Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood, nor do I profit from this writing.

A/N: Finally getting to the juicy bit of Allan working for Guy! Yay!

This story will continue with my own version of season 3. The series hasn't aired here in the US, and I have already planned out what happens (and who arrives for Guy ^_^)

Chapter 7: Absence

"Is it only me, or has Allan been mysteriously absent?" Gretchen pondered as they cleaned the bedrooms. "I haven't seen him corner you, or hear you talk about him, for nearly 2 days."

"No, it isn't just you," Eleanor said as she scooped out the ashes from the fireplace.

"Perhaps it's a good thing he can't see you like this, a little cinder girl," Gretchen teased making Eleanor roll her eyes.

"I don't understand why you care so much."

"Because he aggravates you, and you let him," Gretchen smiled. "There is something oddly charming about Allan a dale."

"You have fallen under Allan a Dale's infamous charm!" Eleanor accused.

"That isn't important. What's important is you have," Gretchen said as she finished fluffing the last pillow and Eleanor laid the makings for a new fire.

"I never said I felt one way or another," Eleanor pointed out.

"You don't have to say anything, Eleanor," Gretchen explained. "You are known throughout the castle because of your avoidance of the male servants. You don't avoid or ignore Allan. You actually seem to enjoy his company."

"When he isn't full of himself," Eleanor grinned. "And don't let him know that!" she threatened Gretchen. "I don't know why, I can't explain it. Perhaps there may be a few decent men in England after all."

"It seems they are all outlaws," Gretchen laughed as they moved on to the next bedroom.

"It is odd he hasn't come at all, even for, uh, business," Eleanor said quickly less someone overhears them or she blabs to Gretchen Allan's traitorous work.

"It is odd to see the Sheriff with his knickers in a twist when it doesn't involve Robin." They had all been subjected to the Sheriff's murderous mood once his house guest arrived ill. "Could it have been Robin?"

"How? Wouldn't they have just killed him?" Eleanor asked and Gretchen shrugged. They rushed through the rest of the bedrooms before having to serve the midday meal.

By evening she still had not seen Allan. She had become accustomed to him coming up on her unawares. Or seeing him fleeing with the rest of the outlaws from their latest exploit. Or meeting with Guy.

But she hadn't seen him at all for 2 days. It never happened. And the dark thought that somehow his secret was out entered her mind. Perhaps Robin forbade him to leave the camp and join in the outlaw's exploits? Was he under some sort of house arrest like Lady Marion?

You shouldn't care… you shouldn't care… she told herself over and over again but as she watched the Sheriff, Guy, and Marion eat she couldn't deny the fact that she did care.

Bloody hell.

"My lord Sheriff, he is awake," a servant came and the Sheriff jumped up so quickly he nearly knocked over the servant.

Allan's warning kept repeating in her head as she felt Guy and the other guards watching her. They had never noticed her presence before and she felt unnerved now with the attention. Don't do anything you wouldn't normally do. Keep your head down and your nose clean. Just tend to your chores. Stay out of trouble, don't give them a reason…

…he never needed a reason the thought crept in unbidden, making her shiver. She had finally stopped having nightmares, looking over her shoulder, only waking twice in the middle of the night.

She was lost in thought as she cleaned up the table. Gretchen shot her a worried look but didn't distract her as she and another maid tidied up the hall.

Shouts and scuffles from the wing drew everyone's attention but the servants continued on with their work. Robin Hood had simply become another occurrence to their daily routine they had to work around.

"Don't lollygag!" Griswald said as she hit the new girl. "Get those up to the master chambers now!"

Everyone kept their head down as Griswald chastised the new servant. They had all gone through it but that didn't make anyone reach out to comfort or explain the ways of the kitchen to her. Not until Griswald had let them retire for the night would someone—if the girl was lucky—try to befriend the new girl and give her pointers.

"Eleanor!" Griswald yelled and Eleanor jumped, quickly running to the head housekeeper. "Head to Locksley, supervise the table there."

"Yes, ma'am," Eleanor nodded.

"Take someone with you if you must. Baskets are there," she said and pointed to where the cooks were loading large baskets with everything from grapes to biscuits. "Don't dawdle!" Gristwald yelled and Eleanor rushed across the kitchen.

"Gretchen, want to help?" she asked. Eager for the chance to get out of Griswald's eyesight she quickly agreed.

"What is going on, anyways?" Gretchen ask as they carried the loaded baskets to the pony cart. "Why aren't Guy's servants doing anything?"

"Why don't you go ask Griswald?" Eleanor teased as she slapped the reigns.

They arrived quickly at Locksley and saw that a table was being carried out towards the pond. A few other men were tuning up the ducking chair. "A witch? Who is a witch?" Gretchen wondered as she carried out the baskets with Eleanor to the table.

They didn't have to wait long as the procession from the castle arrived with guards surrounding the unlucky woman to be tested. Nobles took their seats and Gretchen and Eleanor quickly carried pitchers of wine and platters of food around.

"If the accused drowns, proving the devil has left her, she will be buried on consecrated ground," the sheriff's voice rang out.

"Constipated ground," the befuddled man chimed in, drawing more than a few curious looks.

The sheriff continued, "if, however, the accused doesn't drown, proving the devil still to be within her, she will be burned. Hard to know which to root for," he chuckled as he sat on his throne and they lowered the woman in.

Everyone was watching expectantly as they raised the chair and then lowered it again. Everyone was so involved as they watched Vaysey toy with the executioners until he finally allowed them to raise the chair again.

When Matilda gasped for breath and started cursing the sheriff, Eleanor jumped, nearly splattering the pitcher of wine all over herself. A quick look around told her she wasn't the only one startled as she quickly went to refill cups.

Gretchen and Eleanor met up as they served the same nobleman. "She must be a witch," the nobleman's wife whispered to her husband. "No one could naturally have survived that!"

"Elle," Gretchen said with a slight nod. "Isn't that…"

Eleanor shot her a look to be quiet. She saw Allan with one of the other outlaws creep up behind the nobles up to the befuddled Henry's chair. Well, he's alive she thought as she scurried off to another before refilling the pitcher.

A collective gasp made her turn around and see the empty chair. "Gisborne!" Vaysey yelled, knocking over his own drink. Gretchen went to pick it off the ground as Eleanor fetched him a new goblet.

They finished packing up and headed back to Nottingham. "Why didn't you …"

"I don't think the other outlaws know about our, uh," she wasn't sure what to call it, "arrangement." It sounded vile on her tongue.

Gretchen didn't like the choice either. "Arrangement? You sound like you are a harem girl, or a tavern girl."

"I don't even know what to call it, but the fact remains they don't know about me. I think. And why draw attention to myself! Besides, they were in the middle of abducting Henry."

Gretchen looked her over. "You don't have to get defensive, Eleanor," she huffed. "I was just asking. Whatever is or is not going on between you and Allan and the outlaws is obviously none of my business."

Eleanor sighed. "Things are just complicated, Gretchen. Especially in my own head."

Gretchen gave her a sorrowful look. "You left it all behind."

"I hope."

Yay! 4 reviews this time! Most for any chapter!

Huge thank you to FelizNavidad (Thanks! I like them to bring the best out of each other ^_^) petite diable (He has little ways to show, coming up. Right now I think he is afraid of spooking her again, like in chapter 2-ish. And he has a lot on his mind, ^_^) katieee (They are so close! I promise! Now that he is going to be in the castle things will definitely evolve. And we find out about her past when Allan finds out!) and katherine Moonhawk (thank you so much for a wonderful review! It made my morning! My normal beta is overloaded so she doesn't normally have time to beta this for me, I'll put out more effort from now on, though. Thanks!)