Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood or profit from this writing.

For all of the Protective-Allan fans, this chapter is for you ^_^

Chapter 13: Birthday Bash

The day passed slowly with only the wool and carding to pass the time. It was oddly wonderful, not having to rush around the castle from before dawn to after dusk. Gretchen spent fifteen minutes with her as she laid out a fire for that evening before rushing off to another task. Allan spent most of the day once he was done with whatever Guy's errand was.

"I'm sorry your day is so hectic," Eleanor told Gretchen sincerely. She hated seeing Gretchen so ragged.

"You would do the same for me. I was returning to the kitchen after the guards and found the linens were already stacked and folded and everything was ready in the churner for me. Someone else was helping you, too."

Eleanor snorted. "They were helping you, Greta. You were the one with the burden today, not I."

"Maybe Sarah…"

"Allan saw Sarah running errands in the square."

"So one of the other girls…"

"Who would do such a thing since they were my chores? You are the only one I am close to. Perhaps…" she studied Gretchen. "Could it have been Much or Djaq?"

"Why would they?"

"Much seems intrigued by you ..."

"Don't go there."

"Believe it or not, I think I understand where you are coming from," Eleanor sighed. "I realized something when I was talking with Allan, I think I know."

"Then don't bring it up again."

Eleanor woke in the middle of the night, as always. She waited quietly to see if she had disturbed Gretchen, but her friend had passed out from sheer exhaustion.

She gently lowered one leg off the bed trying not to focus on the pain but on her goal. She would have to do this slowly since it was so painful, and she didn't want to wake Gretchen.

After several painful minutes she managed to lower her legs to the floor. She gently eased herself off the bed and nearly cried out in pain. She gripped the back of the chair as she tried to cover up her cry of pain. Deep breaths, deep breaths… she ended up sitting in the chair to catch her breath. A feeling of defeat washed over her, her eyes stinging with tears from the pain. You crawled this before, if you have to you will again!

She was pulling herself up again when the door opened and she could see Allan in the doorway.

"What are you doing?" he whispered. He quickly strode across the room and picked her up. She pointed and he realized what she was trying to do. He silently made his way around the bed to the open window.

"I couldn't see them from the bed," she whispered.

There wasn't anything to make her comfortable or lean against. He sat on the sill and gladly welcomed the opportunity to keep her close as he adjusted her against him so she was comfortable and could lean against him for support.

"Why do you like the stars so much?" Allan asked confused.

"They are beautiful. They are always there," she said, looking out at them. "Don't you think they are beautiful?" she asked, looking up at him to see he was watching her, not the stars. "The stars, Allan."

"I just don't see why it is so important to you."

"I remember the first time my father beat me, it was after supper one night. It seemed over something so inconsequential but … afterwords, he and my brothers had gone off to bed, leaving me to tend to myself and the kitchen. I just laid there and from the window I could see the stars. I couldn't do much more for some time other than look up at them. They became my constant companion for years, I could always look up at them as they watched over me afterwords." She enjoyed more than she would ever admit being held in his arms against him, her head tucked under his chin.

He laid his cheek against the top of her head. "You can see the stars from Sherwood very clearly and brightly, but I never really cared before."

"I would sleep in spurts, afraid he would fall asleep in one of his stupors and leave a candle lighted, burning the whole cottage down, or go into another rage and punish me. I always woke to see them shining down on me. I always figured I would be up amongst them soon enough, that one day he would beat me to much. I thought if I was up amongst such beauty it couldn't be so bad."

His grip tightened ever slightly around her with that pronouncement but she found it reassuring, not painful. "You don't have to worry about him, Nora."

She didn't know what to do, how to express herself because this was all too new to her. She simply burrowed herself closer against him.

He looked down and saw she had fallen asleep again. He sat there for a moment simply enjoying holding her before carrying her off to bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A second day passed with Allan spending most of the day with her as she carded wool and mended from the clothing basket Griswald had sent up. On the third day, when Allan had to run an errand for Guy, a knock startled her. So far, only Gretchen and Allan had entered the room, as Allan promised, and she didn't know who on earth it could be.

The door opened to reveal Guy.

"I've seen that you have used this time to befriend Allan."

She kept the sheet up wishing Allan or Gretchen was there. She didn't fear Guy, not like the sheriff, but she knew if he didn't think she was useful she and Allan would both be in trouble. "I have managed to use this situation to my advantage, my lord."

"I didn't mean to make it sound I was glad for this," he clarified. "What have you learned?"

"Robin obviously didn't trust his men explicitly, my lord. He kept secrets, such as how he discovered your plans, to himself. He sounds incredibly arrogant, my lord."

"You do not care for Robin Hood," Guy observed, slightly surprised.

"Does that displease you?"

Guy snorted. "Hardly. Have you learned anything useful?"

She racked her brain to try to think of something to sound useful without actually betraying any information. "He still holds Allan as a traitor, attempting to kill him every chance he can. And the blocked entrances have proven to hinder him."

"If you learn anything useful, let me know." She wasn't sure if she should be insulted or not when he left a coin on the table. Allan slipped in after he left. "You alright?"

She nodded. "Did you hear?" he nodded. She leaned back against the pillows.

"We are celebrating Guy's birthday next week," Allan said, straddling his seat.

She snorted. "You may be celebrating. All that means is more work piled on top of everything else we have to do. Celebrating is not the word I would use to describe it."

He smirked. "Well, it is this time. It is being held in Locksley and you are going with me."

She stared at him as if he was absurd. "That is insane. First of all, there are plenty of servants to oversea the serving and preparation, I am not needed. Secondly, I am hardly presentable—even in a week—to serve, Griswald will relegate me to kitchen duties."

He shook his head. "I didn't say you were going to oversea the celebration. You are going to the celebration. With me."

"Now you have lost your mind."

"Must you argue over everything I say?" Allan asked exasperated.

"Only when you have gone mad."

"Just wait, you'll see," he promised with a grin.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After several days she was happy to get out of bed. She looked bad, felt worse, but was finally able to convince Gretchen and Allan she was capable of getting out of bed. She was still sore over her entire body, but any longer and Griswald would kick her out for certain. She stripped Allan's bed linens and carried them outside with the rest of the linens. "I thought you were going to take it easy?" Gretchen chastised as she watched Eleanor stir the laundry.

"Help me lift these," Eleanor asked. "I can hardly not clean them. It is only fair to give him fresh linens after I took over his bed for so long."

"I hardly think Allan minds."

"I wish everyone would get their head out of the gutter," Eleanor mumbled. "Besides, I am relegated to kitchen duty for the next few days since I look like pig dung. Don't worry, I just wanted to make sure this was done."

After the last was pinned on the line Eleanor returned to the kitchen with the enormous stacks of vegetables to be peeled and cut for the midday and supper meals. Allan came in the kitchen during the midday meal as most of the servants were scurrying about to serve the lords, snagging some of her work. "Hey, do you know how long it takes to peel so many?" she teasingly chastised.

Gretchen joined the two of them for the midday meal before they had to do their own separate work.

She eased down into her own bed that night. "He asked you to go to the birthday celebration?" Gretchen repeated.

"Ask? Ha. No, he told me," Eleanor huffed. "What am I to do there? I am a lowly servant, everyone will expect me to wait on them."

"You could sneak away to my brother's cottage. Enjoy the day with them," Gretchen offered. "It would have to be more fun than anything the sheriff and Guy plan."

Eleanor smiled. "Why don't you take the day to visit your brother, then?"

"I might. I want to get out of the castle for the day, clear my head."

"Then come with me and Allan. We can all walk together to Locksley."

"Walk?" Gretchen snorted. "Elle, love, Allan has his own horse. Three is a crowd."

"Have we made you feel like that? I know things have been different the last few days, I don't even know what to make of them myself."

"No, Elle. I enjoy being with you and Allan. I don't feel awkward. Allan's to charming to make anything feel awkward," Gretchen said rolling her eyes. Eleanor snorted. "But things are changing with the two of you. I don't want to be in the middle of it and ruin it."

"I don't even know what it is, Greta. How could you ruin it?"

"I can see it. Just embrace it, Elle. I think you will be happy with Allan."

"Perhaps… for a time," she acknowledged.

"Why do you doubt it?"

"He is never going to be fully happy here, Greta. They became like a family. As much as I support Allan, I know how his actions had to have hurt his friends. But he loves all of them, Greta. He won't be happy here when he is banished from them. I want them to accept Allan back."

"but?"

"Then he will have to choose. And I do not think he will choose me." She gave Gretchen a knowing look and saw that she and Gretchen both had the same feeling. It was what she had realized when talking with Allan, Gretchen's fear regarding her feelings for Much.

"Its difficult to think you might not be chosen. I think I will travel with you, but I will spend the day with my brother and his wife. She is far along in her confinement, the babe will be born in a few short months. They need my help."

"Of course. If you need me…"

"Enjoy the time you have with Allan while you can," Gretchen said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Eleanor climbed on Allan's horse, Gretchen behind her. Allan walked alongside them as they headed to Locksley. He kept them entertained with his wild stories and jokes. The outlaws watched their progress through the forest and then as they first arrived at one of the cottages and Allan helped Gretchen dismount before pulling himself up behind Eleanor.

"I do know how to ride a horse," she chided as he maneuvered to the manor house.

"I never said you didn't," he grinned cheekily and she elbowed him in the ribs. "ey!"

"I can't believe I actually agreed to come. This is all your fault," she chided as she dismounted. "They are going to expect me to serve them, Allan. Why would you drag me here?"

"Because you need out of the castle; because I want you to come with me; because you should actually enjoy a celebration, even if it is a black knight's birthday."

She simply gave a 'hmph' as she crossed her arms. "I hold you entirely responsible for today, Allan a Dale. The first person to ask me to serve them—mind you, it will be as soon as I set foot in the door—I am going to send you the evil eye."

"Alright, I've been warned," he said grabbing her hand to lead her in before she could change her mind and double back to Gretchen's brother's cottage. The fact the idea was running through her mind only served as evidence to how well he knew her.

They were early and saw Guy directing the servants to have everything prepared. Unsure of what to do, or expect, she waited with Allan between her and Guy. If he was determined to bring her, then he could act as her blockade. She was completely bewildered when Guy didn't demand she start helping.

"Will you relax?" Allan whispered.

"Bugger off."

"The jester is waiting in the barn until the sheriff arrives," Guy told Allan.

"Actually, he is right here," the man said startling all of them. "I came to see if I could get a pretty lady to be my assistant with my paint." He looked right at Eleanor. Eleanor, in turn, glared at Allan.

"Hey, you can say no," Allan said.

"Perhaps I can borrow some of his face paint for myself," she said. She looked much better but she still wore several fresh bruises and cuts from her face to her knees.

"Hey, I told you you look beautiful."

"You are a charmer, Allan. Everything out of your mouth needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Sometimes a handful of salt," she teased as she went with the jester. She wouldn't admit to him how it gave her butterflies whenever he said something like that to her. She followed the jester warily to the barn. "Leave the door open," she asked, keeping the nervous tone out of her voice.

"Alright, love," he said easily.

She frowned at him. "Eleanor."

He grinned at her, much to much like Allan and she sighed. "Make me a fool," he said with an easy smile.

"I doubt you need my help for that," she drawled as she began to paint his face. She let him prattle on as she painted, happy he was quiet when she painted around his mouth.

"I hope you left whoever did that to you," he said, looking over her shoulder to see Allan in the doorway from where he had been watching them. She turned to see where he was looking, saw Allan distracted as a one legged messenger arrived, and frowned at the jester.

"If you are implying Allan did this…"

"Hey, he is the same man who betrayed Robin, right?"

She glared at him. "I did leave, unfortunately not far enough and he found me again. Allan is a great man who made a mistake. If you believe the vicious gossip around here then you truly are a fool," she said turning and shutting the barn door on him.

"Allan!" Guy called out making Allan sigh.

"Hey, you chose to be his man," Eleanor reminded him as she tried to blend into the woodwork so the others wouldn't notice the battered and bruised servant. She watched as the jester entered and snickered along with everyone else. Everything was fine until he insulted Prince John and she stayed along the fringe of the gathering as the guards dragged him away. She covered her mouth when the guard's breeches fell.

"Ah, that's one," he said as he wrapped his legs around the support. The whole thing looked ridiculous bringing a smile to Eleanor's face.

Everyone was shocked when the Sheriff raised the lid and the bird flew out. "That was the jester's," people muttered.

The sheriff slammed the lid down. "There is an explanation. There is a rational explanation for everything."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"If I were you, I couldn't look at myself in the morning," Robin said darkly.

"I count my money in the morning," Allan said slowly. It was true, he did count his money, never in his life did he think he would have that much for himself.

But when he woke up, he thought of Eleanor. Waited to see what they would argue over and how they would make up. She did everything in a quiet competence that always surprised him. She accepted him and yet constantly denounced what he was doing.

"Get out of here," Robin yelled. Allan turned to leave. "Get out!" Robin yelled. He heard the hate in Robin's voice and it tore at him, so similar to when he found Eleanor broken and bleeding.

They both hurt him so much, did he care about both of them equally? He knew he was starting to care for Eleanor, but it had crept up on him in intensity.

"Bloody hell," he whispered to himself as he helped the other guard pick up the one Robin shot.

Something about this chapter I love ^_^ Huge thanks to Hayley's Happening (You'll have to fight me for Allan ^_^ I hope you liked this chapter, too!) Rossi's Lil Devil (Season 3 is definitely going to be different. I don't want to say more than that right now, but hopefully everyone will like it. BTW, I adore Rossi, too!) and Katieeeee (thank you!! Your review was such a pick-me-up!!).