The Eternal Shadow

Chapter 38

XXXVIII

"I'm getting too old for this!"

Allan was attempting to clean a wound on his forearm and muttering to himself. Little John wordlessly took the cloth off him and moved his friend to where the light was better before taking over.

"We're all getting too old for this!" Much declared to no one in particular, though the comment was probably aimed at Robin.

"We shouldn't have left her!" Will had been lost in a silent fury for their return to camp and now it was coming to the surface.

"We had no choice. We were outnumbered." Robin replied tightly.

"We should've done something!" Will hissed.

"What could we have done? There were too many and I had my hands full with her." Robin gestured to Francesca, who was sitting under a nearby tree, fiddling with the bonds on her wrists and ankles.

"We could've traded her for Djaq!" Will glared at their unwelcome addition.

"Yes and I would've but it's not like they gave us chance."

"Yeh, one of 'em went for John and then it was mayhem after that." Allan chipped in and Little John grunted an affirmative.

"And you..." Much rounded angrily on Will, "don't you ever make me have to drag you out of a fight again!"

"He took Djaq!" Will declared, as if this was the explanation and answer to everything, which for him it was.

"Yes he did, but we wouldn't have been able to help her if they'd taken all of us would we now?" Robin knew that Will had long since realised this but said the words anyway.

"We should go back for her!"

"No Will, it won't do any good right now..."

"Please Robin!"

Robin shook his head and gave his friend an apologetic look.

Will nodded but didn't break eye contact. "I think... I think I love her."

An awkward silence followed as all digested this information before Allan finally said what needed to be said: "We'll get her back y'know?"

"We will..." Robin confirmed and then turned his eyes to their captive, "and it wouldn't surprise me if Gisborne comes to us to make a deal."

**********

"So err... what's your story then?"

Francesca didn't know whether to laugh or cry at this question from a curious outlaw with a freshly bandaged arm.

Well... where do I start!?

She was in a daze.

Had been ever since she'd laid eyes once more upon the man she loved.

Actually, it was more accurate to say that she had been ever since her father had declared that he'd found her a husband. She'd remembered him of course, the man she was to marry, it had been a long time since he'd last come sniffing round her sister but he was in possession of a particular brand of creepiness that one didn't forget so easily.

Something else she hadn't forgotten was the argument between him and her father concerning his interest in Natalia – it was the reason he'd stopped visiting them all those years ago and no one in the Cavendish household had been sorry to see the back of him.

Then all of a sudden, he was back and the two lords were as chummy as ever. No one bothered to tell Francesca why, just as no one bothered to explain to her why a man who had barely registered her existence back in the day was now seeking her hand in marriage. Or why her father, who'd been so utterly horrified at the prospect of Winchester marrying his eldest daughter, had agreed to let him wed his youngest with heartfelt best wishes. She had always felt inferior to her sister and here was yet another reminder of her low worth in her father's estimation. Nothing new there then.