"Good morning, Fanny."

"Good morning," the woman beamed, happy to be outside again and in the fresh air.

"Let me take a look at this little boy," Robin cooed as John relinquished the baby to the leader. The baby looked up at him with wide eyes, and then he made gigglish sounds as Robin swung him up and down.

Great, another one who's easily swayed by Locksley's charms. Will grumbled to himself as he walked up to the group. He carried a couple of wildflowers that he had picked (these were Fanny's favorites).

"And how is our new mother this morning?"

"New mother? Someone needs to teach you how to count, Will Scarlett. The last time I was a new mother was seven babies ago, when Wulf was born," she frowned. "Great, now you've made me feel old."

"You did that yourself," he grinned. "So, how's the little girl doing?"

John scratched his head. "Uh, Scarlett, I don't know if you can tell, but it's a boy."

"Oh really?" he sounded surprised. "But Fanny was so sure it was going to be a girl. I guess that know-it-all charm just wears off with time." He ducked a swat to the head.

"Watch yourself, Scarlett. And anyway, I never said that."

"Oh, I quote: 'it's a girl. Definitely a girl this time.'"

"I don't know what you're talking about Will Scarlett. I always knew it was going to be a boy."

"Whatever you say," he smiled again, but instantly killed it when he glanced in Robin's direction. "So, I take it you actually let Marian go?" he asked.

Robin looked away from the baby for the first time. "Yes, I took her down to the lake. The boys will get her home from there. Duncan went with them."

"Duncan? Are you sure that's wise?" John quickly voiced his concerns.

"No one is allowed to leave the camp once they've seen the route. You made that rule yourself." Will jumped to accuse Robin.

"He couldn't last the winter here and I know he felt useless. It'll work out for the best."

"So did you kiss her?" Fanny asked bluntly.

"W-What—no" Robin was startled for a moment, and then a rare thing happened; Robin of Locksley, the stoic leader of Sherwood, blushed. "Well, she might have kissed me on the cheek, I don't really remember."

"She kissed you!" John hurrahed his friend with his booming set of pipes. Robin ducked his head, and then he quickly took his leave, returning the baby to Fanny and exiting with haste before John could start any teasing.

John stood grinning after him. "Well, Marian is off, but I'd say Robin has fallen completely head over heels for that girl."

"I'm glad," Fanny replied, "she's such a sweet thing and so pretty."

"Beautiful," Will spoke before he thought, nothing unusual.

"What's that I see, Will Scarlett? Have you done a wee bit of falling for her yourself?" Fanny teased, a huge grin to match her husband's on her face.

"I haven't fallen for anyone," he groused back. "I just…well, she is pretty," he defended himself. "Besides, I think she's fallen just as hard for Locksley as he has for her." Girls are so stupid, always falling for the wrong man.

"Jealous?" John inquired.

"No. Let me see the baby." Fanny obliged, placing the baby in Will's arms and teaching him the proper hold. It was quiet for a moment as it considered this change of location before it let loose an ear-splitting shriek. Will rocked it for a second, but to no avail.

"Well, I think it wants you." He handed the child back and instantly it calmed in his mother's arms. "What are you thinking about naming him?"

"I have no idea, all I had picked out were girl—" she broke off.

"Aha! I was right!"

"I think we can stop now, Avery. They're not following us," Will slowed to a walk after he and his friend had sprinted out of Locksley castle like the devil was nipping at their heels. But I guess the devil decided to stay inside, he thought sarcastically.

Avery collapsed to the ground, panting. Will fell beside him. They lay silent for a few seconds, each catching their breath, and then Avery's emotions bubbled forth.

"I can't believe what he did to us! It's not fair that he gets all the rank and money and stuff, and what do we get! Nothing!" he yelled angrily, despite the fact that most of the insults had been directed to Will not him, but Avery had always been a passionate kid who took an insult to his friends as one aimed directly to himself, and besides that he had always been an angry kid too.

"That's the way it is, and there's nothing we can do about it," Will responded, glum and deflated. He was just a little boy, and his first ever big dreams had been crushed in an instant; this little boy had no hope left. His brother had seen to that.

"Oh, yes there is. One day, we're going to get even with them," Avery's eyes flared with fury, a look that Will would adopt in later years, but not at that moment. At that precise moment, he was just the skeptical sidekick to the howling inferno that was his friend.

"But how?"

"I don't know!" Avery shook his head at his friend, exasperated at his lack of enthusiasm. "But one day we'll get even with them. One day, I'll show Robin of Locksley who's the village scum. And it won't be me!"

This chapter wasa little short, I know. Next chapter should be longer with more action, but I am going on vacation, so the next chapter won't be up for a couple of weeks. (I'll only be gone a week, but I think I will be too busy to work on the story.) But please stick with me, we're just getting to the fun part! Thanks, and don't forget to review! )