Hi, and here we go another long chapter and hopefully not the last before xmas. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Incidentally Matilda was an utter ease and a joy to write so she will be in this story more often and in the sequel.

Disclaimer-Nothing here is mine.

Please Read and Review.

And as always TRIGGER WARNINGS.

Any discussions of Medieval herbs are not always correct. So please keep that in mind. The herbs and the discussions in this chapter and in the next between Matilda and Erin are fictional. Any inaccuracies i apologise.

Faith Based Initiative

Chapter 9-Let The Truth Sting.

Matilda makes an appearance with a few words for the Outlaws that smacks them all back into shape. Erin awakes and adjusts and meanwhile in the cave Marion and Djaq try to pass the time as their injuries become more complicated.

Matilda had been in bent over what John suspected to be a rather vicious looking weed when they had arrived. They had slipped round the back of the cottage both to avoid the villagers and to avoid any guards. Personally John thought that Robin should not be granted any form of temptation right now and seeing some of Nottingham's finest would probably see their leader crawl back into the castle to watch it burn from the inside.

John had known Matilda through Alice back before he had been considered an Outlaw, indeed half of the village knew her and a good deal of the men. She'd had no husband when she'd had her child Rosa and yet despite what many would consider an offence worth of being shunned in 1173. She had proven herself a capable and competent midwife and wise woman delivering most of the babies of Locksley, Nettlestone and Treeton including from John's memories two difficult pregnancies in the form of Kate the potters daughter and Luke Scarlett both of whom had wanted to come out feet first which was usually a death sentence for mother and baby. She had also been equipped during plague and pestilence nursing the sick and under the care of Marian's mother and father (when he had been Sherriff) had opened the hall of Knighton as a hospital.

She was also fucking hilarious if truth be told because she had a mouth on he that would make the average soldier blush and a way with words that could set anyone to laughter. She told the truth how it was and more than once to power which John knew from experience was a brave thing to do. Plus she could whack down her ale with the speed of a dying man which had always personally impressed him if not his wife.

And perhaps her best quality, famously loyal. John held no doubt that they would not need to blindfold her because she would not betray their confidence. Matilda held a believe that what a patient said to the person tending them should be held in the strictest of confidence.

Matilda cursed and then kicked the weed. She stood up when she saw Robin come to the gate of her house and then her eyes flickered to John who smiled though he was sure that it was more of a grimace. What that poor girl had been through was still in his mind and he found he wanted to go and lie down and not get up. Sometimes he thought he was getting a bit too old for this shit.

"Which one of you is injured now?"

Robin launched into his story explaining about Marian, Djaq and then onto the girl. He left out the bit about the Black Knights which John thought was rather a good idea. Accusing the Sherriff of High Treason in private was one thing, publicly was another. And knowing Matilda as he did she would probably just march up to the castle and rap the Sherriff on the head with a wooden spoon as punishment which was the last thing that they all needed.

By the time he was finished Matilda's mouth had gone into a very thin line.

"Poor darling" was all she said finally. "Is she conscious?"

"She fainted" John replied. Matilda snorted.

"Not surprising when she saw you lot leaning over her. Who'd you leave her with?"

"Will, Allan and Much" Robin replied.

"Well, suppose that's not too bad. Much can help me if Djaq's gone, man's got the mind of a medic if not the skill, any boy of Jane Scarlett's going to respect a woman's right to privacy and the blue eyed beauty A'Dale, I suppose knows when not to be a complete and utter cretin."

"We can bring her here?" John said though it came out more of a question. Matilda considered this for a second and then shook her head.

"Nah best to leave her where she is. Sounds like her mind's been through enough and has shut down to protect her. Not surprising all things considered. Best I come to her. I'll grab my bag. Have you got horses or am I expected to walk?"

"We've got two horses" Robin said with the aura of a man with a bit more confidence now he knew what he was doing. "Do you want to ride with me or with John"

"John" Matilda said. "No offense Robin but you still ride like the Turk is after you and I don't need the bruises on my buttocks. There well shaped for a woman my age and I don't need you ruining them. John rides a bit slower. Tell me when to shut my eyes and I will do. Rosa's at her sweethearts for dinner tonight. Let me write her a note to let her know I've gone to help a sick friend and will be back by nightfall tomorrow at the latest and then we can go, now let me think what do I need…" she began to mutter various things under her breath and then turned away back to the ramshackle cottage leaving John smiling for what felt like the first time in days and Robin stunned into silence.

Much was sat by the fire watching the flames out of one eye and the girl out of the corner of another. Allan with a tenderness Much had not though him truly capable of had placed her on Robin's bed and then tucked the fur blanket around her for modesty and warmth before going to sit on his own bunk. Will too was sat on his own bed watching the fire with dark eyes. Much wanted to say something but he was unsure what at this point would be helpful. He had gotten Djaq's medical kit out from under her bunk (Will had made her the box for what had been Christmas a few months ago so she would not feel left out) and had been checking what she had while bringing the water to boil but he had to do something, certainly he had to keep the two men younger than him away from what he knew were the horrors of their own thoughts. Much had been there in the Holy Lands, suffered bouts of Crusaders Sickness himself. He knew how cruel your head, the one place you considered your sanctuary could be when it turned on you.

"Will" he said carefully and though it took a second Will's eyes fixed on him. They were shockingly overbright and Much found that he could not let the man suffer in silence any longer. He moved slowly like he would with a crusader who had seen friend or brother or even lover killed in front of him and paused as reached Will reaching out to grasp his shoulder until Will's gaze focused on him.

"Can you go and grab some more wood for me please, we need to keep the fire stoked until Matilda gets here, plus I think we might need a separate fire if we all wish to eat tonight. And Allan" he called over his shoulder and Allan who had been staring at the girl with an unreadable expression on his face snapped his gaze back to Much's. "Can you go with him and make sure we have clean water as well. I don't know how much we will need, though we have enough food"

Thank God they had gone hunting the day before Knighton Hall had been burned to the ground. Robin victorious after defeating the Sherriff and winning over Marian had shot down more birds, rabbits and dear than Much knew what to do with.

Both Will and Allan got to their feet and disappeared round the back of the camp where other hidden supplies were kept hidden by the sight of others in the forest by another trapdoor that Will had created so that during harsh weather they did not have to go far for food and water. It was rather brilliant and Much had told Will as much at the time.

As soon as they were gone Much ran a hand over his face. He was getting the itching feeling back under his skin like there was sand burrowing under there. Several baths between the Holy Land and here and he was still not sure that he had gotten all of it out. Marian, Djaq, this girl, the Sherriff was trying to kill the King, the nobles against King John, all of it. And if what Allan and Will said was to be believed the commons might not to stop it either. And from his low pecking order Much could understand it. He had been born poor. He knew what it was to want a strong and stable government and a good figure head who gave the impression of caring, to be unkind all Richard had done was tax his people half to death in order to fight a war which was never going to end and was if Much was being truthful a pissing contest between Richard and the Philip of France.

He tried not to think about Marian and Djaq wherever they were. In some cave. Much had lived in Locksley his whole life but he had never heard of any caves apart from the ones in the mountains that overlooked the east of the castle and that was one drag to take two prisoners. Three if you counted this woman they had taken back to camp. There must be a group of knights working together, one would not be enough. And Djaq and Marian were not woman who went down without a fight.

There were footsteps and he shot up but it was just Matilda her eyes shut leaning against John with Robin, Will and Allan both clutching piles of wood and water not far behind.

Matilda opened her eyes took in the space around the camp, hmphed and then dumped her bag into Much's arms coming up to see the girl under the blankets. She twitched aside the covers and took in the bruises, the blood and the scar tissue and then gently placed her hand on the woman's forehead as she tucked her back in again.

"Exhaustion" she said her face lined with pity. "No wonder the poor girl, it's filth who did this mark my words. She'll come to when she's ready and I can help with the wounds and the…cleaning off…well…" she turned around and saw all of them stood there.

"Oh for heavens…Much get the lavender, the sage and the valerian, we can make her a tea for when she wakes up. Get the water boiling drop the herbs in and then leave it to stew for a while. John get the clean bandages out of the bag she's going to need them and William get the tansy, the willowbark and the peppermint out of my bag as well, you should know what they look like and get me some cold and clean water we can soothe the bandages in them. And the feverfew she'll need that if we don't want a fever to get to her. Allan if you want to make yourself useful I suggest you and Robin get to town and keep your heads down"

"Why what do you need?" Allan asked as Will, Much and John scrambled to obey.

"Not what I need what she needs"

There was a pause as Matilda looked at them.

"God save us" she said with an eyeroll. "A dress perhaps, a nice one. Something that gives her a bit of modesty, some oil so she can wash her hair, good boots for the winter perhaps a nice warm cloak, a blanket, a hairbrush, the basic necessities things, the things you boys have been living without for some time I'm afraid, and some wine. I'm going to need wine"

"Why?" Much asked.

"Cause if she can piss we need to know if she's pregnant" Matilda said darkly.

That was enough to shut the Outlaws up for a second.

"We need to get her awake" Robin said finally speaking the words. "We need her awake Matilda, we've got to find out where they've taken Marian and Djaq"

Matilda nodded but Much was not entirely sure she grasped the urgency in Robin's voice. Her eyes were on her patient and Much knew her enough to know that, that was where her thoughts were going to be for the considerable future.

"Go the lot of you and let me work, and when she wakes up don't crowd over her. Much once you've done with the tea some dinner wouldn't go amiss"

Usually Much would look to Robin but not today. Today he found he did as he was told.

To be honest it was good to have someone take control. All of them felt that. Matilda gave off such a good level of competence that they all felt that, even Robin.

Erin felt her eyelids grow lighter but she did not want to wake up. She was lying on something considerably softer than rock and wrapped in something warm. She could not remember the last time that she had been this warm. She could not remember the last time that she had slept this deeply or this warmly. She could not remember the last time that she had slept at all come to think of it.

She shifted and found that she could turn a little. It was odd, there was nothing pulling her back to wherever she was chained too.

And that was what forced her eyes to open and to let go of the dream that she had been clinging too.

She saw the leaves and felt the sunlight before her brain registered. And even then when she thought about Marian, Djaq, the Outlaws she only wanted to close her eyes and sleep some more. In fact all Erin wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep away the rest of her life.

There was a clattering that threw her eyes back open and she reached her hands connecting to the soft fur she was wrapped in ready to move backwards when she felt something or rather someone sit down on the edge of the bed.

"Hello" came a voice and she looked to see a woman. Her hair was brown and straggling and she a thick piece of cloth wrapped around her head to keep it off her face. Her dress was brown and frayed and loose around her though it was clinched at the waist with a belt. Her hands were course and rough as was her face but her eyes were brown and wide and kind and looking at Erin with sympathy. Erin watched tensing, surely the first blow had to start coming soon?

"Ah little thing" the woman said gently. "You have been through the ringer haven't you? No matter. Your safe now, if you can sit up I've got something for you to drink"

Erin sat up more out of obedience rather than anything else. The woman nodded and helped prop up a pillow so that Erin could rest between that and the tree where the bed seemed to be made up from.

"My name's Matilda." The wom—Matilda said turning her back to the fire and ladling something into a wooden mug. "Wise woman of Locksley. Robin sent me to come and look after you. I've got the boys doing things so we shouldn't be disturbed. But there going to want answers I will warn you. Drink this" she said passing Erin a mug.

"There's some herbs in there and a bit of sugar from the East for the shock. Not a lot mind, it costs more than my house does at the minute. Drink it softly and let it go down your throat rather than gulp it. Then we need to talk about the rest of your injuries. Then you are going to have to tell the menfolk what they know. First though, here are some bandages soaked in peppermint oil, and some stewed lavender, let's get those ankles and wrists seen to before infection spreads."

Erin stared at her she still was not sure if she could speak but she felt if she didn't it was terribly impolite.

"Thank you" she said finally once she had worked her voice to form words. Her voice sounded odd, almost strange to her own ears and she winced a little.

"Now" Matilda said once she had watched Erin take a few sips of the mug. "I've also got some rags soaked in herbal waters for your face but first your cuts on your legs and arms need tending to, so darling do I have your permission to touch you?"

Erin stared at her for a second and then she was making some horrible noise, a gasping, half wrenching, half sobbing noise and she was rocking backwards and forwards her hands clasped to her mouth to keep it in.

She could not remember the last time someone had asked permission….

Matilda reached out then and gently hugged her. She pulled her to her chest and loosely wrapped her arms around Erin. Erin found that made it better and worse all at the same time.

She could not remember the last time that she had been hugged either.

"Ah darling" Matilda said finally. "Let it all out there you go. Your safe now. Nobody's ever going to hurt you again"

Erin screwed her face up and leaned her head on Matilda's shoulder the noise gone but the shaking and the shuddering growing almost violent. Matilda said nothing and Erin found she could not remember the last time that she had been hugged like this. As if by a mother…

For a long time or so it seemed she shuddered out her feelings and then she pulled back wiping her eyes. Matilda stood and moved to hide her face and Erin was glad for her privacy without wondering weather Matilda had needed hers.

"Now then" the woman said turning her face oddly blank but for her smile. "Do I have permission darling?"

"Yes" Erin said finally. "Yes you do…and my name…my name is Erin"

Matilda smiled.

"Then it is very nice to meet you Erin. And I meant what I said. You are safe here"

Djaq had been silent for a while Marian thought. She shifted a little trying to kick the woman but from her position it was difficult and at some point her knee had gone past the point of hurting and was now firmly at the point of utter fucking agony.

The fear Marian thought was that her Nightwatchman days were over. That thought sent a spike of terror through her and she vowed not to think about it but the more pain that was spiking through the body the more she couldn't help but come to the conclusion that her days as a vigilante were over.

And then that brought her back to her father and how pleased he would have been and she found her face was crumpling again despite the pain and she was fighting back sobs for the parent that she had loved and yet never really appreciated for who he had been and what he had tried in his own way to do for her.

"Djaq?"

"Hmm?"

Was it just her or did Djaq sound sleepy?

"Are you alright?"

There was a pause. Marian struggled to sit up but her ribs screamed in protest and she went back to her half lying down, half sat up position that seemed to dull most of the pain, when Robin came for her she did not know what state she would be in or what he might find but she knew it wouldn't be anything good.

"No not really. I…I think I hit my head when they shoved me back in here. I cut it you see and I know it's bleeding…"

"Why the fuck didn't you say anything!?" Marian shouted and then coughed.

"Because the objective was to get Erin through that hole and she wouldn't have gone if she had the slightest reason to stay behind."

Marian couldn't fault the logic.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Keep me talking, my father used to say never let a man with a head injury fall asleep otherwise the sleep will take him and he will never awaken."

Marian remembered her injuries just weeks ago and the deep sleep she had fell into and thought that Djaq's father had a rather good point. She looked towards the hole but no light was coming out of it so she assumed that it was night time. She had no idea how long they had been here but it was clear both from her injuries, Djaq's and due to the return at some point of their jailors that they were in the decline.

Time was running out.

And there you are, I hope you like this chapter and I will do my best to bring you the next chapter before Christmas.

Next Chapter-Marian and Djaq talk about their childhoods, Erin tells all of what she knows before she turns to Matilda and a plan is but in motion that will see all united