A few painstakingly slow days later, Pine observed Rob O' finally coming out of his water-induced coma.
"Ugh, what happened? And why do I smell revolting?"
Pine nudged Eleanor awake as gently as he could.
"Hmm? Oh, Piney, what is it?" she asked with a yawn.
"Rob O's awake. It appears South's medical treatment worked splendidly."
Alert and awake with this news, Eleanor nudged South in the ribs, who woke up abruptly and spluttered, his feathers askew.
"South, it's all right. Just me and Piney."
"Oh dear me, why did you wake me? Is Rob O'-"
"He's awake, finally, due to the properties of your medication," Pine exclaimed.
"Oh happy, blessed day! I'll wake Gill, he'll want to know about this."
South walked over to where Gill was sleeping and woke him. Sitting up, Gill yawned his question.
"What's going on, South?"
Pine and South took turns telling Gill what happened, though there wasn't much to tell.
"He's finally awakened, eh? That's wonderful news dare I say it. Ah, here he comes now."
As they had been discussing, Rob O' had gotten up and slowly made his way over to the group.
"…Do I know you gentlemen? And where in blazes am I?"
"Calm yourself, my son. You are in the company of friends. We are glad to see you awake – and alive for that matter," South turned to answer warmly, grasping his hand in a firm handshake.
"However did I end up here? The last moment I remember before becoming lifeless…"
"We found you in that river there, face down and hardly breathing or moving a muscle. You looked quite a fright when we pulled you out, so the horses dragged you to our camp and South administered medical treatment," Gill answered.
Rob O' scratched his chin and stared at them. "Who are you gentlemen? You do not look like any of my Merry Men."
South cleared his throat and quietly introduced himself, Pine, Gill, and Eleanor (who, as Rob O' found out, was female). Rob O's gaze lingered on Eleanor's face, golden-brown hair and blue eyes. His eyes shifted to her locket, and he held it in one hand, opening it to look at the pictures inside. He looked up at Eleanor in a mix of amazement and suspicion.
"How did you get this? I gave this to Mari-An years ago, and suddenly I find it again around the neck of a- a child! I'll be taking this," he said, reaching for the locket and removing it from Eleanor's neck.
Eleanor reached for it, trying to take it back. "Please, it's not yours! My mother gave it to me when I was a baby and I wore it in the hope that you would recognize me as your daughter. I suppose I was mistaken."
"You certainly are," Rob O' muttered, stuffing the prized locket in the purse he wore around his waist. "Mari-An and I never had any female children unless she lied to me!" Eleanor's face and ears drooped as South came nearer to Rob O'.
"So, how did you ever get in such a nasty predicament?"
Rob O' winced and rubbed the bandages on his forehead. "I can't remember all of it exactly, but I do remember it was a few days ago. I had gone with my Merry Men to Dunwell."
"That's near the place we purchased our horses," South replied, recognizing the name.
"We had just started handing out gold to the townspeople as usual when that boor of a Sheriff and his men arrived. He started going around town like a madman, trying his hardest to steal taxes from them. When they refused to pay, he threatened to increase their taxes a hundredfold. When they still refused him, the Sheriff ordered his men to ransack their homes for valuables and burn them to the ground. Many townspeople escaped, but we had a few casualties. My Merry Men and I were among those who escaped. While we were helping them, the Sheriff noticed me and came after me himself. I told everyone to keep going without me while I fended him off."
"How did you get that nasty head wound?" South questioned again as Rob O' grimaced.
"Foolishness. I was too focused on the Sherriff to notice anyone behind me. The soldiers who managed to cudgel me gave me a nasty blow or two, then threw me into the river to finish me off for good. I saw shadows standing over me, then everything went black. I can remember nothing else."
Eleanor quietly watched Rob O' speak, her heart breaking. She had finally found him, but he refused to accept her as his daughter. How was she going to prove herself to him? The locket wasn't enough. She mulled over her thoughts as Pine watched her, his expression unreadable.
"Now that this has been settled, what is our next course of action?" Gill asked, oblivious to the tension.
"Well, what do you say we reunite with the rest of my Merry Men? They would be delighted to have guests."
Approving the suggestion, the group mounted their horses, with Rob O' riding behind Gill on Shadow, and returned to trekking through the forest following his directions.
Within an hour or so, they had made it to Rob O's campsite.
"Hmm, seems deserted," Pine observed.
"We'll see about that," Rob O' chuckled as he took his fingers and blew three short whistles. Before he could finish his call, a variety of Merry Men appeared in various species and sizes from the treetops, many of them clad in a shade of green. As they were surrounded, a burly badger called Little John approached them.
"Hail, Rob O'! Have you brought these ruffians to scuffle with you?"
"No, no, John, they are new friends of ours!"
Introducing each other, a feast and dancing were held. Eleanor danced with a few of the Merry Men, and tried to enjoy herself, but the lingering thoughts about Rob O' clouded her mind. How will I be able to convince him now?