Denial, Chapter 13: Beneath A Silver Sky
Title: Denial, chapter 13: Beneath A Silver Sky
Author: wastingyourgum
Characters/Pairings: Will, Djaq, Robin, Little John, Allan, Marian
Rating: G
Genre: Gen
Words: 1042
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own.
Notes: This continues the 'Round-Robin' fic 'Denial' and is set the night before the events of 2x10, "Walkabout".
Beta'd by the always lovely darkentwisted and robinfanatic .
Summary: The Gang sit under the stars in Sherwood and wonder where Much is now.
Want to play? Come join us! Check out the Rules and join in the Round Robin fun!
Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
>>>----------------------->
Denial, chapter 13: Beneath A Silver Sky
by wastingyourgum
Robin could have sworn he'd made no sound, despite the rapidly fading light and yet Little John barely looked up as he entered the camp, already aware of his approach. He hung up his bow, threw his quiver onto his bunk and sat down heavily by the fire.
"Will and Djaq not back from Nettlestone yet?" he said as his eyes scanned the camp.
"Obviously." John continued stirring the pot bubbling on the range.
"Smells good. What is it?"
"Soup."
Robin frowned at John, trying to work out if he was deliberately not being talkative or just being himself. John answered the question for him with one of his own.
"How is Marian?"
"I wish I knew. Couldn't get anywhere near her." Robin paused, suddenly remembering he'd told the Gang he was going to Clun.
John stopped stirring and regarded Robin sternly. "You shouldn't go to Nottingham on your own. I know you miss her but it's too dangerous." He cocked his head slightly and then nodded to himself. "Ah - about time!"
"What?" Robin looked round as John glanced over to the camp doorway where Will and Djaq suddenly appeared. Will was carrying two chickens and Djaq pulled a large loaf of bread from her pack.
"What took you so long?" Robin asked.
"We... uh..." Will stammered and blushed furiously.
"We ran into some guards on the way back and had to hide until they'd gone." Djaq handed the bread to Robin then took the chickens from Will, sat down and started plucking one of them. John said nothing but when Djaq looked over at him, he slowly raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled her most innocent smile at him and carried on removing feathers.
"How was Marian?" Will asked.
Robin looked sharply at John who merely shrugged.
"I didn't see her," he said to Will.
"You shouldn't go to Nottingham..."
"I know - all right! I know!" Robin stood up, tossed the bread onto the table and went over to his bunk. He hung the quiver next to his bow then lay down and locked his fingers behind his head, staring up through the roof of the camp.
Will and John looked at each other for a moment then went back to preparing the meal. Will picked up the other chicken, sat down next to Djaq and started plucking it. They spoke softly together, alternately laughing at the other's comments. At one point Will gently reached up and removed a stray short feather from Djaq's hair. He tickled the end of her nose with it and she playfully punched him on the arm.
John smiled as he watched them, then realised he wasn't alone - Robin had turned in his bunk and was regarding Will and Djaq with a strange look. Had he too guessed how close they'd become in Allan and Much's absence? What was that look - jealousy? Sadness? Or just curiosity?
Will peered up through the canopy of trees as darkness fell across Sherwood. "Clear night, tonight - you can already see the stars."
"That just means it will be cold," said Robin bitterly, as he lay back and stared upwards again.
"Mmmm. Better make sure the fire is properly set before we go to sleep." Will glanced over to where the chopped firewood was stacked. They had enough to last for a while yet, he needn't worry.
"I bet Much is nice and warm. Where do you suppose he is now? South of France?" Will turned round and looked quizzically at Robin.
"No, he should be on a boat by now," Robin replied. "And the nights in the Holy Land can be just as cold as here," especially without another's warmth to hold on to, he thought.
"Oh? I thought it was really hot there?" Will looked between Robin and Djaq with surprise.
"Only during the day," Djaq said. "At night, the heat vanishes from the ground and you can see the stars from horizon to horizon."
"Much always liked looking at the stars. Said no matter where we were, as long as he could see the stars and know they were the same as the ones over Locksley, he'd be fine. They were the only familiar thing he had to hold on to." Robin's voice cracked slightly with barely contained emotion.
They all focussed on him as he lay on his bunk, his eyes still looking up but his heart and thoughts now a thousand miles away.
"Then I'm sure he is looking at them now and thinking of us as we are thinking of him," Djaq said.
Will smiled fondly at her as he put his hand on hers.
John crossed to Robin's bunk and laid his hand on Robin's shoulder.
"As is Marian," he said quietly, as he handed Robin a bowl of soup and some bread.
Robin looked up at him as he sat up and accepted the food. "And Alice and your boy," Robin softly replied.
John's face was unreadable as he returned to the fire...
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"I don't like stars."
Marian started as she heard Allan's voice behind her.
"They are useful for finding your way," she replied, annoyed that he'd crept up on her so easily. She continued to gaze out over the castle courtyard. The distant woods and hills were a long black shadow on the horizon against the brilliant night sky.
"They're not useful if you don' want to be seen... and anyway - I always know my way."
"Are you sure about that, Allan? I think you've been looking a little lost recently." She turned towards him as he drew level with her. "How's your... How are you feeling?"
"Oh, yeah - better, thanks."
"Good. Don't mention it."
"I don' know what you said to him..."
"I said don't mention it."
They stood a few more minutes in silence, together but alone with their separate thoughts.
"It's getting cold. I should go in. Good Night, Allan."
"G'night, Marian." He watched her leave for her quarters then turned and headed towards Guy's suite.
Far below in the courtyard the Sheriff ordered the gate opened and rode out under the starry sky, still fast asleep...
>>>----------------------->
On to Chapter 14 for a lesson...
Come to Denial... the place we go to make it all better.
Author: wastingyourgum
Characters/Pairings: Will, Djaq, Robin, Little John, Allan, Marian
Rating: G
Genre: Gen
Words: 1042
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own.
Notes: This continues the 'Round-Robin' fic 'Denial' and is set the night before the events of 2x10, "Walkabout".
Beta'd by the always lovely darkentwisted and robinfanatic .
Summary: The Gang sit under the stars in Sherwood and wonder where Much is now.
Want to play? Come join us! Check out the Rules and join in the Round Robin fun!
Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
>>>----------------------->
Denial, chapter 13: Beneath A Silver Sky
by wastingyourgum
Robin could have sworn he'd made no sound, despite the rapidly fading light and yet Little John barely looked up as he entered the camp, already aware of his approach. He hung up his bow, threw his quiver onto his bunk and sat down heavily by the fire.
"Will and Djaq not back from Nettlestone yet?" he said as his eyes scanned the camp.
"Obviously." John continued stirring the pot bubbling on the range.
"Smells good. What is it?"
"Soup."
Robin frowned at John, trying to work out if he was deliberately not being talkative or just being himself. John answered the question for him with one of his own.
"How is Marian?"
"I wish I knew. Couldn't get anywhere near her." Robin paused, suddenly remembering he'd told the Gang he was going to Clun.
John stopped stirring and regarded Robin sternly. "You shouldn't go to Nottingham on your own. I know you miss her but it's too dangerous." He cocked his head slightly and then nodded to himself. "Ah - about time!"
"What?" Robin looked round as John glanced over to the camp doorway where Will and Djaq suddenly appeared. Will was carrying two chickens and Djaq pulled a large loaf of bread from her pack.
"What took you so long?" Robin asked.
"We... uh..." Will stammered and blushed furiously.
"We ran into some guards on the way back and had to hide until they'd gone." Djaq handed the bread to Robin then took the chickens from Will, sat down and started plucking one of them. John said nothing but when Djaq looked over at him, he slowly raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled her most innocent smile at him and carried on removing feathers.
"How was Marian?" Will asked.
Robin looked sharply at John who merely shrugged.
"I didn't see her," he said to Will.
"You shouldn't go to Nottingham..."
"I know - all right! I know!" Robin stood up, tossed the bread onto the table and went over to his bunk. He hung the quiver next to his bow then lay down and locked his fingers behind his head, staring up through the roof of the camp.
Will and John looked at each other for a moment then went back to preparing the meal. Will picked up the other chicken, sat down next to Djaq and started plucking it. They spoke softly together, alternately laughing at the other's comments. At one point Will gently reached up and removed a stray short feather from Djaq's hair. He tickled the end of her nose with it and she playfully punched him on the arm.
John smiled as he watched them, then realised he wasn't alone - Robin had turned in his bunk and was regarding Will and Djaq with a strange look. Had he too guessed how close they'd become in Allan and Much's absence? What was that look - jealousy? Sadness? Or just curiosity?
Will peered up through the canopy of trees as darkness fell across Sherwood. "Clear night, tonight - you can already see the stars."
"That just means it will be cold," said Robin bitterly, as he lay back and stared upwards again.
"Mmmm. Better make sure the fire is properly set before we go to sleep." Will glanced over to where the chopped firewood was stacked. They had enough to last for a while yet, he needn't worry.
"I bet Much is nice and warm. Where do you suppose he is now? South of France?" Will turned round and looked quizzically at Robin.
"No, he should be on a boat by now," Robin replied. "And the nights in the Holy Land can be just as cold as here," especially without another's warmth to hold on to, he thought.
"Oh? I thought it was really hot there?" Will looked between Robin and Djaq with surprise.
"Only during the day," Djaq said. "At night, the heat vanishes from the ground and you can see the stars from horizon to horizon."
"Much always liked looking at the stars. Said no matter where we were, as long as he could see the stars and know they were the same as the ones over Locksley, he'd be fine. They were the only familiar thing he had to hold on to." Robin's voice cracked slightly with barely contained emotion.
They all focussed on him as he lay on his bunk, his eyes still looking up but his heart and thoughts now a thousand miles away.
"Then I'm sure he is looking at them now and thinking of us as we are thinking of him," Djaq said.
Will smiled fondly at her as he put his hand on hers.
John crossed to Robin's bunk and laid his hand on Robin's shoulder.
"As is Marian," he said quietly, as he handed Robin a bowl of soup and some bread.
Robin looked up at him as he sat up and accepted the food. "And Alice and your boy," Robin softly replied.
John's face was unreadable as he returned to the fire...
>>>----------------------->
"I don't like stars."
Marian started as she heard Allan's voice behind her.
"They are useful for finding your way," she replied, annoyed that he'd crept up on her so easily. She continued to gaze out over the castle courtyard. The distant woods and hills were a long black shadow on the horizon against the brilliant night sky.
"They're not useful if you don' want to be seen... and anyway - I always know my way."
"Are you sure about that, Allan? I think you've been looking a little lost recently." She turned towards him as he drew level with her. "How's your... How are you feeling?"
"Oh, yeah - better, thanks."
"Good. Don't mention it."
"I don' know what you said to him..."
"I said don't mention it."
They stood a few more minutes in silence, together but alone with their separate thoughts.
"It's getting cold. I should go in. Good Night, Allan."
"G'night, Marian." He watched her leave for her quarters then turned and headed towards Guy's suite.
Far below in the courtyard the Sheriff ordered the gate opened and rode out under the starry sky, still fast asleep...
>>>----------------------->
On to Chapter 14 for a lesson...
Come to Denial... the place we go to make it all better.