A/N: Here's the next chapter.
I don't own Robin Hood.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
After waving Matilda, Rosa and little baby Alice off to a new life, the outlaws went to find Robin and Will burying Henry. As they spotted them through the trees and grew closer they were stunned to see Robin deliver a punishing blow to Will's jaw, enough to send him reeling.
"Robin!" Ava was practically screeching as they all began running.
"Master, no!"
Robin hit Will again and again, before snatching his tag and walking away. Will scrambled to his feet and ran into the forest, disappearing in seconds.
"Will!" Ava had pushed past Robin and was shouting after him but there was no response.
Behind her, Robin was calmly explaining.
"Will is the spy. The subject's closed."
There was sounds of outrage from the others, apart from Much who has an unshakeable belief in his master's infallibility.
"I knew it. I knew it was Will!"
"No, Much! Robin, it wasn't Will!" Ava was usually the most tolerant of Much but now there were tears sparkling in her eyes and she was blazingly angry.
"Robin. I do not believe – " John tried to make his opinion heard but Robin silenced him with a look.
Unusually, Djaq too seemed ready to give way to her emotions.
"Robin, I must speak to you."
"No, you don't, Djaq. Trust me." Robin was clearly exasperated and willing to listen to no one. "Will's gone and that's the end of it. Now, I have to go to the castle. I think he had a go between."
"The castle?" John's deep voice was full of incredulity.
"It's at the Trip. Marian saw a serving girl take the money from Gisborne. I have to go to meet Marian to see what he knows."
Much stepped forward, very serious.
"We'll come,"
"No, I'll be safer on my own." Robin was adamant. As soon as he saw acquiescence in Much's eyes he gazed at each of them in turn. "Meanwhile, you have to scatter until I find out whether Gisborne knows about the camp. I'll go to the Trip at sun down. Come back here after that, I'll tell you what I know."
Pausing only to clasp Much reassuringly on the shoulder, he strode off. They remained frozen in disbelief until Much said,
"What are we going to do?"
"You heard him, we scatter."
Allan walked off and the others soon dispersed in opposite directions until just Ava was left. She was staring unseeingly at the ground but looked up as if compelled by a sudden decision. She took a deep breath to calm herself and raise her courage, before setting off through the trees after Allan. He hadn't got far and it wasn't long before she caught up with him.
"Allan!"
He spun round at her call and seemed shocked to see her, before trying to cover it up with his normal grin.
"Ava, what are you doin' here? We're sposed to split up,"
She walked up to him and looked him straight in the eye.
"Allan, tell me it wasn't you. Tell me it wasn't you who betrayed us." He looked away, unable to meet her gaze. "Please, Allan. Tell me!"
He looked back at her when she shouted the last two words and for a moment it seemed as though he would confess, but then a curtain came over his features and his expression was blank and that of a stranger once more.
"You should go,"
He turned to leave but paused as she lay a restraining hand on his arm.
"Please Allan, stop this. Tell Robin. You can't just leave,"
After a moment he threw her hand from his arm and strode off, leaving her alone.
"Allan! Allan, come back!"
Her cries were desperate but he didn't turn back. Hot tears streaming freely down her cheeks, she stared after him. She was horrified by what was happening to them. The family she seemed to have acquired and that she loved so much seemed to be falling apart around her. Allan had been betraying them all, Will had been banished and Robin didn't trust any of them. Sinking to the ground she lent against a tree and closed her eyes, trying to stop her tears and forget.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
She didn't know how long she sat there, impervious to her surroundings, but she was only recalled to awareness when she heard Robin shout,
"Will!"
She hadn't moved far from the meeting place and getting to her feet, she returned to the clearing in time to see Much pull a sword on Will. Robin stepped swiftly forward.
"It's alright, it's alright. It wasn't him."
"What?" the point of Much's sword dropped.
"It was a trap. I lied to you, I'm sorry. I had to lure out the spy. It was Allan."
Ava closed her eyes briefly, her worst suspicions confirmed.
"Is he alive?" Djaq questioned anxiously and Robin nodded. "Where?"
"He's gone." Clearly they were going to receive no further information.
"Allan? Why?" John's honest mind could not conceive the inducement.
"The money, John. What else?" Robin turned and led the way back to camp.
"I believe he could have changed," Djaq spoke with quiet certainty.
"I think he still can,"
There was no spark of hope in Ava's voice however.
"You knew it was him? Both of you?" Much was bemused.
"I didn't know - I guessed." Djaq admitted and Ava nodded sadly, not thinking it anything to be proud of. There was a slight pause before Much spoke again.
"I knew. I knew it was him."
At any other time Ava would have laughed at this sudden change of tack. Robin turned to Will, sparing a glance for his swiftly blackening eye.
"Will, do you forgive me?"
Will nodded with a slight smile.
"It worked," he said simply.
"And the rest of you?"
Robin paused and in the silence they heard hoof beats nearby.
"Travellers on the North Road," Much interpreted.
All their minds sprang to the net still hanging amongst the branches waiting to ambush any unsuspecting passer by.
"Right. Are you with me? Yeah? Well then, lets go!"
Led by Robin they left the clearing and hurried towards their yet unknowing victims. Only Ava paused for a moment to look towards where she had last seen Allan, feeling an odd mix of worry and burning anger.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
A/N: Well, I feel much happier now Ava's had a bit of a go at Allan. From now on the story isn't going to be exactly following the series but there are going to allusions to it, points if you spot them!
Please review.
