Hoodwinked

-The Outlaws Camp-

     Robin watched as Allan emerged from the forest, followed a few seconds later by Will. Allan had his hands thrust into his pockets and Will was staring at the floor. Great, thought Robin, they’ve been winding each other up. That’s not going to make this any easier.
     “Where’ve you two been?”
     Allan looked guiltily at Will
     “Just, er, eating some apples.” He answered.
     “Apples?” Robin said, raising his eyebrows.
     “Yeah, well, couldn’t stand another days worth of squirrel.”
     “Hey!” Much protested as the rest of the group started laughing “It’s chicken, I tell you! Chicken!”
     “’Course it is, Much” Robin patted him on the shoulder, smiling. “Now,” he said, cutting Much off as he opened his mouth to speak “I need to tell you something.”
     There was an expectant silence. Robin mentally steeled himself, hoping what he was about to say wouldn’t go down as badly as he expected it would.
     “I’m going after Gisbourne.”
     “What?!” Came the collective response.
     “Master, surely not?” Much cried out, looking shocked.
     “Trust me,” Robin said, slinging a coil of rope over his shoulder, “I have a plan.”
     “Robin, you cannot be serious!” Djaq said disbelievingly, “You intend to go alone?”
     “No Djaq, I don’t intend to,” Robin replied “I’m going to.”
     “This I do not like.” Said John, “We go together.”
     “No John, I’m going alone”
     “But you still haven’t told us why?” Much exclaimed, getting hysterical. Robin paused, looking at the ground, then looked up.
     “It’s Marian” He said, raising his hand as the others all started to speak at once. “It‘s personal. I don’t want to endanger any of you because of that.”
     “Robin, we’d be in no more danger than on any other mission!” Djaq pointed out.
     “And that wouldn’t stop us anyway.” Much chimed in, puffing his chest out.
     “Much, please.” Robin said, looking at him pleadingly “this is something I have to do. Will? Allan? You’ve been pretty quiet. What have you to say?”
     They glanced at each other.
     “I’m not being funny,” Allan started, “But are you sure it’s a good idea going after Gisbourne on your own? I mean, he’s got guards all round the Manor now”
     “I can cope.”
     “Yeah, I know, but-”
     “We’ll keep a perimeter” Will said, cutting off whatever protest Allan was about to use. Allan turned to look at him again, but Will was determinedly keeping his eyes forwards.
     “Good idea,” Robin agreed, “You and Allan take the western edge, Djaq, Much, John, you cover the east. But stay back, I’ll let you know if I need help.”
     “But how will we know?” Much asked, still agitated.
     “Trust me, you’ll know.” Robin said, then turned and walked away.
     “Why does he always do that?” Much cried out, throwing his arms up in irritation.


-Just Outside Locksley-

     Robin stalked towards Locksley, the smiles he’d worn back at the camp dropping off with every step he took. He’d lied. Well, bent the truth. He was going after Guy because of Marian, but it was because of something Marian had told him, not because of something Guy had done. If it proved true, it could be the key to bringing down both Guy and the Sheriff, but if not then Robin didn’t know what would happen. Then there was the matter of how he’d have to test it…
     But he’d started now, and if it meant an end to the Sheriff’s tyranny over Nottingham then he would do it. Setting his face in grim determination, he moved cautiously to the edge of the forest, stopping just behind one of the last trees. He leaned out cautiously, checking for any movement. Despite it being only 5 o’clock, the houses closest to him seemed almost deserted and he could have believed them so if he didn’t know about the Sheriff’s curfew.
     “I’m going to get you for that” He murmured, clenching his fists.
     The only building showing any sign of life was Locksley Manor. Even from where Robin was stood he could see the guards laughing and joking outside. His eyes narrowed, calculating how he was going to get past them. As silently as he could, he slipped from between the trees to the nearest building, pressing himself against the wall and reaching up to twist his hands into the thatch. Pulling as hard as he could, he hauled himself up until he could crawl onto the roof. Straw pricked his skin but he hardly noticed, his mind consumed with the task at hand. Staying low, he made his way to the edge and leapt onto the roof of the neighbouring house.
     “Hey, did you hear that?” The guards over at the Manor suddenly stopped laughing
     “Hear what?” came the reply. Robin tensed. As slowly as he could he knelt, then slid onto his front, looking over the edge at the guards.
     “It was like a thud”
     “A thud?”
     “Yeah. Didn’t you hear it?”
     “No, I didn’t hear anything.”
     “Maybe we should check it out anyway?” the first guard suggested, but Robin could hear the lack of conviction in his voice.
     “You can. I’m staying here where it’s warm.” The other guards laughed and Robin breathed a sigh of relief. Quietly, he took the rope from his shoulder and tied one end to and arrow. He waited until the guards laughed again then fired it at the nearest window frame of Locksley Manor. He waited a second to make sure no one had heard, then retreated back up the roof to tie off the rope on the chimney. Then, taking the rope in both hands, he lowered himself over the edge. Suddenly, the arrow gave and alarming jolt and Robin dropped down a short way before it stuck fast in the wood. Carefully putting one hand in front of the other, he inched his way forwards.
     “I swear its your turn”
     “No, I did it last time” It was the guards again, this time worryingly close. And they were getting closer. Robin hung totally still, waiting for them to pass.
     “Are you sure?”
     “Yeah, ‘cuz I forgot half of it, remember?”
     Just then, the arrow started to splinter. Robin forced himself not to curse. Looks like I’ll have to keep going, he thought.
     Moving even slower than before, he dragged himself towards the window, pulse racing. As he reached it, the arrow split again and he lurched downwards. Thinking fast, he swung his leg into the window, grabbing hold of the top part of the window frame as he did so. At that moment, the arrow broke completely and slipped through his hand, cutting the palm open as it did so. This time Robin could help but cry out.
     “What was that?”
     “I dunno, but I definitely heard it this time”
     “Where did it come from?”
     “Up there, I think. By Sir Guy‘s bedroom”
     “Should we tell him?”
     “You tell him!”
     “I don’t want to tell him, you tell him!”
     Robin took advantage of the guards’ argument to slide inside the room. He sank to the floor, trying to control his breathing. Looking around, he recognised the room. It was Sir Guy’s bedroom. His bedroom, he reminded himself. He was lord of Locksley, even if he was currently living in the forest.
     “Sir Guy,” this time the voices were coming from downstairs, “We thought we saw something, at your bedroom window.”
     “Thank you.” That was Guy’s voice, “Return to your posts. I will deal with it.”
     Robin heard the creak of the stairs and got slowly to his feet. There was no point hiding, he’d come her for a confrontation.
     The door opened.
     “Hood.” There was something in Sir Guy’s voice, a slight lack of surprise and- something else, that made Robin uneasy “What are you doing in my bedchamber?”
     “Good evening, Sir Guy.” Robin replied, smiling, his voice laden with bravado and mockery “And I think you’ll find it’s my bedchamber.”
     “You gave up all right to this Manor when you chose to become and outlaw.” Guy snarled.
     “I never chose this,” Robin replied, the smile gone, “As you are well aware.”
     “You broke the law.”
     “I broke your law.”
     “They’re the same.”
     “If you believe that then you are sorely misguided” Robin pushed himself off the wall. “But that’s not what I’m here to talk about.”
     “Talk?” Guy was taken aback by that.
     “Yes.” Robin started to walk around the room. He was smiling again “I hear you’ve been having a visitor at the castle. A boy.”
     Guys head snapped round to look at Robin at that.
     “Ring a bell, does it?” Robin asked.
     “What else do you know?” Guy said, deadly quiet.
     “Worried, are you?” Robin asked, still smiling.
     “I said what do you know!” Guy shouted, striding across the room.
“Oh, I know why he visits” Robin said, swinging around one of the bed’s four posters to get out of Guy’s reach “And I know the sort of things you moan when he does”
     “Shut up!” Guy yelled, swinging a fist at Robin, who ducked it.
     “What, you didn’t want me to know that you cry out my name when you’re in bed with another man?”
     Guy paused, momentarily stunned.
     “You’re going to regret that, Hood” He said, and ran forwards, slamming Robin against the wall and pinning him here buy his arms.
     Not as much as I’m going to regret this, Robin thought, and pushed his lips onto Sir Guy’s.

Author’s Note: Phew! Got it done ^-^ This chapter nearly killed me XD I hope you guys like it after that. And thank you so much everyone who’s reviewed. You make it all worth while.

sheherazade - Hope you like the company! But I’m not entirely sure when it’s set XD I’m always useless at getting times right. The “Much Cooks Squirrel” jokes are kinda early second series where as the Guy/Marian stuff is more mid-late first series. Ah, I don’t know. Call it artistic licence.

And as for any Will/Djaq stuff - not in a million years. That’s gotta be one of my most hated pairings. Sorry!