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

This chapter follows series 2, episode 3.

Chapter 17

Ava had now been with the outlaws for about 6 months, and could not imagine a time when running around the forest, saving people from the Sheriff, foiling Gisbourne and the Sheriff's plans and eating over a camp fire had not been here entire life. Her birthday had passed in this time, so she was now 17.

It was one morning when the lot of them - excluding Robin, who had gone out hunting - were in the camp, accepting plates from Much.

' I thought you said chicken? ' John asked, glaring down at his portion of food.

' It's a pretty small chicken, Much,' Allan added.

Ava elbowed her parent in his side,' Father, do not annoy him so. '

' What? ' Allan asked, trying and failing to look innocent, ' I'm only sayin' it like it is, ain't I? '

' Yeah, it is small,' Will smirked.

' And if you've seen the trees lately, there's no squirrels about, ' Djaq added, exchanging a small grin with Will.

' It's not squirrel, ' Much insisted.

' What happened to the vegetables,huh? ' Djaq challenged, ' all we eat is meat when we're surrounded by edible berries and leaves and fruit for salad. '

' Salad? ' Will laughed.

' Men? Eating leaves? ' scoffed John.

' I don't see why not, ' Djaq said indignantly, ' there are so many fruits and berries to be found here, we should be making the most of them. '

' I'm with Djaq,' Ava spoke up,' some of us need to watch our figures,' she added, running a hand across her womanly hips.

' You don't need to watch anything, ' Much said forcefully, ' you're perfect the way you are. '

' Seriously, just a few pounds, here and there, ' Ava said, glancing down at her stomach.

Much put his plate down and kissed his girlfriend short and sharp on her lips to shut her up - this method of silencing her had proven to be very effective.

' All right, break it up! ' Will called good naturedly, as he threw a piece of bark at Ava's back to make them break apart, ' you're making the rest of us feel jealous and lonely. '

Robin suddenly appeared in the camp, accompanied by a young boy, who must have been aged about 8.

' We have to go, ' he said urgently before gesturing to the boy, ' this is Daniel, his friends are in danger and if I'm not much mistaken, so are we. '

' What's up? ' Allan asked through a mouthful of the debatable chicken.

' It's Gisbourne - he's created a new armour. We need to take his toys away so arm yourselves. '

As Much took the plates of food back, and the others began putting on cloaks and gathering their weapons, young Daniel looked at them in awe.

' Little John...Will...Allan A Dale...and you must be Djaq, the saracen. ' the outlaws all smiled and waved at Daniel as he said their names.

' And you're Ava A Dale, the really pretty one, ' Daniel blushed.

Ava smiled at him kindly, ' aww, well thank you. '

Daniel's eyes rested on Much, ' sorry, I can't think of your name. '

' That's Much,' Robin told Daniel, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

' Oh, yes,' Daniel said in recognition,' the servant.'

Much's face fell, as the others laughed at him, ' Oh very funny, ' he snapped.

Ava decided to chance this,' Daniel, Much is a very brave man who has always been there to help Robin. He even went to war. He's the most important one of all. '

' Isn't Robin the most important? ' Daniel asked, screwing his nose up.

' Well...Much is right behind Robin, of course. ' Ava smiled.

Much grinned at her gratefully.

Daniel then went on to look at John curiously. Ava, Robin and Will watched the boy fondly. Will was strongly reminded of his younger brother. Robin already felt a connection to the boy after their conversations coming through the woods, and Robin's rescue of him. Ava felt drawn to the child for no real reason.

' What? ' John asked, an edgy tone to his voice.

' Nothing,' the young boy said with a shake of his head,' it's just...I thought you'd be...taller.'

' I'm quite tall,' John snapped in great annoyance, as he narrowed his eyes.

Robin rolled his eyes, ' Come on, let's go. ' he decided, leading his men - and women, of course - out of the camp and to the clearing Gisbourne and his men had occupied not long since.

On the short walk, Ava had been walking beside Much as usual, when Daniel looked up at her with his wide brown eyes.

' Are there any dangerous animals in the forest? ' he asked.

' Not unless you count Gisbourne,' she replied with a smirk, causing Much to grin too,

' Will anything jump out and get me? ' he asked, now sounding a little worried.

' It's very unlikely but if it makes you feel better, you can come and walk next to me. ' she offered.

Daniel went to stand on Ava's free side but she shook her head and gently pushed him to her other side, inbetween her and Much.

' Stand between me and him, ' she told him, ' because if anything tries to get us, Much can protect us both, can't you, Much? ' she asked in an excited sort of voice, that was reserved for children.

Much smiled and nodded at Daniel, then looked over the top of his head at his beloved girlfriend - he loved the way that although the others laughed at him and didn't ever seem to take him seriously, here she was making him out to be a big hero, and asking him to protect her and the child, like a hero.

Will and John were walking behind Much, Daniel and Ava and both smiled as they watched the interaction between their friends and the young boy.

' She's a natural, isn't she? ' John said, nodding towards Ava, who was trying to get Daniel to sing a cheery song.

' Yeah. Yeah she is, ' Will replied, ' Don't know where she gets it from, cause Allan doesn't seem much good with kids. '

' He's good with her, ' John pointed out.

' She's 17 though, she's no kid. Allan sleeps with tavern maids that age. '

' That's a kind of disturbing image,' John grimaced.

' No more disturbing than Ava and the man 10 years her senior.' Will added.

' This is going to get sick if we don't leave it here. Let's just say Ava's good with kids, and leave it there.' John decided.

' They've gone,' Robin announced a few moments later, when the gang stood in the clearing

Looking around for any clues, Daniel picked up a wooden tag with a letter M carved on to it.

' It was Mark's,' Daniel told Robin, who bent down to observe it,' see the M? '

' It's good, ' Robin told him, taking hold of it.

' We play outlaws, ' Daniel told the outlaw leader,' and Robin Hood. '

Robin smiled down at the child, ' Well, I hope you're better at playing Robin Hood than I am. '

' No, ' Daniel replied sadly,' I let go of his hand. Gisbourne's lot were coming and I just ran. '

' Well then, you did the right thing,' Robin assured him.

' Really? '

' Yes - if you hadn't run, you would have been caught too, and what good is that? Listen - sometimes, in battle, there isn't time to watch your gang's back. '

Will interrupted the conversation by telling Robin about the mud tracks that they had found, leading to Locksley, upon which Robin declared that they too, must go to Locksley.

Once in Locksley, the gang were hiding behind the outside woodwork of the manor, whilst Robin went to find out some information.

They recieved an arrow with a message attatched: the message told them to use the back door plan, which meant they were to go around the back to the manor to the barn.

Will and John went to free the children, whilst the others waited a short way off.

' I don't like waiting, ' Much announced,' especially behind a cow, ' since there was a cow nearby, ' waiting is the most - '

' Much, shhhh, ' Daniel said loudly.

Allan and Djaq exchanged a smile, as they thought of how like Robin, the boy was.

In less than 30 seconds, two 8 year old boys joined the gang, followed by Will. The outlaws ushered the children behind them,

' Where's Mark? You've left Mark! ' Daniel exclaimed, in annoyance.

' He's alright, he's with John,' Will tried to assure them,' gang, we have to get to them. '

The outlaws drew their weapons, and Much made sure that the three children were hiding behind a sufficent piece of wood work,' stay here, we'll be back soon,' he told them forcefully.

The remaining outlaws - Much, Ava, Will, Allan and Djaq - charged in to the barn weapons drawn, yeling some sort of war cry, only to stop abruptly when they realised that there was no one else in the barn, but John and Mark - they had already fought the guards off, just the two of them.

Robin appeared at the door, ' This way! ' he bellowed, running out of the back way of the barn.

Before they left, Will could not resist a punch in the face for the nearest guard, ' This is for the poor! ' he told him before swinging his fist in to his face.

The outlaws rejoined the children, happy that everyone was safe.

' Is everyone alright? ' Robin asked, in a panicked voice.

The outlaws grinned happily, only to be disappointed when one of the children - a small blonde named Michael - said,' No, wait - where's Daniel ? '

Robin looked around to see that Daniel was indeed gone - Mark, Michael and the other boy, Timothy, were there, but not Daniel.

They soon found out where Danile was.

Gisbourne and the Sheriff strode down the road, and Gisbourne had a firm hold on the back on Daniel's shirt.

' Robin Hood will be back for me! ' Daniel declared, with blind faith,' He'll rescue me. He'll come with the pretty lady who's really nice to me, and the black haired man who has a nice smile, and Much who is so very brave, and Djaq, John and Allan too.'

' We're counting on it, ' The Sheriff agreed with a gleeful grin.

' People of Locksley, ' Sir Guy of Gisbourne yelled, ' let Robin Hood know that we want out box and it's contents back by morning or his little friend will be punished. ' here he lifted his sword to Daniel's neck for effect,' his little friend, will die! '

The children looked very afraid by now, so Ava reached out and wrapped one arm around Timoty and the other around Michael, letting them hug against her.

Much sighed as Mark decided he wanted a hug and buried his face in Much's shirt, but he patted his back all the same.

' Robin, we get the boy, now,' John said through gritted teeth.

' No, we stop and we think, John,' Robin corrected.

' We give him what he wants, ' Mark said.

Ava looked down at the children sadly,' He's just a boy Robin, you have to save him. He's a child.'

' But, the stones in the box, they are strong,' Djaq said,' they are worth much money and the Sherrif would use them to take lots of weapons. '

' And we can't have the Sheriff making things,' Allan added.

' We cannot give them back,' Djaq agreed.

' I know,' Robin sighed,' but we can't let the boy die either.

' So what do we do? ' Allan asked.

'We have time yet, ' Robin said thoughtfully, ' I shall go and speak to Marian. '

Whilst he was gone, the outlaws went back to camp to wait for their leader.

Ava was stood in the corner watching Will telling stories to the children, when Much snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

' What are you thinking of? ' he asked her.

' Children,' she replied.

Much gave her an alarmed look, ' Surely it's far too early to be thinking about children? '

Ava rolled her eyes, ' Not like that. I was just wonderin' what it would have been like if my father 'ad been around to tell me stories when I was younger. '

' I don't see your father as the type to tell his daughter a bedtime story. ' Much told her evenly.

' Oi! ' she said, much in the way that Allan often did, ' why must you always insult my father? Will the two of you never act like men and behave? '

' Probabaly not, ' Much shrugged, spinning her around to face him and kissing her lips gently, to which she responded by adding more pressure and pushing him up against the nearest tree.

' Hey! ' Will yelled over at them, after spotting them with their lips locked together, ' break it up lovebirds! '

When they ignored him, he tried again, ' there's children here, and they don't wish to see the show. '

Ava reluctantly broke apart from her suitor, cheeks flushed in the heat of the moment.

Wil motioned for her to come over to him and the children to hear Will's story.

Allan took the chance to march over to Much.

' What have I told you about kissing my girl in front of me? ' he asked, with a glare.

' Um...do it? ' Much ventured a guess at, nervously taking a step backwards.

' Don't, ' Allan replied sternly.

It was dark whn Robin returned to camp - late night. He gathered the hang around a small wooden table that was kept in the camp for making out plans on, and told them of how Marian had said she would find a way to save Daniel.

Robin then proceeded to have them all sit around a table, whilst they planned out their moves on the table with markers.

' So if Marian suceeds, we don't have to do any of this, ' Much pointed out.

' And if she doesn't, we need a plan,' Robin countered, ' right - we need to trade Daniel and the Black Knights in open space, and that's here, ' he put a marker down in the middle of the wooden table, ' so when the Sherif has the diamonds and we have Daniel back safely, then we can strike.'

' We can't just nick 'em back though, ' Allan said, to point out what everyone else was thinking.

Robin gave him a look that said 'why not?' so Allan elaborated.

' Well, he'll have the place surrounded won't he? Might as well just walk in with your 'ands in the air sayin' shoot me. '

' We could destroy them,' John suggested, meaning the stones.

' Well we'l have to,' Robin replied.

' We need something that burns quickly,' Djaq told them.

' Pitch, ' Mark said, only to be ignored.

' What about straw? ' Allan asked.

' Straw's fast, but it's not hot enough, ' Robin shot down that idea.

' Pitch,' Mark repeated.

' Wood? ' John offered.

' Wood's hot but it's not quick enough,' Robin disagreed.

' Pitch, ' Mark repeated.

This time everyone turned to look at him so Mark continued,' Fast burning and hot. '

The outlaws grinned and Robin nodded his head gleefully, ' Pitch! Good thinking Mark! '

' I could look at the box, ' Will said, ' choose the right wood, something thin - could line it with pitch. Give the diamonds to the Sheriff in that, and well, you could shoot the box with a flaming arrow. '

' And the rocks will explode,' Djaq finished.

' Good idea Will, we'll test it in the morning.' Robin agreed.

' Much? ' Mark chided.

' Hmm? ' Much nodded, to show that he was listening.

Mark looked down at the food that Much had given him earlier to satisfy his hunger, ' Is this rat? ' he asked.

' It's chicken,' replied Much, determined not to lose his temper with the boy.

' I can't see any feathers,' Mark pointed out.

' And we haven't seen any squirrels,' Will added with a small smirk.

Much stood up and threw down the towel he was holding,' Right - I don't suppose anyone around here has actually noticed, but I have to do everything you all have to do and..keep this larder stocked, so if anyone else would care to run themselves ragged in the forest, trying to catch us some massive animal then you can be the servant.'

His speech was met by laughter from everyone - including Ava, who couldn't help but laugh when everyone was, it was just so infectious.

Later on, Ava and Will were putting the children to bed. Despite Ava being 17, and Will only 20, the two youngest members of the gang were the most caring when it came to children.

Between the two of them, they had decided to put the children to sleep in the medical tent, which had not been used in a while and therefore would be clean and safe enough for them.

Ava pulled a blanket over Timothy and kissed his forehead, ' sweet dreams, little one,' she said.

Beofre leaving, she and Will both paused in the entrance and looked around at the three children, both thinking about what it would be like to have their own families - though of course, with different people.

Robin was watching his two youngest recruits with the children, and smiled slightly. It remimdd him of baby Seth - whom Will had also had a bond with.

When Will and Ava left the tent after bidding the boys a good night's sleep, Robin smiled at them both.

John, who was stood nearby grinned at Robin, ' They'd make good parents, wouldn't they? ' he said in a low voice.

' Yeah, they would. Give it a few years after the king comes home and they'll both have lovely families.' Robin agreed.

' It's a shame that Will and Ava aren't a couple, you know,' John mused, ' they'd be some real well looked after kids.'

' Real bonny too, ' Robin added.

At that moment, Marian entered the camp, which suprsed the group.

After saying quick hellos and how are yous, she got down to the reason she was there.

She held up a piece of paper of she spoke, ' This is a pass for the castle gate, but underneath is an order to send Daniel back to the castle, so the Sheriff can question him tonight. '

' Gisbourne won't release him to us, but he will release him to..a castle guard, ' Robin grinned, holding up on one of guards's hats.

After a pause, Allan looked around and spoke up, ' I'll do it.'

' Are you aware of the risk? ' Marian asked him, ' if Guy catches you - '

' Don't worry, he'll be putty in my 'ands,' Allan assured her.

' Then you're a brave man, ' Maran told him.

' Well..' he trailed off shrugging, with a small smile.

' I must go on ahead,' Marain sighed, ' I told the Sheriff that I would call in on Gisbourne so I must show my face there. Good luck Allan. '

The gang smiled at her and she left, pulling her travelling cloak up around her shoulders.

Allan failed in the plan, coming back and telling the rest of the gang that Gisbourne had rumbled him, and so Robin decided that they had to revert to the pitch plan.

The next morning, Will placed the box that he had carved from new wood - wood that would be perfect for hiding the pitch in - on top of a log, carefully making sure that his piece of fine craftsmanship balanced perfectly.

Robin shot the flaming arrow it it to check that it worked, and when it set alight, he was satisfied,

' Right, let's go,' he commanded the others.

Once they were in Locksley, the gang saw that the Sheriff had set up a hangman's noose ready for little Daniel. The Sheriff and his men were assembled at the head of the square where the noose had been set up, along with Gisbourne and Marian. Daniel was tied up around the waist, and the Sheriff had a hold of the other end of the rope, to be certain that Daniel would not escape.

Robin gathered the gang behind one of the cottages, where they would be out of immediate danger, but close enough to see everything that was going on and close enough to come over if Robin required assistance.

' Oh Robin Hood! ' The Sheriff called out in a sort of sing song voice.

Robin responded by striding through the crowd of villagers towards the Sheriff and Daniel, the box under one arm.

' Stay where you are, Hood, ' the Sheriff ordered when they were several meteres apart, ' my smith will meet you in the middle, check the merchandise, if it's alright, you get the key to the boy.'

' No, Sheriff, ' Robin disagreed, ' you can make the exchange, otherwise your archers there will kill me, and if they do fire up on me, my men will kill you. '

Here, the outlaws ran forward with their bows, longbows or swords - depending on what their weapon was - drawn.

' Oh La-di-da-di-dah,' the Sheriff sang, rolling his eyes in boredom beofre continuing,' right - let's get on with it. '

The two men began to wlak towards each other, slow step by step as Little Jhn ordered the gang about which way to point their aim.

'Will, Djaq, Much, you take the archers on the left, Ava, Allan, with me.'

As the outlaw leader and the Sheriff of Nottingham continued to walk towards each other, and the guards and the outlaws drew their bows towards each other tighter, Marain watched all this and cried out,

' Stop! '

The Sheriff turned around in annoyance as Marain ran to meet him, ' You cannot release this hild to an outlaw,' she told him.

The Sheriff glared at Marian,' somebody find me a box and put this woman in it, ' he demanded of his guards, with all his usual wit and sharp tounged comments.

' Release him to me, ' Marian pleaded, ' I will see that he gets home safely. Hood - this makes no difference to you, you have my word. '

Robin was inwardly grinning at the way they here interacted - pretending like they did not like each other and were not on the same side - but kept a straight face and merely nodded.

' I accept these terms, ' he said calmly.

' Good for you,' the Sheriff replied, ' Go on then Marian, have the boy. '

He gave Marian the key and the rope, so she could free Daniel and be sure that he was safe, before turning back to Robin.

' Now,the black diamonds, allow me to check the merchandise. ' he commanded, to which Robin relented by handing the smith the box.

The Sheriff's smith opened the box and the two of them peered inside it and grinned.

' Now, I can't have this, after all you are a murderous outlaw, as Lady Marian pointed out. ' he sneered, pulling out a small cloth bag and tipping the diamonds in to it, and out of the box.

Robin closed his eyes for a second, cursing the man for it.

Ava looked up at her father who was nearest to her and whispered,' the Sheriff's guessed our plan! '

' Mmmm, ' Allan said quietly, ' unbelievable.'

' Something wrong, Hood? ' the Sheriff asked before turning away and cackling to himself, ' All yours Gisbourne, ' he called out, as he took his seat behind the scaffolding of the noose.

The doors of the manor opened and out walked a figure clad from head to toe in shiny silver armour. It was this armour that Mark, Daniel, Michael and Timothy had seen Gisbourne testing in the forest.

' It's that armour! ' Djaq yelled.

Ava rolled here eyes in annoyance - why did Djaq need to point that out? It was plainly obvious.

Gisbourne ran at Robin with his sword drawn, causing John to throw his leader a sword, so he could fight back.

A fierce sword fight followed, ending with Gisbourne disarming his opponent.

Marian, Vaysey, the gang, the children and the guards watched in apprehension, as Gisbourne yelled out,

' Locksley will always be mine! '

Robin retaliated by throwing a nearby bucket of pitch over Gisbourne, covering his armour in the thick black substance.

' Is that the best you can you? ' Gisbourne goaded.

Robin did not answer ashe was gathering his bow and arrow and lighting it from a stove fire outside the nearest thatched cottage.

He shot it straight at Gisbourne - who stupidly did not seem to be expecting it.

The armour set alight at once, causing the outlaws to cheer, proud of their leader.

Gisbourne thrashed around in rather a panic before throwing himself in a large vat of water, givin the outlaws even greater reason to be in peals of laughter.

Robin quickly jusmped over to where his rival was, stripping him over his armour and holding him down in the big bucket y his shoulder ,whilst pointing a sword at his neck.

' Tell your men to withdraw, Sheriff! ' Robin demanded,' another exchange - the black diamonds for Gisbourne. ' he then lowered his voice and looked at the wet man below him, ' how long can you hold your breath? '

' My Lord! Please! ' Gisbourne yelled just as Robin dunked his head under.

The Sheriff and his smith - who was still clutching the black diamonds - approached slowly.

' You..um..you seem to have over estimated Gisbourne's importance to me,' the Sheriff said.

' Not even you would let him die,' Robin retorted, pulling Gisbourne back up .

' I have everything I could want, ' the Sheriff shot back.

Marain suddenly came up from no where and pointed a sword at the smith's back, ' Sheriff, let him live. '

' Who? ' Vaysey quizzed, with a smirk as he knew very well who she was talking about.

' Guy, ' Marain replied.

' Marian, what are you doing? ' the Sheriff asked, with a frown.

' I am asking you to reconsider.'

' You are helping Hood,'

' Quite the opposite,' she corrected,' I'm reminding you that Sir Guy is your most loyal servant.

' Let him die,' the Sheriff spat to Robin, as Robin continued to dunk him under the water, and wondered what on earth his beloved was playing at.

' He's a good man,' Marian pleaded with gritted teeth,' he must be worth more to you than a sack of rocks? '

The Sheriff snatched the sack from his smith,' I will have those rocks ,' he decreed.

' Then I will kill this man,' Marian announced, bringing the dagger to the smiths back closer, and closer,' without him, are the rocks really any use? '

' No, no they are not,' the smith replied,' I am the only man west of Jerusalem who can make them work their magic.

' My Lord! ' Gisbourne gasped, when Robin let him come up for air, only to plunge him back under.

' Shut up! ' Vaysey snapped.

' My lord, I will get you more rocks,' the smith assured him, as Marian kept the knife held at his back.

Vaysey considered this for a moment before giving in to the fact that Gisbourne was the most loyal man he had and therefore he could not watch him die, and threw the sack of rocks over to Robin's feet.

Marain let the smith go, and Robin - still giving looks of questioning to her - let go of Gisbourne.

He tossed the rocks to Will and ordered him to burn them, which Will did quickly, putting them on the fire outside the cottage and watching them burst in to a puff of smoke.

Soon after, back at camp, Much passed around glasses of drink.

' A toast! ' he declared.

' Hang on, ' Robin stopped him, as he pulled out of a small bag, four tags identical to the ones that the outlaws each wore.

' Good work, lads,' he told the young boys, ' you are now honorary members of our gang,' he told them as he passed around the tags, ' you are our eyes and ears in the villages, and any time you need us, you can call on us. '

' And anytime you need us, call on us, ' Daniel told his idol.

' It's a deal, ' Robin agreed.

' We are Robin Hood! ' John called out, raising his mug.

' We are Robin Hood! ' the children replied, causing the outlaws to laugh.