Denial, chapter 8: Fools, Pots, Pigeons and the Maiden Who Saw It All
Title: Denial, chapter 8: Fools, Pots, Pigeons and the Maiden Who Saw It All
Author: robinfanatic
Characters/Pairings: Kate, the Gang, the Fool, McClellan, Guy
Rating: PG-13
Genre: gen, slash (implied)
Words: 1289
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own.
Notes: This continues the 'Round-Robin' fic 'Denial'
Summary: a young village girl named Kate reminisces about life in Loxley and observes what happens to people whose lives intersect with Hood
A/N: takes place during 2x09, Lardner's Ring; beta'd by darkentwisted
Want to play? Come join us! Check out the Rules and join in the Round Robin fun!
Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
>>>----------------------->
Fools, Pots, Pigeons and the Maiden Who Saw It All
by robinfanatic
She'd been thirteen when they'd left. She was skinny and flat-chested, and he hadn't noticed her then. Don't s'pose she was good enough for the mighty young lord, who was always in the company of that beauty with the dark hair, the Lady Marian of Knighton. His manservant was rather cute tagging along like a puppy. She remembered when he'd come to the potter's shop to retrieve one of her mother's pots. It was to be a gift for his own mother who was a cook at the manor house. She'd been all of ten then and practically swooned over his deep blue eyes--they were like the bluest of skies. He was a thoughtful one, that Much, doing such a sweet thing for his mother. Very attentive to his young master, too, she'd noticed. Her mother said he had to be, but there certainly seemed to be a special bond between the two young men.
They came back from war five years later. Stronger. Wiser? Perhaps not since they'd been outlawed within a day of their return. And Much had followed him into the forest.
She hadn't been in Loxley that day. Her mother sent her to a cousin's house in Loughborough the week before to help with her new baby. Her brother Matthew was the one who told her how his friend Benedict and the Scarlett boys were caught with stolen flour, and how Robin helped them escape the noose. Now the former master of Loxley was banished to the forest, a price on his head. She'd see them sneak back, see Robin talking to Thornton whilst Much kept a lookout. But this Robin Hood shenanigans was dangerous. It put the villagers at risk. He didn't think. Just didn't think. Others got hurt in these games he played.
Of course, Sir Guy of Gisbourne played games, too. Baiting Hood. Always waiting for a moment he might trap the outlaw. Not caring whether anyone else got hurt.
Today had been just such a day. She'd expected to see Hood's gang and his outlaws, not that she'd mind seeing Will Scarlett again. Why did he and Lukey have to steal that flour? She'd give anything to have those two tease her again. She'd had such a crush on the tall and lanky carpenter. She was sure he felt the same way. Guess they'd never know now if it could have been more than that.
She'd felt certain that Hood's gang would not be able to resist all the carriages carrying finely dressed nobles arriving at Loxley, come to celebrate Sir Guy's birthday. She imagined that those nobles probably smell of rose petals or lavender. Took baths just to please the sheriff's nose not that she'd argue with that. Lord knew the master didn't appear to wash too frequently, wore the same leathers most days. She and her girlfriends--including one who worked in the manor--giggled at the snide remarks the sheriff often made about his lieutenant.
She remembered spotting Allan A Dale when she was delivering her mother's gift for the party. She wasn't quite sure why her girlfriend Gwen thought he was the most handsome of Hood's gang. Every time she looked at him all she saw was that big beak. Definitely not easy on the eyes. 'Course, he had a bigger flaw--she certainly didn't like outlaws, but wasn't being a traitor worse? Gossip said he'd betrayed Robin for money. Half of Nottingham knew he was Gisbourne's boy. Didn't even need to 'ave the town crier shout out that news, she thought. Everyone knew when Gis had Allan in his bed.
The Judas had been talking to a one-legged man near the stables. She hadn't recognized the stranger. He was no noble but Allan had grown excited as he talked to the man then he'd hurried back into the house.
Curiousity--or some would say impetuousness--drove her toward the stranger. She'd been about to greet him when an odd-looking bejeweled face caught her eye. A fool--the entertainment for Sir Guy's party. His lips were nearly ruby red and matched the paint on his cheeks and above his grayish eyes. Black and white painted diamonds covered his neck and he was wore an awful garish green and orange tunic.
He smiled kindly and nodded, "Milady."
Kate paused, nodded at the stranger, and then looked at the fool. "Wot's it like?" she asked. "Havin' people laugh at you?"
"I'm an entertainer," he replied, waving his hand with a flourish as he greeted Kate and the one-legged stranger. "It's what I love." He reached into her pot.
"Hey, stop that!" Kate exclaimed. "This is a gift for the master. My mother made it!"
"Did you want this bird in it?" the fool asked as he pulled his hand from the pot and held up a pigeon for her to see.
Kate's eyes grew wide. "How did you--?"
The one-legged stranger laughed heartily.
The fool's brows flew up to meet his hairline and he cocked his head. "That is my secret, milady," he said with a wink. "You like secrets, don't you? I bet you and your girlfriends share them all the time!" he chided her.
Kate felt herself blush and was about to deny it, lie though it would be, when the stranger interrupted.
"May I ask what Lord Loxley is celebrating?" he asked.
Kate's nose scrunched up. It was the first time she noticed that the man smelled of sweat mingled with dirt and grime. He carried a basket, holding it like it contained a thousand pieces of silver. "Who are you?" she asked.
"You look as if you've been traveling long and hard, sir," the fool said. "And what a sweet sound," he added as a bird in the man's basket cooed.
"McClellan," he said with a slight bow. "I've been on sea and land for more than two months, just returned from the Holy Land with La Denair."
Kate rolled her eyes. Another one returned from the war. And with a bird. What foolishness!
"I have a message from the king for his friend, the lord of the manor," he added.
"A message and a bird?" Kate sneered.
The fool nodded. "Of course. And let me guess--a ring?" He smiled from painted ear to painted ear.
McClellan tipped his head knowingly but Kate could only throw both men a puzzled look. "I didn't know that Sir Guy knew the king," she said as one of the master's soldiers drew up beside them.
"Sir Guy?" McClellan paled a shade of white that made Kate's fair skin seem darker than the Saracen outlaw's. "What has happened to Robin?"
Kate grimaced. "Robin of Loxley is an outlaw. Best not mention his name 'round here."
The former soldier glanced around nervously. "My message is for Robin only, outlaw or not. The king trusts no one else."
McClellan escaped to the woods and Allan, who'd been ordered by Sir Guy to bring him in, returned emptied handed. Half the village heard the Sheriff's outburst. He shouted a stream of obscenities, mounted his horse, and then took off at a gallop back toward Nottingham. Sir Guy's blood boiled. He glared at Allan, punched him so hard that he fell to his knees, and gave him a good solid kick to the gut before he followed the Sheriff.
Allan stumbled away from the house. Blinded by tears he nearly knocked Kate down as he ran toward the woods. She almost felt sorry for him. But when Sir Guy returned a short while later and he and Allan started terrorizing the villagers looking for that ring she knew she was right. Anything that had to do with Hood was trouble.
>>>----------------------->
Hold onto your hats for chapter 9 with Will and Allan angst...
Come to Denial... the place we go to make it all better.
Author: robinfanatic
Characters/Pairings: Kate, the Gang, the Fool, McClellan, Guy
Rating: PG-13
Genre: gen, slash (implied)
Words: 1289
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own.
Notes: This continues the 'Round-Robin' fic 'Denial'
Summary: a young village girl named Kate reminisces about life in Loxley and observes what happens to people whose lives intersect with Hood
A/N: takes place during 2x09, Lardner's Ring; beta'd by darkentwisted
Want to play? Come join us! Check out the Rules and join in the Round Robin fun!
Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
>>>----------------------->
Fools, Pots, Pigeons and the Maiden Who Saw It All
by robinfanatic
She'd been thirteen when they'd left. She was skinny and flat-chested, and he hadn't noticed her then. Don't s'pose she was good enough for the mighty young lord, who was always in the company of that beauty with the dark hair, the Lady Marian of Knighton. His manservant was rather cute tagging along like a puppy. She remembered when he'd come to the potter's shop to retrieve one of her mother's pots. It was to be a gift for his own mother who was a cook at the manor house. She'd been all of ten then and practically swooned over his deep blue eyes--they were like the bluest of skies. He was a thoughtful one, that Much, doing such a sweet thing for his mother. Very attentive to his young master, too, she'd noticed. Her mother said he had to be, but there certainly seemed to be a special bond between the two young men.
They came back from war five years later. Stronger. Wiser? Perhaps not since they'd been outlawed within a day of their return. And Much had followed him into the forest.
She hadn't been in Loxley that day. Her mother sent her to a cousin's house in Loughborough the week before to help with her new baby. Her brother Matthew was the one who told her how his friend Benedict and the Scarlett boys were caught with stolen flour, and how Robin helped them escape the noose. Now the former master of Loxley was banished to the forest, a price on his head. She'd see them sneak back, see Robin talking to Thornton whilst Much kept a lookout. But this Robin Hood shenanigans was dangerous. It put the villagers at risk. He didn't think. Just didn't think. Others got hurt in these games he played.
Of course, Sir Guy of Gisbourne played games, too. Baiting Hood. Always waiting for a moment he might trap the outlaw. Not caring whether anyone else got hurt.
Today had been just such a day. She'd expected to see Hood's gang and his outlaws, not that she'd mind seeing Will Scarlett again. Why did he and Lukey have to steal that flour? She'd give anything to have those two tease her again. She'd had such a crush on the tall and lanky carpenter. She was sure he felt the same way. Guess they'd never know now if it could have been more than that.
She'd felt certain that Hood's gang would not be able to resist all the carriages carrying finely dressed nobles arriving at Loxley, come to celebrate Sir Guy's birthday. She imagined that those nobles probably smell of rose petals or lavender. Took baths just to please the sheriff's nose not that she'd argue with that. Lord knew the master didn't appear to wash too frequently, wore the same leathers most days. She and her girlfriends--including one who worked in the manor--giggled at the snide remarks the sheriff often made about his lieutenant.
She remembered spotting Allan A Dale when she was delivering her mother's gift for the party. She wasn't quite sure why her girlfriend Gwen thought he was the most handsome of Hood's gang. Every time she looked at him all she saw was that big beak. Definitely not easy on the eyes. 'Course, he had a bigger flaw--she certainly didn't like outlaws, but wasn't being a traitor worse? Gossip said he'd betrayed Robin for money. Half of Nottingham knew he was Gisbourne's boy. Didn't even need to 'ave the town crier shout out that news, she thought. Everyone knew when Gis had Allan in his bed.
The Judas had been talking to a one-legged man near the stables. She hadn't recognized the stranger. He was no noble but Allan had grown excited as he talked to the man then he'd hurried back into the house.
Curiousity--or some would say impetuousness--drove her toward the stranger. She'd been about to greet him when an odd-looking bejeweled face caught her eye. A fool--the entertainment for Sir Guy's party. His lips were nearly ruby red and matched the paint on his cheeks and above his grayish eyes. Black and white painted diamonds covered his neck and he was wore an awful garish green and orange tunic.
He smiled kindly and nodded, "Milady."
Kate paused, nodded at the stranger, and then looked at the fool. "Wot's it like?" she asked. "Havin' people laugh at you?"
"I'm an entertainer," he replied, waving his hand with a flourish as he greeted Kate and the one-legged stranger. "It's what I love." He reached into her pot.
"Hey, stop that!" Kate exclaimed. "This is a gift for the master. My mother made it!"
"Did you want this bird in it?" the fool asked as he pulled his hand from the pot and held up a pigeon for her to see.
Kate's eyes grew wide. "How did you--?"
The one-legged stranger laughed heartily.
The fool's brows flew up to meet his hairline and he cocked his head. "That is my secret, milady," he said with a wink. "You like secrets, don't you? I bet you and your girlfriends share them all the time!" he chided her.
Kate felt herself blush and was about to deny it, lie though it would be, when the stranger interrupted.
"May I ask what Lord Loxley is celebrating?" he asked.
Kate's nose scrunched up. It was the first time she noticed that the man smelled of sweat mingled with dirt and grime. He carried a basket, holding it like it contained a thousand pieces of silver. "Who are you?" she asked.
"You look as if you've been traveling long and hard, sir," the fool said. "And what a sweet sound," he added as a bird in the man's basket cooed.
"McClellan," he said with a slight bow. "I've been on sea and land for more than two months, just returned from the Holy Land with La Denair."
Kate rolled her eyes. Another one returned from the war. And with a bird. What foolishness!
"I have a message from the king for his friend, the lord of the manor," he added.
"A message and a bird?" Kate sneered.
The fool nodded. "Of course. And let me guess--a ring?" He smiled from painted ear to painted ear.
McClellan tipped his head knowingly but Kate could only throw both men a puzzled look. "I didn't know that Sir Guy knew the king," she said as one of the master's soldiers drew up beside them.
"Sir Guy?" McClellan paled a shade of white that made Kate's fair skin seem darker than the Saracen outlaw's. "What has happened to Robin?"
Kate grimaced. "Robin of Loxley is an outlaw. Best not mention his name 'round here."
The former soldier glanced around nervously. "My message is for Robin only, outlaw or not. The king trusts no one else."
McClellan escaped to the woods and Allan, who'd been ordered by Sir Guy to bring him in, returned emptied handed. Half the village heard the Sheriff's outburst. He shouted a stream of obscenities, mounted his horse, and then took off at a gallop back toward Nottingham. Sir Guy's blood boiled. He glared at Allan, punched him so hard that he fell to his knees, and gave him a good solid kick to the gut before he followed the Sheriff.
Allan stumbled away from the house. Blinded by tears he nearly knocked Kate down as he ran toward the woods. She almost felt sorry for him. But when Sir Guy returned a short while later and he and Allan started terrorizing the villagers looking for that ring she knew she was right. Anything that had to do with Hood was trouble.
>>>----------------------->
Hold onto your hats for chapter 9 with Will and Allan angst...
Come to Denial... the place we go to make it all better.