Title: Band of Brigands

Author: Magrat 70

Ratings: T

Disclaimer: not mine blah blah

Thank you to Sao21 for beta work, any mistakes are mine and mine alone. Thank you to Sao21 for all the gentle reminders not to forget this story and the plans we made for it. I have included the Night Watchman; the vigilante played by Maid Marian in the last BBC series; obviously this will be JJ as that vigilante.

An unkind of Homecoming.

"Your home is no longer under the control of your family. A man called Gisb-borne is now the lord and master," Hotch reported back to Emily, the German stumbling over the new word. He looked his friend in the eye and could see cold anger and worry on her face her dark eyes almost totally black. "There is more..." he hesitated for a second, although she had improved with her years in the Holy Land, she still had the reputation as a firebrand. "Adam of Loxley has had his titles removed and his land repossessed after being found guilty as a traitor for plotting to murder the king; you are an outlaw, my friend."

The three men sat quietly in the camp they had set up in a hidden cave in a small glade deep in the woods. They were waiting to see how Emily would react; she had been disguised as her brother Adam for all her adult and half of her teenage life. She had fought bravely at the side of her King for eight years almost losing her life twice; the scars on her face and body bore witness to her bravery.

The woman rubbed her gloved hand through her thick short hair, taking a moment to compose herself. Emily's years of leading men into battle had taught her not jump to angry retaliation; traps could be set. It is best to think like the enemy and plan accordingly. "My mother?"

The tall German gave a sarcastic laugh. "The Sheriff decided to be kind to your mother and not punish your mother for your crimes. The opinions that I heard was he knew he couldn't touch her or her dowry without retaliation from your uncles in the south. Her family was too powerful for him to risk stealing all your family's wealth. When you were declared an outlaw, both your uncles sent fifty men a piece to visit with your mother. The Sheriff decided that your mother should not be shamed. She was given a large cottage, rent and tax free, in the village and a small stipend on top of her own income. Your family's oldest most trusted servants went with her. The one thing your mother demanded from the Sheriff was that she kept the dovecote; although no one knew why. The Sheriff was happy with those terms; although, Will of Gisborne wanted everything. It is felt he wants everything you ever had."

The silence in the glade was suffocating, Morgan knew exactly what it was that Gisborne wanted most of all; Jennifer. He knew that Emily would kill the man with her bare hands if he had laid even a finger on her.

"Is he married?" Emily's voice came out rough and hoarse as if she had been gurgling with a hundred blades.

"No my friend, the lady and her family have rebutted his advances. However, the Sheriff has put an extra tax on her father's land that he has little chance of being able to pay. The gossip in the market says that Gisborne has offered to clear all the family debt in exchange for the lady's hand. It is also widely believed that you have been executed in Jerusalem by the king's own hand." Hotchner had spent the last couples of days staying in the village inn and posing as a German merchant travelling between Nottingham and York on business. He had pretended that his English was poor when in fact it was word perfect. It always amazed him the secrets that could be unveiled when the people talking took at face value what an unobtrusive stranger had put forward about themselves that couldn't be verified. Years of war and fighting had left him only trusting his three companions; their trust burnt into all of them in the stifling heat of blood and battle.

Emily stretched her muscular body, years spent wielding a broad sword in full battle armour had left her with a strength of body that few men could match, never mind women. She remembered her passion to fight for her god, her king and country. She had been young and foolish. She wondered if she should leave Loxley, go to Europe with her friends and find somewhere where she belonged. Her heart had craved home, her family's land, and her childhood friends. Now she was branded an outlaw, a traitor, to serve the money grabbing cowards who had stayed at home and took advantage of widows, orphans, and the elderly.

The female knight, now an outlaw, was trying to control the rage that burned to take action and revenge over the destruction of her name. She wondered if the report had reached the Sheriff's ears that Sir Adam of Loxley had been gravely injured on the battlefield. That would be reason enough for this cowardly land grab that he had shared with his right hand man.

"When the night falls, I shall visit my mother and check on Adam," Emily sighed; although some information could be found out, the concealment of her brother was so masterful it would be impossible to find out if he was still alive or if his seizures had managed to kill him yet. If her brother still lived, they would both soon be living in concealment; at least she had a certain amount of freedom of movement, at least until it became known that she was still alive and in the area. She also wanted to clear her name.

xxxxxx

The four former warriors had now divested themselves of the chainmail they used to wear to blend into the forest where they had set up camp. They had taken to wearing soft deerskin pants with dark green woven singlets that had a hood they could pull over their heads. Emily wore the softest brown leather boots that fit like a glove and made little noise when she moved. As nightfall came, Emily pulled on a thick woolen cloak that also had a hood. She broke bread with her friends, eating a simple stew from the game that they had hunted in the forest and ingredients that Hotch had brought back from the market.

Taking a route around the edge of the village to where her new family home was situated, Emily passed Jennifer's home; she gave a brief sigh wondering what her first and only love looks like now. Keeping in the deep shadows she kept away from places like the inn that would still have people around it this late at night. She watched the house, trying to judge where the different bedrooms would be. She presumed that Adam and her mother would be the two at the front of the building that had large windows. Using the advantage of clouds blocking the moonlight, she shot an arrow into a wooden lintel and used the attached strong, thin rope to climb up to the sill.

Emily gave a sigh of relief when she saw her twin fast asleep; Adam still lived! Using a dagger from inside her cloak she forced open the catch, noiselessly dropping to the floor. She reached out and grabbed her arrow and placed it back in her quiver. Padding across the room she made sure that the bedroom door was shut tight. Anticipating her brother's shock Emily placed a gloved hand over his mouth, "Adam...shhh. You're perfectly safe, please don't make a noise when I remove my hand."

The young man woke with his heart pounding out of his chest, trying to compose himself, knowing from the journals that he kept for Spencer that stress compounded his episodes. It took Adam a moment for his brain to kick into gear and guess who knew he was there and would have sought him out. The answer that presented itself seemed unlikely. His sister was supposed to be dead, executed as a traitor. "Emily?"

"Hi brother, it's been a while," Emily smiled at the shock on his handsome face.

"We were told you were dead."

"It would seem for the second time, once as me and once as you, the reports of my death may be greatly exaggerated." Emily smirked at her brother, who suddenly enveloped her in a huge hug.

"I knew it was lies... mother, uncle, none of us could believe that you were a traitor. What happened?" Adam for the first time noticed the scar down his sister's face. The guarded look in his sister's eyes caught him by surprise; she could never usually hide her emotions, but even though she smiled, it didn't light her face like it used. There was an intensity, a broodiness, that had never been there before.

"I was hurt in battle, and, it seems, some people believed I had died and took advantage of the situation. I had had enough of the death and bloodshed and had already made my intentions known that I was heading home after the battle... I believe that I was cut down by one of our own. I didn't see the stroke that took me down, but Morgan believed it was not a Saracen blade from the type of wounds I had..."

"Derek is still alive too? His parents were told that he was killed by you when he found out the plot. They were rewarded by the Sheriff, but his father hardly works the smith anymore. Derek's brother-in-law mostly works it now. You know if you are spotted, they will put you to death," Adam felt a tightness in his chest; his sister was home, but she shouldn't be in the village walls after curfew when the gates had been shut.

"Don't worry Adam, I came over the wall to get in; I will have little problems getting back out. It is not like Loxley has armed guards patrolling the walls at night like in Nottingham," Emily anticipated her brother as she had been all her life.

"One day, dear sister, I would like to pull the wool over your eyes." The way she could anticipate his thoughts and deepest wants and fears could irritate him, but he had to admit he could turn a lifetime of knowing his twin back on her. "Although, I can do the same back to you. You haven't asked?" The brother and sister, with their deep, sad, dark eyes, regarded each other for a moment to see who would break first.

"Jennifer?" Emily whispered, not able to hold her brother's gaze any longer.

"Devastated, broken hearted, angry and those are on good days. She comes here every day, and every day she tells me that she begged you not to go. She thinks that the love of her life is dead."

"Maybe it is better if that's what she thinks and moves on. I'm not who I was, I have seen too much and felt more than I can ever explain. I am angry all of the time. You see the scar on my face, I have worse on my body, but those scars pale in significance compared to the ones in my mind. I am broken, scarred, and an outlaw. I love her too much for her to be with me," Emily's voice started off strident, louder than their whole conversation, before fading away to the quietest whisper.

"You arrogant fool! What right have you got to take her choice away? Does she not have a choice in this?" Adam angrily threw at his sister. "Will knows she is grieving, but that bastard does not give her peace. Is that what you want? To see her in Gisborne's bed, heavy with his child? The bastard who took my life, who tried to deflower you without your permission! Is that what you want to see? You coward..." Adam had tried to rile the fight in his sibling and was shocked to see big fat tears drop from her eyes. The only other time he had seen his sister cry was when she blamed herself for his episodes. "Em, my dearest sister, I am sorry. I know you are no coward, excuse me, please."

"I deserve your words. I am not good enough for her, but I will die before I see her marry Gisborne," Emily stated, finally finding the fight in her heart. "I know we still have the dovecote; has Spencer still got his workshop under there?"

"Yes, he does; I get out there if I can. He has made all sorts of disguises for me to be able to get out now and again; although, we have been more circumspect since your, my, outlaw status has been announced."

"Good, I will need both your help to clear my name," Emily said, the decision made in her mind that she would not sit back and allow herself to be sullied. "I will go now, I have friends with me; we are camped in the forest. I will try to come back soon, and I will speak with mother next time. Will you let her know I am here? I do not wish to give her a heart attack in the middle of the night."

"I will, Emily," the brother and sister hugged once more before she left.

After leaving her brother Emily found herself walking back and forth outside Jennifer's bedroom window, a debate raging inside herself. With a decisive action, she swung up to the blonde's window. She broke in and dropped to the floor in a room she had played in when she was a small child. The sight of Jennifer asleep took her breath away. She was even more beautiful than she was at eighteen when they had kissed and touched and made a promise to one another. If nothing else she was buoyed by the sight; Will would never touch Jennifer.

Emily reached into her quiver and pulled out the token she had taken with her but hadn't been sure she would deliver, a white rose wrapped in lavenders; she knew that Jennifer would know the meaning. Whether she would understand, Emily didn't know. She lay the flowers on Jennifer's pillow before leaving the ghost of a kiss on her cheek. The blonde stirred slightly in her sleep. "Go back to sleep my love and dream about what should be between us." Emily's gentle words coaxed her back to sleep.

With one last look at the beautiful face she had thought many times she would never see again, Emily swung out of the window.

TBC