Hi, so here is another chapter and this one is just a simple, happy, fluffy, my big gay medieval wedding type chapter. This is really just to finish the Luke/Carter arc off. They will continue to be characters in this story but with the next chapter the situation will swing back to Robin/Marian, Djaq/Will, Erin/Allan as it was always meant to be.

Disclaimer-Nothing is mine.

Please Read and Review.

And finally on a personal note for me on news that has no doubt been seen all around the world and as a Brit means enough for me to comment on. Queen Elizabeth II who sadly passed away at the time of writing this was perhaps one my idols since before I could understand what the word meant. This chapter and indeed all chapters of my work with this update are written in memory of her and her phenomenal legacy as a Queen, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother and perhaps most importantly at all, a woman in a man's world who rose to the top was universally respected and never stopped smiling even when I imagine all she wanted to do was cry. As she so wonderfully said, grief is the price we pay for love. And perhaps it is the best price that we can pay for that, the most ultimate gift.

And there you have it. Enjoy.

And my God, (no pun intended) how much did I love written the archbishop? (a lot is the answer)

The Growing Good Of The World

Chapter 5-I'm No Angel

As the Archbishop of Canterbury frees the Outlaws from the suspicion of heresy, Carter decides to use the knowledge of the Bible in English to his own advantage and gets what he wants. This chapter takes place after the episode and therefore this chapter does not go into episode events. It is just a post-episode happy, fluffy chapter.

The Archbishop was not having what one would call a good day.

Actually he was not having a good week.

He knew that the Lord our God was supposed to send trials and tribulations down to His followers on Earth so that they could seek their just rewards in Heaven but his feet were killing him! He had the beginnings of gout now but he was sure in later life it would become his martyrdom and he was not looking forwards to it.

To say nothing of being in this God forsaken country that rained more times than anywhere else.

And that was before you got to the Sherriff of Nottingham who when all of this was over the Archbishop was going to have excommunicated—not that he suspected the man would care, clearly there was no concern for his heavenly or mortal soul.

Of course one could not help but feel a little bit critical, but as that lovely Monk had pointed out what he did was not heresy, it was progress. The Archbishop rather liked the dream that he had which was that one day the Word Of God would become available to everyone in this mortal Kingdom. He wanted to educate the poor, to show them the light of the Lord. Oh what they were doing right now was all very well and good but the Archbishop had a vision!

Actually he'd had several but sometimes he was not sure if that was the state of the Holy See resting on him or the fever that had taken his Monastery in France when the mould had gotten onto the crops and had sent them all rushing for their chamber pots.

The Archbishop would admit that there was a lot he was unsure off.

But sure of many things he was. And that was that the King who had asked him to visit this place had backed the wrong horse. Prince John was a runt trying to play with the big boys and clearly something had to be done to help that nice group of outlaws other than his widespread condemnation of the Sherriff.

He would write to the King when he got home to France. There had to be something Richard could do. The Archbishop did not like to judge—after all that was for the Lord to do upon the Day of Judgement—but quite frankly it was time for Richard to pull his finger out and do something. Dying in a state of Grace fighting for God was all well and good enough, providing that there was a baby in the cradle to follow you and a secure regent. If the French King could manage that then there was no reason why Richard couldn't.

That was the Archbishop's point. There was a Queen somewhere that had never seen her country and a Prince getting far to big for the small box that God had intended him to live in.

But now was not the time for that. Now was the time to focus on re-working the Bible back into English. It would be the one thing that the Archbishop did in this life that would have meaning. He loved the words, the translating of them. It was not a labour of defeat but a labour of love. Hate had destroyed his work. Love would make it whole again.

And with that the Archbishop settled in his litter and allowed the cool breeze to take him to a state of contemplation.

Until it happened.

It was one of the Outlaws of that he was sure of. He had not seen many of them. The ones on trial for heresy had been the main ones the Sherriff knew about and all men. There had been no woman and yet when he had gone back to their camp to collect himself, apologise for his actions and to be greeted with a warm cup of stew it was to see more of them there including this blonde man who dropped (and there was no other word for it) out of the sky and into the littler with all the grace of a solider.

"Morning your Grace" he said cheerfully. "You and I need to have a little chat"

"Oh do we my son?" the Archbishop said rather testily. This was the second time he had been held to the fire (so to speak) and he was not looking forwards to what was going to come next. There was something in this blonde man's icy blue eyes that made him think that what he was going to be asked to do (and it was clear as day that he was going to be asked to do something) that he wasn't going to like all that much.

"Well my son?" he asked signalling his carriage to stop. Two guards shot him nervous looks but the Archbishop was not afraid of being martyred for his God.

Excommunicated, shamed and disgraced was another thing. Martyrdom was something that all of his brothers in red secretly longed for.

The man gave a long slow smile.

"You consider your believes to be radical Archbishop?"

"Not so my son, but my brothers will"

"Then this one will shock them" the man muttered with a wry grin. "How you feel about a quick wedding ceremony"

The Archbishop could feel the headache that was forming right behind his left eye. He could almost feel it twitch.

"Marriage my son, is not something to be entered lightly—besides—if the Sherriff does not know of your existence why not ask your Parrish Priest? Surely after my words they will do whatever they can for you?"

"Well" the man said with a wry smile. "It's a bit more complicated than that…"

And despite it all the Archbishop found himself intrigued.

"Why is the Archbishop back?" Will hissed as Carter led the man through the woods with a smug smile. The Archbishop looked resigned and all deeply annoyed that his red cloak was now splattered in mud.

"Where's Luke?" Carter asked once. Will sighed and resisted the urge to make the sign of the cross. Erin her blonde hair tied behind her head in a knot was watching them and Allan who had watching his wife wash their clothes had sat up a little his hands digging into the dirt.

"He's gone for firewood?"

"Alone?"

"Yes—Carter why—"

"Well Will" said Carter with the air of a man about to throw a big surprise into the mix. "The Archbishop of Canterbury and I have had a little chat—"

Only Carter could make that sound not only normal but also ominous. Really! Having a chat with one of the most significant clergy members in Christendom!

But then again Will suspected that Carter was so secure in this life that he did not worry about the next.

Wish they could all be like that.

By this time Djaq had come out. Her gaze was not friendly. Considering the Archbishop had told the townspeople (on the Sherriff's order's no doubt) that she was a Saracen fit for burning Will couldn't blame her. For one split second he wondered what Gisella would have made of it and he had to stop that train of thought right there and then. Thinking of that damn woman right now was not helpful—but Christ (and he said that with reverence) her reaction he knew would have been funny.

"Oh?"

"Yes. And the Archbishop here is going to marry me and your brother, under the sanctity of the Holy Church with his blessing"

Allan who had just taken a gulp of ale spat it all over himself. Will couldn't so much as breathe because surely he must have misheard…he turned to his own wife only to see her looking at the Archbishop accepting a cup of soup from Tuck, with a new found respect.

Carter patted him on the arm.

"Don't worry brother" he said blithely. "Nothing will change"

Will couldn't help but think that that was utter bullshit. Carter as a brother-in-law!

What had he done to deserve this Lord? Seriously? Was Carter and his sneaky and often frightening abilities not enough? Was it not enough that he had to hear him and Luke (because heavens knows his brother could never be quite even as a baby) at night when he was trying to have mind-blowing sex with his own wife?

But no! Now the man was calling him brother!

"Have you asked him?" Djaq asked. She was looking devilishly pleased Will thought. Not at all what she should be looking like—they were husband and wife she should be in this with him!

"Yes I suppose I should do that" Carter said nodding. "Give me a couple of minutes Archbishop"

"Oh don't trouble yourself son, I want the recipe for this soup"

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior clergy member after His Holiness the Pope himself was sat on a tree stump in Sherwood Forest preparing to marry two men in 1193 and discussing soup recipes with an outlaw.

How was this real life?

"I'll be back soon" Carter said with a grin.

And then he was gone.

"Darling?" Djaq asked gently and then seeing no doubt whatever was on his face she smiled looking more like herself than she had done in a long time and pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Come on darling" she said taking his hand. "I think Luke is going to need his brother when he comes back. Allan I think we might need the brandy"

"Yes" Allan said eyeing the Archbishop with a slightly stunned expression.

"For all of us"

There was a pause as Will tried to get his brain to work and then the question spilled over before he could stop himself.

"Isn't he supposed to ask me for my permission?"

Djaq just started laughing. Allan did too. Will thought it was terribly unfair.

Luke had been gathering firewood. How that had turned into Kate arriving and him comforting her he did not know but he was too much his father's son to leave her there crying. Kate had lost a brother, had been put in a terrible position by her mother and was now convinced she had lost Much's love which Luke thought ridiculous. If there was anyone who would understand that Kate had not had a choice with what had happened with the Archbishop today then it would have been Much. Christ if Robin could figure it out then Much could.

He had told Kate this handing her a small square of folded fabric and she had laughed rather tearfully wiping her eyes.

"You know" Luke said carefully. "When my father died I cried in shock. After that…after that I couldn't. Not until I moved into that little house on the edge of town, then I cried one day. I realised I was making bacon stew. It was the one thing my Dad knew how to cook and I had started making it on instinct and the next thing I knew I was blubbering like a babe. There was no reasoning behind it. Marian was the same when she lost her father and you can see how losing her sister had played out on Djaq. When you grieve you grieve"

Kate nodded. "Sometimes" she said carefully as if she was choosing every word carefully. "I think about leaving. Just waking up and packing a bag and just leaving, leaving her, leaving the whole life she's got picked out for me. I'm just…so fucking angry at her. And I don't know why. Seriously if it wasn't for Maggie I'd go."

Luke said nothing. There was no point in pointing out that Kate's grief wasn't rational. She knew it wasn't. She knew that and he loved her for it. He knew from his own experience that sometimes all you could do was just let the emotion out and then have someone standing next to you ready to help when you asked for it.

There was a crackling sound and they both turned around. Carter.

"Oh" Kate said softly as he stalked out of the trees.

"Much is looking for you" Carter said eyeing Kate with that slightly soft expression he reserved for the woman of the camp. "And the Archbishop is back at camp. Head back will you and Much will explain everything"

"Are you sure?" Kate asked tying her hands together in the folds of her purple gown. Carter rolled his eyes.

"Course" he said jerking his head. "Now go will you I need a word with Luke alone"

Kate nodded and shot off. Luke was just about to admonish Carter for his language when he saw how Carter was looking at him. It was that same soft expression but amplified somewhat. Luke suddenly felt nervous and he could not understand why.

But his heart…

Oh his heart heaved with love.

And he could understand why with that.

"Why is the Archbishop back?"

"I asked him for a favour. You know after the whole heresy debacle. When he found out I had the ear of several high members of the nobility that would stand by him if the Sherriff raised a fuss he was more than accommodating."

More than accommodating. Jesus only Carter could make it sound so sinful. Only Carter could talk about blackmailing the Archbishop of Canterbury with such fucking ease.

"Do I want to know what?"

Carter moved so that he was stood next to him looking out over the forest. It was one of those clear parts where you could see the town and everything that came with it and Luke watched him for a second. Carter seemed almost…nervous? Yes. Nervous that seemed to be the right word.

It was odd. He had never seen Carter nervous before.

But before he could ask what was wrong Carter spoke.

"You know I'm no angel" he said quietly. "I mean…I wasn't before the Crusades and I wasn't while I was there. And it's never bothered me, the idea of a heaven…well…I think heaven is with you and…and I want you with me. In this life and in the next"

Luke stared at him. He wanted to tell Carter that, that was what heaven was for him but he couldn't seem to make his mouth move. Indeed he could barely hear the man over the beating of his heart.

Carter turned and his eyes were very blue and very bright.

"Luke" he said softly and then before Luke could do anything or even say anything…like breathe he had gotten down on one knee.

He had gotten down on one fucking knee.

"Luke" Carter said staring up at him his tone measured but his eyes…oh his eyes! They were bleeding love and Luke wanted to drown in it. He was drowning in it.

"I know I am no angel. I know that it's…I know that you can do so much better than me but I swear you are…you are the only thing in the world that I want. I want you with me by my side until the end of time and even beyond that. So…so will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?"

For a moment Luke just stared at him, he was not sure that he had heard him correctly. He was quite sure that he had misheard because there was no way that Carter…Carter the most lovely, gorgeous man in the world could not be kneeling and asking Luke to be…he couldn't because Carter was just…so beyond what Luke thought he deserved. He was perfection.

Actually as his brain caught up with him a little late as Carter was still holding his fingertips and staring at him with eyes that were steadily becoming dimmer with each passing second. Just as he was about to pull his hands out of Luke's, he grasped them tighter forcing Carter to his feet and kissing him with everything he had.

Carter's mouth found his urgently his tongue probing gently and then sweeping as their tongues mingled together. Luke let him press him closer as finally they broke apart.

"Kept me waiting there didn't you?" Carter said breathing heavily his fingers digging into Luke's shoulders. Considering his hands were wrapped tight around Carter's hair and he was clutching on for dear life.

"Yes" Luke said breathlessly. He was saying yes to it all. Yes to marriage, yes to keeping him waiting. Yes to all of it.

To this perfect little moment.

Always yes to that.

Carter dropped a kiss to his mouth and tugged his hand. "I don't have a ring" he warned. "Not yet anyway"

"Don't need one" Luke said grinning. "I just need you"

"And you have me" Carter said taking his hand and putting it over his chest where his heart was beating. "This Luke…this beats only for you. And it always will"

Luke smiled at him and then…

"So how'd you get the Archbishop of Canterbury to agree to marry two men under the sanctity of the Holy Church in 1193?"

Carter laughed and together they made their way back to camp hand in hand to be married. Luke felt like he was floating on air.

They went hand in hand together towards the future, whatever that might be. Perhaps the most important thing was…they went together.

And Luke couldn't help but hope that a glorious future it would be.

And there you go, I loved this chapter and I hope you do too. I will bring you the next one sooner rather than later.

Next Chapter-Kate and Allan get captured by a rent-collector forcing Kate into a decision that she thinks she has always known. Erin contemplates the future as she and Marian try to get to the bottom of what is making Marian so sick (Djaq already knows)