Chapter 6
Guy sat on the cold ground, leaning with his back against a beam of the barn. The pain in his head had evolved from a sharp throb to a dull ache. He could comfort himself with the guess that Robin was probably not feeling any better. The other man sat at the opposite side of the barn, looking sternly at the ground. No word had fallen in several minutes and Guy wondered why Robin hadn't yet used the opportunity to flee that seemed to present itself. The door wasn't bolted anymore. Guy wasn't even sure he would try to stop the man.
It was hard for him to believe that his suspicion about Hood hiding Marian wasn't true, but by now he had admitted to himself that Robin was probably telling the truth in that matter. He also had to admit that the man's chances of finding Marian were probably better than his own. Everything Robin had said about that earlier that day was true. No matter how little Guy liked the fact, but the archer had the people on his side. They benefited from the crimes the outlaw committed, and didn't care where the money or goods Hood gave them came from. Guy they didn't trust, and for good reason.
If he let Robin go, the man might be able to get information they needed to find Marian. Maybe someone had seen her. If that was the case…they would tell Hood far quicker than they would tell Guy.
But if the sheriff had arranged Marian's disappearance, then it wasn't likely someone had seen her. Guy remembered Vaysey's tantrum about him using the guards to search for her though, and wondered if the man wouldn't have simply told him that there was no point anymore in looking for Marian, if he had indeed gotten rid of her. It would have spared the expenses of the troops after all. But then the sheriff also liked his little games and after enjoying Guy pining for Marian he was now perhaps enjoying his vain search for her, no matter the costs.
Guy looked up at Robin. The other man was still sitting in the same position. Guy glanced at the door. At some point Robin would decide to leave. Anything else wouldn't be rational, as he had to know that the sheriff would gladly jump at the chance to finally hang him. Guy hadn't told the sheriff about Robin's capture yet, having wanted to question him alone, but he knew he wouldn't be able to hide it from him for very much longer. He would have to take the outlaw to Nottingham soon and the sheriff would have a great day.
It felt like one of the hardest things he ever had to say, when he finally spoke again.
"I would suggest you leave now before the sheriff gets to know you're here."
Robin glanced up at him, a frown on his face. He didn't say anything, but moved to his feet, watching Gisborne.
"I'm not going to stop you," Guy pointed out.
"So there are no men standing outside, ready to plunge their swords into me as soon as I show my face?" Robin questioned in a mildly curious tone.
Gisborne didn't directly answer his query. "I would be... grateful for any... information..."
Robin nodded. "Try and find out if the sheriff..."
Guy nodded as well, not looking at the other man. Robin didn't say anything more, but moved towards the door steadfastly, though not in an overtly hasty manner. When he opened it, Guy wondered for a split-second if the man would use the opportunity to embarrass Gisborne and bolt the door once he was outside.
The outlaw left the door standing open though. Guy realized that the guard was probably waiting outside, but decided to let Robin deal with it. A knocked-out guard would at least be convincing evidence that the outlaw had fled with force, in case the sheriff learned that Robin had been held here. Gisborne didn't like the idea of being accused of helping him escape. The fact that this was actually the truth caused a bitter taste in his mouth anyway.
When he heard the sound of fighting outside, Gisborne moved to his feet as well. As expected he found the guard unconscious and the outlaw gone. Guy walked to his house brooding, slowly starting to wonder why Robin would even want to look for Marian. It didn't benefit him, apart from the obvious fact that it had meant his escape for now.
At first Guy had assumed that the outlaw was only leading him along, so he hadn't needed to think about any reasons for the man's doing. By now he had convinced himself that Hood really did not know where Marian was and was actually willing to help him find her. It made him question the outlaw's motives now. It didn't seem reasonable to go to these lengths just so he could use Marian as a hostage again. Of course, the man knew he would be able to get back at Gisborne this way, so maybe it wasn't that unreasonable after all. Guy shook his head. It still didn't make sense.
The wondering about Robin's motives to help him in his search evaporated from his mind as he reached his house. The front door stood wide open, clearly broken up. Guy stepped inside and immediately saw what was gone: The bow and quiver he had let the guards bring to the house as a trophy. Moving through the hall he noticed that those weren't the only things that were gone.
Guy wished he had punched the outlaw a few more times.
Once the guard had been down, Robin had wasted no time before he had gone to the house that was still rightfully his. He was sure his quiver and bow would be in the possession of the man who had taken over the house as well. Getting into his own house wasn't difficult and he gladly picked up his weapon and was briefly tempted to search more of the building. He realized though that this would subvert the point of his and Guy's temporary truce even more so. Moreover he wouldn't be able to look for Marian if he found himself caught again because he hadn't left quickly enough. Trying to calm his anger about the situation, he moved outside, taking care not to draw attention to himself.
He could only hope that nobody had observed the exchange between him and Guy, so as not to betray Gisborne's little secret. Not that Robin really cared. The man would hopefully be useful to locate Marian, but Robin certainly wouldn't shed a tear if Gisborne met misfortune because the sheriff learned about Robin's little adventure.
Dawn was just breaking and once he was out of the village he was able to move more easily. He usually wouldn't need to be careful in Locksley; the people wouldn't betray him. But today he decided he needed to get away, before Gisborne changed his mind. The man was certainly enough of a fool to do so.
Robin only gave up on his inconspicuous behavior when he saw a guard riding on the way that crossed the archer's path. He charged ahead and pulled the man from his horse before he could even react. Robin seized the reins and heaved himself onto the animal, turning it around swiftly and edging it to run.
He had decided to head to Nottingham first and return to the villages later. Nottingham would be the most likely sightings of Marian or the Nightwatchman since the town was the place of her residence. If Marian was treading about as the Nightwatchman she would be sure to stay close to the castle. If Nottingham proved useless, he would then go to the nearest village, Clun, first. She often was seen in the villages, too, and Clun was just as likely as Nottingham. He would return to Locksley as well, but would wait until later in the day. Gisborne would hopefully be gone by then, making his way to Nottingham in order to execute his part of the plan, leaving Robin free hand to do so in Locksley.
Robin saw quite a number of people moving to and from the town during his ride. A small group hastily moving away from Nottingham caught his attention though. They were four people who were trying to get away as fast as possible, and when Robin came closer to them, a grin spread on his face. His amused surprise was quickly replaced by wonder as to what his men had been up to. An explanation came to his mind just as fast. They were searching for him. Much would have told them about his encounter with Gisborne and when Robin had not arrived back at the camp, they had decided to go looking for him.
Robin turned his horse away from the main road and followed his men. He was sure they would notice his presence soon enough. His expectation was proven true, as the gang suddenly scattered into the bushes.
"Hey, it's me," he called, slowing his horse.
"Robin," he could hear Much's voice a second later. Robin dismounted and the man appeared at his side moments later, followed by Will, Djaq and John. "You got away!" Much called happily.
"Yes," Robin replied simply, choosing not to discern the circumstances right now. His truce with Gisborne wasn't a matter he wanted to lead a discussion about.
"Where have you been?" Will wanted to know.
"Gisborne took me to Locksley," Robin explained with a frown.
"How dare he hold you captive on your own grounds!" Much was indignant.
Robin shook his head. "He says he's looking for Marian." After a pause he added, "Is she at the camp?" He had still been cherishing this hope, but it was dashed as soon as Djaq shook her head.
"No, she has not come there, at least not till we left."
Robin rubbed his still hurting head, trying to think clearly. "What happened in Nottingham? You seemed keen to get away quickly."
"Our cover was blown," Will explained, as they all moved to get away from the trail they were on, back into the safety of the forest.
"We wanted to rescue you," Much added, catching up with Robin who patted his horse smiling. "I also got us some food," the man continued. "I wanted to ask the baker for information and first bought some rolls from him." Much fell silent, looking from one outlaw to the next.
"Well, then," Robin looked back at him, "where are they? I haven't eaten in a while."
They shared the food, before Robin sent the gang back to their camp. He needed to look for Marian alone, and knew that he would be able to move faster by horse. They marched off somewhat reluctantly, and Robin remounted his horse, heading for Clun now. His earlier plan to go to Nottingham first would have to wait until things had quieted down there, after the gang had created the uproar. No doubt the sheriff would be on the lookout for any outlaws, and if Gisborne returned anytime soon it wouldn't be a surprise if the Master-at-Arms would track him down once again in order to please the sheriff, no matter their earlier truce.
As the sun had long been up, the peasants would be awake and wouldn't be roused out of sleep by Robin. He slowed his horse once he was coming close to the village, not wanting to alarm anyone. He himself was feeling more and more alarmed. Nobody seemed to have seen Marian in more than a day by now.
Riding slowly into the village, he saw people outside, doing their daily work. He slid from the horse and looked around, wondering who he could ask first. He wasn't sure how many people in Clun would even recognize Marian. Back when she had stayed with the gang in the forest, she had been there when the outlaws had fought against guards attacking the villagers for Carter's ploy. Robin had tried to make sure though that Marian wasn't pulled into the midst of battle. But as far as he remembered she had brought food to the village more than once, so people might know her from those times. He had to consider though that Marian had left the castle clad as the Nightwatchman according to Allan's tale. So people might actually have seen him, but not her.
While Robin pondered these thoughts, a man he knew to be the miller greeted him, "How are you doing, Robin?"
"Doing good, how are you?"
"We manage," the miller answered with a small smile.
"I have to ask you something important, and not only you," Robin said earnestly.
"What is it?" the man asked openly, while Robin made the decision what to ask first, after Marian or after the Nightwatchman.
"Do you know if the Nightwatchman has recently been by?"
"I do not think so; I've never seen him. I've heard people talking about him, but I've never seen him with my own eyes."
"Do you know if anybody else has seen him these days?"
"I'm sure people would have been talking about it."
Robin studied the man. The villagers didn't know Marian was the Nightwatchman and although Robin wanted to ask after Marian herself as well, he didn't want to give away her secret. He thanked the man and wandered on, knowing he might ask the next person after Marian, but then rumors would go around in the village that Robin had been looking for both her and the disguised stranger who had been helping the peasants for years. People might be able to put two and two together.
He had to risk it. Her present safety was more important to him. If he had to take her back to the forest to keep her safe then that is what he would do. He kept walking around the village and finally found who he was looking for. The old man used to work for Marian and her father when they still lived in Knighton and had moved in with his daughter's family when the man had lost his position at Knighton hall when it had been burned down by Gisborne.
Robin smiled as he approached him. The man knew who the outlaw was and not only because he had become infamous after he had returned from the Holy Land. He had known Robin before the archer had gone off to war, had seen him often enough in Knighton when Robin had been a lad.
He greeted him openly as the miller had done earlier. "How are you, Robin?"
"Doing well, how are you?"
"Things are not too bad," the man smiled back at the outlaw, but kept watching him attentively.
"I have to ask you something, but this has to stay between the two of us."
The old man frowned, but nodded. "What can I do?"
"Have you seen Lady Marian recently?"
The other man shook his head slowly. "No, I have not seen her... since I left Knighton. And to this village here, I think, she has not been in many weeks."
Robin nodded solemnly. "Thank you."
"Why are you asking these questions, Robin?"
Robin hesitated before he replied. "Nobody in Nottingham knows about her whereabouts."
"Do you think she is safe?" The other man sounded apprehensive.
Robin smiled. "You know that she is able to take care of herself."
"Gisborne burned down Knighton Hall and she could do nothing," he sighed.
"Gisborne is not..." Robin shook his head. "I am sure he has done nothing to her." Robin felt strange saying this, but had the strong conviction that what he was saying was true. Guy really did not know where Marian was and was probably as worried as Robin himself. Robin didn't like Gisborne's reasons for his personal worry, but they seemed to be on the same side for once.
"I have to go on now," he said. "Take care."
He said goodbye to the man, and left to ask several more people after the Nightwatchman, but nobody could give him any information about having seen him.
Robin rode back to Locksley as the sun kept rising to its highest point. The picture there looked similar to the one he had left behind in Clun. Gisborne seemed to have left for Nottingham, but even if he hadn't done so, Robin figured that he and Guy were basically on the same side for now, so it would only be reasonable that the Master-at-Arms did not stop Robin before he had gotten substantial information about Marian. Of course, as soon as Guy discovered what he wanted to know, the truce would be over immediately.