Hello all, here we are, officially over halfway of this story and onto the end. I have always said this is the story that is not going to be cannon compliment so if you are expecting that (especially the ending) then please stop now.
That being said here we are, I intend to do one maybe two more chapters and then I will do a multiple update around Christmas. I always do this with whatever story I have and if you have followed my work you with know that. So if we get to December and there are no updates whatsoever please don't panic.
Disclaimer-Nothing here is mine just the character of Erin.
Please Read and Review.
The Growing Good Of The World
Chapter 13-Original Sin
Isabella presents John's terms to the camp and Robin realises just how divided his men and woman have become when it's clear that the offer of peace is on the table.
"Your Robin Hood?"
Well that wasn't insulting was it? Gisbourne's sister sat there in his camp watching him with a raised eyebrow as if it was funny that he was Robin Hood. Seriously what had she expected? Warts?
"I am"
Isabella raised an eyebrow again but said nothing instead she tapped her fingers against the wood of the table and nodded.
"Alright. I was told to present terms and that's what I am going to do. And then I am going to walk out of here. You can sneak into the castle and tell me what your response is. I plan to be here for a while"
"Define a while?" Allan asked from where he was leaning against the bunks next to Will.
"I believe, I am to be the new Sherriff"
There was a stunned silence to that and Isabella looked rather pleased. The moment was ruined however by Luke who after sharing a look with his brother muttered what they (anyone who wasn't Djaq or Kate) were all thinking.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph"
Isabella shot Luke a look that if it could kill would have put him flat on his back his eyes wide and unblinking within two seconds. Anyone who said woman couldn't kill clearly hadn't met Isabella Robin thought. Once upon a time if he'd not been so achingly in love and happily married he might have thought of seeing if flirting would get him out of this mess but he thought that if he tried that now she'd be more likely to smack him clean across the mouth.
But there was more important things to discuss right now and there was one that was glaring important.
"The Sherriff is being replaced?"
Isabella's clear blue eyes slid back to him and she assessed him as if he was a piece of ribbon that was on sale at a village fair. Robin resisted the urge to shift away from that intense gaze with difficulty. He was not going to look away from her. This was a battle of wills between him and her and he would be damned if he lost first. She was good, she was very, very good but her, he was better. He had stared down certain death more times than he could count. The least that he could do was to stare down this woman.
Isabella tapped her nails briefly against the wood and then spoke.
"I am going to speak clearly here—"
"Not being funny love but can you do anything but?"
Isabella shot Allan an amused glance for half a second before the blue eyes were back on Robin again.
"The Black Knight debacle was not sanctioned by me. It had failure written across it from the start and the people who helped my idiot lover do it are being sanctioned. It's easier to blame it on a few renegade nobles than to blame the heir to the throne and don't wax poetic with me Locksley you and I both know it's John's for the taking, the Plantagenet boy is too young and the nobles will rip him apart. And he's sick and no that is nothing to do with John. John doesn't mind the boy all that much. But the point is my…the Prince has had the awakening moment. He doesn't need to kill Richard. Richard is on his way to the good Lord all on his own, even you must have seen it"
"He did not look his best" Much acknowledged for the both of them. Isabella nodded. She was not cruel enough to say what she was thinking and Robin found himself pathetically grateful for her for that. She did not need to dig the sword in. Richard was dying, he had been ill during the campaign and it had been obvious to him and it had been obvious to Much and only then because they had both served with him when he had been in his prime and he had been the Lionheart in true. It cut a cost over there, you mind, your health, your body. Robin had been on the edge more than once, losing weight and then gaining it with each year he had been there. And he had been a gentleman, he had been in a better position than most. If he had not made sure of it he knew Much would have gone months without food. Certainly without meat because while it was obvious to him it was not obvious to every gentleman to make sure that their servant's ate.
Just another thing wrong that needed changing in his book. England was not just the property of the rich. The land belonged to all of them, rich and poor.
"And so John will be King" he said flatly. "And he wants what from us?"
"John acknowledges that you hold much sway with the people of Nottingham. He knows you hold much sway with the people of the shires around them as well. He is offering you the chance to return back to your lands with full pardons, full pardons for all of the men and woman that follow you and he will even embrace you as brother to brother to ensure that no gossip is ever raised against you in his hearing. You would once again have a seat in the council. I would be Sherriff yes but we could work together. I do not intend to be a cruel Sherriff, I do not intend to tax people into poverty, trust me I've been on the brink of that myself. But there are things that have to change, Richard has done a significant amount of damage not being in the country. Our international relationships are at an all time low. Things have to change and you are a smart enough man to know that, and I think you are a smart enough man to want a seat at the table while that is going on"
Drat. She was right as well. He did have ambitions and as Marian told him more than once with a baby on the way they had to take things carefully. A forest was no place for a baby he knew that, she knew that and yet neither one of them had wanted to say it because they knew what it would mean.
"So wait?" Will said leaning forwards and looking at Isabella intently.
"We would all get pardons?"
Isabella nodded. "All of you. He's prepared to swear on relics as well. The one Thomas Beckett gave his father—"
Tuck made a little noise and they all looked at him. "He'll swear on that for a bunch of outlaws?" the robed man said and Robin could not blame him for his scepticism. After all they were outlaws. It was not like he was promising the Pope.
Isabella tapped her nails on the wood of the table again. "He is aware…" she said and Robin got the impression that she was choosing her words carefully, this was where the lines burred he was sure of it. This was where Isabella's policy, her view on England, her world view was called into question. Robin did not judge this woman or indeed any woman for being a mistress, God knows if he'd have been too late to stop Marian's marriage he'd have been content with being the equivalent just so he could be with her but…but there were often time constraints on how long mistresses could last. If they were lucky it was until the King's death and if they were unlucky it was until the King got tired of them or more than likely until the Queen got tired of them.
Somehow however Robin didn't see this happening with Isabella. There was just…something about her that told him that it would be a fool that would underestimate her. She was certainly not her brother that was for sure and…and Robin was not a fool.
"He is aware that things need to change, granted he's an absolutely arrogant bastard—"
Here everyone but Robin and Carter collectively gasped at the disrespect but she seemed not to mind and judging by the smile on Carter's face she had won him over without even trying.
Damn.
"He's also aware that he needs to win the people's love. He's coming into this the fourth son of two of the most arrogant, glamours and quite frankly dangerous people that have ever sat on thrones. He needs to marry well and sire sons and I know that too. He needs the support of his people and if playing nice with you does that, if getting rid of the Sherriff and turning it to his advantage does that then he will. There is a group of us in the court who know what need to be done. You are a name on the list. If you play nice he will play nice. And for God sake's play nice"
"Yeah but when you say pardons—"
"For everything, before Robin Hood and after Robin Hood. For my brother, for the stuff in the Holy Lands for all of it. Robin can grant you all the land that he promised you, he can make sure that you are protected. All it requires is the oath of loyalty when John comes to the throne, a promise verbally now and a promise that you will not rise up or cause any trouble throughout his reign."
"Sounds like he's planning something when he gets the throne" Carter said sharply. "Aquitaine? French will insist on that back if he wants to make a marriage with a French Princess. Old Eleanor will take a sword to the gut before she loses that. Or is it Normandy?"
Isabella eyed him evenly and said as clear as day.
"I do not make foreign policy"
Carter's mouth lifted in a smirk that seemed to speak of something that she couldn't understand, that Robin couldn't understand. But then again that was Carter all over wasn't it? Sometimes Robin felt the only person who would ever truly understand Carter was the brother he had buried in some open grave over there.
"Course you don't" was all he said and Robin saw her bristle and knew he had to steer the conversation back to easier waters.
"So pardons" he said finally. "Land back, compensation and were left well enough alone, all if we leave John alone is that it?"
Isabella raised one eyebrow.
"Isn't that enough?"
"Not if he plans to take the throne now" Robin began but as he started speaking both Will and Allan spoke over him.
"Yes"
There was a resounding silence and Isabella smiled that smile of success. She had hit her mark and she knew it and looking around at the men and woman (Marian and Erin still seeing Matilda at the nearest convent) he realised that they were not on the same side on this.
"I know some of you are not here" Isabella said carrying on smoothly. "So I will ask you relay a message. I know you have enabled help from villagers who have been forced to flee for fear of recriminations and I can also promise them pardons, safe return back to their homes in Nottingham. So you see how far you get playing high and mighty when everyone knows the price of the game"
"If he takes the throne—"
"He won't have long to wait" Isabella said. "Richard is on his way out. Yes it might only be 1193, yes things might be up in the air but I don't foresee him lasting until the next century do you? So John can wait. Richard knows the measure of his brother, his brother knows the measure of him. All we are asking is that you do not interfere. That you take the place that you were called too. And not to point out hypocrisy Robin of Locksley but you took taxes under the old Sherriff and you managed to reconcile yourself with that"
Robin bristled at the implication.
Isabella perhaps seeing that he was inches away from saying something very ungentlemanly hopped off the table and brushed down her gown.
"You know where I am" she said cheerfully, "You can let me know what you decided. But this is a one time only offer. You rebel and you're here raising your children in the forest hunted down like a dog. And when the King is eventually called from this world you can see how many of his friends will flock to defend you. God knows it's not like they are doing it now"
She said it so cheerfully but her words were dastardly true and they all knew it.
And with the air of a woman who knew she had just dropped a nasty little surprise into the air she sauntered out of the camp leaving everyone watching her (which was no doubt what she wanted), saddled her horse and rode off into the rapidly setting sun leaving behind a camp in which Robin knew, nothing would ever be the same again.
And there you go, I love Isabella, seriously she is an absolute joy to write. Next Chapter will be up soon.
Next Chapter-Erin and Marian unaware of what is happening at home go to see Matilda to see if she can help Erin. John comes too. All three find it illuminating.
