Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Especially Matthew Poretta. Or Johnny Depp. Or Victor Barr. Or any other hottie that I happen to know... *sigh* :D
"C'mon Will! Stand and fight." Robin's foster brother, Much, waved a staff at Will, who was slumped against a chair, brooding, thinking again of the dream. "Let's go!"
They had successfully captured the carriage from the castle, and everyone except for Will was in a good mood. After a few minutes of unrelentless prodding from Much, Will realized that Much was not going to give up.
"Ah-right." Will said, getting slowly to his feet, and accepting the staff Much handed him. "But only to shut you up about it."
Much dropped into a fighting stance, but it made no difference to Will. The boy was a good four inches shorter than him anyway. Will crossed sticks with the boy as soon as he was ready, shoving hard. Much staggered back, not prepared for the hard thrust, and Will swept his staff behind the boy, sweeping him off his feet, and onto the ground.
Will dropped the staff, and held out a hand to Much. The boy took it, and allowed himself to be helped up. "Sorry Much. Not really in the mood."
With that, Will angled his lean body back against the tree, his long dark hair shading his equally dark eyes once again.
"Well, all you had to do was say so." Much grinned, his blue eyes dancing.
For a moment, Will went a flash of amusement, as he replied. "I did. A lot." He was then instantly disgusted with himself. Elena had just died, and here he was sitting around *laughing*. No, he thought. She...didn't...just die. She died years ago. What the hell was going on? Will was still wondering about this when Marian handed him a bowl of stew, and settled herself beside him. Her red hair was wrapped up and pinned, and a few tendrils hung around her neck. Will could understand why Robin loved her so much. She was beautiful, smart, a good fighter. Will knew he was getting dangerously close to jealousy, so he focused instead upon her next request.
"What's the matter Will? You're quieter, not as angry lately." She asked softly. So softly that none of the others could hear her. He knew that it was deliberate, and he was grateful. "Tell me, so I can help you. Please."
Will shook his head, not sure quite what to say. A light breeze played across his face, ruffling his dark hair, and he drew in a breath of cool air.
"Will Scarlet, I am your friend, and as such, it is my duty to help you if I can, so just tell me, and get it over with." Marian commanded him, her voice still as soft as before.
"Give me a little time Marian." Will asked, not sure he wanted to tell anyone what he dreamed at night. "I've gotta think some stuff over first."
"All right." Marian agreed with surprising ease. "It's your choice. But promise me Will Scarlet, that you'll let me help you if I can."
"I promise, Marian of Sherwood." Will said, with mock seriousness.
"Are you teasing me, Scarlet?" Marian asked, pretending to be mad, punching him lightly in the arm.
"Hey, hey!" Much said, coming bounding up. "John says there's a person coming up the road. Let's go."
Will and Marian got to their feet, and followed Much to the edge of the road, where Robin, Little John, Friar Tuck, and Nasir the Saracen already waited.
"How far?" Will asked, in no more than a whisper.
"A few moments." Nasir told him.
"Will, I want you to take this one. They're carrying a coupla daggers." Robin told him. "Shouldn't be too difficult, there's just one of 'em. Plus, if this person is any good, you might get a bit of a challenge."
Will pulled out the two daggers he carried, and flipped them a couple of times, then kissed each blade. "Great." Will said with a feral grin. He suddenly wanted to get into a fight so bad that it almost hurt. "Thanks Robin."
Will pulled his hat down over his eyes, and crept out to the middle of the road, and it was only a few more moments until the other person came into Will's range of vision. He, Will, was sure it was a man, because a woman alone wouldn't come through Sherwood Forest, was wearing a gray travelling cloak that swirled around his legs as he walked. His black leather boots came to just below the knee, and two knives were sheathed on either side of his waist. However, this was all Will could see of him, for his hood was up, shading his face, and his cloak covered his torso.
Will bounced on the balls of his feet as the stranger came to a stop about five feet down the road. He was raring for a fight, adrenaline flooding his system.
"Hey friend." He called amiably, daggers in hand. "You should stop. Purely for your own good, understand."
"Ah. I see." The stranger said in a low voice, so low that Will had to strain to hear it. "If I don't, will you kill me?"
"Probably." Will shrugged, his cap still low over his eyes. "Nothing personal though. And it'll probably 'urt."
He still couldn't see the stranger's face, due partly to the hood, and partly to the angle of the sunlight filtering through the trees.
"I wouldn't count on my dying." The other person said, moving slowly, pulling their finely made daggers from the sheaths. "Unless Robin Hood comes swinging through the trees."
"He probably won't." Will sneered, raising his knives a bit. "But you never know. He's sneaky-"
Will was cut off in mid-sentence, tackled by the stranger, right around the middle. So forceful, was this, that the two of them went rolling through the leaves. The other person was on their feet first, followed by Will. He swung both daggers in tandem, in different directions, and the other blocked both of them. The stranger staggered back a step, then bulled forwards, knives still locked with Will's, hard as he could. He stepped on Will's foot, and Will yelped, and fell backwards, his cap falling off.
"Oh mother of God." The other person cursed, stopping in mid-movement, curving their blades down, one for Will's throat, one for his stomach. The figure sheathed their knives, and extended a hand to Will, to help him up.
What the hell? Will thought, but accepted the hand, putting only one of his blades back where it belonged. Will stood, helped by the mysterious stranger. "Who the 'ell are you?" He asked angrily, his dark eyes narrowed.
The figure began to laugh, and Will suddenly realized that it sounded suspiciously like a girls giggles.
"Jesus Christ, are you a girl?" Will asked, his eyes widening in amazement.
"Don't curse like that Will." Tuck scolded him, easing his considerable bulk onto the road, followed by the rest of the band.
"Yes, yes I am a girl, Will Scarlet. Or should I say, William Scathlocke." The woman said, reaching up and pushing her hood back. She shook her head, and masses of long black hair went tumbling down her back.
Will was about to make a comment about the use of his real name, something like if-you-ever-call-me-that-again-I'll-kill-you, but stopped, with his mouth open at the sight of her.
"C-Cady?" He said, his voice little more than a high-pitched squeak, the look on his face horrified. No, Will thought disbelievingly, now possible way could Cadiana be here.
Cadiana continued to laugh quietly, and Robin laid a hand on Will's shoulder. "You know her?"
"Yeah. Yeah." Will said, still staring. "I know 'er."
"C'mon Scarlet." Cadiana teased him lightly. "'ave you lost your manners? Introduce me to your friends."
Will did as he was told, still trying to wrap his mind around seeing her again. "This...this is Cadiana Kyrkeby everyone." He gave his head a shake.
"Will?" Robin said, with a bit of a smile. "How about I finish for you?"
Will nodded his ascent, his eyes still on the girl in front of him.
"Well, Lady Cadiana, I am Robin of Loxley," Robin bowed deeply to her. "This is John Little, Friar Tuck, my brother Much, Nasir, and my wife, Marian." Robin pointed out each of them in turn, and when he was done, Cadiana gave them a grin.
"Please to meet all of you. Any friend of Will's is a friend of mine. But I'm no more a lady than Will is."
"Please," Marian said stepping forward. "Join us tonight, we were just about to eat."
"It would be my pleasure Lady Marian." Cadiana said, inclining her head.
"C'mon Will! Stand and fight." Robin's foster brother, Much, waved a staff at Will, who was slumped against a chair, brooding, thinking again of the dream. "Let's go!"
They had successfully captured the carriage from the castle, and everyone except for Will was in a good mood. After a few minutes of unrelentless prodding from Much, Will realized that Much was not going to give up.
"Ah-right." Will said, getting slowly to his feet, and accepting the staff Much handed him. "But only to shut you up about it."
Much dropped into a fighting stance, but it made no difference to Will. The boy was a good four inches shorter than him anyway. Will crossed sticks with the boy as soon as he was ready, shoving hard. Much staggered back, not prepared for the hard thrust, and Will swept his staff behind the boy, sweeping him off his feet, and onto the ground.
Will dropped the staff, and held out a hand to Much. The boy took it, and allowed himself to be helped up. "Sorry Much. Not really in the mood."
With that, Will angled his lean body back against the tree, his long dark hair shading his equally dark eyes once again.
"Well, all you had to do was say so." Much grinned, his blue eyes dancing.
For a moment, Will went a flash of amusement, as he replied. "I did. A lot." He was then instantly disgusted with himself. Elena had just died, and here he was sitting around *laughing*. No, he thought. She...didn't...just die. She died years ago. What the hell was going on? Will was still wondering about this when Marian handed him a bowl of stew, and settled herself beside him. Her red hair was wrapped up and pinned, and a few tendrils hung around her neck. Will could understand why Robin loved her so much. She was beautiful, smart, a good fighter. Will knew he was getting dangerously close to jealousy, so he focused instead upon her next request.
"What's the matter Will? You're quieter, not as angry lately." She asked softly. So softly that none of the others could hear her. He knew that it was deliberate, and he was grateful. "Tell me, so I can help you. Please."
Will shook his head, not sure quite what to say. A light breeze played across his face, ruffling his dark hair, and he drew in a breath of cool air.
"Will Scarlet, I am your friend, and as such, it is my duty to help you if I can, so just tell me, and get it over with." Marian commanded him, her voice still as soft as before.
"Give me a little time Marian." Will asked, not sure he wanted to tell anyone what he dreamed at night. "I've gotta think some stuff over first."
"All right." Marian agreed with surprising ease. "It's your choice. But promise me Will Scarlet, that you'll let me help you if I can."
"I promise, Marian of Sherwood." Will said, with mock seriousness.
"Are you teasing me, Scarlet?" Marian asked, pretending to be mad, punching him lightly in the arm.
"Hey, hey!" Much said, coming bounding up. "John says there's a person coming up the road. Let's go."
Will and Marian got to their feet, and followed Much to the edge of the road, where Robin, Little John, Friar Tuck, and Nasir the Saracen already waited.
"How far?" Will asked, in no more than a whisper.
"A few moments." Nasir told him.
"Will, I want you to take this one. They're carrying a coupla daggers." Robin told him. "Shouldn't be too difficult, there's just one of 'em. Plus, if this person is any good, you might get a bit of a challenge."
Will pulled out the two daggers he carried, and flipped them a couple of times, then kissed each blade. "Great." Will said with a feral grin. He suddenly wanted to get into a fight so bad that it almost hurt. "Thanks Robin."
Will pulled his hat down over his eyes, and crept out to the middle of the road, and it was only a few more moments until the other person came into Will's range of vision. He, Will, was sure it was a man, because a woman alone wouldn't come through Sherwood Forest, was wearing a gray travelling cloak that swirled around his legs as he walked. His black leather boots came to just below the knee, and two knives were sheathed on either side of his waist. However, this was all Will could see of him, for his hood was up, shading his face, and his cloak covered his torso.
Will bounced on the balls of his feet as the stranger came to a stop about five feet down the road. He was raring for a fight, adrenaline flooding his system.
"Hey friend." He called amiably, daggers in hand. "You should stop. Purely for your own good, understand."
"Ah. I see." The stranger said in a low voice, so low that Will had to strain to hear it. "If I don't, will you kill me?"
"Probably." Will shrugged, his cap still low over his eyes. "Nothing personal though. And it'll probably 'urt."
He still couldn't see the stranger's face, due partly to the hood, and partly to the angle of the sunlight filtering through the trees.
"I wouldn't count on my dying." The other person said, moving slowly, pulling their finely made daggers from the sheaths. "Unless Robin Hood comes swinging through the trees."
"He probably won't." Will sneered, raising his knives a bit. "But you never know. He's sneaky-"
Will was cut off in mid-sentence, tackled by the stranger, right around the middle. So forceful, was this, that the two of them went rolling through the leaves. The other person was on their feet first, followed by Will. He swung both daggers in tandem, in different directions, and the other blocked both of them. The stranger staggered back a step, then bulled forwards, knives still locked with Will's, hard as he could. He stepped on Will's foot, and Will yelped, and fell backwards, his cap falling off.
"Oh mother of God." The other person cursed, stopping in mid-movement, curving their blades down, one for Will's throat, one for his stomach. The figure sheathed their knives, and extended a hand to Will, to help him up.
What the hell? Will thought, but accepted the hand, putting only one of his blades back where it belonged. Will stood, helped by the mysterious stranger. "Who the 'ell are you?" He asked angrily, his dark eyes narrowed.
The figure began to laugh, and Will suddenly realized that it sounded suspiciously like a girls giggles.
"Jesus Christ, are you a girl?" Will asked, his eyes widening in amazement.
"Don't curse like that Will." Tuck scolded him, easing his considerable bulk onto the road, followed by the rest of the band.
"Yes, yes I am a girl, Will Scarlet. Or should I say, William Scathlocke." The woman said, reaching up and pushing her hood back. She shook her head, and masses of long black hair went tumbling down her back.
Will was about to make a comment about the use of his real name, something like if-you-ever-call-me-that-again-I'll-kill-you, but stopped, with his mouth open at the sight of her.
"C-Cady?" He said, his voice little more than a high-pitched squeak, the look on his face horrified. No, Will thought disbelievingly, now possible way could Cadiana be here.
Cadiana continued to laugh quietly, and Robin laid a hand on Will's shoulder. "You know her?"
"Yeah. Yeah." Will said, still staring. "I know 'er."
"C'mon Scarlet." Cadiana teased him lightly. "'ave you lost your manners? Introduce me to your friends."
Will did as he was told, still trying to wrap his mind around seeing her again. "This...this is Cadiana Kyrkeby everyone." He gave his head a shake.
"Will?" Robin said, with a bit of a smile. "How about I finish for you?"
Will nodded his ascent, his eyes still on the girl in front of him.
"Well, Lady Cadiana, I am Robin of Loxley," Robin bowed deeply to her. "This is John Little, Friar Tuck, my brother Much, Nasir, and my wife, Marian." Robin pointed out each of them in turn, and when he was done, Cadiana gave them a grin.
"Please to meet all of you. Any friend of Will's is a friend of mine. But I'm no more a lady than Will is."
"Please," Marian said stepping forward. "Join us tonight, we were just about to eat."
"It would be my pleasure Lady Marian." Cadiana said, inclining her head.