**DISCLAIMER **
I own none of the characters from the film, I have merely borrowed them for a time.

All eyes turned to Will. He shifted uncomfortably on the tree stump. His gaze flicked between them briefly before returning to stare into the flames. His voice was low and hesitant, but the silence that had fallen among them meant that it wasn't hard to catch his words. The others all held their breath as he started the story.

"I was about 14. I was travelling with a group of pedlars. It was a good few years after my mother had died and I was never particularly welcome anywhere I tried to settle, so I kept on the move." Robin winced at these words. It was hard to hear that Will had gone for so long without a permanent home. Will didn't notice, he was staring at the flickering shapes in the embers of the fire as long-buried memories pushed their way to the surface.

"It was safer to travel in groups. Less chance of being harassed by soldiers or robbers. When it was time to move on, I'd find a group of gypsies or traders leaving whatever town I was in and join up with them. They'd let me share their road and their supplies and I'd be an extra pair of hands to lift and carry. Or defend the camp if needed.

"That time, there was a little girl that was travelling with us." He swallowed heavily and his voice dropped to a whisper. "Martha." He paused, taking a deep breath. "She was 5. She sort of attached herself to me."

"I know," he muttered as his eyes flicked up for a moment, taking in Robin's raised eyebrows. "I'm not exactly the paragon of appropriate childcare… But she had lost her mother earlier that year. I guess she realised that I knew what that felt like… Anyway, she'd become a bit of a shadow, following me wherever I went. I didn't mind as much as I thought I would. It was nice to have the company. She'd help me gather firewood or water the horses at the end of the day.

"We were in the middle of a four-week journey across the north. We'd stop at each town for a day or so and the merchants would sell their wares or join other caravans heading in a different direction. Martha was trailing after me as normal while her father went into the town to find work for the day. He was a blacksmith, I think. A big man. She was helping me refill the water skins from a nearby stream when I saw the bruises on her arms."

Will's voice hadn't changed, but Marian could see the tension building within his small frame. His fingers were twisting tightly together in front of him and his sentences were becoming more stilted. Her gaze met Azeem's and she could see her concern mirrored within his deep brown eyes.

Marian glanced at Robin. His jaw was clenched, and he was staring determinedly away from Will, a hostile expression on his face. He looked like he wasn't even listening. What was going on with him?

"I asked what had happened. She looked at me for the longest time…I think she wanted to say something, but she was scared. So, we just…carried on collecting the water. But I…watched a bit more closely after that. A few days later, she had black eye and she was limping. I think…I think I must have asked her what had happened? I don't remember exactly… She…ran away from me."

Will's eyes darted briefly to his brother. Robin didn't notice. He was still staring resolutely into the trees. An unreadable expression stuttered across Will's face and his anxious eyes met Marian's. She smiled encouragingly. It seemed to be what he needed. The younger Locksley nodded hesitantly before looking back into the fire and pushing on.

"I didn't see her much over the next few days, but when I did…she looked worse…there'd be some new bruise or cut or…I heard shouting the tent she shared with her father…It was obvious what was going on, but…no one else seemed to care…

"So, I confronted him…I found him at the tavern…I don't remember what we said, but I remember the beating he gave me. I couldn't walk for the next two days…I…I stayed away from Martha after that. I…I should have been braver, I should have…but he was a big man and…I was just a kid…but I should have protected her…"

By this point, Will's breath was coming in ragged gasps, the words tumbling out between breaths as he fought to maintain control. It was painful for the others to witness, but there was little right now that they could do to ease his anguish. Some truths were so painful that, if allowed to fester, could destroy a person. They could sense how badly this memory needed to be shared.

Well, two of them could.

Every word Will spoke was like dagger to Robin's soul. In recounting memories of his time alone, it was like his younger brother was laying every painful event at his feet. Laying them on his conscience.

It was too much. He needed to get out of here; to block out these words and run away.

Will continued.

"Then, one night, she came running to find me. Her clothes were torn and her face was bloody and…she was sobbing so hard she couldn't speak for a while…I just held her…I didn't know what else to do…She was hysterical…she said that I had to hide her, that he was going to kill her…I knew I had to do something. I…I left her hidden in the trees with my blanket and…"

He choked on the next words and rubbed furiously at his eyes. He gritted his teeth.

"I went and hid in their tent. I knew her father would have to come back at some point. I…I didn't know exactly what I was going to do, I just…I had to stop him… I didn't have to wait too long before I saw his shadow stooping through doorway and…and…I saw red. I didn't even give him a chance to stand up straight…

"My dagger hit him straight in the heart. Or where his heart should have been…" A sob tore from Will's throat. His gaze kept flicking more and more desperately at his brother, silently pleading with him not to hate him, but Robin was still staring fixedly off into the forest.

"Martha…" his voice broke. "He was holding Martha…He had his hand over her mouth and…he was… holding her…in front of him…like…like a shield." A sob exploded from his chest and he buried his face in his hands.

Marian's blood had run cold. Oh, Will…

"He stepped into the light and I saw. I saw the light leave her eyes…I…I killed her…I killed that little girl…"

"I didn't know what to do. How was I going to explain…I just…ran…The other travellers…they must have known it was me. My dagger was still…(sob) in Martha's…(sob)…chest…

If I had just kept to myself for a few more days, she'd still be alive. If I hadn't stuck my nose in…. I travelled alone after that – slept in the woods, foraged for food…I wasn't very good at foraging…I didn't really eat much the next few months…"

Robin couldn't take it. He couldn't hear any more of his brother's heartaches. He could feel the others' judgement like it was crushing him. All of this was his fault. Will never would have been in that position if it wasn't for him. His chest was tightening with every word Will spoke.

He abruptly stood without a word and strode away as fast as he could.