Never Too Late
Chapter Two
By Caro A Dale
A/N: Sarah0406, OMG! How do you read my mind like that? It's creeping me out! Hahaha, anyway, here we go with the next chapter! Enjoy!
As the man stepped out of the carriage, his identity became obvious. Robin and Much knelt to the ground.
"Your majesty!" Robin acknowledged with astonishment, and even a little bit of shame that he had tried to rob the King.
The others, realizing quickly what was going on, also bowed to the King, Djaq hesitated, but after a moment, she , too, bowed to the monarch they had all fought for.
The King chuckled. "Rise, my friends." He said.
Robin began, "My sincerest apologies, your majesty! Please forgive my friends and I! We had no idea-"
"Be happy, Robin Hood, that I recognized you immediately. Had I not, there may have been trouble.
Robin stood, followed by the others, who sheathed their unused weapons.
"Well, your majesty, I am glad there is no trouble here," Robin smiled, "but there is plenty in the villages, sire, the sheriff and his henchmen-"
"I know about them, my friend, and they shall be dealt with appropriately. However, I do ask one favor of you and your friends."
Robin and his gang exchanged eager glances, sensing that their time as outlaws may be nearing an end.
"I ask that you and your friends fight by my side when we siege the castle." Stated the King.
"That, your majesty, has already been decided. We will fight for you until the sheriff is rotting in a dungeon as so many good people have because of him." Robin said with a smile.
"Let's be off at once then!" said the King, raising his voice slightly. The outlaws soon saw why. Out into their view came at least five-hundred soldiers lined up in rows, some on horseback, others on foot.
"Whoa!" Caro exclaimed, part of her fearful and the other part excited.
"A plan?" asked Robin.
"We will invade come sunrise." Said the King.
"With respect, your majesty, that is not what I meant. What will become of the innocent nobles? Ladies, we do not harm them. Lady Marian is loyal to you, your majesty."
The King nodded. "If you wish, you may evacuate certain individuals out of the castle, those who are innocent. I do not know many of them well, but I trust your judgment on that matter."
"Thank you sire, you will not regret it. I can get Marian and a few others out. And her father, Sir Edward, I will free him from the castle dungeons as well." Robin said, relieved.
"Very well!" the King raised his voice slightly. "You have today to get them out. Your outlaws shall be armed and given proper meals. First thing tomorrow, we attack."
"Where will you stay, your majesty?" Much asked nervously.
"We'll camp out in the forest, that is, if you don't mind, Robin." The King turned his attention from Much to Robin.
"If I don't mind?" Robin said, holding back cocky laughter. "You are the King of England! Who am I to decide? Of course! You are welcome to stay here in Sherwood."
Later that day…
"Psst! Psst! Marian!" whispered a voice outside Lady Marian's open window.
"Robin!" Marian turned her head, smiling. "Come in, love, coast is clear!"
She extended her hand. He took it, and the two lovers embraced. When Robin let go, Marian held on.
"Robin, what is it? Something's on your mind! Tell me!"
"It's the King. He's home, Marian!" he hugged her again, happily. "There is going to be an attack on the castle, and the King said I have to get you and your father out, along with anyone else still loyal to the King. The King has an army of five hundred men camping out in the woods, and we invade first thing tomorrow morning. You and your father will be safest back at my camp."
"Wait, slow down! The King is home? To defeat the sheriff?" Marian gasped with excitement.
"Yes!" Robin nodded, smiling triumphantly. "After Vaisey and the Black Knights are finished, we can be together at last!"
"What are we waiting for, Robin? We need to get to the dungeons!" she headed for the door.
"Marian, wait!" Robin whispered, grabbing her arm. "My plan is that you distract everyone, pretend you are injured or something, and I'll get your father out. Give me fifteen minutes, and then say you're fine and return to your quarters. I'll wait here with your father, and then we'll make our escape."
Marian rolled her eyes. "Good plan, if only it didn't involve me pretending to be weak."
"Come on! It's perfect!" Robin added. "Go near Gisborne's quarters and fake a fall. He'll freak out, and give me about 15 minutes to get your father out. Let Gisborne croon over you. It's what he does best, isn't it?"
"Grow up." Marian mumbled, annoyed. He looked her in the eye with that sparkle she loved so much, and she sighed. "Fine. I'll do it."
Then, with one final kiss on her cheek, Robin hurried out of her room towards the dungeons.
Marian walked just past Guy of Gisborne's quarters, and then she let herself fall. She screamed as loud as she could, and cried, "Someone help me! I've fallen and I can't get up!"
It wasn't long before the guards at every doorway in that corridor, along with a surprised Guy of Gisborne, were all at her side.
Robin, hearing Marian's shouts for help, proceeded into the dungeon and knocked out the jailor and took the key to Edward's cell.
"Robin!" Upon hearing the old man's voice, Robin turned to face him. "What's going on?"
Robin smiled. "Your freedom awaits you, my friend." He said, unlocking the door to Edward's cell. "The King is in Sherwood, and there is to be an invasion tomorrow on the castle. I'm here to get you and Marian to safety today. Come on!"
The two men quickly left the dungeon, locking the unconscious jailor in Edward's old cell.
They hurried to Marian's quarters. Marian joined them a few minutes later. "Are we ready, then?" she asked Robin after hugging her father.
Robin nodded. "I was born ready!" he said. Their lips met tenderly, and after they had shared a kiss, the two lovers and the old man climbed down the rope hanging from Marian's window, making their escape.
The trio hurried to the area in Sherwood where the King and his men were camped out.
"Your majesty!" Marian and her father knelt in respect to the king.
"We are ready to fight when you and your men are, your majesty. However, we do have a few soldiers who cannot fight due to injuries." Robin said, turning towards Much and Allan.
Caro, who sat beside Allan, rose and said, "I shall fight in his place, Robin."
"Caro," Allan began, protest obvious in his tone.
"Look," Caro sighed, rolling her eyes. "I know it is against tradition for women to fight and invade castles, but I think that it's only fair. I've fought well as an outlaw, have I not? So why not let me fight as a soldier?" Caro said, directing her last question to Robin.
Allan buried his face in his hands. "Guess there's no stopping you." He said. "Robin, it's your call."
"I guess I'm beat," said Robin, noting the death glares Marian, Djaq and Caro were giving him. He raised his voice. "Any able-bodied soldier, regardless of being a man or a woman, may join in the final fight to free England!"
The outlaws and soldiers, particularly Djaq, Marian and Caro, cheered.
When morning came at last, everyone readied and armed themselves, everyone, that is, except Much and Allan. They were to stay at Robin's camp. Caro and Allan seized a moment to themselves to talk.
"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." Allan said, "Cause I don't think I can live without you."
"Of course! I'm doing this for you. And for us." Caro took his hand affectionately.
"That's why I have an important question, about 'us.'" Allan said.
"What?" Caro raised an eyebrow.
Allan let go of her hand, and knelt to the ground. "Caro," he began. As he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring he said, "Will you marry me?"
Tears of joy welled in Caro's eyes as she answered, "It's about time you asked, my love!" Caro took him in her arms and they embraced. He stroked her cheek, wiping away a tear.
"I love you!" Caro whispered.
"Not being funny, I love you too!"
"That's a yes, by the way! It's not too late to propose!"
Allan smiled and said, "Caro, it's never too late!"
They kissed.
As soon as the kiss was over, Caro broke the blissful silence. "I shall go now, my love, and when I return, England will be free again."
TBC
A/N: Gah- I made that too soon, but I don't know, it seemed right that he proposed to her before she did something huge for him, like taking his place on the battlefield (well, not exactly, but, in theory, it's a battlefield!) And you get virtual cookies if you spotted the Life Alert reference! I wrote that scene when I was feeling very humorous in French class, and the proposal scene was Study Hall, I think, but, oh, who knows? This is what happens when I don't pay attention in school! (I write so much during Social Studies it's not even funny! I really don't know how I managed an 89 average in that class…) Okay, so next chapter should be up soon, you guys are lucky I didn't make you wait for Car's response to Allan's proposal, I was gonna stop the chapter at "Will you marry me," but I felt bad for you guys! Muahahaha! Ah, well, maybe I'll leave you hanging again at the end of the next chapter…