We Fight On

A small cabin in Sherwood

Marian pulled the blankets higher. The cabin was colder than she remembered. It was spring when she last had been there. She liked that sensation better; less troubled

"It will be dark soon." Robin announced as if the possibility of night had just occurred to him and jumped back into the improvisation of a bed he had created a few years ago. "What are you thinking?"

"That it would be a wonderful thing to be lost in a blissful moment like this."

"But?"

"Reality rears its ugly head."

"No," he replied, "Not yet."

Nottingham Castle

"My Lady," Godric announced his presence in the Hall.

"So," Isabella offered him a seat at her right. Godric remained at his place.

"There's been a sighting of the Vikings. They seem on guard. Best not to provoke them."

"I cannot believe he invited this threat to his beloved peasants. Now that everything hangs from a single thread, Robin thinks is fun to play war."

"Perhaps if you were to tell him-"

"He wouldn't understand."

"He might not. But there's evidence to support that if there is a reasonable opponent among your enemies, it would be him."

Isabella pressed the mask against the wooden armchair. "I can't. Not now. Just a little time, is all I need."

Godric shook his head. "I know I have no right to demand this, my Lady. But I do need you to promise me you will at least think about it."

"I will reconsider your suggestion. By the time you return from York I will have made a decision."

"What am I to expect there?"

"Proof of life. Indisputable."

"What promises are we to make this time?"

"Remind him I am saving this seat for him." She tapped her finger on the armchair and jumped up, heading to the door.

Small cabin

"Did you spend much time here?"

"Almost every night." Robin responded.

"Alone?"

"Almost every night."

"Who's been keeping you company?"

"A squirrel, once. And a few bats, although that obviously didn't work."

"Better than desert ants, though."

"Debatable."

The gang's camp

Djaq looked at the space that she had spent years of her life in. She never thought she'd be back there. The small chest where she used to keep her things was where she had left it. She dared to open it and she found it well stocked. Another had assumed to role of the healer as it was natural. She looked at Tuck and found his gaze on her, smiling.

It would take time but adjustment would be achieved.

Allan was lying down half asleep. Much was securing Gisborne's bonds while the former lieutenant kicked and screamed for release.

"Once they return, they decide. Now shut up." John carried him to where they kept their provisions and locked the heavy door. Will offered to stand guard. Tuck assured him he'd replace him after he'd get much needed rest.

Carter went with Olaf to the Viking's camp. They had to be watched. No matter how noble the cause and refreshing the virtue of patience, Vikings had little tolerance for both.

Rochelle sat by Allan and across from Djaq. Impressed, tired and famished, she let sleep take over.

It was only after everyone fell quiet, that Djaq realised that the blond woman to whom she had been hurriedly introduced earlier was nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps she needs some time away from all of us, unfamiliar people.

This new person was supposed to be from Locksley, but Djaq failed to summon any memory of her. Not very noticeable those days, probably.

When Djaq looked for the gang's weapons she noticed that they were significantly few for their numbers. She asked Much who usually was the one to take inventory. It used to be Will back in the day. Before Much would delve deep into reminiscing he informed her that is was his duty now. When she asked him about the last time he performed this task Much laughed.

"I'll have you know that there's no one more reliable than me. I counted them yesterday. Normally I would do it again, once everyone was back, but today is not-"

"Count them now." She urged him.

Much declared he didn't understand the need but halfway through the chest his alarmed face led Djaq to search for her own knives, in her own satchels but in vain.

Most of their equipment was gone and Kate's absence was very suspicious now.

The small cabin

"It's been a long journey, hasn't it? Across God's green Earth."

"The longest!" Marian sighed. "And many things happened in all this time apart."

"I don't believe we would have survived if everything was standing still. The world moves forward. Eventually. And we with it." He had moved forward and felt shame for it now that she wasn't dead. Not an everyday thing to accept in a few hours time.

"Yes. People change everyday. Some more than the others. And sometimes these changes or the reasons behind them, may be cause for trouble."

"You're not great with riddles. No change there."

"This is serious, Robin."

"It is an inescapable truth with you, my love." He sat up and stared at her, half worried half curious. "It might be a stab in the dark but you are referring to whatever happened and for some reason you think that there might be something that would cause a rift between us."

"Not exactly. But it could be something hard to deal with."

"Something so much worse than inviting the man who murdered you into my gang?"

"There will always be a part of me that will urge me to punch you repeatedly for the folly of allowing him so close, but I am here to stay."

"Then are my feelings so feeble? Am I not here to stay? Do not attempt an answer. I am here to stay." He uttered every word with the gravity of the most holy oath. "Marian, in the course of our lives not everyone understand us and not everyone accepts us. But when we're lucky there are people who by some twist of fate or divine providence allow us to breath in the uncomfortable skin our actions made for us. Whatever you have done to bring you here, I am glad you did."

"I've killed."

"I am glad."

"I've slaughtered them."

"I am glad still. It is condemnable I know. May God forgive me. But, Marian, it is the truth. You see, I have changed too. And I don't know if I can return to whom I was or even if I want to."

"Well, I do not know what life changing events occurred here and before we get to that, I need to talk to you about my trip to the Holy Land. It wasn't what you might be thinking."

Robin felt the grave worry much like every other time he contemplated of the ship that sailed away with Marian in chains.

"He said that he sold you to a slaver."

"That is what he thought he was doing." Marian showed no emotion, saying those puzzling words. He envied her for that.

"You have traveled." She went on.

He remained silent unable to fathom to where the conversation was getting.

"Therefore you must have heard the stories about The Captain."

"Which captain? Which ship?" he finally found the strength.

"No. Not a captain. The Captain."

Robin believed he had accumulated himself with horror. The arrogance of human nature assuming it had nothing new to learn, all wise and knowledgeable.

"It can't be."

She pulled her sleeve up and the tattoo appeared signifying that it most certainly could and more to that it had absolutely been.

The complete account of everything that had happened on the assassins' ship was finally over and the land was covered with darkness.

"Earlier you said you were no longer who you were. I am not either. In the course of the past years I have been both the betrayer and the betrayed. I have been ignorant and illuminated. I have been terrified and terrifying. I have resisted and I have surrendered. I have been cold-hearted and I have been caring. When I was younger I thought I had to be good and I rebelled under the night sky. But my father died and my housed was burned to the ground. I want to be good, Robin. But I will not lose nobly."

Robin run his fingers on the black-inked symbols on her arm. "We fight on then. We fight and we let them now that we do not lose nobly."