This is it, the final chapter! I hope you like it, please let me know!
I don't own the characters or places!
"This plan is horrible and you know it." Allan said and crossed his arms. "Have you lost your mind, Clint?! We can't just bring down the Sheriff!"
"I think his judgement might be clouded." Will, who sat next to Allan, muttered and threw a knowing look at Clint and Phil. They didn't get much sleep last night and from the way the others looked at them, they all knew what had happened in Clint's tree house. Luckily, no one judged them. Clint knew that his friends would never do that. They'd known about his preferences for years and never said a single word about it.
"Things can't continue like this forever." Clint threw in, ignoring Will's comment. "Something needs to happen."
"Yes, but can't we choose something less dangerous?" Allan's voice sounded uneasy and Clint knew he remembered the time he'd been captured.
"It won't be a repetition of last time." He looked at Allan seriously. "No one will get captured. Well, at least not unintentionally." The last words were added with a glance at Phil.
They'd talked about their thoughts in the morning and in the end, they had a solid idea of what they were going to do. Even if Phil hated it, he'd made that very clear. Clint also didn't feel completely at ease with their plan, but he knew that they didn't have better alternatives.
"You'll be risking your life." Much, who'd joined them in the morning, muttered. "Voluntarily."
"I won't let anything happen to him." Phil threw in seriously.
John scoffed. "You'll be the one to deliver him to the Sheriff in the first place. You can hardly make such promises. Especially when your plan requires that they want to hang him."
At his words, Phil had visibly paled, but his expression remained calm. "I will keep an eye on him once he's in the castle."
"Which will make you look suspicious." Will shook his head. "It won't be that easy."
"It's not like I can't take a beating." Clint crossed his arms, trying to ignore how Phil flinched at his words. "I did that before. So let's just pretend that this part of the plan doesn't go wrong. Will you support us with this?"
The others didn't even exchange glances. It was Much who spoke first. "We'll need Brother Tuck for that. He'll return to Nottingham in two weeks."
"Enough time to spy on the surroundings a little." John sounded nearly relieved.
"I also need time to get allies within the Sheriff's household." Phil added. "But I already know enough people who'd be happy if he's gone." His lips twitched at that.
"We need to tell Marian." Clint smiled slightly. "I bet she wants to be there too. We might also need her help." He knew that it was a lot to ask, but it would be a big advantage if Gisborne wasn't in the castle when Phil brought Clint. At least not the entire time. Marian was the only person who could get the knight away from that place for a longer period of time.
Allan sighed. "I don't like this plan, but fine. I'll follow you, Clint."
"But what will we do once the Sheriff is gone?" Much wanted to know. "Who will take care of Nottingham then?"
"We only need to wait until the King comes and makes a decision." Clint was surprised that Phil could say it that calmly. Especially since they didn't know if he would forgive him a second time. "I'm sure he'll know someone who's more suitable for the role as head of Nottingham than the Sheriff or Gisborne could ever be."
Now it was only Will who didn't announce that he'd help them with their plan. Clint turned to him with raised eyebrows. "Are you with us?"
Will rolled his eyes. "You need someone who makes sure that you don't get us all killed." He said simply and that was the end of the discussion.
Clint decided to accompany Phil back to the city. He'd been gone for more than a day now and surely, Gisborne and the Sheriff would already be looking for him.
"I also don't like that plan." Phil said while they were walking through the forest. They were so close to each other that the back of their hands was touching regularly. "You shouldn't risk your life. There needs to be another way."
"We already found out that we'd have to murder the Sheriff and Gisborne in their sleep then. And I think that's something neither of us wants." Clint reminded him. "The people need to know what kind of person the Sheriff is."
Phil sighed deeply. "I know that. But we could also achieve that with a plan that's less dangerous for you." He took Clint's hand into his own. "I just found you. The thought that I might lose you again so soon…" Clint could see the pain in Phil's eyes.
He stopped walking and turned so that they were facing each other. "You won't lose me." He promised quietly. "We'll do all this together. I know you won't let anything happen to me, Phil." He smiled at the knight and after a few moments, the tension in his shoulders lessened.
"I wish we could have met under different circumstances."
"Me too." Clint admitted. "But let's just make the best of it. And stop worrying."
Phil smiled. "I'll always be concerned about your well-being." Then he leaned in to kiss Clint softly. He knew that he'd never get used to that feeling.
"Maybe you could come to my house soon." He suggested when they continued to walk, still holding hands. Clint knew that they'd reach the main road soon and then, they'd need to let go. But for now, he was content having Phil so close. "In the evening, I mean. You can't just abandon the story about the maid, after all. I want you to meet Marian." During the past weeks, there hadn't been the chance for the two of them to see each other. "I'm sure you'll get along well."
"I'm curious about her." Phil admitted. "You talk about her so much."
"She's one of my best friends." He said with a shrug. "Ever since Robin died, we're closer than ever. I would even go as far as calling her my little sister."
"I don't have any siblings." The knight looked thoughtful and there was something else in his eyes Clint couldn't quite place. "It must be amazing to be this close to someone."
"Also annoying." He grinned. "Back when we were children, Robin and I would argue about everything." During their walk towards Nottingham, they kept exchanging stories about their childhoods. It was good to get to know more about Phil. Clint had never been this curious about anyone else.
Only when they got closer to the city did they decide to part ways. Phil promised that he'd visit Clint in his workshop the next day and he reluctantly watched the other man go. It felt strange, considering everything that happened between them.
With a sigh, he realized that he'd also need to tell Marian about that. He already knew that it wouldn't be a pleasant conversation. His friend always got far too excited when they were discussing Clint's love life.
Phil did indeed come to Clint's house the next evening. When he opened the door to let him in, the knight smiled widely. "It's so good to see you again!"
Clint chuckled quietly. "We didn't see each other for a day, Phil." However, his heart was beating furiously in his chest. Secretly, he had to admit that he'd already missed the knight.
"Which is far too long without you." Phil said seriously and placed a soft kiss on Clint's lips.
In this moment, he would have loved nothing more than to drag the other man to his bedroom and start undressing him. Unfortunately, Clint couldn't get on with that because in the other room, Marian was already waiting for them.
So he took Phil's hand and began to pull him towards the small living area. "I've missed you too." He whispered while they were walking.
Phil didn't get a chance to reply. As soon as they'd entered the room, Marian was already in front of him, eyeing him curiously. "You must be Phil." She said as if she didn't already know that. "What a pleasure to meet you! Clint talks about you all the time!"
"Does he?" Phil asked, but he was smiling. He took Marian's hand and kissed it. "The pleasure is all mine, Lady Marian."
Marian rolled her eyes. "Stop with that nonsense! I'm not a lady anymore. Just like you're not a knight in here. Now come and sit down, I baked some cake!" In fact, she did that together with the ladies from the market, but Clint decided not to mention it.
While she dragged him to the table, Phil looked at Clint questioningly, as if he wanted to ask if Marian was always like this. He only nodded in answer, a grin on his lips.
"So tell me the story how you met again." Marian demanded once they were all seated with tea and a piece of cake in front of them. "I already know Clint's version, but he likes to leave out things. Essential things, I need to emphasize."
Phil smiled. "That's not very nice. Especially not towards a lady." When Marian beamed at Phil, Clint only rolled his eyes. They would get along well, that was for sure.
Two hours later, when Marian was finally gone, Clint indeed dragged Phil to his bedroom. "She likes you." He whispered between kisses and while he shoved his hands under Phil's shirt.
"I like her too." Phil muttered and gasped when Clint's hands wandered down to his pants. "I understand why you're such good friends."
"Let's talk about that later." He groaned and pushed Phil's shirt over his head. "We have better things to do."
Phil laughed at this. "Indeed." When Clint began to place kisses on Phil's chest, the knight breathed in deeply. "Clint…" He muttered, but the archer didn't listen. Instead his head wandered lower and lower…
For a long time, they both didn't speak anymore.
"She agreed to our plan, you know." Clint whispered later, when they were lying in bed and he had his arms wrapped around Phil's waist. "Marian will distract Gisborne so that we'll have a little less trouble."
"She's an incredible woman." Phil said quietly. "Very strong. Even after everything that happened, she's still fighting."
He placed a kiss on Phil's shoulder. "Marian knows that Robin would have wanted her to keep going. She does it all for him."
"You still miss him. Both of you." They'd told Phil a few stories about the time before the war. Sometimes, they'd met in the forest and spent a day doing nothing at all. It had been their favourite time of the year, the long summers in which no one would miss them. Phil had listened quietly, a wistful smile on his lips. He would have loved to know what he'd been thinking.
"Of course we do. He was such an essential part of your lives. At first, it was difficult to figure out how to go on without him." It had troubled him the entire journey home from the Holy Land. What should he do now that Robin's gone? It had nearly driven him mad. "He was my brother in everything but blood."
"I would have loved to meet him." Phil muttered.
"He would have liked you." He said with a grin. "Maybe not at first. He threatened everyone who got too close to me. But soon, he'd have realized that you didn't want to cause any trouble. You're a good man, Phil."
Phil smiled softly. "Just like you." For some time, they were silent. In the end, it was Phil who spoke again. "I had a brother once. We were very close when we grew up. He was a few years younger than me. Always full of energy, he could never sit still. It drove my mother mad at times, so I always took him outside to play. 'You're the big brother', my father would say. 'You need to take care of him.' So I did. I always made sure that we got home on time. That nothing happened to him. Sometimes, I even sewed up his clothes when he'd fallen from a tree again and the holes couldn't be explained otherwise." The wistful look Clint had already noticed during their conversation about Robin was back on Phil's face. Now he understood why the knight had looked this way.
"What happened to your brother?" He barely whispered the words, too afraid that they might make Phil run away. They didn't talk about such personal things often. They'd done it twice, to be more exact. Once after Clint had revealed the truth about being Robin Hood and right after they'd kissed for the first time.
Phil sighed deeply. "He died. Someone broke into our house at night in search for food and valuables. My brother, his name was Nicolas - we used to call him Nick - couldn't sleep and heard the noises. When we heard his scream, it was already too late." His expression was hard when he said it. "We never found out who it was. My father tried everything, but the thief was gone. It made my mother drown in despair, having lost her son. Even I couldn't cheer her up. So I left and went to London to do something useful with my life. I wanted to make sure that something like that never happened again. I became a knight to help the people."
"I'm so sorry, Phil." Clint whispered, knowing how hard it was to lose someone you loved. Robin hadn't even been his real brother and Clint had been devastated. He couldn't even imagine how difficult it must be to lose someone you'd grown up with. Someone you'd protected all your life.
"It's been a long time ago." Phil turned in Clint's arms and placed his head on his chest. "I still miss him at times. It's like a piece of my heart is missing."
"It feels like you'll never be whole again." He muttered without thinking about it and felt Phil nod against his chest.
"I knew you'd understand it." He hesitated a short moment. "I've never told anyone about Nicolas before."
"You kept it to yourself all those years?"
"Becoming a knight was hard enough. I arrived in London with nothing but the clothes I was wearing. I had an old knife from my father, but that's it. The others used to laugh at me endlessly, only for who I was. I didn't make friends with whom I could have talked about such things. In the end, it got better. Once they realized how good I was. Then, they stopped mocking me, but it still didn't gain me any friends. I remained an outsider." Phil began to draw random patterns on Clint's arm. "That's why London was never a home to me. I liked the city, but there was never any reason for me to stay."
"I'm glad you came here." Clint whispered softly. "It brought us together, everything that happened in our pasts. I always knew you were strong, Phil, but hearing all this about you…"
"I don't want you to look at me any differently." Phil's head was still on Clint's chest, so he couldn't see the knight's face when he said this. "I don't want anyone's pity."
Clint began to sit up so Phil had to move away from him. "I'd never pity you." He said once they looked into each other's eyes. "You're the strongest man I know. Hearing how much you've been through doesn't change the way I feel about you."
"The way you feel about me?" Phil nearly sounded breathless when he asked the question.
"It doesn't change how much I love you." He clarified and took Phil's hands. "I've fallen in love with you since the first time we saw each other."
Phil smiled widely. "I love you too, Clint." When he took in Clint's surprised expression, he laughed softly. "I thought you knew that already. After all, I nearly confessed after our first conversation in the forest." I saved you because my heart couldn't bear the thought of losing you.
"You're unbelievable." He whispered with a smile and leaned in to kiss Phil deeply.
"Everyone should be in position by now." Clint whispered as he exchanged a look with Phil. "The sun will set soon, so Marian has invited Gisborne over to dinner. She promised that he wouldn't wake up from his sleep until late tomorrow morning, right before the spectacle begins. Brother Tuck is at the church in Nottingham and waiting to get called to take the last confession of Robin Hood. Much has informed as many of our allies as possible and they'll all gather in front of the Sheriff's castle tomorrow morning." He breathed in deeply. "Now the only thing missing is the knight who'll bring the outlaw."
Phil's expression was serious when he looked at Clint. "I still fear that something might go wrong." He admitted, even if they'd talked about their plan at least twenty times in the past two weeks.
"We even have people in the Sheriff's household." Clint reminded him. It had been Phil's doing. He'd done everything to find people they could trust. "And you'll be there, probably not getting any sleep tonight and listening for someone moving through the building. No one will get to my cell without anyone knowing it." They had managed to get one of the outlaws into the Sheriff's castle two days ago. That person would watch over Clint's cell since he had the bad luck to keep watch that night.
Clint reached for Phil's hands. He'd clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles were white. "We've got it all planned. Nothing will go wrong."
"I will still be concerned." Phil whispered, looking at their hands. Very slowly, he opened them and let Clint entwine their fingers.
"Me too." Clint admitted quietly. "But it's our best possibility." He swallowed. "If something happens to me -"
"No." Phil's voice was hard when he interrupted him. "Don't talk like this. I forbid it."
He sighed. "Phil…"
"We'll both survive tomorrow. There's no other option." The knight shook his head fiercely, a storm in his eyes. "I'll kill everyone who does as much as lay a hand on you." It was a dark promise, one Clint knew he meant very seriously. They would either both survive the following day, or they'd both die together. The thought that Phil might get hurt was unacceptable for Clint.
"Just promise me to be careful." He said simply.
"As long as you'll try not to get yourself killed."
Now he couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes any longer. "Part of our plan entails that they're going to hang me, remember?"
Phil gritted his teeth. "This is not funny."
"I'm not laughing." He replied.
They stared at each other for a long moment. Then Phil sighed. "I love you, Clint."
He smiled slightly. "I love you too." He leaned in for a quick kiss. "And now let's show the Sheriff how good we really are!"
Together, they left the Sherwood Forest and headed towards the town.
It should have been quite a spectacle. Sir Phil Coulson, the knight from London, walking into the city together with Robin Hood, his hands tied together with rope. Clint was wearing his usual attire for the outlaw and even had the mask on his face. They'd bound his hands shortly before leaving the forest and Phil had looked guilty the entire time. He'd even made sure that the knot wasn't too tight and Clint's wrists wouldn't be bruised afterwards.
Right now, he was also trying not to pull on the rope too hard and make Clint stumble. He appreciated the effort and hoped that it wouldn't look like Phil was too careful with him. In every street they passed, people stopped with their activities and watched them carefully. Phil had tried to avoid the main road in Nottingham as long as possible, but in the end, they had to take that way to get to the Sheriff's castle.
The knight wasn't greeted with applause. Not even encouraging words for finally having caught the outlaw. No, all that met them was silence. Utter silence. It was scary, how the people reacted when they realized who it was the knight had caught. With whom he walked through the streets at dusk.
When they reached the castle, some guards were already waiting for them. Apparently, the news that the outlaw had been caught had travelled fast. The Sheriff was also there, looking excited. But he also kept looking around from time to time, as if he was searching for someone. Clint sent a silent thanks to Marian, who was hopefully still distracting Gisborne.
"Who do you bring here, Sir Coulson?" The Sheriff asked loudly as soon as they stopped in front of them.
"The outlaw, Robin Hood." Phil answered with a respectful bow of his head. "After weeks of careful investigation, I was finally able to get a hold on him."
The Sheriff didn't look surprised. "Robin of Locksley…" He muttered and eyed Clint silently. "It's been a long time since we met."
"Not long enough." Clint muttered, which earned him a punch in the gut from one of the guards. He groaned silently and felt Phil stiffen next to him. Luckily, the knight remained calm. Clint thought that Phil's instinct to protect him was quite endearing, but in a situation like this, it could risk all their plans.
"You've done a good job, Coulson." The Sheriff laughed. "Now let's take off his mask and see if we've indeed caught the right man."
"We have." Phil threw in softly. "Wouldn't it set more of a sign to remove his mask openly? For example right before you're going to hang him?" He sounded so considerate, as if the opinion of the people was the most important thing in the world.
The Sheriff nodded slowly. "Tomorrow, at midday." He decided simply, just like they'd expected. Midday was always a dramatic time when it came to such things. "Let the news spread everywhere." He narrowed his eyes at Phil. "And where's Gisborne?"
"I didn't see him since this morning." Phil explained innocently. "I thought he was patrolling the smaller villages?"
"He was. But since this afternoon, no one has seen him anymore." The Sheriff shook his head in annoyance. "Tell him to meet me once he shows up again. And lock Locksley away in the dungeons, since the tower couldn't keep him last time."
Phil nodded in silent agreement and once the Sheriff had left, he began to pull Clint into the castle, followed by three guards. The dungeons were a dark and ugly place. They smelled of mould and dirty bodies and the air was wet. Once they arrived in front of a cell that was comparatively clean, Phil turned to the guards. "I think it's sufficient if one of you watches him at a time. He won't be able to break out of here." He gestured at the heavy lock. "We'll also patrol the corridors upstairs, so he can't get away. You." Phil looked at the guard who stood behind the others. "You'll take the first watch. You others go back upstairs and make sure that someone watches the entrances to the building."
"Yes, Sir." They all said in an instant and once the two guards had left, Phil loosened Clint's restraints.
"That was far too easy." Clint muttered and rubbed his wrists.
"Are you alright?" Phil sounded concerned, his eyes roaming over Clint's body. In the end, they stopped at his wrists. They were a little red, but nothing else.
"I'm fine." He said and turned to the last guard. "Is Gisborne with Marian?"
The guard looked up, revealing the face of Little John. He nodded. "The last message reached me about an hour ago. He'd just drunk the poisoned wine then. So he should be asleep now and not wake up until tomorrow around midday."
"Just like we need it." Clint muttered in agreement. "Then everything's set now."
"Which means we have to wait." Phil muttered, his expression hard. "I don't like leaving you down here."
"I'll be fine." He touched Phil's hands softly, his thumbs drawing soft circles over his skin.
"He's also not alone." John added. "You should go back to the Sheriff now. Otherwise, he'll get suspicious. We'll be fine tonight."
The knight sighed. "He's got a spectacle to plan for tomorrow." Then he leaned in to kiss Clint, right in front of John. If their friend was surprised by this action, he didn't let it show. It was a soft kiss and didn't last long. Once Phil's lips left his, Clint already missed the feeling. "So let's lock you up."
The night passed by relatively uneventful. Clint sat in his cell and waited for it to be over. Phil managed to sneak in some water and bread, but next to that, no one came to the dungeons. Something he was glad about. He'd already expected someone to come by and give Robin Hood a well deserved beating. But then he remembered how Phil had assured him that most people working for the Sheriff weren't happy with the way things were. So maybe they weren't all too happy about him being caught. Which made him worry about Phil instead.
But the next day, the knight came with a few more guards, looking unharmed. In fact, it looked like he was wearing his best clothes, black trousers, a dark red shirt and even a cloak around his shoulders. He hadn't exaggerated when he'd said that the hanging of Robin Hood would be an event the people of Nottingham should remember.
"Time to get you out of here." Phil said once one of the guards opened the door to his cell. The expression on his face was calm. Instead of saying anything else, the knight turned around and led them through the building silently. Clint followed, surrounded by guards. Only the knowledge that they had a plan and John's steady presence right behind him made him feel somewhat at ease. He also knew that Phil would never let anyone hurt him, but that didn't stop his heart from beating faster when he'd seen the cold look in Phil's eyes.
To his surprise, they led him outside straight away. Phil had suspected that the Sheriff would want to speak to the outlaw first, but apparently, they'd decided to come straight to the main event. Or Phil had convinced the Sheriff once more.
"This will be the last time you see the light of day." One of the men surrounding him said. "Enjoy it, Robin Hood."
"I will." He muttered, his eyes never leaving Phil's back. The knight's shoulders were tense.
Outside, a crowd had gathered. When Clint dared to look around, he saw many familiar faces. He thought that he could even see Much's face close to the small stage they'd built over night, but it was gone as fast as it appeared.
Right next to the stage with the gallows stood the Sheriff, wearing what seemed to be his finest clothes. He even had a small diadem made of silver on his head, which resembled a crown. He obviously enjoyed having the crowd in front of him, but none of the gazes were fixed on him. It seemed as if everyone was looking at Clint. And the knight who'd caught him in the end.
"People of Nottingham!" The Sheriff called loudly once Clint stood in the middle of the stage, surrounded by Phil and other guards. "Yesterday, something great was achieved. Something remarkable. Memorable, even. Robin Hood has finally been caught!" He pointed at Clint and in the crowd, the people began to murmur quietly. Of course they'd all known that Robin Hood had been caught, but hearing it from the Sheriff himself was something else entirely.
Said Sheriff had already opened his mouth to continue with his speech when someone in the crowd began to shout and complain loudly. The voice was very familiar.
"Out of the way, you fools!" The man called. "I need to be up there! Get out of the way, or I will -" From his position, Clint couldn't see much of what happened in the crowd, but moments later, Gisborne stumbled in the small empty space in front of the stage which was shielded by the Sheriff's guards.
He looked like a mess. His black hair looked unkempt, the black clothes he was wearing were wrinkled. Clint thought that he could also see red-rimmed eyes. Whatever Marian had given him the day before, it had obviously knocked him out. He scanned the crowd behind Gisborne, knowing that his friend must be here somewhere, but of course he couldn't see her face. Not that it surprised him, after all, they'd agreed that she should remain in the background.
"Gisborne!" The Sheriff exclaimed, obviously taken aback by the knight's appearance. "Where have you been?!"
"Nowhere." Gisborne replied simply, his eyes on Clint. "Once I've heard that Locksley has been caught, I returned."
"He was caught, but not thanks to you." The Sheriff muttered, but then he addressed the crowd once more. "People of Nottingham!" He shouted again to attract their attention. "Let's see who's behind the mask of Robin Hood. Take the mask off!" He said to Phil, who nodded seriously.
Then the knight stepped in front of him and Clint looked in Phil's soft blue eyes. There was a guarded look on his face, but he knew him well enough by now to understand that expression. Phil was silently asking if he was really willing to do this. Because once the mask was off and the people could see his face, there was no going back. He gave a curt nod of his head.
"Let me show you Robin of Locksley!" The Sheriff exclaimed loudly once Phil took a step back with the mask, revealing Clint's face to the crowd.
This time, the crowd erupted in shocked whispers. One or two people in the crowd even cried out in surprise, because of course they didn't look at Locksley's face. Instead, they saw the local blacksmith. One of them. Someone they trusted.
"That's not Robin of Locksley!" Gisborne shouted at Phil after a moment of stunned silence. "You've caught the wrong man! That's the blacksmith!"
"What game is being played here?!" The Sheriff demanded to know and stepped closer to them. "I thought you caught Robin Hood!"
"He did." Clint said before Phil could answer. "I am Robin Hood."
"Whatever Locksley gives you for covering for him, I can give you more." The Sheriff said quietly, so the crowd couldn't hear his voice. "Just reveal the whereabouts of the outlaw and his camp to us. Work for us and you can walk away from here unharmed."
"No, you don't understand. I am Robin Hood." Clint repeated slowly. "Robin of Locksley is dead." He'd spoken so loud that the crowd could hear him. Now he turned to face the people in front of them. "It's been me all along. My friend never returned from the war. He died to save my life. With his last breath, Robin let me make a promise. To always help those who need it. To be there for those who can't help themselves." He smiled despite the situation. "That's why Robin Hood was created. To make changes, even if those with all the power didn't see the need to do so." He glared at the Sheriff.
"But you -" The Sheriff started, but another voice interrupted him.
"What he says is true!" It was Marian who called out from where she stood at the side of the crowd. "Robin never returned from the war. Clint is Robin Hood!"
"Locksley is dead?!" Gisborne repeated incredulously. "He can't be dead! Surely this is just a ruse to confuse us all! You caught the wrong man! Locksley is behind this plan, I'm sure of it!" The last words were directed at Phil again.
"Enough of this nonsense!" The Sheriff interrupted all of them loudly, looking more annoyed with every passing minute. "He's confessed that he's one of the outlaws, so hang him anyway!"
Then chaos broke out. One of the guards took the rope, ready to place it around Clint's neck, but Phil reacted in an instant, slicing the material with his sword. The loop fell to the ground, useless. The guard was about to protest, but then John already started to move, together with a few other outlaws who broke free from the crowd and engaged the Sheriff's guards into battle.
Someone jumped on the stage and shoved something into Clint's hands. It was his bow, together with a quiver. "Let's put an end to this!" Allan said with a slight smile before he drew the sword he preferred to carry and blocked the attack of the guard closest to them.
"Sounds like a plan." Clint agreed and together with Phil, he moved to face Gisborne and the Sheriff.
"You!" Gisborne shouted at Phil, drawing his sword. "You've been working with them all along!"
"Not all along." Phil replied, raising his sword in Gisborne's direction. "But as soon as I realized who the real evil is here, I decided to do what's right and not what's easy."
Gisborne scoffed. "You can't win! You're all going to die today!"
Phil's expression hardened. "No one's going to die." His eyes flickered to Clint and he took the hint. When Phil stormed towards Gisborne, Clint moved in the direction of the Sheriff as fast as possible. Just that the Sheriff didn't stay to fight. Instead, he began to run away as soon as it became obvious that Phil and Clint were turning on them.
There was a good distance between them by now, but it didn't bother Clint. Instead, he drew his bow and breathed in deeply. Then he took an arrow and shot. And again. And again.
In the end, the Sheriff was nailed to one of the doors of his castle with three arrows. The feathers on them were black.
In that moment, the crowd began to cheer all around them. It was enough of a distraction for Phil to knock out Gisborne, just like he'd done it before once. At the same time, the last guards who were fighting the outlaws let their weapons fall to the ground or simply ran away. Especially since more and more people from the crowd had started to take part in the fight. By now, they all had enough of the Sheriff and Gisborne, who'd treated them badly for years.
"Robin Hood! Robin Hood!" The crowd shouted loudly and for a moment, Clint just stood there, watching all the people in front of them. He glanced at Phil and when their eyes met, the knight smiled.
Together, they turned to face the people of Nottingham.
One month later…
"This is ridiculous. I feel ridiculous!" Clint exclaimed, turning to Phil with a helpless shrug. "You can't really expect that the people will accept me as their new head of town. I don't know a single thing about ruling. Or politics. Or anything else that is required for that job. I'm a blacksmith and a burglar, not some honourable man who can rule a town."
Phil's smile was soft when he stepped in front of Clint. "You can do all this. Because you're strong and smart, Clint. You created Robin Hood and helped many people. You made the plan to outsmart the Sheriff and free Nottingham from a merciless ruler. It was all your doing."
He shook his head. "Without you, I would have never been able to do it." He placed a hand on Phil's chest, right over his heart. "I can't do this without you." It was true. Before Phil came along, Clint would have never found the courage to stand up against the Sheriff and Gisborne. Yes, they'd played with them regularly, but so far, they'd never searched an open confrontation. Only Phil had given Clint the courage to finally do the right thing.
"Then don't." Phil whispered and leaned in to kiss him deeply. Clint returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around the other man tightly. Now that he had his own chambers in the former castle of the Sheriff, they both didn't need to think of hiding anymore. Inside these walls, they were safe. Not that they hadn't been safe in the outlaw's camp. Their friends had never judged them for their relationship. But they knew that with the other people in town, it wouldn't be so easy.
A month had passed since the Sheriff and Gisborne were locked up by Robin Hood, or rather Clint the blacksmith, and Sir Phil Coulson. The story had spread like wildfire in Nottingham, the surrounding villages and even cities. It also reached the King in London, who came by himself to examine the strange doings in the small town. Upon his arrival, he'd greeted Phil as an old friend he'd missed dearly and they discussed everything in private. It was decided that the Sheriff and Gisborne should be stripped of their titles and sent south, never to return to Nottingham. A new ruler was needed instead, and who was better for the job than the outlaw who'd started this revolution in the first place?
Despite Clint's vehement protests, the King had officially declared him to be the new sheriff, or rather mayor, of Nottingham. Phil should stand by his side as his first knight and advisor. Together, they should take Nottingham to new glory and assure that the people in town and the surrounding villages could live a normal, peaceful life.
The King only stayed for two days and once he was gone again, Clint and Phil had to deal with all the chaos the Sheriff and Gisborne had left behind. All the former outlaws got titles within Clint's new household and together, they could stabilise everything soon.
Now only one thing was missing. Clint's first official speech as head of town.
"What if they don't like me?" He asked now, his doubts not leaving much room for any other thoughts.
"They love you." Phil assured him. "You've been in town plenty those past weeks and everyone already respects you. You don't need to make a long speech, it won't be necessary."
"They also adore you." Clint threw in with a smile. Once they'd realized that Phil was indeed working with Robin Hood and the outlaws, the people of Nottingham had forgotten their grudge about Phil dragging him into the city very fast.
"I'm sure we'll make a good team." The knight leaned closer so his lips were nearly touching Clint's.
"Of course we will." Clint grinned. "We already are." Then he leaned in to kiss Phil deeply once more.
If someone had told him a few months ago that his life would take such a sudden turn in the future, he would have laughed. Now, with Phil by his side, it sometimes still amazed Clint. Especially when he lay in bed and a pair of strong arms was wrapped around him. Or when he woke up, just to look into the most beautiful pair of blue eyes he'd ever seen.
But it was his life. Robin Hood was officially gone, but the memories of Robin of Locksley would always remain. He'd always be Clint's best friend and he'd never stop missing him.
However, he would also embrace his new life with the most amazing man by his side. A man who loved Clint with all his heart and whom he loved just as much.
"I love you." Phil said in this moment, smiling softly.
"I love you too, Phil." He touched his cheek. "And now let's go out there and meet our people."
Phil chuckled when he pulled him towards the door. "Our people. I like the sound of that."
"Me too." Clint agreed. "Me too."
The end
