He sat on a fence watching his daughter happily playing with her puppy. He smirked as the little girl dancing around in the yard, made him think of someone he lost so long ago. His daughter had long brown hair that curled slightly bouncing in the wind, which reminded him so much of the women he had once loved that they could be related. Yet the mother of his child and the women he loved were two completely different people.
Many people told him that as the years went by it would get easier, easier to move on, but how do you move on from your one true love? Here is was six year later and he still couldn't get her out of his mind. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her smile, her eyes, and heard her laugh. He couldn't forget her no matter how hard he tried. With every day and every step in his life he couldn't help but think she should be there with him, enjoying what he had, but it would be with her. He loved his daughter with his whole heart, but every time he looked at her he couldn't help but think she should be the daughter of the women he lost, not a random women he hardly knew before marrying.
"Daddy" the little girl said as she walked up to her father "Can you tell me more about robin Hood?" the little girl loved Robin Hood stories, he was her hero she wanted to be like him, to know him.
"Well, what do you want to know?" he asked his daughter, he knew the stories of Robin Hood very well, and what he didn't know he would just make up, she was only five she wouldn't know the difference.
"do you love mommy the way Robin Hood loved lady Marian?" she asked "Would you fight for mommy? Or would you travel to the holy land to save mommy" the man looked at his daughter surprised she had come up with these questions. He never loved his daughter's mother and he still didn't. They were man and wife nothing more, she gave him a child and company at night, that was all he cared for her.
"Honey, people don't really do that you know, they don't really fight off sheriffs and risk everything just for one girl."
"But why?" the little girl asked "Why wouldn't you when Robin Hood would."
"I am no Robin Hood." He told her "Could you see me shooting arrows from miles away and hitting my target?" he asked her "could you see me fighting off ten men at once while holding a baby in my arms?" he continued to ask the little girl. He stopped for a moment as he was almost lost in thought, "Could you see me planning the impossible?"
The little girl looked at her father, he never did much other then work then come home and spend some time with her before bed, he wasn't anything special, he was right he was no Robin Hood. "Your right daddy, you can't do anything." The little girl said with a smile before she skipped off not realizing how pathetic she made her father sound.
"Your right" he mumbled, I can't do anything." He wanted to walk down to the pub that very moment but he knew he couldn't leave the girl on her own she was yet to young, and her mother had decided to go on a trip and leave him alone with the child.
Later in the day he headed to market with his daughter to get some food supply that they really needed, without the girls mother around no one else went and got food all they had left was some bread and cheese.
"Daddy, we should get mommy something like a new chair or chest to keep her things in when she gets back it can be a surprise." The little girl said as they passed a wood workers area. Never able to say no to the little girl the man began looking over some of the wood works.
"Pick something you think your mother would like." He told the little girl who wasted no time in finding the perfect rocking chair for her mother. The man was about to call the wood smith over so he could buy the piece when he noticed he had seen this work before. But where? The moment it came to him he knew he should turn and walk away, but he was noticed first.
"Robin?" came a women's distinctive voice that he knew a little to well, "What are you doing here?" the voice sounded surprised. The man turned to see a Saracen women looking at him.
"I live here now" he told her without braking into a smile or even making eye contact with her. "I must got now."
"Will!" the women called "Look who it is" her accent was heavy from her native tong.
The wood-smith turned around revealing his face, it was the boy he had saved that had set him on this path of life. The quiet boy who had won the heart of the strong willed Saracen women. Robin wanted to leave but he couldn't, he couldn't move unsure have what to do next. His daughter ran up next to him,
"Daddy are you doing to buy the chair for mommy?" she asked looking up at her father. The Saracen women looked at the child for a moment she thought the little girl belonged to Marian, but that was impossible Marian had never had a child, yet here was this little girl that seemed so much like her.
"Yes." Robin told the now bouncing little girl who ran to the chair once her father agreed. "We would like that chair she is sitting on, how much?"
"For you." The wood smith said "Free, I can't accept any money from you."
"Yes you can Will, you must I'm not the same man, I pay for what I take I don't hopelessly steal anymore."
"Hopelessly steal?" Will asked "You never hopelessly stole from anyone, all you took went to those that needed it from those that didn't."
"And where did it get anyone?" Robin asked, "I believe the only one with a happy ending was you and Déjà and that's because you two ran away."
Will wasn't expecting Robin to use such harsh words on him; this wasn't the hero he had once known. "Will everyone is either gone or given up now, our cause and everything we did was for nothing."
"Robin I can't believe you are saying this."
"Listen all that Robin Hood accomplished was getting people killed."
"You can't say that!"
"I can, Marian is dead and that was all my fault I lead her to her death, Allan is dead all because I said we couldn't trust him and now he's dead as well."
"Robin" Djaq said looking at him "you were so full of hope, I can't believe it is all gone, not now not after everything."
"You have to, everything I was is gone, and every thing I stood for is gone."
"I don't believe that, Marian would be ashamed" Djaq said looking strait into his eyes.
"Don't you mention her to me, don't you dare!"
"Oh but you aren't my leader anymore, I don't listen to you, you are a man to be ashamed of not respected, not listened to, not anymore if you let people suffer."
"Why? Why is it up to me to help everyone?"
Will looked at him and spoke, "For every man there is a purpose which he sets up in his life, let yours be the doing of all good deeds." he told him "Someone wise once told ups that."
"Will" Robin said looking away, "Just leave it be, I fought the good fight I killed the Sheriff I can't fight anymore, you can't tell me I should be out there fighting when you and Djaq left."
"We only left because it would have been dangerous for Djaq to be around Robin, she was pregnant she couldn't of lived in the woods, then we had a child we couldn't return."
Robin wanted to be happy for them, they had each other and a child, but he couldn't be happy for them, he couldn't be around them he wanted nothing to do with his past here, "Then you know where I am, I can't leave now I have a child as well and I bedded her mother right after she healed my wounds from the final battle, she was pregnant I couldn't leave her like that, even though I had no plans to."
"Oh Robin how you have fallen." Djaq said as she turned away, "I guess I was always wrong about you." Then she left without speaking anymore, Will allowed Robin to pay for the chair and watched the man walk away. Will watched, Saddened by the fact that the world had finally broke Robin, he knew it hadn't been the hardships of living in the woods, being poor, or being tired of the fight. It was simple the loss of Marian had broken him. Her loss made him think of a life he would have had if he hadn't given up everything to fight. If he had just listened to the sheriff he could be married to her right now. Will shook his head as he thought those thoughts because even if Robin was thinking that way he knew it was wrong. Marian would have never married him if he just stood by and let bad things happen. Will only wished that Marian was still here; still alive to yelled at Robin to speak for her words would be the only ones he would hear. It had always been that way, when Robin snapped there was only one person that could pull him back together, one person that could bring him to his knees and that was Marian. Yet she was gone, but perhaps his wife that he had the young girl with had some power over him. Will knew then and there he would speak to his wife, he would try and see if she could talk any sense into the man that used to bring hope to the people, a name that everyone had been proud of and to be part of. Will pulled his tag that hung around his neck to the outside of his clothing and looked down at it. One way or another he would bring Robin back to who he had been. He had heard tales of how Nottingham had fallen into hardship again, and only Robin could stop it, only Robin could bring peace.
Kahlan held an apple in her hand as she walked to her wagon that held her supplies when she bumped into a very beautiful man. She almost didn't know what to say to him instead she just looked at him unsure of what to do,
"I'm sorry." The man said with a smile "I should have watched where I was going."
"It's alright." She said as she smiled back at the man
"I'm Archer" he gave her a playful smirk, Kahlan knew all to well this man was attempting to woo her, but she had a husband, yet as he smiled at her she couldn't help but feel happy because for the first time in years here was a man showing interest in her.
"I'm Kahlan." She told him "Just passing through I was going to attempt to sell some of the blankets and other words of art I have made, but I don't think I will sell much here."
"Are your blankets warm?" he asked her she noticed that he didn't look strait at her as he spoke, which was strange he didn't even try to make eye contact.
"Some yes, others are just for looks."
"Just for looks? What would one do with one of those?" Archer asked her
"Well in big cites people hang them on walls or in doorways, they are as it says, Just to look at not very warm at all."
"Well I have no need for something to look at, just if you show me the way to your wagon I could buy one that would supply warmth."
"Yeah sure its this way." She began walking again, but saw him looking around and not following her, he was defiantly a strange man "This way" Kahlan called to him. The man turned and began walking just in time to crash into Much walking carrying wood in his hands.
"Archer!" Much called out as all the wood hit the ground, "Don't just turn and walk, make sure no one is around!"
"Much!" Kate said walking up, anger in her voice, "Do not yell at him, you should have seen him there and knew he couldn't see you, so you should have just said something to tell him where you were or not cut so close to him!"
Much didn't say more, but grumbled as he bent down to pick up the wood. Archer bent down to help him,
"Here let me-" he picked up a piece of wood and just as he was about to say help you he accidently hit Much strait in the face with the wood.
"Archer I don't need you help, just leave me be you do more harm then good."
"Much!" Kate yelled at him, but Much didn't look up or answer instead he finished picking up the wood and walked away. Archer stood as Kate came next to him and put her arm around his, "Where would you like to go?" she asked but Archer just sighed and shook his head.
"I used to be something, someone, I traveled and could fight, now I can't even pick up wood."
"Give it time Archer, you will learn to live life this way." Kate said softly to him as she led him to where he lived alone. Kate came back out and walked to Kahlan.
"What happened?" Kahlan asked confused about what was going on.
"Well, that was Robin Hood's half brother, I guess you could say the rightful heir to this land now that Robin has passed, but like Robin he took to the woods."
"He left his riches as well?"
"Well no, he was only a half brother and never grew up or knew of Robin until right before Robin's death, and well he was on the other side with the sheriff and almost killed Robin, but in the end he came to Robin's aid in the final battle and Robin left everything up to him right before he died." Kate told her, but then looked down.
"Three years ago he was blinded in battle, and was wounded, no one thought he would live his still doesn't have full use of his right hand or left and even though he tries to hide it he walks with a limp." Kate sighed "Once he was injured other outlaws came around, we couldn't even fight them so we had no other choice but to come back here. Me and Much nursed him back to health, but I know he wants more from life, he doesn't like the fact he failed his brother, or that he needs help just crossing the village."
"Poor man." Kahlan said, she wished she could do something, wished there was a way she could heal him, if only Zed were around perhaps she would be able to help him then, with Zed's help of course. "It seems many people are so broken here." Kahlan said looking around it reminded her of the villages she had been to with Richard, before he freed the land, before he brought hope to everyone, before he died.
The next day Robin walked with his daughter next to him, she talked about a lot of things as he half listened to her as she spoke, he needed to buy some things at market, but he knew he would do anything to avoid the new wood smith and his wife. As he watched out for signs of the two he didn't want to see he didn't take notice of his daughter no longer talking until she hadn't been talking for at least three minutes. When he turned to look at her she wasn't at his side. He looked around him; he knew she couldn't have gotten far,
"Ariana!" he called as he began to move around calling her name louder with each call, fear began to grip him with every second his daughter wasn't in his sight.
"Is this who you are looking for?" Came an old man's voice from behind him. Robin turned to see his daughter standing at the side of a tall old man whose hair was as white as freshly fallen snow.
"Ariana, why did you wonder" Robin asked her as he knelt down to see if she was alright, he then stood back up and looked at the old man, "Thank-you." He told the man, "Thank-you for brining my daughter back to me."
"You must be careful with her, there are many around that would want to harm her." The man told her
"Harm her, how do you mean harm her?" Robin asked his appreciation for the man beginning to disappear.
"She holds great hidden power, power passed down through generations." The old man said looking at the girl, "But do not worry I am no enemy of her."
"She is a five year old little girl, she has no enemies." Robin said pulling his daughter close to him.
"Oh but she does, many want what she has, many long for what she has, and they will try and stop at nothing to get it."
"Over my dead body would I let any harm fall onto her." Robin told the man. Even though he did not love the girls' mother, and wished her mother were another he loved his daughter. Ariana was the only one that kept him living now, if it wasn't for her he would have let himself go a long time ago, to be with the one he loved.
"She has a destiny you are not the one to protect her, you are nothing more then a farmer." The man told him, "how would you help protect her against the armies of darkness."
"Papa, he's scaring me" Ariana said as she hugged her fathers leg.
"I do not mean to frighten you little one, but all the dreams you have are the truth, all the things you see are what is after you." The old man looked at Robin, "She needs someone to watch over her, a hero of the light."
"I am more then just a farmer." Robin said without thinking, even though the last few years he pretended to be a farmer, and before that he pretended he was an outlaw. He had been a noble his whole life up until his time of an outlaw, and not just any noble. He had been lord of his manor by the age of 12, able to protect his people at the age of 12, no one dared try and take things from Locksley just because a kid watched over it. He earned the respect of old men; he earned the respect of his enemies. So many times he had seen the Sheriff smile thinking he had won, up until someone yelled Robin Hood, he had watched the Sheriff's smile fade knowing his plan was about to be put out. On the battlefield people knew his as the man that could always win a no win situation. He could figure out anything, there wasn't any battle he lost, and when he did he always found a way to correct his loss and turn it to a victory at a later time.
"Are you?" the man asked, "what is your name, perhaps I have heard of it."
"Robin" he told he man "Robin of Knighton" he had used Marian's name to hide his, he couldn't let anyone know Robin of Locksley still lived, at least no one other then Djaq and Will.
"No it's not, Robin" The man said "Robin of Locksley."
Robin looked at the man as he took one hand to push his daughter behind him, "Who are you?" he asked, he didn't feel safe not with this man knowing who he really was.
"Zeddicus Zul Zorander" The old man smiled as he looked at Robin "You are more then what you have become, perhaps if you embraced who you are then you could protect your daughter from what comes ahead. After all you can't stand by and let something terrible happen because you were too scared to do the right thing"
"Nothing is coming for her, and I'm not to scared to do anything, I just don't want to I'm tried of fighting I just want to live a peaceful life with my wife and daughter."
"Yet your wife and daughter have everything to do with what his coming." The man turned and walked away. Robin picked up his daughter and turned from the man for only a second when he looked back the man was gone.
"Why did you wonder off?" Robin asked the little girl trying to shake what the old man had said.
"Because it's like he was calling me without saying anything, something about him is different I felt like I had to follow him." The little girl said, "And once I talked to him he said he knew mother, he said mother and I were special, that we have something great inside us that we must embrace, that we must use against the darkness."
"Don't listen to him, he's just a crazy old man, there is no darkness, not lets get you home and get some food in you." Robin carried the little girl back home, as much as he wanted to believe the man was just a crazy old fool something told him everything was about to change.
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AN- ok sorry I'm not a fan of this chapter at all, don't worry it will get better right now I just have to set a lot of things up and also explain how the outlaws kinda fell after Robin died. The story will get better I promise. Leave a review and tell me what you think. I also apologies for the poor grammar English isn't my first language.