"Much, wake up! I need your help!"

"Master?"

Much had been dreaming of his days as an outlaw, and so now, pulled from his deep slumber by Robin's urgently pleading voice, he forgot he was no longer a servant, but a lord himself.

His wife Eve, startled awake, was appalled by this midnight visit to her bedchamber, for she thoroughly believed Robin of Locksley frequently took her kindhearted husband for granted. Pulling the bedclothes up to her chin, she made little effort to be polite. "How did you get in here?" she asked.

"Apologies for the intrusion," Robin said, in that natural, charming way he had. "Bonchurch used to be my hunting lodge, before I gave it to Much. And so, I know every way in and out of here." Turning back to Much, he pleaded, "Will you help me, my friend?"

Much needed no persuasion. He was already out of bed, struggling to disentangle his legs from his floor length nightshirt so that he could shove them into his trousers. "Of course! Of course I will!" he flustered. "Is it Marian? Is it the baby? Oh, no! I knew Marian would come to trouble, capering about! I knew it!"

"Marian's fine, Much, thank God. It's an innocent man, the king's barber. He's due to hang in a few hours, unless we rescue him. I tried saving him on my own, but they've moved him from the castle keep, and I can't free him from the dungeons without your help."

Hearing Robin's lengthy explanation, Much froze, one foot partway through a trouser leg. Losing his balance and falling on his rump, he threw up his arms in a gesture of frustration, crying, "Unbelievable! You barge in here and wake me and my wife up in the middle of the night, to save a man who doesn't need rescuing? Very funny!"

"It's no joke, Much. I'm not trying to trick you. The king will hang him."

"No he won't. Don't you know anything?"

Robin didn't answer, only stared at Much, waiting for an explanation.

Naturally, Much was happy to supply it. "The king pardoned that barber, after you took Marian home from the fair today, or was it yesterday? What time is it, anyway?"

"He pardoned him?" Robin asked, incredulous. "You're sure? That's good, but why?"

Much gave Robin a triumphant smile, pleased for once to know more than his friend. "He made a proclamation that he'd changed his mind about his haircut. He said your wife found it attractive!"

Robin needed a moment for Much's words to sink in. "So, Marian's plan worked," he finally managed to say.

"What plan?" Much grew anxious again, not understanding. "What plan, Robin? I don't understand."

A relieved smile stretched across Robin's face, brightening the room. "It seems I woke you for no reason," he said, grinning. "Sorry about that."

"Is it breakfast time?" Much asked, suddenly hungry. "Stay and eat with me, Robin."

Eve groaned, pulling a pillow over her head.

"Go back to bed, Much," Robin advised. "I need to get home, and go to bed myself. Everyone in Locksley's going to the horse fair tomorrow, myself included. I'll see you there."

Before Much could mention he hadn't been planning to attend, Robin was gone, disappearing just as suddenly as he'd appeared.

"How does he do that?" Eve asked her husband, reappearing from under her pillow.

"He's Robin," Much proudly answered. "Now, I wonder what we're having for breakfast? I could do with some eggs and bacon. Or maybe ham. No, bacon, I think."

"Goodnight, Much," Eve smiled, kissing him.

...

"Good morning, Slug a Bug," Marian's lovely voice teased, when Robin finally opened his eyes the following morning.

Robin pulled himself up on his elbows, blinking at the light streaming through his window. He was surprised it was so late, for Marian was already up and dressed for the fair, sitting on the bed with Ellen on her lap.

Grinning, Robin reached for his child, lifting her high above him before setting her down to straddle his chest. "You two look gorgeous," he told his wife and daughter. "I'll be the envy of every man in Nottingham."

"Daddy, horsies." Ellen, clutching her toy horse, was clearly excited about today's excursion.

"Alright, Boo," Robin grinned, handing her back to Marian after giving her a kiss. "I'll be ready to go in the blink of an eye."

Before Marian could rise to lead Ellen away, he'd pulled her to him and kissed her as well, mussing up her hair she'd twisted and pinned up.

"Robin!" she scolded. "Now is not the time!"

Still grinning, he handed her back her hairpin. "Better put this back in," he told her, half seriously. "I just might have need of it today. I hope your aim's still true."

"Aim?" she asked, growing suspicious. "Robin! Were you up to something while I was asleep?"

"You know me," he answered cockily. "Would I ever leave your side, if I didn't have to?"

Unsatisfied, she gave him one of her stern looks, earning her his chuckles, then summoned their daughter away. "Come on, Precious. Daddy needs to dress, and then we can have a nice, long discussion on the way to Nottingham horse fair."