A-Dale

A-Dale (pt. 2)

Two weeks after Allan nearly killed the peasants, he sat in the guard's mess hall, eating. Sorta.

Like most of the time these days, Allan had little appetite.

Hard to eat when you're the traitor. A voice whispered in his mind. Sighing, Allan deserted his uneaten meal. He started up and left the room.

I hate myself more than anything else, really.

"Allan!" He heard his name being called. More eagerly than usual, Allan went to see what was needed.

I need a break from my thoughts. My demons.

"Yes, Guy?" Allan asked while climbing up some stairs. He met Guy at the top.

"We caught your friend," Guy had a look of perfect contentment. As if he was challenging Allan to be the same.

We're not friends, but okay. It was on the tip of Allan's tongue to say that.

"Alright," Allan settle for instead, "What do you need me to do?"

Guy blinked as if he hadn't thought that ahead, "Nothing. Just that: nothing."

Yeah, this is definitely a test.

"You know, Robin is probably going to come and get him out or something."

"I'm counting on it."

He doesn't really think he can catch Robin, does he?

"Say, how did you catch him?"

"He gave to the poor. We took from them. He fought. We won."

Must be a dropoff day and place.

"How do you really know that he was one of Hood's men?"

"Well-uh, he was doing what one of Hood's outlaws would do?" Gisborne sputtered with surprise.

"Oh, really? Did he have a tag?" Allan challenged.

" Look," Gisborne walked into Allan's personal space, "If you're s confident that we don't have one of Hood's men in our dungeon, you can go see to it, Mr. Cynical."

"Fine! Fine!" No, please don't make me. "It's one of his men..."

"Go!" Gisborne snapped, yelling at Allan, "Go! Now!"

"Yes-yes," Allan stammered.

Sheesh, make up your mind every once in a while.

Accompanied by no one, Allan realized he could easily fake going down to the dungeons.

That's because you've had a lot of practice on lying.

But for some reason, Allan went down anyways. He tugged down the stairs, suddenly becoming nervous.

Tread carefully, Allan. Carefully.

He walked past all the poor, miserable, pitiful peasants to the ends of the dungeon. And there, on the floor, sat Will Scarlet.

So...Guy was right, then? Huh, who would've known?

"You," Will glared, "what do you want?"

"Well, now that's a tricky quest-"

"You know what I mean!"

Allan sighed, "Guy just wanted me to make sure that you actually were one of Robin's men."

"So, you're going to tell him?" Will gave an irritated sigh, "Forget it. I already know what you're going to do."

"Look, I have no choice-"

"Everything is a choice!" He yelled, bringing back painful memories to Allan of what Robin told him. Their conversation at the tavern.

But I really didn't have a choice. I really didn't! And I don't have much of a choice now, either...

Allan looked away, "So, how's everyone?" He asked after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

"Why would you care?"

"Look, I'm just curious."

"'Curious'? I suppose Gisborne and the Sheriff are also curious. C'mon, Allan, how much are they paying you?"

"Can't a man ask how his former comrades are?! How's Robin? How's Much? John? Djaq?" Instantly, Will turned a whole lot angrier.

Oh. Allan tied not to be surprised, but he couldn't help it. Maybe Allan was just good at guessing, or he had known him for very long, or maybe he was just like that, but Will was just so obvious.

"I guess I'll go," Allan said after watching Will just glare at him for more than a minute.

He hates me. He hates me. Allan told himself that it shouldn't surprise or hurt him. After all, they all probably did. But it still did.

Allan turned and left, unable to watch Will's hatred for him grow in his eyes.

"So?" Gisborne asked when Allan got backed. It was time for Allan's choice. Allan could say Will was just a normal, everyday trouble maker and nobody would be the wiser. Then Robin would come and rescue him and everyone would know that Allan had lied. That or he could betray them once again.

Betray? You won't be betraying them. Besides, you aren't one of Robin's men anymore. No, you won't be betraying anyone. Except yourself.

Then the Sheriff came, "Oh, what's going on here?"

Gisborne looked at Allan, waiting for him to say something.

Go on, say it.

"We found one of Robin's men," Allan said quietly. The little words stung like crazy to Allan.

I hate myself more than Guy, more than the Sheriff. More than anything really.

"Hood's men? One of them? Here?" The Sheriff seemed surprised. Allan nodded.

"Well, I suppose we'll have a happy, little hanging tomorrow." Allan felt like someone had just punched him.

"Very well, then." And with that, the Sheriff stuttered off. Allan turned to leave, too-

"Allan," Gisborne called," good...good job." Allan nodded but did no more.

You're a terrible man, Allan-a-Dale. A terrible man. You've done terrible things. You'll do terrible things. I hate you.