Chapter 7

The Morning After the Night Before

Robin woke from his stupor still entranced by the dream he had the night before. What Robin couldn't understand was why his camp bed smelled of grass and roses. Slowly Robin opened his eyes. As they adjusted he looked around the rose garden shrouded in the mists of the pinkish dawn. Where was he and why was Much standing at a gate trying not to look at him while trying to get his attention?

Looking down Robin saw her. It wasn't a dream, she was there and he was here and last night really had happened. Leaning down he stroked the sleeping young woman next to him. "Noor, Noor, its dawn."

"Humprgh," the young woman groaned and rolled away from him and back to sleep.

Kissing her cheek, Robin continued to caress her and whisper softly into her ear. "Princess, its dawn. You must get up now, come on. It's time for you to return to your bed."

Noor rolled over and looked up into the blue eyes staring down at her. He really was here, it wasn't a dream. "Dawn? Bed?"

"Yes, my love. It's dawn. King Richard and Salahadin are finishing their negotiating for the night and the guard is being pulled to the front courtyard. It's time for us to go. You'll need to get to your bed before Salahadin realizes you are gone, and I'll have to get to the front gate before King Richard realizes I'm missing."

Smiling impishly at her Robin had one last suggestion to make. "Unless that is you want to go with my Plan B?"

"Does Plan B involve my sleeping to a decent hour of the morning?" Noor was not a morning person.

Pulling Noor close to him Robin kissed her thoroughly. Ok enough of that or he really would never be able to leave. "No, Plan B involves you getting up, us stealing two horses from Salahadin's stable and then riding to a place where no one knows anything about us and staying there forever."

Noor smiled. That sounded really nice; impractical but nice. "Don't be silly, Robin, Salahadin would hunt me to the ends of the Earth burning everything behind him. I must return to the harem and you must return to your camp. Last night was an illusion, it never happened."

"Well, Princess, when can I volunteer for another one of your illusions?" Robin smiled; she wasn't going to brush him off that easily.

"Master, come on! Your going to get us all caught." Much whisper shouted through the gate to Robin.

"Robin, get up! The Kings are saying their farewells." James announced sternly. He was all for Robin finding himself a girl, Robin needed a distraction from his broken heart. If Robin had a taste for forbidden fruit that was fine as well; James was not going to let Robin endanger him and Much in the process.

Just outside the gate, Robin turned back and grabbed Noor's hand. Kissing her through the grate he said "I love you, Princess. Now go." With that he let her go and ran with Much and James toward the front courtyard.

As the troops escorted King Richard home, Robin rode his horse in a daze. He was sure last night was a dream; it had to have been a dream.

King Richard watched the boy in delight. He was not a stupid king and could tell the look of a boy in love. What did it hurt for the boy to be romancing one of the minor women of Salahadin's palace? What man really needed 100 women at his beck and call? Reigning up next to Robin King Richard asked "so Lord Locksley some of the men tell me they had uncomfortable guard posts last night. How did you find yours?"

"Oh, um, fine your Majesty." Robin blushed a deep garnet red. Did King Richard know?

Richard laughed as the boy blushed. Leaning over he pretended to smell him. "Well I must say I didn't realize I had sent any of my men to guard the perfumery. Dangerous bandits there perhaps, Robin?" The young man's blush deepened. King Richard laughed even harder. "Well just don't get yourself caught, hm? What I don't know doesn't hurt me and if you want to indulge in young love who am I to stop you?" Patting Robin on the back Richard spurred his horse forward.

"Master?"

"Hmm, Much?"

"Was last night everything you hoped it would be Master?"

"Everything and then some Much," Robin sighed. When would he see her again?

Much smiled. "Then it was worth it Master."