Epic Short Fic: The Gambler - Part I
Title: The Gambler
Author: roh_wyn
Word Count: 7844 words total; 1423 in this part
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Robin, mentions the outlaws
Spoilers/Warnings: 2x12
Summary: The gang has an encounter with a mysterious stranger. (This story has not been beta'd and is quite possibly about nothing, but not in a cool Seinfeld sort of way).
Disclaimer: Robin Hood belongs to the BBC, Tiger Aspect and legend.
Marseilles
The sea rose around the wooden pilings of the wharf, ink-black and foreboding. Robin stared out across the water, not really seeing. His mind was elsewhere, half-a-world away, on the king, on the sheriff…on Marian.
No, he would not think of her, not now, not just yet. He forced himself to focus on the task at hand, banishing worry about Marian to the back of his mind. He cast an eye around the wharf, looking for his men, and found them all lolling about near the old storehouse they'd been using as a makeshift camp since arriving in Marseilles a week ago.
It had taken that long to find passage on board a ship sailing for the Holy Land. Many of the trade ships were already well-manned and did not want to carry passengers who tried to pay their way in promises rather than coin. Others were wary of taking on men who looked like they might be up to no good. There was little Robin could do to dispel the worries of the captain, considering his men were outlaws, and looked exactly the part.
Little John wore a grim expression and snarled menacingly at strangers who came too close. Robin knew he was not keen on this particular journey, that his only desire was to see his family again. But when Robin had first suggested traveling across the sea in pursuit of the Sheriff, John had gone along with the plan without a word of complaint. For that, Robin would always be grateful.
The same, however, could not be said of Much, who had even less desire to make the journey than Little John. He had complained endlessly of the dangers of a sea voyage and how they had already tempted fate once and been spared, and it was wrong to expect Fate to be so kind once again. He spoke of the things he'd seen on their last stint in the Holy Land, and how his only wish was to never leave English soil again. But in the end, Much's deep sense of loyalty had prevailed and he'd helped to convince the others of the soundness of Robin's plans. Thank you. You are a better friend than I deserve.
Surprisingly, Allan had needed the least persuasion, although Robin considered that was to be expected, given the man's circumstances. He was desperate to win forgiveness and acceptance from those who had once been his brothers-in-arms, and to that end, he'd made himself amenable to, well, everything. Robin was unsure how he felt about Allan's latest about-face, but he appreciated the effort it had taken Allan to leave a life of luxury and certainty to save his friends. It showed the man had mettle, a fact Robin had never been quite certain of before. He'd have to give Allan more of his attention though, just to make sure he did not step off the right path. Or he'd have to depute the other to do it, and Will and Djaq at least would be happy to keep an eye on him.
He spotted the gang's newest lovebirds-he laughed now, remembering Djaq's choice of metaphor-sitting at the edge of the pier, talking quietly. Outwardly, they were no different than they'd been before, and if their conversations now turned to things of a more private nature, it was not in a way that was obvious to the others. On the other hand, the rest of the gang had been more than happy to stay out of their way, and Robin himself was endlessly amused by this sudden blossoming of love in his gang.
But the journey ahead gave him pause. Will was in his own world, and however much he might have feared the journey, it was not the foremost thing on his mind, not now with Djaq at his side. Djaq, on the other hand, had been the only one openly opposed to the idea, and when Robin had insisted they had to go to the Holy Land, she'd suggested that she remain behind in England-with Will, if necessary-while Robin and the others saved the king. It was only Robin's insistence on needing her medical skills that had finally convinced her.
Thinking about Djaq invariably brought Robin's thoughts back to Marian. They were both woman of a particular sort-strong, brave, willing to take matters into their hands. On the other hand, there could not be two more different women either. Life had been cruel to Djaq, taking from her all she had ever loved and known and casting her into an alien land. But despite that, she'd kept her equanimity and her faith-not just in her God, but in humanity-and somehow she'd come out the victor. Despite being Saracen, and a woman at that, she was completely at home in the English forest. Yet Marian, that most English of all flowers, was floundering in her own land, unhappy with the world around her and unable to find a place for herself in it. If it were up to him-
His reverie was suddenly interrupted by a loud voice behind him.
"Roll the dice. Change your future!"
Robin ignored the voice at first, knowing that the wharfs at Marseilles were rife with gamblers and tricksters. But as the call grew more insistent, he realized it was directed at him. He turned around to decline politely, but stopped short when he caught sight of the gambler.
It was a woman, and not quite the sort of woman Robin expected to encounter in a place like this. She was richly dressed, but there was a bit too much paint on her face. It suggested not so much a woman of the night, but a lady pretended to be such, and Robin was both intrigued and amused.
"You don't seem quite right for this," he noted, genuinely curious about her.
The woman smiled. "Fortune favors those who can surprise, does it not?"
Robin allowed this was true and chuckled, taken out of his worries for nearly the first time in weeks. "That's true. But just now, I can't play. Maybe some other time?"
The gambler shrugged as if to suggest it was nothing to her, but before Robin could turn away, she pulled gently at his sleeve. "Are you certain?"
He nodded. "Yes. I have no need of what you offer anyway."
"There is no man in the world who does not need something."
"Yes, but I need neither wealth nor trinkets, and I'm sure there are others here with more interest."
She persisted. "That may be true, but I have no use for them." She gave Robin a meaningful look. "And I do have something you need. Something you need very much."
"Oh?"
"Yes. I have information."
The word and the expression on the woman's face made the hair on Robin's neck stand up, and he backed away from her just a bit before recovering his composure. 'What…what sort of information?"
She gave him a sly half-smile. "News. Of other Englishmen on their way to the Holy Land."
Robin relaxed. "That is not news. There are hundreds of Englishmen traveling there every week."
"English lords? From Nottingham?"
"What?"
She laughed, knowing she had him. In that moment, Robin hated her just a little bit. She grinned broadly before adding, "I'd tell you. But you have to pay me first."
"I…I don't have coin for that."
"I don't need coin."
He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to guess her game. Nothing came to him, except for the obvious. He shook his head. "I have no coin, and whatever else you may want from me, I'm not at liberty to give."
She spat. "I'm not interested in that. It's just…" Her voice trailed off, and for the first time, Robin noted her hesitation. "I need to journey to the Holy Land, but no ship will take me. Because of that ridiculous superstition about a woman traveling alone.
"But if I were to go with you…" She let the suggestion hang in the air, keeping her eyes trained on Robin. The eyes were now kind, almost innocent, and in spite of his better judgment, Robin was moved by her plight.
"Fine. But you need to tell me what you know first."
"English lords. Traveling from Nottingham. They left Marseilles three nights before you got here."
Robin nodded and egged her on to tell him the rest, considering the entire deal the best gamble of his life.
Marian, I'm coming for you.
Next Chapter
Author: roh_wyn
Word Count: 7844 words total; 1423 in this part
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Robin, mentions the outlaws
Spoilers/Warnings: 2x12
Summary: The gang has an encounter with a mysterious stranger. (This story has not been beta'd and is quite possibly about nothing, but not in a cool Seinfeld sort of way).
Disclaimer: Robin Hood belongs to the BBC, Tiger Aspect and legend.
Marseilles
The sea rose around the wooden pilings of the wharf, ink-black and foreboding. Robin stared out across the water, not really seeing. His mind was elsewhere, half-a-world away, on the king, on the sheriff…on Marian.
No, he would not think of her, not now, not just yet. He forced himself to focus on the task at hand, banishing worry about Marian to the back of his mind. He cast an eye around the wharf, looking for his men, and found them all lolling about near the old storehouse they'd been using as a makeshift camp since arriving in Marseilles a week ago.
It had taken that long to find passage on board a ship sailing for the Holy Land. Many of the trade ships were already well-manned and did not want to carry passengers who tried to pay their way in promises rather than coin. Others were wary of taking on men who looked like they might be up to no good. There was little Robin could do to dispel the worries of the captain, considering his men were outlaws, and looked exactly the part.
Little John wore a grim expression and snarled menacingly at strangers who came too close. Robin knew he was not keen on this particular journey, that his only desire was to see his family again. But when Robin had first suggested traveling across the sea in pursuit of the Sheriff, John had gone along with the plan without a word of complaint. For that, Robin would always be grateful.
The same, however, could not be said of Much, who had even less desire to make the journey than Little John. He had complained endlessly of the dangers of a sea voyage and how they had already tempted fate once and been spared, and it was wrong to expect Fate to be so kind once again. He spoke of the things he'd seen on their last stint in the Holy Land, and how his only wish was to never leave English soil again. But in the end, Much's deep sense of loyalty had prevailed and he'd helped to convince the others of the soundness of Robin's plans. Thank you. You are a better friend than I deserve.
Surprisingly, Allan had needed the least persuasion, although Robin considered that was to be expected, given the man's circumstances. He was desperate to win forgiveness and acceptance from those who had once been his brothers-in-arms, and to that end, he'd made himself amenable to, well, everything. Robin was unsure how he felt about Allan's latest about-face, but he appreciated the effort it had taken Allan to leave a life of luxury and certainty to save his friends. It showed the man had mettle, a fact Robin had never been quite certain of before. He'd have to give Allan more of his attention though, just to make sure he did not step off the right path. Or he'd have to depute the other to do it, and Will and Djaq at least would be happy to keep an eye on him.
He spotted the gang's newest lovebirds-he laughed now, remembering Djaq's choice of metaphor-sitting at the edge of the pier, talking quietly. Outwardly, they were no different than they'd been before, and if their conversations now turned to things of a more private nature, it was not in a way that was obvious to the others. On the other hand, the rest of the gang had been more than happy to stay out of their way, and Robin himself was endlessly amused by this sudden blossoming of love in his gang.
But the journey ahead gave him pause. Will was in his own world, and however much he might have feared the journey, it was not the foremost thing on his mind, not now with Djaq at his side. Djaq, on the other hand, had been the only one openly opposed to the idea, and when Robin had insisted they had to go to the Holy Land, she'd suggested that she remain behind in England-with Will, if necessary-while Robin and the others saved the king. It was only Robin's insistence on needing her medical skills that had finally convinced her.
Thinking about Djaq invariably brought Robin's thoughts back to Marian. They were both woman of a particular sort-strong, brave, willing to take matters into their hands. On the other hand, there could not be two more different women either. Life had been cruel to Djaq, taking from her all she had ever loved and known and casting her into an alien land. But despite that, she'd kept her equanimity and her faith-not just in her God, but in humanity-and somehow she'd come out the victor. Despite being Saracen, and a woman at that, she was completely at home in the English forest. Yet Marian, that most English of all flowers, was floundering in her own land, unhappy with the world around her and unable to find a place for herself in it. If it were up to him-
His reverie was suddenly interrupted by a loud voice behind him.
"Roll the dice. Change your future!"
Robin ignored the voice at first, knowing that the wharfs at Marseilles were rife with gamblers and tricksters. But as the call grew more insistent, he realized it was directed at him. He turned around to decline politely, but stopped short when he caught sight of the gambler.
It was a woman, and not quite the sort of woman Robin expected to encounter in a place like this. She was richly dressed, but there was a bit too much paint on her face. It suggested not so much a woman of the night, but a lady pretended to be such, and Robin was both intrigued and amused.
"You don't seem quite right for this," he noted, genuinely curious about her.
The woman smiled. "Fortune favors those who can surprise, does it not?"
Robin allowed this was true and chuckled, taken out of his worries for nearly the first time in weeks. "That's true. But just now, I can't play. Maybe some other time?"
The gambler shrugged as if to suggest it was nothing to her, but before Robin could turn away, she pulled gently at his sleeve. "Are you certain?"
He nodded. "Yes. I have no need of what you offer anyway."
"There is no man in the world who does not need something."
"Yes, but I need neither wealth nor trinkets, and I'm sure there are others here with more interest."
She persisted. "That may be true, but I have no use for them." She gave Robin a meaningful look. "And I do have something you need. Something you need very much."
"Oh?"
"Yes. I have information."
The word and the expression on the woman's face made the hair on Robin's neck stand up, and he backed away from her just a bit before recovering his composure. 'What…what sort of information?"
She gave him a sly half-smile. "News. Of other Englishmen on their way to the Holy Land."
Robin relaxed. "That is not news. There are hundreds of Englishmen traveling there every week."
"English lords? From Nottingham?"
"What?"
She laughed, knowing she had him. In that moment, Robin hated her just a little bit. She grinned broadly before adding, "I'd tell you. But you have to pay me first."
"I…I don't have coin for that."
"I don't need coin."
He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to guess her game. Nothing came to him, except for the obvious. He shook his head. "I have no coin, and whatever else you may want from me, I'm not at liberty to give."
She spat. "I'm not interested in that. It's just…" Her voice trailed off, and for the first time, Robin noted her hesitation. "I need to journey to the Holy Land, but no ship will take me. Because of that ridiculous superstition about a woman traveling alone.
"But if I were to go with you…" She let the suggestion hang in the air, keeping her eyes trained on Robin. The eyes were now kind, almost innocent, and in spite of his better judgment, Robin was moved by her plight.
"Fine. But you need to tell me what you know first."
"English lords. Traveling from Nottingham. They left Marseilles three nights before you got here."
Robin nodded and egged her on to tell him the rest, considering the entire deal the best gamble of his life.
Marian, I'm coming for you.
Next Chapter