AN: If you liked it, I had a dream about a month ago about RH which I'll type up, just ask. It's a bit odd, involving a guillotine in a church doorway, a beef festival in Inverness, a Frenchman, and making fun of Djaq's accent.
Anyway, this is after that great little "collecting honey" moment tonight. It was fun to write, and I liked putting italics in.
It was one of those days.
Here Much was, sitting in camp, trying to get dinner ready.
Trying. And failing.
He was preoccupied. And bored. John was keeping watch. Robin had gone for a walk, probably to where Marian was in the castle. And Will and Djaq?
Well... They were collecting honey. For the fourth time this week. It was December, for crying out loud! There wasn't any honey to collect!
Stupid...what was it again?
Euphemisms.
Did they honestly think he was that ignorant? Did they honestly think he would believe that they were collecting honey?
Sometimes Much despaired.
--
Will and Djaq came back, both grinning from ear to ear.
"How was the honey?" he asked.
"We couldn't find any bees." said Djaq.
"Couldn't find any-do you think I'm stupid?" he was exasperated.
Will cocked his head to one side "Yes." he answered.
"You know what? Since you're so into looking for food, how about you cook it too?"
He threw down the tea towel in front of their feet. They both looked at it.
And then, would you believe it, they laughed. In front of him. Could he be more humiliated?
"I am sick," he began, shaking his finger at them. "Of you two of collecting honey. I'm sick of it! D'you hear me? Sick and tired of it!"
"But Much," said Will picking up the tea towel and putting it back over his shoulder. "If we don't look for honey, how are you going to make a honey glazed ham?"
"Honey glazed-when was the last time we had ham?"
"Honey roasted nuts," said Djaq. "How do you plan to roast them without honey?"
"We don't have nuts either!"
"If we didn't go looking for honey, how do you expect to get comb for your morning toast?" asked Will, his hands on Much's shoulders.
Much stopped. "I do like a bit of honeycomb in the morning."
Djaq raised her hands. "You see?"
"It keeps away the flu, I'll have you know." said Much.
"Exactly," said Will. "So you see, as we go into the freezing cold woods you are back safe and warm in camp. So when you think about it, we are giving up our own health, for yours."
"I never looked at it like that," said Much. He shook his head and regained his senses. "But you two never bring any honey in! What are you doing out there? Hmm? You're not getting any honey, I can tell you that much."
"But you said yourself Much," said Djaq coming closer to him. "It's December. There is not much. But I think, perhaps just for you, we shall go and look some more. Shall we Will?"
"Yes," said Will from behind him. He withdrew his hands. "We're leaving again Much. Don't be so ungrateful, we're doing this for you."
He practically ran out of the camp, grabbing Djaq's hand as soon as they were outside.
"Now just wait one minute!" said Much, but they were gone. He threw the towel down again.
"Steady on Much," said Robin as he came in smiling. "We've only got one towel."
"Where were you?" asked Much suspiciously.
"I," said Robin setting his bow down. "Was on a walk."
"Was this walk in the direction of the castle?"
"Don't be silly Much," said Robin coming up to him. "But, speaking of that, I have to do something." He ran out again. Much sighed.
"Looks like it's just you and me John."
Oh yes. It was one of those days.