Hi again folks! I'm trying to get in another update or two because I'm going on a cruise on Monday. So if I don't get in another one by Sunday evening don't expect one for at least a week. But never fear! My notebook is coming with me so that I will have several more chapters written out, just waiting to be typed and posted. In the meantime please continue to read and review. The more reviews I get, the more inspiration I have to write.

Disclaimer: This is getting depressing. I don't own Robin Hood or any characters of said movie. I still have Will Scarlet in the closet though. But maybe I shouldn't have said that... (sound of screaming Will fangirls beating down door.) Yup. Definitely shouldn't have said that.

Chapter 3: The New Leader and The Believer

Renee woke early in the morning with the scent of dew heavy in the air. She sat up and stretched out her cramped muscles, yawning with the lingering remnants of sleepiness. The sun was low in the sky, and the camp was just starting to stir with the first signs of life. A few of the men were standing up and walking off the last dregs of sleep, and slight hangovers from the previous night. Glancing to the side Renee saw that Trienee was still firmly curled up in her makeshift bed, sleeping soundly. Renee grinned when she noticed the direction her friend was facing. In about an hour the sun would be shining directly in her eyes. Renee made a mental note to be nearby when that happened.
Looking across the clearing Renee saw that Will was also still sleeping. She wondered how late he and Trienee got back to camp. Noticing that Robin was up Renee decided to go talk with him.
"Morning," she greeted, perching on the log right next to him. He smiled in greeting. A groan came from a crumpled form on the ground to his left. Renee peeked around to see Robin's blind servant Duncan trying to sit up, wincing with obvious hangover.
"Too much mead old friend?" Robin asked, a smile plain in his voice. Renee chuckled.
"Forgive me Master Robin," Duncan muttered.
"No, go back to sleep," Robin soothed. He glanced around the camp, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Tell me Lady Renee-"
"It's just Renee. Drop the Lady."
Robin grinned. "Very well then. Tell me Renee. Do they still give alms to the poor at Sunday mass?"
Renee nodded. "That they do. Trienee and I would give out as much as we could each week."
Robin looked thoughtful again.
"If you're thinking on ducking into the city, I'm sure no one will miss you for a few hours. I'll cover for you if they do, if you want," Renee offered.
Robin glanced over at her. "Would you?" he asked. Renee nodded, then gestured for him to go. Robin got up, clapped her on the shoulder, and took off in the direction of the horses.
Renee was still sitting on the log a half hour later when Azeem came looking for Robin.
"Oh, he went for a walk," Renee said vaguely.
"You know where he went, do you not?" Azeem pressed.
Renee shrugged. "He mentioned something about attending mass."
Azeem scowled. "How can I protect him if I know not where he goes?" he exclaimed.
"Oh relax," Renee intoned. "He's not stupid, and I'm sure that he can take fine care of himself."
Azeem shook his head, and opened his mouth to reply when the air was split by a high-pitched squeal that came from Trienee's direction.
"Bright light! Bright light!" she yelped, imitating Gizmo from the Gremlin movies exactly. Anyone who hadn't been awake before that was certainly awake now. Some had been grabbing for weapons before they realized that it was Trienee who had shrieked. Renee was laughing so hard she was getting stitches in her side. Trienee stumbled over to her, one arm thrown in front of her face, grumbling. Renee burst into a fresh fit of giggles.
"You are two of the strangest girls I have ever met," Azeem informed them.
"Cheers," was what Renee managed to choke out from amidst her laughing. Trienee simply continued to mutter under her breath about the evilness of sunlight. Renee finally managed to get her laughter under control, and Trienee had gone digging through her bag for a brush. The girls finally managed to make themselves semi-presentable with the help of Trienee's hairbrush, a creek, and a bar of soap.
They were back at the camp a while later, perched on the log again, when Renee noticed that Will was watching them. His gaze would go from her, to Trienee, then to the floor. He looked thoughtful, would occasionally shake his head with a determined look, but then would go back to pondering the two of them again. Renee glanced sideways at her friend, who hadn't noticed.
"Just how late were you and Will gone last night?" she finally asked.
Trienee blinked. "We got back about an hour or two before dawn." Something suddenly sparked in her eyes. "Oh my God Renee! I have to show you where we were last night! You'll love it! There's a lake and a waterfall, and it's just absolutely gorgeous!" Renee was startled at her friend's sudden outburst. Then again, she reasoned, Trienee had lived her life in city and suburban areas. The forest was completely new to her. Of course she would get excited.
She glanced back at Will, who noticed her glance and quickly turned away, embarrassed. But not before Renee noticed the slight wariness with which he had been watching them. She turned to look at her friend, who had fallen silent again.
"What did you and Will talk about last night?" Renee asked.
Trienee sighed, as if she had expected the question. "I told him. About us I mean. I don't think he believed me."
"Did you expect him to?" Renee asked logically.
Trienee smiled ruefully. "No, not really. But he didn't exactly scream 'freak' either."
"And he hasn't told anyone," Renee said thoughtfully, turning again to stare at Will.
"I made him promise not to," Trienee returned.
"He may not believe you yet," Renee said, turning back to face Trienee. "But he hasn't told anyone, and he's been watching us all morning." Startled, Trienee picked up her head and spotted Will, now talking to John. "His rational mind may be denying what you told him, but I don't think he's completely disregarded it," Renee said thoughtfully. "He'll believe you in time. Especially when he's given proof." Trienee looked hopeful, watching Will for a few more minutes before turning her attention back to Renee again.
"Is it easier or harder," Trienee asked suddenly, "when you go somewhere new, and you don't know what's going to happen?" Renee blinked, startled at the sudden question, then thought about it.
"I'd have to say... easier." Renee answered. "When you know the story, you're not sure what to change, how it will affect the outcome, where you should interfere. But when you're thrown somewhere and you don't know what's going to happen, you can just kinda, go with the flow. Follow along, you know? It's not as stressful." Trienee nodded thoughtfully.
Further conversation was stilled as hoof beats signaled the arrival of a horseman. Turning, the two girls saw Robin ride into camp on a snow white horse, not the horse he had left on.
"I didn't know he had left camp," Trienee said in a shocked whisper. They both heard Azeem berating him as he dismounted.
"How am I supposed to protect you if I know not where you go?" he asked angrily.
"You hardly lift a finger when you do know," was Robin's reply as he led the horse over to the others to tether it.
"You've stolen the Sheriff's horse?!" cried John. "Oh, you've stirred up a bloody hornets nest now!"
The girls exchanged uneasy glances, not hearing Robin's reply. (Translation: I forgot what he said.) Sensing someone come up nest to her, Trienee glanced to the side, startled to see Will standing there. He was staring after Robin with a look of utter loathing on his face. Trienee was shocked.
"Why do you hate him so much?" she asked in almost a whisper.
"He's a bloody rich boy," Will seethed. "Thinks he can barge in and just take over." He glared after Robin for another minute, then turned and stalked off.
Trienee turned a fearful glance to Renee, asking with her eyes what she should do. Renee placed a hand gently on her friend's shoulder.
"Just let him be for now. I think he just needs some time to work off his steam." Trienee nodded absently.
"Wonder how big of a hornet's nest Robin stirred up in town today," Trienee mused absently.
Renee shrugged. "Something tells me we're going to find out soon enough."

Renee was right. They did find out soon. And it turned out that Robin had stirred up a BIG hornet's nest. The Sheriff had ordered the countryside scoured, searching for him. He had turned countless people out of their homes and villages, and then had the villages burned.
These refugees, having no where else to go, trouped to the woodsmen's camp, led by John's wife, Fanny. Trienee and Renee watched the procession in silence, standing near Robin and Azeem. So they heard Azeem's comment to Robin as the refugees stared at Robin in anger and hate.
"If it's fame you want Christian, I think you have it."
Will was pointing Robin out to the refugees, clearly pointing him out as the source of their troubles. One man lifted his young son into the air, turning his face so they could clearly see the gash that split his cheek, and the livid bruises. Renee clearly heard Trienee moan silently beside her.
Will, looking smug, advanced to the head of the advancing group. He noticed Trienee slip away from Renee and Robin and blend unobtrusively with the crowd. Walking to the head of the group he pointed a finger at Robin and declared, "I say we turn him in."
(I forget exactly what they say. So please don't chew my head off as I improvise here.) Robin didn't so much as bat an eyelash. "And what then Will?"
"The Sheriff will give us the reward money. And our pardons." Will turned to face the crowd. He noticed that Trienee had come to stand behind the young boy with the gash on his face, unnoticed by the child's father. One hand was resting on the child's shoulder, the other on his bruised and bloody cheek. Will turned back to Robin, who shook his head.
"You're wrong Will. The Sheriff will stretch your necks, one by one."
"So what, you want to join us?"
"No. To lead you."
"Well what would you have us do?" Will asked scathingly.
"Fight back," Robin responded, as if the answer was plain as day.
"With what?" Will asked, incredulous. "Rocks and our bare hands?"
"If necessary. But with the one true weapon that escapes you Will. Courage." Robin turned his back and started to walk away. Will was furious. Call him a coward would he? He drew his dagger and moved towards Robin. He saw Renee's incredulous face, but the cry of warning came from a different source.
"Look out!" It was Wolf who yelled. Quick as lightning Robin whirled, bow strung, and released the arrow. Will dropped his dagger in pain and surprise as the arrow went through his hand. For a few seconds all was completely still, then Will stumbled away, clutching his hand to his chest. As he left his gaze went to Trienee, then to the boy in front of her. He couldn't be sure, in the split second he looked at them, but under the blood on the child's face he couldn't see any cut.
Robin had turned back. He muttered "Thanks Wolf," then jumped up on the log that Renee and Trienee had been perched on and turned to face the crowd. "Do you want the Sheriff to take your land, burn your homes?" he roared. He was met with a resounding "no". "Do you want to starve this Winter?' Again the crowd roared "no". "Then we must stop fighting amongst ourselves." Robin declared. "Together we are strong. One man defending his home is worth ten hired soldiers." He turned to look at Azeem. "The Crusades taught me that."
"But what about our children, the Sheriff's taken all they've got to," someone else yelled.
Robin turned back to the crowd. "Then by God we take it back."
That was the last thing Trienee heard. She was following Will. He'd run off a distance into the trees, then stopped. He had one hand wrapped around the arrow in his hand. He was about to pull it out when Trienee snapped a twig. Will snapped his head in her direction, wide eyed. Trienee sighed, then closed the rest of the distance between them.
"Here let me," she said and reached for his hand.
"No, I can-" Will started, pulling his hand away.
"Don't be stupid!" Trienee snapped angrily. Will was surprised that the seemingly mild girl had such a sharp tone. Before he was aware of it he had meekly extended his hand to her, and she was carefully examining it.
"Why'd you do it Will?" she asked sadly. Will turned his head, not wanting to answer her. Trienee sighed. She held the arrow shaft with both hands, and carefully snapped it. Tossing the top part of the shaft away, she took a hold of the bottom, just above the arrow head. She gripped Will's wrist with her other hand. With a fierce jerk, she yanked the arrow shaft out of Will's hand. Will couldn't suppress a hiss of pain, and instinctively tried to jerk his hand from hers, but Trienee refused to let go. She placed his hand in between hers, hers eyes becoming unfocused for a second. Will felt his hand get warm for a second, then she released his hand and stepped back.
Will looked down to examine the wound, and felt his mouth drop open. It wasn't there. There was some blood on his hand, but the wound created by Robin's arrow had completely vanished. He brought his eyes up to Trienee's, silently asking for an explanation. Trienee smiled tiredly.
"This is my gift," she whispered.
"That boy," Will whispered. The boy with the gash across his cheek. That's why he hadn't seen the gash when he last looked. It hadn't been there. Trienee had healed it. Then he remembered her puzzling comment from a few nights before. "Strange people group around Walkers," he whispered. Trienee started.
"You remembered that?" she asked.
"Your story is true then," Will whispered wonderingly, flexing his hand. "Everything. It's all true."
"And so the rational mind gives in to the truth staring it in the face," said a voice behind Will. He jumped. Trienee did too, she hadn't known that Renee had followed as well. She smiled. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."
Will stared back and forth, from Renee to Trienee. He blurted the first thing that came to his mind. "Are you a witch?" He was surprised when the two girls burst out laughing, breaking the tension that had filled the small clearing.
"Not hardly," Renee said when she finally collected herself. "Gifts like ours aren't common, but they do exist. We're born with them. But more people are born with these gifts than ever discover them. Most manifest when the person is older, when the rational mind had developed, and fights what the person knows is truth. And so they're special gifts are buried again." She paused. "That's the thing about the rational mind you know. Only adults have them. Children don't and so it is the children who are more in tune with the truths of the universe. Most people just don't want to listen to them. The rational mind fights with a vengeance against anything slightly odd or out of place. It blinds people from actual reality, makes them narrow-minded. But the truth is there is magic out there, just not the way most people think about it." Will studied Renee. What she said made sense, in a strange sort of way. A part of his mind was screaming that these girls were mad, but that part was faint now. He turned to Trienee.
"Your other friends. You said you were the third in a group..."
Trienee grinned. "Yeah. What are we now Renee? Freaks United, right?" Renee nodded. "We all have gifts," Trienee said to Will.
Will shook his head. "No one's going to believe this," he muttered.
"They will," Renee said. "In time, they will. I'm gonna head back now. That Robin caused quite a stir." Renee turned and headed back to the camp.
At Robin's name Will stiffened. Trienee sighed.
"Why do you hate him so much Will?" she asked. Will's lips tightened. His past was his own. No one else needed to know it. "Just remember my offer Will," Trienee whispered. "If you ever need someone to talk to." She also turned back to camp then. Will followed her, watching as the sun chased red patterns in her shining, wavy hair. He was surprised at how easily he accepted her and Renee. But then again, he reasoned, their coming was probably a stroke of luck. With what Robin has in mind we're going to need these girls and their abilities.
They reached the camp then. Trienee stopped, suddenly uncertain, and glanced behind her at Will. He smiled reassuringly, squeezing her shoulder gently before continuing on into the camp. Yes, he had accepted them. And, truth be told, it really wasn't that hard.

Okay then. I'm really not too happy with the end of this. I think it's a little, I don't know. Rushed, definitely. And there's just something about it that I don't really like that much. But oh well, the chapter's done and that's something. Please, please review!
(Crash! Screaming fangirls invade house.) Oh crap, I gotta go fight off fangirls now. I'll update when I can.