There's work to do

Count Friedrich's Castle, Bavaria

Friedrich was as charming a host as he was a guest. Helga, his wife, expecting their first child, acted nothing like a woman of her situation. She was restless in her mission to ensure the entertainment of her husband's friends, which also included tales of her adventures from before her marriage when she was raiding foreign lands with her Viking friends and family. She described the beauties she had seen, the people she had met, but warned her audience she would not shy away from the killing she had done.

No one attending the feast objected, most of them, if not all, having their own shares of killing.

"A few months ago, I told one of my stories to a Lord in France. With him being important, he wasn't very careful with his words when he expressed his disgust, because I, a woman, spoke about having killed a man in battle. I wanted to disembowel him there and then for his hypocrisy but I left the room, for Friedrich's sake. Later I found the Lord's daughter and we shared some wine. She told about some interesting rumors about her father's third wife's untimely demise. Then we drank some more and she demonstrated her skills with a sword. Her secret training had great results! Isn't that so, Rochelle?"

A young woman with braided hair and piercing green eyes, laughed. "Papa didn't want me to fight. Papa was rarely right."

Between Rochelle attempting to sing, Will and Djaq humorously debating over the authenticity of a fortune teller they had met in Venice, who claimed that they were destined to be together and Friedrich telling them how he came to meet Helga at a gambling table, time passed quickly.

"So," Helga said, sitting next to Djaq. "Loving a foreign man, not an easy task, eh?"

"Loving a man never is," Djaq responded quietly. "Some are worth the trouble."

Helga nodded in agreement and moved on to Will who sat quietly admiring the wood-work displayed on the fireplace. Will had no time to comment on them because a tall man with broad shoulders and golden hair made his boisterous entrance in the Hall.

"Where's my sister?" His laughter echoed in the big room. "Helga!"

She ran to him and he squeezed her tightly. "Brother!"

Friedrich approached Djaq, Will and Marian who were watching the scene, agreeing that Little John would have found his match had he been there.

After ten minutes of incomprehensible conversation and hugs between Helga and Olaf, the Count started sighing. "Ah. This will take a while. Why don't we get on with your story so far? We were rudely interrupted the last time."

On the night of their arrival, the Count had received word that his presence was needed at the estate of a friend. He had been gone for a few weeks and they hadn't had the time to talk.

Will said that with the news of Marian's abduction and the assassination plans against the King, they traveled to the Holy Land to prevent monstrosities from occurring at Vaisey's command. And while they managed to overcome the misunderstanding with the King and save his life, in their mission to rescue Marian they had failed. When the time for decisions came, he and Djaq chose to stay behind, and said goodbye to their friends.

Marian explained, without any great detail about the days before Gisborne's and Vaisey's departure, that she had the help of one of his servants who, after being abandoned by his evil Master, saw fit to shift his loyalties to her. She received immediate medical attention and then she managed to reach the King's camp. Much to her relief she stumbled upon Carter who could vouch for her.

At that point Carter, accompanied by Rochelle, joined their conversation, offering his own experience. Giving her the news about Robin being gone was painful. Marian admitted that she had few hopes to find him there, but to have them crushed was horrible. However she didn't dwell on what had transpired in the past. Both of them focused on what they could do and that was easy; contact with Djaq and Will at Bassam's house.

Djaq remembered that the announcement of a Crusader at the door was alarming until she heard Carter's voice. Her guess was that he wanted to deliver a last message from Robin. "Well, I was only half right," she laughed.

Alas, their happiness was short-lived. Any association with Englishmen was a treason and wouldn't be tolerated by certain locals. There was an attack at Bassam's residence that resulted his brutal death in the burning house.

"Finding Marian, meant that we had to leave. I knew it... I just... I just never thought it would come to this." Djaq said.

Will caressed her hand affectionately. "Now we're going home. To what exactly, we have no idea."

"By my calculations, your journey sounds unreasonably long, my friends! Were you riding turtles instead of horses?!"

"We all had been very tired, and needed time to recuperate..." Marian said, but she didn't have Friedrich's attention anymore. His wife summoned him to the other side of the Hall. Djaq and Will were getting better acquainted with Rochelle.

"Yes, very tired..." Carter whispered to Marian, in the privacy they enjoyed. "And busy with lying to our friends..."

Marian didn't respond.

"Will and Djaq-"

Marian stopped him, "are respecting my wish not to share this with anyone."

"Others will be less inclined to be kept in the dark."

"Bringing Robin to this, won't make me tell you."

"We're friends, Marian. Or so I believed..."

"I am no less of a friend, because I want to keep this to myself. I've lost a great deal. I will not lose my right to privacy."

Carter realised that insisting was futile. For the time being, he obeyed. But he didn't know whether he was helping her or not.

Friedrich approached them, not noticing Marian's tension. Djaq, Will and Rochelle came too.

"Djaq, my dear, tell me about the attack, if it's not to much to ask." The Count asked.

Will offered to say that story instead of Djaq. "It was madness. There was banging on the doors and walls. And in a split of a second, the house was full of people carrying burning torches and stones. We managed to escape with our lives thanks to a secret tunnel that Bassam had built for us-"

"He died to save me..." Djaq whispered.

Will went on, saying "By the time we recovered from the horror, we had to tend to the servants who had survived the slaughter. Some of them had families in villages away from the city and we accompanied them there, putting our own lives in danger to protect them, but what else would we do? They had fought to protect us."

"When we finally returned to Acre, after God knew how many weeks, a contagious fever had spread all over the city. The captains, the few who had remained in the vicinity, refused to accommodate people who could have been contaminated." Will went on. "We had to wait outside the city, thankfully, not falling ill, until it was possible to leave."

"The ship took us to Cyprus, where their God or mine thought best to prevent us from leaving. Almost six weeks of horrible storms!" Djaq said.

"Arriving at Naples, a miracle we had began to doubt would ever happen, we had to set our route. We didn't know the land, its dangers and secrets. We had to cross it carefully. It turned out to be as dangerous as any other part of Europe, really. Five times we were attacked. Djaq was badly wounded and we had to move slowly. Until we got here."

"I feel exhausted even listening to it!" Friedrich remarked. "To think I complained for my relatively short journey to England and back! Well, it wasn't a complete waste! On my way home from that wonderful adventure we shared, I thought it best to create a net of communication. It took time, effort and money but information is a valuable commodity. Anyone interested in the fruits of my labor?" watching their eager faces, he went on. "From what I hear, the situation is changing rapidly. Vaisey no longer poses a threat. Well, from beyond the grave there's little even he can do-"

"Grave?!" Marian, Will and Djaq repeated simultaneously.

"That is what is reported, anyway. My informant with whom I have met at my friend's estate, also told me there's a woman filling the position of the Sheriff now."

Marian tried to think of Vaisey's reaction to the notion of a leper sitting on his chair. His crazy eyes popping out of their sockets was amusing.

"Details about her are scarce, I am afraid, but she seems to enjoy Prince John's trust."

"If Prince John favors her, I can say I am already not fond of her," Will's mistrust was natural, given his experience.

"She conducts herself very carefully, from what I hear. Never too revealing."

"Always doing your homework." Marian told Friedrich, grateful for his way of thinking.

"Always." He said and it was obvious that he had been watching over for her, even from afar. "I've heard some rumors, that may prove upsetting. Prince John visited Nottingham, not long ago. But he plans to return. To what end I can only guess, but it cannot be anything good. He's weak, but he can get very strong. The next months will be critical."

"No time for half measures." Djaq said, and nodded at Marian that this was the moment to make their move.

"Yes. We need to strike hard, but with what? We're outnumbered and with no weapons."

"So we are back to the beginning. A bad Sheriff and us without hope." Will shook his head.

"I really like our feasts," Carter said. "We always end up crestfallen!"

"If only there was a way to raise an army. But the oppressed who would follow us cannot fight like soldiers, and the soldiers who can fight cannot be bought without money, which we don't have."

"Well if only something could be done about that," Friedrich smiled. "If only someone had already made arrangements!" He winked at them and gestured for Olaf to join them. "This man is my wife's brother. What I didn't say is that he and his men -trained and thirsty for battle- are coming to assist you. Money to sustain this small army and obtain the services of others as well, will be given to you. After that, it's up to you to get the job done, my friends."

The four companions' faces lit up. "Our gratitude is beyond words." Djaq said.

Friedrich bowed to Djaq with respect.

Marian hugged him."We will never forget it."

"Oh, my Marian. Do you remember what was the last thing I told you that night?"

"If I am ever in Bavaria-" Marian started.

"I remain, my Lady, your servant, your booby and your friend." He finished the sentence, glad he had the opportunity to make good on his promise.

"Now, Englishmen. How well do you think you fight?" Olaf asked, smirking.