Chapter 6

Robin looked all around him. Had he gotten it wrong. He was so sure Much would have gone to the hill where his brother had died. That had seemed so logical to him but there was no sign. He wasn't back at their main camp either. Robin was now at a loss.

He would have to search the entire forest, he was beginning to worry for the boys safety. It was then that he noticed the mist swirling all around him. He stopped in his tracks and took in that inner feeling of piece he always felt when Herne the Hunter was near. The great spirit came into view just ahead of him.

"You have shown yourself to have the wisdom of the ages my son but you must yet go back further.

In order to proceed he must first journey back to where it all began. He will try to find that which he has lost, that which cannot be retrieved. You must help him to accept what is gone before. It is time for you both to move forward."

"I will try Father."

~o~

As they journeyed towards the village John looked to Will. He couldn't but notice the haunted expression on Will's face, he could nearly see the deep thoughts swirling in his friends tortured mind.

"Penny for your thoughts," John asked.

Will shook his head. "I was thinking about Much."

"Don't worry about that git, he's probably sitting by a big fire eating the last of our reserves at camp."

John hoped more than felt that to be true. He too was worried but needed to stay focused for the task ahead.

"I said some things..." Will muttered as he walked along.

John thought on that a moment.

"When Meg died I blamed the whole world and everything in it. I lashed out at anyone who tried to help. We can only do our best with what we have Will. It would be easy to say you were wrong and you shouldn't have said those things but you're human like the rest of us. There are no easy answers."

"I forget he's older now. Things used to bounce off him when he was young, you'd say something and he'd come back with some lip and that be it. Now he's thinking too much."

"He's at that age isn't he. You may get used to it. It won't be long before some girl will turn his eye and he'll start disappearing for days at a time."

"Knowing Much he'll probably set his heart on a girl who is already taken."

John grinned. "Aye and taken by the biggest man in the village. It'll be up to us to sort that mess."

The two men chuckled as John put a hand to Will's shoulder in mutual friendship.

~o~

The Mill was deserted, Robin was so hoping he'd find Much there. He had found fresh foot prints leading up to the ruin but the boy was nowhere to be seen. More worrying, he soon found the prints of many horses close by. Robin took this to mean that Much had been picked up by a patrol of soidiers. Robin would follow the tracks. He only hoped he could catch up to them before they got to the castle.

The people of Wicham were forced to make the soldiers welcome. Their horses were immediately handed over to the boys of the village to brush down and feed. This would have to be done very well if the lad wished to avoid a public flogging in front of his friends and neighbours.

The meeting house was now alive with women running back and forth with plates of food. The food was was supposed to be for their own families supper but once soldiers came to Wicham all food available must be brought to the meeting house for them.

They brought these meals up a ladder to the loft which housed a large table and many chairs. The table now had many plates laid out for the soldiers. In the centre were plates of chicken, dark bread, potatoes, fish and forest fruit. To the starving villagers this was a feast but the soldiers were complaining already prodding the small chicken and throwing potatoes across the table at each other.

Gisborne himself pulled Much down from the horse and marched him towards the meeting house. Much's hands were tied behind his back so he could only comply. Halfway towards the meeting house Gisborne stopped. Much glanced over at him then.

"You know he is here," Gisborne yelled into the forest. "You want him you need to come get him. Do you understand, you need to come through me. Show yourselves."

The other soldiers walked uneasily past him.

"Show yourselves you bastards." Gisborne yelled out.

All was silent within the forest save for the calming rustling of wind through the trees.

Much tensed up as slowly Gisborne drew his sword. He held the blade up and put it to the boys neck.

"I wonder would they come running from their hiding place if I were to kill you here and now."

He pressed the blade to the boys skin wanting for Much to call out to his friends. Much made no sound.

Eventually Gisborne took the sword down. He wiped the blood carefully from its blade and replaced the sword back in its scabbard. He looked at the boy, Much was staring at nothing not even mindful of the blood now trickling down from his neck.

"He is bewitched. They have sent him off because he is bewitched,"

Gisborne took hold of Much and hurried towards the meeting house. Once inside he handed the young outlaw over to other soldiers. They took a rough hold and dragged him towards the ladder. He was then hoisted up on to the second level. Everyone was eating and making merry. The smell of food sickened Much's empty stomach as he was brought past the table. He was dragged through the crowds of soldiers who prodded him or tripped him up as he went. He was slammed up against a post and tied there.

Another patrol of soldiers had met up with Gisborne and his men. They all decided to spend the night at Wicham and await the arrival of the other outlaws. The room was literally full of soldiers and they were getting more drunk by the minute.

Once they had a skin full of wine and had filled their bellies with what food there was they were ready to make merry. Usually they would insist the girls of the village make themselves available to them but now they had new sport.

"An outlaw?" one very drunk soldier roared into his face.

"You claim to be an outlaw, that's damn funny that is."

The man swayed as he turned towards the other soldiers. "Have you seen him in action. He don't even know how to hold a sword."

They all laughed as the soldier did an impression of Much in battle.

Much didn't rise to it, he didn't care. If they were going to kill him why not just get on with it. He felt wretched. Perhaps it was the fact that he had been out in the cold so long but when he thought about it he realised he had felt wretched for days. His nose had begun to run and his eyes were sore and itchy. He could scarcely swallow past the pain in his throat. But none of it compared to the pain he felt in his heart when he thought of Anna and how her death was down to him. He felt that Will would never forgive him. A sudden smack to his face brought him back to the present.

"You answer me when I'm talking to you halfwit. I'll ask again, does the lady Marion bed down with Robin of Huntington these days or do you all get a turn."

More laughter from those assembled.

Before he could think better of it Much spat in his face. The soldier growled in anger as he wiped the remanence from his cheek.

"Well you've done it now haven't ye son," the man grinned though he was shaking with anger.