Robert was on his way to the stables, deep in thought. His brother, King Richard, was leaving soon and Robert wasn't sure how he was going to cope without him. Being in court was fine and all but Richard's presence above anything else was what kept Robert sane.

Leaving the hall after Richard's speech, it had occurred to Robert how much he didn't want to be approached by anyone at all today. Inside the crowd had been massive, and only now after having fled the main ways for a servant's corridor could Robert even begin to hear himself think again. He longed to hear Richard's jokes about who Lord so-and-so was kissing up to now, or which maiden had the uglier dress. Yet even despite his hopes, Robert knew he would soon have to do without and the knowledge was a painful burden he would rather battle out alone, and on horseback.

So deep was Robert in thought, in fact, that he didn't even realize he was not alone until he was almost upon them.

It was a man and a woman, that much was obvious from their silhouettes in the dim light. Robert bent his head, it was bad enough for servants here with all the people to wait upon, they didn't need him interrupting them too. He moved to turn away, but then a glint of gold caught is eye, it was a heavy ring on the hand of the man.

Now stealing…this was something Robert could never permit. When it came to servants, he was usually willing to give the benefit of the doubt, and whatever men fell under his care were rarely given reason to complain of ill use. He took pride that when they came to lead in his horse or stand and wait upon him in the hall that they were all nicely dressed, all well fed, and all clean. Yet if they gave Robert any reason to question their reliability…well that was something that Robert considered a personal offense. Perhaps these servants weren't his, but they were in the castle, and if it was Richard that was in charge of the kingdom, well it was Robert and Richard's councilmen that gave thought to everything else.

Robert came closer, hand on the sword at his side. It was very rare that he was given excuse to use it inside the castle besides in the practice rings, but even so it was always good to have a little steal to add as extra persuasion. Especially with a thief.

He was just about to open his mouth and apprehend the man when a shaft of light came in through one of the windows and filled the passage with light. And in that moment Robert knew who the man was precisely. His mouth fell open in surprise.

"John?"

John pulled away, wiping sweat from his face and fixing Robert with a deadly glare. The woman collapsed as he stepped away, her face pale and bruised. Her clothes were in all states of disarray.

"What have you been…?" Robert started, but John did not wait for him to answer. He drew a small knife from his sleeve and held it to Robert's neck.

"Do not question me, whelp," he said and then rushed off past him retreating the way Robert had come.

A few seconds later there came the sound of a door being thrown shut, and then there was silence.

Robert knelt beside the woman,

"Are you all right, my lady?" he questioned. At first he had hoped that it was only a servant girl that John had cornered, but this fantasy was soon dispelled. Whoever she was, and whatever her clothes had looked like in the beginning, the fabric was too fine to be any servant's garb.

He watched her bite her lip, and the flow of silent tears fall as she defiantly raised her chin to look him in the eyes.

"Do you want to have me too?" she challenged, her green eyes sparkling and her chest heaving with sobs.

"No, my lady, I don't. I am sorry that he did this to you, I really am. Here, take my hand, let me help you up."

She glanced at him sharply. She didn't look like she was going to trust him, and Robert couldn't think of one reason why she should. Instead he thought of another idea, and he began to unclasp his riding cloak from around his shoulders.

"Don't trust me then," Robert stated, "a wise motion. Instead let me offer you this." And he handed her his cloak. It was several sizes to big for her, he imagined, but it would do the job. She let it fall to the floor and didn't touch it. Undaunted Robert continued.

"It should cover up what he did to your clothes," he hesitated, "and face as well. It has a deep hood." She stared at the ground, without so much as humoring him with a reply.

"Do you know your way back from here?" he asked. She hung her head, and for awhile there was more quiet. Finally there came a barely audible reply,

"No." Her voice and manner were much softer than before, and she looked to Robert like a beaten animal. His heart stirred in pity for the woman.

"You're in one of the servant's corridors. This one is very rarely used. If you go back the way I came, it will eventually lead out into the congregating area right outside the hall." He did not tell her where it led. "If you wait another minute or so, the hall will have cleared out and no one will be there to question why you have a cloak on indoors that is not your own." She gave slight nod, hiding her face behind waves of long dark red hair.

"Fare thee well, my lady," and with that he moved to go around the woman and on down the passage. But she grabbed at his boot.

"To whom should I return the cloak?" she asked, her wide eyes staring up at him and her chin thrust out.

"Return it to any of the servants, they will know how best to see it is returned to me." She nodded, fingering the cloak between thumb and forefinger. How helpless she looked! Robert added,

"If it is that you are still in need of help when it comes time for you to return it, you have only to send word. I will get it." And then he turned and rapidly walked away filled with the urgency that came coupled with fear. Now why did he promise her that?

He could never protect her from the wrath of his brother.