A/N: OK, so for all of you who are re-reading this story since I started re-writing it, and are saying 'Hey! I thought she said she was re-writing not just adding a prologue and continuing the story?' Well the beginning of this chapter is where most of the revision takes place that I mentioned in my first note. :P

Disclaimer: I couldn't come up with a new way to steal the famous outlaws, Allan A Dale, or anyone else from Robin Hood. So BBC get's a break from me this time. But don't worry, I'll be back and up to my old tricks next time! :)

And now let us see

What you think of Chapter 3!

Chapter 3:

Ellen woke to the sound of birds happily greeting the new day with their beautiful songs as the sun's first golden rays broke over the horizon. It didn't look as if anyone else was up yet so she closed her eyes and heaved a contented sigh. Last night she had enjoyed a comfortable and somewhat peaceful sleep, something she had not had in a while. For the past few days she had been spending the night in barns, wood sheds, or on the floor of a poor, kind farmer's cottage; all of which were hard, cold, and usually smelt of animals, or worse. But last night she had enjoyed a delectable meal of roasted venison and retired to a soft bed of furs, formerly belonging to various creatures, and a warm woolen blanket. She pulled it tighter around her now thinking of what this new day would bring and what might await her in Nottingham. Not wanting to think much about that, her thoughts soon trailed back to the night before and how this band of outlaws had been such wonderful hosts.

After it had been decided that she was staying for the night Tuck and Much set about preparing dinner while Robin introduced Ellen to the two remaining outlaws. The giant, bear of a man who had been grinning so broadly at her joke earlier was called John Little –but went by the name Little John. Ellen had to stifle a laugh at the irony of his name. And then there was the blond woman who always seemed to be scowling, glaring, or looking confusedly at her. Her name was Kate, and Ellen couldn't figure out what she could have done that had made a bad impression on her. For it was the only explanation she could think of that would cause this stranger to act so grimly towards her, unless of course the other woman just always had a negative disposition. Besides Kate's cold looks, all-in-all Ellen had had a wonderful evening.

Ellen's musings were soon interrupted by the sound of someone yawning, and others stretching and then getting to their feet. The camp was waking up.

"Good morning!" Said the cheery and now familiar voice of Robin as he stood by her bedside smiling down at her.

"Good morning to you too." She replied returning his smile as she sat up and moved her legs to dangle over the side of the bed and yawned.

"I hope you slept well." He inquired.

"I did, quite well actually." Replied she.

"Good." He said simply to this then added, "Let's see what Much has in mind for breakfast, shall we?" And with that he turned to speak to Much but Allan happened to beat him to it. Being the last one up, he had noisily stretched, jumped down from his bed and loudly addressed Much with:

"So Much, what's for breakfast?"

"Whatever you are able to catch." Much answered curtly, "And don't be too long about it I'm very hungry as I'm sure the rest are too."

"What?" Allan asked confused, "Since when am I the one who catches breakfast?"

"Since now." Robin said catching on to the conversation and deciding that Much needed a bit of a break. After all, Much found and cooked food for them, kept the camp clean, and had to do everything that everyone else did on top of that. "After all, you used to be known as the renowned poacher in these parts who never got caught or if you did you could always talk yourself out of it."

Allan gave him a look that said "Please don't bring that one up again" while John and Much caught the joke and started laughing. When Robin and Much had first met Allan A Dale they had saved him, and his hand, from some guards that had caught him poaching the King's deer. He had tried to talk his way out of it using an unlikely story, about a pregnant wife, that kept changing until you didn't know whether she was pregnant, had had the baby, of even if he really had a wife; which of course he did not.

"Allan, I'm sure our guest is quite hungry." Robin said grinning in return to Allan's glare. 'That should do the trick.' He laughed to himself. "Now get going!"

"Alright, alright! I'm going." Allan said smiling despite the fact that everyone was laughing at him. He grabbed his bow, slung a quiver full of arrows over one shoulder and bowing to Ellen he said: "I shall return with a great stag for the pretty little lady." And with that he left the camp.

Ellen couldn't help but laugh when Allan returned with only three rabbits and a squirrel. Upon being asked why he brought back a squirrel, when he was always complaining whenever he had to eat it, he said he caught it especially for Much. Though, much to his displeasure everyone got a bit of squirrel, including himself.

After the meal everyone sat back and started to discuss the schedule for the day.

"Well first things first," Robin addressed them, "We have to keep our end of the bargain and escort this young lady to Nottingham."

"You needn't trouble yourself with accompanying me all the way to Nottingham; after all you only agreed to take me to the edge of the forest." Ellen tried to reason. She wasn't exactly sure why she was trying to get out of it, after all she didn't even know which way it was to Nottingham and these men and woman had obviously lived in the region a long time and new there way around where as she did not.

"It's no trouble." Tuck said. "We need to send someone into Nottingham anyways."

"Allan." Robin addressed the semi-unsuccessful poacher of the day. "You're to escort Ellen to Nottingham. After that I need you to do some listening around for me, see if the Sheriff is up to anything, and…"

"Ya, I know the routine." Allan cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Get in, don't be seen, do a few tricks to loosen some tongues, and get out without getting my neck stretched. Piece of cake!"

"Good." Robin grinned at the trickster, brushing off the fact that he had interrupted him. "Well, I guess you should get started, I'm sure Ellen would like to make it to wherever she needs to be before lunch time."

"That, I very much would like." Ellen said rising from her place by the fire and making her way to her pack. She picked it up and after thanking them all for their kindness and hospitality she turned to the blond, blue-eyed young man who had been the source of the entertainment for most of the morning and asked: "Shall we go?"

"After you my lady." He said, bowing his smirking face and sweeping his arm towards the exit of the camp. Ellen made her exit and Allan was about to follow her when he heard Much mutter: "Don't try anything."

Allan just turned around, sneered at Much, and with the proud declaration of: "On my honor as an outlaw no harm shall come to her." He swept a flourished bow, spun on his heels and left a bewildered Much and a laughing band of fellow outlaws behind.

The two companions traveled in comfortable silence for some time. Well, at least verbally it was silent. If you could hear thoughts, you wouldn't be able to hear a boulder drop let alone a pin. Both were assessing the other and wrapped in their own private thoughts.

'Why did Much even think of asking such a question? Don't they trust me? Well I have to admit she is very pretty…I wonder where she's coming from, most women don't travel alone unless their in some sort of trouble…and if she is in trouble why travel to Nottingham? If you ask me that's the last place to find safety…she obviously isn't from around these parts…"

'This has been the best morning I've had in a long time…all thanks to this cheeky, handsome man…Does that smile ever wipe off that face? I wonder if I'll ever see him, or any of the others, again once I reach Nottingham? For that matter, what will I find there? What if they are not there? What if they've moved on…or are dead? What will I do? I can't go back! …calm down Ellen…everything will be fine…I hope…'

"Do you mind me asking where you're from?" Allan interrupted her thoughts; he was bursting with questions and couldn't hold them in any longer.

"I do mind." Replied Ellen sharply and rather too quickly which she realized a little too late.

"Oh…Well do you mind telling me why you're going to Nottingham? After all it isn't the best city to spend your holidays in, let alone live there."

"If you must know, I'm trying to find someone."

"Well if you're looking for someone you've come to the right person. I'm good at finding people... or know people who know people. Who are you looking for?" Allan asked, happy to be of service to this 'foreign' beauty and glad he had a start for finding something out about her.

"Do you always interrogate everyone you meet on first acquaintance?" Ellen asked trying to hide the annoyance in her voice. She was starting to feel more than a little uncomfortable being peppered with all these questions.

"I'm just trying to help." Cried Allan more than a little confused.

"Well don't." Ellen stated. After a short pause she asked: "How much farther is it?"

"We're almost to the edge of the forest, after that it isn't very much farther to the city gates." He replied a little dejected. He had never met someone so un-talkative before! He was used to getting people to talk and tell him whatever he wanted to know. After all that was one of his expertise jobs for the gang, getting information. 'So much for finding something out about this one.' He thought to himself.

They lapsed into a silence, much more different and gloomy than the one before, and remained that way for the rest of their journey.

Nottingham Town:

Once inside the city walls Allan and Ellen parted company, each going their separate ways; he towards the castle and she to the east side of town. It was rather hard-going for Ellen because she was following a mental map that was out of date and she had never been to Nottingham before in her whole life. She went down countless side streets and alleyways, that all looked the same to her, for what seemed like an eternity until she was sure she had found the place she was looking for.

It was a small, wooden two storey house on the corner of one of the more busy streets and a small side street; with its face to the busy street it had a small side alley that separated it from the house on its right. The only difference between this house and the other houses on the street was the contents seen through the windows. It was the only house with curtains that were not rags, but made out of what looked to be quite expensive cloth. There were figurines and beautiful vases full of flowers on the window sills of the upper windows. And the house itself looked to be more sturdily built and looked after than the others.

"Well, this is it." She whispered under her breath. She stepped forward and stood before the door; taking a deep breath she knocked three times and waited uncertainly for an answer. There was a moments pause before she heard the familiar raspy, yet kind, voice of an old man whom she new and loved. "Come in" it said and all her fears that had been mounting in her threatening to overcome her melted away at the sound of it. She entered the house.

Once inside, Ellen took in her new surroundings with a sense of heightened relief. She was in a small room that was richly furnished and decorated but not overdone like that of nobility; it still had a sense of 'common' to it which she liked. There were beautiful tapestries on the walls and rich rugs covering the floor; all of various colours. One wall had a few shelves which were covered in nameless trinkets and items from all over the kingdom as well as some foreign. The furniture looked to be made of solid oak. There was a desk covered in scrolls in one corner by the window overlooking the street. And in front of a small, cozy fire burning in the hearth were two large armchairs in which one was occupied by an old, white haired, well dressed man who looked to be in his eighties, well preserved for his age, and was staring at her in disbelief.

"Katherine?" He asked, "Is it my Katherine come back to haunt me in my old age?"

"No." Ellen answered in a choked whisper, "It is Ellen, Katherine's daughter." And with that she threw herself into the old man's arms and burst into tears.

Can you guess who the old man is (or more like what relation he is to Ellen)? Or who Katherine was to him?

Sorry if Allan might have been a little OOC. :( Thanks for reading and !Please Review!

Thanks for all who reviewed the last chapter: CarlyTenibad (Glad you like your cookie :P! I don't like the prisoners helping the Sheriff either but they have to or else I have no story!), Rena Anne A Dale Holmes (Thanks for the Sheriff scene encouragement! I actually had a lot of fun writting it. :P And don't feel bad about forgetting to review *winks* You just probably hit the wrong button *nods*), Robin-Jensen-Jonas ('Dead Dad Dan' is one of my favourite lines too! Originally it wasn't in the story, but when I was revising I just couldn't resist putting it in there.), and Mischiefttheblackwolf (Glad you decided to give in and read my story. *shudders at thought of a Mary Sue* I'm glad you don't think Ellen is a Mary Sue!). Thanks to all my reviewers for not mentioning Ellen being annoying. Because of you I gained another reviewer! Thank you, greatly. Hope to see you all again in the next reviews!

And from now on in there's no more revising so I actually have to write the story! Let's see how well I do since I haven't been watching much Robin Hood recently...oops. :P

Don't hesitate to click the little button below! It won't bite :)