Dawn (BBC Robin Hood Fanfic)

The Distraction

Julia

The next morning, after helping Much with breakfast, the gang had a meeting. Robin stood on a trunk, full of gold, speaking to the group. He said something about hidden riches the sheriff had in the castle. It was somewhere nobody could get to. Robin called it a gold hold.

Much walked by me, as the gang went on out of Sherwood forest. The buildings on the way to the castle amazed me. They were little cottages, surrounded by nothing but countryside. I had seen these types of buildings in movies about medieval times but, these were the real things. Robin waved to excited villagers as we passed through the village to another small forest. Over another hill, we had made it to the castle bridge. I gasped in wonder. It was nothing like I'd ever seen before. We walked round the walls surrounding the lower town, finding a back entrance to the basement of the castle.

As we made our way inside, Robin ignited a torch and held it above his head. The gang and I followed behind slowly and silently.

"Are you sure it exists, Robin?" Much questioned. "I don't see anything yet."

"I know it's here," Robin explained. He looked to the floor, appearing to follow something. "I just don't know where it's at."

"How do you know?" Much continued.

Allan glimpsed back at him, irritated. "How do you think, Much? His bird told him."

Much huffed, "Hmm."

We followed Robin as he turned corners for a few more minutes. "It's got to be here. Marian said it would be below the strong room."

"Maybe she misheard something, Robin." Djaq suggested. "We should have seen it by now."

As soon as she finished talking, a door halted us. Robin stopped and handed the torch to Will. "I think this is it." He inspected the entry for a handle. He speedily found it and pulled it. Djaq cringed, making it clear Robin made an error.

Instantly, dogs were heard in the background. I shrunk in fear, standing significantly closer to Much. He looked down at my face, seeing how frightened I was and faked a smirk. "Robin, dogs."

"I know, I know." Robin shooed him off, "Just a moment, then we will be gone." He looked at his feet and pulled out a stone. Instantly Djaq pushed him out of the way as an arrow hit the wooden door. Underneath the brick was a wheel. Robin turned it and the door opened before us. He stepped inside the room, where a wall of spikes fell before him. "Ah, just like the last one. Will the sheriff never learn?"

The dogs were coming closer. Much pulled out a sword he had on his side. "Master, the hounds are coming."

Little John was curious, "What is this?"

"This," Robin dramatically began, "is our treasure."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Allan didn't come with us as we returned to camp. He was buying Much some cabbage and rabbits in Nottingham square. The gang made their way to the great north road as Much and I followed. "How was your first mission, Jules?"

"Not quite what I was expecting." I paused, "Do you always get into that sort of trouble with the dogs and everything?"

Much shook his head. "Not all the time. That usually happens when we're inside the castle, anywhere else it doesn't."

The gang collectively stopped on the top of a hill overlooking the road. From here it was very far away and you could see for miles. Much explained that the great north road had many rich travelers and the outlaws would stop whomever it was to get their riches for the poor. My guess was that it was in a similar way we had gotten Marian with the net earlier.

"We know how this room works, lads." Robin began, "We've done it before. Now, who wants to be the diversion? Djaq will be recognized."

Much raised his hand, "I could start a brawl in the square."

"As much as that would help, we need a distraction inside the castle." Robin smiled. He turned to me, which surprised me, "Maybe you could do it."

Me? Seriously? Was Robin out of his mind? I had no combat skills whatsoever and he wanted me to go inside the castle? No way. "I don't think so."

"Much and Allan will protect you." He promised. "They'd never leave your side, Julia."

"Do you promise?"

Robin flashed me an honest smile, "I promise. I won't let anything bad happen to you."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Before I knew it, hours later, I was in the castle in a servant girl outfit while Much and Will looked dapper in knight uniforms. We walked down a brightly lit cooridoor at the same pace, as I held a basket of bread. They stopped and stayed by a doorway after I passed through it. Two more knights were coming from the other side of the hall.

I tripped myself and allowed the bread basket to fall out of my arms. I pretended to tear up. I was glad that my summer of drama camp was paying off. "I was rushing towards the Great Hall and I stumbled and I fell. I think I've injured my ankle. Look." The knights stopped to make sure I was okay. 

As the knights kneeled down and faced me, Will and Much crept away from the doorway. They held small clubs in their hands. I allowed fake tears to stream down my face as the two outlaws hit them in the back of the head. The two knights fell into my lap. Much removed one as Will removed the other and leaned them against a door. 

Success. 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Much and I made our way back to camp when he made sure the knights I had encountered were passed out. Will stayed behind to help Robin. Much and I were soon back at the hideout and it was dark. He made a fire while I watched.

"How do you think it's going back at the castle?" I asked, quite scared for the safety of the rest of the gang.

"They'll be fine. They always are." Much beamed. "Don't worry about them."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

That evening, after the rest of the gang returned, Much and I sat under the stars. I looked up in wonder. At home, I could not ever see the stars this distinctly. My eyes didn't leave the sky for several minutes. Much sat soundless, letting me take it in.

"Much," I grinned, "I've never seen the stars like this before. Where I'm from you can hardly see them. This is so beautiful."

"You can't see the stars?"

"Not like this." I described. "They aren't this vibrant."

Much pointed to the sky, moving his hand across the stars, "That's the plough. I think it's called a constellation."

I nodded, trying to find the specific area of stars he was talking about. I typically wasn't good at finding constellations in the sky. My father would point them out but, I could never find them. To my surprise, I found exactly what he was talking about. "Wow, that's amazing."

Much nodded, "It is, isn't it?" He looked back at the sky. "Julia, can I tell you something?"

I beamed, "What is it?"

"When I was in the Holy Land, I would find myself longing for something. I supposed... I thought it was hunger. And it was most of the time. But now and then, it would not be in the stomach... but in the heart."

"Much," I asked, taken back. "What are you trying to say?"

"I don't know exactly," Much explained. He paused, trying to think. "You are the prettiest girl I have ever met."

"Really?" I questioned. He felt the same way about me?

Much nodded, "Really."

We stared at each other with loving eyes, joyous that we both felt the same way about each other. I caressed his cheek, kissing him.