A/N: sorry it's been a while, here's the next chapter.
I still don't own Robin Hood.
HERE'S THE THING: DOMESTIC BLISS…
Chapter Thirteen: In Which Homecoming Isn't So Sweet And
Ava Explains Without Using The Exact Words
Will had found Anne and was trying to explain what was going on, hindered by the excessive questions of the woman. Ava came up to them and Will was happy to relinquish the chore to her. She took a hold of Anne's arms and made sure she was looking at her.
"The Sheriff's back. There's no time to explain. We have to leave now." She looked up at Will who nodded towards the back of the hall where there was an entrance used only by servants. Ava led the way, pulling Anne along behind her, and Will followed, trusting that the distraction of the Sheriff's arrival would prevent anyone from noticing them.
They reached the deserted kitchens quickly and paused in the doorway that opened into the courtyard. The Sheriff was shouting (and throwing things) at Gisborne and all attention was on them. Smoke was still billowing from where parts of Nottingham town had been burnt. It was now or never. Ava and Will exchanged a look before starting out into the courtyard and darting through the gate, bringing Anne with them.
Flitting through the smoke they made it out of the town and to the edge of the forest without being spotted. They had not had the good fortune to find any unattended horses, instead Anne and Ava had managed to acquire tickling coughs from the smoke. Resigned to walking, they started out through the forest, trying to take as direct a route as possible through the trees to the camp.
Not more than thirty meters in they froze, before dropping to the ground, Anne a moment behind the other two. The pounding hoof beats of many horses were rushing towards them. Seconds after they'd hidden men on horseback appeared through the trees. At the head of them rode Gisborne and Allan.
"Split up! Search the forest! He can't have gone far!"
The guards soon dispersed. Guy's orders had erased any thoughts that it was Anne and her wayward maid they were searching for and they came to the natural conclusion that Robin was their quarry. The trio set off again, reconciled to the disheartening idea of taking a long, circuitous route, with lots of doubling back, to the camp.
It was hours later that they reached their destination, cold and hungry. Darkness had truly set in and Anne was feeling particularly exhausted, unused as she was to this sort of exercise.
The gang greeted them with joy – especially Robin after he ascertained that Marian was safe. Ava and Will had spent an hour of the walk arguing as to what they should tell the others of what had happened. They had not reached an agreement and had spent the rest of the journey in silence, speaking only when Anne asked them a direct question which she soon gave up doing.
Much returned to cooking with added zeal, hoping Ava would join him as he had missed her the past few days. She did not, however, choosing to go and sit down beside Robin.
"She loves you," she said quietly, holding the betrothal ring out to him. He took it and nodded once before fixing his gaze on the ring, staring at it a moment then turning it so it was hidden in his clenched fist. He acknowledged her whispered 'congratulations' with a half smile.
Ava got to her feet and cast a look around the camp, meeting Will's gaze for a steady moment before dropping her eyes.
"There's something you should know," she began, gaining everyone's attention.
"Ava," Will said warningly, but she ignored him.
"Allan helped us today. He let us escape, and distracted Gisborne so he didn't notice us, and he was ready to fight beside us." She paused and looked around, only Djaq met her eye. "He's been helping me the whole time I've been staying in the castle. He told me what they planned for Anne and hid me from the guards." She broke off and looked at them again. She finished in a quiet voice, "I thought you ought to know."
The reaction of the others gave no indication that this assumption was correct. Feeling uncomfortable, Ava went to check on Anne who had fallen into a deep, untroubled sleep. After spending as long as she could rearranging pillows and pulling up blankets, she eventually looked up and crashed into Will's stare. His eyes were dark and troubled and she couldn't bear to meet them. Grabbing her sword she went to leave the camp, mumbling,
"I'll take first watch,"
"Is that a euphemism?" asked Much suspiciously, having caught the look between them but not what it meant.
"No Much!" Ava snapped in exasperation. "It means I'm going to go and take first watch!"
She turned and stormed from the camp, furious with all of them. As she sank down to sit by the tree that was their usual look out point her anger swiftly left her to be replaced by remorse. She'd been trying to help Allan but couldn't ignore a sneaking suspicion that she'd made it worse for him. She'd snapped at Much when it wasn't really his fault. She was cross with Will, that he wouldn't tell her or the others what he and Allan had talked about and that he was probably right not to. And she felt guilty about not telling Robin what had happened between Gisborne and Marian – though she was convinced it wasn't her place to say anything but Marian's, if and when she chose.
She sighed heavily and lent her head back against the tree. She'd nearly died today. Her and some of the people closest to her. And she'd been scared, so scared. For herself and the others. She closed her eyes and, for once, allowed the tears to well up behind them. She took a deep sobbing breath and was shocked by the voice of someone looking down on her.
"Ava?"
She opened her eyes and through the brimming tears, recognized Much. She gave him a watery smile and he sat awkwardly down beside her.
He stared forward as she bowed her head, unable to stop the tears now she'd let them come. She gave an unladylike sniff and he shot her a wary glance. Gingerly he placed a hesitant arm around her shaking shoulders. She sank into him and he grew more confident, beginning to talk.
"Shh, it's fine, I promise. Everything's going to be absolutely fine. I'm sure of it."
She gave a thick chuckle and pulled from him slightly, smiling through her tears.
"Oh, Much," she said fondly, and a little sadly. She had no idea where he got his great confidence from but she couldn't help believing in him.
A twig snapped under the weight of a foot and Ava looked up startled. She met Will's eyes, still troubled but warmer than before and now she could not bear to look away incase he left or changed.
Much looked uncomfortably between them said, 'Right' suddenly, slapped his hands on his knees and got up and left, sure Ava would get all the comfort she needed.
As Much walked away, Will finally broke off their gaze and looked awkwardly around before coming to sit on the spot Much had recently vacated. Ava also dropped her eyes, taking the moment to rub her tear stained cheeks. Her nose was slightly pink from crying and her eyes were still blurred at the edges, but he thought she looked beautiful and more importantly herself. She stole a look at him as he turned to look down on her. They stared for a moment before she spoke,
"I'm sorry," she said, barely audible and tears sprang to her eyes again.
It was all it took for him to overcome his shyness and he used both arms to pull her towards him so her head rested against his shoulder, a few tears dampening his shirt.
They were silent. The dark around them was deep and the night creatures of the forest were beginning to wake. An owl called over head and a mouse hid in leaves near by. The air grew colder and their breath began to show white, but still they sat.
Ava roused the courage to ask the question that had been troubling her mind.
"Would you have done it?"
"Done what?" his voice was slightly muffled against her hair.
"Would you have married someone you didn't love just to keep yourself safe?"
There was a sharp intake of breath as he realized what that would actually mean.
He shook his head firmly and whispered a hoarse 'no'.
Ava stilled her fingers that had been tracing patterns on his side, shifted closer and lay her hand palm down on his chest. Holding her tighter he left a feather light kiss in her hair and rested his head against hers.
A/N: There, hope you enjoyed it.
IMPORTANT
From now on the story is going to be a series of one shots through the finale. I want it in my story but I don't want to write the whole thing out so I'm doing one shots of things that are going to be different because Ava is going to be there or because they need describing or missing scenes.
Anyway, please review to let me know what you think.
