R&R por favor!


Throughout the night, Robin only had one more lapse. Around dawn, she stopped breathing, although her pulse was still constant; all they had to do was wake her up and she started breathing on her own.

By midday, she could sit up without grimacing, and insisted she was fine. Will wouldn't let her get up though, because he was worried moving would reopen the stitches.

"One more day," he promised. "Just one more, then we'll go. Okay? Just one more. Just spend the day in bed."

"Fine," Robin huffed. The day passed slowly, and Robin didn't have any more problems. By sunset, Little John said she would be able to move the next day, although at an admittedly slow pace. They let her get out of the bed then, and helped her down the stairs (which she complained about loudly. "I don't need no stinkin' help!") to have dinner and coffee in a more comfortable place. The inn-keeper was taking advantage of this time to replace the bloody bedding.

That evening, a minstrel showed up, playing a small harp. His voice was good, Robin thought, but not near so good as Will's.

The minstrel was very interested in them, (naturally. Five Rangers weren't a common sight.) and introduced himself as Alan-a-dale. After a long conversation with Gilan, Alan was interested and asked if perhaps he could join them as well.

"The more the merrier," Robin said with a shrug, when Will hesitated to answer. Will wasn't sure whether trusting the minstrel was an intelligent plan, but he hesitated to tell his apprentice no. Little John was one thing; he had proven his worth, and Robin knew him. But this minstrel was a stranger. Deciding against his better judgement, he figured he could just keep an eye on the man.

After that was settled, the seven sat around the table companionably. Alan-a-dale looked up, and picked his harp up.

"Any of you sing?" he asked, a merry light flickering in his eyes.

"Will does," Robin said quickly.

"Robin does," Will said, nearly ontop of his apprentice's words.

"What songs do you know?" Alan asked, calm and open, strumming his harp aimlessly.

"Do you know the River song?" Robin said eagerly.

"Naturally," he responded, picking out the complicated tune Will remembered Alis playing on the guitar. Once again, he realized the small, quick girl across the table with the raggedy blonde hair was the strong, elegant young girl with the long black curls he had met in Lafway. He remembered the song well.

"The River she is flowing," Robin sang in a high, smooth voice. Will and Alan quickly picked up the song, and they sang together.

"flowing and growing
The river she is flowing
back to the sea
Oh Mother carry me,
Your child I will always be.
Oh Mother carry me,
back to the sea.

The fire she is glowing
Flowing and Glowing
The fire she is glowing
light upon me
Fire and Water work as one
sing until our song is done
Fire and river enchant you dear
I come to drown your deepest fears."

The three of them sang many songs together, and ended up with several copper pennies on the table infront of them. Only an hour after sunset, however, Robin grew very tired and headed for the stairs. Just as she staggered on the first stair, Halt steadied her arm. He glanced over his shoulder and nodded at Will, indicating he would take care of her. Will smiled his thanks, and Halt helped her upstairs.

After a few more songs with Alan, Will went upstairs as well with Gilan and Mauch, after agreeing with Alan and Little John to meet up around mid-morning outside. Will, Halt, and Gilan worked out a schedule for watching Robin that night (of course not mentioning it to Robin, because she would have naturally argued the point) and then Halt and Gilan went to their room, Will again taking first watch.

"Will?" Robin said softly after Halt and Gilan left, and Will was looking out the window. Will turned.

"Yes?" Will said, just as softly, in order not to wake Mauch.

"Tell me about the king, please?" Robin whispered, eyes on the hesitated.

"He's a very kind, good king," Will started. "He does what's best for the people, for his friends and family, for everyone but himself really. He's selfless, and looks out for others." Will made his way to Robin's bedside, and sat down on the mattress beside her.

"He sounds like someone worth fighting for," Robin said, glancing over at him.

"He is," Will replied. "He's a strong man, and a great king. And one day, his daughter will make a beautiful, wonderful, kind queen."

"You sound as if you know them both very well," Robin said, tuning to look at him with those strange eyes.

"I do," Will said, glancing at her then back up at the rafters. "I know Evan- Princess Cassandra better, though."

"Evan-?"

"When we first met, she went by the name of Evanlyn," Will said, and she turned her gaze back to the rafters. "Back with Morgarath was still alive, his army invaded Celtica when the Princess and her maid, Evanlyn, and their travelling group were crossing the border. The only one who survived was the princess, and she found her way to us. She didn't trust us, naturally, and went under cover of the name Evanlyn."

"Sounds like an interesting tale," Robin murmured.

"We have many tales. She saved my life multiple times." Will sighed at the memories. "Together, we found a bridge that, left whole, would have destroyed the kingdom. We burned it, and in the process were caught by Skandians, who turned us into slaves and took us to Skandia. In Skandia she saved my life, and then we turned around and saved Skandia. Later we went to Aredia together, where she saved Halt's life, Gilan's life, and a few others to boot. Then, later again, we went to Nihon Ja, where she and my fiancée made a long journey and brought an army that not only saved my life, Halt's life, and her husband's life, but also the emperor of Nihon Ja."

"She sounds quite remarkable," Robin replied. "Tell me about this burning bridge, and Skandia."

Will began weaving his tale, and just after burning the bridge and being captured, he paused for remark, only to hear the deep breathing that showed his apprentice was fast asleep.

In the silence, he thought about his apprentice. Naturally, realizing who she was explained alot to him. Just about everything, in fact. Even down to why she ran; he would have, if he had been left with Joseph.

Joseph stirred more questions in his mind. What happened when the baron discovered? He'd most likely be overjoyed. What would happen with Joseph, though? The train of thought was rather unsettling, so he turned away from it.

He glanced to the window to gauge the time, and decided it was time to wake Gilan. He stood, and rapped twice on the wall. In a moment, Gilan was in the doorway, gesturing to Will to go to sleep. He pulled his mattress so Gilan could sit on the end to watch Robin more comfortably, then curled up and fell into a deep blissful sleep.