Chapter 14
Robin stood there, not quite sure where he was. He looked around. The large, airy room was flooded with daylight, and the coloured mosaic panes of the tall lancet window shimmered on the floor. Robin blinked for a moment, so unaccustomed to the faint light of an autumn day after the gloom of the dungeon. To the right of the centre of the room was a table. It was covered with a velvet tablecloth and silver plates and goblets. The servant silently gestured to the table, inviting Robin to sit down. Robin walked slowly up to the table, glancing around, fearing some kind of trick. He sat down in a heavy oak chair. It was hard to move, let alone lift.
A servant fussed over another table in the opposite corner. On a silver tray he brought several plates and a jug of wine. Placing the plates in front of Robin, he took a goblet from the table and, filling it to the brim, placed it carefully beside the plates. After this he bowed respectfully, stepped aside, and stood without raising his eyes to Loxley. Robin looked around the table, a roast wild boar smoldering before him on a single silver platter, exuding a divine aroma. The juicy, well-cooked, seasoned meat looked so appetising that Robin, with little regard for propriety, took it from the plate with his hands and sank his teeth into it. Meat juice dripped down his fingers, dripped onto the velvet tablecloth, the meat melted in his mouth, Robin covered his eyes in pleasure, then reached out and took a bunch of greens and some cooked and spiced vegetables from another plate. Continuing to chew savourily, he looked at what else was on the table. Spicy white sauce, a mound of roasted wood pigeons, a few slices of fresh crusty bread, sliced apples, pears in honey, another herb sauce, stewed meat slices, sweet casserole. The abundance made him dizzy. He took a deep breath and felt the warmth spilling from his stomach all over his body. He reached for the glass and hesitated for a moment to drink the wine, but unable to resist, he took the glass and took a good sip, the second one, not noticing that he drank almost to the bottom of the cup. The wine was excellent!
"He's not going to poison me at a meal after he brought me back from the dead. He's not an idiot!"- Robin thought, and with a loud hiccup he let out a merry laugh.
-It was a great meal! - Robin said to the servant, "A royal meal indeed!
The servant smiled embarrassedly and bowed again.
"A royal meal," Loxley repeated mentally once more. Yes, he remembered well the night when, to spite the Sheriff of Nottingham, they had feasted in his castle on the orders of Richard Lionheart himself, and the Sheriff had been as quiet as a mouse. Happy faces of friends, a richly laid table, wine flowing, jokes, laughter. Friends… Robin's face instantly turned serious. Nazir, John, Tuck, Scarlet, Much, where are they now? Are they on this world or are they destined to meet no more? "Hearn, send us your protection and blessing!" - with these words they began every common meal in Sherwood by passing the bowl of ale round and round. Despite the intoxicating wine, Robin's thoughts were clear, he calmed himself, chased away the dark premonitions and said to himself, "It's not all lost, as long as I'm alive I can help them, I'll do my best. The servant, noticing his guest's change of mood, hurriedly took the jug and came to refill the empty goblet, but Robin gestured with his hand to indicate with a glance that enough was enough. The servant obeyed. After he had satisfied his hunger, Robin continued to taste the rest of the food in a leisurely and measured manner.
The door opened again and two women entered, carrying neatly folded clothes in their hands.
-I ask you to try it on-" said one of them, turning to Loxley. Robin looked at her questioningly and shrugged his shoulders.
A servant came to him, and placed a deep bowl filled with pure water on the table in front of him. Robin didn't understand what it was for at first, but then, realising what it was for, he dipped his hands in it and wiped them on the cloth the servant had politely handed him. Robin got to his feet, feeling weighed down by the food and the wine, his legs felt like cotton, but a quick walk around the room brought him back to his senses.
Robin took the leather choss, laced at the sides, from the maid's hands and began to dress. He quickly pulled on his trousers and straightened up. He tried to walk across the room, it was comfortable. The younger maid handed him a long tunic of black velvet with wide sleeves, decorated with leather patches of silver rivets that shimmered like constellations in the night sky. He caught the tunic at the waist with a black leather belt with a patterned steel buckle, spread the folds and threw the free end of the belt over it, securing it to the floor. The sleeves of the tunic were unusually wide and long, and Robin was a little confused. Another woman came to his aid, handing him silver bracelets with cuff clasps. She deftly gathered the sleeve around the wrist of his right hand and put one on, the second clasp on his left hand, following her example, Robin fastened it himself. It was time to try the boots on. When he took them in his hands, Robin could not believe that they were made of leather, for the material of the shank of the boots was so soft and delicate.
"Yeah, they're just for walking on carpets," he thought.
When he put on his boots, he felt as if he were walking barefoot, so well and skilfully were they tailored to his foot.
Lastly, he threw a long black silk cloak over his shoulders, with an oddly shaped clasp on his right shoulder. When he looked at the women, he was slightly embarrassed, and they froze, staring at him with wide-open eyes, as if mesmerised. There was an awkward pause in the air.
-My Lord, you are beautiful," one of the maids said in a low voice, openly admiring him.
His dark shiny hair argued with the lustre of the black silk of his long cloak. The black colour of the outfit made the skin of his face even paler, sharpening his delicate features and making them look more stern and masculine. The waist, intercepted by a belt, seemed even thinner against the broad shoulders under the velvet tunic, slender strong legs, and graceful feet. It's not often you'll find such a handsome man in the court of the king himself.
What he really lacked in this outfit, and what made him look extremely out of place, was that he didn't have any weapons. It was a fact that made him look more like a peacock than a warrior in his own eyes.
"Robin shrugged, humming to himself, "A dress-up dummy.