A/N: Here's the next chapter, sorry it took a while. Now, altogether, let's remember Daniel is that small boy with the catapult from one of the early episodes of the series. Ok, carry on.

I don't own Robin Hood.


HERE'S THE THING: DOMESTIC BLISS

Chapter Two: In Which Much Is Defensive And Ava Is Calm

Their fears were swiftly assuaged by a peel of happy laughter and as they turned to face the direction Much had stormed off in they found him returning, very red faced and with a delighted Daniel in tow.

Though the outlaws were surprised to see him it perhaps shouldn't have come as quite such a shock – it was clear that Daniel had realised a dream when he's met and aided them and he would do anything to spend more time with his heroes. After greetings were exchanged and Much had been suitably teased for his reaction – which he defended by saying Daniel had crept up on him, causing the boy to grin wickedly – they got down to business. Daniel had news for them.

"Everyone's talking about it. Prince John threw her out of court when he heard about her father and she's being sent here to be kept under house arrest. There's all sorts of rumours about the Sheriff's plans but she'd probably going to have to marry Gisborne." Daniel sounded disappointed by this, presumably as he had heard some much more exciting and bloodthirsty, though improbably, rumours.

The outlaws were exchanging bemuse and worried looks. It was Robin who spoke.

"What's her name?"

"Anne of Har – wick or Harcourt or something,"

"Hardinge. Anne of Hardinge." Robin replied with certainty. "I knew her father in the Holy Lands. A good man and loyal to the King."

There was a pause before Marian spoke.

"We're going to have to save her then," she made it sound so simple and though Robin nodded in agreement, he looked worried.

They sat up late into the night, trying to think of a way to save Anne from her fate without the Sheriff and Gisborne hunting her down. The planning session was brought to a halt only when Ava spotted Daniel trying to stifle a yawn for at least the tenth time.

"Come on you, bed,"

"But I'm not tired," he protested as she put a hand on his back to propel him towards sleep.

"Yes, you are, and if you go to bed now I'll tell you a story,"

He uttered some half hearted protests but his curiosity had been roused and he wanted to know what the story would be. When he was settled she sat down beside him and racked her brains for a tale to tell.

"Right," she paused, cleared her throat, almost regretting her promise already. She cleared her throat again. "Right, once upon a time there was a man. He was a myth, a legend, brave, clever, very arrogant but selfless. He as away from his home and his people for a very long time and when he came back things had changed and his people were suffering. This man's name was – " she paused again, thinking. "Bob of the Shire." There were sounds of stifled laughter from the outlaws but she ignored them. "Now, Bob didn't like what he found at his home. He was very angry and shouted at the Sheriff (whose name was George) but that didn't help at all. So, Bob, with the help of his faithful friend – er, Malcolm, had to resort to drastic actions. They rescued some men from the hangman's noose, and only just in the nick of time. It was perfectly fair of him to do so really. They hadn't done much wrong, except nick a couple of royal deer and who hadn't done that? That's what Bob thought anyway."

The rumble of laughter from the outlaws was even more poorly concealed so she shout them a look to try and shut them up, though her twinkling eyes robbed it of it's ferocity. She carried on,

"The heroics that Bob and Malcolm employed to save the men were rewarded with outlawry. They all had to run away and live in the forest. They didn't really mind though because they found out living in the forest was actually quite good fun."

Much snorted at this but Djaq hushed him quickly and Ava continued.

"Through more feats of daring Bob began to draw a gang around him. Besides him and Malcolm there was a man they'd saved from execution, James – a carpenter from Bob's own village – strong, loyal and passionate. There was also Tall Paul, a giant of a man who'd been outlawed years before but was keen to do more than aimlessly roam the forest, and Jo, a Saracen warrior woman, skilled in fighting and healing and eternally calm. Now, this motley band – "

Will stirred himself to interrupt.

"What about the other girl?"

"I'm telling the story and she's not important," Ava was ready to continue but Will was determined.

"Yes, she is. Her name's – " but his imagination failed him.

"Beth," Marian continued, adding, "and she's got a fiery temper," as she caught the fulminating look Ava was sending Will.

"She's very determined," said Much, thinking of his and Ava's many battles of will.

"Deadly with a sword," continued Djaq.

"And a much better cook than Malcolm!" completed Robin, grinning. Laughter greeted this sally except from Much, who threw an outraged look at his master and shoved Will, who happened to be closest and was once again helpless with mirth.

"Anyway," Ava had to raise her voice to be heard above them, but they soon quietened. "As I was saying, this motley band of outlaws didn't just hang around the forest, eating and showing off, (though that did come into it), oh no. They robbed from the rich to give to the poor. They upheld justice and saved many lives. The people of the shire loved the outlaws for all they did, particularly their leader Bob.

"As can be imagined, however, George, the Sheriff, did not love the outlaws. Time and again he and his guards were worsted by the merry men. It didn't matter how many cunning plans George and his evil henchman, the lip-curling, dastardly, scurvy Jim, made there was no beating Bob."

The outlaws were grinning with pride by this point.

"Despite the fact the fighting ability and planning skills of the gang were, quite frankly, brilliant, this wasn't the only reason they so easily worsted their enemies.

"Little did George and Jim know, but they had a man on the inside. Or should I saw a woman for she was indeed a maid. And not just any old maid, she was the Lady Mari – oh, the Lady Mari – gold! Kind, gentle, beautiful and very brave, Marigold had been helping the poor in all the years Bob had been out of the country. She didn't get into as much trouble as Bob though, mostly because she was more sensible," Ava had to work hard to ignore Marian's delighted smile and Robin's look of chagrin. "But for some reason George decided it would be a good idea to force her live in his dark and scary castle. Marigold got her own back though – she told all their secrets to Bob and Bob went around stealing money just as easily as before. George was very annoyed. But then, so was Bob. He decided that no one was allowed to trap his lady in a castle and declared they would go and rescue her. After much persuasion and endless arguments, Marigold finally agreed.

"So, one day, when it was nice and sunny, the outlaws crept into the castle and Bob lept out in front of the Sheriff and yelled,

'Avast there, Sheriff George, and hand over the lady I love!' "

There were stifled giggles from Marian and Djaq and Robin looked absolutely speechless that even his fictional self would utter such words. Swiftly dropping her arm, which she had been using to mime brandishing a sword, Ava hurried to continue before Robin found his tongue.

"Sheriff George was not a happy bunny. He said,

'Jim, Bob is being annoying, could you pray come and remove him from my sight!'

"Jim couldn't however.

'I can't, my lord' he said and George turned to see that all the other outlaws had arrows pointing at his lieutenant, ready to fire.

"Seeing that he was defeated, George decided to hand over Marigold, with minimal mutinous mumbling. Bob, Marigold and the rest of the gang rode of into the sunset to the forest of dreams where they lived happily ever after – till next time. The End."

Ava's voice had been getting quieter and quieter, in the hopes of leading Daniel off to sleep and, indeed, he was only just awake.

"What about - ?" he began to question but she cut him off.

"Next time. Goodnight Daniel."

He turned over and fell asleep almost instantly as she moved away, back towards the fire. John, Much and Djaq were asleep where they sat and Will was barely more awake. Looking across the warmth of the fire to where Robin sat, pinioned by a comatose Marian, Ava caught his amused eye and they smiled.


A/N: Long chapter, and I hope you liked it. It's supposed to be a sort of calm before the storm thing, hard to do any humour later on.

Please review.