Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood or BBC. I am not associated in any way with the show or company. I make no money from this writing. OCs and Plot post series 2 are mine.

THE END IS IN SIGHT (promise!) The rest of the story is planned and mostly written, I don't think it will go past 60 chapters, so we are close to the end.

Chapter 52: Robin's plan

"This is insane!" Eleanor frowned as Robin laid out his plan. "We move on the sheriff in a week, you can't coordinate another attack before then."

"He is expecting us to make an attempt on the gold, if we don't make an attempt, he will get suspicious of not only us, maybe even Guy," Robin argued.

"And playing into his hand is the best course of action?" Eleanor wondered. She turned to look at Marion, hoping Marion was the more sensible of the two.

"It does seem like we don't have time to make a good plan, Robin," Marion hedged. Eleanor didn't normally speak up, but Marion had learned that when she did, people should listen.

"Part of being Robin Hood is to steal from the sheriff. He has thousands of pounds of gold and jewels in the castle, what will it look like if we don't make an attempt on it?" Robin argued.

"He has so many fortifications, though," Gretchen wondered. "He is trying to draw you in." Everything they had overheard at the castle had confirmed that.

"No, I understand," Marion nodded. "If we don't go in, he will think we are up to something bigger," Marion agreed. "But we have to prepare properly, Robin. We don't have to actually get to the money, we are going to do that when we move in a week."

"We have to make it look good enough that he doesn't suspect it was a fake attempt," Robin agreed. "But you are not part of this 'we,' Marion."

Marion looked stricken. "What do you mean? Am I not part of the gang all of a sudden? Am I not your wife?"

"Which is exactly why you can't come in this," Robin argued.

"Everyone knows about me, Guy knows about me. There is no reason for me to hide," Marion argued. "If Vaysey learns I am alive, it will only serve as another distraction."

"And if something goes wrong and you get hurt?" Robin questioned. "Or what if Guy doesn't act surprised and Vaysey gets suspicious? You would be risking Guy and Marguerite."

Marion glared at Robin. "We'll see what Marguerite has to say. Besides, Guy is suppose to be visiting Collin, so Vaysey isn't expecting him. We won't be in Nottingham the same time as Guy," Marion challenged as she stormed out of the back of the camp, asking the girls to join her.

"You know I'm right," Eleanor whispered to Allan. "All those times about me coming up with a plan, if you ever believed in me, Allan, than listen to me know," she pleaded.

"What about when you told me to give the sheriff some of Robin's secrets but not all? It is like that," he tried to assure her, rubbing his hand down her arm. "Just enough to make sure he doesn't think we are up to anything else."

Eleanor shook her head, stepping away from Allan, and went to follow after Marion. Willa scurried after her with a final look at the outlaws, her eyes lingering on John a moment longer than anyone else.

Gretchen helped Ygrainne get her things as she followed after them. She could see why they had to go, but she also had a bad feeling about the whole ordeal. They had just been in the castle and learned how Vaysey was waiting on them; didn't their little adventure into the castle mean anything? "Will they be alright?" Ygrainne asked, worried.

"Of course, love. They are Robin Hood," Gretchen grinned, faking an optimism she didn't feel.

"What really upsets me is he has been planning this for weeks! I think he has been hiding it from me since that day Willa arrived," Marion's voice was the first thing they heard when they entered the house in Locksley. "He kept trying to talk to the other guys in the gang when Gretchen, Eleanor, and I were busy elsewhere," she huffed.

"We all knew that Hood would do something stupid on his own," Guy's voice sighed. "If he jeopardizes all this…"

"Mon Coeur, he can't jeopardize the entire ordeal. We have too many of our own men throughout the country. You have all placed too much importance on this one area," Marguerite frowned at all of them. "In one week's time the Black Knights will be destroyed, the money will be collected, and Richard will be ransomed," Marguerite vowed. She purposely didn't say that the money would ransom Richard. In one week's time she would have her vengeance and be out of the country. (Mon Coeur=my heart, Marguerite's term of endearment for Guy).

She would make her own decision after that.

"You will all be richly rewarded for the time and effort, so all we have to do is hope Hood doesn't get himself killed, or give Vaysey the information about our attack," Marguerite said before turning back to her letter.

Seeing an argument about to erupt between Marguerite and Marion, Eleanor intervened. "Is that a letter from your family, Marguerite?"

Marguerite grinned mischievously. "My father. He is telling me about mes petites choux. I miss them so," she sighed. "Henri is 14 already. I can't believe I missed his birthday," she said sadly. It was the only one in 14 years she had missed. "Henri sent his own message. His Latin is flawless," she said proudly. "His English seems to be coming along nicely, too."

"He doesn't speak like us?" Ygrainne asked. Thankfully, her innocent question kept the conversation from heating up between Marguerite and Marion.

Marion continued to pace and look out the windows all afternoon, as if expecting Hood to show up and apologize. If it was just a scouting mission they should have been back by now.

Marguerite had just finished speaking with Luke, handing him a message to deliver to a noble a day's journey away to put her final plans into place, when Tuck ran into the village. Luke had just left and Marguerite prayed everything would fall into place. More than anything else, she had to get Granger into Nottingham on the day they attacked.

More than saving Richard's throne, more than ransoming her cousin, she was going to avenge Michel and kill the last man responsible for his death.

"Tuck?" Marguerite asked concerned, reaching out to the monk to help him sit. Eleanor, hearing the commotion, came out to help.

"Went to the camp first," he panted. "No one was there."

"What happened? Allan?" Nora asked horrified.

"All of them," Tuck gasped for breath so he could tell the whole story. "I was in the village… nothing unusual, until the guards… starting celebrating. The sheriff was expecting them…" he took a deep breath but nothing eased how difficult it was to say: "he caught all of them."

Eleanor's hand slapped over her mouth, muffling her gasp of fear. "Breath, Nora, we'll get them," Marguerite promised.

"And deal with the 'I-told-you-so' after," Eleanor nodded, trying to think. "He didn't kill them outright, did he?" she panicked.

Tuck shook his head. "No, I didn't hear that."

"He won't," Marguerite shook her head. "At least not Robin. He has been planning this too long, he wants Robin to suffer." The best way to do that, Marguerite thought, was to torture his men in front of Robin.

Eleanor nodded and looked skyward. "Cover of darkness will be best. He won't be expecting a rescue party, he thinks he has everyone," she decided.

"You can't…not alone," Tuck amended, withdrawing his shock. He should have known Eleanor would do everything she could to get to Allan.

"No, not alone," Gretchen spoke up, spooking them all. "We know the castle just as well as anyone. We can do it," Gretchen assured them.

"I'm helping," Tuck said, nothing could dissuade him.

"We should tell Marion," Marguerite decided. The other women were in agreement, they were all willing to do anything they could to save the gang and Marion was no exception. They marched inside to find Marion and Guy in the parlor with Willa and the kids. One look and the adults knew something was wrong.

Tuck repeated what had happened. "I can return to Nottingham early," Guy volunteered.

"No, you can't. You aren't expected until tomorrow evening at the very earliest. There is no excuse for you to be back early unless Collin cancelled on you. We can't ruin the overall plan," Marguerite pointed out. She waved off Marion's glare. "We will get them back, Marion, but we will do it without risking the plan." She would not risk her cousin's kingdom and Granger's death, not even for Robin.

"We need a plan," Willa spoke softly. "He surely won't kill them yet… will he?" her eyes were wide in horror.

"Not yet," Marguerite assured her. "I agree that night is the best time. The fewer guards we have to deal with the easier it will be for us."

"I agree," Tuck nodded. "How do we get in? I can go in…"

"Vaysey won't let you anywhere near the gang," Gretchen pointed out. "He hates you and isn't going to allow you near his most prized prisoners."

"So the question is: Who will be allowed in the dungeons," Eleanor said, an idea occurring to her.

"Guards, prisoners," Gretchen drawled.

"And servants," Eleanor said excitedly as the tinkling of a new idea began.

"You have a plan," Marguerite grinned.

"Half a plan so far, which I daresay is more than Robin had this morning," Eleanor frowned. "There are a small number of guards stationed at the front entrance, I doubt he will put a whole contingent there even with Robin—who does he expect to come rescuing them?" Eleanor pointed out. "And I know the dungeons fairly well after all the time I've worked in the castle." Not to mention her own days imprisoned.

"Hopefully they will be near the entrance to the dungeons, and if we are lucky some of the men will be there. Hopefully we won't have to look too far for them," Marion nodded, liking the plan.

"How are you going to get them out?" Marguerite asked.

"Hopefully they are fine," Eleanor's voice held a slight, nearly imperceptible, tremble but she steadied it. "We can go out the bones gate. If they are fine, they can carry themselves out, if they aren't we will have to carry them. Tuck will drive the grave wagon out of town, no one will think anything of it." No one looked too closely at the wagon designated for carrying the bodies of the dead prisoners to the mass grave outside of town.

Marguerite nodded, impressed by Eleanor's plan. "Just remember two things: quickly and quietly. The guards may be fewer, but if they hear anything wrong, then they will come looking."

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Allan tried to focus on an image of Nora. One of her laughing at one of his jokes. He remembered the way she sat there, her honey colored hair reflecting the light, as she simply laughed. If he just focused hard enough on images of his Nora the pain numbed to a bearable degree. Allan could admit he was a selfish bastard, at one point he was selfish enough to be jealous of his own son for taking some of Eleanor's attention. So he decided to be selfish now and think about Eleanor because she had the power to drive the pain and fear away.

Djaq's screams of pain enraged Will, both further down the hall from Allan. Once the guards and sheriff realized the connection between Djaq and Will they had turned it into a game. Allan said a silent prayer of thanks Eleanor wasn't near; he couldn't bear it if she saw him like this. It put Gisborne's torture to shame.

A slap across his face had his teeth rattling. Gods, he wasn't even going to be able to hold her again, ever make up for what a complete ass he was. How had someone so sweet and smart ever given him a chance? Look at what he did every time she gave him a chance. "Wakey, wakey," Vaysey chirped. "A beautiful sunset it seems we are going to have tonight. Not that the lot of you will be lucky enough to see another one. But I seem to have no cares left in the world, so the world seems fresh and new." The sheriff took a deep breath to emphasize his point.

"Ah, but I seem to have lost track of why I came. It seems that the boy-girl and your little carpenter with the dead-dad-Dan, have become an item. Didn't see that one coming, but I suppose she was bound to end up with one of you, stuck out in the woods with nothing but men for comfort and company. The side by side torture chambers seemed like an added bonus, yes?" Vaysey grinned.

"We all know Robin is perhaps eager to go into the light and join with his sanctimonious Marion. Can't have him go too quickly, now, can we?" Vaysey chirped.

"But the others—Hood's servant and the big fellow—neither of them have anything more to lose than Hood." A point he had driven home to them when visiting their cells before Allan's. "After all, honestly, who could expect a servant and giant of a man to have a life outside of the gang? The problem of living your life for Robin Hood is that it eventually means giving your death for Robin Hood. But you," Vaysey clucked. "I have to confess I have been eager to get you down here. No one comes into my house, uses my hospitality, and then turns tail and runs back to Hood. Did you honestly think I would stand for it? A clue," Vaysey waved his hand and suddenly the guards were sicked back on him, pain searing through his body from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.

Nora…. Nora… her name became a chant inside Allan's head. If she could survive years of hell, he would survive this. He had to, if Vaysey got his hands on her and Tom…

"Now, that I seem to have your attention," Vaysey gripped Allan's chin and swung his head around to look at him, "I want your dying thoughts to be of your little wench and boy. Did she welcome you back in her bed? Did your charm and smooth talking work? Yes! I can see they have by the fire in your eyes."

Vaysey leaned in to whisper in Allan's ear. "If she is still so good after all this time, after having your bastard, than perhaps I'll spare her her life so long as she can keep my bed warm. That bastard of yours will have to go, though, now won't he?" Vaysey grinned as Allan struggled against his chains.

"Now, let's go have a nice chat with Hood, hmm?"

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The two hours they had to wait frayed what nerves they had left. Tuck had changed into a different uniform—a monk was too noticeable. Marion was in her old Night Watchman outfit while Gretchen and Eleanor had found old, threadbare servants gowns as well as scarves to cover their hair. They waited until the kitchen was nearly empty, all but a few stragglers remained. Gretchen went in and took the loaded platter and then the two of them headed down the stairs to the dungeon. Eleanor added the herbs to the wine she was carrying before she opened the door.

Gretchen set the large platter down on the desk, fetching two plates for the guards sitting in the entrance hallway. She could see the two cells at the end of the hallway but it was so dark she couldn't see in them to see who they housed. "There you go, love," Gretchen smiled at the guard as she set the food down. "Can you believe you finally caught them?" she asked as she poured him a large dose of Eleanor's dosed wine. She figured plying him with wine would be easy, quick, and quiet. If only the other guard would take his seat.

"You look familiar," the second guard, who was slightly larger and burlier than the one Gretchen was flirting with, questioned Eleanor, looking down at her. Eleanor had no doubt he was undressing her in his mind.

Normally, she would shy away, stammer, ignore him. Normally she wouldn't be in this situation—so close to such a big brute. She didn't want him to recognize her as the girl in the castle that was afraid of her shadow, though. Do the exact opposite, Eleanor she told herself.

A resounding smack was heard, drawing several people's attention. "I only look familiar?" Eleanor said, outraged. "That certainly isn't what you said before," she hissed.

"Now I remember you… Corrin," the man said, sounding hopeful on her name.

"Corrin?" Eleanor repeated, aghast. "You have also been with Corrin? You big oaf," she said, crossing her arms in anger, turning her back on him slightly but never losing sight of him.

"I didn't say Corrin," the man said quickly. "Corrin is 'bout as tempting as Griswald. I would never call you Corrin… Kate," he said, again hopeful on the name.

Eleanor nodded, as if he had finally figured out who she was. Gretchen watched on, amused, and happy that the other guard was on his second glass of wine. "I should have known better, all the other girls talk 'bout how you are. You can't even give a girl a special treat."

"We can do that right here," the guard smirked making Eleanor frown at him.

"I meant something you haven't slugged around with the other girls." She saw his confused look. "If you really want to make it up to me… no, I don't think you could. It's nothing but I'm sure it's out of your reach."

"Hey, nothing is out of my reach," the brute said.

"Well, we," Eleanor gestured to Gretchen, "wanted to catch a peak at one of the outlaws, just for a moment. We can't believe they are actually caught. Did you help with that?" Eleanor asked, sounding shock and proud for the man's benefit.

He seemed to bask in the thought of getting the glory. "'course I did. We best be quick, then. Just a peaks."

The first guard stood and wavered a little. "Perhaps you had best sit," Gretchen offered.

"This is fine," the man slurred, leaning on Gretchen, groping her breast in the process. Thoughts about what to do with that hand circled in Gretchen's mind as they walked to the second cell in the hallway. "Maybe you were right," the man said, staggering.

"Woah…" Gretchen started as the man tumbled. Gretchen half caught him as he swayed forward and he somehow landed with his face in the valley of her breasts. She pushed him off, disgusted.

"Most fun Jack's had in a few days," the second brute chuckled. "Too much wine for him, it looks. Never could hold his drink. Or a woman."

"Not your problem," Eleanor said as Gretchen slipped around. "One more thing? For me?" Eleanor asked. She slipped his helmet off, making as if she was leaning up to kiss him.

As soon as he had slipped the helmet off Gretchen bashed him upside the head with the chair. Eleanor stepped out of the way quickly and his head further hit the bars to the cell. Eleanor reached down and grabbed the keys from his belt. "Some things never change: the guards are as disgusting and perverted as ever," Gretchen said, stepping on the guard's hand that had groped her. He wouldn't be using a sword anytime soon.

They opened the cell and rushed in to find Djaq. Her hands were shackled to the wall but she was alive. They quickly dragged the guards into her cell and released Djaq, dragging her to the back exit where the dead bodies were taken to the cart. At the door they handed her to Tuck while Marion followed them back in.

The second cell Eleanor unlocked was John's. "I'll get him," Tuck said. He was the only one who could carry around John's weight. They found Will's cell next and Marion rushed in to untie him, worried about finding Robin.

Gretchen took the key from Eleanor who went off to find Allan. Gretchen found Much's cell and a silent sob tore at her throat. She quickly opened the cell and rushed in. "Much?" Gretchen asked, cupping his bruised face. She ran behind the pillar to untie his hands and feet. "Much?" Gretchen asked, cradling his head. Her heart was beating so fast she was surprised it didn't fly right out of her chest. She wanted desperately to see how badly he was injured but she knew she didn't have time. She had to get him out, get him to safety.

"Stay alive," she ordered as she stood.

Eleanor saw two other cells before she found Allan. She had to stab at the lock twice before she got the key in she was in such a hurry. She barreled inside, her heart in her throat at seeing him down here, like that, again. She placed her ear to his chest, heard his heart beat, and placed a kiss over it. "You cannot leave me again Allan a Dale," she chided as she loosened his hands, catching his limp body as he fell.

She had just made it to the door of Allan's cell, the same time it seemed as Gretchen did with Much and Marion with Robin, when suddenly guards came marching down the tunnel. A voice could be heard saying, "Jack? Bloody hell, lads, the sheriff warned you both specifically not to indulge…" they saw the guards passed out in the cell and the girls all heard swords being drawn, guards racing down the hall.

"Go," Marion ordered, gently laying her husband down and drawing her own weapon. Eleanor thought quickly: the narrowness of the hall would give Marion an advantage since she couldn't be surrounded. As long as Marion didn't fall, she stood a chance, even if there was at least 7 of them. Besides, Eleanor could use a bow but wasn't too good with a sword yet.

Tuck arrived after having deposited John in the wagon. Gretchen stumbled under Much's weight but her determination, adrenaline, and fear propelled her forward. Tuck stepped around her and grabbed John's staff that had been placed off to the side with the outlaws' weapons.

Eleanor watched for a moment as Tuck joined in on the battle, felling the guards who attacked Marion's blind side. She had never seen Tuck fight really, and was slightly surprised he was taking guards down with that same competence he had with everything else.

Knowing that with Tuck's help they would be safe, Eleanor grasped Allan tightly, half dragging him outside. She had to lay him down so she could help Gretchen lift Much into the wagon, then both girls turned to lift Allan into the wagon.

Hearing the door burst open they turned, ready to defend, but were relieved to see Marion and Tuck carrying Robin. "Elle, his head," Marion choked.

They jumped up—Eleanor and Gretchen in the back, Tuck and Marion on the driver's bench—and took off, the tarp being thrown over the passengers in the back. The cart started its slow march out of the city. To onlookers it looked like any other last trek for the dead bodies of the prisoners.

As soon as they were in Sherwood the cart stopped so the tarp could be lifted and fresh air could be had. "Now where?" Tuck asked worriedly, seeing the wound still seeping from Robin's head.

"There isn't enough room for all of them in the camp, not in their condition," Gretchen said. "And we can't go to Locksley. If Vaysey made a surprise appearance we would all be caught."

"We need someplace that is protected from Vaysey and the elements," Eleanor said, placing pressure on Robin's stomach wound. There were simply too many wounds, not enough hands.

"I know where we can go," Marion decided.

I seem to always poke fun at Robin's ability to make a good plan. A HUGE thanks to I can spell confusion with a K (it is a bit more feminist than you would expect from the 12th century, but I figure the show had no problem with it since they made Marion the NIghtwatchmen :) so it gives me room to play, too) and Fireheart (I hope you did good on your drama final!) and jojia (hope you enjoy the rest of the story!)