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

I seem incapable of writing a short Robin Hood Story. Season 2 is well over 100 pages, and i have started writing my version of season 3 (it will be AU in this story) and introducing all of my surprises! I hope it is as enjoyable to everyone as it has been for me ^_^

Chapter 10: Post Confrontations

Eleanor's knees were weak as she managed to get down the stairs. She finally just sat down. Fool! she chided herself. Why would you risk your life and your place here in the castle for Allan?

"Hey, you alright?" Allan asked walking past.

Eleanor glared at him. His timing was impeccable. She stood and dragged him into the closet.

"Not being funny, but isn't this a bit fast for you?" he teased.

"Oh get your head out of the gutter, Allan," she hissed. "I need you to be truthful with me."

"Okay, okay, breathe, Nora."

She looked surprised although why she couldn't say. Allan had a way of always surprising her. Only Gretchen called her by a nickname but she found she liked Allan's name for her. "You said you trusted me, Allan. I need you to trust me now."

"What's wrong?"

"You and Lady Marion know each other from before you entered the castle," she accused.

"Alright, so we have passed…"

"Allan, trust me," she said. "I don't have time for your fast talk or charm."

"Yes, I know Marion."

"She has been working for Robin," she accused. "I can see she is using Guy, and there were rumors that she cares for Hood since they were children."

"Why do you ask?"

"Allan."

"What if I said yes?"

"Thank you," Eleanor sighed. "I know you are protecting her."

"What is this all about?"

"Guy ordered me to find out how Robin was getting his information," Eleanor admitted. "He wants me to gain your trust so you will tell me."

"What?" he asked, stepping back in shock, nearly bumping into the wall. Eleanor had picked a rather small closet but he wasn't complaining.

"I won't tell him about Marion," Eleanor said quickly afraid she had angered him. She had never been terrified of Allan before, but that same, familiar fear began to coil in her belly.

He leaned closer, his hands on either side of her as she leaned against the door. "I never thought you would give up Marion, Nora."

"I thought…"

"I'm not angry, I'm worried. I told you Guy suspected you."

"I remembered, Allan," Eleanor said, relieved he wasn't angry. She studied him. "You were getting ready to leave," she realized.

"The sheriff wants me to lead Guy and the guards to Robin's camp," he admitted as he stepped back to run a hand through his hair; she hated seeing him in this position. "I told them Robin had moved on, and laid traps everywhere."

"So you lead them in a circle and go 'surprise, surprise, Robin has moved on and out smarted us.' They should be used to it by now."

He grinned. "You make things seem so simple."

"If I could only smack some sense into Robin, things would be," she sighed. "But for right now, you just lead them in circles."

"Why? What are you going to do?" he asked confused

"What Guy asked me."

"What?"

"Pretend to get close to you. So long as Guy thinks I am manipulating you it will buy us some time. So long as he continues to suspect me as the leak in the castle, he would never think to look elsewhere," she explained.

"No," Allan said forcefully. "I won't let you."

"You don't have a choice, you are going on a wild goose chase," she said pointedly, reaching for the handle but he kept it closed.

"You can't put yourself in danger, Nora."

"He will look elsewhere eventually, Allan. You want to protect Marion, this is the best way of doing it."

"We'll think of something else," Allan said.

"For now this will do," she said opening the door. She ran to go back outside to finish the soap before anyone else noticed her long absence. If she didn't have any made and setting by dinner Griswald would give her outhouse duty.

"Where have you been?" Gretchen demanded as she ran through the kitchen. "Griswald has her knickers in a twist." She followed after on Eleanor's heels.

"I have been yelling at Lady Marion and in a closet with Allan," Eleanor grinned, seeing that Gretchen clearly thought she was lying.

"Oh please, Elle. You are the absolute last person to take such risks. Seriously, where have you been?"

"Exactly as I said," Eleanor said as she set everything to boil.

"You yelled at Lady Marion? You were in a closet with Allan?" Gretchen was scandalized. "I don't know which I am more surprised by, Elle."

"Something I wanted to ask you last night," Eleanor said as she stirred. "I think it is safe to say no one expects me to marry," she started and Gretchen snorted. "I don't expect me to, either. But what about you? You are beautiful, hard working, strong. I know the guards and servants notice you. Why don't you wish to wed?"

"And trade one life of service for another?" Gretchen said disdainfully.

"Your brother and sister-in-law seem happy enough."

"I suppose I want what they have. I want to be happy if I marry, have someone I want to work along side in the monotonous toil. It seems like to much to ask for, though," Gretchen explained.

"You don't have faith in yourself."

"You don't have faith in yourself, or others," Gretchen pointed out.

"I'm learning."

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Eleanor was returning everything to its rightful place late that afternoon as she saw Gretchen waving frantically from the doorway. Looking around Eleanor saw no one in the room to notice them so she snuck after her friend. "What's wrong?"

"I saw Marion and Guy walking this way, but Marion rushed downstairs in a hurry. I heard a scuffle, I think its Allan," Gretchen said as they tried to quickly but nonchalantly make their way to the cellar.

"You know we are going to have to clean this up," Eleanor sighed as she saw the mess from the doorway. She heard Marion's raised voice. "Why can't they take brawls outside where they can make as big of a mess as they want?"

They crept down the stairs to see Allan picking himself up. "Allan?" Why was she forever finding him after getting into brawls?

"I'm alright," he assured Eleanor.

Eleanor and Gretchen scanned the room and sighed seeing the mess. "I'll clean you up in the kitchen before tackling this," she offered. She glared at Robin. "Next time, go where others won't have to clean up your mess," she huffed as she pounced back up the stairs as everyone stared at her.

"I am beginning to think you are a good influence on her, Allan," Gretchen grinned. "She was timid as a mouse before," she admitted as they exited leaving the nobles behind in the cellar.

"She still is, I never know if I am going too far, or not."

"It depends on what your goal is, Master Allan," Gretchen said. "Just know, you hurt her I will castrate you."

Allan winced. "I believe you would, too. And don't call me Master Allan, just Allan will do."

Gretchen was surprised but nodded. "Eleanor told me she knew about you. I trust her judgment."

"That means a lot to me."

"Good. I best go," Gretchen said heading back upstairs.

"Gretchen, who was it?"

"Who?" Gretchen asked confused. "In the cellar?"

"No, not in the bloody cellar," Allan laughed. "Who was it before that frightened Eleanor?"

Gretchen sobered up. "I dare not say, he hasn't found her here, though, which is why she is finally opening up. I won't have her hurt, though."

"I don't want to hurt her."

"Do you even know what you want?" she challenged. She put her hands on her hips as she glared down at him from the steps. "Decide for yourself, Allan. Right now, just go have Eleanor look at those cuts," she gestured towards the kitchen as she headed upstairs. She made it to the corridor when she saw a contingent of guards marching past. She didn't pay any attention to them—there were always guards present—but the one in the lead marching past turned to look at her.

Shaking her head as thoughts of Much filtered into her mind, she continued on to clean the throne room.

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Yells were followed by the alarm as everyone was preparing for the evening meal. "Lock down?" everyone muttered as the alarm sounded. Griswald called for an inventory of the larder as everyone waited to find out what was happening. All that could be heard was the alarm and the sound of boots and the sheriff yelling. Eleanor and the other servants who had been outdoors rushed into the kitchen where all were gathered to await Griswald's orders.

"I thought I saw Robin's men but dismissed it as a passing fancy," Gretchen whispered. "Maybe it was them."

"That, or we are under attack," Eleanor said as guards continued to file past to join other regiments in the square while others lined up to protect the interior of the castle.

Just as suddenly as it started the alarm ended. "Don't just stand around like a bunch of buffoons," Griswald started yelling out and everyone scurried back to their tasks.

Eleanor and Gretchen were chatting as they finished outside before having to serve when Allan joined them. He had rushed off like the others at the sound of the alarm.

Eleanor was cutting the soap as she listened to Allan flirt with Gretchen. She realized two things: it didn't bother her that Allan was flirting since it was Gretchen, and Gretchen was asking Allan a lot of stories about Robin's gang. She enjoyed hearing about all of their escapades but she studied her friend and wondered what was so fascinating to have drawn Gretchen's attention.

"Have you finished yet?" someone called down to them.

"Just now," Eleanor called up. She carried up the tray of the soap and passed the guard still at the doorway. She saw him leer at her breasts and pulled her shawl closer around her as she sidestepped giving him a wide berth. That tingle of fear she had around the other men hadn't gone away, she realized with a tinge of fear and wariness.

"Why are you all just standing and gawking," Griswald demanded as it was time to serve.

No one was eager to serve the sheriff after the fiasco. Everyone reluctantly took their tray as they tried not to be the first through the door. For all they knew, he would order one of them to be hung just to make him feel better.

Eleanor ended up serving Guy. "Do you remember what I said?" he said lowly so no one else would overhear.

"Yes, my lord."

"Excellent."

Relief was shared by all when supper was ended and they were all still alive and breathing. It was a short respite as the next morning it was discovered Marion was missing.

Chapters will get longer as I have so much already written!

Special thanks to FelizNavidad (Thanks! It will follow season 2--so yes, Allan joins the gang again. As for what happens after all of it, you'll have to wait and see! I have a major twist up my sleave) CrabbyHopper (THey do... eventually ^_~) katieee (Ah, thanks! I am addicted to them, too. They are becoming one of my fave pairings that I've written. A lot of improvement over my other RH fic) katherine Mohawk (I'm glad you didn't stop reading! I'm trying to sweet talk my beta into betaing--school is almost over so everything is crazy. Marion will eventually get closer, and Allan finds out about her past very soon (maybe the next chapter), and I think you will like it. But GUy is not a villian in my story) Sharnay (Thank you! I had to rework the confrontation scene a bit, I'm glad you like it!)