Osric cursed as he rode through the English countryside. The roads had been turned to mud and his clothes were soaked thanks to the constant rain, but he was determined to keep going. He was six months later than he had hoped to be as it had taken a while for him to recover from his wounds sustained in the ambush. He had been discharged shortly after they had healed, and he had then had a nightmare trying to find a boat which was willing to carry him as a passenger. Thankfully the sailors had eventually taken pity on him, and though it had been a rough crossing, Osric was grateful to be back on English soil. He had spent most of his coins on travelling, but with every mile that passed, he knew that he was getting closer to home. He hoped that Nettleworth would still be there, and that he would be forgiven for leaving. He had not told Alyss of his plans, and he felt guilty for abandoning her when he was sure that she needed him most. Osric had long suspected that the lady had fallen for Gisburne, and he knew that she would have been heartbroken. Therefore, he had decided to accompany the knight and try to ensure that he returned to her, rather than stay in Nottingham as a soldier.

Sadly, Osric was travelling alone. He had no idea what had happened to Sir Guy after the ambush. He had seen the knight fall with an arrow in his back, but Osric had not been able to do anything as he had succumbed to his wounds just a moment later. He had asked everywhere he went of the knight's welfare, but no one had been able to tell him in the hospital, and there had been no sign of him. He had asked many people while he travelled across Normandy, but very few had even heard of Gisburne. It was with a heavy heart that Osric had accepted that his friend was dead, and he was dreading breaking the news to Alyss. After all, she had loved the man, and he had no doubt that she would not have given up on him. Sighing, Osric urged his horse onwards and hoped that the rain would stop soon. He barely got very far before the rain turned into a storm, and Osric decided that he had no other option but to seek shelter. Though he would lose most of the day, at least he would be warm and dry.

He reached the county border two days later. Though tired, hungry and saddle sore, his spirits were lifted at the knowledge that he would soon be home. His thoughts turned to the welcome he would receive, and he hoped that all would be happy to see him. He was expecting to find Eleanor married, but he would be glad to see her again. He did not expect her to forgive him. After all, he had left her without so much as a word, and he felt guilty for it every day. He wondered if Alyss would still be in the manor too. Though he had enquired about her last night at the inn he was at, no one had been able to answer him. Half of them had not even heard of Nettleworth to start with, let alone the welfare of its nobles. He just hoped that wherever his friend was that she was safe and well. He had promised Guy long ago that if only Osric made it home then he would look after Alyss, and he had no intention of breaking his word. He knew he would have to find her if she was not at home, but that was a task for another day. All he could think of was a warm bed, decent food, and good company, and nothing was going to dampen his spirits.

"Where are you heading friend?" It was a little after midday when Osric found himself surrounded by cutthroats. He had barely reached the outskirts of Sherwood Forest, and he sighed heavily as he realised that these men would not hesitate to kill him, even though he was so close to home.

"Home, to Nettleworth." Osric replied, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword. There were five of them, so he was severely outnumbered, but he was determined not to give up without a fight.

"You need to pay the toll before you go any further."

"Toll?" Osric queried

"Twenty marks to ride through our forest." The ringleader said. Osric hesitated.

"And if I do not have twenty marks?"

"Your horse will do." Osric looked at his mount and knew he could not give the creature up. Amasa had seen him through every battle and deserved a happy retirement spent in Nettleworth. He certainly did not deserve to spend the rest of his life ferrying outlaws and stolen goods about.

"No." Osric said carefully, for he had noticed that none of the men carried bows. The group advanced menacingly, and Osric reared his horse. Hooves kicked out and knocked one of the men out, while the four others tried to grab the saddle. Osric quickly sliced and hacked, then urged Amasa on, but one of the men held tightly onto the reins. Amasa reared again, knocking another man down, but the outlaws would not be deterred. He threw a knife, killing one of them instantly, and then he frowned as another man fell with a crossbow bolt in his back. Another horseman approached, and the last man ran back into the trees, knowing that they were beaten.

"Are you hurt?" The rider asked, and Osric shook his head.

"No. Thank you for your help." The soldier looked at the newcomer, for he was certain that he recognised the horse, but the man had his hood up so that it hid his face.

"Where are you heading?"

"Nettleworth." Osric paused. "You?"

"It seems we are heading to the same place. I have business with the lady who lives there." The hooded man explained, and Osric allowed a small smile, for he had not been looking forward to riding through the forest alone.

"Well, it makes sense that we travel through Sherwood together, for it will be safer with two of us." The newcomer nodded in agreement, and so they rode side by side in silence.

Osric's thoughts soon turned back to his home, and he wondered how much he had missed during his absence. Though he did not regret leaving to fight in Normandy, he wondered just what he had sacrificed in doing so. He had often thought of the future he might have had if he had returned to Nettleworth after the trial, and he knew that five years was a long time. He had no doubt that there would be new residents and children he had not met yet, and he knew that there would be people missing too. Births and deaths were a certainty, regardless of what else went on in the world. He just hoped that the village had not suffered, and that Lord Edgar and Lady Alyss were well.

"We should probably try and find somewhere to shelter!" Osric called as the heavens opened about an hour later. His companion merely shook his head.

"You can! My business cannot wait!" Osric muttered under his breath, unwilling to be soaked again, but he also did not want to travel through Sherwood alone. Though he had no idea if Robin Hood and his men were still roaming the forest, he had no wish to encounter any more cut throats. The last thing he wanted was to die when he was so close to home. Clutching his cloak tighter around him, Osric urged his horse onwards.

They reached Nettleworth a little under an hour later, and though he was soaked through, Osric could not help but smile widely. He had dismounted at the edge of the village, and he led his horse along the path he had wandered for most of his life. The manor still stood proud at one end, and it seemed that the cottages were well looked after. It appeared that the residents were all seeking shelter inside from the rain, and Osric could not blame them. As much as he wanted to seek Eleanor out and talk to her at that moment though, Osric knew he had more important business. Heading towards the manor, he hoped that Alyss would forgive him and not react too badly to the news he had for her. Tying his horse up in the stables, he took a deep breath and then went to the front door. Here he found his companion waiting, and Osric wondered who should have precedence, for it seemed that he also wished to talk to Alyss.

"You wish to speak to the lady also?" the hooded man asked, and Osric sighed.

"She is a childhood friend of mine, and I have news of someone she once cared for." He explained, noticing that the man wore chainmail and a dark tunic beneath his sodden cloak. A sword hung from his belt, and Osric was growing more certain that he knew the man.

"Then by all means, go ahead. My news can wait for a few moments." So Osric knocked on the door, then frowned as he realised that the manor was quiet. He waited a minute and got no answer, so he tested the door and found it unlocked. Growing concerned, he let his hand rest on the hilt of his sword as he went inside, and then he stopped dead in the centre of the entrance, for it seemed that much had changed since he had left.

The manor was silent, and no one answered his calls. The furnishings were covered in sheets, while the hearth was empty and cold. Panicking slightly, he walked through the house, trying to find some sign of Alyss or Edgar, but found every room empty. His companion had searched downstairs, and then Osric ran back outside. He hammered on the nearest cottage door, not caring who he disturbed. He needed to know what had happened to cause the manor to be abandoned. After all, he had a promise to keep, and that meant he needed to know where Alyss was.

"Yes?" An old woman asked as she answered. She looked at him curiously, then smiled as she recognised him. "Osric! We thought you long gone. I mean, all of us except Eleanor. She will be pleased to see you. You look very well. Come inside and warm yourself by the fire."

"Hilda, I am sorry to bother you, but the manor is empty, and my companion and I have business with the Lady Alyss. Do you know where she is?" Osric asked quickly, trying to ignore the news that Eleanor was still in the village, while the cloaked man hovered nearby.

"I am sorry Osric, but I fear it may have been a wasted journey." Hilda said sadly. Osric knew then that something was most definitely wrong. "Lady Alyss is in the churchyard with her father."

"Her father?"

"He passed away last week. It is a terrible shame." She explained sadly.

"Lord Edgar is dead?" Hilda nodded, and the hooded man took to their heels in the hopes of confirming that their worst fears were not true. Osric meanwhile sighed heavily, for he knew what this meant.

"I am sorry Osric. Are you sure you won't come in?"

"Thank you but no." Osric said, before heading out to the churchyard, hoping that she had been wrong. Alyss could not be dead. It just wasn't possible. He hurried along the path, past the small stone church that served the village, and then hesitated as he found the hooded figure on his knees in front of two fresh earthen mounds. Osric wondered just who this man was, but all thoughts of this were gone as he realised what the two graves meant. Alyss was gone. He had been too late.