Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood, as it is property of the BBC.

Thank you to Dreamsand and Mara Scarlett.

The next few chapter will follow some of the episodes of series 2

Chapter 15

A couple of months had passed since Marian's almost wedding to Gisbourne and the return of the 'King.'

The gang were currently undergoing an ambush.

Robin lay motionless on the floor of the forest, right in the middle of the road.

One of the traveller's men approached Robin.

' Gone to meet his maker, ' he called back to the rest of the group, meaning that Robin was dead.

An elegant blonde woman dismounted her horse with grace and poise, ' Get rid of him, ' she ordered.

' Just seein' if he's got a purse, ' the man replied.

Robin's eyes shot open suddenly, ' I'll show you my purse if you show me yours,' he grinned, kicking the man in the chest, springing to his feet and drawing his weapon. The rest of the gang ran out of the trees to stand behind Robin, also brandishing their weapons.

' This is an ambush, ' Robin announced proudly.

' You don't say, ' the woman - who was stood in front of her five men - said lazily raising her eyebrows.

' This is how it goes...' Much began.

' There's poor people going hungry... ' Will continued.

Allan took over the well rehearsed speech, ' Tell us what you've got...'

' Be honest with us...' Djaq warned.

' And we take one tenth, ' Ava finished.

' So the poor can eat, ' Will added.

' Lie...' John said threateningly.

' Or resist, ' Much continued.

' And we take it all,' Robin announced.

The woman made no move as Allan and Much began taking things from her and her men. Robin was rather interested in the large wooden box that lay on the floor.

' Well, what have we got here? ' he asked, attempting to lift the lid up and hearing hissing.

' My babies, ' she replied, before whipping his hand, ' get them! ' she yelled to the men surrounding her.

The lot of them engaged in a quick battle of the sorts, until Robin yelled at them to follow him, which they did, whilst being persued by the other people - who they had no idea who they were.

The outlaws seemed to disappear in to no where, so the unknown woman and her comrades left.

Moments later, a piece of the ground came up like a trap door, and out came the outlaws in pure glee, as they realised that their new camp worked and kept them hidden perfectly.

' Great work Will, ' Robin praised.

' It was nothing, ' Will replied modestly.

' Nothing? ' Allan grinned, ' it's genius. '

' I love our camp! ' Much cried, as everyone else laughed.

Shortly after this, Allan and Robin were looking through the haul.

Robin watched as his companion lifted something up to the light to get a better look at it. It looked familiar.

' What's that? ' he asked, suddenly taking the thing from Allan.

' That's the lady's ring, ' Allan replied as Robin examined the marks on the ring.

' I know that, that's the Sheriff's insignia, ' he declared.

' So what? We robbed a friend of the Sheriff, ' Allan said, not thinking that it mattered.

' It is more than a friend if she shares the Sheriff's insignia, ' Robin told Allan, as if it were obvious, ' I'm going to go ask Marian if she knows anything about it. '

' Now? In the dark? '

' It may be important. I'll be back soon. '

Before he could leave, Allan caught his arm, ' Hold on, take Ava with you, will you? '

' Why? ' asked Robin, puzzled as to why Allan wanted this.

' Becuase, ' Allan said in hushed tones, not that anyone else was particulary close - the new camp was large -, ' she's spending all her time with Much an' she hardly seems to talk to anyone else. '

' Allan they are in love,' Robin reasoned, ' And Ava is only a teenage girl '

Allan sighed, ' I know that, but she should still make sure to spend time with everyone else. Go on, take her with you - you know how much she likes an adventure, and she adores you. '

Robin agreed, and called over to Ava.

Ava looked from Robin to Much and back again, about to refuse, but Robin's smile told her that if she did not agree, he would just take her anyway.

--

At Knighton Hall, Robin scrambled through Marian's bedroom window and pulled Ava in after him.

Marian entered the room and began to light a few candles, ' Hello Robin, ' she sais with a mere glance in his direction.

' How did you see me without even looking properly? ' he asked indignantly.

' Please, you're hardly a master of disguise. Have you come alone? ' she asked.

Ava stepped forward from her place in the shadows by the window, ' Hello Marian. '

' Ah, hello Ava. ' Marian replied mildly.

' What do you make of this? ' Robin asked his beloved Marian, as he held out the ring with the Sheriff's insignia.

Marian took it from him and gave it a questioning look, ' the Sheriff's insignia? '

' We took it off a woman on her way to Nottingham today,' Ava said helpfullly.

' She had men, and they were well trained, it was like a military unit. And she's been granted the Sheriff's insignia, ' Robin added.

' What does that mean? ' Marian asked, looking between the two outlaws.

' I don't know,' Robin admitted,' I was hoping you and your father might know. '

' I get the feeling we're not too welcome in the corridors of power, ' Marain told the outlaw leader, taking a step towards him.

' Good,' Robin said firmly, his face a mask of emotion as he made his plea to her, ' come and join my gang. '

' In your dreams,' Marain scoffed sadly.

' Wait! ' Robin hissed,' Listen - can you hear it? Ava, can you? '

' What? ' the women chorused.

' That silence spoke volumes.'

' It did, did it? What did it say? ' Marian challenged.

' It said Marian wants to come and join your gang. Didn't it Ava? '

Ava ony smiled sadly.

' That's not what I heard, ' Marian told him, ' I heard a little voice saying abandon your home,abandon your father and give up any hope of a normal life to take up life with a man who thinks resistance is about showing off with a bow. '

' Now, that's not fair to any of us, ' Ava reprimanded.

' But for what? ' Marian sighed,' to wait for a king who may or may not return? '

Robin laughed,' Ah, but you have been thinking about it to have planned out a little speech. '

Marian grinned but shook her head,' I can't do it, Robin. It's no place for a woman, and before you mention that there are other woman in the gang, no one views Djaq as a woman, and Ava has her father with her. I'd be leaving mine behind for the Sheriff's wrath. You can't ask me to do that. '

Robin sighed, ' but - '

' No buts, ' Marian insisted before appealing to Ava's better nature, ' Ava surely you know how I feel, your father means the world to you, could you leave him behind, and go about your business without him, knowing that Sir Guy and the Sheriff could at any moment kill him? '

' Of course not, ' Ava replied.

Before there was a chance for someone else to speak, the three of them heard the sound of horses heavy hooves coming from nearby outside.

The angry voice of Sir Guy was heard from outside, ' Sir Edward! Marian! Out now! '

' I'll kill him,' Robin hissed.

Marain grabbed hold of his arm,' Shoot later, think first. Do you want my father killed? If you have any respect for me, you will do nothing,'

' Marian! ' Gisbourne bellowed form the bottom of the staircase,' come down now or I will torch your house down.

Robin attempted to wrench his arm free, but his beloved kept a tight grip,' Do you respect me? '

' I do, ' he replied sincerely, but reluctantly, as he watched Marian run out of the room.

The two outlaws heard a great disturbance coming from Gisbourne and his guards, and Robin looked at Ava anxiously - not for himself, but for Marian and her father.

' We have to get out of the house,' he told his companion, taking her arm in his vice-like grip and steering her to the window,

' But we can't leave all of Marian's lovely things to be burnt away to a cinder, ' protested the teenager.

Robin shook his head in an exasperated manner and began to climb out of the window of Marian's bedroom - the same way that they had gotten in. When his feet touched the ground her shouted for the other person to get down here at once.

When Ava made no reply, he was about to climb back up to check what was going on - until she appeared and began to slither down the ivy.

' What the hell were you playing at? ' he hissed as he dragged her behind a nearby tree in an undignified manner.

Ava held up a golden locket that Marian always kept by her bedside,' I had to rescue this, it is the last thing Marian has of her mother, '

Robin's eyes softenened for a moment until he remembered his reprimandal, ' Although it was a good thing of you to do, you could have been killed. You could have inhaled too much smoke and passed out, or been caught by a guard and hung. You do not disobey my orders! ' he told her sharply.

Ava looked suitably sheepish and Robin let himself soften, as he wrapped his arm around her gently,' Come on,' he said, nodding towards the forest.

--

The next day, part of the gang were in Nottingham Town.

The 4 of them stood together, behind a shop, watching the front door of the castle, being sure to keep their hoods up.

' Well, something's up, those guards are on real lock-down,' Much told Robin as he pulled the hood of Ava's cloak further up around her face, grazing her cheek with his fingertips.

His girlfriend of three months smiled at him softly and then cleared her throat, turning her attention to the matter at hand,' It can't all be for Edward and Marian. '

Watching a few hooded figures on horses trot right up to the castle front, Robin frowned.

' Now whom is that? ' he pondered.

One of the figures showed a hand bearing the Sheriff's insignia to the guards, and was immediatly granted access.

Allan groaned,' Oh why don't you just knock on the door and ask the Sheriff? ' when his leader, daughter, and daughter's suitor turned to look at him in annoyance he added, ' Well we're not going to find much just standin' here all day are we? '

' So what do you recomend? ' Much sighed.

Allan and Much had never had such a good friendship but had called a sort of truce when the former manservant had begun to date the other man's daughter for Ava's sake. However, Much could not resist the occasional dig or sarky comment at Allan as Allan could not resist the occasional sarky comment and odd insult at Much.

Muc would usually end the argument by threatening to run away with Ava or Allan would end the argument by threatening to ban Much from seeing Ava.

' Since you ask,' Allan began,' I was goin' to go to the tavern - got some new tricks I want to try out. Look at thi - three cups, right? '

Robin shook his head, ' Come on, let's go. '

' No, come on,' Allan whinged,' this is golden, honest. '

' Since when have we been tavern tricksters, Allan? ' the leader retorted as the led the other three through the market place.

Allan rolled his eyes, ' Why d'you have to ruin everything, huh? '

As the four of them continued to wallk, Ava looked over at her father with a sigh,' I wish you would not spend so much time in the taverns, father.'

' It's doin' me no harm,' he protested.

' It will lead you a great trouble one day. I worry about you. Why can't you leave them well alone? '

Allan smiled at his daughter slightly and shook his head, ' I can handle it. '

Ava was not at all convinced,' Much, ' she started as she tried to rope her man in on the act, ' tell father that his use of the taverns is a bad habit. '

Allan sighed, ' Spare me the lecture, my girl,' he said to his teenage daughter.

Robin stopped behind another shop, his three comrades stopping behind him.

' Why are we always skulking around the castle? ' Allan moaned.

' Marian's in there! ' Much retorted as Robin acted as a watchman, and Ava stood behind him, trying to peer over his shoulder.

' Yeah, and she's probably having cakes with the Sheriff, ' Allan added.

' You just don't get it , do you? ' Much hissed, pulling his head down and facing Allan properly.

' No,' Allan replied, gritting his teeth in annoyance, ' I don't get it, that's what I'm saying. I don't understand the way we live. We risk our lives to get money and then we give it all away, what's that all about? '

When Much made no answer, but to stare at him girlfriend's paternal parent, Allan continued.

' I'm not bein' funny, but we should get somethin'. If we don't get anything, we're goin' to get weak, demoralized, and then how are we going to help the poor? '

Much scoffed, ' You're not weak, '

' No, but I might get weak. But it doesn't matter to you, does it? '

' Oh, why? '

' You've always been weak, '

Ava and Robin, had both overheard the whole interaction and couldn't help but laugh to themselves. Ava knew she shouldn't laugh at Much;s expense, but she couldn't help it with some of the witty comments her kin made.

' Oh very funny, ' Much hissed.

Allan smirked,' I thought so, '

' Oh why don't you just - '

' Just what? ' Allan scoffed, squaring up to the younger man.

' Just jigger off! ' Much snapped.

' Jigger? That makes no sense! Jigger off? ' Allan retorted in confusion.

' You know what it means, ' Much hissed furiously.

Allan shook his head and stormed off. Much shouted after him to come back and Ava shook her head and rolled her eyes at the idiocy of the whole situation.

Much yelled after Allan, ' Then that's settled it - Ava and I will run away to the continent ! '

Allan turned around momentarily to stick two fingers up at Much, and continued to jog off.

' Just leave him to cool down, ' Robin sighed.

Much wrapped him arms around Ava's waist from behind and leant down to rest his head on her shoulder.

' Sorry about your father,' he said, not wanting to upset her, ' but he just gets under my skin sometimes.'

Ava rested her hand on top of her beloved's and smiled softly though absent mindly, ' Never mind, I know he can be a little...well...' she trailed off.

Robin turned around to face the couple, whom he was very happy for.

' We were meant to give to the poor today,' he realised,' we told them we'd be here, but I'd forgotten.'

' The Sheriff hasn't forgotten about them, ' Much said, lifting one of his arms from Ava to point at a peasant woman who had been tied to a stake, ' just look at her.'

Robin frowned at the man watching over the tied up woman and thought that he recognised him vaguely as an enemy of the king.

Dragging Ava by the hand to another point where the three of them could watch the castle, Robin made sure that the three of them were hidden behind a few large bales of hay.

' There's another one,' Robin pointed out, motioning towards a man all dressed in black, who entered the doors in to the castle courtyard,' I know that man - Foster of Rotherham. '

' Who is he? ' Ava whispered.

' A schemer, a nasty man, my dear Ava. An enemy of the king. Foster's the sort of man your parents would tell you to stay away from. The day Foster and the King ge ttogether is a black day for England and if all the visitors we keep seeing are the same, then we're in trouble. '

Robin then ordered Much to go back to camp and tell the others to get ready, and that the castle was in lockdown, so Will needed to think of a way to get over the wall.

' Should I go with him? ' Ava asked hopefully.

Robin smiled at her a little,' Nice try, but no, You're to stay here with me otherwise the both of you'll end up taking a detour into the bushes and getting sidetracked. '

When Much was gone, his cheeks flushed from his master's comment, Robin stood up and pulling Ava's hood up around her again, led her in to the centre of the town.

The pair of outlaws stopped to speak to the woman tied up.

' This the Sheriff's work? ' Robin asked, cocking an eyebrow in a questioning manner.

' Just go away,' the woman replied warily,' I don't want any sympathy and I don't want any manky food thrown at me so unless you've got a better idea, just go away, the both of you.'

' Well, how about I rescue you? ' he propositioned.

' No thanks, ' she sighed.

' I am Robin Hood, ' Robin told her, leaning in close.

' Really? ' she asked in glee before her face sobered up, ' No thanks, I'm taking the punishment for my children - they were caught stealing scraps from the castle kitchens. I've got to stay or my kids get it. It's only a day, so do me a favour and get lost.'

' If you and your children need extra food, my men and I can help.' Robin informed her.

Ava cleared her throat and gave her leader a meaningful look.

Robin smiled and corrected himself, ' I mean, my man and Ava can help. Every few days we bring a bit for those who need a little extra food or money - I can add you to our list if you give me your name. '

' What? You think I'll tell a stranger - two, two strangers - my name? '

Hearing horses coming Ava tugged at Robin's sleeve,' We have to go. '

Robin looked over at the woman in a hurry, ' You don't have to give me your name then. Be in the market on Thursdays, my men - and Ava - will be able to find you.'

As the outlaws began to hurry away, the woman shouted after them, ' Hey! Rose. My name's Rose. '

Robin nodded and walked after briskly, glancing over his shoulder to check that Ava was still behind him.

It was not long before the Sheriff came out with Rose's children and, standing in front of Rose and the crowd of villagers, declared that he was going to cut the children's hands off.

Robin, of course, would not stand for this and shot arrows to free Rose and the two children.

This led to Robin and Ava having fight several castle guards, and despite their efforts and skills, they ended up back to back, surrounded by armed guards.

Rose stood by the Sheriff, smirking and Robin immediately knew what was going on.

' Oh clever, very clever,' he sneered.

' Weapon down Hood,' Gisbourne ordered, turning to glare at Ava,' A Dale, put down yours too. ' Both outlaws knew they had no choice and flung down their swords.

' So tell me, ' Robin began, looking right at Rose, ' are these even your children? '

' Children? ' Rose asked, amusement evident in her voice, ' Urgh, no. ' Striding forward briskly, she added, ' You show me your face and I'll show you mine. ' With that, she pulled down his hood, and Ava's and peeled off a rubbery mask she was wearing to reveal that she was the woman they had met in the forest, who bore the Sheriff's insignia.

' Did I tell you I had a sister, Hood, pretty girl? ' the Sheriff asked.

The sheriff did not refer to any of the outlaws by their names and had bestowed the nickname of 'pretty girl' on Ava, since he called Allan 'pretty boy'

It was not long later when Robin was tied by his wrists to the roof beam of one of the rooms in the castle, hanging above a pit of snakes, whilst Ava was tied to a chair on the corner, forced to watch when she knew Robin would be killed by deadly snakes in a matter of minutes.

Now, they were in trouble.