Author's Note: I had a bit of trouble with the chapters a while ago, so please be sure you've read all of the previous ones or you might be a bit lost.
Fair Warning: I think there will only be another chapter or two of this story, because I'm closing in on the ending I had in mind, but I am working on an idea for a sequel as well.
Please read and review.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
The Long Road Home by Ecri
Part 12: Worth the Fight
When Lady Marian had left his room, Will tried to persuade Azeem to go along with her. Azeem shook his head.
"No, Young Christian. I will be nearby if I am needed, but how would the Lady Marian explain the presence of a Moor in her home to some English noble? It's better I stay with you." Azeem, Will noted, stayed near the slightly ajar door, his hand resting on the hilt of his scimitar.
They sat in a companionable silence, both straining to hear any sounds from Marian that might indicate she was in some sort of trouble.
Finally, Will chanced speaking to the Moor. "You've known Robin a long time, haven't you?"
"That I have, Young Christian, though perhaps meeting a man while in prison makes it seem longer than it actually is."
"Is…was he…" He felt anger at his own inabilities to speak. Determinedly, he raised his head and for the first time since Essex had locked him in that cage, he voluntarily looked someone in the eye. "Is he different now than when you first met him?"
Azeem smiled. "When I met him, he was a prisoner in a prison thousands of miles from his home. His only duty in life remained caring for his friend, Peter. The inmates soon learned that to harm one of them was to invite attack from the other. He often went without, giving his food to his friend, offering some of his water if the other man was ill. His final act in that prison before escaping was to insist they cut off his own hand rather than his friend's because the other man was too sick to live through such an ordeal. The guards decided to take both. Allah, be praised, he managed to turn that act of sacrifice into a chance at freedom, and he agreed to free me as well. His friend died outside those prison walls…a free man." He seemed lost in thought for a moment, but soon remembered his audience. "Now, he is a man with purpose, with hope, and with a future to build for his family."
Will tried to piece together what he'd heard with what he knew of his brother. Hearing about Peter, and knowing from other conversations that the man had been the Lady Marian's brother, he couldn't help but wonder if Robin was looking out for him as a result of no longer having Peter to occupy his time. From what Azeem said, Peter had needed a lot of looking after. Maybe that absence in his life accounted for Robin's obsessively looking out for Will's safety.
Before he could ask another question, they heard Marian's voice, loud and demanding. "Release me!"
Will looked at Azeem and they both dashed for the door. Azeem stopped Will. "You should stay here. You are not yet yourself. I will go."
Will wanted to argue, but Azeem shoved him back inside and closed the door behind him as he left. Will waited to a count of ten and then tried the door. Azeem had locked it. Frustrated, he put an ear to the keyhole hoping to hear what was going on and hoping to hear that Azeem had handled it. Instead, he heard raised voices, though he couldn't make out much. When he heard Marian scream once more, "No!" He stood back and raced at the door with all his strength. It didn't budge. He tried again, but nothing seemed to happen. He glanced around the room looking for inspiration and saw a second key resting on a table by the window. He raced to it, hoping it was another key to the door and not a key to some strongbox or jewelry case.
Luck was his and the key opened the door. He pushed it slowly open and scanned the hallway before moving towards the staircase.
As he crept down the stairs, decided discretion would get him nowhere if Azeem and Marian were in trouble. He paused long enough to pull it from its sheath and allowed the familiar weight to comfort him. When he heard the clash of blade on blade he moved more quickly. He could see through the doorway that Azeem was in a fevered battle with several armed men. Surely, there were too many for him.
He listened for a moment trying to work out who was in there and what exactly was happening.
That's when he heard the familiar voice. It stopped him. To his shame, his heart pounded and he felt fear blossom somewhere inside.
"Do not pretend that you do not know what is going on. That man is one of Locksley's."
"What do you want? Why do you want Will Scarlett?"
Me? Will thought. Why would the man come here looking for a man he must think he killed?
"You don't need to know why. Where is he?"
Before she could answer, Will saw Azeem strike a solid blow against two attackers, slicing through one arm to the bone and lashing out with a solid fist to break another man's nose with a great spurt of blood.
A moment later, one of the other men had crept behind Azeem and before Will could call out a warning, the Moor was down. He lay unmoving on the floor his scimitar out of reach.
Will felt his rage return tenfold and he moved inside the room. He held his knife out menacingly and crouched low. His muscles tensed as he prepared himself to spring on the Duke and his eyes blazed their hatred, which he could express in only one way. A low, almost feral growl emanated from the same place as the rage he'd tried to keep in check until now.
He saw Marian staring at him, but he wasn't sure if she was shocked by his appearance and if so, why. She put a hand to her mouth, and Will knew she didn't dare call out to him for fear of distracting him.
The Duke had no such compunctions. "Ah! Will Scarlett! I don't know how you can be here, but I when I saw the empty cage open and on the ground with no sign of you, I was sure I'd be able to find you if I came to see Lady Marian."
Will didn't react. His attention was on the men standing between him and Marian. He lashed out at one, but caused only a superficial scratch with his knife. He kicked and another's sword fell to the ground. Two more backed away as he turned and literally growled at them.
He turned then towards Essex and Marian. He was focused on the knife, the Duke, and the proximity of every weapon in the room to Marian. He knew only one truth; he would not let the love of his brother's life be hurt. "Let go of her." He spit the words out as though begrudging the time and effort it took to say them.
The Duke blinked as though surprised and he loosened his grip slightly on Marian's wrist. Will had been waiting for that. He leaped forward and slashed his knife catching the Duke's sword hand. The Duke let out a yelp of surprise and turned angry eyes on Scarlett, but releasing Marian altogether.
Will grinned in triumph.
"You will regret that, Scarlett!" The Duke hissed.
Will didn't bother replying. He hefted his knife in preparation to throwing it, knowing he could end this man's life as surely as he knew the man would gladly end his. Before he could do a thing, he heard Marian call out.
"Will!"
From then, time blurred. He felt a sharp pain on the back of his head and he fell. He'd fallen before in his life, of course, but this blow cut away any thought he might have had, or any control he might have hoped to have. He fell to the floor in a heap.
"Will!" Marian screamed. "Leave him alone! Will!"
Will blinked, but his vision refused to clear. He shook his head, but that only worsened the buzzing in his ears. He tried to focus, tried to keep his hold on consciousness. He heard Lady Marian use a tone he'd never heard from her before.
"You have attacked guests in my home…"
"Do not think you can play that game, Marian. My only decision now is whether I bring you to London as my prisoner and report all of your nefarious activities to Prince John, or if I kill you now and lay the blame at the feet of either Locksley, or this man who would claim him as a brother." He sighed as though it were the biggest conundrum he could imagine. "There are benefits to both, you see."
Will struggled to sit up, but the men on either side of him forced him down. He glanced up at Marian, watched helplessly as Essex moved toward her. He struggled against an overwhelming sense of failure. He had not saved her. He had let Robin down and he had doomed Marian.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
The air was cold and the sun had already begun to set as Robin rode towards Marian's home. It had taken longer than he'd expected to take care of business in Sherwood. Emotions were running higher than usual since Will's abduction. People had generally assumed they were safe here in Sherwood, and the fact that several men had found their way there and had managed to threaten everyone and make off with Will had shaken a lot of confidences.
Robin had spent some time being reassuring and making plans upon plans to cover any what-if scenario anyone seemed inclined to conjure. It had been tiring and tedious, especially with his mind being on Will's recovery. He'd spoken to Marian and had told her that he understood his brother's rage and frustration. He'd told her it was perfectly reasonable considering his upbringing, his losses, and the life that circumstances had forced him to live.
He could only hope he could find a way to forge a real relationship with Will and win over his trust if not his actual affection.
He was approaching Marian's when he saw something troubling. In the courtyard were at least half a dozen horses, each richly appointed with expensive saddles.
One horse was very familiar. He would recognize it anywhere, but here, where he had last seen it, it was painfully obvious that something serious was happening at Marian's. He slipped off his horse and let it wander. He sneaked through the gate and approached the door cautiously. Essex and his men must have entered in a hurry because no one had bothered to close the door. He waited briefly in the doorway and scanned the area for some sign of where everyone was. Silently, he moved inside sliding along the left hand wall, his sword at the ready. He saw one of the Sheriff's men, his attention in the next room on whatever drama was unfolding there. Drama it was, since he could hear muted voices, and the clash of swords.
He heard Marian call out. "Will!"
He tried to follow the conversation, but he had to keep half his attention on the best way to get inside that room. He saw it in an instant and took hold of a braided cord that hung from a nearby drapery. He took hold of it and climbed, eventually swinging to the balcony area where Marian's friend and servant, Sarah, had first stood and impersonated her mistress so Marian could disguise herself and attack him. He got into position and heard Marian speak again.
"You have attacked guests in my home…"
"Do not think you can play that game, Marian. My only decision now is whether I bring you to London as my prisoner and report all of your nefarious activities to Prince John, or if I kill you now and lay the blame at the feet of either Locksley, or this man who would claim him as a brother. There are benefits to both, you see."
"Do describe them to us," Robin called out. He could see he'd startled both Marian and the Duke, who looked up in surprise.
"Locksley. Come to join the fun?"
"You and your men will leave." He said it calmly, and hoped the Duke would take his advice.
"Or what?"
"Or you will regret it."
"Locksley, I was helping you when I took that boy and locked him up. A liar like that claiming to be of noble birth…"
"He is my brother," Robin said, looking to where Will still sat upon the floor looking so dazed, Robin wasn't sure he knew what was going on anymore. "…And if he is seriously injured, there is no where you can hide that I will not find you." He took hold of another hanging cord and dropped down to stand before the Duke, his sword ready, and his eyes flashing like fire.
The Duke, of course, swung his blade. He was a big man, not as big as John Little, of course, but he was strong and when his sword hit Robin's the sound echoed in the high-ceilinged hall.
Marian moved to help, to throw something…anything, but The Duke's men grabbed her arms and held her though she struggled against them.
Robin met the Duke blow for blow, parry for parry. They were nearly evenly matched, but Robin was fighting to protect and Essex was fighting to destroy.
Robin attacked beating the Duke back only to have the tables turned and be beaten back himself. The Duke circled around forcing Robin into a position where he could see Will, still sitting on the floor, a shaky hand to an obviously woozy head. The Duke smiled at Robin, and called to a henchman. "Hurt Scarlett, boys. Make him suffer!" With that order still ringing through the room, the Duke attacked Robin, who missed a parry.
Will screamed and the sound of a boot hitting flesh reached Robin. Robin saw Will trying to curl away from the kicks the men inflicted, but in that moment he lost track of the Duke's sword. He knew better. These were amateur mistakes he'd chided his men about when he'd first taken command of Sherwood's outlaws. The Duke's blade made a shallow cut on Robin's right leg. Robin hissed, but continued to fight, turning now, his back to Will and unable to see what the Duke's men were doing to him. The Duke, heartened by the small victory, renewed his efforts and in another few blows, Robin's sword clattered to the floor. Marian screamed.
The Duke stepped menacingly close. "I will have satisfaction after all." He said in a whisper, and he smiled. He drew back his arm to deal the final blow and end Robin's life.
There was a sound of blade through flesh, and Marian screamed, but Robin simply looked around in confusion. Marian realized only then that Robin was unharmed, but the Duke had the hilt of a dagger protruding from his throat. He made several hacking noises, then blood bubbled up between his lips and he fell limply and wide-eyed to the ground.
Robin turned to see Will still half-crouched, muscles tensed as though ready to attack with his bare hands. Blood ran down his hands and there was splatter on his face and clothes. The two men who'd been kicking him moments ago were sprawled across the floor with their throats cut. The look in Will's eyes was still murderous. He stood slowly and walked towards the dying man. "No," he said to the dying Duke. "I will have satisfaction."
The Duke's eyes widened in recognition of Scarlett and understanding of what had happened before he drew his last breath.
The Duke's last remaining men moved towards Will, but Azeem had risen and retrieved his blade the moment Will had let his dagger fly. Azeem brandished the blade to stop anyone approaching Will.
"I suggest you find a new master," Azeem said, and the men took his advice and fled.
Will continued to stare at the dead body of the Duke. Robin came up next to him. "Will?" He asked, afraid to touch his brother or to speak too loudly lest he call attention to what Will had done. He'd seen men in the Holy Land fall to pieces after killing one man. Will had just killed three.
Will didn't move. He didn't blink. He stared at the dead Duke almost in fascination. Robin moved closer and stepped between his brother and the body of the Duke. Slowly, Will's attention drifted up to Robin's face. "Robin?" He blinked and it seemed to Robin that Will hadn't even been aware that he was standing there beside him.
Robin nodded.
"Are you all right?" Will asked softly, his hand tentatively reaching toward his brother before stopping, and shaking slightly, falling back to his side.
Robin laughed at the question. He'd been about to ask the same. "I'm fine, Will. You saved my life."
Will shook his head. "I didn't…"
"You did. It's over. You can rest now."
"Rest?" Will asked. He glanced from Robin to Marian to Azeem and finally back to Robin. He smiled, but there was no strength in it. "I…" he put a hand to his head and swayed slightly on his feet. Robin put a hand on his arm and helped him to a chair.
Marian left to find bandages and Azeem looked at Robin and Will. "You will both need attention, Christian." He told Robin.
Robin gestured to the cut on Azeem's arm. "Don't forget yourself!"
"It is nothing. A mere scratch." He smiled and Robin returned it, though he didn't believe the Moor's injury wasn't at least a bit more serious than he claimed. Marian came back with supplies, bandages, medicines and herbs.
Robin let Azeem and Marian fuss over Will and himself as he looked his brother over. "Will?" He didn't like how it seemed to take Will several moments longer than usual to respond. "Will? Are you all right?" He knew it was a stupid question, but it was a way to get Will talking.
Will looked down again, and Robin reached out a hand to stop him. "Not again, Will Scarlett. Look at me. Tell me what's happened to you."
Will opened his mouth and closed it quickly. He hissed when Azeem touched his head, but his eyes never strayed from Robin's. "He's dead." He said, and his words were filled with disbelief as though the Duke's death was the single most unfathomable thing he'd ever heard.
Robin nodded. "He is."
Will moved slightly trying to get another look at the dead body, but Robin didn't permit it. He put a light, restraining hand on Will's arm and shifted so he couldn't see the corpse. "No, Will. There's no need to look. He's well and truly dead."
Will looked at his own hands, splattered with blood and Robin followed his gaze. Will was dazed. He'd seen this in the Holy Land as well. He removed his cloak and draped it over Will's shoulders.
"I thought he was going to kill you." Will confessed, his shaking, bloody hands reaching up to take hold of Robin's.
"He was," Robin confessed. "He'd gotten the better of me."
"I couldn't let him. I couldn't." He repeated those words several times, and Robin looked at Azeem.
The Moor handed Robin a few herbs. "A light tea of these herbs will settle him."
Marian reached over and took them and rushed off to the kitchens to prepare it.
Robin looked at Will once more. "Will," he said interrupting the litany Will continued to repeat. "It's all right. It's over. You don't have to worry about him any more."
"I was worried about you," Will said, clearly misunderstanding Robin. "I…" he swallowed. "I cannot stay with you, Robin. I know that now. He's made me see it. You have a life to live and I am a danger to you. You cannot go around telling nobles that I am your brother. I am nothing. Scum like me doesn't deserve to live."
Marian had returned and gasped when she heard those words. "He's said that to me before, Robin."
Robin looked up at her in surprise. "When?"
"He said he's decided to believe the things he's heard all his life. That he is scum that shouldn't live, that he…" she looked at him pointedly. "that he lacks courage…"
Robin closed his eyes and shook his head. Those hasty, harsh words had haunted him since he'd said them, and now to learn they haunted his brother as well was more than he really wanted to consider.
Robin looked his brother in the eye, and Will found himself compelled to return the gaze. "I have let it go until now, but I will not listen to you say such things about yourself. You've very nearly raised yourself, and you are one of the finest men I've ever met, Will Scarlett."
Will smiled, but there was no joy in it. "If I'm one of the finest men you've ever met, you need to get out more, Robin Hood." He sobered. "I'm serious, Robin. If Essex were not now dead, he'd be making things difficult for you. If you tell people I'm your brother, you do yourself more harm than you know."
Robin smiled. "Will, I don't care about that. You are my brother. You are my father's son. I will not deny you now that I know the truth."
"But…"
Robin shook his head. "No. No more, Will. You must rest, and Azeem has his own injuries to see to." He looked around the room. "And we have some cleaning up to do. Marian cannot have Essex and his men littering her floor."
"I can help…" Will started to get up, but Robin would not let him. "You will rest. Azeem and I can handle it."
"What of the men who got away?" Will asked. "They know what I did. There will be a warrant for my arrest before long. I've killed three men, at least one of them a man of rank. That is a hanging offense, Robin, and there's no sign of the pardons we hoped to have by now." He glanced at Marian. "Pardon me, My Lady, but I mean no offense."
"No, no offense taken. My cousin, the King is hard to find, apparently."
"He is right, Christian. He will have a price on his head by tomorrow morning." Azeem finished cleaning Robin's wounds and started on his own.
"You and I will clean up this mess, and we'll dump the bodies somewhere between here and Sherwood. We head back there at dawn." He looked at his brother and Marian. "All of us."
Marian protested. "I can't…"
"Marian, there will be questions."
"There's no one to ask them as yet. The Sheriff hasn't been replaced," she insisted.
"It isn't safe for you here."
"I will not leave my home!" Marian declared, fire in her eyes.
"It makes no sense for you to remain. You've sent letters to the King. There's nothing more for you to do!"
"If I leave, I may not be able to return!"
"Lady Marian, please, you know he's right. I've caused this trouble for you. I never meant to. I never meant to cause you harm." Will shook his head and stared once more at his bloody hands. "I know Sherwood is no home for a Lady, but staying here will put your life in danger…because I killed a Duke in your home. Please…" he took her hands then, his eyes wide and pleading. "…don't let me cost you your life."
Marian looked from Will to Robin, unsure how to reply. Seeing how serious he was and that he'd worked himself into a state, she embraced him. "Will, don't take on more responsibility than is rightfully yours. If it means so much to you that I go, I will begin packing now."
Will smiled, and Robin watched Marian put action to words as she swept from the room listing things that she'd need to take with her.
To Be Continued