Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from this writing.
Recap: Eleanor's abusive relationship with her father comes to light as he discovers her in Nottingham. Allan and Eleanor's relationship continues to get closer after he rescues her, which includes Allan taking Eleanor to Guy's birthday (as his date ^_^). A confrontation with Robin leads Allan to contemplate the depth of his feelings for Nora.
Chapter 14: Always Right
Allan dragged Eleanor out of the manor house as he and the guards left.
"Allan!" Guy called out as his horse was brought to him.
"Go, he will get you back safely, I promise," Allan said gesturing to a guard.
"No," she shook her head. She wouldn't go back with a guard. She knew all to well what guards thought of servants. Especially when alone with a female servant. She wouldn't risk it. She refused to be alone with a strange man. The mere idea gave her a panic attack.
"He isn't going to give you trouble."
"Contrary to recent events, I can take care of myself. Just go and be careful," she ordered. She took off before he could argue and headed to Samuel's, Gretchen's brother's, cottage. Frustrated by her stubbornness, Allan mounted his own horse and rode off with Guy.
"What happened?" Gretchen asked as she entered. Eleanor recounted the events for her, Samuel, and Samuel's wife, Constance.
"Ygrainne, you remember my friend Eleanor, right?" Gretchen said picking up the young girl.
"Aunty Ellie," the three year old said happily making the adults smile.
"Here, for your wounds," Constance said handing her some specific herbs.
"Thanks. I couldn't find any at the castle," Eleanor said. "Are you hoping for a boy or girl?" Eleanor asked as she studied the pregnant woman.
"A boy would be nice to help Samuel, but I will just be happy when it is born," Constance said, her hand resting on her protruding stomach.
"More stories," Ygrainne asked tugging on Gretchen's skirt.
"I was telling her stories about Allan and Robin Hood," Gretchen admitted.
"All the children love hearing stories about Hood," Samuel said. "Gretchen seems to have some new stories to share."
Samuel went out to work as Gretchen told Ygrainne stories and Eleanor helped Constance in the cottage. When he returned he brought Constance a bouquet of wildflowers. Eleanor and Gretchen shared a look over that simple act of affection, both wishing for the same but both feeling it was out of their reach.
Yells and knocking on doors drew their attention and soon their door was forced open by a guard. "Ey," Allan yelled coming up behind him. "I'll check this one," he ordered the guard out.
"What the hell is going on?" Samuel demanded.
"Anyone heard of Lardner?" Allan asked. They shook their heads.
"What happened?" Eleanor asked.
"The sheriff needs to find Lardner and his ring," he said. Gretchen and Eleanor rushed out to see what was happening and saw chaos in the village.
"Stop!" a voice called out drawing everyone's attention.
"Isn't that the Saracen?" Gretchen whispered. "And the carpenter, Will?" Eleanor nodded as they led Guy and the guards off. They watched as Will was captured and cuffed.
They returned to the cottage a bit shaken but determined to get back to some sense of normalcy for Ygrainne's sake. To pass the time Gretchen recounted a funny little child's tale for her as they ate the meal.
"We should head back," Gretchen said after the meal. "Griswald will bar us out for the night."
"You are welcome here any time, Eleanor," Constance said as she hugged the battered woman. "As Ygrainne said, you are Auntie Ellie."
Eleanor smiled, touched by the acceptance of this family. So unlike her own. "Thank you."
"Give Allan hell," she added with a wink.
"Perhaps we should have left earlier," Eleanor commented as it was near dusk by the time they reached the outer wall.
"They haven't raised the gate, we are fine," Gretchen said. "I saw your look, with the flowers. You don't think Allan will do something like that, do you?"
"After everything that happened today, you bring up the flowers?" Eleanor laughed. "It isn't that he will or he won't so much as even if he does, one day he is going to wake up and find himself with Robin again. And I will be too happy for him to say anything."
Gretchen linked arms with her. "It is still technically our day off. Let's just skip on up to our room before anyone even knows we have returned. We'll give a quick wave to Griswald so she knows we have returned and won't dock our wages, and run off again before she can strong arm us into work." Laughing they rushed up the kitchen steps.
They had nearly made it when Griswald hollered after them. "Eleanor, you will return to attending Lady Marion in the morning."
"Marion?" they mouthed. They waited till they had sequestered themselves in an empty room before whispering. "If she has returned everything is going to get even more complicated for Allan. Again!" Eleanor frowned.
"You get out of slopping the pigs and a score of other chores," Gretchen frowned. "You and Sarah."
"Only Sarah. I am only her evening maid and morning server," Eleanor reminded her. "What could have happened? Things are just going to get all topsy turvey again."
"There is the fact you gave Robin Hood and Lady Marion a dressing down to, too," Gretchen reminded her and Eleanor groaned.
"Thank you for reminding me," she moaned. "Perhaps she will wish for someone else to attend to her. Sarah can nearly do it all anyways, you can take over for me."
"She saw me with you."
"So?" Eleanor countered. "As far as she is concerned you are still a meek and eager servant."
They peaked out and snuck back to their room, waiting to see what tomorrow would bring.
Allan found her in the morning as she was laying out Marion's tray. "Be careful, Nora."
"I generally am," she said slapping his hand away before he could sneak one of the sweet buns. "What now?"
"I am pretty sure Marion knows you aren't too fond of Robin."
"I have nothing against what Robin does against the sheriff," she whispered. "I applaud him for that."
Allan shook his head. "You just like to complicate things, don't you? Keep me guessing."
She smirked. "I do know you can be aggravating, Allan a Dale. It seems only fitting someone aggravates you occasionally." She eyed him. He obviously hadn't slept well. "What happened?"
"We nearly killed Robin. Marion acted as bait to give him time to get away."
"So that is why she has returned," Eleanor commented as she finished the tray. She looked at Allan. "Allan, you knew working for Guy would bring you into conflict with Robin. He has tried to kill you, Guy and the Sheriff want him dead so you will have to try to kill him. That is what it means to be Guy's man."
"You think I don't know that?" he asked.
She scooped up the tray and skirted around him. "Sometimes I wonder if that is what you really thought about when you went to Guy." Allan frustratingly kicked the table before going to the stables.
Sarah knocked and it felt like old times for a moment as they waited for the signal to come in with Sarah waiting with fresh warm water and Eleanor with breakfast. They entered and dropped into a curtsey. "Good morrow, my lady," Sarah said happily, Eleanor said it quickly too.
"Thank you," Marion greeted with a smile as she took to washing her face. Eleanor gave a curtsey after setting the tray on the table and closed the door behind her as Sarah assisted Marion in dressing.
A short time later Sarah found her and told her Marion wanted to speak with her. She shot a wary look to Gretchen as she made her way upstairs. She knocked and curtsied upon entering. "You sent for me, my lady?"
"Please, shut the door," Marion said. Eleanor quickly did as she was told. "I still do not understand this relationship between you and Allan."
"I can not explain it, my lady, as I do not understand it myself either."
Marion studied the young woman. She could only imagine how bad she must have looked when all the bruises and cuts were fresh. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes. I asked Djaq to give you my thanks for your concern."
"She told me. Why wouldn't you let her tend to you?"
"I won't be beholden to any of Robin's men or have Allan be beholden to them on my behalf," Eleanor explained.
"Eleanor, you can look at me when you address me. I know the last time we spoke you had cross words for me, but I do not hold anything against you."
Eleanor looked at her surprised. "Perhaps I am wrong about you."
"I am hoping I am right about you. You and Allan seem closer."
"As I said. It isn't easy to describe. It varies each day," Eleanor said with a small smile. "Today is not one of our better days."
"I understand that," Marion huffed. "Men—all men—are a lot of work. But I need to know … I can't trust Allan. I want to trust you."
"You should trust Allan, my lady. He hasn't betrayed you to Guy and the Sheriff. He hasn't revealed that you are in love with Robin, or that you are the Nightwatchman," Eleanor said knowingly. "And he hasn't betrayed the camp."
"But why? He has no problems selling his secrets. Were they not offering enough?" She saw it was turning into rough territory. "You know. He trusts you. I want to trust you, as well."
"And you will trust me if I betray Allan to you?" Eleanor asked warily. She wouldn't betray Allan, but she wanted Marion to understand Allan's predicament. "If it was a matter of money, my lady, you would not be safe in this castle. I have my suspicious why you returned, what you plan on doing when you are here. Just know that Guy still wishes to find the leak."
"Does he suspect me?" they heard a guard approaching the door. He knocked, calling out for Lady Marion saying Eleanor was needed in the kitchen.
Eleanor curtsied. "No, my lady. Guy thinks, or at least he did for some time, that I was the leak. I tried to have Allan encourage that rumor."
"Why on earth would you do that?"
"It was the practical course of action," she said as she opened the door. The guard told her she was needed to help someone who was burned in the kitchen. Eleanor ran down the stairs and through the halls till she reached her room and grabbed her medicines.
She saw one of the newest cooks had burned her left hand badly. "Someone got the oven to hot, it flared when I opened the door." Eleanor thought she was lucky only to damage the hand.
Marion spent her day walking around in an attempt to avoid Guy. He was being too attentive since she returned. She looked down to see Eleanor carrying a basket and run into Allan. Marion leaned against the wall and looked down at them. She had watched them before she left with Robin and it seemed half the time they were together they argued. The rest of the time they seemed too lost in each other's presence to notice anyone else.
Her luck ran out as Guy came across her. "I was looking for you," he said. "You seem to be difficult to find."
"I have been lost in my own thoughts these last few weeks," Marion said not looking at him.
Guy looked down to see who she was watching. "Ah, Allan and the servant."
"Eleanor," Marion said quickly. "Her name is Eleanor."
"Eleanor," Guy repeated. They watched as Allan reached up to cup Eleanor's cheek but she pushed his hand away. Their hands came down together and their fingers intertwined.
"She pushes him away and yet wants him to stay," Marion said studying them.
"You should know all about that," Guy drawled. Marion had been pushing and playing with his heart strings for much longer than Allan and Eleanor. He suddenly realized he could empathize with Allan.
"I wonder if she even knows she does it," Marion said not acknowledging Guy's statement. "To be honest, I am surprised by them. Eleanor seems like a good rational girl except where Allan is concerned."
"He was part of Robin Hood's gang. He was fighting it seems for something you would support. And now he is on the right side of the law. How can you have no hope for them?" Did she have any hope for him, then?
"He is a traitor."
Guy smirked. "Nothing is ever that straight forward." They saw Allan storm off frustrated in one direction and Eleanor in another. "Well, their daily squabble is over before the midday meal," he quipped. "I dare say he will be back to being underfoot soon enough."
"You say that as if it is a bad thing," Marion smirked.
"Lovesick fools should be pitied, not laughed at, Marion," Guy admonished. "Allow me to escort you to eat?" Marion nodded since she couldn't politely say no.
Eleanor was one of the servers at the midday meal. Marion studied her as she ate. Trying to understand the woman proved to be a more enjoyable pursuit than the inane conversation of the Sheriff. She watched as a few of the servants silently communicated with each other. She wondered if this was a daily routine, a part of their world.
As the meal was over the servants quietly and quickly cleaned up. She didn't get a chance to signal Eleanor and felt bad if she called her away from her chores again.
Eleanor pushed all thoughts of Allan out of her mind as she waited during the midday meal. One of the other girls caught her eye and she saw the boredom they all shared. It was not enjoyable watching others eat food in front of you, especially when it was food vastly superior to your own allotment.
"10 days," someone said excitedly. "10 days until the full moon. That is the only thing to get me through the month."
"Really? The Lady's arrival has provided some entertainment," another said.
"What did she want with you this morning, Eleanor?" Sarah asked.
It was rare Eleanor was asked to contribute to the gossip pool. "The Lady was complaining about the lump on the right side of the bed and she refuses to sleep on the left so she had me beat the lump out till it was soft as putty," Eleanor said quickly. She mentally smirked at the thought of tarnishing the lady's reputation in the kitchens. No one down there thought well of any of the nobles, so she really wasn't saying anything the servants didn't already expect.
"Course. Can't simply roll over, take us away from all our other work," someone grumbled. "And winter looks to set in early this year."
"You two, set to starting replenishing the candles," Griswald said pointing to Eleanor and Gretchen. She picked others to finish the spinning and to begin the dying of the wool for winter.
"It is Wednesday, I can't believe the week is half over," Gretchen said as they carried the buckets of tallow to the cauldrons to melt for the candles. "I can't wait till next Friday. What are you and Allan fighting over now?"
"He didn't like the fact I pointed out that working for Guy means trying to kill Robin. I told him to just leave, he has the money now he can do what he wants. Hell, he could even start his own campaign against the sheriff if he wanted," Eleanor grumbled as she lit the fire.
"He's just shaken up after yesterday," Gretchen decided and Eleanor rolled her eyes.
"He is beginning to realize he has nothing to hold him here to the castle," Eleanor said.
"He has you," Gretchen consoled.
"But what does he really have? There is no understanding between us, and if Robin extended the hand of friendship he would gladly take it in a heartbeat."
"Why can't he have you and Robin?"
"And how would that work?" Eleanor asked. "I work here in the castle waiting and wondering what is happening to him?"
"It will be like before everyone found out he was working for Guy."
"Yes, but Guy and the Sheriff would know there is something between us and think they can have leverage against him. And before you suggest it, I can hardly go with Allan."
"If he asked you…"
"To live in the forest with other men?" Eleanor reminded her and Gretchen nodded. "Either way I would be a burden."
"I doubt he thinks that."
"He hasn't thought that far ahead at all," Eleanor grumbled as they prepared the wicks. "He is only just now beginning to accept what I am saying—he has a future beyond this castle."
"If we have any extra we should make some for next Friday's festivities," Gretchen spoke up, changing the subject.
Eleanor held up the bundle of herbs she had bought. "I already planned for it," she grinned. "I thought we should make some sweet smelling ones for the fairies so I picked my own wildflowers," she frowned, thinking about Samuel's gift again.
They began to dip the wicks when suddenly Gretchen said "Marion."
"What about her…my lady," Eleanor said as they bowed as well as she could with what they were doing.
"Don't let me disturb you, I am hiding from Guy," she said conspiratorially. "Would it be possible to speak with you?" she asked Eleanor.
"I am at your command, my lady," Eleanor reminded her. "If it can wait till this is over I will find you. You can feel free to speak freely in front of Gretchen."
"But this is about what we discussed earlier…"
"Believe me, my lady, I am well versed in what is happening in the castle," Gretchen informed her.
"Are there no secrets anymore?" Marion asked.
"Of course. This is Nottingham—there is nothing but secrets," Eleanor smirked. "Allan simply trusts me and I trust Gretchen with my life," Eleanor explained.
Marion thought about it as they worked dipping the wicks till they got the desired the width and length. "Only the two of you do this?"
"There is much to be done elsewhere. Usually it is only one person," Gretchen said.
"How were Robin and his men when you left them?" Eleanor asked mischievously. Gretchen shot her an angry look. They hadn't talked about Gretchen's feelings for Much in awhile.
Marion was simply confused. "They were fine," she said looking around to ensure no one was listening. "I was under the impression you disliked Robin."
"I loath his treatment of Allan, but I applaud what he does against the sheriff," Eleanor explained.
"If only he found some other place to do his work, it is tiresome to work around his weekly exploits," Gretchen sighed. It had taken them hours to clean up the cellar after his fight with Allan.
"What did you wish to speak about my lady?" Eleanor asked.
"I still wish to warn you. Not against Allan being a traitor, I know how well my advice would be received. But I am afraid he would break your heart."
Eleanor and Gretchen shared a surprised look. "Your timing in impeccable," Gretchen murmured.
"Isn't that the risk when you give someone your heart?" Eleanor asked.
"Have you? Given him your heart?"
"If I ever gave it to any man it would be Allan," was all Eleanor said. Gretchen and Marion shared a look and then stared at Eleanor. "Alright, yes, I have. Don't tell him. He is having enough problems. I don't want… to risk anything." She looked to Marion over the wicks she was working on. "My lady, I confess to being confused on your part, I do not understand this concern you place on my behalf. Why do you care about us?"
"Allan was a good man at one time. And he has helped me several times despite the risk to himself," Marion said. "And I am intrigued by you, Eleanor. I can see why Allan trusts you. As I said before, I want to trust you, too."
"I wish I knew why everyone was turning to me," Eleanor grumbled. "All I ever wanted was to escape and thought Nottingham would be the best place for it. With so much foul play and double dealing surely I could hide if I kept my nose clean. What did I do wrong?" she asked Gretchen.
"Guy chose you of all people to clean up after Allan," she admitted. "Anyone else would not have cared he was tortured. Turns out you were the only person in the castle to be moved by his treatment."
"True," Eleanor admitted.
Confused over their conversation Marion watched as Eleanor touched three of the fresh candles to see if they were cool enough to handle and deftly braided them into one single large braided candle. She did the same with three Gretchen finished dipping.
"I would like one of those candles," Marion said looking at them.
"Yes, my lady," Eleanor said as she took her turn dipping and Gretchen wove the candles.
"Why are you hiding from Guy?" Gretchen asked. "I can guess. He has been overly attentive to you."
Marion snorted. "That is an understatement." She eyed them. "Robin proposed."
The two servant girls ogled her as they continued to dip. Marion wondered if anything would break their stride. "Did you say yes?" Gretchen asked.
Marion smiled. "Yes."
"Was it romantic?" Gretchen asked curiously. "The rightful earl of Huntington should have made a grand proposal."
"It was over a fresh grave and he compared me to his bow," Marion remembered.
There was a moment of silence before all three of them started to laugh. "Yet you said yes, he must have done something right," Eleanor observed.
"Are you hoping for a proposal? Either of you?" Marion asked. "Are you courting anyone Gretchen?"
"Nay, my lady."
"Enough with the 'my lady.' Please, call me Marion," Marion insisted.
"If anyone ever overheard us we would be joining the herd of beggars outside," Gretchen said.
"We are only a step above them as it is," Eleanor added.
"Use it at your discretion, then, but it is a little overbearing to my taste. Why are you not courting anyone?"
"No one here in the castle has caught her eye," Eleanor teased.
"Has someone outside the castle?" Marion asked catching on.
"It hardly matters. I have decided to simply accept I am to be an old spinster until Griswald works me to death," Gretchen announced.
"Pair of spinsters," Eleanor added.
"You have no expectations with Allan?"
"You believe Robin is a good man," Eleanor started and Marion nodded. "So does Allan, so does all of Nottingham and the villages. If he is truly a good man, he will eventually welcome Allan back. I believe that. Else he wouldn't be so deserving of all the praise everyone gives him. I am the only thing holding him here."
Marion realized Eleanor didn't think she was enough.
"Guy is coming," Gretchen announced and Marion ran off to hide as they continued their work.
They worked until it was nearing dusk and then stacked the finished candles in the cupboards. Eleanor was given a platter to carry in that probably weighed more than her but she struggled with it until it was safely on the table. She took her place along the sideboard and waited until someone needed a goblet refilled. Gretchen was also serving tonight and had a place on the other corner of the sideboard. Allan followed Guy in still discussing whatever the plan for the next day was. Gretchen took pity on Eleanor and went to serve Allan as Eleanor waited on Guy.
"Thank you, Eleanor," Marion said kindly as Eleanor brought her the wine.
They dissolved against the sideboard again as the manservant fetched whatever it was the sheriff ordered. The other man servants waited at the doors till they were called upon.
A third maid was sent to assist since there were 4 at the dinner. She carried the pastries and set them on the sideboard until the first three courses were finished.
The servants shared a wary eye, Marion noticed. She didn't know what it was about, though. Perhaps they felt the tension between Allan and Eleanor?
The servants noticed the sheriff seemed more sour than normal which always unnerved them. Word had already spread down to the kitchen since the maid who had joined them seemed to already expect it. She had crept in as quiet as a mouse as if afraid the slightest noise would be her undoing.
"Griswald!" the sheriff yelled and the housekeeper scurried forward. "This partridge is overdone. Its so tough I need all my extra teeth just to tenderize the meat."
"I will have something else prepared, my lord."
"If you have someone this incompetent on your staff, perhaps I should cut off the problem at the source."
"I will tend to it immediately, my lord," she curtseyed and glided back out of the room.
"Well don't just stand there," the sheriff growled.
Between the three maids and the three man servants the table was cleared without a single crumb in a matter of minutes. "Honestly, Guy. It is so difficult to find good help these days. Ah, well, I see you don't know what I am talking about," he grumbled seeing Allan.
"I didn't recognize a problem with the bird," Marion started.
"We know the only bird you like is Robin," the sheriff said pointedly making Marion and Guy frown.
"Griswald, is this going to take all day?" he yelled out. The girls calmly left the room and as soon as they were out of sight they ran down the stairs to the kitchen leaving the man servants to placate the sheriff with his wine and anything else they could find.
"I don't care if you thought it was a good bird or not. Your opinion is worth less than the dirt on my floor. The only opinion that matters is the sheriff," Griswald scolded the cook. "And you know what I do with dirt on my floor," she said pointedly as she threw the cook out.
Everyone was running around in organized chaos as the second dinner was quickly prepared. "Get up there," Griswald yelled and Eleanor, Gretchen, and the other girl grabbed their trays loaded with fresh bread and meat. They scuttled up the stairs but couldn't miss the knocks and hits Griswald issued or else they risked dropping their trays and creating an even bigger disaster.
Griswald smoothed her hair back as she led the procession inside. "Ah, Griswald. Marvelous timing. Lets try this again, shall we?"
"Yes, my lord. I hope this is to your liking," Griswald said with a command to the girls who scurried around quickly and efficiently.
"And the cook?"
"Former cook, my lord. She is no longer my concern or yours."
"Excellent, excellent. You run a tight ship, Griswald. Ah, see there are no cracks in that ship," he hinted.
"As you command, my lord," Griswald said. She pulled the third servant back further away from the table harshly to keep her in her proper place. Gretchen tried to shoot the girl a look to give her silent directions but the girl was too terrified to look at Gretchen or Eleanor.
"Ah, much better," the sheriff pronounced. Griswald curtseyed and took her leave. Gretchen shared a look with Eleanor; the same look was shared with the man servants. They would miss the brunt of Griswald's fury since they were upstairs but it would still be far from pleasant once they were finished.
When the second meal was finished in its entirety the six of them quickly cleaned up. Just as they had suspected, Griswald was still on her tirade and no one was immune to her wrath. Her physical blows were indiscriminant amongst the staff.
"And since it seems everyone has trouble keeping their mind, however idiotic it may be, on their work, all free excursions are cancelled next month," she decided. She boxed the dishwasher's ears as he dropped a utensil on the floor at the announcement.
Everyone was kept under her vicious eye till finally everything passed her inspection for the night. No one dared groan in pain or exhaustion until they were far out of her hearing range.
"She must have managed to hit ever bruise and cut on my back," Eleanor said as she winced in pain. "She couldn't have had that good of aim if she tried."
"I think my back looks like a map of Sherwood," Gretchen complained as she undid her dress. "Well?"
"It looks more like the village of Clun," Eleanor said studying it. "That looks like the common garden, and the strewn of cottages on the south side," she teased.
"Ha ha," Gretchen said. "Don't just stand there, share your ointment," she pleaded. Eleanor gently rubbed the ointment on the bruises and cuts. It was hard to feel sorry for the cook who was fired since they all paid dearly for her mistake.
"I'm not going to be able to sleep on my back," Eleanor predicted as Gretchen rubbed the ointment on.
"Your back is healing nicely," Gretchen assured her. "Griswald's marks will be gone in a day or so, the others are healing nicely."
A pounding at the door made everyone silently groan. Eleanor and Gretchen were thankful it was one of their roommates that was sent for. They climbed slowly into bed, each sleeping on their stomachs, too exhausted to do anything except fall asleep.
A whistle at the window drew her attention. She had just fallen back asleep after her first time waking up. She groggily looked to see Allan at the window.
She sighed. "What do you want, Allan?" she whispered.
"Can you come over?" he asked.
She silently groaned as everything was stiff. "What do you need?"
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Obviously, else I wouldn't have gotten up."
"The sheriff has been extremely upset lately."
"Tell me something I don't already know."
"Alright," he said lifting himself on the sill. "You aggravate the hell out of me…"
"I said something that I don't know, Allan," she interjected.
"But you are always right," he finished. She ogled him as she sat on the sill next to him. "See, you didn't know that I know you are right."
"I must be asleep and this is some crazy dream the fairies brought on."
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Get some sleep."
"Good night, Allan."
He startled her as he leant forward and captured her lips in a kiss. Once the shock wore off she happily returned it. She pulled back and cupped his chin, her fingers trailing along his jaw before heading back to bed. "Good night, Nora," he smiled.
She fell asleep with a smile on her face
A long, long chapter! I have so much written, the chapters will probably be longer than normal.
Thanks to lollzie (Thanks! I think Allan did do good while in the castle, something I am having Eleanor try to show to the rest of the gang :) Katieee (Ah, thank you so much! I love adding the bits, playing with the canon parts and expanding them ^_^ I'm so glad you like them!) Hayley's Happening (I'm glad I did the gang/allan bit good! If anything is confusing, let me know. My normal beta is MIA at the moment....) and Katherine Moonhawk (I am going to try to add more action, its harder for me to write but I'll try!)