of course I am," Valeria answered, perhaps a bit too quickly, "Why on earth wouldn't I be?"
"We just thought that maybe Guy had hurt you in some way," Much explained but was silenced with a warning glance from Robin.

Valeria smiled at the manservant. "I'm quite alright. I think we all know Guy would never hurt me." But there seemed to be just a small sliver of doubt in her voice, as if she didn't believe the very thing she was trying to convince the gang of. They, in turn, nodded their heads, albeit unconvinced, and she nodded back. Then, she walked over to the fire and tried to say, in a cheery tone that did not at all match her mood, "Now what shall we have for dinner tonight? Venison again, eh?"

Much came up from behind and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it tonight. I can make supper."

"Are you sure?" Valeria was inwardly relieved.

He nodded. "It's not as if I've never done it before."

"Yeah, but we prefer her cooking, mate," Allan teased with his cheeky grin. Much huffed in response and Valeria stroked his cheek.

"Don't you listen to him. Your meals are fine, and it would be such a relief not to have to cook. Thank you." She kissed his cheek and then looked over at Allan, winking at him mischievously. The trickster chuckled quietly and took a seat by the fire.

"Where is ol' Giz? Pouting?" He asked, once he was comfortably seated on the ground.

Valeria shrugged. "Something like that, I suppose. You know how he is, Allan. He'll come back when he's cool and collected, and can act as if nothing is bothering him when something really is."

Allan nodded, "That's Gisborne for ya."

Just then, Valeria felt a soft hand envelop her wrist and she turned around to see Tuck standing there behind her. "May I speak to you? Alone?" His voice was gentle, yet urgent. She frowned slightly but nodded. "Of course," she said in reply.

Tuck led her a little ways from the gang and folded his robed arms across his chest, looking at her quizzically, as if by just observing her the answers he was looking for would magically appear.

Finally growing tired of the silence, Valeria asked, "What is it?" She felt strangely uncomfortable under his stare. But this was Tuck. Surely, he could never make her feel uncomfortable.

Tuck spoke in his deep voice, "You are sure there is nothing bothering you?" Valeria nodded her head but could tell that Tuck was not going to just simply leave it at that. "He did not hurt you?"

She laughed bitterly. "Of course, he hurt me. Just with words, not brute strength."

"Valeria, what did he tell you?" Tuck may have asked, but she knew he was demanding to know.

She shrugged. "Just the usual. How he's sorry for what he did, that he did it to protect me, and somehow that wondrously makes his actions right, oh! And he was jealous, the stupid man!" She huffed as her anger began to return.

"Jealous?" He echoed incredulously, "Of whom could Gisborne possibly be jealous?"
"You," Valeria replied, "The stupid twit is jealous of you."

"But-" Tuck stammered, "Why?"

Valeria brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes and chuckled. "Because he seems to believe that you fancy me. Imagine that! He has become so crazed by his guilt and sorrow that he actually has willed himself to believe that a monk, of all people, fancies me! It is positively preposterous! As if you would ever develop feelings for me." She was laughing now, it was a mirthless laugh, it was frustrated, but she stopped when she noticed that Tuck was absolutely silent. Not only that, he looked incredibly serious, and perhaps even a bit nervous. Valeria's eyes widened. "Why are you looking at me like that?" But the man was silent. "Please don't tell me that Guy has cause for his jealousy!"

Tuck unfolded his arms and began to smooth down his gray robes. "I cannot deny what I feel, Valeria." The woman made a mental note that this was the first time she had ever seen the man even remotely nervous. He was looking straight at her, which was a good thing, but she could practically hear his voice dripping with worry. "Somehow, just by you being near, I have found myself developing some unforeseen attraction to you. I see the very same things that Gisborne must have fallen in love with, and I find myself drawn to you. I have prayed fervently, begging that the Lord would take such feelings from me, but they do not cease. They just continue to grow."

Valeria felt her heart beating hard in her chest, and she brought her hand up to her breastbone in a hope of calming it. "But—b-but, Tuck, you are a monk!" She stammered in disbelief. She just could not comprehend it! This man, this man of God, did fancy her. And Guy had been the one smart enough to see it! How had she not?

"I know, Valeria," he said in a voice that was desperately trying to calm her, "Which is why nothing will ever, ever come of this. I have promised myself to God. That is one of the most important oaths anyone can ever make, and I wouldn't dare break it. And yet-" he trailed off.

"And yet?" She voiced, curiously.

"And yet," Tuck reached up to stroke her cheek and drew just a bit closer to her, "And yet, I feel in ways for you that I have never felt for any woman before. A man of the cloak is not supposed to feel like this. We pledge our lives to God, promising to solely love Him, and yet, I feel for you as a man feels for a woman whom he is deeply affectionate towards."

She licked her lips and was nearly certain that Tuck could hear her pounding heart. A faint blush crept up her neck as she realized that his soft, brown hand was still cupping her cheek. "Do you regret giving your life to God?"

Tuck was silent for a moment, thinking, before he answered. "Only when I think of you." Valeria was so stunned by his innocent admittance that it felt as if cotton was being shoved down her throat. "But," Tuck continued, "I do not regret it entirely because I know this is where my Lord wants me to be. He plans everything for good, and you were obviously not a part of His wondrous plan for my life." He groaned in exasperation. "But what good are the desires of men if they cannot be put to use?! Tell me one thing, just one thing." Tuck's voice had suddenly become a husky whisper. Valeria was surprised to hear such a vocal change and knew that his flesh and his spirit were in an inward war with each other.

"Anything," she managed to squeak.

"If I was not a man of God, if I was freed from this burden, would you have me? Would I ever see my affection returned?" He spoke as one who was desperately seeking water for his parched lips. So fervent was his demand. Valeria knew it was the preacher within him speaking.

She was silent, not really knowing the answer. "I-" she tried, but did not know how to finish.

Tuck hung his head in silent understanding. "Of course," he said, but there was no bitterness, "You are in love with Gisborne." Valeria nodded her head and Tuck asked, "Why? Why are you so in love with him after all he has done?"

Valeria shrugged. "I suppose I just see the good in him where nobody else does. I feel as if we are two parts to a puzzle, fitting perfectly together, completing each other."

"And yet you are afraid of him? Why?"
"Because I had been alone for so long, and then he entered my life. And I don't know if I can trust him. Not after-"

"Not after he killed Lady Marian?" Tuck finished for her and she nodded. He sighed and then chuckled slightly. "You are in quite a mess, milady."

Valeria cracked a smile. "It can be quite tiresome sometimes."

"And I suppose I'm not making it any easier." Her silence was enough of an affirmation for him. "Forgive me." He stroked her cheek as he stared at her tenderly. "In a moment of weakness, I nearly lost a dear friend."

She reached up and caressed the hand that was upon her cheek. "We all make mistakes, Tuck. And you are to be commended for your undeniable strength in resisting temptation."

"I may not be able to resist it completely."

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused, before Tuck's lips gently touched her forehead, her nose, and then the corner of her mouth. His touch sent shivers down her spine, and then he brought his forehead to hers and breathed in.

"My sweet, sweet Valeria, the Lord must have a greater calling for me if He wishes for me not to give my affections to you. Thank you...for your friendship."

Valeria smiled as he withdrew. "And thank you for yours."

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Betcha you never saw that coming! Actually, neither did I, to tell you the truth. It just came to me about two weeks ago. Crazy how sometimes your mind runs away with your thoughts, and for the life of you you can't get them back. So you have my ridiculous imagination to thank for all of this. I still can't believe it!

The past two chapters have been super short, but I'm hoping that now that I've got these two filler chapters out of the way, we can get back to the real action.

Question: For the next chapter do you want me to just jump to when they're finally in Acre? Let me know in a review.