FIC - Vamping (part 2:3) - Family Ties and Antidotes (chapter 3)
Frankly, Robin would gladly trade his whole worthless family, at least the part he knew anything about, for his gang any day. Now why couldn’t a decent father pay him a proper visit and chat about Robin’s own life instead of imparting all this unwelcome news about a brat without a proper name? Archer! Who goes around calling himself Archer? Pompous back end of a donkey. But this father! Why not drop by and ask loyal son, Robin, what life had been like for the abandoned child left behind to learn about manhood all by himself? What about a little show of interest over his five grueling years on Crusade in the Holy Land and another two harsh years and counting of being outlawed? Not one ounce of curiosity? And why haul Gisborne into the whole sordid mess of rescuing the Archer brat when Gisborne’s life had been just as wrecked by the same paternal indulgence?
So Malcolm of Locksley thought that Robin and Guy would happily team up to right their respective parents’ wrongs after they (Robin and Guy, that is) had spent years trying to kill each other, never mind Robin’s slightly more than passing interest in the current pressing needs of England. As for working with Gizzy, for all anyone else knew, Giz had just murdered Robin’s wife. In fact, everyone knew that. Malcolm the Clueless must have smoked his brain, as well as his face, that day in the fire. Allan may have had the hare-brained, amoral Tom for a brother, but Robin had a feeling that tolerating this Archer interloper would be a lot less easy. He did not have time to drop everything now to bail out a black sheep loser.
Fortunately, by this time, Marian arrived back in the shire, but with Gisborne now forced into the gang, Robin still had to keep Marian hidden from Gizzy’s and therefore everyone else’s sight. This was fortunate for her in a way because otherwise she would have had some trouble getting so much as a moment to herself with Robin no longer thinking with his brain. Marian found Robin’s frustration over the whole situation most amusing, especially when she met him just outside the camp each night. Robin never had the patience to move far enough away, but then he was stuck struggling to keep quiet. Silent lovemaking had never suited him. As a consequence, Marian seemed to enjoy the … inappropriate … circumstances of their meetings all the more, and the one night Much came outside to deal with the too many rounds of ale enjoyed that evening, Robin had to freeze in the middle of … well, it wasn’t pretty. Much then stopped dangerously close to the two of them and took a very long time to empty the plumbing. While singing one of the gang’s stupid drinking songs to himself! Robin later swore that he actually considered biting Much at that moment.
Despite what Robin may have preferred, their nocturnal meetings were not all heat and passion. Vamps have to drink, too, so Marian and Robin had to get in some quick hunting before dawn arrived. Once the Sheriff’s men found a stag’s body out in the forest and actually figured out that it had been drained of all blood with scarcely a wound to be found. Robin heard soon thereafter that the troop had been so frightened by this devil magic that after delivering the carcass to the Sheriff, all of them fled for the nearest port of exit from the country before Vaizey could think to stop them. Subsequently, the remainder of the castle guard was likewise spooked, so Vaizey took to locking the castle and city gates at nearly all times. Robin couldn’t help grinning at the thought of Vaizey locking his own guard inside the castle so that they couldn’t escape.
Then there was poor Allan. That was another unanticipated twist of fate. Robin had liked having that scoundrel around. If only the poor sod had been a vampire. It seemed so unfair because Allan would have truly enjoyed being a vampire. Had either Robin or Marian found him still alive and without witnesses, something singularly helpful could have been done for an old friend. It was all such a cruel and pointless loss. The best Robin could hope to do for him now would be to enlist the help of some zombie acquaintances. (Allan’s body hadn’t really been burned; that little bonfire was just for show and to satisfy the pesky Anti-Contagion League.) He just couldn’t decide. Would Allan like to be a zombie, or not? He’ll have to discuss it with Marian when they were finally settled.
For now, however, things were just getting worse every day. Stealing from the rich wasn’t fun anymore. Robin was growing tired of the whole outlaw game and hoped the upcoming Nottingham battle would be the end of it. Time to put Prince John in his place, Vaizey out of his misery, and Marian back where she belonged.
So Malcolm of Locksley thought that Robin and Guy would happily team up to right their respective parents’ wrongs after they (Robin and Guy, that is) had spent years trying to kill each other, never mind Robin’s slightly more than passing interest in the current pressing needs of England. As for working with Gizzy, for all anyone else knew, Giz had just murdered Robin’s wife. In fact, everyone knew that. Malcolm the Clueless must have smoked his brain, as well as his face, that day in the fire. Allan may have had the hare-brained, amoral Tom for a brother, but Robin had a feeling that tolerating this Archer interloper would be a lot less easy. He did not have time to drop everything now to bail out a black sheep loser.
Fortunately, by this time, Marian arrived back in the shire, but with Gisborne now forced into the gang, Robin still had to keep Marian hidden from Gizzy’s and therefore everyone else’s sight. This was fortunate for her in a way because otherwise she would have had some trouble getting so much as a moment to herself with Robin no longer thinking with his brain. Marian found Robin’s frustration over the whole situation most amusing, especially when she met him just outside the camp each night. Robin never had the patience to move far enough away, but then he was stuck struggling to keep quiet. Silent lovemaking had never suited him. As a consequence, Marian seemed to enjoy the … inappropriate … circumstances of their meetings all the more, and the one night Much came outside to deal with the too many rounds of ale enjoyed that evening, Robin had to freeze in the middle of … well, it wasn’t pretty. Much then stopped dangerously close to the two of them and took a very long time to empty the plumbing. While singing one of the gang’s stupid drinking songs to himself! Robin later swore that he actually considered biting Much at that moment.
Despite what Robin may have preferred, their nocturnal meetings were not all heat and passion. Vamps have to drink, too, so Marian and Robin had to get in some quick hunting before dawn arrived. Once the Sheriff’s men found a stag’s body out in the forest and actually figured out that it had been drained of all blood with scarcely a wound to be found. Robin heard soon thereafter that the troop had been so frightened by this devil magic that after delivering the carcass to the Sheriff, all of them fled for the nearest port of exit from the country before Vaizey could think to stop them. Subsequently, the remainder of the castle guard was likewise spooked, so Vaizey took to locking the castle and city gates at nearly all times. Robin couldn’t help grinning at the thought of Vaizey locking his own guard inside the castle so that they couldn’t escape.
Then there was poor Allan. That was another unanticipated twist of fate. Robin had liked having that scoundrel around. If only the poor sod had been a vampire. It seemed so unfair because Allan would have truly enjoyed being a vampire. Had either Robin or Marian found him still alive and without witnesses, something singularly helpful could have been done for an old friend. It was all such a cruel and pointless loss. The best Robin could hope to do for him now would be to enlist the help of some zombie acquaintances. (Allan’s body hadn’t really been burned; that little bonfire was just for show and to satisfy the pesky Anti-Contagion League.) He just couldn’t decide. Would Allan like to be a zombie, or not? He’ll have to discuss it with Marian when they were finally settled.
For now, however, things were just getting worse every day. Stealing from the rich wasn’t fun anymore. Robin was growing tired of the whole outlaw game and hoped the upcoming Nottingham battle would be the end of it. Time to put Prince John in his place, Vaizey out of his misery, and Marian back where she belonged.