Cloaked

Chapter two.

He's grown quite a bit since I last saw him. Of course I was only eight years old. He used to be a friend of my brothers, five years older than me. Last I heard he was wanted by prince John. I doubt he remembers me, I was always with mother and my nanny. I will just have to be more careful.

  I put my hand down and gesture for him to follow me. The men look at me confused.

"Is he telling the truth archer?" I nod. Robin follows me along with Travis. Robin hands his horse over to Phillip and follows me. I hand him some fresh turkey we cooked for lunch and some bread. He nods in appreciation. I lead him to little Johns tent to rest.

"Thank you. Where is little John?" Asks Robin. I look at Travis.

"He's out trading. He'll be back by nightfall." Says Travis.

"Do you have a problem with me?" Robin says looking at me. I shake my head while Travis just laughs.

"No no no," says Travis."Archer here can't speak. Very mysterious but very trustworthy. Saved our lives too many times to count. He's our backup, we don't ask questions. It's a mutual understanding. "

I nod at this, and Robin just looks more suspicious then before.

"Mmhhmm. Ok then. I'll just rest before John comes." He disappears into the tent. Travis and I walk a distance from the tent before Travis looks at me grinning.

"He does not like you one bit now does he?"

I just chuckle lowly and shake my head. We go back to sit by the fire with the other guys. Will looks at me.

"Is he telling the truth?" I nod.

"Does little John know he's coming?" I nod again. The guys look more at ease now. Will still looks conflicted.

"Is he someone we want to be on their good side." Asks Will. I nod immediatly. Now the men look a bit nervous.

We sit eating dinner when Robin comes out and sits down by Much. He looks at me suspiciously then Much hands him some turkey. He starts eating. I just look at my food while Will gives the men a look. They fidget nervously until Will speaks up.

"Umm, Robin, we are sorry we tried to kill you. We didn't know who you were and right now things are tense because of the sherriff cracking down. We didn't mean to mess with you. Only Archer knew about you coming, but he didn't really have a way of communicating the fact. We are sorry about that."

All the men nod in assent. Robin laughs.

"Don't worry, I understand. John told me a bit of what to expect. Though I wasn't expecting an apology. Is Archer the second in command?" He says before looking at me curiously.

Damn, he suspects something. Well the guys were the same way, until little John reassured them. I have a feeling Robin won't give in so easily.

"Yeah, he is," says Phillip." He saved Johns life, and ours many times. We trust him to lead, though he doesn't seem to keen on it." The guys laugh a bit at that. I just put my head in my hands and nod.

"And why is that?" Asks Robin. Much seems a bit defensive now.

"Mysterious, got a past. We don't pry though, and we advise you don't either." A few guys nod and Robin gets quiet. We are just finishing our meal when the group of men with little John show up. John gets off and walks toward Robin. They shake hands.

"Good to see you boy, it's been a while." He says laughing.

"I'm not a boy any more John, and evidently neither are you." Says Robin. John howls with laughter.