An Impromptu Rescue

A Heart's Turmoil

He still couldn't believe it. He had told her that he loves her and Wilma had replied that she returns his feelings. But instead of her words bringing joy to his heart, Robin only feels torment. After all, that love wasn't enough to make her stay.

There has to be a reason, the outlaw muses, why else would she tell him to meet her in the royal gardens in four days' time?

Robin honestly doesn't know; all he can hope for is that Wilma – the name he has decided to stick with until she reveals her real one to him – will provide some sort of explanation.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Broken out of his musings, the outlaw briefly glances over at where Tuck currently stands before shifting his gaze to look out at the forest in front of him. The friar is currently the last person Robin wants to talk to.

"I'll take that as a yes." Tuck states as his sits beside the thief.

"I don't want to talk to you." Robin mutters, his gaze remaining fixed ahead of him. Suddenly, a flask of what the outlaw can only assume is ale is thrust in his face. "What's this for?" Robin asks, hesitantly lifting a hand to grasp the container.

"Well, it's for drinking obviously." the friar replies with a chuckle.

Resisting a smirk, the blue-eyed man lifts the flask to his lips and takes a sip as a heavy silence settles between the pair.

After a moment and inhaling a breath, Tuck breaks the silence, "So, she left, huh?"

"Yeah, she did." Robin murmurs with a small nod, "Without any explanation." Upon hearing a sigh from beside him, the outlaw turns to face the friar and asks in a bitter tone, "Do you know why she left? Or are you going to hide her reasons from me too?"

"I was simply trying to respect her wishes." Tuck replies in a slightly indignant tone.

"Yes," the thief relents, returning his gaze to the trees in front of him. "But in doing so," he adds, "I wouldn't have known she was leaving until it was too late." Once again, the pair fall into silence. Deciding that he isn't in the right mindset to deal with this conversation, Robin lowers the tankard of ale and moves to stand.

"Look," Tuck says as the thief takes a few steps forward, "she left because she didn't want her secret to put any of us in danger."

He already knew that, she'd told him herself, but despite this Robin halts in his tracks, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Did she say anything else?" the outlaw asks, glancing over his shoulder to look at the friar.

"Only that she doesn't want you to get hurt." Tuck replies with a sad smile.

Robin merely nods, swallowing against the lump that's formed within his throat.

"Before she left, did she say anything?" the friar questions.

"She said that she loves me," the thief murmurs, "and then told me to meet her at the royal gardens."

"When?" Tuck asks gently.

Robin's gaze remains unmoving from the forest in front of him as he utters, "Four days' time."

"And you'll go."

It's more of a statement than a question. Of course, he's going to go. How could he not?

Seemingly having taken his silence as an answer, Tuck stands and walks over to Robin. "She'll come back, you know." he says, placing a hand on the outlaw's shoulder.

"I know," Robin nods, giving the friar a sad smile before shaking his head, "but I can't think of that now, not when there's others who need me." And without another word, the blue-eyed man starts to walk back towards the camp.