Written By Time - Year Thirteen
Title: Written By Time
Author: ladylovelace
Rating: PG - 13
Pairings/characters : Much, Robin, Guy, Vaysey
Word Count: 935
Warnings: None
Summary: The war rages on. A plan is hatched and failed.
Disclaimer: I own very little, and certainly not and recognisable characters. More's the pity.
I worshipped dead men for their strength,
Forgetting I was strong.
Year Thirteen - Much & Robin
Much was beginning to worry about the specific depth of his feelings for Robin. He had always known that he loved his Master, but he was beginning to wonder about what exactly he meant by that. He wasn't entirely sure, but Much worried that his love for Robin had turned into the kind of love that was supposed to exist between a man and a woman.
He didn't worry about their sharing a bed, or that he was happy to comfort his master in whatever way was needed. Or that he enjoyed their encounters. He saw plenty of that going on between other knights - with each other or with their servants. He didn't think they really felt anything towards each other, though, except perhaps loyalty. He could understand being terrified and grasping at the comfort of another man, but he was fairly sure you weren't supposed to fall for the other man.
What really clued Much off was his insane jealousy. Robin had gotten close to another young knight, Thomas. Thomas was younger than either of them. Perhaps only seventeen or eighteen when they met. Much hated having to compete for his master's attention, hated seeing Robin hug the other man in greeting. The last straw was the other man's death. Much watched Thomas die in Robin's arms, and he was actually jealous of a dying man. And then he was glad when he realised that his competition was dead, even though he had never really been in competition with him.
Much found himself clinging on to Robin that night and crying while his master stroked his hair and shushed him. Robin likely thought that Much was grieving for a friend. In reality, he feared he was grieving for a part of his soul.
Years later, on meeting Carter, and finding out who he really was, Much felt the bitter stab of guilt at having internally rejoiced over his brother's death. Other than the whole business with tying them up, Carter was a good man, and he deserved better for his brother's memory. Much cried again that night, but this time it was actually over the young knight's death. He hoped that late mourning was better than not mourning at all.
Much wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but the raids and battles seemed to be getting more vicious as time went on. The closer they got to Jerusalem, it seemed, the harder the Saracens fought them. It made sense, he supposed. If someone was attacking his home, he would fight harder to keep it than he would to take someone else's away from them. He wondered if other soldiers were beginning to think like this as well, but he was terrified of asking the wrong person and being deemed a traitor. He had seen what happened to traitors, and he really didn't want to be left out in the desert to die slowly. He tried to get a read on what Robin thought, but his master always seemed so tired, these days.
Year Thirteen - Vaysey & Guy
January 1st, 1190
I can't help but feel that this is the dawning of a new age. So much to plan, still, but it will be worth it if it works.
March 16th, 1190
In a way, I wish I could tell Gisborne about The Plan. But I fear he'd tell his little leper friend, and she strikes me as a loyalist, somehow. Still, once the mission is completed, Gisborne will move on to far better things. Not better things than I will, of course, but much better than the little wench could hope to marry into.
May 30th, 1190
Prince has called me back to London to finalise a few things. Young Gizzy will be so excited to hear that he gets to play Sheriff for a few days. I hope I'm not giving him a taste for my job, but then, he's not really clever enough to realise that killing me would help him out, if he could get away with it. That's why I like him - pretty and not all that bright.
July 17th, 1190
The plan is in motion.
August 4th, 1190
Saw Gisborne off today, heading towards Portsmouth. He's supposed to pick up a few friends along the way and then go for a nice little trip to meet our dear King.
I suspect life will be a little boring while he's off, but no matter - I can always amuse myself.
August 7th, 1190
Waiting for news of my dear little protégé is harder than I thought it would be. Perhaps I'll send a rider to Portsmouth, make sure he got off alright.
August 9th, 1190
Typical. I send someone off to find out what's going on, and a letter comes to tell me exactly what I wanted to know. At least the contingent to the Holy Land actually got on their boat. Now all there is left is to wait.
October 11th, 1190
I don't believe it. Gisborne managed to completely cock it up. Actually, why am I surprised? If you want something done right, do it yourself.
He says that Robin of Locksley and his little servant boy fought them off. Really, Gisborne? Defeated by a mere boy? Pull the other one, it's got bells on it. And please, cop to your own ridiculous mistakes.
I was going to tell him that his snivelling little wench asked after him more than once while he was away, but now I wont. Let him focus on making it up to me.
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