Hey....im leavn town for the weekend....so this is it for a couple of days but ill be back with better chapters than this....which i guess is for you to judge how good or bad it is...thank you once agian all of you for your reviews and your readings and stuff the reviews drive me to keep writing chapter after chapter its encouragment and i thank you sooo mucch!!!! anyway read review and enjoy--and i apologize once again for my bad french....i took latin

Chapter Eleven Walking or Riding?

The sheriff of Nottingham was currently not a happy man.

"I am not a happy man," he said to Edward as they rode on horseback through countryside. "And do you know why?"

Edward sighed. No wonder Gisborne had left the sheriff. Edward was not sure how much of the sheriff's sheriffness he could stand. But then he remembered the heinous crimes Guy had committed against his family. He remembered why he was with Vasey, in France, in the first place.

To kill Guy of Gisborne.

But Edward decided to guess why Vasey was not a happy man.

"Maybe because we are lost?" suggested Edward.

The sheriff scowled. "No, it's because I do not have rainbows and fairy dust shining around me! A clue: No! Of course it is because we are lost Edward! We've been in this godforsaken country for nearly three weeks now! And have we made any progress? Have we reached Gizzy and his lady leper love? A clue: No!"

It was true. For three weeks Vasey and Edward had been riding through the countryside of northern France. They found very few people who they could get directions from. And they found very few towns where they could get shelter for the night. Often they would sleep outside. Edward was always in charge of finding some suitable shelter for them. Naturally the sheriff would not lift a finger to help.

But luck was coming quicker than they had anticipated. Edward was the first who spotted the trio. Walking up to the sheriff and Edward were three young men. These three young men wore ragged clothes and no shoes. Their faces were covered with soot and they each had wild unruly hair. What Edward and Vasey did not see was that each man held a very sharp dagger.

Edward pointed them out to the sheriff in excitement. "Look! Up ahead. Maybe they will know the way to Angicourt."

Vasey rolled his eyes. "Ask them then."

Edward got off his horse and the three men walked up to them. Edward tried to be friendly and smile at them. They each looked angry and very malnourished. Edward attempted a chuckle. It would have been easier to conduct this search in England. They spoke English in England.

"Parlez vous Anglis?" he asked them hopefully.

Instead of replying one of the men held his dagger inches from Edward's neck. Edward gulped and sweat began to pour down from his forehead.

"My lord sheriff, help me!"

Vasey's first instinct was to gallop away from the messy scene and find Gisborne on his own. But he found it was difficult to move when a second man held onto the reins of his horse and looked up at the sheriff with a wicked smile.

Vasey bit his lip. What was he going to do?

Thankfully he did not need to think because one of the outlaws said, "Ecouter."

Vasey's eyes lit up. He knew that word.

Horse. He wants my horse.

He smiled down nervously at the outlaw holding his horse. Then Vasey got down from the horse he was riding on and pointed his finger at the man still holding his horse in hostage.

Then he pointed to the horse. "Ecouter."

The man nodded and then signaled to the other outlaws to release Edward. Two men boarded the horses and the third man looked down at Edward's shoes and smiled at him.

"They want your shoes," said Vasey. "Give the nice man your shoes Edward."

Edward did as he was instructed and the outlaw greedily put on the shoes as if the two objects on his feet were riches. Without a word to the two Englishmen the French outlaws laughed and continued on their particular path with the stolen goods.

When they were out of sight Vasey began jumping up and down angrily.

"Does this have to happen everywhere I go?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "We could just keep on walking milord."

"This is going to take forever!" groaned the sheriff. "If we were back home I would have ordered a hanging by now."

Edward massaged the back of his neck and chuckled nervously.

"Obviously those outlaws came from a town area. They were probably sent away and are now on the road. If we keep following the direction we are heading, surely we shall find some sort of civilized town area."

The sheriff nodded and pushed Edward to the side so he could lead the way.

"What was that for my lord?" asked Edward rubbing his arm.

"I have had enough with your brilliant leading. From now on I will be in the front."

In about half a mile Edward and the sheriff would realize that Edward had been right in his assumption. There was a small town that would be "civilized" enough for the two weary and evil Englishmen. But what they would find at the town would make Vasey desire even more hangings. The sheriff did not even know how "popular" his dictatorial regime was throughout Europe. The mysterious death in the bar had also not gone unnoticed by the French people. In this seemingly friendly town he and Edward were about to find out the true meaning of "wanted dead or alive."

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Robin and his gang reached the stables where, they had been informed by Will, there were affordable horses. Will led the way to the stables because he and the rest of the gang were under the assumption that French would be needed to conduct this business transaction.

When they entered the stables they saw many beautiful horses but no people seemed to be around. That was certainly odd.

The gang gave each other weird looks until Will decided to holler and see if anyone would respond.

"Bonjour?"

Suddenly from behind one of the stalls they heard a girl call, "Un moment mousier!" Though the girl spoke French the accent was English. This confused the gang.

And then without warning the girl stood up from behind the stall she had been in.

It took Much only an instant to recognize that face. He had spent many nights dreaming of that face. Her hair was a bit longer and her face was a little dirtier but she was still the same…Eve.

"Eve?" he gasped and almost fell backwards into John.

Eve walked out of the stall and towards the gang. "Much? Is that you?"

Much nodded dumbfounded and walked towards Eve. "Yeah. It's me. What are you doing here?"

The girl he had fallen in love with smiled at him. "I could ask you the same question."

Throughout this conversation there was one question on most of the gang's mind.

Who the bloody hell is she?

But Robin smiled. He remembered Eve very well. She had been a spy for the sheriff and then helped the gang destroy the deadly black powder. He shook his head in amazement and briefly forgot his own lost love. Instead he found comfort rejoicing in his friend's found love.

Much remembered that no one, besides Robin, knew who Eve was so he decided to explain.

"Everyone, this is Eve. She was my, uh, uh…servant of sorts while I was Earl of Bonchurch. She's the one who gave the sheriff wrong information about the black powder."

Allan nodded. "Oh, that was you then."

Eve nodded but her eyes were still fixed on Much. She could not believe he was standing in front of her now. She wanted to reach up and touch him just to make sure he was real. Though their romance had been brief Eve often found herself thinking of the sweet, funny, kind-hearted, outlaw who had held her heart in his hand.

The rest of the gang was waiting for Much to continue to explain further but he was silent as he stared down awestruck at Eve.

"Now what?" muttered John under his breath.

Djaq, being the girl, understood the situation. "I think we need to give them a moment alone."

Djaq led the way out of the stables and Robin, Will, John, and Allan followed her lead.

Alone in the stables, Eve could no longer restrain herself as she threw her arms around Much and laughed.

"I thought I would never see you again."

While they embraced Much closed his eyes and sighed. "I thought so too."

Once they parted Much finally asked his pervious question. "What are you doing in France? Not that I wish you were not here. I am glad, more than glad, that you are here, with me."

Eve laughed. "Once the sheriff and Gisborne found out that I had lied to them, it was no longer safe for me to remain in England. I was able to get save passage to France and I have been working here ever since. I groom and sell these horses to the best of my ability but I so long to go back home…and go back to you…Much."

He loved the way she said his name. It was so different from the way the rest of the gang said his name. Normally it was followed by a "shut up!" or a "be quiet!" But Eve spoke his name as if it was the most important word in the world.

Much bent his head close to Eve and whispered, "I am so sorry I was the reason you had to leave England. If only…"

Eve shrugged. "Your wishing is hopeless, I would do it again in a heartbeat."

Much smiled and slowly, very slowly, kissed his dear Eve on the lips.

She blushed. "Make that less than a heartbeat."

Much grinned but then he recalled why he was here and the mission at hand. "We were wondering if you could help us."

Eve nodded. "I'm guessing you need a few horses."

Much nodded. "I have a new mission with Robin hood and the rest of the lads."

"Want to tell me? I swear I am not working for the sheriff anymore."

Much then explained to his beloved Eve the reason why he and the gang were in France. He told her of Marian's marriage and near collapse of Nottingham.

"It is an awful long way to travel just for a girl," Eve mused.

"I would have traveled to the ends of the earth to find you," said Much defending his master. "You do not understand the passionate love my master has for that 'girl' Marian."

"Sorry." Eve looked down at her feet.

Much nodded. "I'll let them come back in now." He went outside and told the gang it was okay to enter again. But not before Allan said what was on everyone else's mind.

"So…more than just your servant eh?"

Much sighed and led them into the stables without answering Allan's question. Robin asked the questions and Eve was quick to answer them. After a short while they had negotiated the price for six horses. Robin paid her for her troubles.

Through this Eve looked forlornly at Much. Soon they would leave again on their adventure and leave her here alone.

Much would leave her here alone. That made her cross. And determined. The thought that she was about to say goodbye to Much for the second time was too much for Eve.

"Wait," she said.

Robin waited.

"How about I uh…let you have another horse for free?"

Robin raised an eyebrow. "There are only six of us. We would not know what to do with a seventh horse."

Much looked curiously at Eve. He was beginning to see where she was going with this but was not completely sure. He remained silent while Eve continued.

"The seventh horse is for your guide," she answered expertly.

"Guide?" Allan asked.

"Guide?" John asked.

"Guide," answered Eve. "You know, someone who will be able to guide you to Burgundy safely. Someone who knows which routes to take and what inns to stay at for the night."

Robin smiled knowingly. "Might interest you to know, that we currently do not have a guide."

Eve bit her lip. "Does that mean that there's an opening for the position?"

"Yes," exclaimed Much loudly. "Yes there is!"

Will chuckled and Allan whispered, "Told you so."

"Are you sure you want to leave your job?" asked Robin. "It could be dangerous. Remember, we're a band of outlaws."

Eve shrugged. "I'm sure the sheriff would have my head just as quickly as he would any of yours. I think that counts as sort of an outlaw."

Robin nodded. "Okay, you're hired."

So out of the stable trotted seven riders instead of the original six. Eve and Robin rode in the front while Eve told him of their route and how to travel. Much rode behind her silently. Every so often he would take a deep breath and inhale her lovely scent. He was happy.

He was so happy he could hardly contain himself. And his happiness was obvious in Robin's eyes. And though he in turn was happy for his best friend's new found love, he found himself missing Marian all the more. His only comfort was that soon, soon they would reach Burgundy. He would have to convince his brother to help him and then…and then….

To Marian.

okay so not much happened in this chapter....vasey and edward have no horses while robin and the gang have horses and much has eve...yes i know it was a bit mushy but theyre mushyness was instead of my normal guy/mar romancish chapter so what do you think of bringing back eve??? sweet or not?? and i know the writing is not as good as normal but the next chap will be good because finally we will have a confrontation where brother meets brother...please keep reading stick around to find out if alll goes well...again id love to hear your thoughts so far even if you hate it..