Disclaimer: I don't own any of the BBC Robin Hood characters. Or the plot, which is a shame, because they did ridiculous things like kill Marian.
Rating: T
Summary: It is a race against time when Djaq returns with news of the King. There is a voyage across the sea, a capture in Nottingham, and one final battle to save the throne from corruption. Will/Djaq Allan/OC
Author's Note: Well, here we are! The final story of the trilogy! When I started out I thought I'd be lucky if I got through one story with people liking it, and here we are with the third!
This is the sequel to Retribution and Redemption, but I honestly don't think you need to have read those first. There are recaps below to help you out. If you want to read the stories, don't look at the recaps!
Basic recap of Retribution: It was set post-Holy Land and the outlaws were joined by Cassie, a noble whose father lost their estate, turning her into a maid. A friend of hers, Cam, joined them too, but turned out to be a traitor - the plan was for Cassie's master to get her back, and for the Sheriff to get the whole gang. As the story ended Allan and Cassie had admitted their feelings for one another, but Cassie learned of Allan's treachery and decided they could not act on their feelings. Cam had betrayed her, and she didn't think she could cope with being betrayed again.
Basic recap of Redemption: Will returned, with news that the King had a son called William, who would be the heir to the throne once the King returned and married Esther, the child's mother. Robin, John, Allan and Much rode north to protect the child whilst Cassie and Will stayed in Nottingham to investigate a forest fire. They found it had been started by a bitter young man named Tristan, who had a connection to Esther and William. He rode north with Cassie and Will to warn Robin of an ambush by Gisborne. The ambush happened, and Esther was killed, meaning that William could no longer be heir to the throne. The outlaws returned Tristan and William to their home, Nettlestone, and attended a Midsummer's Eve celebration, during which Allan and Cassie finally kissed!
Chapter 1: Happy reunion
It was a peaceful afternoon in the outlaw's camp, deep in Sherwood Forest. Summer was in full swing, and after making deliveries in the morning Robin Hood's band of outlaws had retreated to the shade of the forest to relax.
In fact, only Allan and John were managing to relax, the others finding it difficult to keep still. John was snoozing in his bunk, his deep rumbling snores disturbing the peace. The others were above the camp, on the top of the ravine in which it nestled. Robin was shooting arrows at random, tiny targets whilst Will and Cassie tested out a couple of new swords they had acquired. Allan lay back against a tree, watching them lazily through half-closed eyes. Much had disappeared about an hour previously after a row with Allan, muttering something about mushrooms.
Cassie swung the sword she held in long, lazy arcs, Will slowly parrying her blows with his axe. "Balance seems good," she commented as she withdrew from a blow and examined the blade. "How does it look to you, Allan?"
"Looks pretty good from where I'm sitting," he replied with a wink, and Cassie rolled her eyes but couldn't stop herself blushing.
It had been a few days since their kiss at the Midsummer celebrations and things were still a bit strange. Good strange though, Cassie thought as she looked at Allan, who had stripped down to a light cotton shirt in the heat. Blushing again she turned back to Will, who was smiling knowingly. She stuck her tongue out childishly at him and lifted her sword again.
Just as she brought it down against Will's axe there was a shout through the trees.
"Wagon!" Much shouted, stumbling towards them, concentrating on the basket he carried so no precious mushrooms spilled out. "Coming from the south."
The well-practised outlaws moved swiftly into action, scrambling down into the ravine. As Robin carried out the unwelcome task of waking John, the others gathered bows and swords before hurrying towards the south road.
A small wagon was moving slowly up the dirt track, pulled by an old horse and driven by a large, rotund man shrouded in a brown cloak despite the heat.
Robin nodded to his comrades and Allan, Cassie and Much all loosed arrows, the shafts burying themselves in the dirt as they landed ahead of the horse. The animal pulled up in fright as Robin followed the arrows, jumping down onto the road.
"Consider yourself ambushed," he said to the man with a grin.
The man squinted down at him. "Ambushed? There's only one of you, and I –" he indicated himself "- am more than a match for you." He let out a loud hiccup and Allan nudged Cassie with a wink, spotting the flagon of wine that sat on the seat beside him.
Robin slowly walked towards the wagon. "One – I am not alone." He gestured towards the tree line where the five outlaws had emerged into sight. "And two – you are drunk."
"I – hic – am not drunk!" the man protested, lumbering down from his seat until he stood facing Robin. "I am a man of the cloth!"
Robin raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid even God's men have to pay up. We're taking a tenth of what you have, unless you make the unwise decision to resist."
"How – hic - dare you!" The man drew himself up to his full height. "I am Friar Tuck, and I shall have safe passage through this forest! I have precious cargo to deliver, but it will not be of interest to you."
"Precious cargo?" Robin repeated. "Sounds intriguing."
"Can we just take the haul and get back to camp, Robin?" Allan asked impatiently, jumping down onto the road. The other scrambled down after him; it was far too hot to wait around for Robin to make a drama out of an ambush.
"Robin?" Friar Tuck started to smile. "Robin – hic – Hood?"
"Yes," Robin replied. "So you've heard of me." He smirked.
"I have indeed," Friar Tuck replied. "And perhaps my cargo will be of interest to you after all."
He turned and walked round to the back of the wagon. Robin gave a confused shrug to the rest of the gang and they followed the Friar.
Friar Tuck grasped the curtain that covered the open end at the back of the wagon and pulled it to the side with a flourish. There, curled up on a pile of blankets, was Djaq.
Will jerked involuntarily, kicking out one foot as if he was going to take a step forward, before freezing and staring down at Djaq as if she were a mirage.
"Wake up lass," Friar Tuck bellowed, giving the wagon a kick. "Found your friends for you, so I have."
Djaq gave a jolt then opened her eyes slowly, mumbling something unintelligible as she propped herself up on her elbows. Squinting in the sunlight that suddenly flooded the wagon her mouth fell open as she saw the six outlaws staring down at her, shock and happiness mingling in their faces.
Will reached out a tentative hand and rested his fingers lightly upon her foot, which was the closest part of her, as if to make sure that she was real and not an apparition. His touch seemed to jolt Djaq back to reality and she lunged forward, launching herself into Will's arms. She pressed herself fervently against him, fingers grasping at his shirt, as if trying to fuse their skin as well as their souls.
Robin looked away as John gazed at the pair fondly. Allan had an odd look on his face as he watched them, and Much mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "honey."
Will clung to her, not wanting to let her go. He ran his hands down her arms and up over her back, tangling his fingers into her hair, checking that she was real. She tilted her face up towards him, relief and happiness shining in her eyes, and Will bent down and kissed her.
Completely forgetting that he had an audience, and that they had parted on bad terms, he kissed her passionately. Djaq responded with the same desperate fervour, until the rational part of her brain resurfaced and reminded her of her task.
Finally extracting herself from Will's arms Djaq looked up Robin urgently. "I have to tell you something, Robin. Something important." Robin looked at her expectantly and she twitched her head in the direction of Friar Tuck.
"I can take a hint," the big man rumbled. "I'll be on my way."
"Thank you," Djaq said sincerely. "Thank you for helping me."
He reached out and grasped her delicate hand between his two large ones. "Just remember, if you ever marry your young Englishman, I want to perform the ceremony." He tipped her a wink and swung himself into the driving seat of his wagon whilst Will blushed as violently red as his name.
As soon as the wagon had creaked its way out of sight Robin turned to Djaq. "Tell me," he said simply.
Djaq looked up at him, biting her lower lip. Seeming to draw strength from the warm presence of Will, who had clamped her to his side with an arm as if he never wanted to let her go again, she took a deep breath. "The King is returning, Robin."
Author's Note: Finally, finally, after 31 chapters, Djaq is back!! That makes me happy,and hopefully will please a lot of you who have been asking for her back!!
Review - please?