Flooded, Part 1/3
Original Post
Word Count: 2331 this section (7074 overall)
Rating: PG
Characters: Robin, Much, Little John, Allan, Tuck, OC
Genre: angst
Spoilers: Set between 3x01 and 3x02.
Summary: The gang attempts a rescue during a rainstorm.
Disclaimer: The show Robin Hood and the characters portrayed within are the property of TA and the BBC; I mean no infringement and make nothing from this. Just playing in the world they provided.
Notes: For robinsociety in rh_intercomm. Thanks to mylogiceatsyou and desertrose9 for beta'ing. :) This story was intended as a way of setting up why Robin would be readily pursuing Isabella in the time frame that he did. Although my own opinion is in his favor, I know a lot of people were bothered by it, and wanted to address a possible reason for his actions.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3
"When will it stop?" cried Much. He scuffed his boot miserably on the cave floor. "I'm tired of sitting in here."
Adding a short branch to their fire, John grunted an agreement. "We've missed one set of drop-offs already. We can't miss any more."
The rain continued to gush over the mouth of the cave, pounding Sherwood Forest and the rest of the area around Nottingham into a muddy soup. Robin, perched on a shelf-like ledge along the wall, heartily agreed with his friends' frustrations, but knew as well as they did that there was no arguing with Mother Nature. They'd been driven from their camp three days earlier, the ravine which made such a perfect hiding place making a perfect torrent in this weather. He hoped it would not be too damaged when they returned.
Just then, Allan burst in, clutching a trio of rabbits. "Oi, lads!" he grinned, despite being soaked clean through and covered in mud to his knees. "Who's hungry?"
Robin chuckled when Much's face lit up. "How did you manage to hunt?" the latter asked, already digging cooking utensils out of his pack.
Allan began to reply, probably concocting an outlandish yarn, but shook his head, instead. "Looks like their burrow flooded."
The men were all silent for a minute, realizing that the plight of the animals could very well repeat itself with their friends in the villages, or even themselves, if the rain did not relent soon.
Much was skinning the second rabbit and Allan was drying off by the fire, when Tuck returned from a scouting venture. Rivulets ran from his cloak, and he quickly removed it, laying it out in a vain effort; the air was too damp to accomplish much. As he went over beside Allan, holding his hands to the flames to warm them, he glanced at Robin. "There's a problem. The path past Ellie Hulme's cottage flooded out, and she's trapped. James Wainwright says he's not seen any smoke from her chimney in two days." The gang exchanged a concerned glance; Ellie lived alone in the cottage her husband had built outside of Locksley, right above the ravine into which Guy had thrown Robin a month earlier. If she needed help and the path was as bad as Tuck said, it would be nearly impossible to reach her.
"All right, let's go and see what we can do." Robin pulled on his cloak, and most of the others followed suit.
"But-- but, the rabbits!" protested Much.
"Bring them, and wrap up some of the firewood, too," Robin instructed. "And if we have any more bread, we'll take that, as well. She may not have eaten for a couple of days."
Clearly displeased, Much nonetheless did as he was told, aware that the young widow would likely need the food more than they did at the moment. She was about of an age with him and healthy, but it did not do to have even someone in peak condition going hungry. It happened all too often around Nottingham, and if they could fill even one stomach, they had made a difference. Once the provisions were securely wrapped in an oilskin and everyone was bundled as well as they could be, they set off.
It was slow going, with the ground as muddy as it was; while normally there was plenty of low foliage to grab onto, only flora with deep roots provided any kind of assistance. The rest was barely clinging to the muck, falling over or sliding away with the lightest touch, if it had not fallen away already. They were blinded by the water cascading from the heavens, and kept losing their footing; a journey which normally would only have taken a little over an hour wound up costing them nearly three.
Finally, they approached the humble cottage, which stood in a clearing along the edge of the cliff, but they were stopped by a current that had formed in front of the home. It was at least five feet wide, and had been there long enough to carve a shallow bed into the ground. This new stream was not deep, but it was swift and powerful, and they quickly realized that it would be foolish to try to wade it.
Cupping his hands around his mouth in an attempt to be heard over the thundering sounds of rain, Robin called, "Ellie!" He repeated the call twice, the final time with everybody joining in, before the cottage door opened and the woman in question peered out. They could barely see her, and it was probable that she could barely see them; however, they could tell that she was trying to yell back to them. The sound of her voice did not reach them, her words lost to the water.
"Let's toss the package to her," Allan suggested, squinting against the elements.
Much shook his head. "It's not secure; it's just folded, not tied, since it was too bulky with the wood and the food. It'll fall apart halfway over."
They glanced back at Ellie, who was yelling to them again; they still could not understand what she was saying.
Robin looked around, turning to study the edge of the forest. Tapping John on the arm, he gestured. "Hey, think you can move that big branch there?"
"Are you mad? Of course I can," the big man scoffed, the last word dying in his throat when he realized what Robin wanted him to do. His leader saw the comprehension on John's face, and nodded with as good a grin as he could muster in the downpour. "That is not a good idea, Robin. If you or the log slip, you'll be swept away. You've already gone over that cliff once; do you really want to do so again?"
"What choice do we have?" Robin implored. "We cannot throw the supplies, or pass them over on a stick. Somebody has to take them across. We are not going to give up on her."
Tuck shrugged. "Robin's right; it is the only way."
Much anxiously studied their faces. "I'll take it."
"No," said Robin. "You are not a strong swimmer; if you do fall in, you haven't got a chance."
"And if you fall in, you'll be sent over the cliff. Again. Just as John said."
Robin gave him a cheeky wink. "I have done so once and survived. Surely, I could manage the trick a second time."
"Hey, I think she's trying to tell us to go," Allan cut in. Everyone looked to Ellie, who, having apparently accepted that they could not hear her, was making lavish shooing motions.
"John, get the log," Robin said.
With a growl of annoyance, John nonetheless did as he was bade. Allan offered a hand, but backed off at his friend's dark look. The thing was unwieldy, but John managed to haul it up and over to where the others stood. He turned to Robin, but saw that he would not win the argument. "It's your fool head," he muttered, heaving the branch up and, with a grunt, across the new stream. It settled into the mud on other side, which appeared to be a blessing-- but which could easily become a curse, if the gooey foundation gave way.
Robin took the bundle from Much and went over to the makeshift bridge, testing its sturdiness before stepping up onto it. The outlaws had all trod numerous fallen trees during their time in the forest, but never in conditions such as this. Although Robin would never admit as much, he was holding his own breath as he inched his way across, forcing himself to focus and relax. It could only have taken a minute or so for him to reach the other side; however, it felt like an eternity, and he let out a sigh of relief as he stepped down on the other side.
He had a smile on his face when he turned to Ellie, but it disappeared in surprise when she marched up to him and demanded, "What is wrong with you?"
"What?"
She was tiny, at least a foot shorter than himself and probably four stone lighter, though perhaps the rain helped her out by a pound or two, now that her woolen clothing was drenched. Despite her size, she was formidable, and he found himself taking a step back when she planted her hands on her hips and scowled up at him. "I was trying to tell you that the cliff is likely to give way, taking this house with it, and you should get as far away as possible. But you just had to be the hero and come across anyway, didn't you?"
After a pause he suggested, "Why do I not just take you back across, and get you to safety?"
Ellie's hands dropped, and her whole personality seemed to droop with her shoulders. "I suppose I must go with you now," she murmured, so quietly that he almost missed it over the rain. Turning an anguished gaze on him, she added, "You, of all people, should understand."
And suddenly, he did. The pain in her gaze mirrored that in his own heart. "I'm sorry," he said, stricken.
Andrew, her husband, had been executed during the outlaws' fated journey to Acre. He had been a woodsman, and the sheriff's third-in-command, who was in charge during Vaizey and Gisborne's absence, accused Andrew of poaching for the villagers. The charges were true, which meant he should have lost a hand. Instead, he was used as an example, hanged in the castle courtyard in front of an audience.
Of the many things that had occurred as a result of their ill-fated venture to the Holy Land, Andrew's death was high on the list of things Robin felt responsible for. And now, Robin was preventing his widow from joining him.
Although he could sympathize, he could also not turn his back on her. "You know I cannot leave you here now."
"I know. Damn you." She turned and marched toward the cottage, sliding somewhat but not losing her footing altogether. "Let me gather a few things."
She had insisted that she did not blame the gang for being away, always chatting with them when they made deliveries to her. But Robin noticed that she had not invited him inside out of the rain while she collected her belongings, and while he knew at least some of the cause was her current upset, wondered if she did not hold a grudge-- even if she was unaware of the fact. She reappeared in minutes, a small bundle tied across her chest. His own bundle required both arms, so, with a sigh of regret, he set it down against her house. Much would never forgive him, but he had little choice.
They went over to the log bridge, and Robin once again tried it out before stepping onto it. Once he had his footing, he held out a hand and shifted back as she accepted it, placing a worn boot warily next to his. "Do not look down; just watch me. We'll be fine," he assured her, sliding slowly along the thick branch, Ellie following with him.
They were a couple of feet out over the water when the log suddenly shifted. Exclamations rang out from the outlaws, but the two endangered people were too caught up in attempting to maintain their balance to even make a noise. Ellie's fingers dug into his wrists where she had grabbed onto him, and her brown eyes were wild with fear when they met his. They finally steadied themselves, but Robin did not like the feel of the bridge beneath his feet; it felt wrong, not secure. Reaching an instant decision, he told her, "We need to go back."
"You want me to go backward?" she shrieked.
"Come on; we can do this. Slide one foot back... good! Now, the other..."
She regained her confidence, and soon they were halfway to their destination. That was when a series of vibrations in the branch told him that they were not going to make it.
There was nothing for it. "Hang on," he muttered, grabbing onto her and launching them both off of the log, seconds before it jerked free from the mud and was swept away. Robin twisted as they fell, taking the brunt of the impact on his bad shoulder; fortunately, it was lessened when they slid in the mud.
"Are you all right?" Ellie asked, scrambling to her feet and offering him a hand up.
Wincing against the ache in his shoulder, Robin nodded. He had not damaged it anew, merely exasperating the recent injury. "You?"
"I'm seriously muddy, but otherwise fine," she replied. After a pause, she said, "Thank you."
He raised an eyebrow. "I would have thought you'd not mind if we fell in."
"It's one thing to await death in the comfort of my home. It's another to tempt it, face-to-face."
He snorted in acknowledgement, and she smiled. He glanced over at the gang, and made an exaggerated shrugging motion. Obviously, it would be foolhardy to attempt another crossing now, and they had no means to communicate. Mimicking Ellie's earlier shooing gesture, he indicated that they should go back to the cave. Eventually, Allan, John and Tuck turned to go, but Much stayed put. There was nothing they could do, just standing there, and at least in the cave, they could dry off. Robin watched as Allan went back and patted Much on the shoulder.
"You may as well come inside. Looks like you'll be here awhile," Ellie noted, once the gang had left.
"Right. Go into the house that will probably fall with the cliff," Robin responded jokingly.
"Well, you could stay out here and catch pneumonia. Or, you could come inside and maybe have a chance to dry off before we fall. Suit yourself."
Conceding the point, he followed her back to the door. It would be nice not to be face-to-face with death, for once.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3
*
Word Count: 2331 this section (7074 overall)
Rating: PG
Characters: Robin, Much, Little John, Allan, Tuck, OC
Genre: angst
Spoilers: Set between 3x01 and 3x02.
Summary: The gang attempts a rescue during a rainstorm.
Disclaimer: The show Robin Hood and the characters portrayed within are the property of TA and the BBC; I mean no infringement and make nothing from this. Just playing in the world they provided.
Notes: For robinsociety in rh_intercomm. Thanks to mylogiceatsyou and desertrose9 for beta'ing. :) This story was intended as a way of setting up why Robin would be readily pursuing Isabella in the time frame that he did. Although my own opinion is in his favor, I know a lot of people were bothered by it, and wanted to address a possible reason for his actions.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3
"When will it stop?" cried Much. He scuffed his boot miserably on the cave floor. "I'm tired of sitting in here."
Adding a short branch to their fire, John grunted an agreement. "We've missed one set of drop-offs already. We can't miss any more."
The rain continued to gush over the mouth of the cave, pounding Sherwood Forest and the rest of the area around Nottingham into a muddy soup. Robin, perched on a shelf-like ledge along the wall, heartily agreed with his friends' frustrations, but knew as well as they did that there was no arguing with Mother Nature. They'd been driven from their camp three days earlier, the ravine which made such a perfect hiding place making a perfect torrent in this weather. He hoped it would not be too damaged when they returned.
Just then, Allan burst in, clutching a trio of rabbits. "Oi, lads!" he grinned, despite being soaked clean through and covered in mud to his knees. "Who's hungry?"
Robin chuckled when Much's face lit up. "How did you manage to hunt?" the latter asked, already digging cooking utensils out of his pack.
Allan began to reply, probably concocting an outlandish yarn, but shook his head, instead. "Looks like their burrow flooded."
The men were all silent for a minute, realizing that the plight of the animals could very well repeat itself with their friends in the villages, or even themselves, if the rain did not relent soon.
Much was skinning the second rabbit and Allan was drying off by the fire, when Tuck returned from a scouting venture. Rivulets ran from his cloak, and he quickly removed it, laying it out in a vain effort; the air was too damp to accomplish much. As he went over beside Allan, holding his hands to the flames to warm them, he glanced at Robin. "There's a problem. The path past Ellie Hulme's cottage flooded out, and she's trapped. James Wainwright says he's not seen any smoke from her chimney in two days." The gang exchanged a concerned glance; Ellie lived alone in the cottage her husband had built outside of Locksley, right above the ravine into which Guy had thrown Robin a month earlier. If she needed help and the path was as bad as Tuck said, it would be nearly impossible to reach her.
"All right, let's go and see what we can do." Robin pulled on his cloak, and most of the others followed suit.
"But-- but, the rabbits!" protested Much.
"Bring them, and wrap up some of the firewood, too," Robin instructed. "And if we have any more bread, we'll take that, as well. She may not have eaten for a couple of days."
Clearly displeased, Much nonetheless did as he was told, aware that the young widow would likely need the food more than they did at the moment. She was about of an age with him and healthy, but it did not do to have even someone in peak condition going hungry. It happened all too often around Nottingham, and if they could fill even one stomach, they had made a difference. Once the provisions were securely wrapped in an oilskin and everyone was bundled as well as they could be, they set off.
It was slow going, with the ground as muddy as it was; while normally there was plenty of low foliage to grab onto, only flora with deep roots provided any kind of assistance. The rest was barely clinging to the muck, falling over or sliding away with the lightest touch, if it had not fallen away already. They were blinded by the water cascading from the heavens, and kept losing their footing; a journey which normally would only have taken a little over an hour wound up costing them nearly three.
Finally, they approached the humble cottage, which stood in a clearing along the edge of the cliff, but they were stopped by a current that had formed in front of the home. It was at least five feet wide, and had been there long enough to carve a shallow bed into the ground. This new stream was not deep, but it was swift and powerful, and they quickly realized that it would be foolish to try to wade it.
Cupping his hands around his mouth in an attempt to be heard over the thundering sounds of rain, Robin called, "Ellie!" He repeated the call twice, the final time with everybody joining in, before the cottage door opened and the woman in question peered out. They could barely see her, and it was probable that she could barely see them; however, they could tell that she was trying to yell back to them. The sound of her voice did not reach them, her words lost to the water.
"Let's toss the package to her," Allan suggested, squinting against the elements.
Much shook his head. "It's not secure; it's just folded, not tied, since it was too bulky with the wood and the food. It'll fall apart halfway over."
They glanced back at Ellie, who was yelling to them again; they still could not understand what she was saying.
Robin looked around, turning to study the edge of the forest. Tapping John on the arm, he gestured. "Hey, think you can move that big branch there?"
"Are you mad? Of course I can," the big man scoffed, the last word dying in his throat when he realized what Robin wanted him to do. His leader saw the comprehension on John's face, and nodded with as good a grin as he could muster in the downpour. "That is not a good idea, Robin. If you or the log slip, you'll be swept away. You've already gone over that cliff once; do you really want to do so again?"
"What choice do we have?" Robin implored. "We cannot throw the supplies, or pass them over on a stick. Somebody has to take them across. We are not going to give up on her."
Tuck shrugged. "Robin's right; it is the only way."
Much anxiously studied their faces. "I'll take it."
"No," said Robin. "You are not a strong swimmer; if you do fall in, you haven't got a chance."
"And if you fall in, you'll be sent over the cliff. Again. Just as John said."
Robin gave him a cheeky wink. "I have done so once and survived. Surely, I could manage the trick a second time."
"Hey, I think she's trying to tell us to go," Allan cut in. Everyone looked to Ellie, who, having apparently accepted that they could not hear her, was making lavish shooing motions.
"John, get the log," Robin said.
With a growl of annoyance, John nonetheless did as he was bade. Allan offered a hand, but backed off at his friend's dark look. The thing was unwieldy, but John managed to haul it up and over to where the others stood. He turned to Robin, but saw that he would not win the argument. "It's your fool head," he muttered, heaving the branch up and, with a grunt, across the new stream. It settled into the mud on other side, which appeared to be a blessing-- but which could easily become a curse, if the gooey foundation gave way.
Robin took the bundle from Much and went over to the makeshift bridge, testing its sturdiness before stepping up onto it. The outlaws had all trod numerous fallen trees during their time in the forest, but never in conditions such as this. Although Robin would never admit as much, he was holding his own breath as he inched his way across, forcing himself to focus and relax. It could only have taken a minute or so for him to reach the other side; however, it felt like an eternity, and he let out a sigh of relief as he stepped down on the other side.
He had a smile on his face when he turned to Ellie, but it disappeared in surprise when she marched up to him and demanded, "What is wrong with you?"
"What?"
She was tiny, at least a foot shorter than himself and probably four stone lighter, though perhaps the rain helped her out by a pound or two, now that her woolen clothing was drenched. Despite her size, she was formidable, and he found himself taking a step back when she planted her hands on her hips and scowled up at him. "I was trying to tell you that the cliff is likely to give way, taking this house with it, and you should get as far away as possible. But you just had to be the hero and come across anyway, didn't you?"
After a pause he suggested, "Why do I not just take you back across, and get you to safety?"
Ellie's hands dropped, and her whole personality seemed to droop with her shoulders. "I suppose I must go with you now," she murmured, so quietly that he almost missed it over the rain. Turning an anguished gaze on him, she added, "You, of all people, should understand."
And suddenly, he did. The pain in her gaze mirrored that in his own heart. "I'm sorry," he said, stricken.
Andrew, her husband, had been executed during the outlaws' fated journey to Acre. He had been a woodsman, and the sheriff's third-in-command, who was in charge during Vaizey and Gisborne's absence, accused Andrew of poaching for the villagers. The charges were true, which meant he should have lost a hand. Instead, he was used as an example, hanged in the castle courtyard in front of an audience.
Of the many things that had occurred as a result of their ill-fated venture to the Holy Land, Andrew's death was high on the list of things Robin felt responsible for. And now, Robin was preventing his widow from joining him.
Although he could sympathize, he could also not turn his back on her. "You know I cannot leave you here now."
"I know. Damn you." She turned and marched toward the cottage, sliding somewhat but not losing her footing altogether. "Let me gather a few things."
She had insisted that she did not blame the gang for being away, always chatting with them when they made deliveries to her. But Robin noticed that she had not invited him inside out of the rain while she collected her belongings, and while he knew at least some of the cause was her current upset, wondered if she did not hold a grudge-- even if she was unaware of the fact. She reappeared in minutes, a small bundle tied across her chest. His own bundle required both arms, so, with a sigh of regret, he set it down against her house. Much would never forgive him, but he had little choice.
They went over to the log bridge, and Robin once again tried it out before stepping onto it. Once he had his footing, he held out a hand and shifted back as she accepted it, placing a worn boot warily next to his. "Do not look down; just watch me. We'll be fine," he assured her, sliding slowly along the thick branch, Ellie following with him.
They were a couple of feet out over the water when the log suddenly shifted. Exclamations rang out from the outlaws, but the two endangered people were too caught up in attempting to maintain their balance to even make a noise. Ellie's fingers dug into his wrists where she had grabbed onto him, and her brown eyes were wild with fear when they met his. They finally steadied themselves, but Robin did not like the feel of the bridge beneath his feet; it felt wrong, not secure. Reaching an instant decision, he told her, "We need to go back."
"You want me to go backward?" she shrieked.
"Come on; we can do this. Slide one foot back... good! Now, the other..."
She regained her confidence, and soon they were halfway to their destination. That was when a series of vibrations in the branch told him that they were not going to make it.
There was nothing for it. "Hang on," he muttered, grabbing onto her and launching them both off of the log, seconds before it jerked free from the mud and was swept away. Robin twisted as they fell, taking the brunt of the impact on his bad shoulder; fortunately, it was lessened when they slid in the mud.
"Are you all right?" Ellie asked, scrambling to her feet and offering him a hand up.
Wincing against the ache in his shoulder, Robin nodded. He had not damaged it anew, merely exasperating the recent injury. "You?"
"I'm seriously muddy, but otherwise fine," she replied. After a pause, she said, "Thank you."
He raised an eyebrow. "I would have thought you'd not mind if we fell in."
"It's one thing to await death in the comfort of my home. It's another to tempt it, face-to-face."
He snorted in acknowledgement, and she smiled. He glanced over at the gang, and made an exaggerated shrugging motion. Obviously, it would be foolhardy to attempt another crossing now, and they had no means to communicate. Mimicking Ellie's earlier shooing gesture, he indicated that they should go back to the cave. Eventually, Allan, John and Tuck turned to go, but Much stayed put. There was nothing they could do, just standing there, and at least in the cave, they could dry off. Robin watched as Allan went back and patted Much on the shoulder.
"You may as well come inside. Looks like you'll be here awhile," Ellie noted, once the gang had left.
"Right. Go into the house that will probably fall with the cliff," Robin responded jokingly.
"Well, you could stay out here and catch pneumonia. Or, you could come inside and maybe have a chance to dry off before we fall. Suit yourself."
Conceding the point, he followed her back to the door. It would be nice not to be face-to-face with death, for once.
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3
*