Part 4.
Robin and what remained of the gang returned from leaving Allan at Kirklees and arrived in Locksley. It had felt as though they were abandoning him when they walked away, even though they were assured he was in very good hands, would be cared for until he was well and no harm would befall him.
The journey back to Sherwood had been one with many long a bouts of silence, when Much did try and cheer things along, Robin would put a dampener on his spirits and then no more was said. Robin had one focus one purpose, one aim, one mission and that was to find Marian and get her as far away from Gisborne as possible, to beg her to stay with him in the forest if he had to, for all their sakes.
Locksley presented itself as normal, nothing untoward happening apart from the fact that there was a noticeable lack of guards. In fact there were no men of Sir Guy's standing guard at all. Robin shrugged and walked up to the front door and knocked with the others following closely behind, watching from all angles in case it was a trap.
Thornton opened the door, he looked older than Robin remembered and he supposed the toll of Nottingham being razed to the ground had affected them all.
"Robin," he said, ushering them in across the threshold and shutting the door behind them.
"Is this safe? Where's Gisborne?" asked Much, feeling a prickling sensation creep up his spine and he shivered.
"He is gone. I expect he will be back, but not for a while."
"Where are his men?" asked Little John.
"Perished or ran away after Nottingham was destroyed." Thornton explained.
"Did you see Gisborne that day?" Robin asked.
"Yes he came here with Lady Marian." He informed them, thinking that it would do the tortured Robin no favours to also add that Gisborne had referred to her as his wife.
"Where did they go?" asked Much with a slight shake of his head, unable to think of a place they would flee to.
"Sir Guy said he had business to attend to and that he would be travelling north immediately. That he would be gone a while; he did not know when he would be back. But he and Marian had been spared from the edict."
"And they left soon after they arrived?" Djaq queried.
"Yes, they did not stop here long; they were gone before full nightfall."
Robin ran a hand over his face looking thoughtful. "We need horses if we are to catch them up."
"There are horses in the stable, plenty. I can always tell Gisborne that the place was raided by the shock troops, still might be. I have heard word that they are plundering the nearby villages."
Robin sighed, anguish and agony written across his features, the weight of the world upon his shoulders, for how was he to put right, that which had gone so horribly wrong?
With a heavy sigh he said to Thornton. "The store, you know where our store is. Here is the key," and he pressed it into Thornton's palm. "While we are away, help to feed the poor and the needy wisely, a little each week."
"Yes Robin." Thornton promised.
Robin replied with a smile that did not reach his eyes as in days of old. Thornton knew that it would take a lot for Robin to smile genuinely again.
They left Thornton and saddled up a horse each in Gisborne's stables.
"Where are we heading?" Djaq asked.
"You heard Thornton he said north," said Much.
"There is a lot of north," added Little John.
"Durham," said a small voice and they all looked to see the stable boy standing there. "Gisborne was taking Lady Marian to Durham."
"Durham it is lads," said Robin mounting his horse and nodding his thanks to the boy, he dug his heels into the horse and they all galloped off. All hoping that they could catch up with them before it was too late.