Fic: Hope for Healing - Chapter 21
Trust me, I'm as surprised as you are to see this after an unforgivably long hiatus. This is to say "Happy Birthday!" to ladykate63 who never gave up on it! There will be a much shorter gap before the final chapter (which will also be longer)!
Title: Hope for Healing - Chapter 21
Author: wastingyourgum
Characters/Pairings: Matilda, Much, Robin, Djaq, Will, Little John
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Angst
Words: 800
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own anything you find familiar.
Notes: Takes place between 2x11 and 2x12. Thanks to my ever-patient betas - jagnikjen and robinfanatic.
Summary: Matilda talks to the outlaws about the situation at the castle...
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Previous Chapter
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The rest of the camp surfaced slowly and went about their morning routines in near total silence. John was still sound asleep and they were all intent on not waking him.
Robin returned empty-handed but there was enough food already in the larder for breakfast.
Matilda encouraged them to gather some little way outside the camp so they could talk quietly. "You need to get out there and start spreading the word that John's alive. He won't be well enough himself to go traipsing about the villages for a while but when he does, you don't want the villagers reacting to him the same way you did, do you? You have to let everybody know that he’s not dead and, more importantly, he never was dead. Let them know what the sheriff did and how he tricked them."
"And how you and the Nightwatchman single handedly - well double handedly I suppose - snatched him right out from under the Sheriff's nose," Much said gleefully.
"No." Matilda was adamant.
"No? Why not?"
Matilda swatted him round the head. "Because I have enough trouble keeping the accusations of witchcraft from my door without people claiming I can raise the dead, thank you very much, Much. Keep me out of it."
"So just the Nightwatchman then?" Will asked.
“No, he had nothing to do with it either.”
“Why would Marian not want the Nightwatchman to take credit?” Robin asked. "She's never been shy before."
Matilda sighed. “The Nightwatchman has retired, left Nottingham for good."
"Well I can't say I'm sorry to hear it. It always been far too dangerous for her to carry on when she's staying in the castle. The chances of the Sheriff or Gisborne finding out--"
"Gisborne has found out. That's why she's given it up.”
“So that’s how he persuaded her to stay in the castle!" Robin fumed. "He’s blackmailing her!”
"Shh - keep your voice down." Matilda hissed. "No, I don't believe so. I spoke to Marian and she says it's her choice. She still has this foolish notion that there's some good to be found in Gisborne."
"Must be really deep down," Much muttered.
"I'll help her look - with a knife," Robin said grimly. "She must have seen what he did to John. What he's done to countless others..."
"But she also sees how he is with her - and she wants to believe he can be that way with others too. I know you don't like it but Gisborne genuinely cares for her. She thinks she can use that to her advantage."
"But you don't?" Djaq asked.
Matilda shook her head. "I don't know. I think there's a chance, but he still has no idea of her feelings for you, Robin, and if it all goes wrong he could grow to hate her as much as he loves her."
"And she's completely on her own," Robin said.
"I wouldn't say that," Matilda smiled. "We had a little help getting out - she may have had the same getting back in."
"From who?" Robin asked.
"Allan," Djaq said. "It was Allan, wasn't it?"
Matilda nodded. "He knew nothing about John being kept in that hidden dungeon. Still doesn't unless Marian told him - but he risked his neck to help us and for that I'll always be grateful to the lad."
"He's just doing what he always does," Robin said. "Trying to convince everybody he's on their side while sticking to his own."
"You think what you like," Matilda replied. "But I think there's far more chance of finding good in Allan than there is in Gisborne."
"There's little in either of them - but I won't say none."
Everyone turned at the sound of the hoarse deep voice. "John!" "You shouldn't be up." "How are you?"
John waved off their concerns. "I'm fine. Better if I can get something to eat and a wash."
Matilda stood up. "You go start on the washing and I'll get you something warm for when you're done. No sense having hot food right before a cold wash."
John nodded and headed off in the direction of the river.
"Wait...did John just say he didn't think Gisborne is all bad?" Will asked.
"Like one white hair makes a cat not all black," Robin scoffed.
"What on earth would make him think that though?" Djaq wondered.
"Nothing he'll want to talk about, " Matilda said firmly. "Best not mention the past few days at all, I think."
Much opened his mouth.
"At all, Much."
Much folded his arms and humphed in annoyance. "Talking does help sometimes."
"And sometimes it doesn't. He'll talk when he's ready - it's not for you to drag it out of him."
Much nodded. No-one but Matilda saw the look he gave Robin...
>>>------------------------------>
Final Chapter
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Title: Hope for Healing - Chapter 21
Author: wastingyourgum
Characters/Pairings: Matilda, Much, Robin, Djaq, Will, Little John
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Angst
Words: 800
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own anything you find familiar.
Notes: Takes place between 2x11 and 2x12. Thanks to my ever-patient betas - jagnikjen and robinfanatic.
Summary: Matilda talks to the outlaws about the situation at the castle...
>>>------------------------------>
Previous Chapter
>>>------------------------------>
The rest of the camp surfaced slowly and went about their morning routines in near total silence. John was still sound asleep and they were all intent on not waking him.
Robin returned empty-handed but there was enough food already in the larder for breakfast.
Matilda encouraged them to gather some little way outside the camp so they could talk quietly. "You need to get out there and start spreading the word that John's alive. He won't be well enough himself to go traipsing about the villages for a while but when he does, you don't want the villagers reacting to him the same way you did, do you? You have to let everybody know that he’s not dead and, more importantly, he never was dead. Let them know what the sheriff did and how he tricked them."
"And how you and the Nightwatchman single handedly - well double handedly I suppose - snatched him right out from under the Sheriff's nose," Much said gleefully.
"No." Matilda was adamant.
"No? Why not?"
Matilda swatted him round the head. "Because I have enough trouble keeping the accusations of witchcraft from my door without people claiming I can raise the dead, thank you very much, Much. Keep me out of it."
"So just the Nightwatchman then?" Will asked.
“No, he had nothing to do with it either.”
“Why would Marian not want the Nightwatchman to take credit?” Robin asked. "She's never been shy before."
Matilda sighed. “The Nightwatchman has retired, left Nottingham for good."
"Well I can't say I'm sorry to hear it. It always been far too dangerous for her to carry on when she's staying in the castle. The chances of the Sheriff or Gisborne finding out--"
"Gisborne has found out. That's why she's given it up.”
“So that’s how he persuaded her to stay in the castle!" Robin fumed. "He’s blackmailing her!”
"Shh - keep your voice down." Matilda hissed. "No, I don't believe so. I spoke to Marian and she says it's her choice. She still has this foolish notion that there's some good to be found in Gisborne."
"Must be really deep down," Much muttered.
"I'll help her look - with a knife," Robin said grimly. "She must have seen what he did to John. What he's done to countless others..."
"But she also sees how he is with her - and she wants to believe he can be that way with others too. I know you don't like it but Gisborne genuinely cares for her. She thinks she can use that to her advantage."
"But you don't?" Djaq asked.
Matilda shook her head. "I don't know. I think there's a chance, but he still has no idea of her feelings for you, Robin, and if it all goes wrong he could grow to hate her as much as he loves her."
"And she's completely on her own," Robin said.
"I wouldn't say that," Matilda smiled. "We had a little help getting out - she may have had the same getting back in."
"From who?" Robin asked.
"Allan," Djaq said. "It was Allan, wasn't it?"
Matilda nodded. "He knew nothing about John being kept in that hidden dungeon. Still doesn't unless Marian told him - but he risked his neck to help us and for that I'll always be grateful to the lad."
"He's just doing what he always does," Robin said. "Trying to convince everybody he's on their side while sticking to his own."
"You think what you like," Matilda replied. "But I think there's far more chance of finding good in Allan than there is in Gisborne."
"There's little in either of them - but I won't say none."
Everyone turned at the sound of the hoarse deep voice. "John!" "You shouldn't be up." "How are you?"
John waved off their concerns. "I'm fine. Better if I can get something to eat and a wash."
Matilda stood up. "You go start on the washing and I'll get you something warm for when you're done. No sense having hot food right before a cold wash."
John nodded and headed off in the direction of the river.
"Wait...did John just say he didn't think Gisborne is all bad?" Will asked.
"Like one white hair makes a cat not all black," Robin scoffed.
"What on earth would make him think that though?" Djaq wondered.
"Nothing he'll want to talk about, " Matilda said firmly. "Best not mention the past few days at all, I think."
Much opened his mouth.
"At all, Much."
Much folded his arms and humphed in annoyance. "Talking does help sometimes."
"And sometimes it doesn't. He'll talk when he's ready - it's not for you to drag it out of him."
Much nodded. No-one but Matilda saw the look he gave Robin...
>>>------------------------------>
Final Chapter
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