Sherwood's Got Talent
Author: mideltone_one
Title: Sherwood's Got Talent
Words: 1061
Genre: Gen
Rating: G
Disclaimer:The Robin Hood characters written about here belong to Tiger Aspect and the British Broadcasting Corporation. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement is intended nor is any money being made. I don't own them - if I did I'd be too busy drooling to write! All mistakes are mine.
Summary: It's an unusual way to enlarge the team, but it might catch on.
Warnings: None.
Characters/Pairings: Allan, Djaq, John, Much, Robin, Will
They'd travelled just over the county line into Derbyshire, and set up shop. They knew there was no risk of attack as Vasey was as unpopular with the authorities here as he was with the poor back in Nottingham. Word of the event had spread, and a fairly large crowd had gathered in the field. At one end stood a table, with three people seated behind it; Robin, Much and Allan a Dale.
They had had a busy morning, and were taking a break to refuel. It made a pleasant change to be eating proper food; food of some discernible meat. Allan had just taken another mouthful, when he noticed Much staring at him. "Wot?" he asked, without bothering to swallow before speaking.
Slightly intimidated, Much spoke, "Why is the waistband of your breeches so high up? It's practically level with your ribs."
"It's the latest style," replied Allan with a hint of irritation, "it makes you look taller."
"It makes you look stupid," replied the manservant, before returning to his food.
"Well I wouldn't expect a simpleton like you to appreciate style," said the thief, now clearly annoyed.
"Will you two stop bickering?" asked Little John, "I've got enough trouble keeping that lot in order, without having to watch you two." He motioned to the crowd behind him.
"Sorry John," said the two men in unison. He shook his head and wandered back to his post.
Robin, sat between them, looked at each of them in turn before speaking. "Are we ready for the next lot?" Nods from both of them confirmed it. "Will? Can we have the next one in please."
Will walked over to the queue of hopefuls and put his arm around the shoulder of a young man of no more than seven years of age. While he had been waiting for his companions to be ready, he'd been getting to know the people who were waiting. He knew, for example that this was David, who wanted to join the gang because his grandmother had talked about Robin Hood's good deeds all the time, and on her deathbed he had promised her he would be in the gang one day. "Don't be scared, David," said the young carpenter, "just do your best." the boy nodded, and was sent off with a gentle slap on the back.
"And what's your name, young man?" asked Allan as the boy stood in front of him.
"David, sir, David" stammered the boy.
"Is that David, or Sir David? We're not really looking for another nobleman at the moment."
"Ignore him David," said Robin calmly, "Just relax and show us what you can do." the two men exchanged sharp looks. Oh dear, thought Will, it was never good when the judges started arguing amongst themselves.
David looked over at Djaq, watching from the side, "Could I ask you to join me, madam?" he asked politely. She looked at the judges for confirmation, and when it came she joined him in front of the table. "Just wait there," he said, before rushing over to the watching crowd. Picking someone as random he exchanged a few words then began running back. A few feet short of his target he tripped and fell, dissolving into a flood of tears. Djaq rushed over to comfort him, picking him up and cuddling him for a moment. His face still red with tears, and his nose running, he bowed before the judges.
Allan spoke first. "What did you think, Much?"
The manservant looked terrified and confused by turns. "What does Robin think?" he stuttered after a long delay.
Allan rolled his eyes. "We didn't get you on the panel just so you could agree with everything your ex master said", he growled, "you've got to make up your own mind."
"But you shout at me when I do that too."
"It's back to Margaret and George again!"
"I think they'd have brought something to the gang."
"I fail to see 'ow an overweight sixty year old who makes candles from beef fat, and a man with a three legged dog would help on a raid."
"Well you didn't have to insult them."
"It's an 'ard world in the forest. They 'ave to be able to cope with a few 'arsh words. Not break down in tears at the first chance they get."
Robin looked over at David. "Do you want to try again after all the others, if there's time?"
"No need," replied the boy calmly, holding a tag out in front of him. Djaq felt round her neck, suddenly realising it was hers. "The ladies are always a sucker for a crying child," he said matter-of-factly. He handed the tag back under a withering stare, while the crowd cheered.
Allan cleared his throat. "The thievin' was alright, but we don't 'ave a lot of call for takin' necklaces by deception so I don't see 'ow you'd fit in the group." There was a boo from the crowd. "On the basis of wot I've just seen it'd be a no from me."
Robin waited for the catcalls to cease before speaking. "I don't know what Allan was watching, but I thought you were superb. I think we could turn you into a superstar outlaw. I'm saying yes." The crowd roared their approval.
"Well turned out, polite when required, very smooth with the thieving. Do you know how to cook?" asked Much.
"I could learn," said David, the excitement clearly creeping into his voice.
"It's a yes from me then."
Another cheer went up, hushing when Allan spoke again. "You'd better get packed young man. You're going to boot camp." The crowd cheered as the boy walked off, a huge grin on his face.
The next hopeful stepped up to the table. "Me name's Peter," he said, "I'm not 'avin' a laugh but, you can stop your searchin' now. I'm wot you're lookin' for."
Allan sighed, "That's a definite no from me."
Djaq made her way over to Will. "Is this really the best way to expand the group?" she asked, clearly mystified.
Will chuckled. "Look around you," he said. "Everyone's talking about us, we've got a huge audience, and there's some really talented people here. How can it fail?"
"Give me a moment to think and I'll answer you" she said, walking away shaking her head.
Title: Sherwood's Got Talent
Words: 1061
Genre: Gen
Rating: G
Disclaimer:The Robin Hood characters written about here belong to Tiger Aspect and the British Broadcasting Corporation. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement is intended nor is any money being made. I don't own them - if I did I'd be too busy drooling to write! All mistakes are mine.
Summary: It's an unusual way to enlarge the team, but it might catch on.
Warnings: None.
Characters/Pairings: Allan, Djaq, John, Much, Robin, Will
They'd travelled just over the county line into Derbyshire, and set up shop. They knew there was no risk of attack as Vasey was as unpopular with the authorities here as he was with the poor back in Nottingham. Word of the event had spread, and a fairly large crowd had gathered in the field. At one end stood a table, with three people seated behind it; Robin, Much and Allan a Dale.
They had had a busy morning, and were taking a break to refuel. It made a pleasant change to be eating proper food; food of some discernible meat. Allan had just taken another mouthful, when he noticed Much staring at him. "Wot?" he asked, without bothering to swallow before speaking.
Slightly intimidated, Much spoke, "Why is the waistband of your breeches so high up? It's practically level with your ribs."
"It's the latest style," replied Allan with a hint of irritation, "it makes you look taller."
"It makes you look stupid," replied the manservant, before returning to his food.
"Well I wouldn't expect a simpleton like you to appreciate style," said the thief, now clearly annoyed.
"Will you two stop bickering?" asked Little John, "I've got enough trouble keeping that lot in order, without having to watch you two." He motioned to the crowd behind him.
"Sorry John," said the two men in unison. He shook his head and wandered back to his post.
Robin, sat between them, looked at each of them in turn before speaking. "Are we ready for the next lot?" Nods from both of them confirmed it. "Will? Can we have the next one in please."
Will walked over to the queue of hopefuls and put his arm around the shoulder of a young man of no more than seven years of age. While he had been waiting for his companions to be ready, he'd been getting to know the people who were waiting. He knew, for example that this was David, who wanted to join the gang because his grandmother had talked about Robin Hood's good deeds all the time, and on her deathbed he had promised her he would be in the gang one day. "Don't be scared, David," said the young carpenter, "just do your best." the boy nodded, and was sent off with a gentle slap on the back.
"And what's your name, young man?" asked Allan as the boy stood in front of him.
"David, sir, David" stammered the boy.
"Is that David, or Sir David? We're not really looking for another nobleman at the moment."
"Ignore him David," said Robin calmly, "Just relax and show us what you can do." the two men exchanged sharp looks. Oh dear, thought Will, it was never good when the judges started arguing amongst themselves.
David looked over at Djaq, watching from the side, "Could I ask you to join me, madam?" he asked politely. She looked at the judges for confirmation, and when it came she joined him in front of the table. "Just wait there," he said, before rushing over to the watching crowd. Picking someone as random he exchanged a few words then began running back. A few feet short of his target he tripped and fell, dissolving into a flood of tears. Djaq rushed over to comfort him, picking him up and cuddling him for a moment. His face still red with tears, and his nose running, he bowed before the judges.
Allan spoke first. "What did you think, Much?"
The manservant looked terrified and confused by turns. "What does Robin think?" he stuttered after a long delay.
Allan rolled his eyes. "We didn't get you on the panel just so you could agree with everything your ex master said", he growled, "you've got to make up your own mind."
"But you shout at me when I do that too."
"It's back to Margaret and George again!"
"I think they'd have brought something to the gang."
"I fail to see 'ow an overweight sixty year old who makes candles from beef fat, and a man with a three legged dog would help on a raid."
"Well you didn't have to insult them."
"It's an 'ard world in the forest. They 'ave to be able to cope with a few 'arsh words. Not break down in tears at the first chance they get."
Robin looked over at David. "Do you want to try again after all the others, if there's time?"
"No need," replied the boy calmly, holding a tag out in front of him. Djaq felt round her neck, suddenly realising it was hers. "The ladies are always a sucker for a crying child," he said matter-of-factly. He handed the tag back under a withering stare, while the crowd cheered.
Allan cleared his throat. "The thievin' was alright, but we don't 'ave a lot of call for takin' necklaces by deception so I don't see 'ow you'd fit in the group." There was a boo from the crowd. "On the basis of wot I've just seen it'd be a no from me."
Robin waited for the catcalls to cease before speaking. "I don't know what Allan was watching, but I thought you were superb. I think we could turn you into a superstar outlaw. I'm saying yes." The crowd roared their approval.
"Well turned out, polite when required, very smooth with the thieving. Do you know how to cook?" asked Much.
"I could learn," said David, the excitement clearly creeping into his voice.
"It's a yes from me then."
Another cheer went up, hushing when Allan spoke again. "You'd better get packed young man. You're going to boot camp." The crowd cheered as the boy walked off, a huge grin on his face.
The next hopeful stepped up to the table. "Me name's Peter," he said, "I'm not 'avin' a laugh but, you can stop your searchin' now. I'm wot you're lookin' for."
Allan sighed, "That's a definite no from me."
Djaq made her way over to Will. "Is this really the best way to expand the group?" she asked, clearly mystified.
Will chuckled. "Look around you," he said. "Everyone's talking about us, we've got a huge audience, and there's some really talented people here. How can it fail?"
"Give me a moment to think and I'll answer you" she said, walking away shaking her head.