The next morning, Will was awake once the sun had risen, he could not remember ever sleeping on such a comfortable bed. He looked to his side and found his wife fast asleep; he could see the start of rawness that signified her healing wound just peeking out from under her dress and it made him shiver as the memory of what happened entered his mind. Suddenly he felt Katherine stir next to him.
"Good morning," He whispered to her, leaning over and kissing her cheek.
"Good morning," She whispered with a soft smile.
"How are you feeling?" Will asked, brushing some hair from her face.
"Just a bit sore, nothing to worry about." She told him.
"Do you need me to get Azeem?" He asked and Katherine shook her head.
"No, what I would like is something to eat though, do you think we could go down or breakfast?" She asked him.
"You stay here and rest, I'll go and make you something." Will told her as he moved to get up and he kissed her head, leaving the room.
When he was gone, Katherine sat herself up in bed and she winced at the movement aggravated her wound, before she slid her legs out of bed, placing her feet on the floor. She shivered at the cold floor, before she gripped the bedpost and she pushed herself onto her feet. The sudden centre of gravity made her bite her tongue to stop the sound of pain, before she managed to stand upright against the bedpost, her breathing raspy.
"You should be resting."
She looked up to see Fanny in the doorway and she sighed. "I'm fine,"
"Katherine, you're as white as a sheet." Fanny told her and she walked over, taking her arm over her shoulders. "And I can hear your breathing from the door."
Katherine groaned softly. "Fanny, I can't stay in bed any longer, I need to be up."
"Alright, come on, let's get you downstairs." She told her and together they walked out of the room and Fanny led her to the kitchens to join everyone else.
When she came into the room, everyone got to their feet, Will coming over to take her other side so that Fanny could join her husband and Katherine leant into him.
"You should be resting." Azeem told her.
"If I rested anymore, I would go mad." She told him as Will brought her to the table so that she could sit.
Sarah served everyone breakfast once they were all sat, even the Lady Marian had joined them, and she was happily taking part in conversations. Katherine tried to engage Wulf in conversation, but the young boy was more sullen than usual; and it caused Katherine to raise an eyebrow.
"Wulf, are you okay?" Katherine asked him.
"I'm fine, just leave me alone!" Wulf suddenly shouted and he ran off out of the backdoor, causing everyone to stop.
"Did I say something wrong?" Katherine asked.
"No, he's been like this since you got hurt." Fanny told her. "He's been hating himself I think."
"I'm going to go and talk to him." She told her as she finished her breakfast and she moved to get up, having to use the table to steady herself, waving Will's help off one she was stood up and she made her way outside. It didn't take her long to find Wulf, he was sat in the stables throwing rocks.
"I think we need to talk." Katherine told him.
"There's nothing to talk about," Wulf told her.
"I believe there is," She told him as she moved to sit on the ground next to him.
Wulf refused to look at her until she moved some hair from his face. "It's my fault." He whispered.
"What is?" She asked him.
"You got hurt because of me." He told her. "I should have been more careful I should have looked around; I should have seen him."
"Wulf, it's not, no one saw that soldier." Katherine told him. "None of this was your fault." She told him. "I don't regret taking that bolt for you."
"Why?" He asked. "You could have died."
"But I didn't." She told him. "Wulf, I don't regret it because you have your whole life ahead of you." She told him and when he tried to interrupt, she put her hand over his mouth. "Your parents have taken care of Will for long enough, making you in terms my little brother-in-law."
Wulf looked to her, and he could not help the smile, he always thought of Will as his big brother, and now he did truly have a big sister in Katherine.
"It's what an older sibling would do for their little sibling." Katherine assured him.
Wulf nodded, that part made sense to him as he was the oldest sibling, and he would have done the same for any of his siblings.
When he realised that he was being moody for nothing, he rested his head on Katherine's shoulder. "I'm sorry Katherine."
Katherine smiled softly. "It's alright Wulf," She told him, and she slid her arms around him, holding him close in a side hug.
They stayed out there for a few more moments, and Wulf felt Katherine shiver as a strong breeze blew through the stables.
"Let's get inside." Wulf told her, and Katherine nodded with a soft smile, before they both got to their feet and walked back inside. They walked into the kitchen, and they found Will, John, Robin and Fanny waiting for them.
"Everything okay?" Will asked.
Katherine nodded. "All sorted," She told him, and the pair sat with the group. "Are we having a meeting?"
"We need to work out what we are going to do next." Robin told her. "We can't stay here forever."
Everyone nodded, they all knew that was true, Katherine was on the mend as was Will, so they needed to move on, or Marian could be in more trouble.
"Bull and the others are still in Sherwood, turns out the Sheriff's death has not solved the issue, there is a new Sherriff that has been appointed." John told them. "Apparently he's a right piece of work."
"Do we have a name?" Robin asked.
"Robert of Huntington." Fanny told him.
"The Son of the Earl of Huntington?" Will asked.
"Sounds like it," Robin sighed. "He could have only been appointed by the king, or in this case, Prince John."
"That means this isn't over," Katherine told them. "It means that we are all done for if we are caught."
"That's not an option." Robin told her. "You two still aren't fully healed."
"No, but it means that we need to go back to Sherwood." Will told him. "We need to go and regroup."
"Why don't we just go back to our homes?" Fanny asked.
"Because some of us haven't got homes to go back to." Katherine reminded her. "And this new Sherriff, will find out who we all are soon enough, we have wanted posters everywhere."
"Well, we do, but you, Fanny and the young ones aren't wanted." John reminded her.
"Hey as long as he is wanted," She pointed to Will. "Then so am I," She told him. "And let's not forget I killed most of those soldiers that would have otherwise taken you all down."
Fanny looked to them. "She's right, and you know it." She told them. "So, it's settled, we all go back to Sherwood."
Everyone nodded, before Will spoke again. "The sooner the better, we need to make proper shelters, winter will be here soon."
Everyone nodded again, before they set about deciding how to get back to Sherwood. Right now, they were unarmed and had no modes of transportation, if they were spotted on the roads, it would not end well.
When the Little's all left to go and talk to Marian about giving them some way of getting back to Sherwood, Robin looked to Will and Katherine.
"May we talk?" He asked, his eyes on Will, before they moved to Katherine. "The three of us?"
Katherine looked to Will who remained emotionless, and she slid her hand into his when he nodded.
"What do you want to talk about?" Will asked.
"How do you know that I'm your brother?" Robin asked him.
Will looked to him and he sighed. "My mother told me about her and your father when I was six, I guess I had started to ask about him more by then." He shrugged. "She told me that they loved each other dearly, and when she became pregnant, he didn't believe her at first, but as her stomach swelled, he come to believe her more."
Robin listened and he nodded. "You've known all this time, why didn't you say something sooner?"
"Why would I?" Will asked. "I never trusted you when you came to the forest, and I hated you since that day you sent me away."
Katherine looked between the two, she could see the resemblance between the brothers, and now she knew why Will hated Robin, she felt a bit better. "What happened that day?"
Will looked to her and then back to Robin, this time it was a story that Locksley did not want to tell.
Will had only been around ten years of age at the time of this part of his life. His mother had died the spring before, and he had managed to survive the spring and summer months that year. But now Winter was setting in, and Winter meant that food was scarce, and his shelter wasn't holding up. He had taken refuge in the outskirts of the forest over the summer, the months warm so that he didn't need much shelter, so the shelter that he did make was makeshift at best and did not last long. Hence why, after all this time, he had made the long walk to Locksley castle. He could not find another entrance, so he walked up to the front gate, and was quickly captured by a man, who Will knew as an adult to be Duncan.
"What brings you here?" Duncan asked him.
"I came to see Lord Locksley; I came to ask for help." Will told him as Duncan looked down to him.
Duncan could not help but see similarities between this young boy and the son of his master, young Robin from when Robin had been his age.
"Unfortunately, Lord Locksley has gone out hunting," Ducan told him. "But the young Lord is here."
Will looked to him, he knew of his half-brother, Robin of Locksley, mainly from what the villagers had spoken. He was a spoilt young man, who cared for no one but himself, he had even set the Lady Marian's hair on fire for fun. Yeah, his half-brother was a piece of work! He watched as Duncan sent a maid to retrieve the young Lord and Will had no choice but to remain there with the much older man and wait.
Meanwhile, inside by a roaring fire, Robin sat sharpening on of his swords. He was still annoyed with his father for finding him in the arms of that peasant woman, they hadn't actually spent much time together since even though he knew that his father had given her up when he'd asked…well demanded. He looked to the door as the maid ran in.
"Master Robin, Duncan sent me, there is a boy at the gate looking for your father."
Robin shrugged. "And I guess I have to deal with him?"
She nodded. "I think so Sir."
Robin groaned, putting his sword back into its holster before he got up and walked out of the room, grabbing his cloak on the way to keep him warm. When he reached the walkway that overlooked the gates, he saw Duncan talking to the boy in question. He was a scrawny thing, with dirt blonde hair, his limbs from what he could see where skinny and stringy, and his clothes were dirty and torn. He didn't see why Duncan couldn't just give the boy whatever he wanted and send him on his way. He walked down to join them, and his view of the lad did not improve. He noticed a knife strapped to his waist, no boots, and the lad was covered in dirt, cuts and scrapes. This was going to be interesting for him to deal with.
"Duncan, what do you want me for?" Robin demanded as he got closer. "Just give him some food and send him on his way."
They heard Robin's voice and Will turned to see Robin walking towards them, he was wearing a cloak and Will was almost jealous, it looked luxurious and comfortable but also warming. Will still wore his summer clothes so he was freezing.
"This young lad has come looking for your father." Duncan explained.
"Just give him some food and send him on his way." Robin told him.
"It's more than that, young master." Duncan told him.
"He's just an urchin off the street, send him on his way." Robin commanded.
"You nobles are all the same." Will muttered. "Stuck up, selfish bastards."
"Say that again, boy and you'll be leaving with nothing." Robin warned him, a hand landing on his sword handle.
Will looked up at him and at seeing the passive aggressive look on his face, Will decided that he didn't need this young lord's help.
"My statement still stands, Locksley." Will told him.
Robin growled, brandishing his sword, the blade pointed at the young boy, but Duncan intervened as he saw Will reach for his knife.
"Master, I will give him some bread and a blanket and send him on his way, I'm sorry for troubling you." Duncan told the young lord.
"No, send him away without anything." Robin told him. "He can either freeze or starve to death for all I care." Robin remarked, before he sheathed his sword and walked away.
When Robin was gone, Duncan looked to Will and Will looked back at him, his eyes were dark and cold.
"Why didn't you let him kill me?" Will asked him.
"Because the young master is not a heartless man, he does not kill children." Duncan told him. "I cannot see you starve or freeze to death, go and sit in the stables, I will bring food out to you."
Will watched the man walk inside and he thought about running, but he would not get very far in his state. Walking into the stables, he found it warmer than being outside and she curled up on some hay in the far corner. He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, he could hear Duncan's voice calling for him. When he found him, he sat next to him, and he placed the items down on the ground, before giving the boy a bowl of stew. It was freshly made; Will could see the steam coming off of it. Taking it from him, Will could feel the heat of the bowl on his hands, and he smiled to himself at the warmth it created.
Duncan watched as the young boy ate from the bowl with gusto and he looked to the other things that he brought.
There were some blankets, some parcels of food, some clothes, they were all a bit too big for him but hopefully it would be something that the boy would grow into, and some boots, again too big at the moment but he would grow into them. Duncan had even put a small bag of coins in there for the boy to find later on.
"Where's your mother?" Duncan asked him after a while, and he noticed that the boy went silent, pushing the bowl away onto the floor.
"Dead." Will told him.
"I'm sorry," Duncan told him.
Will shrugged and the pair fell back into silence, before Duncan handed him a piece of clothing, it was a doublet, quite a few sizes too big, with three red lions sewn onto it. Will recognised it as the Locksley family crest.
"These belonged to the masters, but they have no use for them, they will be enough for you to grow into." Duncan explained.
Will nodded and he quickly threw the clothes on, over the ones he already wore, and he put the boots on immediately feeling better. He was about to thank the man, before he heard the sound of horses returning. Duncan looked to him and he saw how he tensed and went white.
"Wait here," Duncan told him, and he got up and walked out to join the master.
Will stayed for a few seconds and he heard his father's voice as he greeted Duncan, however his previous confidence faltered and Will gathered up the things that Duncan had given him, before he found a hole in the back of the stables just big enough for him to crawl through and once he did, he was gone.
Robin and Will looked to each other and whilst Will appeared to be passive, Robin looked almost distraught. He had threatened to hurt his little brother, when he was no more than a child. Katherine looked between them, and she squeezed Will's hand.
"What else did you want to talk about?" Will asked him.
"I want you and Katherine to join me as a Lord and Lady," Robin told him. "I will get my lands back Will, and I want you and Katherine to join me,"
Will and Katherine looked to each other and then back to him. They couldn't believe that this was what he wanted to talk about. He didn't even have lands! Or freedom!
"Why are we talking about this now?" Will asked.
"Because you're my brother," Robin told him. "You belong on Locksley land with me."
Will rolled his eyes. "We've already spoke about this; I might be your brother by blood but that's where it ends." He reminded him.
"Will, that isn't where it ends." Robin told him. "I want to be your brother, I know I've not gone the right way about it so far, but please give me a second chance."
Will looked to him and he sighed. "Alright, I'll give you a second chance, but you screw this one up and that's it."
Robin nodded and he watched Will get to his feet and he took Katherine's hand the pair of them leaving the room and leaving Robin with his thoughts.
Marian found out this plan to leave that evening, they were all sat in the kitchens, this time Marian had made them all chicken stew, even the Little's and Azeem were sat enjoying it.
"So, you're all going back to Sherwood?" She asked.
"Yes, with this new Sherriff, we need to keep low, and Sherwood is the best way to do it." Fanny told her.
"We won't be able to stay in the same place though," Will told them. "We will need to move the camp."
"Bull has moved everyone further into the forest." John told him. "Turns out, there is a waterfall further in and it's blocking a passage, which leads to a rather big pasture, they've set up camp in there."
"Sounds secretive and perfect." Katherine told him with a smile.
"Aye, it is." John told her with a slight smile. "You guys will love it,"
Marian looked to them. "I'm coming with you."
Everyone looked to her like she was mad. Marian was a noble lady, she wouldn't be able to manage in the forest with them, would she?
"Marian, are you mad?" Fanny asked her.
"I agree my lady," Sarah told her.
"Sarah, Fanny, I've had enough of living here in comfort whilst you all live in the forest fighting for your life" Marian told them.
"Marian, the forest is not for the faint of heart, you're used to comfort and homes like this, you can't know what living in the forest is truly like." Robin told her.
"So were you," Marian told him.
"But I had just come back from six years in a prison." Robin told her. "Nothing can be worse than that."
Marian looked to him, she knew some of the troubles that Robin and her brother had faced, but she didn't know the full story. Despite what he said, she was willing to forgo all of her comforts to live with them.
Everyone could see that Marian was not changing her mind on this, but it was Katherine who stood up for her this time.
"Alright, if that is what Marian wants, technically none of us could stop her." Katherine reminded them. "And anyway, it's one more pair of eyes to help on patrol and another pair of hands for defence."
Everyone looked to her and then to Marian who smiled in thanks to Katherine.
"There's just one problem, my lady, you don't know how to fight properly." Sarah told her.
"Well, I can use a sword." Marian told her. "Enough to defend myself."
"I can work with you on how to use the bow, and Will is best with a blade." Katherine told her.
Marian looked to Will who had remained pretty quiet up until this point. "Is that okay, Will?"
Will simply shrugged. "Don't see why not."
"So, how are we getting home?" Wulf asked.
"Well, we still have that cart and horse, we could use those." Katherine told them. "It's the safest option."
Everyone nodded, and it was Robin who spoke next. "We can leave tonight less chance of getting caught." He decided.
Everyone agreed, and they all separated to go and get ready to leave. Katherine and Will went up to the room that they had been using and Will sat on the bed as he watched Katherine get herself ready. Azeem had laid her knife out on the dresser for her to grab when she was ready, and he watched her put it into her boot.
"Beautiful." Will spoke when Katherine had tied her hair back into a braid.
Katherine looked to him and she smiled slightly. "You have to say that you're my husband."
Will got to his feet and he walked to her, sliding his arms around her, and resting his head on top of hers. "No, I tell you the truth." He told her, and he kissed her forehead.
Just being able to hold her made him think of the past few days. From the attack on their village, to being captured, to coming back and let out his biggest secret to the world, before nearly getting beheaded and watching her nearly die, it had brought a lot out of him. But being here in this house, it made him feel almost safe, like this was the life that they could be living. He then thought about Robin's offer, he wanted him to be his brother in every aspect, technically if Robin's father had acknowledged him, Will would have grown up with the same things that Robin had. Maybe living the life of a noble wasn't such a bad idea. They didn't know how long they stayed there, just holding each other, but for some reason neither of them wanted to let go of the other. Only the knock of Wulf at the door was enough to break them apart.
"We are all ready, you coming?" Wulf asked them.
"We will be there in a moment Wulf," Katherine smiled as Will donned his own cloak and hood, before helping Katherine with her own.
When they were ready, Will grabbed his weapons and they joined the entourage outside of Marian's home. Marian, Sarah, Fanny and Wulf were already sat in the bed of the cart, whilst Robin sat up at the head of it, holding the reins. Will helped Katherine onto the cart bed, before he walked alongside John.
"I brought some blankets; it's going to get awfully chilly." Sarah told her, and she offered Katherine a blanket which she took with a nod of thanks. John handed Will a lantern and once they were lit, they set off back towards Sherwood.