EPILOGUE

The setting sun was already beginning to stretch the shadows when Robin set his foot on solid ground.

The last time Robin had been to Acre, his mind had been preoccupied with the thoughts of saving the King and finding Marian. Before that, he had been a soldier. This was the first time he got the chance to see the city for what it truly was: a bustling port where people from all over traded their goods. This time Robin didn't have to worry about finding a hiding place or keeping his guard up in case of enemy soldiers. Now he was just one more traveller among many others.

The one thing Robin needed to find was an inn. He had barely eaten anything since breakfast, and he had been up since sunrise, so he was in need of a bed and a good meal. Or just a meal in general.

He wandered around the streets, not paying attention to where he was going. It felt very different from the city he had visited before. Or perhaps the city was just as it had always been, and it was Robin himself who had changed.

When Robin realised that he had ended up walking up and down small alleys, he knew he was probably going the wrong way if he intended to find an inn. As he turned around a corner, his body slammed into someone else's, nearly knocking him over. Robin opened his mouth to apologise, but when he looked up at the other person, he knew fate must have dragged him to this street-corner.

"Will?"

Will Scarlett stood in front of him, looking at him with the same confused expression that Robin assumed was on his own face.

"Robin? How… What… You're here!" Will stammered.

"Yes. It's good to see you again," Robin said with a grin, pulling the still slightly confused Will into an embrace. Will soon warmed to him though, fiercely returning the hug.

"But… What are you doing here?" Will asked as they pulled apart.

"I'm… on a personal pilgrimage," Robin explained. "It's lucky I ran into you. I could use some directions to an inn."

"Nonsense! You're not going to an inn – you're coming with me," Will said.

With that, he began to lead Robin down the street. He moved with as much confidence as he would have in Nottingham. Only now did it begin to dawn on Robin just how long it had been since they had last seen each other. Acre was now Will's home, just as Sherwood had once been, and Locksley before that.

They walked through winding alleyways and across larger streets until they came to a small courtyard. Robin did not recognise the place – not that he recognised many places in Acre to begin with. As Will lead him up the stairs to a door in the corner, Robin found himself inexplicably nervous.

They headed inside to a room that was almost glowing as the last rays of sunlight streamed in through the window. In the centre of the place was Djaq, who started talking before Will or Robin could get a word in edgeways, and so at first failed to notice their new visitor.

"Good, you're back. I think- Robin!"

The initial confusion Will had had was now written all over her face as well.

Before Robin could say anything, she had already flung herself across the room and thrown her arms around his shoulders.

"I found him wandering around looking lost and thought I'd bring him here," Will said with a smile.

Djaq took a step back to take a good look at him, which allowed Robin to do the same. She looked just the same as always, her dark eyes observing him as if they could see right through him. In that moment, it was as if no time had passed at all.

"When did you arrive in Acre?" she asked with a wide smile on her lips.

"Just now," Robin replied.

"Then you must be hungry," Djaq said and pushed Robin towards a table, where she and Will began to lay out food for him. He wanted to protest, but he did happen to be starving, so instead he accepted their hospitality.

"So what's been going on in England?" Will asked as he and Djaq settled down on the other side of the table. They both looked eager for any news about their friends.

Robin drew in a deep breath and began his story. He told them everything that had happened since they had last seen each other: going back to England, resuming the fight against the Sheriff, Kate, the Nightwatchman, Archer, saving the King – again – and going back home to Locksley. Will and Djaq kept interrupting with dozens of questions, and by the time Robin was done, the sun had already set hours ago. Djaq was leaning her head against Will's shoulder, and Will was holding back a yawn. Robin himself could barely hold his eyes open.

"And that's when I decided to come here. I wanted to visit Marian's grave. Just so that I could get some… closure," Robin said, finishing his story.

The pair sat opposite him nodded understandingly, and silence began to fall around them. Djaq stood up and stretched her arms.

"I think we can continue this tomorrow. It's getting late. You must be tired," she said and covered a yawn with her hand.

Will showed Robin to a bed, and by the time Robin's head hit the pillow, he was fast asleep.

Robin woke up to the uncomfortable feeling that someone was watching him. As he cracked one of his eyes open, he saw a pair of large brown eyes staring at him intensively.

"Come, let Robin sleep," someone whispered, and with that, the eyes were gone.

Robin rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around properly. It took him a moment to remember where he was. In Acre. With Will and Djaq.

The sunlight streamed in through the window so brightly that Robin knew he must have slept in late. He could feel it as well – he couldn't remember the last time he had woken up with this much energy.

Robin got up and walked over to the table, where Will and Djaq were already getting ready for the day. There he also found the owner of the large, brown eyes; a young child that kept staring up at him while eating small pieces of fruit Will was cutting onto the plate between them.

"Good morning," Will greeted him.

"Morning," Robin replied. "How long did I sleep?" he asked jokingly, looking down at the child.

"Quite a long time," Will replied. "This is Chip," he continued, nodding at the child.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Robin," he said with a smile and offered his hand out to the toddler, who just kept staring at him as he shoved fruit into his mouth while squeezing it in his chubby little hand. Juice dribbled all over the table and Robin withdrew his hand.

"Sit," Djaq commanded and pushed Robin down before sliding a plate in front of him.

"I see you two have been busy," he said with a grin, gesturing at Chip.

"More or less," Will replied, looking down at the child.

Robin ate his breakfast in silence, watching as Will and Djaq went about their chores. It was all so… domestic. The way those two moved around each other and could communicate with just half a word was very familiar – and yet it managed to remind Robin of what he would never have.

Chip kept staring at Robin with a focus he had never seen in such a small child. He had the same serious expression Robin had seen on Will's face many times before. Even though everything else about Will and Djaq was exactly as Robin remembered, the fact that they had a child was another odd reminder of just how much time had passed.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Robin teased.

Chip just kept staring at him while cramming fruit into his mouth.

"He's just being shy," Will said.

"You two need to tell ne about all the adventures you've had," Robin said.

"That can wait," Djaq cut in. "You should leave soon if you plan on visiting Marian's grave today."

Robin sighed. There was no delaying the inevitable.

"Right."

"Will's coming with you," Djaq added.

Robin looked up at Will, who was cleaning the smushed fruit from Chip's hand.

"You don't need to, I'm sure you have more important things to do," Robin protested.

"I want to come. And I've already made time for it," Will replied.

After saying goodbye to Djaq and Chip, Robin and Will headed out. In the daylight the city was far busier than the previous evening, and it took them a while to get out to the desert.

"So, how have you settled into Acre?" Robin asked as they walked out of the city gates.

Will shrugged. "It wasn't easy at first, but once I learned enough Arabic to keep up a conversation life got a lot better."

"You don't regret staying?"

"No. I mean, I do miss England, but… I think it was worth it."

"So you haven't missed the life of an outlaw?" Robin laughed.

"Not really," Will said with a smile. "I appreciate having a quite boring life these days."

"I take it that you and Djaq haven't been having exciting adventures here."

"We just do what we do best: she helps the sick and I do carpentry. And we raise Chip. That's the extent of our adventures."

"Why'd you name your child Chip anyway?" Robin asked.

Will let out a laugh. "It's just a nickname. When he was born, he was so small we would joke that I would lose him among all the woodchips I dragged along everywhere I went."

"I was wondering how Djaq agreed to a name like that."

"Oh, she hated it, but at this point it's too late. The kid thinks that's his actual name," Will said with a smile that was almost as bright as the sun shining high above them.

It was a great injustice that Marian was buried here, in the middle of nowhere, so far from home. She should have been buried in England, where the trees of Sherwood would have cast their shadows over her grave.

Will lingered behind as Robin approached her resting place. Robin had expected this to be far more difficult than what it was. He was surprised at how calm he felt as he knelt at his wife's grave.

Robin had planned this for months. He had thought about what he might say, but now that he was here, there was nothing he wanted to say. He knew that Marian was looking down at him from Heaven, and would know what was in his heart.

He reached up to his neck, where his tag was hanging under his shirt. He grabbed it and yanked hard until the cord snapped. Then he pulled out the Nightwatchman's mask from his pocket. It was finally time to put it to rest as well – that was what Kate had said when she had given the mask to him. Robin wished he had brought a shovel, but he managed to dig a shallow hole next to the grave with his hands. It felt better this way, his hands gentle and close to his love. He laid the objects into the hole and covered them.

Robin knew he would never stop mourning Marian, but, now, he finally felt that he was ready to leave that part of his life behind.

He stood by the grave for what felt like an eternity, just taking in the moment and once more living through the memories of the woman he had loved and lost. Eventually Will walked over to him, standing by his side.

"So, what now?" Will asked.

Robin sighed deeply. A gentle wind tousled his hair slightly.

"I'm not sure," he said.

The uncertainty of the future felt strangely comforting.

A/N: Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this fic.