Chapter Ten

Will You Tolerate Me?

"People of Clon! Listen well. Your Sheriff knows that you have been receiving help. Unlawful assistance that robs the working man of his pride to earn food for his family."

"I'd like to show him some unlawful assistance…"

"Shush, Much." Will hissed, elbowing the former in the side and edging closer around the woodpile to get a better look as Gisborne rode up and down the centre of the village, proclaiming his message to all and sundry in the shire.

"Robin Hood, and his men, are criminals. Stolen bread is far more bitter than bread well earned. So we give you, generously, this chance to earn your way yourselves." The outlaws ducked down, pressing themselves as close to the wood that served as their hiding place as they could as the black stallion trod heavily right past them. "There is a price on their heads. A generous price, to offset what you perceive as the generosity of outlaws. From this day forth, one hundred gold coins to the citizen of Nottinghamshire who provides information leading to the arrest or death of Robin Hood's men. That is one hundred gold coins for each outlaw."

Will and Much exchanged a wide eyed look with each other and then frantically around at the villagers whom they could see, and who knew they were hiding somewhere close. That would feed any family for years.

"And three hundred gold pieces, for Robin Hood himself. A further three hundred should that lead to his execution."

"You don't think they'll tell him we're here, do you?" Will murmured quietly, resting his hand on the hilt of his axe at his belt in case they needed to make a quick getaway.

"No...they love Robin, they'd never give us up…then again...that's a lot of money."

"That's his game then. Parade around all the villages, offer a reward and hope they turn against us, rat us out."

"I suppose it's more of an incentive than cutting out tongues. Think we can get out of here without them seeing?"

Will slowly moved to peer over the top of the woodpile and quickly ducked back down again as Gisborne turned his horse in their direction. "Only if we take the long way. That or wait them out."

Footsteps behind them made Will and Much both jump and whirl around, hands on the hilts of their weapons. Sighing, Will lowered his axe and raised a finger to his lips to silence the young girl that had come upon them. She had two missing baby teeth and long scraggly blonde hair.

"You're with Robin Hood." She said, a little too loudly, "One of you brought us some venison yesterday. Mum said I should say thank you."

"Yeah, great, you're welcome. But right now you should say nothing." Much hissed, frantically trying to wave the girl away before one of Gisborne's men noticed her talking to a pile of wood.

"Are you playing hide and seek?"

"More like hide and not get killed."

"Yeah, something like that." Will elbowed Much and they exchanged a slightly exasperated look when the girl dropped to her knees and crawled between them. "Gisborne is looking for us, and we need to hide."

"I'm very good at this game."

"I am sure you are, now hush."

}}}-l

"Matilda said he said the same in the rest of the villages too."

"You don't really think they would give us up?"

"I dunno. Money is a bloody good motivator."

"You would know, wouldn't you, Allan?"

"Oh bugger off, Much."

"That's enough, both of you." Robin chided, rolling his eyes as he dropped two, particularly skinny dead rabbits onto the forest floor where John, who had been sharpening a skinning knife, immediately picked one up by the ears. "We all knew the Sheriff would pull out all the stops after the Holy Land. That's why we moved the camp. We're not going to stop helping the poor just because they might turn us in."

"Agreed." Will nodded and unconsciously his eyes drifted over to Djaq. They hadn't spoken alone for two days now since she had come clean to him about what was wrong. He knew now why she stole away in the morning and rushed off after she ate, he knew why her dress had suddenly seemed far more revealing than it had the last time, and why she kept to herself more.

"Good. Because the Sheriff is panicking. And when people panic, they make mistakes. We can still use this against hi-Djaq?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Djaq. She had paled suddenly, and not in the nauseous way that was becoming so familiar. Will shifted on his seat, automatically leaning towards her, his eyes widened slightly. Then she leapt to her feet, her eyes brimming with frustrated tears that Will knew were out of her control.

"Are you alright?"

"I do not know." That was the most honest she had been with all of them in weeks, but just as Little John got to his feet, even before Will could, she had turned and rushed off into the trees. Four more pairs of eyes turned to Will, and as much as Will did not like it, Allan was giving him a particularly suspicious look.

"I've heard women can be moody, but sometimes I forget she is a woman." Much shook his head, staring bemusedly off into the woods.

"Will? Do you know what's been wrong with her?"

"Yeah. I do, I've got it." He murmured, ignoring all their looks and hurrying off after Djaq into the trees.

"Djaq! Slow down, where are you going?!"

Djaq didn't stop, she kept running, slowing to a jog as she scrambled down a slope in the direction of the creek and other than a frustrated hand waving in the air, ignored Will's calls. He wasn't sure she even knew where she was going. Banking left around a tree he sped up, each one of his long strides worth two of hers and caught up to her easily.

"Hey…where are you running?" He reached out and caught her arm as she tried to move past him. She pulled away almost immediately but the fight or flight instinct seemed to go out of her and instead of fleeing, she just turned her back and let out a frustrated yell that was nearer to a warcry than anything.

"I don't know, Will!" She rounded on him and he stared at her with huge surprised eyes as a tear, which she so rarely let slip, slid down her cheek. "I don't know how I feel, I don't know what I'm doing and I don't know what is the matter!" She ran a hand over her face right away, wiping away the wetness that had appeared there with an annoyed growl. "And I don't know why I'm crying."

He took a cautious step towards her as though she were an anxious horse he was trying to calm. Her breath was coming fast in short gasps, gripped in a fit of emotion she wasn't used to feeling. When she did not step away from him he moved close enough to take one of her shaking hands in both of his. "Love, it's alright. Just breathe, you look like you're about to faint."

The breath that Djaq released was full of tension and not at all the calming deep breath he'd meant, but who was he to tell her how to act right now. He could see in her eyes though that it was exactly what she had said that scared her so much. She didn't know. This was completely unknown to her and, more importantly, out of her control. Djaq liked to be in control.

"You're allowed to be emotional."

"Yes! I am! We live in the forest. We spend almost every day cheating death and taxes, this isn't the place for a child, which I don't really know what to do with anyway-and I won't be able to hide this for long."

"We will f-"

"I am not finished!" Djaq snapped, and wide eyed, Will obediently closed his mouth and let her have her reaction. She stood there, arms crossed stiffly over her chest and trembling in a way that had nothing to do with the winter. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, fumbling for words until finally she closed it and shrugged "Alright, I guess I was finished."

"I'm sorry." He stepped closer and reached out his arms until with a shaking breath she moved into them. "I'm sorry we weren't patient. I'm sorry you're scared, I know how much it takes to scare you. I'm sorry that I...didn't react well when you needed me. It was a lot to hear."

She fit snugly beneath his chin and slowly he felt her arms rise and loop around his waist. Vulnerable was not a word that anyone would use to describe the fiery, passionate Saracen woman, but now she had let her guard down again Will felt once more that he had been trusted with a secret. "We will work it out. Don't forget you're not doing it alone, my love."

"How? We don't have a life that is even safe."

"Neither do the people of Loxley. Or Nettlestone. Or Nottingham. It's no safer there when you think about it."

"I know you are trying to help, Will Scarlett, but that is not working."

"My point is...it's not having a cottage that makes 'em safer." Will added, wrapping his arms a little tighter around her, his chin resting lightly on her hair. "It's having people like us, and like Robin, to help."

"...That was better." Her voice came out muffled as she pressed her face into his chest and then immediately recoiled. "Would it truly kill any of you men to bathe just a little more often?"

Will smiled to himself and took a step back so she could look him in the face easier. "We'll manage. But if it's what you want, we can go somewhere and start again. Maybe Scarborough? Even back to Bassam if it's what you want."

"If there is one thing I am sure of, it is that I am not spending four more weeks on a ship while I am pregnant." She had calmed down a little, even if he could still see she was absolutely mortified, her emotions for once were written all over her face. She reached up one hand and wiped her cheeks, "All because I was foolish."

"You're saying 'I' a lot...it's just as much my fault. We will manage, somehow, my love. I promise."

It wasn't so long ago that Will would have been thrilled when he heard Djaq say she was carrying his child, and still a part of him was. He'd longed to build a life with her for as long as he had loved her from afar, and then from near. Perhaps he should have convinced her that they should stay with Bassam, then they would be wedded by now and a baby wouldn't have been so frightening a development.
"How long until you uh...until it's here?"

She went quiet again for a moment as he too counted backwards in his head.

"About six and a half months." Then he watched as her hand very hesitantly touched her belly, still flat beneath her tunic while other parts of her, not unnoticed by him, were certainly getting bigger. "Soon enough I will not be able to hide it."

"Do you think we should tell the others?"

"No!" The reply was so adamant, and her eyes so fierce for a second that she looked and sounded just like her regular self. "Not yet. You already are treating me differently, I do not want it from them too." Djaq huffed and stalked over to the stump of a fallen tree they were using for firewood just as the heavy cloud cover that had been looming threateningly rumbled with thunder and spots of rain began to fall.

"Course I'm treating you differently, there's two of you."

"No. No, there is one of me, and one tiny little sapling that probably isn't even the size of my finger." Just like that, the frightened, sad woman she had been a moment ago was gone in a flash and replaced by the stubborn and fiery one he had fallen in love with. He had seen enough pregnant women to know that her moodiness was only just beginning.

"You promise me, Will Scarlett, that you will not treat me like an invalid. I can still do everything I ever could."

"I…" How was he supposed to promise that. He was already panicked enough about her safety every time they were in danger, now he would worry about the safety of their child too. It was all well and good while she did not look pregnant, but when she could not run, or fight, or even ride a horse the same… "I promise. For now."

"Good enough."

"I still…" He started and cut himself off, colour rising to his cheeks as he changed his mind before the thought was fully finished.

"Still what?"

"Still think we should get Robin to marry us."

A flicker of something flashed over her face that made Will blink and quickly look away. It was unwarranted really. She was pregnant, they had no secrets from each other anymore, and somehow he was a red as the day he had discovered she was in fact a woman.

"Are you asking me?"

"I don't know, are you saying yes?"

And though he had no reason to be frightened that she would refuse him, though they had bigger things to worry about, Will couldn't look her in the eye for longer than a moment.

"I am not saying anything if you are not asking."

Will released a long unsteady breath and scratched nervously at his stubble. How quickly the tables had turned. It was always the plan, they'd just gotten it a little backwards lately. He took a few steps forward closer to her as the creek, half frozen over, babbled by behind her. "Bear with me, alright?" His heart thundered loudly in his chest and without taking his eyes off of the Saracen he slowly lowered himself to one knee before her. The rain was trickling steady now but neither of them seemed to notice or care.

"What are you doing?"

And for one bizarre moment he thought he had madly misread the moment and Will's smile faltered. Then he remembered. She was not English. They still did things differently that the other found strange. Relief flooded his face and Will's eyeline dropped to the forest floor with a quiet laugh. "Sorry, I didn't know how you do it in Palestine. It's a chivalry thing…so I'm told."

His green eyes drifted to her stomach, just below his eye level and her hand that was floating near it. When he looked back up, her eyes had softened, and brimmed with tears once more. Women confused him at the best of times, they were in for an interesting ride now she was with child.

"I know I have nothing to give you. And neither of us have anything in the world. I don't even have a ring yet, but...I'll get you one…"

"Will…"

"It's your turn to let me finish." Djaq laughed, that beautiful happy sound that he'd been missing for weeks and Will nearly forgot what he had to say. His palms were sweaty despite the cold and even though he already knew the answer, he'd never been more nervous. "Before we left Bassam's house, I asked for his blessing and he gave it...of course he probably wouldn't have if he knew you would be with child before we even got back to this country, but he is a good man. I can't promise you a house, or even that we'll live safely. But I can promise I will give my life to keep you safe, and that our children-"

"Child. Just the one for the moment please."

"Sorry, our child," Will corrected, "Will be loved. Saffiyah, you are my bird that I would fly a thousand miles to get back to. Would you be my wife?" Somewhere in his spiel his own eyes had filled with the tears that sometimes came frustratingly easy to him and suddenly they were back in that barn, on her Kalila and Dimna night only three months ago when Will had never been happier, and at the same time distraught at all the time they had lost.

She said nothing for a long, painful moment, just smiled down at him with teeth so white that they stood out shockingly against her dark skin. Then she knelt to his level, placed her hands either side of his face and drew him in for a kiss so tender it sent a pleasant shiver up and down his back. Familiar warmth filled his belly and his hands found her waist, fingertips dancing daringly over her belly where a little bit of Saffiyah and a little bit of Will was growing.

When at last Saffiyah drew back first, it took Will an extra few moments to open his eyes.
"Is...that…"

She snorted, so startlingly un-femininely that Will laughed, "Men are so blunt. Yes I will marry you, Will Scarlett."

With a relieved laugh Will got to his feet, bringing his newly betrothed with him and in a joyful rush of emotion picked her up and spun her in his arms. Of course little would change in their life right now when they married but it was more than enough for him. She beamed up at him when he lowered her so her toes reached the ground again and he was just about to lower his head and kiss her once more before a loud crunch of leaves caught his attention. He sighed and raised his eyebrows.

"You can come out now, Allan."

A loud cheer sounded from up the incline and Allan A Dale appeared from behind a tree. A broad grin spread over his rough and unkempt features, his goatee now grown a little too long so he more resembled a forest dweller than ever. He ran down to them, beaming ear to ear as he clapped Will heartily on the back. "Congratulations!"

"How long have you been there?"

"Only about a minute, saw Will kneel down and thought I better wait."

Not long enough to know why then. That was a small mercy. Unable to wipe his own smile from his face as Allan pulled Djaq into a warm hug, Will grinned and clapped his friend on the shoulder. He'd never been able to pinpoint the moment in time when Allan had withdrawn his vying for the woman's affection, but it was a relief to no end to see that Allan was truly happy for them.

"Please do not tell the others yet. I am not sure it would do good for Robin." Djaq exchanged a look with Will, her hand sliding into his.

"My lips are sealed."

}}}-l

"I'm just saying, a woman likes to be told when she looks pretty and I think she should dress like a girl more."

"Last time I checked, Djaq was not a regular woman."

"Oh like you didn't notice, you practically ran away from her, you coward. If we have to compete for the same affections, I'd rather have a fair fight."

"Can you just shut up?" Will glared and tossed the coin filled bag a little harder than necessary into Allan's arms as they unloaded the carriage. Allan grunted as he caught it and cast a glance over his shoulder to make sure the woman in question was not within earshot. "It's a stupid idea for either of us anyway."

"Why? Robin's got his girl."

"Marian does not live with all of us."

"You're not seriously bowing out? You absolutely fawn over her when she's not looking. We can all see it." The money bags piled up, and their awkward conversation came to a merciful interlude when the other four returned to gather a second load. John hoisted his staff across his shoulders and one side at a time Robin and Allan strapped ten bags to it.

Djaq, who had changed out of the golden dress that Will could not stop thinking about more than he cared to admit and back into her regular trousers and tunic, stepped up, holding out her arms until Will had piled as many bags as she could carry into them.
"Sure you don't want to swap?"

"I am just fine, Will."

Yes, perhaps Allan had a point and maybe Will could have been a little more expressive when he saw her dressed up like that but then that wasn't like him. He didn't want to risk the friendship he had with her when she almost inevitably would not feel the same. And he wasn't like Allan, who was perfectly comfortable flirting. But truthfully he'd just been struck dumb when she dressed like that, and a substantial part of him had been quite jealous at the thought of her walking around like that.

"There's nothin' to bow out of, Allan." He muttered when the others had taken the next load back to the camp and it was just the two of them left behind to finish the rest. "It's not a competition."

"I'm just saying...confidence would do you good."

"Not if it's your kind of confidence."

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I'm that shallow, mister high and mighty?"

"I'm saying you don't have any tact."

}}}-l

"Wine?"

Will blinked and snapped out of his faraway thoughts as a flask was waved in front of his face and Allan sunk down onto the rock beside him. "Thanks." He flashed a smile and raised the wineskin to his lips, taking a hearty gulp and passing it back to his friend.

"Just because the others don't know doesn't mean we can't celebrate, right?"

"Sure, I guess."

"Sure I guess? Mate, you just netted the woman you've been mad for for...what two years? Crack a smile, Will."

So he chuckled a little as they passed the wine back and forth, the dying embers of the campfire still flickering in the pit. Robin and Much across the room were exchanged in hushed conversation, and Djaq had enlisted John's help in preparing poultices under her careful watch for her medicine bag.
"I mean the Sheriff is rotten to the core, but I'll hand it to him, he gets good wine." Will mused after a moment, smacking his lips together as the rich liquid warmed his throat.

"Which is kind of ironic considering he cannot taste it."

"What?"

"Yeah, heard him talking about it once in the castle, doesn't have the palate."

They drank in companionable silence for a few minutes, Will's gaze drifting between his newly betrothed and now mother of his child, and the dying fire that kept them all warm.

"You sure you don't wanna tell 'em? I think Robin would only be happy for you."

"No, I think she's right, and it's a little more complicated anyway."

Allan snorted as Will passed the wine back to him and raised a sandy brown eyebrow "What's complicated? You say "hey, Robin, can you hitch us today?"

"Everytime you say something like that, I'm just more amazed at how you aren't married." Will scoffed, shaking his head lightly and rubbing his hands together over the coals. "You'll find out soon enough."

"Intriguing."