Denial, Chapter 36: Kalilah: No Secrets
Title: Denial, Ch. 36: Kalilah: No Secrets
Author: wastingyourgum
Characters/Pairings: Will/Djaq, Robin, Legrand, Little John
Rating: PG
Genre: Gen
Words: 780
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own
Notes: This continues the 'Round-Robin' fic 'Denial' and takes place during 2x12, "A Good Day to Die".
Beta'ed by the lovely darkentwisted and robinfanatic from whom I have very few secrets...
Summary: The gang find themselves trapped in a barn in Nettlestone and Djaq suggests a way to pass the time before their heroic last stand. She volunteers to go first but will her revelation come as a surprise to anybody?
Want to play? Come join us! Check out the Rules and join in the Round Robin fun!
Summary of previous chapters...
Kalilah: No Secrets
by wastingyourgum
"Are we goin' to kill them?"
"Yes!"
"Are we goin' to like it?"
"Yes!"
"Are we goin' to kill them?"
"Yes!"
"That is starting to really get on my nerves," Will quietly said, voicing what they were all thinking.
"What kind of soldiers are these? They're not doing anything." Djaq looked incredulously at the men milling around outside the barn.
"Mercenaries. They fight for money, not passion," Legrand spat.
"That is why they do not want to fight and die," John added.
"So they are happy to just sit and wait?" Djaq asked.
"Yes, because every hour that goes by, we become more fearful, more tired, more likely to take foolish action," Robin explained.
"Foolish action was bringing us here in the first place," muttered Will.
"I've said I'm sorry! I wanted some way to say 'thank you' to you all and preparing a feast for Robin's birthday seemed like the perfect opportunity! You told me yourself you trusted the villagers!" Legrand pleaded.
Robin sighed. "I know, Legrand. And we did - you weren't to know."
John scowled, suddenly wondering if Robin would have been so understanding had another of them made the same mistake. Typical of nobles to stick together like that. "This is not helping me trust you," he said as he poked his finger into Legrand's chest with a low growl.
"How many times can I say it?" the Frenchman protested.
"Let it go, John. This is exactly what they want us to do. Fight amongst ourselves and save them the trouble. Don't give them the satisfaction!" Robin could tell everybody's tempers were close to breaking point.
John barged against Legrand's shoulder as he passed him and sat down on the far side of the fire.
"Well they're not coming tonight," Robin decided. "So I have a proposal - if they don't come to us, we go to them, first light. If we have to die at least we'll die fighting. Are you with me?"
There was a pause then they all quietly muttered their agreement.
"Then tonight is a Kalilah and Dimnah night," Djaq suddenly announced. They all looked at her blankly. "You don't have Kalilah and Dimnah?"
"We might... but not by that name," Robin replied. "What are they?"
"Kalilah and Dimnah you remember all your life. You must speak only the truth. You must ask all your questions. Share all your dreams. Confess all your secrets. And if you're too boring, someone shouts 'Kalilah!' and you lose your turn."
"It's just talking?" asked Robin. "No, we don't do that - we're Englishmen." Legrand pointedly cleared his throat. "And French," Robin added.
Djaq sighed. "It's not just talking, it's real talking. Come, sit down and I will start." She looked at them all gathered around her, knowing for the moment the fear of talking would drive even the fear of dying from their minds.
"You are all good men. Brave, generous, kind, decent men and I love you. All of you. And I am proud to be amongst you." Robin rolled his eyes to the roof and smiled while John stared at the floor. Legrand and Will both kept their eyes on Djaq. She took a deep breath. "And you're filthy." Suddenly all eyes were on her. "And you really stink and you have no souls."
"We live in the forest..." John started.
"I have to be honest!" she laughed. "I have to be honest. And if I am being honest... I have to say... that I do not love all of you in the same way." Robin kept his eyes fixed on Djaq but John's attention suddenly shifted to Will as, John noticed, did Legrand's.
"There is one... I do love more than the others." Will's smile could have lit the whole barn. "You, Will Scarlett, are strong and true... and you fight for what you believe in... and that's why I love you."
"And I love you... and I don't care who knows it any more." He rushed over and knelt in front of her. "I want to stand on top of Nottingham Castle and shout it to the world." He kissed her tenderly and they turned to face the others. Robin looked at them both as if seeing them for the first time but John and Legrand both seemed completely unsurprised.
"John - you knew?" Djaq laughed.
"I'm not blind, Djaq!" he said, with more bitterness than he meant.
Robin looked at them all. "And no-one thought to tell me?"
"I didn't know it was a secret," Legrand shrugged.
"I really need to pay more attention to you lot," mused Robin. He wandered over to the table and got some more food...
>>>--------------------------->
On to Chapter 37 - John's turn...
Author: wastingyourgum
Characters/Pairings: Will/Djaq, Robin, Legrand, Little John
Rating: PG
Genre: Gen
Words: 780
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own
Notes: This continues the 'Round-Robin' fic 'Denial' and takes place during 2x12, "A Good Day to Die".
Beta'ed by the lovely darkentwisted and robinfanatic from whom I have very few secrets...
Summary: The gang find themselves trapped in a barn in Nettlestone and Djaq suggests a way to pass the time before their heroic last stand. She volunteers to go first but will her revelation come as a surprise to anybody?
Want to play? Come join us! Check out the Rules and join in the Round Robin fun!
Summary of previous chapters...
Kalilah: No Secrets
by wastingyourgum
"Are we goin' to kill them?"
"Yes!"
"Are we goin' to like it?"
"Yes!"
"Are we goin' to kill them?"
"Yes!"
"That is starting to really get on my nerves," Will quietly said, voicing what they were all thinking.
"What kind of soldiers are these? They're not doing anything." Djaq looked incredulously at the men milling around outside the barn.
"Mercenaries. They fight for money, not passion," Legrand spat.
"That is why they do not want to fight and die," John added.
"So they are happy to just sit and wait?" Djaq asked.
"Yes, because every hour that goes by, we become more fearful, more tired, more likely to take foolish action," Robin explained.
"Foolish action was bringing us here in the first place," muttered Will.
"I've said I'm sorry! I wanted some way to say 'thank you' to you all and preparing a feast for Robin's birthday seemed like the perfect opportunity! You told me yourself you trusted the villagers!" Legrand pleaded.
Robin sighed. "I know, Legrand. And we did - you weren't to know."
John scowled, suddenly wondering if Robin would have been so understanding had another of them made the same mistake. Typical of nobles to stick together like that. "This is not helping me trust you," he said as he poked his finger into Legrand's chest with a low growl.
"How many times can I say it?" the Frenchman protested.
"Let it go, John. This is exactly what they want us to do. Fight amongst ourselves and save them the trouble. Don't give them the satisfaction!" Robin could tell everybody's tempers were close to breaking point.
John barged against Legrand's shoulder as he passed him and sat down on the far side of the fire.
"Well they're not coming tonight," Robin decided. "So I have a proposal - if they don't come to us, we go to them, first light. If we have to die at least we'll die fighting. Are you with me?"
There was a pause then they all quietly muttered their agreement.
"Then tonight is a Kalilah and Dimnah night," Djaq suddenly announced. They all looked at her blankly. "You don't have Kalilah and Dimnah?"
"We might... but not by that name," Robin replied. "What are they?"
"Kalilah and Dimnah you remember all your life. You must speak only the truth. You must ask all your questions. Share all your dreams. Confess all your secrets. And if you're too boring, someone shouts 'Kalilah!' and you lose your turn."
"It's just talking?" asked Robin. "No, we don't do that - we're Englishmen." Legrand pointedly cleared his throat. "And French," Robin added.
Djaq sighed. "It's not just talking, it's real talking. Come, sit down and I will start." She looked at them all gathered around her, knowing for the moment the fear of talking would drive even the fear of dying from their minds.
"You are all good men. Brave, generous, kind, decent men and I love you. All of you. And I am proud to be amongst you." Robin rolled his eyes to the roof and smiled while John stared at the floor. Legrand and Will both kept their eyes on Djaq. She took a deep breath. "And you're filthy." Suddenly all eyes were on her. "And you really stink and you have no souls."
"We live in the forest..." John started.
"I have to be honest!" she laughed. "I have to be honest. And if I am being honest... I have to say... that I do not love all of you in the same way." Robin kept his eyes fixed on Djaq but John's attention suddenly shifted to Will as, John noticed, did Legrand's.
"There is one... I do love more than the others." Will's smile could have lit the whole barn. "You, Will Scarlett, are strong and true... and you fight for what you believe in... and that's why I love you."
"And I love you... and I don't care who knows it any more." He rushed over and knelt in front of her. "I want to stand on top of Nottingham Castle and shout it to the world." He kissed her tenderly and they turned to face the others. Robin looked at them both as if seeing them for the first time but John and Legrand both seemed completely unsurprised.
"John - you knew?" Djaq laughed.
"I'm not blind, Djaq!" he said, with more bitterness than he meant.
Robin looked at them all. "And no-one thought to tell me?"
"I didn't know it was a secret," Legrand shrugged.
"I really need to pay more attention to you lot," mused Robin. He wandered over to the table and got some more food...
>>>--------------------------->
On to Chapter 37 - John's turn...