They followed Rufus and his son out of Locksley house all the way to Nottingham. Their plan was to kidnap the tax collector. Elaine had never seen Robin this angry since Gisborne killed Much. The idea of someone trying to take advantage of Marian did not settle well with Robin and he was going to deal with it. Deal with him.
When they reached Nottingham, Rufus went into the castle, he had guards holding a wooden sealed chests for him. Probably the villagers taxes, Elaine thought bitterly. Knowing they would have no luck trying to get into the castle, they waited, and waited. Robin didn't dare take his eyes off of the castle doors and when little John suggested that they perhaps turn back, Robin shot them down.
Elaine too was getting annoyed about waiting for so long. It was a hot day and she was starting to get morning sickness, it had been hard enough trying to hide it from the rest of the gang, whenever she got urges to be sick she would make an excuse to go to the toilet or hunting (the latter being unbelievable), but in the withering sun in a crowded market, there would be no way she would be able to do that.
She understood Robin's anger however. Just thinking about Allan getting hurt or abused made her morning sickness come up more. It was bad enough knowing he had lived with an abusive father throughout his childhood.
After an hour or so the castle doors finally opened revealing Rufus and his Son. Robin carefully scanned the area, waiting until they disappeared around the corner before signalling the gang to follow.
"They're heading to the stables" Robin whispered loud enough for everyone to hear "Take the short cut"
Robin knew Nottingham like the back of his hand as he guided the gang through it, reaching the stables within a blink of an eye and still had time to sort positions.
Murder in his eyes Robin instructed us all where to stand. They all complied, that was until he told Marian her position.
"Marian, I want you out of this"
Instantly she objected and shook her head "If this is because I'm a woman, I think you're more than aware that I can look after myself"
Robin growled deeply under his breath "it's not- It's not to do with that I just need you safe and with Rufus already having an interest in you. I want you to wait in the market square, I'll come get you when this is over"
"Don't" She warned, being reminded of the time Robin had to physically tie her up in order to stop her from fighting the Sheriff's men "This is about you being an utter idiot. If you wanted me safe, do you really think sending me away is the right choice, am I not safer with you?" She was well aware she was baiting Robin. She didn't care if she was safe or not but she didn't need sending away. That was the last thing she wanted and she wouldn't be put pushed to the side like a helpless little girl.
Robin seeing her point finally nodded "Fine, you can stay here, as long as you stay by the door-"
"Robin!" Marian tried but Robin shut her down immediately.
"That's my final word, Marian"
She sighed but agreed nevertheless, knowing if she pushed too hard she'd probably be sent back to the camp. Robin was infuriating. Sometimes she wondered why she married the man. She loved him with all her heart but he got on her nerves. Did he not trust her? Did he not believe that she was capable? Obviously not.
Not happy, Marian took her position waiting for the door to open. All of them were hidden. Elaine had opted for hiding behind a barrel of goodness knows what (it really stunk) whilst Allan hid behind a door with Marian. He was under instructions of Robin to 'make sure she's alright or he'll kick him out of the gang again', which Allan mostly laughed at but knew his leader was serious.
The door creaked open and all signs of life stopped. Elaine held her breath waiting for Robin to make his appearance. She saw through a crack in the barrel Rufus enter the stables. He circled the room, drawing his sword in preparation. When he was in the centre it was Robin's queue to move.
Allan and Marian shut the door locking in Rufus and his son as Robin stepped forward out from the shadows.
"Well, we just keep running into each other, don't we? Eh?" He spat out with hate for the man, his eyes flickering up to Marian every so often "Must be fate"
Little John and Elaine jumped forward. John grabbed Rufus's arms to stop him from swinging out violently as Elaine put the sack over his head and had to dodge out of the way when a sword suddenly swung out at her.
"Calm down" She sneered although thanking the heavens she had quick reflexes as that slash could have gone straight for her stomach. She snuck a glance up at Allan who was glaring at her "Sorry" She mouthed" Letting John deal with it. Elaine instead went for the son who was running at his father trying to help him. Little John in his moment of catching Rufus had dropped his staff and was lying at his feet. Elaine ducked Rufus's sword again and grabbed his, swinging it around to catch Edmund in the knee, knocking him swiftly down.
Allan pinned down a groaning Edmund before Elaine could even get up.
"You can't do this!"
"Who's going to stop us" Marian roared, pulling out her own sword and pointing it at Edmund threateningly "You?"
This gave Edmund the motivation he needed as he clamped down on Allan's hand and bit down hard. Allan yelped out and in his moment of weakness, Edmund swung a fist at him to get him off.
"Guards!" Edmund cried for help but Marian simply knocked the hilt of her sword at him knocking him dizzy swiftly. She pulled him along, holding a sword up at his throat.
"Don't be stupid" Marian warned as he withered around until she pushed her sword closer into his stomach "I'm warning you"
Rufus managed to wriggle out of Little John's grip. Elaine raced forward but was met with a nasty punch to the face as Rufus pulled back his fist, having lost his sword in the heat of things.
"OI!" Allan leapt on the man grabbing a dagger from his pocket and pushed to the man's throat who hilted still at the closeness of the steel blade.
The gang headed for the door just as guards approached. Allan and Marian who had Edmund and Rufus went to the front to get through the quickest but were caught out as a bunch of guards blocked them off. Allan made the mistake of pulling out his sword to defend, but in so doing loosened his grip on Rufus who took the chance and bolted up, pulling the sack from his head and grabbed Marian as hostage.
"Take him!" He ordered to the guards about Allan who was seized before dragging the two of them off.
Meanwhile, just outside the stables. Elaine was fighting two guards at a time, trying to get past. She looked up seeing Marian and Allan being dragged off.
"ALLAN!" She cried, attempting to get past them but a hoard of guards blocked her way, she turned around for Robin, not knowing if he knew Marian had been taken. He didn't, or at least Elaine presumed he didn't as he was busy fighting a guard and hadn't looked up. If he knew, he'd have been distracted and would be trying to get to her.
Elaine pushed a guard out of the way and made her way over to him.
"We need to go!" Elaine yelled at him, helping him defeat the guard he was currently fighting.
"Elaine's right. We can't fight them, we'll meet Allan and Marian back at camp-"
"They have them, Robin. The guard got to them"
"WHAT!" Robin's eyes blew up. John had kicked down the door beside them as Tuck, Elaine and Robin defended him "We need to get them, now!"
Elaine followed after the rest of the gang who went through the kicked door, in an attempt to catch up with Rufus. It was no use, he had disappeared, but Robin wasn't giving up and with guards hot on their tail they knew they couldn't last much longer.
"Robin, you know I hate to say this but we need to get a horse and leave" Elaine said to him but Robin only glared.
"I can't leave her"
"I know that!" Elaine snapped. They had Allan too, she understood how he felt but if they got caught now what good would they be. They needed to get away and think things through. In her thought process Elaine caught sight of Edmund, Rufus's son when an idea sprung to mind.
She pulled out her sword and ran up behind him, pushing it up against his back "Don't move"
The rest of the gang followed her "What are you doing?" Tuck frowned with a worried expression.
"Hostage" She smirked at Edmund who was stood rigid for fear of the sword "He has my husband, now I have his son. We'll trade. I am not loosing Allan" With one hand on the sword, she placed the other on her small bump that couldn't be seen under her dress. She made sure to loosen the clothes she wore recently to not draw attention to it, Tuck understood her movement (being the only one there who knew about her pregnancy) and nodded.
"Get him on the horse" Robin agreed "Elaine's right. If this new tax collector wants to take our loved one's, we can play the same game"
Elaine nodded in agreement.
They tied Edmund up before chucking him over the back of Robin's horse before riding out into the clearing of Nottingham market, making sure for Rufus to notice his kidnapped son.
"EDMUND!" Rufus screamed, realizing what had happened before sending a bunch of men after the rogue outlaws.
It was an easy chase, as soon as the gang had made it to the forest they knew they had already won. They knew these woods like the back of their hand. Robin was quick to ditch the horses and guide the gang up a slope, whilst dragging Edmund in gags.
They ducked down just as Rufus and the guards appeared on horseback. Elaine glared over the top of the slope, wondering where he put Allan
"Halt" Rufus held up his hand to the guards. They stopped at once to survey the forest surroundings. The gang automatically ducked down to avoid the view of the tax collector "Search the area!"
Beside her, Edmund shuffled and looked as if he was trying to remove the gag from around his mouth. Elaine slammed her hand over him to prevent any noise "Don't even try it" She hissed.
Just as the guards began to search, Robin leant over the side so his voice could be heard, but still out of view "You can have your son back on one condition" his voice echoed around the cliff sides, making it impossible for Rufus to distinguish where Robin and the gang were sitting "You let our lot go!"
"You think you can play me that easy?" Rufus's voice called up. Elaine didn't dare look up at him for fear she would end up running out there and slitting his throat, but he was the only one who knew where Marian and Allan were.
"He's your son. I know you want him back alive" Robin called over the side "No matter how heartless you seem, every father should care about their child"
"And you're Robin Hood" Rufus reminded him "You don't kill unless you have to"
"You clearly don't know me very well" Robin called over the edge "I would kill for my wife and friend, don't try me"
"I'd like to see that" Elaine could almost felt he smug grin on Rufus's face as Robin's face twisted maliciously. She knew he was on a thin thread at the moment, he'd killed a few times since returning to the holy land but Marian being held hostage (or worse, her death) might just throw him over the edge.
"You don't have too" She whispered lowly to him. He wouldn't have too, because she will for him "We'll find them, no matter what"
"I've hidden your friends somewhere you're never gonna find!" Rufus cried "So you make sure my son is back by midday. And, if you're lucky, you're friends might still be breathing!"
Elaine' heart dropped as her hands fell down to her stomach "We have to find them Robin"
Robin didn't say anything but continued to glare as the guards and Rufus rode away.
Elaine's jaw tightened by the lack of action from Robin. He simply stared off at the horses, his expression unreadable "What are we going to do? We can't just give Edmund up, we'll loose our hold over Rufus and he'll never tell us where they are"
"We'll look for them!" Robin snapped, turning to her "If we haven't found them by midday we'll hand him back over and hope Rufus upholds his end of the deal"
"That's not good enough. What if he doesn't hand them back over!"
Robin gave a growl under his breath "Well I'm out of ideas!" his breathing rate increased "Marian's with them as well. I know how you feel. So if you have anything better idea, I'm all ears!"
"I do have a better idea, actually" Elaine flipped around to face Edmund, who had now been securely gagged and tied up by Little John and was up against a tree, wiggling out of John's locked hold. Out of Elaine's pocket she unsheathed her knife and held it in the air "He will know where they've taken them"
If Edmund was struggling before, he was completely thrashing about now, even John struggled to keep him in place. His mouth was moving and Elaine presumed he was trying to say something.
"Elaine, that's not us!" Tuck jumped forward "We can't torture him for answers"
"Why not?" Elaine grinned maliciously "His father is probably doing the same to my husband and Marian" Her smirk turned upside down "And if a hair is harmed on his head, he'll die" she turned the knife around in her hands so it was now pointing at him "I'm not joking around, tell me where your father has hidden them"
She leapt forward quickly. Edmund froze, probably waiting for his neck to be slit but instead she pulled off his gag and held the knife tightly to his throat.
"TELL ME!"
"Elaine" Robin's voice of warning called behind her "Let him go"
"No" She said desperately "He knows where they are"
Edmund was shaking beneath her finger tips but Elaine's anger was uncontrollable by this point. She couldn't loose Allan. Not now. Not ever. If it came down to it, she'd torture the boy just to get him back.
"We don't have to torture him" Tuck reminded her, getting up from his position on the floor where a fire was now burning "They're other ways to get answers"
"You're the preacher, Tuck, not me" Elaine snapped "Now, Edmund, tell me where they are?"
Edmund's bit his lip as if he was trying to stop himself from answering. Elaine knew he would be easy to break, if he was this scared already. Everyone breaks eventually.
"You're choice" She pushed the dagger tighter to his neck until blood began to drip over her finger tips. Edmund whimpered but still remained quite. She was about to push her dagger in further when someone grabbed her shoulders and ripped her off of him, her hands loosing grip of the dagger as it fell at Edmund's feet "what are you doing!" she fired a glare up to Robin who was shaking his head with his hands on his hips.
"What am I doing?" Robin fired sternly "This is not you, Elaine, you are not a torturer"
"Clearly I am when I need to be!" She pushed herself off the ground to face Robin head on "I'm getting Allan back" She charged at Robin to push past him and get the knife again so she could continue but Robin caught her easily.
"We will!" his hands gripped her shoulder tightly, forcing her to look at him "We will, I promise. Marian too but not like this"
"What happened to the Robin Hood from a few weeks back, who killed for me and the guards to save Tuck, and was fully prepared to kill Gisborne for what he did to Much" a gasp escaped John's lips at the mention of Much's name. everyone avoided it. No one wanted to talk about him for fear of Robin's reaction "Where did that Robin Hood go! I need that Robin back now"
He loosened his grip off of Elaine and steadily shook his head "I was wrong to do that. Marian wouldn't want me to kill anyone just to find her because I know we can do this without anymore blood-shed" He paused to take a shaky breath "There's already too much blood on my hands"
"That's why you won't be doing anything, let me torture the bastard. He knows where they are" Elaine added forcefully.
"If I let you do this, I'll be just as too blame. He's innocent"
"Robin I can't run the risk that you won't find them in time" Elaine breathed heavily, trying to keep back tears "I can't loose him"
"I know that"
"I know you do. That's why I'm asking you to let me do this, for Allan and Marian. We will get them back in time if I do this" she stressed, keeping on a low whisper, not wanting Edmund or the others to hear. Robin still didn't look sure and Elaine knew she'd have to add some more fuel to the fire to get what she wanted "and I'm pregnant"
Robin's eyebrows lifted in surprise "You're pregnant?"
"Yes" She choked out.
"That's brilliant!"
"Not if I lose him" Elaine begged "What would you do if Marian died today, and you realized you didn't do everything in your power to save her. Help me get them back"
Robin looked over at Edmund a frown on his face. She watched as he scratched the back of his head in confliction. However, he turned back to Elaine and nodded "Do what you have too"
Tuck jumped forward to stop Elaine as she proceeded towards Edmund who was pushing himself into the tree now gripping at the ropes wrapped around them to prepare himself.
Tuck steadied himself as Elaine approached.
"Get out of the way, Tuck"
"It doesn't have to be like this"
"It doesn't if he tells me now" over Tuck's shoulder, Elaine stared at the fearful look on Edmund's face. Guilt suddenly swept through her. This was just a boy. A child. Could she really – no, she had too. If she lost Allan she would never forgive herself for not doing everything she possibly could.
With that in mind she shoved Tuck out of the way and he let her, not wanting to harm her.
John stood behind the tree "Robin, this is wrong"
"I know it is" Robin agreed. Elaine was fearful he had had a change of heart when he said "But his father has our loved ones and if he knows where they are then we need to act now. I've already lost Much I'm not loosing Marian too"
With that, Elaine picked up the dagger on the ground and held it over the fire.
Both John and Tuck were beside themselves with anger "Robin, you can't let Elaine do this! We'll search the village. He's staying at Locksley, he might be keeping them there"
"Might be" Elaine fired at Tuck "Allan is my husband, Tuck, if you think I'm going to risk his life on the chance that he might be at Locksley you have another thing coming"
"But, I know Rufus" John spoke up "I recognize him from somewhere!"
Robin was strangely quite but Tuck took advantage of this and seized his shoulders.
"I cannot let you torture this boy, Robin"
"You don't have too" Elaine spoke dryly, feeling that the knife was hot enough now "That's why I'm doing it and not him"
"That's not the point!"
"She's pregnant, Tuck" Robin said "I practically grew up without both of my parents, I can't let Elaine's child go through that too. We could be searching for hours until we finally find them and by then they might be dead. Rufus could be killing them now for all we know!"
Elaine made her way over to Edmund.
"I don't want to do this" She said to him "But you leave me no choice" She breathed, praying to god he would answer her question without hesitation and she wouldn't have to do this. As calmly as she could muster, she asked "Where is your father keeping Allan and Marian?"
She removed the gag around his mouth again. He closed his eyes "I won't tell you" he whimpered "Torture me, I won't be weak"
Elaine paused and momentarily prepared herself. She knew what torture was like, she understood the pain. The pain that she was about to inflict on someone else.
"Fine" She lifted Edmund's shirt up and pressed the knife to his stomach.
There were four screams.
One from Edmund.
One from Tuck and John as they ran over to try and stop her.
And one from Elaine.
*~ How to tame an Outlaw ~*
He broke. Within minutes and Elaine pulled a stop to the torture immediately. She dropped the knife to her feet, utterly exhausted.
But she didn't care, she knew where Allan and Marian were. At the Butchers and it wasn't even close to midday yet, they still had time to plan a rescue.
"We head there immediately" Robin told the others grabbing his bow. He hadn't said much whilst Elaine tortured Edmund, he didn't even want to look over at Edmund's direction for shame of what he had done.
"I can't believe you let her do that" John commented as he stood rigid "We are not tortures"
"We are for our loved ones!" Robin shot up to defend himself and Elaine, surprised he had beaten her too it. Although when he looked up at her, he saw her sitting on a log looking defeated, all the fight seemed to have left her. John growled bringing Robin back around to the present "Listen, john, if it had been Alice and your son that had been captured you would have exactly the same, don't lie"
It made John go quite as he knew Robin was right.
"This is a dark path, Robin" Tuck finally said "You'll end up regretting this. I know it. Once you get Marian back, you will see sense and you will regret it"
"After I get Marian back" Robin glared "That's the only thing that matters, getting her and Allan back"
Tuck shook his head "You are my leader, Robin. I will follow you into battle and into danger… but I will not follow you into torture and murder"
"Then you're welcome to leave" Robin said firmly. Tuck shook his head not believing Robins words "Elaine was right. We have lost so much to the Sheriff's blood-thirst. Too many people have died at his hands and maybe that's partly my fault. I've been too good, not willing to do what is necessary. It's time we start playing the Sheriff's game"
"Robin Hood is a symbol of hope and peace" Tuck said "What you are doing is continuing war"
"Tell me an argument ever settled with bloodshed" John rehearsed, getting up from where he sat "You used to tell us that"
"This is more than an argument, John. This is war. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices!"
"Not at the cost of your soul" Tuck glared.
"Everyone shut up!" Elaine yelled "Allan and Marian are in danger. We now know where they are, thanks to me" She gestured to Edmund who was sobbing, his head bowed "Now are we going or not"
She shot off, not caring whether anyone followed her or not. Although she was glad when she heard three pairs of feet chasing behind her.
*~ How to tame an Outlaw ~*
Along their journey no one spoke. It was an awkward silence but Elaine was glad for it. She didn't have to listen to the judgement of her friends for what she just did, only the guilt in her thoughts.
What was bothering her most, however was not the guilt at what she did. It was for the non-guilt. That's why she felt guilty. For not feeling guilty. She did what she had to, to get Allan back. How could she feel bad about doing what was necessary to keep him safe. But didn't that make her an awful person. She had harmed an innocent person selfishly.
They had left Edmund behind and planned to release him once they knew he was telling the truth and that Allan and Marian were infact at the butchers.
She was brought out of her thoughts when someone brushed up beside her. In her thoughts she didn't even realize Robin had been walking next to her. He put a hand on her shoulder.
"You did what was necessary" Robin told her "If you hadn't off done, we might not have known where Allan and Marian are"
"I know, I just…" Elaine's voice broke "I can't keep living like this, Robin"
"What do you mean?"
"I can't keep living worrying about whether Allan is going to make it home at the end of the day" She said "especially considering I'm pregnant. I think… once we get Allan back that me and him need to leave, it's what's best"
"I understand" Robin responded.
"Just promise me one thing once we're gone"
"Anything?"
"That you'll kill the Sheriff" Elaine stressed "Kill him for everyone we've lost. Roy, Tom, Edward, Much, Carter, Meghan" Even though her sister wasn't dead she felt like she had to add her to the list, she had lost her in spirit "Kill him"
Robin nodded.
*~ How to tame an Outlaw ~*
They made it to Nottingham without saying much else. Robin and Elaine darted straight for the Butchers shop. Because of the argument they had before leaving, it had delayed them and now midday was slowly approaching.
"We have to hurry!" Robin called to the others as the Butcher's came into view. Elaine quickened her steps but when they heard the sound of a girlish scream they broke out into a run.
Robin kicked down the door and rushed inside, followed closely by Elaine who pulled out her sword ready for an attack. She saw Allan and Marian tied up, with their hands strung up, above their heads. Rufus was standing behind them his sword at the edge of Allan's back as Marian looked as if she was trying to Push Allan out of the way.
Elaine's sword wasn't necessary as there was only Rufus there and Robin was dealing with him. As he easily disarmed the man, anger flaring on the archer's face. Elaine had never seen him more angry. Robin dragged Rufus by the collar and span him around to face the open door and gave Rufus and almighty kick in the stomach which send him flying back.
"untie them" Robin instructed Elaine as he darted out for Rufus. Elaine was past the point of caring whether he killed the man or not, he deserved to die after what he was about to do.
She ran over to Marian, untying the knots above her head and then to Allan. Once he was released the first thing he did was wrap his arms around her. Elaine melted into him, feeling a prick come to her eye. Everything she had done today to get Allan back had been worth it, if only for this hug.
"Are you two alright?" Elaine asked both of them. The two of them nodded.
"We're unharmed" Marian said "But we have to go and stop Robin from killing him" Marian was about to run off expecting Elaine to follow but she stood rooted to the spot "What are you doing, we can't let him-"
"Why not?" She shrugged "He deserves to die for even thinking about killing you two"
"Revenge isn't justice"
"No, it isn't" Elaine agreed "But we can't just keep letting people go without punishment, if we let him go Rufus will go off and just cause more destruction to some place else. We can't always be the good guys, sometimes you have to do what needs to be done to win"
"Elaine…" Allan frowned looking down at his wife with concern "This don't sound like you. What the hell 'appened while we were gone?"
Elaine bowed her head "it doesn't matter. All that matters is you two are safe"
Elaine left before she could be questioned further, feeling the burns of the stare drill into the back of her head. The others followed her, wanting to know what happened to Robin and Rufus, they were no longer outside but a giant hole in the opposite wall was now apparent, the perfect size for two men.
They followed the signs of destruction, hearing low grunts in the distance and the soft sounds of punches. Marian began to run when there was a clear drawing of sword.
"Robin, stop!"
"This man is vile and repulsive. He robs those who have little and gives it to those who has too much" Robin held his sword to Rufus's neck. Both pooled in sweat and heavily breathing "He doesn't deserve to live"
Marian knelt down beside him "we don't get to decide who is worthy of life and death, Robin. If we did, Much would still be with us" Robin took a sharp in take of breath and his hold on Rufus only tightened, which wasn't Marian's intention "He wouldn't want this, for you to be killing in his name for revenge"
"This isn't for him, this is in spite of him" Robin finally looked up "What happened to Much was my fault because I hadn't been willing to kill the Sheriff and Gisborne. If I had, he would still be alive" he steadied his breathing and looked back down at Rufus "And now I have to start doing what is necessary not what is good in order to protect the ones I love"
"At what cost?" Marian's eyes blazed with tears "Robin Hood's moral goodness? You know as well as I that, that is what brings your villagers hope. They love you because of that"
"But more would be alive if I was willing-"
Marian silenced him by placing a finger on his lips "Why do you insist on carrying the weight of everyone's lives on your shoulders? Not everything is down to you"
Robin's hand on the sword slowly slipped. Rufus gave a heavy sigh of relief, although covered it up quickly. Robin ducked his head into Marian's shoulders, a faint sob coming from his lips. Allan and Elaine gave each other an uneasy look as if they were prying on a private money.
"I miss him so much, Marian" Robin whispered. Marian's grip on him tightened as he clung onto her for dear life "I still expect him to be there; at the camp fire, cooking some god awful crap, singing songs in an awful tune. I still expect to turn around and see him following me. My loyal friend"
Marian lent as close to him as possible, closing the gap between them "Don't let his death be in vain. Continue to fight the way he would have wanted you too"
"I fear I've fallen too far to ever make him proud" Robin finally looked up "We tortured a man today, to find out where you and Allan were" Elaine shuffled nervously, which didn't go unnoticed by Allan who frowned wondering why she all of a sudden looked so guilty.
"Edmund" Marian said simply. Robin was surprised she didn't look as angry as he had expected her to be. There was a sour look on her face at the mention of torture but other than that Robin would describe her face as more understanding than anything.
"I couldn't let anything happen to you, I couldn't risk it and when Elaine said she was pregnant-" he suddenly looked up at Elaine worried he had just revealed a secret but she shrugged signalling that Marian had already known "I just…" Robin continued "It just got me picturing if you had been pregnant and I died and left you. I couldn't even thatheum thinking about it"
"Neither would I, so don't even think about it" Marian dryly joked but no one laughed.
"I'm sorry" Robin sighed causing a small tug to pull at Marian's lips.
"Sorry? Did those words just exit your mouth, Robin of Locksley"
She pulled in for a kiss but it was short lived a groan was sounded beside them as they realized they had just played the entire scene in front of Rufus who was lying there, stuck, looking bored.
"Are you done?"
Marian pulled her fist back and punched him hard across the face, instantly swiping him unconscious.
"What happened to violence is never the answer" Robin grinned as Marian shook her fist wincing.
"I never said violence, I said murder" She laughed lightly "What are we going to do with him now?" Marian edged, trying to see what he would say, whether she really did take in everything she had just said.
"We'll go get his son and send the two on a horse ride. A long one that leads far out of Nottingham"
"Sounds good" Marian's eyes lit up "What off his tax money?"
"Already found it" Tuck and little John appeared around the corner, a chest that looked heavy as the two of them were carrying it together "It's heavy too"
Allan flipped open the lid as glistening gold flashed before their eyes "Blimey, Rufus was busy. He was only here for a few days, how'd he manage to collect all of this lot"
"By being cruel" Robin staggered up with Marian help. It seemed he had been injured in his fight between him and Rufus "We give this money back today, before the Sheriff hires another brutal tax collector that bullies peasants"
They found a horse and strapped the still unconscious Rufus onto the back of it. Robin made sure to find Elaine a horse, suddenly feeling an extra bit more protective of his long time friend before the gang set off.
On their ride, Allan leant over into Elaine's ear as the two were sharing a horse.
"So… you goin' to tell me about what happened?"
"It's in the past now"
"Not if it's still effecting you, it ain't"
"I don't want to talk about it"
"I do"
"Good for you"
"Elaine"
"What?" over her shoulder, she sent him her sweetest innocent smile "I don't know what you're talking about"
"You tortured a man to find us" Allan raised his eyebrows. Elaine was glad to see there was no judgement there. She was afraid she find out his reaction. After all he had been tortured before as well "I don't blame you" He pulled her closer to her on the horse "I would have done the same, had it been the other way around"
"I don't regret it" She admitted "If it helped me find you, I don't regret it"
"Who's the knight in shining armour now?" Allan grinned but Elaine couldn't find it in her to smile back "hey" he gave her a disapproving look at her attitude "I love you, no matter what. Alright?"
Elaine paused. Allan wasn't thinking any less of her, he still loved her. Maybe she should try loving herself for once
"Alright"
