Will's Love
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THEIVES even though I wish I did. This is a rewrite of a story I put on here four years ago. I hope you all enjoy the new version and if you don't like Mary Sue couples then don't read my story thank you.
Alexandreia ran as fast as she could from her cousin's home; the full moon's light let her be able to see where she was going. Her small pack of belongings and money swung wildly behind her as she stayed in the shadows, trying to not be seen by the guards of the town, she ran into Sherwood Forest. She knew about the rumors of the forest being haunted but she didn't care just as long as she got away from the bleak future that lay ahead for her back in town. She stopped by a beautiful river and plopped down on a dead log to catch her breath. How dare her cousin try to marry her off as payment to one of King Richard's enemy's to help him take the throne! She thought to herself.
After a little while she got back up and started to cross the river using the bridge-like rocks. She decided that the farther she went into the forest the less of a chance that her cousin would follow her. The heavy skirts of her beautifully sewn dress were made even heavier when the water soaked the dark red velvet. She cursed at herself for wearing a full length evening gown for her escape. After almost losing her balance and falling several times she finally got her footing to cross the way with hardly tripping.
Will Scarlet was on river duty and was of course asleep. Luckily he was a light sleeper and when he heard some water splash he woke up and pulled the rope to hear a louder splash. Effectively soaking the rich man he thought was trying to get through the woods. Sitting up he started to sing his little song, "There was a rich man…."
It took him a little while until he actually looked up to see that it was a woman that he tripped. She got up he took one look at her and thought that she was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen. The full moon showed her beauty in a serenely ethereal light. Her long curly brown hair now stuck to her face and neck as she cursed in a very unladylike manor as she got out of the water to stand on the rocks again. She glared at the area where the man had been singing and shouted at him, "How dare you do something like that! I wasn't causing you any harm and you go and trip me!"
Will felt like a jack ass. If he hadn't of fallen asleep he would have seen her and not tripped her. Oh, but if he hadn't tripped her he would have missed the fire in her eyes. And he also would have missed the lovely reaction the cold water had on other parts of her body.
"I'm sorry m'lady but I could not see you from up here. I thought you were a rich man seeking a way to get through the forest. My group and I have to tax them as they go through."
Alexandreia huffed, wrung out her hair a bit and thought 'it's actually not his fault; it's my cousin's he's taxing all of these people to beyond poverty'. He had no heart at all and only did things to elevate himself not even caring about the feelings of others. Alexandreia finished crossing the river and went over to the sound of the man's voice. When she got there she saw him and thought that he was very handsome. So much more handsome and youthful then the old man that she was going to have to marry back home just for her cousin's treaty. When she got closer to him, Will saw how beautiful she really is. With long curly brown hair and deep blue eyes set on a delicately shaped face along with a slim figure it was easy to see why she was on of the most sought after maidens in England.
"What's your name fair lady? I'm Will Scarlet."
"I'm Lady Alexandreia of Nottingham."
Will knew her name and knew her to be the cousin of the Sheriff of Nottingham. He glared at her and said, "What are you doing here? Why have you left your plush home with that bastard who makes common people's lives hell? Your cousin must have sent you here to trap us and have us hanged."
She quickly advanced on him and slapped him as hard as she could muster knocking his head to the side as she shouted, "How dare you think I have anything to do with him! I would never lower myself to spy for my rat of a cousin! I ran away to get away from him and my brother!"
She turned and walked away and, with his head still reeling from the slap; Will ran to catch up with her.
"I didn't mean to offend you m'lady. We have to be very careful as to whom we trust."
She continues to walk away ignoring him. "Save your apology. An apology can't help me from my cousin. Nothing can save me."
"What's wrong?" Will jogged up to walk beside the soaked young woman grabbing her arm to lightly turn her to look at him.
She looked away, "I should just turn back, my cousin will come after me and I can't do a thing to stop him."
Grabbing her by the hand he said, "I could protect you."
She looked at him with tears in her eyes and laughed, "You and what army?"
He looked into her tearing blue eyes and he knew he had to help her so he said, "I'm sure John and the boys wouldn't mind protecting you."
Sighing she muttered, "You really think they'd help out the cousin of Nottingham's; let alone help out a noble woman."
"I don't know about the Nottingham part but I'm sure they'd protect a beautiful lady like you."
Alexandreia blushed and said, "Thank you. It would be wonderful if you could help me."
Will lead her to the camp and when they got there John and the rest of the men were fast asleep. Will lead her to his tent and says, "I'll tell them about you tomorrow. Let's get some rest.''
Blushing Alexandreia said. "Mister Scarlet, I'm still very wet. Can I borrow something to wear until my dress dries?"
"It's just Will and all the clothes I own are the ones I'm wearing, sorry."
Thinking and looking around he picked up the not too dirty sheet on his straw mattress. "It's not like what you're used to, m'lady, but it'll have to do unless you'd rather go naked."
Alexandreia took the sheet and said, "Thank you, Will, and I'm not a lady out in these woods, so you can call me Alex."
She waited until Will was outside then she stripped out of the heavy wet dress and wrapped the sheet around her in a toga like manner. She came out of the tent to get Will so they both could get some sleep.
"Thank you again, Will. I'll repay you some day.''
Shrugging he replied, "It's my pleasure to help you; you don't have to repay me."
They went back into the tent and he was going to let her have the bed and take the floor, but Alex refused to be more of an inconvenience so she suggested that they share the small straw mattress. Early morning there was a knock on the side of Will's tent after a few minutes the man who was knocking came in. Out of all the possibilities John did not expect to see Will in bed cuddled up to a woman. A barely dressed woman in the arms of a man only meant one thing.
"Will Scarlet, what in the hell is going on?"
Will and Alexandreia woke up. Alexandreia blushed and Will let go of her and started to stutter out an answer. "She…uh…we…uh…"
Alexandreia came to the rescue, "I was being chased threw the woods by the sheriff's guard and Will saved me and brought me here."
"Is this true Will?"
"Yes, it is. She's an outlaw now, too. Can she stay here with us?"
John looked very worried. He doubted the men would like her here. And there was still the question on why she was dressed the way she was. He looked at them and said, "She can stay but she has to help out, too."
Alexandreia smiled, "Thank you, John. You won't regret letting me stay."
"We'll just have to see about that." He joked.
Later that day the men, including the boy Wolf, all went to the lake to look for people with money trying to cross the river. While there were gone Alex started cooking dinner. She looked around sadly at their surroundings and what food they had to eat. She opened her purse and saw that she had 40 gold pieces and she decided to give them to John and the men. That would give them plenty enough money for some more food.
Around nightfall the men came back with three extra men. One looked familiar and rich, one was blind and the other was a painted man. After a few minutes she remembered the man as Robin of Locksley; the man who's father was convicted of worshiping the devil. She didn't believe the charges; Robin's father was a kind man and would never do something like that. He was a good Christian man. The men from the camp came over and she served them food and she gave John the money. John was very shocked at this and very thankful and went to around the fire with his men. Later in the evening Will insulted Robin's father and stalked away to his tent. Alexandreia followed him.
Closing the tent flap behind them she asked, "Why did you insult Robin's father like that Will?"
Flopping angrily on the mattress he growled, "I hate Robin of Locksley and his father."
Sitting next to him she inquired, "Why do you hate them Will?"
"They ruined my life." Will said turned away from her on the bed and by doing this closed the subject.
The next day Robin had left to go to the church in Nottingham and she had gotten up to clean the camp a bit. Robin came back riding a white horse and carrying a sack of bread.
John confronted him about the horse and how it was the sheriff's. Robin said something and the matter was closed. Everyone was worried about what the sheriff would do but the bread made the group of outlaws not care as much.
Two days later a group of people came to the camp, they were all bloodied up and carrying all of their belongings with them. They were from the village where the outlaws used to live. They asked where Robin Hood was and started to complain to him. Will confronted him and tried to attack him but Robin shot his hand with an arrow. Will ran off to his tent and Alexandreia went to go help him as Robin spoke to the people. She winced when she saw him pull the arrow out. They made it back to the tent and she tended to the wound.
While wrapping his wound she inquired, "Will, do you have a death wish I should know about? Going after a trained crusader is suicide."
Grumbling he said, "You wouldn't understand. You had everything you could have wanted growing up. I had to fight for what I got."
Sighing she said, "Yes, I did have it easy growing up but now I'm just like you. How is it the Robin and his father are to blame for you misfortune?"
He laid back on the bed and told her his reasons. That Robin's father had been in love with his mother after his first wife died but he didn't marry her because Robin had objected. He told her that his mother had died only a few years after he was born and how he had been fighting just to survive his whole life. That was the reason behind him becoming an outlaw and the reason he hated the Locksley's. Not wanting her pity he walked out of the tent to go on river patrol.
With the extra people in Sherwood Forest the people knew they had to make a new village. Three weeks later they had a nice village up in the trees and down on the ground. Will's and her huts were next to each other up in the trees and secluded. Will had quickly become one of her best friends and someone that she had even started to love. That afternoon Robin lead two women to the village Alexandreia recognized one as Maid Marion, her life long friend. She climbed down from her hut in the trees and ran to Marion and hugged her.
"Alex! Your brother and cousin have been looking for you everywhere. You need to get back to them. They've been worried sick."
"Marion I can't go back; please don't make me I love it here. They only want me so they can marry me off!" She cried desperately.
Marion looked at her friend and saw a change in her eyes. Will walked by and Alexandreia looked at him and smiled and Marion knew instantly that her friend was in love. Marion smiled at her. "I won't tell them about who you're related to or tell your family where you are."
Marion hugged her friend and they were called to go into John and Fanny's hut. Fanny had gone into labor. After receiving the help of Azeam the two women helped Fanny give birth. It was five hours later that John came out holding the baby shouting 'look at my son!' The village broke out into celebration. Every one was dancing, singing, drinking and having a grand ole time. Alex started to dance around just for the feeling of freedom it gave her to be away from her old life. Few of the young men of the camp came up to her and she shared a few dances with them while secretly wishing Will would ask her to dance.
While dancing with an attractive young man from the camp Alex saw Marion come out of the hut after making sure Fanny was alright and was shocked and hurt to see Will hold out a flower and ask her to dance. She was almost glad that Robin stepped in and said that she was already taken. Will huffed and walked away and Alex ran after him catching him before he went up the rope ladder. "Will!"
Looking over his shoulder at Alex he saw the hurt in her eyes and mentally slapped himself for his actions. Why did I ask Marion to dance when who I really want is Alex? Taking his foot off of the ladder he went to her. He pulled her close to him. "Forgive me, Alex. I was so caught up in trying to best Robin. How could I want Marion when she is nothing compared to you?"
She blushed at him and he just smiled at her. Their eyes locked for a brief moment and the love in each others eyes was overpowering. Will leaned in closer kissing her lightly, not knowing how far she'd let him go. She, however, was the one to surprise him by wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. A few of the drunken villagers went by them making snide remarks which made the two love birds break their kiss.
Alex stepped away from Will to start climbing the ladder when she got to the top she shyly said, "Are you coming, Will?"
Will looked at her in shock but took no time at all to get up the ladder. Alex grabbed his hands and led him into her hut. Alex had very little teachings in what went on between a man and woman but the passion she felt when she kissed Will was far too great to even bother with the fact they were not married. She had always gone against the "appropriate" way for a lady to behave anyway.
A week or so after Marion left, the Sheriff of Nottingham and his hired thugs attacked the village. Everyone ran in different directions throughout the forest, some were captured and some even murdered. Alexandreia carefully went up to her cousin who sat perched up on his horse. He was exceptionally shocked to see her.
"So this is where you've been hiding cousin." He glanced at her roughened appearance with disgust in his eyes.
With disgust for her cousin swelling in the pit of her stomach she asked him with pleading eyes, "Cousin, please spare Will Scarlet."
He looked at her knowingly he said snidely, "Is he your lover?"
Hating him with her every breath she said, "What I do is none of your business cousin. Spare him."
He laughed evilly and made an order to his men to find Will Scarlet and to rip him to pieces. "Take my traitorous cousin back to the castle."
One of his guards grabbed her and stated to take her back to Nottingham castle. Fighting to get free she managed to get away and ran towards the burning village of the trees. She was tackled just mere feet away from the ladder to her hut and was knocked unconscious. Being grabbed again she was slung over the shoulder of the guard. Will stood watching behind a tree about to strike when he was hit from behind and dragged away as well. When she arrived at the castle she was put into her old room and locked in just incase she had the urge to run away again once she awoke.
A few hours Alex woke up to find that she was locked in her room. A little while later Marion was brought in to stay with Alex the two reunited friends nearly ran over to each other for a hug. After the heartfelt embrace Alex filled Marion in on all that had happened since Marion had been there. Marion in turn had some news for Alex: she had to be the one to tell her that her brother was killed.
"How did he die? Was he sick? I may have hated him sometimes for being our cousin's lap dog but he still was my brother."
"Well they were in the armory and according to Sheriff Nottingham he was attacked by one of the workers but everyone knows that the sheriff did it himself. I'm so sorry for your loss Alex."
Despair and anger filled Alex in one swift motion. All of her immediate family was now dead; all she had left was a despicable man who only wanted power and would stop at nothing to have it. She would be dead to if she wasn't still of some use to him. Even more dread washed over her as she remembered that she was betrothed to one of the king's enemies, Lord Bartley. Her ability to link her cousin to a supporter was the only reason she wasn't killed along with everyone else.
With even more bad news Marion told Alex that in order for the children of the village to be spared that Marion had to marry the sheriff and Alex still had to marry the lord that was old enough to be her father. Their weddings would be done on the same day to get them over with and for their pre-wedding festivities they would see the men of the village hanged.
The sheriff arrived back at the castle a few hours after Alex's discussion with Marion and went down to dungeons where the prisoners were being kept. He threatened them that if they didn't help him kill Robin he'd kill them. The men all stayed quiet knowing that they would die anyway and would rather die than turn in their friend. All of them except Will, who told him that he would he told the sheriff the Robin would trust him because he was a trusting fool.
The sheriff let him loose and told him if he failed he'd be put to death. Luckily the sheriff didn't worry himself to find out the turncoat's name or else Will had never had gotten out. Before Will left the dungeon as the sheriff told the other prisoners that they would be the entertainment at his and his cousin's weddings. Running out of the dungeon with new purpose he made it to the forest in record time.
Will went straight to the camp and John and the boys cornered him and knocked him to the ground yelling at him and calling him a traitor. During his beating his shirt went up to show the marks he got from the beating in Nottingham dungeon. He told them about the planned hangings for the sheriff's and his cousin's wedding. Robin asked who the sheriff was marrying. He said glumly, "it's Marion."
"You were to use this information to get close to me and kill me weren't you?"
"That all depends on you. I've never liked you and everyone knows that I don't trust you but I want to know if you're going to finish what you started."
"Have I wronged you in another life Will Scarlet? Where did this intolerable hatred come from?"
Will's eyes watered as he said, "The fact that our father loved you more than he loved me."
Everyone looked confused.
"I am the son of the woman that replaced your mother for a time."
"Liar!"
"Robin of Locksley we are brothers and you ruined my life. So, I ask you brother will you finish what you started. Will you help us win?''
Robin looks dazed for a couple seconds and says, "I have a brother?"
Then he hugs Will, "I have a brother."
After the touching reunion of the brothers Will said, "I have to get her out of there I promised her I would protect her."
"Don't worry. We'll get all of them out of there." Robin vowed.
They all got ready; even Fanny much to John's dismay and planned where everyone would be. They made it to the hanging and got to their places. Friar Tuck and Azeam put the black powder on the hanging post while Will hid in the crowd. Robin got ready to rescue Marion and Alex while Fanny and John were watching fearfully worried about the safety of their child. Marion and Alex looked out into the crowd praying for some sort of miracle. Marion was wearing Robin's medallion in hope's he would come for her.
The prisoners were all brought out as he passed Wolf saw Will in the crowd and tackled him calling him a traitor. The guards pulled them apart and the sheriff asked what's going on and saw Will. Hope filled Alex's eyes for a brief moment as she saw Will but quickly pushed it down not to reveal him to her cousin.
"Oh it's the little turn coat; did you kill him?"
Looking as sincere as possible he said, "Milord, he was already dead when I got there."
Looking pleased he asked, "Did you see his body?"
Trying not to get caught in a lie he said, "No, but I saw a grave."
The sheriff smiled evilly and said, "String him up with the others."
Alexandreia grabbed her cousin's arm and pleaded with him, "Please cousin don't kill him. I love him."
The sheriff merely laughed at her. When Will got up there and there was no room for him so they tied his hands and head to the barrel of black powder. Alex looked around knowing the Will wouldn't have come with out help and a plan. They started the hanging by kicking the box from under Wolf. The rope tightened around his throat as his own weigh pulled him down as he kicked hopelessly. When all had seemed lost Robin used his bow to shoot him down. Seeing her love in the crowed Marion shouted for him as the sheriff and Alexandreia's very old and disgusting fiancé started to drag them away.
Robin untied Will and he, Azeam, and Robin went over the fence. Using the catapult to get past the security wall Robin and the others ran into the castle and to the door where Marion and Alexandreia were being held. They tried to break down the door but it was far too thick. Will and Robin looked around trying to find a different way in. They used a roped to break into the window and Robin saw the sheriff on top of Marion. Using another rope to follow his brother Will also entered the room in the dame manner. When he looked around Will saw the bishop about to marry Alex to Lord Bartley. In a blind rage Will attacked the man and knocked him to unconsciousness as Marion ran to the corner and watched her love fight.
While Robin fought the sheriff Will ran to Alex and held her close to him never wanting to ever let her go again and repeating over and over again how much he loved her. Robin stabbed the sheriff with the dagger that Marion had got from the sheriff. As the man fell Robin went to Marion and kissed her. The foursome left the room of death as Azeam killed the witch as she tried to kill them from behind.
That fall it was great celebration in the rebuilt village of the trees. One wedding was a blessing in its own but two was defiantly a welcome surprise. After his brother and new sister-in-law finished their first kiss as husband and wife it was his and Alex's turn. They stood up in front of the friar and held each other's hands. Looking into each other's eyes they recited their vows. The kissed when the friar allowed them to and smiled at each other; Will put a hand on Alex's slightly swelling abdomen smiling with great happiness at the bright future their child was going to be born into.
The End.