The sun shone cheerily through the thick leaves of Sherwood forest. I felt practically camouflaged in my bright, forest green dress (I know, I like my dress a lot. Colorful things are just so lovely, though!). I walked beside Dan and chattered away; he in turn told me of the latest happenings in Locksley. We were on our way to Nottingham to go through our usual routine for the townsfolk.

"My, my, you have grown up, Colleen. I declare, you should be called Miss Locks now by these 'ear boys of mine."

I smiled. "They've grown up too, Dan Scarlett. We didn't even recognize each other when we first saw the other again, Will and I."

"Yes, you set off on your own – just like your mother, free spirited." Dan's eyes suddenly clouded. "Colleen, want you to know, I was with your father to the last."

I stopped walking. "Thank you." I breathed deeply, staring up at the green canopy above me as the forest seemed to do a barrel roll around me. The tears I had contained for so long were threatening to come flooding out. "You and he were great friends. I'm sure –" I looked at him but my vision blurred and I began to weep. Dan took me into his fatherly arms and held me as I cried, trying again to wash out my clinging grief.

"There, there missie. Let it all out. He loved you and your mother more than anything in the world, and he wouldn't want ya to be sad. But he wouldn't expect ya not ter grieve, child. You shouldn't have to do so alone, though."

I didn't cry for long. I dried my face and asked if my eyes were puffy and he said they were but it didn't make me look any less pretty. That almost made me blush but it wasn't like Will – well, I laughed a bit and we caught up to the others. Walking with Luke, Dan, and Will made me feel happier than I had in a while and less homesick.

Nottingham square was bustling with anxious townspeople. Robin muttered about the Sheriff being up to his usual tricks. Rumors of sickness seemed to be flying everywhere. Robin and Dan even examined one worried mother's little girl. The tension almost crackled between the people.

"People of Nottingham!"

"What on earth...?" I stood beside Will, shocked. Maid Marian was addressing the crowd!

"Wot the devil is she doing?" Alan growled.

The pestilence was in Pitt's street? No food, water or medicine was to be passed to the people there!? I'd heard Marian praised to the skies so many times, I was sure there was no way she could be giving a heinous speech like this on her own. The Sheriff held some blackmail over her head. That conniving, wicked little –

"This young one is suffering!" Dan's yell stopped Marian. "They can't be cut off with nothing!"

Marian continued though, the Sheriff spewed something about continuing on with life and turned to go back inside the castle.

Will looked down at me. "He's condemning the whole street to death!"

"Sheriff!" Dan cried out again. "This is not right!"

I clutched Will's arm. "No Dan!" Please, be silent!

"I've just had a look at a young lass and it's not a pestilence. I've seen the pestilence before in Scarborough. These people must have food and water and medicine!"

"Shut up!" The Sheriff yelped.

"I've shut up once for you before, Sheriff. It cost me my wife, my hand, and the respect of others! So I'm not shutting up anymore. Why are you saying this is the pestilence -"

He stopped short. Good Lord... No... No! He fell. Will, screaming next to me, lunging toward the soldiers who stabbed Dan – John holding him back … Luke kneeling, bent over his father's body – me next to him, dumb with shock. Little John pushed Will toward me; his eyes told me to calm him. But I didn't know what to do. My vision was all blurry and I merely stood aside as he grabbed Luke and held him, weeping silently.

Then Robin was there, pushing us into the quarantined street which was being closed off. Plans – helping the people. But Dan was dead.

Perhaps someone else can tell you about our adventure in Pitt's street.

But Dan was dead.

Will didn't cry again, he merely took care of his brother.

But I found him again, later, standing alone, his head down and staring at the ground. I touched his shoulder. He turned to me and hugged me. Then he wept on my shoulder, and I held him, as his father had done for me just a few hours earlier, and I wept with him.