Chapter Text
Robin felt bone weary as he trudged back into camp, Djaq and john plodding along silently beside him. The last few weeks had driven them all to exhaustion, and things only looked set to get worse. A sudden sickness had struck the shire of Nottingham, starting in the town and quickly spreading out to its surrounding villages. It had come with a traveler they thought, a merchant from Portsmouth who fell ill the day after his arrival. A few days later, others followed. It was a type of flu as far as Djaq could tell, a new strain she had not seen before. Though many of the cases were not too severe, at least those affected usually survived, that certainly did not mean there had been no deaths. They were usually amongst the old, sick or especially poor, but not always. Robin had heard of a wealthy merchant who died of the sickness a few days before, who had been neither sick nor old. But even for the majority it did not kill, it stopped them from working, from being able to provide for their families, and many more got sick simply from hunger. Some thought the illness came in on a ship from the east, but no one was sure, and it could easily have been home grown. Either way, it spread through Nottinghamshire like a tidal wave, especially amongst the poor, and Robin and his men were run raged trying to provide food, medicines and support to everyone affected.
“Master, you look exhausted!” Much exclaimed as they returned, Robin collapsing wearily down on to one of the bunks the moment he was inside the camp.
“It’s been a long day” he replied wearily, his voice dark. He had not seen this much sickness since his time in the Holy Land.
Djaq nodded, looking over at Much as she explained. “Six more cases in Locksley, another two in Nettlestone.”
“And countless more in Nottingham” Will added, who had been to the town earlier with Much.
Little John sighed.
“How are we ever going to keep up with feeding and helping all these people?” he asked desperately, and Robin shrugged.
“I don’t know” he admitted, a determined look in his eye. “But we’ll find a way. We have to, ok?”
The others nodded, but they all still looked worried, especially Much.
He put a hand up to his forehead, frowning as it touched his skin.
“Is it me?” he fretted, “or do I seem feverish to you?”
Robin glanced over, then shook his head, a fond but weary smile on his lips.
“Don’t worry Much, you’re just tired, same as the rest of us” the outlaw assured his old friend and Much sighed, flopping down beside the fire.
“I am tired”, he admitted sadly, “and hungry. Did we really have to give away all our food?”
The others just nodded. They had eaten that morning, but since then, nothing. Everything else they had, had gone to the poor. As Robin pointed out, many had no food at all, and the outlaws could survive on one meal a day, for a while at least.
Though Robin may have been right, it did not stop Much’s stomach from growling fiercely as he gazed miserably into the fire. He was still hungry.
Things at the castle had not been much better. At first, the Sheriff had thought to use the disease to his advantage, letting it sweep the poorer districts clean of the beggars and vagabonds overrunning them, men who neither worked nor paid taxes. Soon however it was past his quarantined areas and sweeping across the city. And, as many of its victims survived, it had proved little use to him anyway. Now the city was in chaos, it’s economy in tatters and everyone expected him to fix it. Needless to say, the outbreak was becoming something of a disaster.
That was how things stood as Sir Guy of Gisborne walked into the sheriff’s chambers the next morning, already feeling harassed and frustrated after a discussion with several of the council nobles, wanting to speak with the sheriff.
“Morning my lord,” he began. “Sorry to disturb you but the council wants to know our new policy on ...”
Guy trailed off as he glanced round the room and his eyes fell on the Sheriff, still in his night clothes and sprawled unceremoniously on the floor by his bed as if he had tripped and fallen.
“My lord!” he exclaimed in alarm, hurrying over and kneeling hastily beside the Sheriffs prone form.
Vaisey was mumbling quietly to himself, as though in his sleep, and there was a slight gash in his forehead where his head had struck the floor as he fell.
“My lord, can you hear me?” Guy asked concerned, reaching out to touch the sheriff's shoulder, but he recoiled almost instantly as the older man’s eyes snapped open, jogged awake by his touch.
“Of course I can hear you, you blithering idiot” the Sheriff snapped hoarsely, annoyed but still a little muzzy as he struggled to push himself up off the ground to lean against the side of his stout wooden chair.
For a moment he could not quite work out how he had ended up there, but then he remembered. He had woken up with a blinding head ache and a sore throat, felt dizzy as he got out of bed and somehow tripped. All he remembered after that was his head connecting with the hard stone floor.
“What happened, are you alright?” Guy asked after a moment and the sheriff scowled.
“What do you think? Do I look alright?” Then he shivered. “And it's freezing down here, get me back in bed.”
He looked a little flushed and his skin felt warm to the touch as Guy reached over to help. It did not take a genius to put two and two together: the sickness had reached the castle, and the Sheriff was its first victim.
“If I help, can you stand?” Guy asked, but the Sheriff did not look inclined to try, glaring at Gisborne in annoyance.
“If I could stand, do you think I'd still be down here?!” he shouted irritably, then winced, reaching up to his head as the loud noise sent a bolt of pain through it. “Oh... my head...” he groaned miserably and Guy rolled his eyes before turning to the door.
“Guards!”
Moments later, the two guards who had been stationed outside hurried in, nervously taking in the scene before them.
“You, go and fetch a physician” Guy ordered, pointing to one of the guards, who nodded and hurried gratefully away. “And you,” he added, turning to the other man, “help me get the sheriff over to the bed.”
For a moment the guard hesitated, worried about getting too close in case he got sick as well.
“Now!” Guy barked impatiently, making the man jump, and he reluctantly scurried over to help.
A few hours later, after the physician had arrived and started tending to the Sheriff, Guy stalked out into the courtyard looking for Alan. Things had been busy enough in the castle before, but with the sheriff out of action, they were about to get a lot worse.
“Alan!” he shouted impatiently, his man nowhere to be found and he growled in frustration.
He was just about to call again, when a figure hurried towards him from the servants' quarters, a strip of dark cloth tied round the bottom half of his face like a mask.
It was Alan.
“What are you doing?” Guy asked, a hint of disdain in his voice as he as he eyed his man sceptically.
Alan shrugged.
“It’s protection in’ it” he explained. “Can’t hurt.”
“Take it off” Guy snapped in irritation, and reluctantly, Alan complied.
“Word travels fast” Guy continued. “Does everyone know about the sheriff?”
“What? The sheriff?” Alan felt like he had missed something, and was struggling to keep up. “Don't tell me he’s sick as well?”
Guy frowned.
“As well as who?” he demanded urgently. A far as he had known, the Sheriff had been the only case.
“I've just been down in the kitchens, it's a nightmare.”
“Great...” that was all they needed. Obviously, the Sheriff was not the only victim after all.
“You're telling me the Sheriff’s got it too?” Alan asked and Guy nodded.
“So, it would appear.”
He sighed wearily. “Which means for now, I'm in charge until the Sheriff recovers.”
Alan gave a slight, low whistle, shaking his head.
“I’m not bein’ funny, but rather you than me.”
Guy rolled his eyes, but he had to admit Alan had a point. Trying to control an epidemic on his own was not a job he relished.
“Go and find out who’s affected and put them under quarantine. Maybe we can stop this thing spreading around the castle before it’s too late.”
“Right” Alan nodded, though a little reluctantly, and he was about to hurry off when a voice called out from behind them.
“Guy?”
Marian’s voice carried softly over the courtyard and Guy turned to see her walking towards them, her long brown hair falling loosely over her shoulders and a pale blue dress flowing gracefully around her. Normally he would have been pleased to see her, and a part of him still was: he would always feel a longing to be in her company. But this time he knew he would have to turn her away for he had other, less pleasurable but more important duties to attend to.
“Marian. I'm sorry but I’m rather busy at the moment” Guy explained, somewhat apologetically. “The sickness, it’s reached the castle.”
She nodded, seeming far from surprised.
“I know, that's what I was coming to tell you. Bess the kitchen maid and three of the servants have fallen ill, and Joe from the stables.”
That was already more cases than Guy had hoped. He shook his head with a sigh.
“And the sheriff.”
Now Marian did look surprised.
“The sheriff? Is it serious?”
But Guy shook his head. He had asked the same thing when the physician first arrived, but had been assured he need not worry.
“No, I don't think so. The physician seems to think he’ll make a full recovery. But for now, it puts me in charge, which means I’ll be extremely busy for the next few weeks.”
Marian nodded.
“I understand” she assured Guy softly. She knew he would be trying his best to keep the sickness under control, and she knew what a hard job that would be.
“Now, you should return to your rooms” he suggested gently. “You'll be safer there.”
Clearly he was thinking of keeping her safe, and Marian felt honestly grateful, even if she did not need his protection.
“I will,” she agreed sweetly, giving him a soft smile, and he returned it with a slight one of his own, though he still looked tired and harassed. “Thank you.”
Then she turned to leave, letting him get back to whatever important business he had with Alan. She did not mention she would not be staying there for long.
It was two days later that Marian had a chance to sneak out of the castle. Throughout the recent illness, the Nightwatchman had been busy delivering food and medicines to the poor of Nottinghamshire, much like Robin hood and his men. It was harder for Marian to sneak out of the castle than it had been her own home at Knighton Hall, but the people’s need was so great that she managed to find a way. Anyway, as things stood the guards were more worried about people sneaking into the castle than out.
This time she had visited the village of Clunn, taking what food she could manage and all the medicine she could get hold of in Nottingham market. It hardly seemed enough, but for now, it was all she could do. After that, before returning to the castle, she had headed out into the forest to meet Robin.
She gave a sharp whistle as she approached the camp to signal her arrival, hoping the outlaws were inside, and moments later Robin bounded out to meet her, a mischievous Grin plastered across his face despite his exhaustion.
“Marian!” he exclaimed, his voice bright and a mischievous glitter in his eye. “And what brings you all the way out here?”
“To see you” she smiled back. “And to find out what you are doing to help the people. Every time I am able to sneak out of the castle, I bring them what I can, but still, it is never enough.”
“I know” Robin agreed, growing more serious. “But you need to be careful. If you get caught, especially now, stealing food from the castle or sneaking out against the sheriff's orders...”
At his concern, Marian just shrugged. “Don’t worry, I have no intention of getting caught. Anyway, I can handle myself.”
“I’ve noticed” Robin grinned, “Just...”
“Be careful?” Marian repeated and Robin nodded before he continued.
“So, any news from the castle? I’m surprised the Sheriff hasn’t found some way to twist this whole thing to his advantage.”
“He tried, I think” Marian admitted, “but it got out of his control almost immediately. Anyway, the Sheriff’s not well.”
Suddenly, Robin was all ears.
“The sickness?”
Marian nodded. “It’s found its way into the castle. The Sheriff and several of the servants have already come down with it.”
“Do you think it’s serious?” Robin asked thoughtfully. He would not wish death on anyone, but if the Sheriff died now of natural causes, a lot of their problems would be over.
Marian however, shook her head.
“No, I don’t think so. Gisborne seemed more frustrated than worried.”
“Well, at least it keeps him out of the way for a while” Robin mused, trying not to sound too disappointed, before grinning down at her once again.
“So, is that all you came for?”
He leaned forward, giving her a gentle kiss on the lips which she returned for a moment, before pulling away.
“I’ve got to go” she told him, a little regretfully. “Before I’m missed.”
“Of course...” Robin smiled. “But next time you're out of the castle, come see me again...”
It was almost dusk when Marian returned to the castle. Until then, with the current emergency how it was, she had always found a way to sneak back in, but today, things were different. She had not counted on Guy’s new quarantine measures. He was trying to restrict movement round the castle, to stop the spread of the disease, but that meant there were far more guards around.
She had just about made it inside, running down one of the many empty corridors in the castle, when she heard a shout from the courtyard below and glanced down to see a guard pointing up at the window, raising the alarm.
She had been spotted.
Thinking quickly, Marian dashed back down the way she had come, planning to hide her cloak and mask, then make her way back to her rooms unnoticed. The guards had already heard the alarm however, and were converging on her location. But it was not only the guards. When she turned the next corner, Marian found herself face to face with Guy of Gisborne. He must have heard the alarm as well, and made it up there first.
“There’s nowhere to run, Nightwatchman” he growled, drawing his sword as he stepped menacingly towards her. And it was then Marian heard footsteps echoing down the hall from behind her as well. Gisborne was right, there was nowhere to go.
Then Guy lunged, his sword slicing the air where Marian had been mere seconds before, and she leapt out of the way, grabbing Guy’s arm and kneeing him in the side.
He let out a howl of rage, spinning round as she tried to sneak past him, kicking her in the back of the knee so she crumpled to the ground at his feet.
Guy stamped down hard, catching her leg as she rolled away, missing his sword by inches as it swung viciously down beside her.
Leaping nimbly back to her feet, Marian was about to flee when Gisborne reached out and grabbed her coat, pulling her roughly towards him.
“I've got you now, Nightwatchman!” he hissed, a sense of triumph in his voice, but before he could reach for her mask, Marian pushed herself up off the ground, backflipping over his shoulder and landing nimbly on her feet behind him.
She kicked him hard in the back, before grabbing his shoulders and throwing him bodily forwards, sending him tumbling violently down the nearby stairwell.
She could not help wincing slightly as she heard him crash into the ground at the base of the stairs with a loud thud, but this was not the time to worry about Guy.
For a moment Guy just lay there, stunned, his head ringing from where it had connected hard with the last step on the way down, but he quickly forced himself to stagger unsteadily to his feet, sword in hand, as he looked up the stairs. He was just in time to see a flash of the Nightwatchman's cloak disappearing from view as he fled, but Guy knew he would not catch him now: the Nightwatchman was gone.