MEMORIES by White Wolf
Chapter Four
An hour after Robin had left, the five outlaws of Sherwood walked across the bridge at Huntingdon Castle. A soldier moved from the shadowed interior of the archway. "What's your business here?"
John stepped forward. He could easily have gotten close enough to the soldier to tower over him, but putting the man on the defensive might well work against them, so he stopped several feet away. "We've come to see..." he almost said Robin Hood. Instead he said, "Robert Huntingdon."
The soldier looked the five men up and down. "You've business with him?" His tone was ripe with doubt.
"Yes," Tuck replied. He moved past John, believing he would be the most non-threatening of the five. "May we see him?"
"He's not here," the soldier replied curtly.
Thinking the soldier might just be trying to keep unkempt strangers from bothering the Earl's son, especially if he was hurt, Tuck continued, "It's important we talk to him."
"Look," Will began impatiently, to the consternation of the others, "he won't be happy if you turn us away. We're friends of his."
The soldier clearly wasn't sure what he should do. Ordinarily, he would have scoffed at the notion that these people were friends of the Earl's son. But, he knew who Robin was, knew he ran with outlaw peasants in Sherwood. What if they really were his friends? Finally, deciding to err on the side of caution, he turned to another soldier and whispered in his ear. The second soldier ran off toward the castle entrance. He was soon out of sight, so the outlaws weren't sure just what he was doing.
There were several minutes of awkward silence before the second soldier returned and whispered back to the first one, who nodded and motioned the five outlaws to follow him. He led them into the courtyard and pointed toward the stairs by the main entrance.
They headed that way, and when they reached the steps, a man came out to greet them. "I'm Martin, the Huntingdon steward. I've been told you claim to be friends of Robert's."
Before anyone else could answer, Will piped up, "We don't just claim it. We are friends of his."
"From Sherwood?" Martin asked. He knew the answer, of course. He had heard these outlaws described in the stories and knew each one of these men fit the descriptions given, including the surly Scarlet.
Tuck confirmed the question. "Yes, we're from Sherwood."
"Come inside," Marin told them and turned to lead the way into the castle.
Only Nasir didn't show any reaction to the well-appointed castle. He did, however, admire Robin's home.
Will couldn't help but let out a whistle. "Gave all this up, did he?" John hit him on the shoulder to remind him of his manners, not that Will Scarlet had that many to begin with. He pretty much said whatever he pleased, whether it was considered rude or not.
Martin couldn't keep the sadness out of his voice as he informed the group, "Robert---your Robin---is gone," He now had their full attention.
John groaned, "No." He completely misunderstood Martin's comment. Tears were welling in his eyes as he turned away.
Total shock was registered on the faces of Will, Nasir and Tuck.
Much, too, had tears in his eyes as he reacted to Martin's words. "Robin can't be dead," he said, totally crest-fallen.
Martin suddenly realized what these men thought. "No. No. He isn't dead. He's left Huntingdon. I'm sorry you thought I meant..." His apology hung in the air unfinished.
It took John a moment to turn back around to face his friends and Martin.
Martin smiled. "You must care about him very much. I'm glad. He's a good person and deserves to have true friends like that. I've heard the stories, of course. I imagine you have to be very close to live the way you do."
"Has Robin gone back to Sherwood?" John asked, his voice not quite back to normal. He had to cough to clear his throat. It was trying to seize up on him.
"No. He's gone to Scotland."
"Scotland?" Will wailed. "Why would he go there? Don't he know we've been looking for him for two days?"
Martin sighed. "You'd better come with me. I have a tale to tell, and I don't think you're going to like it very much."
For the second time in as many days, the Huntingdon steward explained all he knew about the whole situation. This time he was able to add the part Jeffery and Aggie had played in it. He watched as he saw the five faces in front of him begin to crumble---well, four faces. The man Martin knew to be Nasir showed no outward emotion. His eyes, though, told a different story. Most people couldn't read the Saracen's eyes. Martin was good at judging people and intentions that way. He had often known when Robin was up to mischief by reading what he saw in the bright blue eyes of the fair-haired boy. The simple truth was: Nasir was as forlorn as his friends were.
"He doesn't know us at all?" John questioned, unable to believe the absolute blank Robin's last two years with them had become.
"All he knows are the stories of Loxley that we all know. He doesn't actually remember living as Robin Hood himself. I'm sorry. I know this must be difficult for all of you."
"He doesn't even remember Marion?" Much asked. He found it hard to believe that Robin could forget the woman he had so completely given his heart to.
Martin simply shook his head. "He's on his way to Scotland, because he doesn't want to endanger his father by staying here. The Earl's away, and Robert left without seeing him, though he badly wanted to." Martin watched these men closely. "I hope you know he hasn't left you because he doesn't care what happens to you. I'm sure you know what a good heart he has. He thinks you'll be better off with someone, in his words, 'who knows what he's doing'. He cares. He just doesn't remember."
"So, I guess that's it, then. It's done," Will declared with finality. He sounded disgusted.
John stared down at Will. "You sound like you're just giving up on him," the big man said angrily.
"We can't catch him, if he's on horseback," Will shot back just as angrily. "Besides, there's no way to know if he'll get his memory back even if we did manage to find him."
The two men glared at each other.
"If you want to go back to Sherwood and forget Robin, then go ahead. I sure won't try to stop you," John argued. "I'm going to find him if I have to search every inch of that God forsaken country."
Martin wasn't surprised at the exchange. He realized these men were arguing out of fear. "He'll be at the Scottish court," he informed them. "His uncle is the King of Scotland, but I'm sure you know that."
"Of course, we know that!'" Will said sharply. He was angry with himself for making it sound like he had been thinking of just forgetting about Robin as if he really was dead.
Nasir stood up. "Can you provide us with horses? If so, we can catch Robin before he reaches the Scottish border." There was pure confidence in his tone. He had no doubts that he spoke the truth.
"Yes, of course. Next to the King, Huntingdon has the finest horses in England," Martin said. The Earl took great pains to breed only the best stock he could acquire, and with his fortune, he could buy just about whatever he wanted. 'Everything but the freedom of his son', Martin sighed to himself. He stood up. "Come with me. Robert travels fast. You'll need to get started and move even faster."
While Martin went to see to the horses, the outlaws stood in the great hall.
John was looking at the same painting of the Earl that Robin had looked at longingly just before he left. So many confusing thoughts were going through his mind. What if they caught up with Robin, and he didn't want to come back with them?
John was startled out of his thoughts when he heard Much ask the exact same question. He couldn't answer it out loud any more than he could answer it in his own mind. The big man simply shook his head. What would they do if they lost Robin for good?
"We'll just have to convince him, lad," Tuck said. He had a half-smile of encouragement on his face. He genuinely believed what he was saying.
"We will," Nasir said confidently as he started out the door, having seen the horses being brought up to the foot of the stairs. He met Martin as he was coming up the steps.
Three of the horses were sleek, high quality animals that looked like they could eat up the terrain in a hurry. The fourth was a little larger, though he looked fast as well. The fifth horse was big-boned and heavier than the others. While also of high quality, he was more suited to pulling loads than moving with any real speed.
Tuck sighed. He had accepted his size a long time ago, but now was one of the rare times he regretted it. He knew he'd never be able to keep up with the others. When John looked at him, the friar shrugged and said, "I'll follow the best I can." He knew catching up with Robin was more important than accommodating him.
Nasir had swung up on the back of a black stallion and was already heading toward the bridge. The Saracen also knew the importance of moving fast. When he had first seen the horses, he had quickly run a critical eye over them, deciding that the black was the one that would prove to be the swiftest. Nasir was every bit as good a horseman as Robin. He knew how to move at a fast pace, yet one that wouldn't run his mount into the ground.
Nasir was barely visible in the distance by the time John, Will and Much had left the castle bridge and started down the road.
Tuck had just mounted and was starting off, when Martin yelled for him to stop. The friar pulled up and waited until the steward caught up to him "Here. I almost forgot this." Martin handed Tuck a sword. It took only a second to see that the sword was Albion. "Robert left it to give to you, if you came looking for him. He said it belongs with Robin Hood. I know that's him, even if he doesn't yet believe it." Martin gave the friar a knowing smile.
"I'll see he gets it," Tuck assured Martin. He was soon heading off after his friends and his leader.
"Now, we have to catch Nasir," Will griped as he spurred his horse on, beginning to pull away from John.
"He won't wait," Much said as he flew by Will. Much, the smallest of the group, was determined to get to Robin, if not with Nasir, at least right behind him.
It didn't take long for all the outlaws to become strung out along the road. John, despite his size, wasn't that far behind Will, who was trying desperately to catch Much. Tuck was able to move on the big horse better than he had hoped, so he managed to keep John in sight most of the time.
As Nasir expected, his horse ate up the ground rapidly. When he reached the top of a hill several miles along, the Saracen looked behind him. He saw Much and Will but couldn't see John or Tuck. He would've preferred that they all be together, but he wasn't going to wait. Once he found Robin, he could engage him in conversation long enough for the others to show up. He was sure they'd have a better chance convincing Robin to return, if they could talk to him as a group. First, he had to catch Robin.
* * * * * * * * * *
Robin had been moving at a steady gallop for the better part of the morning. He stopped and walked the gray stallion several times to rest them both. He was in no hurry to leave his homeland and enter his uncle's domain. He had been to Scotland a few times in his life. His father had insisted that the future Earl should not only be familiar with all the Huntingdon holdings, but that he visit each one. Several were located across the border. And, of course, he had visited his uncle.
Knowing it would take him several days to reach Edinburgh and thus not feeling the need to rush, Robin stopped near a stream and dismounted. It was past noon, and he was getting hungry. He watered his horse and then let him graze on the nearby grass while Robin sat on the ground and opened the sack of food Martin had given him.
He shook his head and laughed when he saw all the food that had been provided. It was almost the same fare that he, Jeffery and Aggie had eaten the night before and looked to be enough to last a week. "There's only one of me, Martin," Robin said aloud, although he suspected it was the head cook that had done it. She had always had a soft spot for the golden-haired little boy who used to go the kitchen to sneak pastries left out to cool. She had always let him think he had made a clean getaway, when in fact, she had deliberately turned her back during the raids. He was grown before he found that out. Now, that memory brought a warm smile.
Robin found a plate, a bowl and a cup in among the food. After getting up and filling the cup with the clear, sweet water from the stream, he sat down to enjoy his lunch. "I hope I can get on my horse after all this."
Robin laughed when the stallion raised his head and whinnied as if responding to the comment. "Don't worry, Storm, " Robin said to his four-legged companion, "I won't weigh you down---I hope." Then he laughed again when he realized the horse had already been carrying all that food on the saddle.
When Robin finished, he realized he had overdone it a bit. He was tempted to lie down and take a nap, but he was afraid he would end up sleeping the afternoon away. He wanted to stay the night in one of the Huntingdon manor houses that was located on the way to the border. No one had been notified he was coming, of course, but he knew the caretakers were always prepared for unexpected visits from the Earl and his son, or someone else the Earl was allowing to stay there.
Robin sighed. He needed to get moving again. Still he didn't budge. He put his hand down and slowly pulled it back and forth across the grass. 'The green grass of England', he thought. It was going to be so hard to leave it all behind. He had left his father, his home and all too soon, he would be leaving his country.
He closed his eyes but instead of picturing his father or Huntingdon, he saw the image of a forest. There were the figures of several people moving among the tress. He couldn't make out who they were or even what they looked like. He saw the flash of bright yellow as someone moved through a beam of sunlight. Was that him? Martin had told him that he was Robin Hood. He knew as that person, he had lived in Sherwood Forest. It was logical to assume that who he saw was himself and his men. The image faded.
Robin got up and shook himself. He didn't really remember any of his recent life, and now there was no need even to try. It, like everything else, would soon be in his past. Now was the time to look forward to his new life, one he would spend at the court of his uncle, the Scottish King.
* * * * * * * * * *
Two hours later, Robin crested a small hill and pulled up to give Storm a little breather. He looked back down the road he was traveling and spotted a lone horseman in the distance. As he watched, the man got rapidly closer. He was moving at a very fast pace. Robin had no way of knowing who the man was or why he was in such a hurry, so he decided that caution was the best course of action. He might not remember being an outlaw, but everyone else knew he was. It would be prudent to make himself scarce.
He headed down the opposite side of the hill. There was a small grove of trees half a mile ahead. He made for it at a dead run. He wanted to get there before the rider behind him reached the top of the hill.
As he entered the trees, he spotted the rider's head just appearing above the line of the hilltop. Robin left the road and made his way deeper into the trees. The grove didn't have much underbrush to use as cover. Since he never lost sight of the road, he would remain hidden only if the horseman didn't look too closely in his direction.
When the man entered the grove, he slowed down. He began walking his horse and staring at the ground. He was obviously looking for tracks. He was getting closer to the spot where Robin had left the road. It was then Robin decided to try to confront this man in black leather and discover who or what it was he was after. His opportunity came when the rider got down from his horse and began checking the ground at the edge of the road more closely.
Robin rode out of the trees. He had his sword out by the time he reached the road several yards in front of the man, who had to grip his horse's reins tightly as the startled animal jerked his head backwards.
The man stood up and, after briefly calming the frightened horse, held his hands in the air as Robin approached him and pointed the blade in his direction. "Who are you?"
"My name is Nasir," the Saracen said quietly. He waited to see if the name brought any sign of recognition from Robin.
Robin stared at him and then gave a slight nod of his head.
"You know who I am," Nasir said. There was no hint of a question in his tone.
"Yes," Robin replied. "I know who you are."
The whole time Nasir kept his hands in plain sight. His dark eyes looked directly into Robin's blue ones. "Then, you know why I'm here."
Robin nodded. "You think I'll remember who I was." He motioned with his sword for Nasir to put his hands down. "You've come a long way to find me."
"Not too long to find a friend," Nasir replied evenly.
Just then Much came riding up with Will in hot pursuit.
"Robin!" Much called happily.
"You're a hard man to catch," Will said as he pulled his horse to a stop and took several deep breaths. "Martin said you traveled fast."
"You've been to Huntingdon and talked to Martin?" Robin asked.
"We followed the wagon out of Sherwood to Ashton and then to Huntingdon," Much began to explain. "Martin said you don't remember us or being Robin Hood or Sherwood or..." he didn't finish. Instead he asked, "You really don't remember?" He was clearly mystified.
Robin put his sword back in its scabbard. By now, Much and Will had joined Nasir on the ground, with Will leaning heavily against his horse's side, breathing as hard as the animal. Robin remained mounted.
He was about to answer Much's question when they heard a horse approaching. They all turned to see John riding hard. He pulled his lather-flecked mount to a stop and got down. There was a big grin on his face.
"Tuck?" Will asked.
"Coming," John replied. He also took several deep breaths. "I haven't ridden that far that fast in my whole life. I may never walk straight again."
Robin couldn't help but smile at the remark. "I see you all have some of Huntingdon's finest horses."
"Compliments of Martin," Will told him. "That's quite a steward you have there."
"That he is. Huntingdon wouldn't be the same without him."
Tuck was the last of the outlaws to join the group that was standing in the middle of the road. "Blessed be. I never want to make a trip like that again." He climbed down. "I don't know who's more spent, him or me." He gave the exhausted horse an appreciative pat on the neck as he passed it to join his friends.
Robin looked up the road but saw no one else heading in their direction. "Isn't Marion coming, too?"
John, Will and Tuck exchanged glances. Finally, John replied, "Marion left us and went to Halstead Priory."
"She's a nun?" Robin asked. He didn't sound upset, just surprised.
Tuck nodded. "Last Fall."
"Oh," was Robin's only comment on that subject. He faced the five men who had come all the way from Sherwood to find him. There was no reason to put off the discussion he knew was unavoidable. He dismounted. "Tell me exactly what you want from me."
"We want you back," John replied with his simple, honest answer.
"If you talked to Martin, you know I don't remember being Robin Hood, and I'm sorry to say, I don't remember any of you, either."
"We found that out," Will said, sounding calmer than he felt.
"Then why do you want me back? I can't be the leader I've been told I was. I don't know anything about living in the forest or outwitting the Sheriff or any of the other things I've been told I did."
John looked Robin in the eye. "You didn't know the forest when you first came to us two years ago. We taught you then, we can teach you now."
"As for the Sheriff," Tuck added, "anyone can outwit him."
"But, so much has happened in the last two years..."
Before Robin could finish resisting, Tuck said, "We can tell you everything you need to know."
Will piped up, "We can also tell you who everyone is. You may not remember all of them, but you'd know who they are." He was trying hard to be encouraging. Despite all the arguments Will had started with Robin and all the challenges, he knew how important this man was to him, and he wanted him back as much as any of the others did.
"I was going to Scotland to be with my uncle. He's the King there. I think you'd all be better off, if I keep going that way."
"You're wrong, Robin," Much protested. "We need you. If you don't come back with us, we won't know what to do."
"I hardly believe that," Robin replied almost scoffing. He looked closely at the faces of the men standing before him, and he saw reflected there the seriousness of Much's words. "Really?" he asked.
Much and John nodded. "We do need you, Robin," John said simply. "We have to have a leader, and we've come to respect you as that. We've also come to love you as a friend," the big man added. There was no embarrassment in admitting love for this young man.
Robin was touched. Hearing John say those words stirred something in his heart. Yet, he knew he couldn't make a snap decision. "I have to think about this." Robin turned and walked down the road in the direction he had been traveling since he left Huntingdon. As he passed his horse, the stallion began to follow him.
They had all stopped near the far end of the grove, and when Robin reached the edge of the trees, he was able to see across the open land. He stopped and stood staring ahead. Storm came up behind him and put his nose down on Robin's shoulder. Robin reached up and rubbed the velvet muzzle. "What do I do?" he whispered, as if asking the animal for an answer.
Robin knew if he continued forward, he would have a life at the Scottish court, safe and secure as the nephew of the King. If he turned back, he would resume an unfamiliar life as a hunted outlaw, his future uncertain. He looked north. Where did his future truly lie---Sherwood or Scotland?
Several yards behind Robin, Will sighed. "Well there's one good thing I can think of in this whole mess," he commented.
"What?" John asked, totally puzzled as to what could possibly be good in a situation like this.
"He doesn't remember missing Marion," Will explained. "He doesn't hurt anymore over her leaving him."
"I think he'd rather have his memories back no matter how painful some of them are," said Tuck. "You don't want to forget Elena, do you?"
Will almost bristled at the mention of his dead wife, but he had to agree with what the friar was saying. As painful as her murder had been, he couldn't imagine not remembering her or their brief life together. He shook his head. "No," he replied softly.
Robin closed his eyes as he felt five pairs of eyes boring into his back. Then, unbidden, the thought came to him of the time he had heard of Loxley's death. He thought of how Herne had called him to be his new son. How strange that he had forgotten that, even though it had happened three years earlier and was not part of the missing two years.
Despite the desire he had felt to right the wrongs he saw all around him, he had refused the forest god's call, believing at the time that no one else could possibly be the Hooded Man. Evidently he had changed his mind a year later. "Herne, can you help me get my memory back, or is it beyond even your power?"
Robin continued to stroke the gray stallion's muzzle as his brain tried to sort through the dilemma. The words, 'Nothing's forgotten. Nothing is ever forgotten', whispered in his mind. 'But, I have forgotten', Robin answered. 'Listen to your heart,' came the reply. Then, in an instant, he knew what he would do---what he must do.
He turned and walked back to the men who called him leader and friend. They all tried to read his expression but couldn't, so they waited, anxious about hearing the words that could change their lives.
Robin smiled and nodded. "All right, I'll go back to Sherwood with you."
The outlaws excitedly shook his hand and clapped him on the back. They shook each other's hands, as well. John couldn't help himself, he gave Robin a big bear hug. Their smiles couldn't have been any bigger. Robin had told them the one thing they wanted most in all the world to hear: Robin Hood would return to Sherwood Forest.
Robin was happy to see how overjoyed they all were. He now truly understood for the first time how much they really did care for him. He knew he had made the right decision.
Tuck pulled Albion out of his belt and handed it to Robin. "This belongs to you."
Robin took the sword and held it up in front of him, again admiring its beauty and balance. "What do these runes mean?"
"Herne's son is my master. I cannot slay him," Tuck answered.
Robin nodded. There was no doubt in his mind that Martin was responsible for seeing that Albion was returned to him. Martin had believed that Robin would be found and would eventually make the decision to go back to Sherwood with his friends, whether his memory was restored or not.
Robin pulled out the sword he had left Huntingdon with and handed it to the friar. He then put Albion's tip in the scabbard opening and pushed the blade home.
Even amid the joy the group was reveling in, Robin felt compelled to give them one note of caution. "You realize I may never get back my memories with you."
"Well then," Will replied with a smile, "we'll just make new memories."
~End~