Written By Time - Year One
Title: Written By Time
Author: ladylovelace
Rating: PG - 13
Pairings/characters : Much, Robin, Guy, Isabella.
Word Count: 1044
Warnings: None
Summary: Much comes to Locksley as Robin's manservant. Isabella is pleased to be back in France, Guy is not.
Disclaimer: I own very little, and certainly not and recognisable characters. More's the pity.
Notes: This timeline bears no resemblance to any sort of reality. I am willing to tell you that this was intentional, if you are willing to believe it.
Also, Guy's years are starting in winter, whereas Robin and Much's are starting in summer - I'm not sure how obvious this is.
Fair warning - I hate this story with a burning passion. Probably because I stared at it entirely too long *shrugs*.
HISTORY, n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools. - Ambrose Bierce
Year One - Much & Robin
“This is Robin, Much. His father died recently, just as yours did. You are to be his manservant, from now until he releases you from his service. Right now, what he needs most in the world is someone to care for him, someone who understands. And if I am not very much mistaken, it will do you the world of good, as well. Off you go, now.”
At eight years of age, Much had lost his father. His mother had died many years before, Much had no memory of her save for a kind smile and a warm embrace. Now he was to enter the service of a lord he did not know, in a village he had never visited before, far from his home.
He had no idea who the kindly man who had rescued him from starvation a few days earlier was. He was happy to have been saved, but he worried about what would be expected of him, and feared he would make a terrible mess of his new vocation.
What Much had truly not expected, though, was to find that his new master, Robin, was only as old as himself. He had assumed he was to serve someone at least a few years older, but apparently that was not the case. Most surprisingly, he found that for the most part, his duties were fairly identical to his old chores, except that now he was doing them for two people. He didn't feel like a servant, Master Robin simply treated him as a friend. Or at least, he treated him as Much imagined one treated a friend, since he had never really had one before.
Robin did not speak of his father, or his mother for that matter. Neither did Much. They each knew what the other had lost, and whilst he couldn't speak for Master Robin, Much took comfort in the fact that he was not alone, that the pain and sadness he felt over his loss was echoed in his companion. It was a sort of an instant bond between them, Much felt, even if it went unspoken.
Much was never far from Robin's side, after they met. It took both boys a little getting used to, since neither of them had any brothers or sisters, but soon they became inseparable.
The boys were only apart when they had their lessons - Robin was learning to read and write, to manage the estate, correct social behaviour, history, politics - all the things he would need to know when he was older, and truly took on the role of lord of Locksley. Much learned to knit and sew, cook and clean, and what the best way to skin a rabbit was and all the other things he would need to know to be a good servant. At Robin's insistence, Much joined him in his swordsmanship, archery and riding lessons, because what good was his most faithful servant to him if he could not serve, to some degree, as a bodyguard? At least, that was the reason he gave to his tutor. In truth, Robin already had his heart set on heading off to the crusades, just as soon as he was old enough.
Much didn't particularly like the idea of travelling to the other end of the world to kill people he'd never met, and were unlikely to ever do him any harm, but knew by the end of his first year at Locksley that there was very little he wouldn't do for his master.
The years began in summer, as far as Much was concerned, because summer was the best time of the year. It had been summertime when Much had arrived in Locksley, the days were long and warm and there were festivals and weddings and evenings spent outside looking up at the stars. He had been told, once, that a star is born when someone dies. He wasn't sure if it was true, but he always looked for his mother and father, up there, and he thought that perhaps Robin did too.
Much had also decided that his birthday took place in the beginning of summer, which made him about six months older than Robin. He wasn't sure if it was true, but since he didn't know when he was actually born, it served its purpose if ever he had to state his age.
Year One - Isabella & Guy
Isabella was truly grateful to be back in France. She had never learned to speak the native language in England, and as such she hated it there, because she could never understand what was going on and no-one would teach her. Her father had promised her, before he went off to the crusades, that he would teach her when he got back, but he came back ill and Isabella's education simply wasn't important enough at the time.
She celebrated her tenth birthday during their first winter with their aunt. She was presented with a beautiful hand-embroidered cloak by her uncle, who had no daughters of his own and as such treated her like a princess.
Isabella was aware, however, that her brother was unhappy. Her aunt and uncle had one son still at home, a few years older than Guy. Philip was a restless young man, always out riding or practising with a bow or sword, since he had decided he was going off to the crusades. Guy told Isabella that he thought it was folly to go and fight a war started by a man who would never see battle. Isabella was fairly sure that Guy was just afraid of ending up like their father - hated and feared amongst the people he had once regarded as friends, cast out from his home and rejected by the woman he loved.
It wasn't as though Guy would be asked to go to the crusades, anyway, unless it was as a part of his cousin's personal guard. Isabella highly doubted that would happen, since Guy was no better than average with a sword.
The day she caught Philip beating Guy behind the stables was the day she realised why her brother was not happy. It was also the day she asked him to teach her English.
Next Chapter
Author: ladylovelace
Rating: PG - 13
Pairings/characters : Much, Robin, Guy, Isabella.
Word Count: 1044
Warnings: None
Summary: Much comes to Locksley as Robin's manservant. Isabella is pleased to be back in France, Guy is not.
Disclaimer: I own very little, and certainly not and recognisable characters. More's the pity.
Notes: This timeline bears no resemblance to any sort of reality. I am willing to tell you that this was intentional, if you are willing to believe it.
Also, Guy's years are starting in winter, whereas Robin and Much's are starting in summer - I'm not sure how obvious this is.
Fair warning - I hate this story with a burning passion. Probably because I stared at it entirely too long *shrugs*.
HISTORY, n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools. - Ambrose Bierce
Year One - Much & Robin
“This is Robin, Much. His father died recently, just as yours did. You are to be his manservant, from now until he releases you from his service. Right now, what he needs most in the world is someone to care for him, someone who understands. And if I am not very much mistaken, it will do you the world of good, as well. Off you go, now.”
At eight years of age, Much had lost his father. His mother had died many years before, Much had no memory of her save for a kind smile and a warm embrace. Now he was to enter the service of a lord he did not know, in a village he had never visited before, far from his home.
He had no idea who the kindly man who had rescued him from starvation a few days earlier was. He was happy to have been saved, but he worried about what would be expected of him, and feared he would make a terrible mess of his new vocation.
What Much had truly not expected, though, was to find that his new master, Robin, was only as old as himself. He had assumed he was to serve someone at least a few years older, but apparently that was not the case. Most surprisingly, he found that for the most part, his duties were fairly identical to his old chores, except that now he was doing them for two people. He didn't feel like a servant, Master Robin simply treated him as a friend. Or at least, he treated him as Much imagined one treated a friend, since he had never really had one before.
Robin did not speak of his father, or his mother for that matter. Neither did Much. They each knew what the other had lost, and whilst he couldn't speak for Master Robin, Much took comfort in the fact that he was not alone, that the pain and sadness he felt over his loss was echoed in his companion. It was a sort of an instant bond between them, Much felt, even if it went unspoken.
Much was never far from Robin's side, after they met. It took both boys a little getting used to, since neither of them had any brothers or sisters, but soon they became inseparable.
The boys were only apart when they had their lessons - Robin was learning to read and write, to manage the estate, correct social behaviour, history, politics - all the things he would need to know when he was older, and truly took on the role of lord of Locksley. Much learned to knit and sew, cook and clean, and what the best way to skin a rabbit was and all the other things he would need to know to be a good servant. At Robin's insistence, Much joined him in his swordsmanship, archery and riding lessons, because what good was his most faithful servant to him if he could not serve, to some degree, as a bodyguard? At least, that was the reason he gave to his tutor. In truth, Robin already had his heart set on heading off to the crusades, just as soon as he was old enough.
Much didn't particularly like the idea of travelling to the other end of the world to kill people he'd never met, and were unlikely to ever do him any harm, but knew by the end of his first year at Locksley that there was very little he wouldn't do for his master.
The years began in summer, as far as Much was concerned, because summer was the best time of the year. It had been summertime when Much had arrived in Locksley, the days were long and warm and there were festivals and weddings and evenings spent outside looking up at the stars. He had been told, once, that a star is born when someone dies. He wasn't sure if it was true, but he always looked for his mother and father, up there, and he thought that perhaps Robin did too.
Much had also decided that his birthday took place in the beginning of summer, which made him about six months older than Robin. He wasn't sure if it was true, but since he didn't know when he was actually born, it served its purpose if ever he had to state his age.
Year One - Isabella & Guy
Isabella was truly grateful to be back in France. She had never learned to speak the native language in England, and as such she hated it there, because she could never understand what was going on and no-one would teach her. Her father had promised her, before he went off to the crusades, that he would teach her when he got back, but he came back ill and Isabella's education simply wasn't important enough at the time.
She celebrated her tenth birthday during their first winter with their aunt. She was presented with a beautiful hand-embroidered cloak by her uncle, who had no daughters of his own and as such treated her like a princess.
Isabella was aware, however, that her brother was unhappy. Her aunt and uncle had one son still at home, a few years older than Guy. Philip was a restless young man, always out riding or practising with a bow or sword, since he had decided he was going off to the crusades. Guy told Isabella that he thought it was folly to go and fight a war started by a man who would never see battle. Isabella was fairly sure that Guy was just afraid of ending up like their father - hated and feared amongst the people he had once regarded as friends, cast out from his home and rejected by the woman he loved.
It wasn't as though Guy would be asked to go to the crusades, anyway, unless it was as a part of his cousin's personal guard. Isabella highly doubted that would happen, since Guy was no better than average with a sword.
The day she caught Philip beating Guy behind the stables was the day she realised why her brother was not happy. It was also the day she asked him to teach her English.
Next Chapter