Thanks to all who reviewed, and to Kegel for betaing (very quickly :P)

Chapter Nine: Decisions

He hadn't wanted to come, and now as he entered the room he felt even more out of place. Walking about out in the open, among everyone, without the slightest of hesitation just didn't feel right. Will shook off the unnatural feeling, following the two men further into the tavern. Allan had led the way gleefully, moving towards a table in back. He almost seemed at ease here, and Will began to wonder how often the man ventured in here.

They weren't always together when they were back with Robin. They would split up into groups, or go off on their own from time to time, but still they had managed to keep in contact with one another throughout the day. It had seemed as though Robin had a knack for knowing where they were, or had gone; it was a trait that still to this day bemused Will.

Whatever the case, neither Robin nor Allan had made any mentioning of the tavern. Will wondered if Robin knew of the man's antics, or if Allan just had a knack for blending in with such surroundings. Either of the two wouldn't have surprised him. The slight touch to his shoulder startled him, but the surprise quickly passed as he found himself face to face with John, the man nodding towards the table. It wasn't until then that Will had realized he had been standing out in the open blocking the way.

He ignored the questioning glances, the strange looks as he moved to the table and sat down. Inside of him, his heart was pounding heavily; worried that someone would recognize them, that someone would point them out. They were a group of strange travelers, and John's bulky stature didn't them help them at all. If anyone would be recognized, surely it would be John.

But even the large man seemed to be at ease, resting comfortably as Allan ordered the drinks. Will glanced about himself nervously, but the patrons of the tavern had already forgotten the newcomers, rejoining in their previous conversations, merry drunken laughter filling the air. He let out a quiet sigh, his gaze turning back to the two other men as their drinks were set before them.

"Where did you get that?" Will wondered, watching as Allan tossed a coin to the serving girl.

The man smiled at him, bringing the mug up to his lips. "Can't help it if my hands are quick."

"You stole it."

"We've always stolen," Allan defended himself, bringing the mug back down.

"From those who could afford it," Will reproached him, "do you see any nobles in here? Any Lords or Ladies? No…all of these people here are hard working individuals, spending what little money they have to try and enjoy themselves. What if that was all they had?"

"So what?" Allan frowned. "We'll be helping these folks out come morning. Anyways, it's none of your business what I do."

"Allan, you can't steal from people then turn around and help them."

"We do not steal from the poor," John agreed firmly.

"Alright, I won't do it again," the man huffed angrily. "You're starting to sound like Robin now; I thought we left to do our own thing."

"We left to help the poor," Will corrected him, arms resting on the table now. "So far we aren't doing a very good job at that. We should get the food, and get out of here. The sooner the better."

"Right then, you go at it. I came here to enjoy myself, have one little pint of ale. Is that so wrong? We deserve a bonus, don't you agree, John?"

Allan had lifted his mug in the air, an offering to a mock toasting, but John said nothing. The man smiled smugly, turning to look back at Will.

"Look my friend, we aren't gettin' out of Nottingham till morning. So you might as well enjoy yourself. When was the last time we were able to sit and have a decent meal, a mug of ale, without worrying about being dragged off to the gallows?"

Will let out a snort, shaking his head. The truth was that they were safer in the forest than they were in here, but he wasn't sure how to even begin pointing that out to the man. Still he knew Allan was right, with nightfall the gates would be closed till the rising of the sun. There would be no way to get back out with the cart safely, and Will wasn't sure if he wanted to risk a daring attempt simply because he was impatient.

Defeated he let out a sigh, wrapping a hand around the mug. They would have to head out in the morning, and in the meantime keep to the shadows, and maintain a low profile. If anyone here had recognized them, they hadn't said anything. Several of the patrons themselves more in likely had caused an upset, or been in trouble only to work their way out again. Will doubted that anyone would call them out simply because of that fact. The Sheriff and Gisborne were not very kind in overlooking even the smallest of flaws.

More content now, Will took a sip of the ale, welcoming the flavorful taste. It had been quite some time since he had last had anything more than water to drink. Though as a group they had tried to keep wine, it was more for emergency rather than general use. It hardly mattered though, because he didn't quite enjoy wine in the first place.

His father had allowed him a few sips in his youth, but as he grew and times became hard, and money grew scarce, such pleasantries were lost to his family. He learned to go without it, and never developed a palate for it. Now Will had consumed more wine living with Robin than he had in his own home.

Allan had already moved on to his second serving, by the time Will was halfway finished with his. Allan's spirits were light and there was a gleeful expression crossing his face as he took part in a single-sided conversation. Next to him, John had finished his own drink as well, welcoming yet another round.

With a quiet word Will warned the both of them to take care, knowing what the drink could do to a person if too much was consumed in one sitting. They still had a mission to complete, and he would need all the help he could get. His words were ignored however, both men content on enjoying the night despite what other work needed to be done.

Will finally finished his own, but waved off any offerings at another round, his attention instead focused on his surroundings, idly listening to the ongoing conversations around them. Now that it was drawing towards the early hours of the morning, the patrons were on the verge of being utterly drunk, shouting off partially-intellectual statements, and rolling with laughter at things that seemed to make no sense.

It took a strong urge to ignore the growing feeling inside of him, for Will doubted that he would ever understand the joys of drinking. Why was it that one felt compelled to indulge themselves to the point they made complete and utter fools of themselves?

Even as the thought crossed his mind he was turning back, meeting Allan's gaze that seemed to match what he had been hearing. Will let out a small sigh, shaking his head. This had been some of the reason he hadn't wanted to come here.

"Allan?"

"Yes luv?" the man replied without missing a beat.

Will exchanged a brief look with John, surprise etched on his face. "What?"

"He's drunk," John answered quietly.

"He can't be drunk," Will shook his head. "He's the only one who knows where the food is."

"Food?" Allan laughed, "Where's the food? I luv food!"

"We go?" John asked, which prompted a nod from Will. Hopefully once they left this place, the night air would do some good, and freshen the man's memory.

"Good food, but whatis better, is some ale," he slurred, holding out his empty cup. He let out a scoff as he was pulled to his feet, John wrapping a hand about him.

Will was already leading the way out, pausing at the entrance to make sure the coast was clear. The streets of Nottingham were quiet, save for the buoyant laughter that came from the tavern behind him. Yet the calm was disrupted as the other two joined him, Allan protesting with each step.

Will was quick to turn and silence him, not wanting to acquire unwanted attention. He moved off the streets, back under the awnings of the houses and buildings, leading the way back to the cart. There were several store bins near where Allan had tied off, and Will was hopeful that one of them would be what they were looking for.

But his hopes fell as he reached the cart, finding more stores there than he had first anticipated. Morning would be a few short hours away, and time was slowly running out. Will cursed his own stupidity at allowing such a divulgence between all of them. It was their first mission, and already he had made errors. He gripped the edge of the cart, trying to sort out the thoughts in his mind, hoping to find anything that might be of use.

"I wasn' finished!"

Will turned as John caught up with him, a firm hand around Allan's. The man was struggling feebly in John's grasp, trying to break free with little success. Will shook his head, watching the pair. "Let him go."

The older man shrugged, doing as instructed, Allan pulling back with a forceful yank that sent him sprawling to the ground below. Amused as he was, Will pushed the thoughts from his mind, kneeling down so that he was eyelevel with the man.

"Where is the food?"

Seemingly content on staying where he had fallen the man only laughed, shaking his head. "That's good. Food sounds good, what shall we have?"

"It's not for us," Will reminded him, his patience drawing thin. "We came here to get the food for the poor. You said you knew where it was."

"What? You dun' have it?"

"Where is it Allan? What one is it?"

The only response was a grin, followed by a laugh. Any further frustrations from Will were cut off, John signaling to him quickly. "Guards!"

Will moved quickly, staying behind the cart as he watched the street carefully. The light from the torches could already be seen and John moved down behind him, watching from over his shoulder.

"Look there," Allan called out, "I think I see sumthin"

"Will you shut him up?" Will whispered at John, glaring at the two. "We'll be found!"

"You want him quiet?" John wondered, earning a nod from him.

Will turned back around, trying to figure out where the guards were, and if their cover had been blown. But his attention was brought back to the pair quickly as the sudden thud could be heard; Allan sprawled out on the ground.

John met his gaze with a satisfied smile, bringing his staff to rest across his knees once more. "There, quiet."

"Not like that!" Will hissed, his gaze switching between John and the now unconscious man. "We still need him!"

"Oh," John paused for a moment, letting out an apologetic shrug. "Sorry."

Will shook his head, crouching lower as the guards passed them by without so much as a second glance their way. He watched until they were gone, turning back to the man without a frown. "Now what are we supposed to do?"

"You said to shut him up, that's what I did," John defended. "He couldn't remember anyway."

"True," Will agreed frustrated, moving to his feet. He had only hoped that the man would eventually remember. Now there was only one thing left to do, and time was not on their side. If anything was to be done, they would have to hurry.

"We start with the first one, and work our way down then. Keep an eye out for more guards, and watch Allan; I'm sure he's not going to feel very well when he wakes up."

It had taken him some time to convince the others that he was fine. It took more patience on his part than anything else. Robin was beginning to tire of the other's constant hovering, the man having to remind himself that it was just in their nature to worry. True, he still hurt, and he was still tired, but neither of those things mattered at the moment, not when there was work to be done.

Robin led the way, trading quiet talk between the two, keeping the conversation light and easy going. There was a lot to worry about, his mind filled to the brim with bits and pieces of knowledge that only fueled his concern. He had no notion of where Collin's true loyalties were, and still did not know if the man was a real threat or not. The chest of silver had to serve an important purpose if it was being taken to Prince John, but Robin could not fathom to any idea as to why.

For the others, Robin had expected them to return, and still felt in his heart they would in given time, but he still worried for them. Not only that, but Robin could feel the edginess between Much and Djaq as well. They had always been small in numbers, but they had always managed. Things would be harder now, and Robin couldn't help but feel that the pair was starting to question his decisions. That only added more complications and difficulties to the qualms he already bore.

The trek to Locksley was an easy one, but time-consuming. Though he had slept through the night, it had been a result of Djaq's concoction, and the drug-induced sleep was not the same as actual rest. The former Lord of Locksley had found himself moving slowly, and though he stayed ahead of the group he could easily feel the pair slowing the overall pace down to compensate.

Robin wasn't sure whether to thank them, or to chide them. As a leader he hated being portrayed as someone that was weak, and it was one of his greatest downfalls. His men had come to the point of understanding this, and in turn had learned to make do. At the same time Robin knew they had strengths of their own, and hated to see them pretend otherwise for his own sake.

And slowly, but surely, Robin was beginning to feel himself starting to wear down. Life in the forest was not easy, but it would be a far worse crime to live within the corrupted law. It seemed at every turn there were more and more people hurting, and each dreadful crime tore a little more of his heart away. It hurt to witness, and the emotional strength he once had was now a glowing ember in comparison, and it was slowly starving, withering away until one day it would go out all together.

It had been the war in the Holy Lands that had done him in the most. Upon returning, he had been ready to welcome the peace and freedom back into his life. He had been looking forward to putting the blood-ridden years behind him, and to live quietly on his lands till the end of his days if it meant never having to fight again. In turn he was faced with a cruelty beyond that of war.

Still, there were other things that had taken their toll. There were the poor, the innocents who suffered due to one fate or another, and Marian's departure. Gisborne's betrayal only added to the list, and the fact that Robin had no proof of his treason only worsened everything. The King was still fighting off in the Holy Lands and had no true idea of the state England was in, or of the fact that enemies were abounding everywhere. If Gisborne had tried to kill King Richard, then surely there were others as well. He was a fool to think otherwise.

These, all of these were constant worries. They plagued his mind, and at times would refuse him rest or solitude, and they grew stronger everyday. So Robin partook in the blithe conversation, even though it held no answers to his current problems, simply because it offered the one thing he needed most of all: a distraction.

But the warm words and gentle thoughts wore off at the sight of Locksley in the distance, and Robin switched from worrisome to attentiveness in one moment, forgetting everything save for what concerned them now. Without a word he waved the pair to the side, keeping well into the forest but never letting the village out of his sight. He did as they had done so many times before, scouting the village before entering.

It would be a fool's blunder to do so otherwise. Locksley presented more of a danger simply because of Gisborne's presence, but they took the same amount of care with every village, Robin knowing that some of the Lords were not to keen on the outlaw's actions. But his former house sat still and quiet, save for the sole guard that stood at the front, looking half jaded as he stayed in the one single spot.

Robin could remember Gisborne's words to Collin from the night before, and felt a twinge of sorrow, but a quick reminder of what the man had done washed it away only moments after. Much moved down next to him, watching the village below before turning to him, asking the question with his eyes. Robin nodded, using his bow to point out in front of them.

"Careful and quiet; talk to the villagers, see what you can learn about the silver; but do not tell them what we know. We want to keep Gisborne thinking that we will go after the decoy."

"But why?" Much wondered, a frown crossing his face.

"Because," Robin laughed, watching his companion. "Extra guards will be on the decoy to make it seem real, and that means…"

"Less guards on the silver," Djaq finished, nodding. "I understand."

"So do I," Much boasted quietly, "I was just testing the two of you, that's all."

"Half hour," Robin finished quietly, "meet back here, no exceptions."

It had been a long night, a fact he couldn't deny. There had been eight store rooms in total, and picking the locks had not been too difficult, but they had provided a lapse in much needed time. The first three were empty, waiting perhaps for the summer and autumn inventory to fill it to ensure provisions through the next winter. The fourth was filled with weapons and arms, for what only Will could fathom. It was the fifth that was filled to the brim with food, and he and John went to work quickly without so much of a word.

Twice they had to dodge guards, closing the storeroom doors and holding their breaths as they passed by. But the men of the castle hardly took notice in the cart, and if they knew of the men's presences they didn't obviously care, more concerned on finishing their own rounds than anything else.

Though the store itself would have filled the entire cart, Will relented in taking it all, moving instead to the next several, pulling food and rearranging barrels to keep the space looking occupied as much as he possibly could. They would need to come back this way sooner rather than later, and Will was hopeful no one would notice the missing food if they repacked the leftover crates and barrels well enough.

In between loads the pair took turns on checking on the third member of their group. But Allan slept on, unaware of the world about him. Will's only hope was that he would stay that way long enough to make their departure sound. It was enough, and the pair had finished securing the load from prying eyes as the first peasants began walking the streets of Nottingham in the early light.

Getting out had been easier than expected, Will prepared for some type of fight or other quarrel to rear its ugly head but they were granted passage without so much as a second question. He wouldn't complain, nor would he question, instead sitting next to John as they headed back towards the forest. Making the drops had been harder, however.

They could not leave Allan alone, and so he left John in charge back at the makeshift camp, Will taking the cart out to each of the villages. He was quite surprised to hear that Robin and the others had already come through, wonder where the group had gotten the food. Still, many of the people still accepted the extra food with great thanks. What he was not surprised at was the words that left theirs, each and every peasant sending thanks to Robin himself, as though all of this had been the man's idea. Will tried to remind himself that the only thing that mattered was the fact that they were fed. Who received the thanks was not important.

This had been the routine throughout the morning, until he reached Locksley. The peasants there greeted him with more enthusiasm, claiming to have no food of their own. The concern was alarming, for more than one reason. The knowledge first that there were actually starving people, something he knew would happen soon, but nothing they figured would have happened already. The second worry was the fact that Robin and the others had been to the other villages, why would he forget his own?

But that thought hadn't lasted long, for it soon turned to anger as he found the reasoning behind it. The store at Locksley had been cleaned out, left completely void of any food. According to the villagers there, Gisborne had gone through and demanded all the food they had. Many of the peasants there had not even had a morning meal.

Will knew the responsibility remained with Robin. It was there the man had gotten the food, and he had taken it without any consideration of what would happen to the residents there. Which was strange, considering the man's continuous boast for looking out for the poor. Still, any anger he had held was washed over quickly as he learned of startling new details.

Having finished the rounds he abandoned the cart, sending the horse on his way. The animal would make its route home from wherever Allan took him from, so there was little need to worry. By the time Will returned to camp, John had a fire going, and a meal cooked. Allan himself was still out cold, John having dropped him on a bundle of blankets.

Having a warm meal, and some much needed rest Will felt better. Waking had brought a whole new perspective though. Wrapped in a blanket he sat near the fire, musing over the previous nights escapades. There were mistakes that had been made, and their departure without innocent had been due to good fortune than anything else. They would not be so lucky next time.

There were more concerning matters though. The villagers of Locksley had spoken of a chest, having complained about being under forced house arrest the very next coming day. No one knew much, but between the residents he had learnt enough to know that the silver itself would be in rather large proportions. He was torn between several options, each one of equal importance.

They needed a new store, so they could start holding food rather than relying on the castle to provide. They couldn't always be running off to Nottingham every few days, and surely after the second or third time they passed through the gates they would be recognized, and their plans would be found out. Will knew he could build a store easily within the next few days, and the three of them could get the remaining food out safely enough. That would ensure an entire season's supply for every village.

But building the store would force him to miss out on the shipment of silver. Enough silver that would guarantee payment for taxes for months to come. Will wasn't sure what bothered him more, the knowledge he could not do both, or the fact he was even considering it at all. Robin would surely try for the silver, the man was no fool. That was, if the man even knew about it at all.

Will let out a sigh, rubbing his forehead as he did so. There was no way of knowing if Robin knew of it, and even if the man did there was no telling he would be able to get it either. The donation chest still resided in Nottingham Castle, due to Robin's own error. Will knew that they had to intercept the coming one, even if it meant foregoing the food store for a couple of days.

Letting out a slight growl he shook his head. It was rather unfair, and what bothered him the most was he knew Robin had been right. They couldn't just feed the poor…they had to fight the Sheriff as well.

TBC