Part 9
Thornton showed Tuck as far as he was able and then told the portly man he would have to continue alone. Tuck was grateful that tomorrow wasn't a teaching day, for he would never make it back to Knighton Hall in time if it was.
Dawn was beginning to crack when he reached some sort of camp by an entrance to some caves. There was a single man lighting a fire, on which to cook some refreshment he guessed, the pot hanging over being a huge giveaway.
Tuck knew the cook was not Robin Hood or was fairly sure. Tuck cleared his throat and the man looked up startled, but relaxed slightly on summing up the newcomers appearance.
"I'm looking for Robin Hood," said Tuck. "Thornton led me in the right direction,"
"You know Thornton?" the man asked warily.
"Not well, Naomi introduced us."
"Naomi the girl child" the man said just as cagily, repeating everything Tuck said and he wondered if this man was all there in the head.
"Yes."
"Right," said Much, "wait here, it is early you know, my master is still sleeping."
Tuck sat down and said, "Today I am in no hurry to go anywhere."
"Humph," muttered Much as he went into the cave. He returned some moments later, not with Robin Hood as Tuck expected but with a dark haired girl, a woman.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"I'm Friar Tuck; I need to speak to Robin Hood. No one else will do."
She smiled. "Persistent are you not?" she told him.
"When I have to be. Who might you be?"
She laughed and told him, "I do not think you are in a position to ask me such questions."
"Marian," he said.
"Pardon?" she asked.
"I am guessing you are Marian."
"Do you always guess?"
"Only when beautiful women evade my questions," he replied teasing her.
"Are monks supposed to flirt?" she asked.
"Not if they want to live to tell me why they need to see me," Robin's voice cut through the conversation, like doubled bladed knife.
"Ah," said Tuck rising nervously now that the moment had arrived, "Robin Hood."
"Yes," he said nodding and indicating with his hand that the Friar should sit down as he did the same. "So Much said you arrived here via Thornton and Naomi of Knighton Hall."
"I did, yes that is correct."
"And?" Robin prompted.
"I have been appointed at Knighton hall, to scholar the children, which is how I came to meet Naomi, she is a joy to teach, her brother is less enthusiastic."
Marian stifled a laugh.
"What?" asked Robin.
"You, my father would tell me that he had been to Locksley, I would say 'have you seen Robin?', he would tell me that you were not paying attention in your studies."
"That was when I was small, I was better when I was older," he said defending himself, indignant that she should mention that in front of a stranger.
"As Simon is, young, he will grow out of it I am sure," she added still chuckling to herself at the expense of Robin.
"You were telling me," Robin said to Tuck. "Why you needed to see me?"
"The Earl of Markwick."
"Alistair," Robin with a nod and Marian moved and sat alongside them instead, now serious.
"The Sheriff, Gisborne, are planning to kill him."
"Alistair Cadwaller has severe opinions," said Marian, "And they are right."
"They are?" asked Robin.
"What have you heard of him since you have been back?" she challenged.
"I know he did not follow the King to the Holy land and at the time I would have called him a coward…..but now…"
"Now?" she asked, placing a hand on his harm. "What would you say now Robin?"
Tuck felt distinctively in the way, he folded his hands into his lap and waited.
"Now," he said softly, words which were intended for her alone. "Now I know that what I did was not what I should have done. Now I know that he was the bravest of men for staying behind, with the people he loved, with his family."
"Why is the Sheriff planning such a thing?" asked Much to drive the conversation back on track.
Marian sighed and said. "The Earl of Markwick's lands lie both in Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. He pays most of his taxes to Yorkshire. The Sheriff declares that he should pay his taxes twice, his peasants also."
"And now the Sheriff feels he can wait no longer, Brother John at the Abbey where I was, he is with the Sheriff on this, for monetary gain. Half each, although from what I have seen whoever lays their hands on the money first will hardly give it to the other. They want Alistair dead. Vasey feels that Alistair's heir is young enough to be moulded into what he believes is right, to follow his ways and pay taxes to Nottingham."
"How old is the boy now?" Asked Robin.
"Twelve perhaps," shrugged Marian.
"Will you help me; or rather will you help them? I can not sit and let things like this happen but what can I do? I have already been sent to Knighton for helping in an area it was deemed not mine responsibility" he sighed "I wanted to serve God, dedicate my life to him, but how can we do that when we live often in solitary confinement from the outside world? How can we serve God if we are locked away in our own little space and not see how the real people are suffering and calling out for salvation from the terror which captivates their every waking day? I can not continue to do my duties, at the abbey, it is good they have sent me away."
"Do not worry my friend," Robin said with a genuine smile. "We will deal with this."