PART SEVEN
He walked down the long passage leading out of Herne's cave feeling much less confident than when he had gone in. When he finally made it out of the cave, he was so dazed by all that he had seen that he hardly saw Loxley, who had stepped out from the dark shadow of an oak tree to escort him back to the camp. Somehow Robin managed to fall into step with Loxley, who wisely kept silent as they travelled, knowing that his companion probably had much to think about after his meeting with Herne. Loxley knew he always did, so he made no attempt at conversation, allowing this stranger to think things through for himself.
Robin had realized soon enough that the scattered images had been a part of the past - the proper past - and that they held some significance. Robin thought back to the set of visions he had seen, trying to decipher what their meaning could be, but the fragments he did remember seemed to offer him no answer. The harder he thought about them, the more confused he became.
Finally he gave up the effort and focused his mind back on the present where he was walking through Sherwood with Loxley. They had almost reached the camp. Robin peered through the trees and into the sky. He was surprised to notice that the sun had begun to rise. With all of the thoughts running through his head, he hadn't even noticed the amount of time that had passed. However, as he and Loxley entered the camp, it was apparent that Robin Hood's companions were well aware of it.
They had already awoken and were stirring about the camp, waiting for their leader's return, though none of them seemed very anxious about Loxley's
disappearance during the night. They greeted Loxley almost casually, as if they were accustomed to him leaving the camp without notice. But then, with a leader
who was Herne's son, they should have quickly become used to it. Nevertheless, they did study the stranger to their camp with questioning eyes. Robin looked down, remembering the fancy clothes he was still wearing from the feast. He wished he had taken the time to change.
Loxley invited him to sit among them, but made no attempt at introductions for either his men or Robin. The outlaws' glances were rather hostile and defensive, yet frightened and curious at the same time. Robin met their eyes without expression. He knew from both instinct and experience that smiling might cause anger and any toughness or aggression on his part would only provoke a fight. No words were spoken for a time by either side.
The silence was only broken when Loxley passed his guest the communal wooden cup the outlaws were accustomed to sharing. He offered Robin a sip of
water, a sign to the others that their leader welcomed the stranger to their camp.
The outlaws relaxed and one or two quiet conversations broke out while Robin drank from the cup. Above the quiet hum of talking, Loxley asked where Much was and Robin realized that Much hadn't been at the camp to greet them.
"Went back to the mill to see his father, I reckon," answered one of the men. Loxley gritted his teeth and uttered a quiet curse. It was obvious that
he and Much still had some problems left to resolve. It was also clear that Loxley was concerned about his foster-brother. Loxley wished that Much wouldn't
take such risks, like the time when Much was poaching and Loxley tried to protect him from Gisburne...Gisburne. A flood of thoughts suddenly tumbled into
Robin's head.
After Gisburne and his men had captured Loxley and Much, Loxley had met Will Scarlet and two of the earlier outlaws, Dickon and Tom...
When they had worked together to escape, it had been Gisburne who pursued Loxley with such zeal across the courtyard, causing Loxley to seek
refuge in Nottingham Castle. There, Loxley had inadvertently met Marion and the two had fallen in love...
Loxley met both Herne and Little John in Sherwood, where he and the others had planned to hide from Gisburne...
Gisburne had travelled to the mill to question Much's father, Matthew, about the whereabouts of his son and the other outlaws. When Matthew had failed to cooperate, Gisburne had killed him, driving Much to join Loxley and the others in Sherwood...
Loxley would not have first met Nasir unless he had gone to that archery tournament the Sheriff had held to entice and trap him using the Silver Arrow.
To get the Silver Arrow, Simon de Belleme had captured Marion, the girl Loxley had fallen in love with. Because of this love, Loxley had risked his life to save her. By rescuing Marion and killing Belleme, Loxley had liberated Nasir, who spared Loxley's life after he defeated him in a fight. Nasir later went
to Sherwood to join Loxley and fight against the Sheriff and Gisburne. Gisburne...
Directly or indirectly, it was Gisburne who had set about the turn of events that had caused Loxley to become an outlaw and meet the group of people who were to become the members of his band. Because Guy of Huntington had existed instead of Guy of Gisburne everything in this time had turned out
differently. But why had Gisburne changed...?
Robin suddenly felt his eyes being pulled towards Albion and the answer flashed before his eyes.
He saw himself and his friends in Wickham as they had been before the Wheel had turned. Everything was black: the sky, the ashes of the burnt huts
around them and the cold motionless bodies. He and the others were running across the village, searching for some sign of life among the silent mass. There had been none.
Robin saw himself tremble and kneel beside Alison, Matthew and Edward. He took Edward's hand, tears standing painfully in his eyes.
Why didn't I see this? Why didn't you tell me, Herne? Why couldn't I understand? I could have stopped this if I had known...If only I had known!
They were innocent. They did nothing to deserve any of this. I've fought all this time to save them from poverty and injustice and now they're dead. They're all dead! All dead because I wasn't there to save them. You chose your son wrongly, Herne. I wish you had never laid eyes upon me at all! I wish I had never become your son.
Then Robin's eyes weren't his anymore. The two lids that opened were Guy's. Robin remembered the stranger's face he had seen in the pool of water. It had been Guy's! Guy's face suddenly passing over his...
But this wasn't Guy of Huntington he was seeing in this vision. It was Gisburne again. The knight was being conducted across the courtyard of Nottingham Castle, his hands tied securely behind his back. Someone was
forcing him to kneel before a block of stone. An execution?
A tall man stood over the knight with an axe wielded in his hands. Everything began to go dark. Robin thought he was losing the vision, but then understood that the knight had been blindfolded.
Robin was afraid but it wasn't his own fear he was experiencing. With a jolt, Robin knew that Gisburne's emotions had forced their way into his mind.
Robin struggled to escape from them, but the emotions were so strong that they drowned his own feelings out. The fear was there but, more than that, there was an immense, burning wave of anger. Then, Gisburne's emotions were formed into thoughts and Robin was amazed that he could hear them as clearly as he did. It was as if the knight was standing beside him and speaking the words, Robin the unfortunate and unwilling witness.
I'm free of you at last, Sheriff. I'm free! If only I had had more power, Sheriff. I could have beaten you then. You and your position, and money and men. Oh, but I'll get you, Sheriff...Even if I have to wait until you're in hell to do it.
The thoughts came to a halt. The anger dissipated as fear grew to replace it. Despite the darkness of the blindfold Robin, could suddenly see the axe flying down as if it was coming straight towards him. He felt a strangled cry struggle in his throat.
Robin struggled again but he couldn't make himself move. He tried to shut his eyes against the sight, but the axe kept falling. He tried to cry out. Then, the axe stopped and hovered as if frozen above him.
The darkness was gone. The ugly sight of the sharp axe disappeared. It was Rhiannon's Wheel he saw now. Its ancient, mythical stones of grey began to
turn slowly before him. The stones whirled around and Robin knew that nothing could stop them but the ancient gods themselves.
Both he and Gisburne had wished that things could be different. He had wished that he had never become Herne's son. Gisburne had wished that he had had more power than the Sheriff. He aspired to be anyone else but the man who had been kneeling over an executioner's block: to be Guy of Huntington!
Perhaps it was the tie of blood they shared or the utter hopelessness and death surrounding them both that had caused their wishes to be linked as one wish and one plea to the ancients who controlled the Wheel of Time. But no
matter what part Gisburne had played in the manipulation of things, it had been Robin who had demanded the Wheel's turning, paying no heed to Herne's warning and thinking selfishly of no one but himself.
"I'm such a fool."
"Why do you say that?" asked Loxley. Robin looked up from Albion in surprise, unaware that he had said this aloud. Robin gazed levelly into the green eyes in
front of him and saw the true depth they held. Loxley wasn't so young after all. He had seen more through those eyes than half of the nobles twice his age.
Robin remembered the day he was first summoned by Herne. On that day Robin had refused to become his son. It had taken him a whole year to accept his destiny.
Loxley's the wise one, thought Robin, and I'm nothing but a fool. His own father had described him as "an empty-headed fool who thinks of nothing but himself" when his son refused his responsibility and the future title of the Earl of Huntington. His father had spoken about how Robin had again denied his destiny.
Robin had denied his destiny a third time when he had found his friends in Wickham dead, cursing Herne for choosing him as his son. He had renounced
everything he had come to believe in by turning the Wheel of Time.
Because of him, his friends had now split up or, to be more precise, had never come together in the first place. Marion was the widow of the ruthless Baron de Belleme. Tuck was a miserable chaplain, cowering under the might of the Sheriff. Will was nothing better than a cutthroat and a thief. Much and Loxley were struggling in an almost crippled band of witless peasants, though fighting
even more against each other. John and Nasir were still lost to him, possibly even dead. He was to blame for it all.
"I'm a fool," answered Robin at last, "because I denied my destiny and, because of it, lost everything that was important to me...including my friends."
"Then you must fight to get it back," spoke Loxley, after reflecting for a moment or two on the subject. "No one can deny their destiny. You must fight
if you wish to get it back."
"Even if I'm not certain what I'm fighting against?" questioned Robin bitterly.
"That's when you have to fight the hardest," replied the outlaw with a smile. "To protect what is rightfully yours." Robin nodded, observing the
way that Loxley's fingers passed almost lovingly over his sword. Robin gazed up at the trees that towered around them.
"I would do anything to get it back," he stated in a voice that was quiet, but firm: so firm that Loxley wished this young stranger would be more
open about his troubles. Loxley opened his mouth to question the stranger about this destiny of his, but the words that came out were directed at Much.
"Now where have you been?" demanded his foster-brother angrily. Much glared at him defiantly and ignored the question, sitting down among the outlaws in silence. There was a rustle of leaves and another one of the outlaws appeared, escorting a frightened looking monk who had been thrust into his care. Tuck. Robin had been a fool because he had completely forgotten about Tuck!
The poor man must have been wandering alone in the forest for hours searching for him. Robin rose quickly to see Tuck, who beamed in absolute relief at the sight of his young friend.
"My lord of Huntington, thank God I've found you!" cried Tuck. "When you didn't return, I feared that something terrible had happened to you!"
"My lord of Huntington?" questioned Loxley. His eyes narrowed as he seemed to notice the fine clothes for the first time. Then he remembered
where he had seen the young stranger before.
"You're Guy of Huntington's brother, aren't you?" he spoke, and Robin could see that his pride was still a little bruised after that fight he had lost to Guy.
"I was," replied Robin. "He's dead now." Loxley's eyes widened a little.
"I'm sorry," he said, and Robin was surprised to hear him sound sincere about it: more sincere than he himself could ever sound and more sorry. But Robin was soon to realize how fortunate he had truly been to have Guy of Huntington as a brother.
* * * *
The sound of a bird call warbled through the forest and into the outlaw camp. This was a signal from the outlaw Loxley had posted on watch a short
time ago. Robin rose with Loxley and the other outlaws as they ran towards the road.
Although they were still some distance away, Robin could discern that it was a party of at least four riders: two in front and two behind. From what Robin could make out of the two riders in front, one was a large man who almost made his horse seem small in comparison. The other man was dressed fully in black and his hair was dark.
Robin rejoiced silently to himself. The two riders in front were John and Nasir. They had to be. There were hardly two men in England like them.
His headache subsided a little. John and Nasir were still safe and well, and together, which was surely a good sign. Maybe Robin had at last found someone
who could actually remember who he was.
"Don't harm them," spoke Robin to Loxley and the other men as they spread out across the road. "They may be friends of mine." Loxley gave his
assent to this, but had his men ready their arrows just in case.
Robin felt a hand on his shoulder. Tuck, who had been forgotten once again, was there, panting after his tiring run to catch up with the outlaws.
Much followed, joining the group just in time to greet the party of riders who were approaching.
As they came closer, Robin could clearly see that it was John and Nasir who were riding in front. As they maneuvered their horses to the sides of the
road to let the other two riders pass, Robin could also recognize the faces of the other two members of the party.
At first, Robin felt a flutter in his stomach when he caught sight of Marion, but even his eyes couldn't remain transfixed upon her beautiful and
graceful figure. They fell upon the hard set features of the man who rode beside her, the man who had been lying dead in his arms only hours ago.
By some miracle, Guy of Huntington was breathing life again.
Robin gaped up at his half-brother in amazement as Guy sharply reined his horse in front of him.
"Guy, I can't believe it. I thought you were dead," Robin uttered to the stern-looking figure above him.
"Did you now?" was Guy's only reply.
"My lord," spoke Marion to Robin, "You must tell your brother that--"
"He's not my brother!" barked Guy.
"What?" said Robin.
"My lord, you really mustn't say such things," protested Marion, looking a little flustered. "He's not well," she added to Robin in a whisper.
"I'm not well?" shouted Guy energetically. "I'm not the one who thinks I'm the Baroness de Belleme, you stupid woman!"
"Oh, my lord!" cried Marion.
"Oh, yes, go on pretending then!" he snarled. "But you're mad if you think you can prove to me that you're no longer an outlaw! I never believed it before when you claimed it!" Marion swallowed back her anger and frustration and looked down at Robin imploringly for help. The outlaws exchanged glances, amused by the scene of drama taking place in front of them. They started to like this noble who had chosen to pass through Sherwood. He was providing them with such fine entertainment.
They wondered how their new friend was going to handle this. Their new friend wondered himself.
What had come over Guy? Was he truly unwell? Marion said he was. Robin still wasn't too sure what kind of behaviour he should expect from Guy, but
to say that they weren't brothers and to accuse Marion of being an outlaw...Why, it was almost as if he wasn't Guy of Huntington at all, but...Robin looked back to his brother quickly.
"Guy?" But Guy was staring past him, his attention focused directly on Loxley. His face had turned a few shades paler. Robin believed he was
actually shaking.
"He's supposed to be dead!" gasped Guy, almost fearfully. "He should be dead!" The amused glances of the outlaws turned into troubled ones and a couple
of men made open signs of discontent. However, Loxley remained calm, no expression apparent on his face for some time. Then he smiled at the lord slyly.
"What seems to be the matter, Guy?" he mocked cheerfully. Guy's eyes widened and he shook his head fervently.
"No, no...it can't be..." He looked at Robin, his eyes piercing like daggers.
"By Christ, what's going on here?" he exploded. Robin recognized the cold, unfeeling eyes and knew for certain that this wasn't Guy of Huntington.
"Gisburne," he spoke, his voice as dead as a stone. Robin didn't know how it was possible or how he had managed it, but Gisburne was now here and
a part of this time instead of Huntington.
"Well, Wolfshead, what's going on here? What's happening?" exclaimed the knight.
"That's what I'd like to know," stated a voice. Will Scarlet stepped through some bushes and on to the road. He stood, grimacing angrily as he rubbed
the sore spot on the back of his head where Tuck had hit him.
Well, the outlaws of Sherwood were back together again, with the unfortunate addition of Gisburne who, along with being Robin's worst enemy,
was the only person who knew who Robin really was. Gisburne now knew Robin better than Robin's own friends.
Robin started to laugh. He had to. It was his only defence.
