I realize that in the movie, the scene following Will's confession immediately shifts to Robin and his men planning the attack. In my mind, Will would have needed some time to recover from his whipping. Therefore, in my story, this scene takes place the next morning. Robin and Will share another conversation, where Will reaches the conclusion that his brother is different from other noblemen. Will's realization causes him to let go of his past hatred for Robin and love him like a brother. Also, I added in a little Will/John interaction, for I felt that John was pretty harsh with Will and needed to apologize.
Will opened his eyes, blinking against the ray of sunlight that was streaming in through the open door.
Turning his head, Will attempted to figure out where he was. When he tried to sit up and felt a stab of pain course through his body, Will's memories of the previous day came flooding back to haunt him: being captured, his whipping, stumbling into camp, confronting Robin, confessing that they were brothers, and Robin tending to his injuries and housing him in his hut.
Will still couldn't believe how accepting Robin was of him. There was no malice in his attentions or in his words towards Will, no underlying hatred for simply existing. Will counted his blessings and thanked the Lord that Robin was a forgiving man.
Will sensed movement to the side of him and turned to investigate. He was shocked to discover that Robin was sitting in a chair by his bedside, his head lolling to the side in an uncomfortable looking position.
Has he been there all night? Will wondered.
Attempting to sit up, Will gasped as pain once more shot through him. Clenching his jaw while blinking back tears, Will slowly but surely made his way into a sitting position.
His movement had not gone unnoticed by Robin. When Will again turned to look at his brother, he found Robin's eyes watching him.
"How did you sleep, Will?" asked Robin, his expression guarded, as though he knew something that Will did not.
Will remembered a slight pain in his chest that had bothered him in the middle of the night, but he wasn't about to mention it to Robin. His brother might then refuse to let him come to Nottingham with everyone else. Will wasn't about to miss out on a fight, least of all because he felt he owed it to his fellow prisoners to help in their rescue.
"I slept fine, Robin," said Will, offering a sleepy smile to his older brother. He was surprised when he felt his face stiffen slightly at his movement. He raised his hands to rub his face and bit back a moan when his hands collided with an obviously-sensitive gash on his cheek.
Then Will remembered John's attack upon his entry into camp. He'd called Will a traitor and he'd been about right. He'd also landed several blows on Will's body, including a swipe at his face. That explained the welt on his face.
Robin watched Will with an eagle eye, concerned over his brother's welfare.
"I'm not going to break, brother," Will said, attempting to joke.
Robin watched him for another moment before nodding. "It's time to change your bandages."
Will blanched at the thought of Robin seeing his tortured body once more. "You really don't have to do that. I don't want you to have to see my injuries again. I know you well enough, Robin of Locksley, to know that you blame yourself for my discomfort. My pain is my burden to bear alone, however much you may wish it upon yourself."
Robin didn't want to see Will's injuries again, either. Every time he thought about Will's shirt tearing and the bloody gashes becoming visible, he felt the bile rise in his throat. He, himself, had been tortured during his time as a prisoner of war and he'd never wanted to go through the agony again. To discover that Will, his own flesh and blood, had been similarly hurt caused Robin no end of grief, as though the lash had bit into his skin as well as Will's. Despite however much Will's pain hurt Robin, though, Will's well-being was more important. Therefore, the bandages had to be changed.
Robin pulled back the covers, leaving Will no choice but to get up. He watched as Will made his way outside. A good night's sleep seemed to have done wonders for his brother. Will seemed stronger already, as he could walk without assistance, unlike the previous day where he'd collapsed and had to lean on Robin if he wished to go anywhere.
Robin followed Will outside, directing him to a bucket of water and some fresh cloth.
"Do you need help taking off your shirt?" asked Robin.
Will's first response was to snap and say that he wasn't an invalid. But, in honor of his newfound bond with Robin, he bit back his snide remark and instead replied, "Let me check."
Will managed to raise the shirt halfway up before giving out a cry of pain, his body objecting to the strain.
"I'll take that as a 'No,' " said Robin, only half-joking.
His hands joined Will's on the shirt, Robin giving Will words of encouragement when the pain became too much to bear.
"Guess my body stiffened up over the night," observed Will. "I don't remember it being that much trouble getting the shirt on yesterday."
Robin agreed and set about un-wrapping the bandages surrounding Will's torso. There was still blood, but it was beginning to dry and scab over.
"There'll be some scarring, I imagine," Robin said, apologetically.
There was also some faint bruising—the result of John and Robin's combined force against Will.
"I'm sorry about the bruising, Will," said Robin, busying himself with rewrapping Will's torso. "If I'd known…," his voice trailed off.
"Don't worry about it, Robin," said Will, encouragingly, doing his best to catch his brother's eye and reassure him that he didn't blame him for anything.
Robin tugged at the bandages, ensuring that they were securely fastened and wouldn't come undone.
"There. I think you're all set, brother."
"Thank you, Robin, for taking care of me. You didn't have to and you certainly don't owe me anything after the way I treated you."
"Forgive and forget, Will. We're brothers. We look out for each other."
Will found the rest of his defenses lowered at his brother's words.
"You are unlike any nobleman I have ever met, Robin of Locksley. You are wise, brave, and forgiving. When you learned that we were brothers, I feared for my life because I'd been taught that noblemen looked down on commoners and would kill us as soon as look at us. But you spared me, embraced me, and acknowledged me as your brother. And for that I'll be eternally grateful. From now on, you have my trust and my life at your disposal, brother of mine."
Robin, ever the stoic, found himself blinking back tears at the utter devotion in his brother's words and actions. "Thank you for your kind words, Will. Suffice to say, the same goes for you. I give my trust and my life, unconditionally. I'm glad I've proven to be the exception for you and improved your opinion of me as a nobleman."
The two embraced, memorizing what it felt like to be held by one's brother, as they realized that they might soon be parted.
Robin and Will pulled away simultaneously. Sharing a brotherly smile, they joined the others who were gathered around what was seemingly a recreation of Nottingham Castle.
As they approached, Will was distracted by a loud boom and a burst of sparks. He turned to see Friar Tuck on his back and Azeem holding a bowl of powder over the flame.
"Bull," Robin said, quickly gaining control of the few men left, "You're positioned by the gate to cut off reinforcements. John, you sit on this wall to protect our escape. I will conceal myself, here, below the scaffold to cut our men from their nooses at the signal."
As Robin spoke, he gestured to different parts of the Nottingham Castle model.
"No, I'll do that," Will spoke up. "You need to cover us with your bow."
"No, Will. It's too dangerous," said Robin.
"So is your aim," said Will, taking the opportunity to tease his brother good-naturedly.
Robin shot him a look as the other men chuckled.
Turning back to the men, Robin continued, "Whatever Azeem is concocting, we must each be in place for. Our success depends on total concert. We will be only six men—"
"Seven," interrupted Fanny.
"What in blazes are you doing, woman?" asked John. "Where are the little 'uns?"
"They're safe," Fanny reassured him. "They're with me mother."
"You bleedin' cracked, girl? You'd get hurt," John objected to putting his wife in danger.
"I've given birth to eight babies. Don't you talk to me about gettin' hurt, ya big ox. Anyway, I'm not just going to sit here and let one of 'em die, now am I?"
"You should be bloody well minding the other seven. Tell her, Rob," John pleaded.
After a pause, Robin plunged his dagger into a part of the model. "Fanny, you can take position here," he declared.
The men moved off, Robin going to see what Azeem was up to.
Will picked up his sword and was about to take a walk down by the river, to clear his head before the upcoming battle, when he felt a tug on his arm. He whirled around and came face-to-face with John.
He roughly pulled his arm from John's grasp, remembering the last time they were in contact with each other.
John reached for Will's face, but he shied away.
"Don't touch me," he whispered, harshly.
"Will, I'm sorry. If I'd known…"
As John's voice trailed off, Will fought back numerous snarky retorts. He remembered Robin's words from earlier: "Forgive and forget, Will."
"I accept your apology, John. I'm sorry I couldn't take Wulf with me when I was released."
"Not your fault," said John, gruffly. "Friends?" he asked, holding out his hand for Will to shake.
"Friends," agreed Will, clasping John's big, meaty hand in his slender one.
Robin watched their exchange from a distance, glad that John was apologizing. Robin had recognized, immediately, how Will seemed to gravitate to the Little family, with John seemingly becoming a "father" figure to Will. For his "father" to strike him must have hurt Will deeply. Robin also noticed how Will seemed to fight himself for a moment, before accepting John's apology.
Good boy, Will, thought Robin. Forgive and forget. Now is not the time to be holding a grudge.
Unaware of his brother's observations, Will left John and made his way down to the river. He'd always loved the water. He loved the sounds the river made as it flowed over the rocks. Since meeting Robin, though, the river had taken on a new significance to Will. He still remembered the sight of his brother, dripping wet, defiantly declaring that he would beg of no man, all while Will taunted him from his leafy hideout.
"There was a rich man from Nottingham/ who tried to cross a river/ What a dope/ He tripped on a rope/ Now look at him shiver!" Will sung under his breath.
From behind him, he suddenly heard, "Would you have me beg of you now, Will Scarlett?"
Will jumped, startled by Robin's sudden appearance. As he turned to face his older brother, he slipped and began to fall towards the water.
In one fluid motion, Robin had grabbed a hold of one of Will's flailing arms, pulling him back to safety.
Will's arms tightened around Robin, suddenly afraid of what they were about to do. If they failed, it would mean their lives in addition to the lives of those they were attempting to rescue.
Under control once more, his cocky façade back in place, Will said, "Nay, brother, it is my turn to beg of you—do not scare me like that again."
"My apologies, Will," said Robin, a smile on his face as he held his younger brother, wanting to keep him close for as long as possible.
The feel of Robin's arms around him soothed Will's frightened heart. "I wish we could stay like this forever, Robin," Will murmured into his brother's chest. "I wish we could live in the woods and never have to face the cruelties of the outside world. The forest is peaceful, offering seclusion and tranquility to those in need. I think I would have eventually turned to a life in Sherwood, whether or not I had become an outlaw. Without a price on my head, I'd be left alone, able to enjoy the freedom of the woods without fearing for my life."
"I feel exactly the same way. You've shown me what it means to live a simple life, Will Scarlett. Once we've rescued our men and our father's death has been avenged, I doubt if I'll be able to return to a life of pleasure, taking up my place as a "spoiled little rich boy," as you once called me."
"Sorry 'bout that," Will muttered, properly shamed at what he used to think of Robin.
"All in the past, Will, remember?" Robin chided gently.
Will smiled up at him, his eyes sparkling with brotherly love.
"Christian, it's time," came the voice of Azeem, who quickly retreated, giving the brothers a few more moments to themselves.
Locking eyes with Robin, Will allowed his vulnerability to show for an instant, before closing himself off once more.
"Thank you, Will," said Robin, "For letting me in to your heart."
"The same to you, Robin," said Will, fighting to keep his voice steady, his stomach already in knots.
"We finish this!" Robin exclaimed.
"To the end!" Will replied, voice stronger due to his conviction that they were in the right and that the Sheriff would die for the pain and suffering he had inflicted on countless innocents.
So saying, the brothers turned and made their way back to camp, ready to start the trek to Nottingham.
Don't forget to leave a review! =)