AN: Thanks for your reviews, it is a bit angsty in places but is certainly a RH/M story.

Part 2

Back at the camp Much found he was the one responsible to feed the babies. Little John helped and they fed one each, some milk the goat had provided. Robin had helped Djaq strip the clothes off the torso of the wounded man they brought back from Nottingham and now aided her as she tended to his wounds.

"Do you think he will live?" he asked.

She looked up at him in the dimness of the night and replied. "Time will tell, his injuries are severe, if it is Allah's or God's will he might."

"He…if only he could tell us when he last saw Marian, when he last saw….." Robin began but broke off.

"I know," she gently replied.

0o0

Dawn saw the babies cry for more than the goat's milk could provide and it was decided that they be taken to the nearby villages to find suitable homes for the orphans. With Much and Little John absent from the camp, Robin went over to the patient who had been stirring and moaning in obvious pain. Djaq hovered on the perimeter.

The man opened his eyes as if the light dazed him, he blinked several times before focusing and finally Robin Hood came into his line of vision. Whoever he had expected to see on waking it had not been Robin.

"How do you feel?" Robin asked and as the words left his mouth he knew it was a stupid question, even now the man who lay before him might not recover.

"I've felt better," he muttered, re-splitting his lip. Djaq dabbed it with a cloth until the bleeding ceased.

"Can you remember anything about yesterday?" Robin asked.

"Bits," he said more cautiously this time, every part of his body felt on fire and he wondered if he would ever be able to move again without hurting.

"Did you see Marian?" Robin asked.

"Yes, on and off all day," he replied, it was evident that talking was sapping his strength.

"Robin, ask him what we need to know, then we must let him rest," urged Djaq.

"Did she?….Did she?…." Robin said, struggling to ask if he saw Marian die.

"Is she dead? No she rode out of Nottingham with Gisborne before the shock troops torched the place. I would say she is very much alive, more than I feel right now."

Djaq gently shook the patient who had closed his eyes with the exertion of speaking and asked. "And Will? Allan did you see Will?"

With great effort Allan focused on Djaq and replied. "Yes I saw Will, we shook hands, but I don't know if he really forgave what I did to you all… We both thought we were going to die… I don't know what happened to him….. It was crazy in there. Each man and woman fighting…. to defend their lives….. and almost every man losing it in battle. I am sorry Djaq I just don't know…..I…. I wish I did. I…..I…. wish I had died instead of him. It would be better for everyone if I died wouldn't it?" he stammered out and then fell into an half unconscious slumber once more.

"Thank you my friend," Robin whispered to him not sure if he had heard or not.

"Thank you my friend? What are you thanking him for? He almost cost us our lives on more than one occasion." Much said from behind Robin, having returned during the conversation.

Robin turned to him and John and asked. "The infants? Did you find homes for them?"

Little John nodded. "The people of Clun were only too pleased to help. Said they would grow up knowing they had been survivors of when Nottingham had been razed to the ground."

"What about him? I don't trust him." Much said of Allan.

"He's not going anywhere, look at him?" Djaq said.

And Much did, and noticed the bruising beginning to show on his torso and face, the cuts ugly where Djaq had stitched him up.

"But we are." Robin said decisively.

"Going? Where are we going?" Asked Much. "And if we go, what are we going to do with Allan? He can not stay here alone."

"We will take him to Kirklees; they will tend to him there."

"What about us?" Much asked still waiting for an answer.

"We are going to find Marian and bring her back where she belongs. Track her and Gisborne down, it can't be that hard. I'm sorry Djaq, Will….. We searched everywhere, none of us saw him."

"Then lets us hope he is still too alive." She replied with a sideways look at Allan wondering whether he would even survive the journey to the Abbey.