Missing
A Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves fan fiction
By Ecri
Chapter Two
Mysteries and Revelations
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Mucking the stables was never a pleasant experience, but Azeem had never grumbled about such a thing. It was necessary, and the necessary and unpleasant tasks in life were best done quickly and efficiently. He'd finished it early, fed the horses, and had even had the time to repair some of the tack and brush the horses.
He was pleased that so many of the others who worked in the stables were easy enough in his presence to speak plainly and often, yet would never dream of asking him to join them in a meal or otherwise spend their free time with him. He had gleaned much of the palace politics—court intrigues as well as the inner workings of the staff. Household staff in any country—his own included—could be as intricate and involved as any official court plots.
He had learned that the Christian and his Lady had been in the palace, but that no one really could say when they'd left. That no one recalled their departure, nor any reason for it, seemed significant to him. That no one could say where they might be hinted at something sinister.
As he walked through the courtyard, Azeem saw a crowd standing at the end by the stocks. Inevitably, that meant that some poor soul had managed to get himself into trouble. That it would be entertaining to the masses shouldn't surprise him, but it often did. He was about to walk on, when he heard through the crowd a distinctly familiar voice. "Try that again, Rich Boy!"
Azeem stopped. "Allah, be merciful." He whispered the prayer as he cut through the crowd. Standing slightly to the side of the stocks, he blinked at the familiar figure. Will Scarlett hunched in the stocks, unable to stand straight, unable to look anyone in the eye without straining his neck into an unnatural position. Azeem stepped forward and moved to a position where he could see the young man's face. "Young Christian," he whispered, taking note of the defiance and rage settled in the man's eye.
Looking sheepish, Will didn't respond. He diverted his gaze, a slight flush coloring his cheeks, and Azeem understood all too well. The youth was embarrassed. The Moor stepped back. He could not free the boy. It was too soon to draw attention to themselves. They did not yet know where the Christian was. He knew the boy knew this, but it was not easy to accept.
He would need to stand nearby for a while and hope the boy would be released soon. If the crowd became abusive, as sometimes happened, he would have to step in, wisdom be damned. He would not permit the boy to be badly hurt.
As he stood aside, he kept a wary eye on those most likely to do the boy some injury. The man who'd been called "rich boy" had merely laughed and walked away, presumably after throwing something at Will. There were some kids daring each other to get closer to Will, but most of the spectators didn't stay long before moving off in search of something more interesting.
As with most situations, Will Scarlett would prove his own worst enemy. His defiant glare, his obligingly hostile responses to the taunts all attracted trouble.
He had found he needed only to glare at most people himself and they would move on and leave the boy alone for the most part. It was when the guards did not release the former outlaw that Azeem was surprised.
Will, too, seemed nonplussed. "A night in the dungeons for you, boy. The Lady demands it, and the Prince agrees."
Will struggled then, and Azeem saw fear replace the anger in his eyes.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
The carriage moved at a steady trot though the castle gate. The clop clop of the horses hooves had become a reassuring steady beat to the lone occupant, and she'd allowed it to lull her thoughts. She'd been at an emotional high for weeks now, and her tired brain had finally run out of ideas. She'd no clue what to do next.
Lady Marian sighed deeply. She hadn't yet heard from Will or Azeem, and her days away from court in a failed attempt to find King Richard, whom she'd known was actually in England despite reports that he'd returned to France had meant she could certainly have missed them if they had arrived.
She had failed to find Richard, though the truth is she wasn't sure he could have helped her if she had. She had just missed him. When she'd arrived in the port town, she'd learned he'd set out towards the Celt border in hopes of stopping the recent incursions by those fierce warriors no doubt encouraged by their alliance with Nottingham.
She shuddered as she recalled Robin's description of the fight with the blue-painted people and how they'd screamed. He had not intended to tell her anything, but his nightmare had woken them both, and he'd acquiesced to her demands that they were now husband and wife. They had to share their burdens.
He'd spoken softly and she'd had to be very still to be sure to hear him.
"The fires shouldn't have been so surprising," he'd admitted. "It was an obvious way to attack, yet, we were so unprepared." He meant, of course, that he'd been unprepared. She saw in his eyes that he believed the failure, the loss of life, had been his fault.
His sense of guilt had grown out of all proportion since he'd learned about Will. He'd confessed to her that he'd begun to doubt himself. He had begun to wonder what else he had misjudged and what other harm he might have caused all because he was stubborn and refused to see.
He doubted he could be a good brother, a good husband, a good leader and all because he had made mistakes. She could do little else but try to reassure him.
She couldn't even do that as long as he was missing.
The carriage slowed and veered slightly to the right. Marian looked out of the window seeking some cause for this and saw a hunched figure in the stocks. Guards approached and unlocked them, but only then did the figure begin to struggle. Marian could guess why. Once, a bit of time in the stocks was considered punishment enough for most transgressions, but recently Courtiers had begun to request certain transgressors receive a night in the dungeon as well. She thought it was petty, but she was in no position to stop it. As the carriage moved past the stocks, she gasped in surprise. Azeem stood nearby staring after the boy being dragged off between the guards. He was speaking, but she couldn't hear him. The boy turned then to say something to Azeem, and she got a good look at his face for the first time.
"Stop the carriage," Marian placed a hand on the door and threw it open the moment it stopped. "What's going on?" Lady Marian stood by the carriage, one hand on the doorframe as the guards turned to look at her.
"We're taking him to the dungeons by order of Prince John."
Marian blinked in surprise, but recovered quickly. "I see." She glanced at Will hoping he would understand there was nothing she could do.
He nodded and dropped his gaze in respect. She saw him blinking rapidly, trying to work out what it was safe to say within earshot of the guards, and, for once, caution won out, and he didn't say a word.
"Before you take him, please give me a minute with him, would you?" She raised her eyes to the guard's face, and did all but flutter her eyelashes at him. Her so-called charity work was well known around the palace, and she hoped they would think her interest in Will was because of his tattered clothes and apparent peasant status.
The guards, caring less for the boy's welfare than for the whims of royalty, released him a bit roughly, and Will fell. Azeem was by his side instantly, and Marian restrained herself from joining him until the guards had stepped far enough away to give them a moment in peace1.
"Will? Are you all right?" She tried to help him up, but, while he accepted Azeem's hand, he pointedly didn't take hers. He seemed to have some trouble standing up straight, but then, if he'd been in the stocks for any length of time, he'd certainly strained some muscles.
"Lady Marian," Will exhaled and put a hand to his rib. "We've been looking for you."
"I've been trying to find the King. I thought if I had his aid in finding Robin…" She let the thought trail. "But I couldn't find him. When did you get here?"
"A few weeks ago. Azeem has a job in the King's stables. I'm a kitchen boy. We've hoped to find some word or rumor, but we've found nothing."
"And how did you find your way into the stocks?"
Will looked down again. "It was an accident. I fell..." he didn't say more.
Marian let it drop.
"Lady Marian, I've spoken to your mother. She knows we're here, but it's best we keep our distance from the both of you. You and your mother can get the Court gossip, while we can learn what the other servants know." He shrugged. "You never know. We might have better luck finding news of Robin's whereabouts. People talk freely in front of…servants."
"But…" Marian knew Will meant to say peasants or something even less polite. He still had issues with the wealthy and with the concept of life at court, and though he'd come a long way in accepting both Robin and herself, he was still wary of others.
"It is for the best." Azeem still hovered near Will.
"We should at least arrange to meet to speak of that progress."
Will nodded. "But not in an open courtyard. I'll come to your chambers when they release me. No one will notice me."
Reluctantly, Marian nodded, and they were gone. Feeling suddenly as bereft as she had when she'd realized Robin was missing, Marian returned to her carriage. She would go to her mother's chambers. Perhaps together they could think of some way to find Robin.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Lady Beatrice glanced with irritation at the door. The knock was unexpected, and she'd much prefer an evening to herself. Without knowing who it was, however, there wasn't a good way to dismiss the caller. Anyone above her station could make things untenable. With a sigh, she called out in a clear voice and granted permission to enter.
"Mother…" Marian began as she threw open the door. The women hugged briefly before Marian pulled away and told her what had happened to Will. "I can't believe I had to let them take him! Robin will be furious when he finds out!"
"My dear, your husband will understand! He's a kind man, and he's probably as worried for you right now as you are for him."
Marian sighed heavily as though she lacked the strength to continue the conversation.
"Do you have any idea how to find Richard?"
Marian shook her head. "He's gone to the Celt border apparently. Mother, I can't understand it. I can find no trace of Robin, and now even Richard is out of reach! Surely you can help! You know so many people here."
"I have spoken to everyone I could, darling. Your husband, was he…" she paused searching for some tactful way of asking what she had to know. She started again. "He was away for a long time fighting in that foreign land. Is there a chance it affected him? Could he be…not quite right?"
Marian glared. "Not quite right?"
"Wars affect men. You said he'd been living in the forest for some time. That sounds a bit…soft-headed."
"Mother!" Marian's indignation caused Lady Beatrice to stand and move to her side.
"I am sorry, darling. I know that was indelicate. I worry about you."
Marian forced aside her irritation at her mother's words. She knew her mother meant well, and of course she loved her/ She took a deep breath and looked her mother in the eye. "I'm so worried about him, mother. Anything could have happened to him."
"Nonsense!" Lady Beatrice declared. "I'm sure he's fine. We'll find him. If he could save you from that nasty sheriff and his witch, he can save himself from whatever trouble he's found himself in."
Marian could only hope this was true.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
The dungeons were damp, dirty, freezing cold, but to Will Scarlett, the worst thing was that they were a reminder. He stopped walking as they neared the cells, and the guards had to drag him the rest of the way as he flashed back to his time in the dungeons of Nottingham's castle. The Sheriff had been an evil man. There was no other way to describe him, especially once he had learned from Robin about the satanic rituals, the witch, and what Nottingham had tried to do to Marian. He shuddered as he recalled the man's cold, hateful eyes and his delighted smile when the guards had beaten him for, as he'd claimed, the sake of appearances. The bargain he'd made with the Sheriff to kill Robin had left the man the opportunity to hurt him, but even now, he wondered if that had been an excuse. The Sheriff and his men had seemed to enjoy inflicting injury, making him bleed…hearing him scream.
He shook his head in a futile attempt to shake off the memory and caught himself as the guards tossed him into the cell. He was surprised when that was all they did. No manacles like Nottingham. Perhaps they didn't need them. Perhaps his offense hadn't been serious enough to merit them.
There were several others in the cell, all were huddled in on themselves and radiating misery. He was stuck here, but though he'd have done anything to give it a miss, he had decided on the trip down here to turn it to his advantage. Gradually, he made his way around the small cell and talked to each prisoner. If Robin were in the dungeons, perhaps that would explain the sudden disappearance.
When he reached the last man, an elderly man dressed in rags, Will was going through the motions. He'd learned nothing and it seemed none of the prisoners had any idea who he was talking about.
This last prisoner gazed up at him with eyes that spoke of intelligence and suspicion. Will asked about Robin, but as the man fed him a few words, Will's eyes locked on the vambrace on his left arm, his heart skipped a beat.
"Where did you get this?" Will demanded, his hand lashing forward and gripping the man's wrist in a grip like iron.
The man, startled, tried to pull away, but Will wasn't having it. "I asked you a question! This belongs to my brother! Where did you get this?"
"Will? Scarlett?" The man laughed.
"How do you know me?" Will asked, though there was really only one way he could.
"Your brother told me about you. Didn't think to see you."
"Do you know where he is? How'd you get this from him?"
The man reached for the vambrace and took it from his arm. Handing it to Will, he laughed again, though it was a mirthless sound. "He isn't here. I'm not sure where they took him. I was trying to help…" He tapped the vambrace with one long finger, and Will's attention was instantly on it. He turned it over in his hands. On the underside, someone, though Will knew it had to be Robin, had etched a word into the leather. "Tower," he said softly. He looked at the man, puzzled. "Why does it say that?"
The man shrugged. "I was entrusted with that. He asked me to pass it to his wife, but the guards caught me and threw me in here. I haven't seen the light of day since."
Robin had disappeared weeks ago. He must have stumbled onto something in the Tower…unless he knew that was where they would imprison him. The tower.
"Which tower," Will whispered.
"You were helping him?" Will asked.
The man shook his head. "I wasn't any real help. He's a good man, your brother. He wanted to help the King against his brother, but I don't know how much he learned. He knew something about Prince John, but he never had a chance to tell me."
"Prince John? Is the Prince the one who's had him imprisoned?"
"Who else, lad? We're all here by order of the Prince."
Will shook his head. Questions chased themselves around his head. He didn't think he could sort them out well enough to ask them, and he really didn't think the man knew any more. It was therefore a huge surprise when the man blurted out a name.
"Crocker. The guard at the tower's staircase…" the man shrugged. "Help he might, but there's no telling one day to the next what he'll do. Tread carefully, boy. Your brother wouldn't want you hurt."
"Hurt…yeah…" Will whispered as he noticed a stain on the vambrace. It was small. Only a drop or two, but the blood was unmistakable.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
In the days that followed, Will and Azeem had tried to uncover any sort of clue as to Robin's whereabouts. Marian had been confused to see the vambrace, insisting that he hadn't been wearing it the last time she'd seen him. Puzzling as that was, Will knew it was his. That aside, the vambrace had led him nowhere. There was precious little to go on, and Will found his frustration getting the better of him more and more often.
He was beginning to feel as he had back in Sherwood when Robin had first arrived; angry, irritated, short tempered and of little use. He had met with Marian a few times, but the tips and information she managed to pass to him in breathless excitement, certain that they would lead to Robin all led nowhere.
He still hadn't discovered which tower stairs were guarded by a man named Crocker. The one's he'd found were unguarded.
He was feeling particularly distracted one day in the kitchen, his thoughts on Robin and where he might be. He felt he'd done nothing for his brother, unable to find him or even a trace or hint of his continued existence or early demise to satisfy himself or Marian. The not knowing, not learning anything had brought his own anxiety to a fever pitch, and it was intensified the longer he had to be near so many noblemen and women. The pompous dandies, the manipulative players looking at every situation as advantages to be won or lost, the women using their charms as weapons or rewards—it all made him long for a day in Sherwood just to regain some peace and balance.
So lost in thought was he that he turned towards the doors with a tray of food to be delivered to the dining rooms only to crash into another kitchen boy with a tray of his own. They both went down, dishes clattering and breaking and food flying. The cook, angered at the waste and the clumsiness, hit each of them across the face, stinging blows that left the imprint of his hand on their faces.
"What was that? Do you think I have food to waste?" He hauled them up to their feet and glared at each of them.
" 'e crashed into me!" The other boy said, and Will sighed. He was new. Most of the servants didn't like him, and he hadn't cultivated any friendships so single minded had he been in his search for Robin.
"He's right. I was my fault," Will said. No point in them both being punished. The other boy, Alfie, if Will remembered correctly, looked at him strangely as though surprised by his words.
The cook was clearly shocked he would admit to it and take the blame. "Right, then you can take the food to the tower for the rest of the week!" He turned to Alfie. "You, get cleaned up. You're taking his place serving in the dining rooms. You'll swap duties for the next week."
Alfie smiled, clearly thrilled with the turn of events. He'd been serving meals in the tower for as long as Will had been there. Obviously not a choice task.
The cook handed him a broom. "Make yourself useful while I get another tray ready for you."
Will did as he was told. Truthfully, he was too dismayed at his lack of progress in the search for Robin to be much embarrassed or upset by this latest turn of events. By the time he'd cleaned up the mess, the cook turned to him with a tray. On it was bread water, and bowl of stew of the type fed to servants and guards, not the fancier food served to guests and nobles.
Will took the tray and turned toward the hallway that led off the kitchen. It was a long doorless hall and, to his surprise, there was an opening at the end with a guard leaning lazily against the closest wall. The man barley glanced at him, just waving him through the opening, which led to a steep staircase. On a hunch, Will looked at the man. "Crocker?" he asked.
The man's eyes narrowed. "Do I know you?"
