by rowantree13
GOOD MORNING (grins) I know, I know, all caps. It's taboo, but sometimes... you just gotta let lose with the capital letters. It's a author thing. I've had a long enough hatias, the readers want another chapter... It's been a while, but 'strike while the iron is hot' is a code of a writer. And right now, that iron's sizzing... let's go!
The Crusade had already claimed many lives, families had been swallowed whole, with no traces left behind. Both those from England and those from the 'Holy
Land' fought and died under their banners. Cruelties and crimes happened on both sides, with not a day of peace in sight. The orders from Richard were clear:
'Reclaim the Holy Land'. However, there were some moments of joy and hope.
Two of the soldiers from England, they were able to leave this nightmare. The story was that Hugh and Robin Fitzooth, father and son, had gone into battle together along with Adam Huntingdon, only to be met by carnage and chaos. It ended with Hugh being killed in battle, leaving his best friend and his son to return to England, for they were the only men left in their families.
Robin and Adam had set off after leaving Fouad's company, eager to return home to their loved ones and to a more peaceful England. But much had changed while they were away...
"And that was how you and my father defeated those drunken soldiers?" Robin asked, an eyebrow raised as he tucked his cloak tighter around himself. Adam laughed at the expression on Robin's face and recalling those memories with his best friend.
"Aye, lad. After we were through with 'em, I remember Hugh asking them if they wanted something to drink! One of 'em raised his paws up and shouted, "Don't offer that to me, I don't even touch the stuff!" And you could probably smell that fellah arriving from a mile away! Ha ha ha!"
Robin chuckled at Adam's antics. He knew that Adam was telling the stories for both Robin's and his own benefit, so that they could remember Hugh in happier times before his life ended. As they walked long the path, Adam breathed in a deep lungful of air and let it out a gusty sigh.
"Ahhh, smell that fresh air, eh Robin? We're finally home!" Robin nodded, looking up at the sky and noticing the clouds were gathering and the wind was picking up. He pulled his cloak closer around himself, the fresh air mixed with the tell-tale scent of rain. The two warriors came to a stop at a fork in the dirt road, and embraced. Adam held the young fox at arms length, eyeing him seriously.
"You look like your old man, but your eyes... they've from your mother, gives ya a different look," He released Robin and offered his paw for shaking. Robin took it, looking the warrior straight in the eyes.
"Thank you for getting me home, Adam. I hope to call on you soon, along with my mother..."
"'Tis nothing, lad. You're the Earl of Fitzooth, now. If you be needing anything, don't hesitate to ask."
"I appreciate it, Earl Huntingdon. Fare well to you."
Robin let go of Adam's paw and set off down the road, only to be hailed by a shout from Adam.
"Ey! You still have those flowers Fouad's sister gave you?" Adam grinned broadly as Robin turned, a blank expression on his face. A smile slowly appeared as he pulled out a sprig wrapped in a small wet bundle.
"I still have the blossoms, though they died a few days ago. Fouad gave me some seeds to grow the flowers, and once they bloom, I'll come by and visit your daughter... oh, and you as well!"
Adam laughed as Robin sped down the path, before turning and going toward his home.
Robin ran for a bit, then slowed to a walk, slightly out of breath, a grin on his face. Strange... he had felt separated from the rest of the world once his father had died, but whenever he thought of Marian... he found joy. Archery brought some healing of it's own, reminding him of the times that he had practiced with his father, seeing how far they could shoot, laughing over jokes and stories and tales of the future...
Robin sighed, tucking away the sprig into his cloak before walking onward. A drop of water splashed on his nose, then another, and before he knew it, rain was pouring down. Rather than being soaked through to the bone, he walked from path toward a group of trees, taking shelter under their leafy branches.
He sat down between two large roots, leaning his back against one of the trees and closed his eyes to take a nap, but was interrupted by a loud roaring sound.
"Sssssnnnnerrrrk!"
Robin's eyes snapped open and he blinked. Whatever that was, it sounded as loud as the catapults from the battle! He looked around, but saw no one in sight.
"Sssssnnnnerrrrk!"
Robin pulled out a full quiver and his bow from under his cloak, figuring he might need them. He notched the arrow to the bow, ready to pull back and fire in case of a sudden attack. Slowly, tip-pawing over grass and tree roots, he made his way toward the sound.
"Sssssnnnnerrrrk!"
It was right behind him!
The young fox whirled around, but his foot caught on a root and he fell, expecting to land against the hard ground.
WHUMP! "Whaawww!WHO, HA, HEY, WHAT IN THE NAME of DICKENS- HUH!"
Robin turned, looking right into the face of a tall and strong looking bear!
The bear, for his part, looked down at the fox that had fallen on top of him- armed with a bow and arrow!
"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Both Robin and the bear screamed! Robin leapt up, intending to run away, but the bear reached out and grabbed his cloak by the hood, pulling him back. Immediately a wrestling match of sorts began.
"Why did you fall on me like that! And what are you armed for? One of the Sheriff's men, eh! Well, you're not taking me in, copper!"
"Ghaackk! Let go of me! I'm not one of the Sheriff's men, if it's still that good-for-nothing layabout lout I left when I went off to the Crusades!"
"A likely story, buddy! Any other stories you want to tell me? Who are you, anyway?"
Robin managed to pull away from the bear's crushing grip and sprang up to a tree branch, panting for air. "My name's...gasp... Robin... Fitzooth...Earl of.
Fitzooth Manor!"
The bear's face had a quizzical look as he grabbed a staff that had leaned against one of the trees, scratching his side as he looked at Robin, trying to identify him. "Robin Fitzooth..." The bear shook his head. "Never heard of 'em." He growled low in his throat and raised the staff up, aiming toward the branch. "But you'll still pay for jumping on me!"
Before Robin could move, the bear whacked the branch, the tremors causing Robin to fall down to the ground with a loud 'THUD!'. He got up quickly and dashed away from the bear before he could strike out.
"Come back here, ya coward!" The bear shouted, chasing after the fox. The bear's tunic caught on a tree branch, and he had to turn for a few seconds to untangle himself, giving his quarry a moment of time. 'Maybe the shortcut to the bridge'll work if he's heading toward the manor...' The bear grinned to himself, knowing he had that fox cornered.
Robin ran as fast as he could, hearing the bear crashing behind him. He dodged over small bushes and past clusters of trees, ducking low branches, keeping his eyes front. He reached a clearing of the woods and saw that there was a river, and furthermore, a bridge! He ran toward it, but as quick as a whisp of smoke, the bear sprang down from the trees to the middle of the bridge, right in front of Robin!
Robin skidded to a halt, completely shocked. "How did you do that!" He said, amazed.
The bear smiled in a friendly way, twirling the staff expertly. "You live in the woods long enough, you learn the short cuts."
Despite himself, Robin found he was grinning. "Right, I'm impressed. I'm going to have to ask you about those short cuts after I cross..."
"Oh ho, not now, buddy. See, this is my bridge."
Robin raised an eyebrow at this. "Your bridge?"
The bear crossed his arms, nodding once. "Yep, this is my bridge. And you'll have to pay a toll to cross it."
Robin gestured to the bridge. "Well, I don't see your name on it!"
The bear blinked. "My name?"
It was Robin's turn to nod now. "That's right, you said it was your bridge... A bridge needs a name to belong to someone, and it's mostly named after the creature who owns it! So, therefore, it belongs to no one, since it doesn't have a name!"
The bear narrowed his eyes, then snapped his fingers. "Hang on a second..." He pulled out a piece of charcoal from his tunic and on one of the planks wrote the words 'John Little's Bridge'. He then tossed the charcoal into the river and looked toward Robin, nodding. "There, satisified?"
Robin read the words, still grinning. He looked up at the bear, one of his paws pointing to the word 'Little'. "You mispelled that one, you added an extra 'L' to it."
The bear looked down at the words, confused. "Whaddya mean, there's no extra-"
CRACK!
"Hey!"
John Little, for that was the bear's name, rubbed his shoulder where Robin had hit it with his bow. Robin was still grinning, but it was a cocky smile as he dodged a sudden swing of John Little's staff.
"I'll make you pay for that, you little-! Take that! And that! And that!" Each 'that' was punctuated by a swing that failed to connect, ending up with Robin balancing on the side of the bridge and John panting. The bear growled as he suddenly ran toward Robin. "I got ya, you- AAAAHHHH!"
SPLASH!
Robin had sidestepped and let John Little fall from the bridge into the river. Robin watched as John rose up from the water, laughing!
"Hey, that was- why- glory be, I've been baptized by a clever fox!"
John Little said that statement with such amazement that Robin cracked up laughing. Soon, John Little joined in the laughter, walking from the river to the other side, drying off with a pawful of grass.
"They say if you've been baptized, you need to choose a new name," Robin commented, still grinning. John Little looked toward Robin, then shrugged.
"I like the name I've got... maybe I'll just change it around a bit..." He held out his paw for shaking. "My name's Little John. Nice to meet you, Robin Fitzooth."
Robin chuckled a bit, shaking the offered paw. "Nice to meet you, Little John-"
SPLASH!
with a yank, 'Little John' pulled Robin from the shore and right into the river! The bear laughed as a very soaked Robin sprang from the water, crawling onto dry land. Inbetween breaths of air, Robin started laughing. He had never felt this silly in his entire life... But he had never felt this carefree, or this at ease...
The power of healing through laughter was something Robin took to heart.
About fifteen minutes later...
"So tell me, Johnny, what's happened in England during the Crusades?" Robin sat near the flames of the camp fire, looking up at his friend.
John sighed, feeding a stick into the flames. "Not too good, Robbie... Prince John's been swinging his weight around, demanding more and more taxes each day from the people. Word is, he's going from town to town, sucking whatever gold or wealth's to be had, then moving onto another once's it dried up. It's a sad thing, with this war... there's nothing to be gained..."
Robin was quiet for a bit. He looked toward Little John. "My father passed away in that war. What do you mean there's nothing to be gained?"
Little John looked up at this bit of news, at first shocked, then nodding decisively. "Many people keep dying... We get the numbers sent to us... I know that
it sounds like I don't care, but the truth is, I would be there if I could have afforded it! I couldn't even pay the taxes that Sheriff wanted... so I ran.
Now I'm just an outlaw in these woods... who's finally gained a friend. Darned if I lose that friend for a bunch of stupid words..."
Robin stared at John for a bit, then sighed, looking away. "Sorry, Johnny... I'm just..."
"It's alright. And I didn't mean any disrespect toward your father or any of the other brave soldiers out there. There's just so much happening on the homefront as well."
Robin nodded. "Thanks Little John."
"No problem, Robbie."
The fox and the bear stared into the flames, each with their own thoughts. Robin looked up from the fire, and a smile appeared as John looked up, catching his expression.
"I think it's time that I headed home about now..."
About thirty minutes later...
The Lady Fitzooth was walking down the path toward where the archery butts had been set up... Hugh and Robin had loved to practice from dawn to dusk, joking and laughing like they were life long friends rather than father and son... Tears came to her eyes, but she blinked them away. She had recieved word of her husband's death and had been grief-stricken. Now the arrival of her son was the most important thing to her. She looked up and noticed two pilgrims clad in monk's habits, heading toward her. She couldn't see their faces, with their hoods pulled over their heads, but she instictively knew that they were looking for her.
"Good sirs, may I help you?"
The smaller of the duo spoke up in a reedy sounding voice, stooped over with a bent back, most likely from old age.
"May you be blessed, kind and generous lady! We are in search of the Lady Fitzooth, we bring news of her son to her!"
Arelyn feared for the worst, but she straightened her back and looked at the monks. When she spoke, her voice was soft, yet determined not to betray her emotions, though a quaver crept into her words at the last moment.
"What news do you bring of Robin?"
A low laugh was heard from the small monk, and she narrowed her eyes of him, determined to give him a piece of her mind... Then a very familiar voice spoke.
"Robin is doing fine, mi'lady, and he wishes much to see his beloved mother..." The monk straightened from his bended crouch and pulled back his hood,
revealing a very touselheaded Robin, grinning like there was no tomorrow and catching his mother in a strong embrace. "...whom he has missed so much"
Arelyn smiled as tears fell from her eyes as she clenched onto her son. Robin had finally come home.
Robin disengaged himself from his mother's arms as they both looked on the second monk, a large bear who had removed the habit and was clad in a forest green tunic. He gave a broad grin and bowed to Lady Fitzooth.
Robin grinned. "Mother, I'd like you to meet John Little, also known as Little John. He, ah, helped me find my way home."
Little John reached out and gently took Arelyn's paw, kissing it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mi'lady," He stood up as Arelyn smiled and curtsied.
"Any friend of Robin's is welcome at Fitzooth Manor. Now, with the formalities over..." Arelyn reached out and smacked Robin on the shoulders, scowling at her son. "You wretched boy! Scaring your poor mother like that! You made me fear for the worst!"
Little John bit back laughter at Robin's expression, and joined in the teasing, shaking his finger accusingly at Robin. "For shame, Robbie, frightening your poor mother to death!"
Robin sputtered and narrowed his eyes. "Now see here, Johnny, you were the one who bet I couldn't fool my own mother with his disguise!"
"And you didn't fool her, you scared her!"
"You're responsible for my son's corruption, Mr. Little?"
"Well, uh, er... hey, wait a second!"
The three of them burst out laughing at their antics, Arelyn reaching out and taking her son and his friend by their paws. "Now, the two of you, it's time to get cleaned up. There's a feast that's been waiting to be prepared for your Homecoming, Robin... we've missed you so." Her last words became wistful, and Robin rubbed her back reassuringly.
"I know, Mother... I've missed you as well."
Part 7 due if inspiration hits me upside the head with a fish!
(...WHAT? That's what inspiration feels like to me)
R & R Please! Flames used to hold a barbeque for fanfic writers!
(grins) Woot!