A/N Okay so I don't think my offer to own BBC Robin Hood is gonna go through anytime soon. I do not own BBC Robin Hood, its characters, and its plots. I only own my characters. I hope you like this chapter. There may or may not be an update next weekend. I haven't decided, but I have planned out everything for the rest of season 1 and some of season 2. I would just invest in some tissues. This is a shorter chapter, but some stuff is revealed about our modern protagonist that you wouldn't expect. Thanks to knarl once again for reviews and advice. Enjoy!
Chapter 8 A Thing or Two About Loyalty or Why Gunpowder is Bad
It was another day in the Sherwood forest for the gang and they were off walking around looking for their next victim, but not without bickering within them.
"I just don't understand how one can have the patience to do that Will!" Alex yelled at the taller man walking beside her.
"You just have to be in the right mind set, that's all." Alex had been bonding more with the other members lately. She still talked, chatted, and continued their private lessons of fighting and reading, but it was awkward for the both of them and they didn't even realize it. It was two weeks earlier when they both realized their feelings for one another and confessed it to their closest friend, besides one another, and they both had no idea of the reciprocated feeling and were lost on what to do next. Alex did not know the standards for dating and she imagined a Jane Austen type scenario was in place here, where he would have to confess her love to her father or eldest brother or just the general man in charge of her, but Alex came to this world completely alone and if a man was in charge of her, there was no way it was going to continue.
Allan just had no experience with courting and love at all. His parents were what Alex would call a "shotgun wedding" and neither were happy, and Allan only had really talked to serving girls, tavern girls, and Djaq before Alex. All he had to do was flash a charming smile, buy them a drink, and get a room and then he would be gone the next morning (of course he did none of that with Djaq, but he did smile). Alex was immune to his charms and was not the one night stand type of girl, but that was alright because Allan knew this was going to be a long term thing. It, after all, was the first time he had ever felt this romantic love and the feeling of it was not ever going to go away. Every time he saw her smile or he heard one of her many laughs, he got a strange feeling in his stomach. And when they were close to one another, enough to kiss, he felt like he was going to explode with happiness.
But he could not act on his feelings. He had no idea what to do and if she hared this feeling. It was not like he could offer her lavish gifts and expensive dinners; all Allan A Dale had was his smile and whatever was one his back and he was sure that couldn't win someone like Alex over. So the two were stuck.
"Well then explain it to me one more time." Alex grabbed Will and they slowed their pace so they were behind all of the gang.
"I don't know how to. You just sit there and widle and-" Will was cut off by Alex.
"Why don't you ask her out?!" Alex said bluntly.
"I don't understand…" Will said eyeing the girl with a look of consternation.
"Djaq!" Will continued the look of confusion. "Much told me everything from when we were kidnaped and that includes about the confession of love."
Will was shocked. 'If Alex knows about Allan, why aren't the two already married? Its obvious they both love each other and are meant to be. You couldn't find two more annoying people…' "So then what about you?" he asked warily.
"What about me? I am to be your matchmaker. Much said you told everyone that you liked Djaq, and something was said in the dungeon by her about you. So its my job to-" Alex was cut off with a large boom.
Will and Alex looked at each other and ran to the side of a clearing, away from the gang.
Within the clearing was a large black hole and the Sheriff was dancing in glee inside of it. There were many guards present, as well as Gisbourne and Marian, and a man the gang hd not seen before.
"Well done, Gisbourne!" the Sheriff said to the leather man smirking at his success. "Get me ten or twenty large, huge crates. Ha ha!" The Sheriff continued his little dance clapping.
The stranger replied to the Sheriff, holding his hands on his large belt. "If I'm to create more black powder then there are conditions."
"Really?" the Sheriff responded with a disturbing smile.
"One, I'm allowed to sell my discovery to other mining concerns."
"Naturally." the Sheriff smiled.
"Two, I get a bonus for me work."
"Of course." the Sheriff continued smiling.
"And finally," the man paused as he noticed Gisbourne staring at him, "the powder must never be used as a weapon."
The Sheriff climbed out of the crater with a exaggerated, fake, agreeing look. "I think you and I have a future. Trust me."
The man looked down thinking. He then muttered a no.
"Lambert." Guy said shocked.
"I think not." said the man, or Lambert.
"Think about what you are doing." Gisbourne warned.
"I cannot trust you."
The Sheriff approached the alchemist and his guards began to draw their weapons. "My dear boy…"
"Let me go or there will be trouble." Lambert began backing away, holding tighter to his bulky belt.
"I adore trouble." the Sheriff said in his unique, sadistic way.
Lambert continued backing away. He grabbed two tubes attached to his belt and threw them at the Sheriff and his guards. They caused a small explosion, but with a big punch. The Sheriff yelled as Lambert ran for the guards to catch him alive.
Lambert ran into the forest, trying to escape, and ran into Alex and Will. Alex was shocked at all of this. These people could not have this power if her people shouldn't really have this power. Will and Alex caught the fleeing alchemist.
"Woah!" said Alex, slightly caught off guard by the man.
"Woah! Woah! Don't go!" Will added as he tried to get away.
"Stop! We can help you! I know what this stuff can do!" Alex told him.
Lambert finally got free from them, assuming that they worked for the Sheriff and they couldn't be trusted. "Back off! No!" He threw one last bomb at the two, knocking them completely to the ground. Lambert turned around and ran straight into the Sheriff's guards.
Will and Alex quickly got back onto their feet and rejoined the group, who were watching from further away.
"Are you alright?!" Allan asked as Alex approached, grimacing from the lasting pain of the explosion. Alex gave a quick nod in reply and focused back on Lambert and Gisbourne. Allan could only focus on her and her pale, shocked face.
"You promised me you would not use it was a weapon. Please." Lambert yelled as he was being searched and held by the Sheriff's guards.
"Where is the ledger… with the formula?" Gisbourne asked. Lambert remained silent. "hat information belongs to both of us. commissioned you."
"And that is where your input ends." Lambert said in retaliation. "Black powder is not toy Guy. It is lethal and I will not let you abuse its power."
"Where is it?"
"Somewhere you'll never find it."
The Sheriff rode up on his horse next to Gisbourne. "Your friends seems to enjoy the power he has over us. Very clever. Congratulations, you just made yourself the most important man in Nottingham, Lambert. So when we hurt you, we'll do it very carefully." Lambert was then dragged away by the guards at the Sheriff's order and to his torture chamber.
"He's done for." Allan commented.
"We're done for if the Sheriff gets the ledger." Robin said.
"England and the rest of the world will be done for." Alex added, her skin white with shock.
The gang began walking back to their camp, trying to figure what had just happened and what to do next.
"Few of those, you could take out a whole town, couldn't ya? 'Hello, villagers. What? You couldn't pay your taxes?' Boom! You're out." Allan joked, over emphasizing the explosion and looking at Alex for her usual laugh and smile that made him swoon, but instead she stared at the ground, ruffling her hair and biting her lip indicating she was thinking about something.
"It's not funny. It punched us to the ground." Will said to his friend.
"What was it?" Little John asked no one in particular.
"Greek fire." Robin said. "When were in the Holy Land, we heard tales of boats being destroyed, sunken without a trace."
"Typical," Djaq said with her prominent accent. "Our alchemists have been experimenting with it or years and it's called Greek Fire? Never Saracen. Greek!" She turned to Alex, who always agreed with her points, being the only person in the gang that could really see things form her perspective since she too, in a way, was an outsider. However, Alex kept walking with a purpose, thinking with her upset, frightened face.
"It's amazing." Allan said with his smirk.
"No its now." Alex finally said in a faint voice as she stopped walking. Then entire gang stopped and turned to look at her. "It is a evil, horrible weapon. This black powder, Greek fire, or whatever, is a rudimentary form of gunpowder." Everyone looked at her puzzled. She cursed herself for forgetting they had never heard of a gun before. "Imagine a hand held device that essentially shoots an arrow head a thousand times faster and requires no skill. That powder enables that weaponry! It leads to bombs and explosives and can decimate anything in its path! I live in world with a constant threat of nuclear war, which means in a matter of hours, the world could be destroyed of all life for the rest of time. We cannot let anyone get hold of this." Alex had a deadly serious stare that had only been seen by the gang a few times for a matter of seconds. This was a level of Alex unknown to everyone, especially Allan. Alex saw the shocked eyes on her and started walking again. ahead of the group so they were forced to follow her.
"Right." Robin said, still offset at Alex's words, "The plan is…" He stopped for a moment thinking. "somebody needs to get arrested and taken to the dungeons."
"I'm not bein' funny or anything, but isn't getting arrested what we normally tryin' to avoid." Allan said with a chuckle that everyone had. He looked to Alex, who was now walking beside him with her arms crossed in contemplation, to see if she had any amusement from his catch phrase like she always did. She continued her serious, scared face.
"Well, that's the quickest way in. Why, are you volunteering?" Robin said.
"No." Allan replied. He did think for a moment if volunteering to get arrested would seem noble to Alex because she was so clearly moved by this dynamite. But Allan and his selfish ways decided the best way was to stay with her and offer her a more immediate form of comfort. If there was another moment to be heroic and not risk torture or his life, he would take it for her.
Much stopped walking and raised his hand to volunteer. The gang looked at his and paused at the thought of him volunteering. "What?" he asked. The gang laughed and chuckled at him, with the exception of Alex and continued walking. "What? Oi!" Much ran and chased his friends down, "I am being serious!"
Much did get his wish though, and he set out for Nottingham market to get arrested. His first idea to achieve his odd goal was to yell slander at Prince John. When that didn't work, he resorted to attacking a guard. After the cheers of the townspeople, he happily was taken away to the dungeon after a punch or two.
Much found Lambert in the cell next to him luckily. The man, tied up in shackles, was curled into a ball of self loathing and sadness. Much approached him in his Much way, hectic and unaware of other's emotions.
"Hello." he said trying got get Lambert's attention. "Pst." he said again, earning a glare form the alchemist. "I am a friend of Robin Hood's. And this," he said, holding up a lock pick, "is a rescue."
Much was smiling at his so far success and Lambert thought of the rescue sceptically. The dungeon doors then squeaked open as Much was focused on freeing himself from his shackles. Much mumbled the man of the leather clad man and in the process, dropped his lock pick. This was only expected of Much, being the clumsy, lovable fool of the gang.
Much sat back at Gasbourne approached him. "Take this runt," the military man said, pointing at the panicked servant, "to the Great Hall." The guards quickly opened the cell and dragged the confused and scared Much away.
Alone with his friend, Gasbourne made one last attempt to ease the alchemist's pain. "Lambert, help me to help you. I cannot hold the Sheriff off much longer." He only received a stare in response. Gisbourne quickly left to join Vaisey.
Meanwhile, Much was having the most confusing day of his life. Much was thrown into the Great Hall and the Sheriff soon appeared from the balcony.
"Lambert should be at the screaming stage now," the Sheriff said, coming down form his high and mighty position, "but all I hear is nothing."
"I'm determined to reason with him, my lord." Gisbourne replied.
"Ah really?" the Sheriff walked to over where Much was forced to stand for the Sheriff. The only act of dignity he could use was to not make eye contact. "Reason? You going soft, Gisbourne? Hm? Because he's you friend, is it that? Well, leave him with me. I'll reason with him."
"I can handle him." Gisbourne argued.
"No-no, you failed me. You're off the project." the Sheriff said with his uncaring, curious face. Gisbourne shook his head in anger. "Now, what" he said pointing the Much, "is this creature doing here?"
"This is one of Robin Hood's inner circle. This is his right-hand man." Gisbourne said proudly.
"Oh, bravo!" the Sheriff said with heavy sarcasm, stepping towards his right-hand man.
"He can tell us all we need to know about the outlaws." Gisbourne continued.
"Like what, hm? That Robin Hood is against us? That he keeps moving his camp on, hm?There's nothing to know!"
"All right. So hang him then. Make an example." Guy reasoned. Much stared straight on, showing no emotion.
"Brilliant!" the Sheriff then turned to look at Much again. "No. Hang him," he walked towards the outlaw, "and you have an instant martyr. Suddenly, everybody loves Robin Hood."
"So what do you suggest we do with him then?"
"'ll make a real example of this man." The Sheriff chuckled at his forming plan and Much stared at him with wide eyes in fear.
Meanwhile the rest of the outlaws were walking towards the two, with their hoods up disguising them.
"Anyone fancy a wager?" Allan asked no one in particular till he looked at Alex. Usually Alex would be up for a bet of any sort (the week previous she had won a bet that forced Allan to preform a dance for her to no music), but she just looked sadly at nothing and ignored him. "Yeah? Who thinks he will get out on his own?"
"Trust me, Allan. Much can do it." Robin said, glancing back at his friend.
"Are we talking about the same Much?" Allan joked.
Unknown to them, Much was doing quite well, in a way. He was seated at the end of a long table, across from the Sheriff and with Guy looking confused at the Sheriff's plan.
"I will not poison myself. You will have to kill me first." Much said with dignity.
"Poison yourself?" The Sheriff stood and walked down to much's end of the table. He picked up his goblet. "This," he said, holding the goblet to the outlaw's nose, "is Burgundy wine. And this," He picked up a piece of meat and also held it to the outlaw's face, "is the very best venison, hm?" The Sheriff ate the meat in his hand and took a drink. "Mm. A feast. though, granted, it might taste like poison to a peasant's palette." The Sheriff held the goblet to his lips, looked at Much, raised his eyebrows, and downed the entire glass. Much, hesitantly, took a bite of a plum. "Hm… that reminds me. Gisbourne, your sword?"
Much stopped eating and looked at Guy with his remarkably wide eyes. "We're going to take hearts and minds to a new level." Gisbourne began to draw his sword, and in response, Much tried to run away by pushing past the Sheriff. The Sheriff calmly order the guards to stop him and force him onto his knees. The Sheriff calmly walked over to the petrified outlaw, inspecting the sword. much tried to get free, but was shoved by Guy onto his knees once again. The Sheriff approached much, the point facing the outlaw. Much squeezed his eyes shut and expected the worst, which did not come.
"By the powers vested in me… blah-di-blah-di-blah, I dub you," he said tapping Much's shoulders, "Earl of Bonchurch, hm?" Much had no idea what was going on. The Sheriff held the point of the sword under Much's chin, forcing him to look up. "hat's what you were promised, wasn't it, when you came back home? Hm?" Everyone looked at the Sheriff shocked. He ordered Much to stand. "Lord Much! Well," he said, swinging the sword, "do you feel honored?"
Much said with astonishment, "Have you really just made me an earl?"
"Well, not quite. No. I will have a word with Prince John and he will make it official. So, you will have the privileges and luxuries of a lord. You will take your seat in the lodge of Bonchurch. Oh and ere, I expect you at the Council of Nobles tomorrow." The Sheriff sat in Much's seat and ate the rest of his plum while Gisbourne shook his head, glaring at Much, who now owned a piece of his estate.
Of course there was an ulterior motive. There always were. After Vaisey explained everything to Gisbourne, about Much and about the Black Powder, he ran out into the courtyard, furious. He even kicked a poor innocent bench over. Marian saw and ran over to him.
"Guy!" she yelled. Gisbourne only turned away from Marian. "You are upset."
"I'm fine. I cannot discuss it." he replied, still clearly angry. He began to lean on a low branch of a nearby tree.
"I had not imagined the man who wishes to marry me would shut me out of his thoughts."
"Forgive me, Marian. I'm not myself."
"Has the Sheriff angered you?" she asked concerned.
"No, the Sheriff undermines me whenever possible. That's not unusual."
"Is this about Lambert and finding the ledger? This black powder is costing you a dear friend."
"I am angry, Marian, because the Greek fire was my project and the Sheriff took it away from me."
Marian thought about her finances situation. She, not matter how horrible he was, felt a pang of sympathy for him. She thought on how to solve the problem and quickly champ with a plan. "Suppose we were to take matters into our own hands." Gisborne looked back at her. "Surely the Sheriff would not mind how you went about it. He strikes me as an end-game man. If you could find the ledger…"
"What would you suggest?"
Marian looked around the courtyard for prying ears and whispered to Guy, "Show Lambert you are still his friend. Take him to a place of safety. You always say people respond to loyalty."
"No. Lambert would never trust me now." Gisbourne said to Marian. Unknown to the unhappy couple, the Sheriff was looking at them speak in their hushed tones from a balcony that overlooked the courtyard and knew something was brewing between them that would not benefit him. If it wasn't for her father's reputation and her nobility, he would have gotten rid of her long ago.
"I think he would if you proved beyond all doubt that you could protect him."
"How?"
"Take him to Kirklees. Perhaps tomorrow. There is a Council of Nobles so the Sheriff will be busy. Regain Lambert's trust." Marian gingerly placed her hand on Gisborne's shoulder and he turned to look down at it. "You and he are old friends." she continued. "Build on that friendship."
"Very well." Guy said, settling on a plan of action to help his friend. The Sheriff looked down below at the scheming couple and said to himself while shaking his head in disapproval, "Lepers, Gisbourne. Lepers."
The gang, minus Much in prison and Will waiting for him, waited for him and Lambert to arrive under a bridge not far away from the town's gate.
"He should be here now." Robin said turning to John, with a concerned face, "John, head towards the were entrance and join Will." He turned to Djaq, "Djaq, go gather some horses by the east gate and go and get-" Robin was cut off by a strange sight. All of the outlaws turn their heads to look at the unbelievable sight: a carriage passing over the bridge with Much in it, seemingly unharmed. He saw his friends and tired at them, equally shocked and confused.
"All bets are off." Allan said. Robin tried to get Much's attention, but the servant only continued his look of confusion.
"Robin, what's going on?' Alex asked with her furrowed brows.
"Right. Let's follow." Robin replied.
The gang followed their new nobel friend until they reached the Bonchurch lodge. The outlaws remained hidden in the trees and observed what was happening from a distance.
"Why isn't Much running away?" Will asks.
"Maybe he cannot." Djaq replied.
"Whatever Sheriff has planned, it will include us. But Much is safe as long as we are unseen." Robin reasoned.
"Ya know, Lambert could have given in already." Alex said with her concerned face that had remained since she saw the explosion.
"I know," Robin said looking at her and Allan besides her, placing a hand on her shoulder that she had not realized it was there. She was too focused on the issue at hand. "I need to get into the castle."
"Well I've a lovely idea." Allan said.
The carriage containing the confused Much arrived at the lodge. Two young men opened the door for him and helped him out. Much was dressed in fine, new clothes. He stood in awe at what was now his house. A young, blonde woman kneeled before him. "My lord," she said standing up, "Welcome. The wealth and bounties of Bonchurch are yours." Much only gave and in reply and entered into his new lodge.
Robin meanwhile was working on another angle. Robin pushed himself out of a barrel with pork and cloth hiding him. He spat out the dust form the barrel and looked around. "Meat dip, nice one Allan." Robin said heading towards the dungeon.
Robin hid behind a pillar, waiting for the jailor to pass. As the jailor did, Robin hit him in the back. The jailor dropped his keys turning around and managed to defend himself and punch Robin. Robin ducked the next hit and then punched and pushed the jailor into a pillar, rendering him unconscious. As he bent down to pick up the keys, a guard that he had not seen approached him with sword drawn. Robin turned around just as the guard was about to strike and held him hands up in a useless form of defense, but the guard fell to the ground and behind him was Alex holding the hilt of her sword.
"Alex? What are you doing here?!" Robin said shocked at her presence.
"Your welcome." she said sheathing her sword. Robin took her in. She was wearing a lower cut top and corset, which she only had for disguises and she absolutely hated it and almost burned it.
"I told you and everyone else to wait for me in the forest." he said.
Alex brushed her hair out of her face, revealing a deadly serious expression. "I am the only one who can understand the level of destruction. You need me to talk to Lambert."
Robin nodded and crossed his arms. These were the moments he admired and hated her spirit. "How did you even get away? I know that Little John or Allan would not have let you come here."
"It's a long story." she replied looking around for the alchemist.
When the outlaws were walking in the forest, Allan pulled her aside.
"I'm not bein' funny, but you look really stressed." he said to her, resting his hand on her shoulder.
"It's because I am! This powder has killed countless people and we cannot let this be in the wrong hands!" Alex yelled.
"No one here is disagreein' with you."
"I know but they don't understand. Growing up you always see movies and clips of wars with this stuff and its gruesome and horrible. It will lead to the destruction of the world. I have seen what this stuff can do! More than anyone else. I have lost people because of this advanced weaponry." Alex looked at the ground and held her hands on her head. Allan knew her so we'll that he knew she was very upset, but he shouldn't pry. It pained him to see her so distressed and to know he couldn't do anything.
"Alex," Allan reached out to her, but she stepped back.
"Ya know, I have to go talk to his guy."
"And how are you gonna get in?" Allan said, crossing him arms.
Alex smirked and raised her eyebrows at him. "Please Rooster."
Allan sighed and let his arms fall to his side. He did not want her in danger, but he was glad to see her usual, scheming, happy self back. "Alex, John would never let you go."
"Great thing that I am a grown woman and he isn't in charge of me." she smiled and slowly her real self was coming back.
"I have a plan, but you won't like it. And you have to promise to be safe, Songbird." he said.
"Allan, you are the best." Alex hugged him and they both took each other in before parting. "So what's this plan?"
The plan was a simple one. The two ran off away from the gang with no explanation and began their plan. Alex, in her hated disguise as a serving girl with a small top, would sneak her way in using her flattery and charm. She did not like it at all and once she had gotten inside, she had disposed of her skirt that were over her trouser and tighten the ridiculous corset so she actually got some support. Allan's part was just watching her get in and he left to join the rest of the gang and explained where they went. No one was going to be happy with him.
"Well come on then." Robin said, approaching the cells. Alex followed and they quickly found Lambert's cell. The alchemist was slumping against the wall, barely conscious and clearly badly hurt. Robin unlocked the cell and approached him with Alex behind.
"Do you remember me? Ya know, we are getting you out." Alex said to the broken man.
"No you're not. They've broken both of my legs." the man said, wincing in pain.
"A detail." Robin said. He sat the man up, but Lambert whimpered at the excruciating pain of the simple action. Robin covered his mouth with his hand. Alex was busy inspecting the man and taking into account all of his injuries.
"Alright. Sh-sh-sh. We can get you out. I can make a type of spilt and we'll carry you." Alex said.
"You can't." Lambert responded.
"I'm not giving you a choice. You are the only one that knows how to make Greek fire." Robin said.
"And that is the joke." Lambert said, faintly chuckling. "There have been many variations in ingredients, amount. I can't remember everything so I record it all in my ledger."
"Where is it?" Robin asked.
Lambert chuckled again. "And why should I tell you two? You're outlaws."
"It would be catastrophic in the Sheriff's hands. Now, how much did you make for him?"Alex said.
"There are three barrels of the mixture and the Sheriffs confiscated them." Lambert replied.
"In the castle?" Robin asked quickly after hearing a noise in the dungeon.
"I don't know." Lambert grimaced and shook his head.
"The Sheriff will torture you again." Alex stated.
"Yes." Lambert replied.
"And you'll break. Everybody breaks, and then the Sheriff will have the ledger and the Greek fire. Now, we can hide it for you in another place, and you can honestly tell the Sheriff you do not know where it is, and we will gather the rest of our men and rescue you." Robin said.
"And what's to stop you from using Greek fire for your own ends?" Lambert asked.
"Nothing. Other that I am Robin Hood and I offer you my word."
"And I am Alex Hunter and I have seen what this can do used as a weapon and I will not let anyone use it that way."
Lambert stared at them both and saw the sincerity in Robin's eye and the seriousness and pain in Alex's and he agreed.
The two made their escape going down the privy once again. Robin landed with a thud in the pile of God knows what. A;ex slid down next and Robin caught her at her insistence.
"Oi!" a guard yelled at them. The guard charged at the two and Robin ducked him and Alex easily kicked him into the wall. Robin joined her and pinned the guard against it more forcefully as Alex backed off and looked for more guards.
"When you wake up, you will tell the Sheriff Lambert no longer knows where the ledger is. Robin Hood knows." Robin said.
"But I'm not asleep." the guard said. Robin replied with a hard punch to the head. "Now you are." Alex said. Both her and Robin then ran to their friends.
The gang entered a non descript room filled with barrels that night. Robin and Little John entered first, followed by Will and Djaq, then Allan and Alex. Allan stood on guard for them as Little John ad the rest began tapping away at barrels.
"The ledger is in the fourth water butt." Robin said.
John tapped a barrel. "That's this one." He lifted the lid revealing water inside. Robin reached in the barrel with both arms.
"Guards!" Allan yelled. Robin tore his arms out of the barrel and the gang hid. A guard passed by carrying a torch and peered in the room, but did not notice the infamous outlaws. The gang stood up after the guard left and Little John watched the light fade away. Robin reached in the barrel again and pulled out the soaking ledger.
"I'm not bein' funny. It's soakin' wet! It'll be ruined." Allan whispered.
"Let me see." Alex said grabbing the ledger out of Robin's hand before he could hand it to her. Alex carefully unwrapped the ledger and opened it with Djaq examining it with her. "No. It's still good. I knew it. We know Greek fire!" Djaq said with a smile
"Great. We can still create this monstrosity. Let's just do everyone a favor and destroy it." Alex said with her signature sarcasm.
It was Robin's turn to steal the ledger. "We are keeping Lambert's ledger safe."
"Guards are coming back." Allan said, "Come on!"The gang all raised their hoods and left.
The outlaws were in the forest waiting by the North Road waiting for Gisbourne and Lambert to ambush them. Will was watching the road with his bow in his hand and whistled when he saw Marian approaching on horseback. Robin and the rest of the outlaws, except the now Lord Much, ran towards her. Marian dismounted her horse with a sad face.
"He's dead. I'm so sorry." Marian said to Robin. Robin remained still for a moment until he saw that Marian was on the verge of tears. He pulled her into his chest and hugged her and she sobbed into him. The gang disappeared into the forest, wanting to give them privacy.
Robin remembered how hopefully she was the night before about Gisbourne. She was also so passionate about the destruction of the ledger like Alex. For two people that were so similar, it was shocking that they couldn't get along.
Back at the camp Djaq was devouring the ledger until Alex ripped it out of her hand.
"I'm destroying this!" Alex yelled.
"Alex, no! Stop!" Djaq said desperately. Alex was about to throw it into the fire when Little John grabbed her hand and took it from her.
"Steady!" he warned.
"This has to be destroyed. It is a monstrosity!" Alex yelled at him as he returned the ledger.
"This is no science. This is murder." Will agreed. Alex motioned her hands towards him and raised her eyebrows to show Djaq that even he disagreed with her.
"Think of this as progress." Djaq countered.
"I have seen progress. I have seen progress from this black powder and it is devastating and a crime against the whole of humanity. You know this is not the type of progress you love, Djaq." Alex glaring at her friend.
"Other scientists could d much better things with Greek fire." Djaq replied. Alex trend away and stood angrily next to Allan. Robin and Marian entered the camp holding hands unnoticed.
"Yeah, you could blow up the entire castle with that stuff!" Allan stated.
"Lambert's dead." Robin grimly said. Everyone turned to him.
"What?" Little John said quietly.
"He died believing that I'd protect his work." Robin continued.
"Then let me study this ledger, create black powder With this, we could be unstoppable." Djaq said with an excited smile.
"This is not about one's man wish. Robin!" Will said.
"This is about the fate of the world and countless lives." Alex added.
Robin held out his hand for Djaq to give back the ledger. Djaq hesitated for a moment, clutching the ledger of all these secrets to herself for a moment, but gave in. " first we need to destroy the Sheriff's powder. That is a weapon he must not wield. It's time to call on our noble on the inside."
It was the next day and the trap was set. Robin, Will, Djaq, Allan, and Alex waited and watched the cave the Sheriff's men had led them too. Gisbourne and his men had entered it and now only their horses remained outside.
"It's a cave." Allan said.
"Oh I thought it was a tropical beach in the Caribbean." Alex replied, smirking at Allan. He smiled back happy to see her acting like her normal self and not so depressed and stressed.
"What's the Carribbean?" Will asked.
"Nevermind. Let's focus on what's going on. It's cave." Alex replied.
"And thanks to our friend, the Earl of Bonchurch, Gisbourne led us straight to it." Robin said.
"So what do we do now?" Djaq asked.
"We wait." Robin replied. little John joined the gang carrying a long bow, his staff, and a quiver of arrows.
Inside the cave, Gasbourne was searching through the barrels of powder to no avail.
"There's nothing here." he stormed out of the cave, hitting one of his men and yelled at him in the process.
Robin watched the man carefully. He emerged out of the cave with two men following him. "Go, go." Robin urged his enemy. Guy and his men mounted their horses and started riding back to Nottingham.
"Right. Let's get to it. Come on." Robin urged his friends. The gang cam out of their hiding place and headed to the entrance. They entered the cave and took in the mass amounts of power. Robin scoped up a large amount of the back powder and let it slid between his fingers and back into the barrel. Alex was standing behind another barrel, looking at its deathly contents.
"Just this can destroy men and mountains." Robin looked back at Little John. "It is inconceivable."
The Sherif was furious at being lied to and outsmarted. Him and his men were heading towards the cave as fast as they could. The gang were back in their hiding place and waited for them to arrive. "Showtime." Robin told everyone.
Robin leaped over a rock with his bow in his hand and the rest did as well in their designated places. Vaisey and Gisbourne stopped in front of the cave inspecting it. Two guards and Gisbourne dismounted and started o head towards the opening. The Sheriff turned his horse around and began to walk away, but Robin appeared at the top of the hill with bow in hand and yelled the name of the leather clad man.
Guy and his guards turned around. "What are you waiting for? Get him!" Guy yelled.
The guards drew their swords and red to advance towards Hood, but a shower of arrows that landed near their feet prevented anymore opposition. Guy just crossed his arms, unconcerned of being hurt.
"You have five seconds left in this world!" Robin yelled. Robin said to himself, "his is for you, Lambert. Four. Three." Robin took aim with a flaming arrow. "Two!" He shot it. "One!" Gasbourne watched as the arrow flew past him and remained impartial… until he realized there were three barrels of the black powder inside the cave. He ran as fast as he could to get out of the blast zone, ordering everyone else to run as well. Guy was forced onto the ground by the explosion. The Sheriff, who was a safe distance aways, approached the angry man. "Life is a cruel mistress, Gisbourne. Clean up you mess." And with that the Sheriff rode away.
The gang began their long walk back to the camp. Allan, once agin, pulled Alex to that back.
"Listen. Today you were really upset. You got somethin' you need to talk 'bout?" he asked her.
"I just can't see this destruction going on and it's hard to think that this is where it all started." Alex said in a resigned voice.
"What started?"
"Guns. Bombs. Weapons of mass destruction. Fights. Wars. Attacks on innocents." She looked at the ground not wanting to meet his eyes. She paused for a moment thinking and looked up at him. "My mum died when I was 8. She was shot. She was just shot one morning on her way to work after dropping me off at school." Alex ruffled her hair and placed her hands on her head. Allan stared at her, caught off guard by what she had just admitted to. "The worst part of it…" she continued, "was that morning we were having a stupid fight and the last words I said to her was 'I hate you'. What a cliche." Alex passed, blinking back a tear. "But I'm okay with it now. Just seeing the roots of it is hard."
"I'm sorry." Allan said.
"I'm alright. It was just hard today. I understand how exciting this must be. If I was from here, I would be just like Djaq." Alex smiled her genuine smile and Allan knew she was alright now. He lifted up his arm and Alex hugged him and they walked joined together.
"I'm not bein' funny or anything. You got one interestin' life, Songbird." Allan said.
"I got good friends though, Rooster." Alex respond with a smirk.
The gang was back at camp and were all sitting around the fire, happy at their success, with the exception of Much, who was back, back remained apart, cradling his monogrammed shoes he had received from Eve in his lodging. Robin looked at the ledger, studying it.
"Hey, if I burn it, that's not you, is it? No, I mean, technically you are keeping your word." Allan said leaning against a log by Alex.
"I'll burn it happily. I don't care about my word." Alex added, looking at Allan.
"This is not about one man's wish." Robin said. He tossed it into the fire, where it slid onto one edge. Alex was relieved and happy; Djaq was disappointed.
"It's good to have you back, Much." Will said, interrupting the awkwardness.
Much sadly slipped the slippers into his bag. "It's good to have you back, my lord Much." Djaq and Alex rolled their eyes.
"That is gonna get really annoying." Allan said.
"That is gonna get really annoying, my lord." Much replied. Robin groaned in irritation. "It is really annoying, but I'm sorry" Much stood up with a cup in his hand. "I like it." Much smiled and walked away.
"Well," Robin said, standing up, "seeing as though you like lording it up…" Alex giggled at the pun. "to Lord Much!" The boys and Alex all smiled in anticipation and ran down and lifted Much up onto their shoulders. Alex laughed on the ground at the obviously distressed Much. Djaq smiled at the antics and then looked down at the burning ledger. Djaq quickly pulled it out as the rest continued their game. "Alright! Alright!" Much yelled. Little John shouted "All hail Lord Much!" completely unaware that Djaq had pulled the ledger out. Robin and Alex watched her and both smiled and the two exchanged glances. They expected nothing less than her power of curiosity.