A/N: Thanks to Emmithar for the beta!

Chapter 2: Cold

Marian closed the door of her chamber behind her, hugging the cloth that covered her upper body closer around her. She took a few more steps into her room and her gaze fell on the floor.

Something was not right. The wet traces on the stone floor told too clearly of the intruder. She lifted her eyebrows.

"Where are you?"

She didn't dare speak his name... if it was someone else after all, such a wrong word could prove devastating.

Her frown turned into a smile as Robin stepped out from his hiding place. His clothes were still dropping wet, as well as soiled with splatters of mud. She hadn't seen him in weeks and it was with relief that she crossed the few steps towards him now. A hug followed a kiss, before she looked closer at him. He seemed worn and it didn't much surprise her.

"How are you doing?" he asked, taking her hand in his.

"I'm fine."

He grimaced. "That doesn't sound convincing."

She shook her head slightly, feeling that it was not the right time to discuss her worries. Robin would not be able to help her.

"You're the one who's soaking wet. You've got to be cold," her voice sounded harsher than she'd intended it to be, but Robin didn't appear as if he minded her tone.

"I'm alright." He shrugged.

She frowned. "This is not the type of weather to be treading around in wet clothing. Wait here, I'll find you something dry."

"This weather is what gave me theses clothes," Robin reminded her, grabbing her arm as she turned. "I came for a reason..."

He stopped as she leaned forward, smiling as their lips met for the briefest of moments. She pulled back, eying him with a suspicious grin. "Well...more than one reason," he admitted.

"If we're going to talk, then you're going to be dry," she scolded him. She would not allow him to stay bundled in the wraps of filthy wet clothing.

"Alright, but I don't know how flattering I'll look in one of your dresses," he nodded, crossing his arms, apparently waiting for her to get him the promised dry clothes. It caused her to wonder if he thought she'd promised things she couldn't deliver, but she moved to a wooden chest and opening the lid, quickly produced a fresh set of clothes out of it.

"Where did you get these from?" Robin wondered, looking at what was decidedly man's clothing.

"Well, I sometimes need to get-"

"I doubt you've been wearing these." He grinned as he dressed, the smirk vanishing for a moment as he pulled the shirt over his head.

"I haven't," she shook her head. "That's not the point though. You could get sick."

He shrugged again. "So I get sick; it happens."

Marian frowned and his expression turned more serious, as he was watching her.

"Something's upsetting you," he stated, stepping closer now that he was done dressing.

"Yes," she confirmed. "You are." She tried for a smile to banish the frown. She didn't mind telling him what was troubling her, but she didn't want to hear him making her any false hopes, promises of help he wouldn't be able to keep.

He smirked, leaning in to kiss her again instead of answering. She smiled, pulling back, knowing this was a favorite tactic of his. She sobered up then, looking at him earnestly.

"It's my father."

Robin nodded.

"He's ill…very ill, and he's down there in the dungeons. It's cold and damp." She turned away from him, closing her eyes. "I need to get him out of there."

"I can help-"

"I know you want to, but what would you do? You might be able to fight just fine, but he can't. And if you did manage to get him out, where would you go?" She shook her head, still with her back to him. She remembered his pleas, asking her to come to the forest with him. "He can't go to the forest," she said, almost having to laugh at the ludicrous thought. It would have been better if she hadn't mentioned it at all. She turned back to him, wanting to change the subject. "Why did you come again?"

"The king."

She nodded. She had expected him to hear about it, and knew that the would come to her as soon as he did.

"What do you know about it?" Robin rubbed his forehead with one hand.

"Bits and pieces." Grimacing, she added, "The sheriff doesn't trust me with his private information."

Robin gave her a stern look and she realized she had made a mistake. It was only supporting his argument that she shouldn't be here at the castle anymore.

"Gisborne's been telling me some things," she explained, knowing Robin wouldn't like this any better than what she had said before. "The king's been handed over to Henry IV." She said it in a calm voice, but she knew how much indignation it would cause.

"The-" Robin shook his head. "To the emperor?"

Marian nodded. "There's a ransom set."

"Money," Robin spat, knowing the trouble it would cause already. "How much?"

"150,000 marks."

Robin closed his eyes, shaking his head quietly. "England doesn't have that much to give."

Marian knew this to be true, but at the same time she knew that there was no hope without the king returning home. But then there was nothing she and Robin could do about it. They'd have to wait till the king was finally free and able to return to the country, even if it meant they had to wait just as long as they had waited for him to leave the war behind.

"You have to stay focused on what's happening here," she said with these thoughts in mind. Robin nodded, but she wasn't sure he had really taken her advice to his heart. "What are you going to do? It's been quiet these last weeks," she said, bringing up a smile, as she remembered the cold and lonely days, trying to force both their thoughts to happier prospects.

"I-" Robin started, but he was interrupted as there was a loud knock at her door. Another knock was followed by an unmistakable voice.

"Marian?"

"Gisborne," Robin hissed in a low voice.

"You've got to go," Marian motioned him to leave, calling out towards the door at the same time. "A moment, please." Startled she saw Robin not leaving but moving forward and found him planting a quick kiss on her lips, before turning around and climbing out of the window.

She saw him disappearing out of sight just as she heard the door behind her being opened. Remembering the heap of wet clothes Robin had left behind, she grabbed them from the floor and threw them under her bed, sitting down there with the same movement, pretending to have been there the whole time. Closing her eyes for only a second, she let out a sigh, wondering why he always had to take these risks. She hadn't seen him in weeks and she had missed him, but she certainly didn't miss fearing for his life every time he came to town, ready to pull one of his stunts.

She turned her head towards the door and faced Guy with a polite smile.

"Marian."

She tried to put Robin out of her mind, focusing on the other man now. "You rode out this morning?" she asked, standing up from the bed. "Was it a pleasant ride?" She knew it could not much have been so in the present weather, and her mind wandered once again to Robin who had entered her chamber dripping wet.

"Acceptable in the circumstances," Guy replied. He cleared his throat, coming further into the room and looking around. She knew he would notice the traces of mud and melted snow Robin had carried inside, but hoped he wouldn't ask about it. "I hope you are comfortable here, as well as you can be. I know the castle walls can't offer the warmth a house could give."

"You do not need to worry about me, Guy."

He nodded, a frown appearing on his face then as he realized what she was hinting at.

"You've been outside?" he asked with another glance at the room, going for a topic she had hoped to avoid in favour of one that she was actually willing to discuss.

"Yes, briefly. I'd just changed- it's too wet and dirty outside..."

Guy nodded.

"My father?" she tried again what she had already been alluding to earlier.

"I'm sorry. The sheriff does not allow it."

Marian chose not to comment on it any further for now. She had tried to coax Guy into convincing the sheriff to let her father leave the dungeons – the place that was going to be his death this winter, as it was held in bitter coldness. But Guy's persuasive power with the sheriff was apparently still somewhere between small and non-existent.

She would have to approach the sheriff herself, although she doubted she would have much more success than Guy had. Though she judged her methods to be generally more successful, she had no stand with Vaysey; quite the opposite – he would be very wary of her. Marian was afraid that in this matter her presence was not helping her father at all.

Guy still stood there, apparently waiting for the moment that he could bring up whatever request or demand he was planning to make today. With the weather as bad as it was, he seemed to have been looking for her company even more than usual. Or maybe it was only the impression she had, mostly stuck in the castle herself.

"I wish to go see my father," she said then, before he could even bring up what he had certainly wanted to.

"It is quite chilling down there," he warned her even as she stood. "No place for a lady."

"Nor is it a place for a lady's father. But that doesn't seem to stop you or the sheriff from keeping him down there."

It was with anger that she spoke. Even as she voiced the words she was aware that this was the kind of thing that had led to much of the trouble she and her father found herself in. On the other hand, the alternative would have been betrayal of the crown. She might have been more careful, acting as she and her father had advised Robin to do, before he had become an outlaw. But with the sheriff it was questionable how long they could have remained safe, even if there had not been the failed wedding with Gisborne.

The very man looked at her with a hardened expression now.

She breathed out slowly, trying to calm, bringing up the words that were the only thing that were serving her in situations like these, least she wanted to go and live in the forest as well.

"Forgive me, I am just worried for my father."

"Marian, the sheriff is expecting a guest tonight. There will be a festive dinner." He spoke as if the previous exchange had not taken place. She nodded, knowing what the request would be. "I wish you to attend."

"Do you wish it or does the sheriff?" Marian asked quietly, no sharpness in her voice when she spoke words that could have just as well come out in a fully different way, if not her anger had cooled down by now, replaced by an exhausted worry.

"I do," he said, nodding once. "The sheriff has not extended his invitation, but I wish you to be there."

She nodded as well, wondering how much desire to show his estimation was in his words, and how much was simply willingness to exert the power he held.

"I'm going to be there."

The camp was closed. They kept it closed all of the times these days, even when not all of them were back at their home yet.

Much knew it was a good thing because it kept the warmth in and the cold out, which was very much needed these days. But still it made him nervous. Or maybe he was simply nervous and he just felt it so much more in the enclosed off space that was their camp. He wanted to have a full view of the forest, wanted to look out for Robin. It wasn't like he'd know much in advance when the man or any of the other outlaws would make their way to the camp, it was too well hidden for that, but still, he felt like he should be on the look-out for his master, who was the only one of the outlaws not enjoying the comparative coziness of the camp now. As usual he was up and about; nobody knew where he had gone or when he would return. Much guessed the man would never change in that matter.

It wasn't the only thing that would never change, Much figured. The day before Robin had returned from another one of his lonely trips, from Locksley as he had told them. He'd also mentioned that he had met Thornton and that the man had given him the food Robin had brought with him to camp, greatly to Much's delight. But apart from that Robin had been awfully quiet that night.

Much knew he'd been brooding on something, but he had no clue what it was. He had waited for Robin to tell him, but as it happened far too often, he had not done so. Much hoped the man wasn't worrying about the peasants or the town's folk again. He knew it bothered Robin deeply if he did not have the love and respect of the people, but in Much's mind, he shouldn't be worrying about it too much. He loved Robin, and if the people were so ungrateful not to do the same – and just because of some tales of the sheriff – then Robin should not care about them.

But maybe it was something entirely different that Robin had been thinking about, but Much had no way to know, if the man didn't tell him. So neither Much nor the rest of the gang could really know what Robin was up to on this day. They had guessed that he had gone off to Nottingham, probably to see Marian, as he had not done so for several weeks, but they were not certain about it. Much knew that one day they had to find a way to make their leader talk to them.

When he had voiced the thought, Allan had what he considered jokingly suggested some measures that were rather methods the jailer of Nottingham would use, but Much had been disgusted at the talk, no matter that Allan had quickly assured him that it had only been in jest. After all, the man had even added as if in an afterthought, that it would be a more promising way to gain any insightful information from Robin than Much's desperate asking.

Much got up from where he had been sitting. If he could not do anything else, he would at least start supper. It was something they'd all need, of course, and once Robin returned, he'd at least be able to warm up with a nice hot stew. Much nodded to himself, as he walked over to what was considered the kitchen part of the camp.

He'd started chopping carrots in a large pot, the fire already burning under it, when there was a sound by the entrance of the camp. Only those who knew where it was would find the spot that marked the place that would open it. A moment later, a man was sticking his head inside the camp and it was indeed the one Much had hoped for.

"There you are, Master."

Robin nodded towards him, moving fully into the camp, before carefully closing it off both against any intruders and the coldness outside.

"Robin!" Djaq greeted him.

"Where've you been?" Allan asked and Much only noticed now that the man was awake.

"In Nottingham," Robin replied simply, dropping down on a bench. Much watched his expression for a moment, seeing the same pondering in it that he'd seen recently more often than usual. He opened his mouth to ask a familiar question, but decided then to continue chopping carrots. It would do more good, he guessed.

He was finished with that task and had just started to look for what else he could put into the stew, when Robin spoke again.

"There's something I need to tell you."

Not even the sight of the piece of meat from Will and Allan's last hunt that he had just discovered in their storage could keep Much from turning to Robin now.

"What is it?" he asked eagerly, moving towards the man, glad he was finally ready to talk to them. Robin was silent for another few moments and Much almost thought he had changed his mind.

"The king has left the Holy Land," the man said then.

"Yes!" Much exclaimed, but fell silent when he saw Robin's face. "This is a good thing... right?"

"He has been taken captive in Austria," Robin added and Much looked at him incredulously as the man told the gang the rest of what he had learned from Thornton and Marian. There was silence when he had finished.

"What are you going to do?" Much finally asked, sure Robin had a plan on his mind, no matter how tricky the situation.

"The ransom... England doesn't have that sum to pay," Robin said, but to Much it seemed as if he was talking more to himself because what use to the outlaws' discussion could the talk about the ransom have? They could surely not get involved in that...

"Not being funny, but we sure don't have it either," Allan commented with a shake of his head. Robin looked at him sternly. "Just saying..."

"We've got to find a way-" their leader started, but Will interrupted him.

"Robin, we've got to talk to you, too."

Much knew what was on Will's mind. It had been on all their minds for the past weeks, if not months, and he also understood why Will was interrupting Robin now.

"What is it, Will?"

"Djaq and I, we've been to Nettlestone today." Will spoke steadfastly and Robin nodded only, waiting for him to go on. Much remembered that Robin had not exactly told them to stay at camp, so he surely could not argue against the trip the two outlaws had undertaken. "The people are starving," Will emphasized. "They don't have anything left."

Robin nodded again slowly. What Will said came as no surprise. It had only been a question of which village would run out of food first. They'd actually guessed that the town would be where food would be most scarce, with the storages nearly empty even at the beginning of the winter.

"We need to help." John's statement was clear and Much only waited for Robin's plan as to what they would do.

"There's talk about the peasants going and hunting in the forest – you know how that's going to end," Allan grimaced.

"Yes, I know," Robin confirmed with a strained expression.

Much knew that they would go and help the villages, even though they seemed to have no plan as of yet as to how they would accomplish it. He was certain that Robin would come up with something, but then he also guessed that Robin had the other matter on his mind, too. The king's troubles, for the peasants they were as far away as the moon was, but Much knew that for Robin they were important.

Robin frowned then. "What's that smell?"

Much stared at him and with a sudden realization he turned to the pot he had set up earlier. It didn't contain much more than the vegetables as of yet, but those were getting very well cooked.

TBC