Archive of Our Own

If Robin would really believe what Will had tried to make him realize in all his - albeit drunken - obstinacy, then two days ago the Devil had come upon them. However, since they refused to listen to Scarlet - and though he was busy protecting his precious supplies of mead - albeit in Scarlet's own fashion - they had not been able to get rid of this visitation. This had caused Will to carry on drinking the mead - in order that the intruder would not get the chance to mess with it - as nobody wanted to listen to him.

His attitude, however, had led to Robin and John having to leave to get supplies, mainly on account of the outlaw leader's worry that otherwise they would have to expect a bloodbath in their hideout. If Will sobered up even a little bit, it could well result in either his death or that of the guest who had so unexpectedly shown up at their place. Nobody who knew Robin would assume that he wished to experience anything like a bloodbath, especially not at Christmas. Once, because - in his opinion - this was not a situation that even the most hardened outlaw - but likewise the most cold-hearted knight - would want to get into during so special a time. Leaving aside the fact that Robin did not consider himself hardened, and that he had to realize - to his surprise - that the other man was not really cold-hearted either. At least not at all times.

However, the main reason for his aversion towards a bloodbath was the fact that the villages of Nottinghamshire would be heavily fined if their guest lost his life. Whether or not his remains were ever to be found would be of no consequence whatsoever.

For this reason, it had been necessary to bring in more mead. Even if Robin - just like John - could imagine doing something better than trudging through ice and snow. On the other hand, they had been able to replenish some of the other supplies, including some game that had conveniently stumbled in front of them. They had not had to consider for long to put it out of its misery, for it would not have lasted much longer. The English winter was not for the kind of game that the Normans had brought into the royal parks from more southerly climes solely for the pleasure of their hunts.

This auspicious event had occurred on their way back, and Robin was especially pleased that the sun - provided an occasional glimpse of it appeared amidst the clouds - had only just reached its highest point. Which, given the current short days, meant nothing more than that he and John had really picked up the pace. In doing so, they had not only been spurred on by the hope that they would soon be able to warm themselves again by the fire, but also by the fact that in the meantime Tuck had already provided a hearty - and tasty - meal. Robin, however, could not deny that it had only been possible for them to return so soon thanks to the sled the former shepherd had constructed during the fall, which now proved to be a tremendous boon. It was much easier to pull the supplies over the snow than to haul them tediously on their backs.

When they had set off in the early morning, it had snowed, which had ensured that very quickly their tracks had no longer been visible. Robin considered it fortunate, however, that in the meantime it had stopped snowing since this made it much easier for them to move ahead. He also considered it fortunate that this had only happened when they were once again already deep in the woods and it was not that far to their hiding place.

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When Robin was at last about to step inside the cave, carrying a jug of mead in each hand, the first person he laid eyes on was their guest, wrapped in a warm cloak, leaning against one of the walls, apparently asleep. Once again, the leader of the outlaws was amazed at how calm the knight's face looked, but also at the fact that the other man actually dared to sleep in the presence of his worst foes. Could this really be a result of the fact that these days constituted a special time, or was there some other reason for the knight's conduct? Robin had not yet found a satisfactory answer to this question, but he did not want to rule out the possibility that it might have something to do with the fact that the knight rarely showed signs of fear and this situation was obviously not one of the few exceptions.

After Robin could take his eyes - and his thoughts - off their guest, he let his gaze wander over the rest of the people inside the cave, as John and he would need their help in any case. After pulling the heavy sled through the woods, he did not like the idea of them having to unload it on their own.

Tuck was busy scooping some of the stew simmering over the fire into bowls, which was already making Robin's mouth water, though he knew it would be a while before he could settle down to eat. Will had sat down as far away from their guest as he was able, holding a jug of mead in his arms as if it were his firstborn. Marion, meanwhile, was fletching arrows with deft fingers - for arrows were always needed in ample quantities - while Nasir was devoting himself - as he did so often - to his swords, at the same time keeping an eye on their guest. However, from Much nothing was to be seen.

"You're back," Marion exclaimed with delight when she caught sight of Robin. He could tell she would have liked to leap up right then and there, but she still reminded herself to put her work aside carefully so as not to ruin what she had accomplished.

Of course, it had not escaped Tuck's notice that they had entered the cave, but he looked up only once, briefly, without interrupting his activity, and therefore it seemed that he was addressing his words to the stew. "You have made haste, I had not expected you yet."

"Glad ye've got dinner ready anyway, Tuck," John replied, having entered the cave - burdened heavily - following his leader. "Can ye give me a hand now?"

"Sorry, John, but I still need my hands," was the prompt response from the monk, triggering an uncharacteristic reaction from Will, who burst into a giggle quite unexpectedly, causing everyone's eyes - with the exception of the guest's - to immediately turn to him.

"Ask 'im," Will mumbled, pointing one hand at the sleeping knight while with the other one securing the mead jug. "Got a few 'ands left, I'll bet." The former soldier chuckled one more time before turning his attention back to his jug.

"Will!", Marion attempted to admonish him, but of course it struck her right away that this was completely pointless, for the other one was no longer listening to her anyway.

"Let it go, Little Flower," Tuck chimed in. "You realize that no one will get to him. Not in his present state." Apparently having finished what he was just doing, the monk rose and moved toward John, leaving eight filled bowls beside the fire.

"Give this to me, John, I'll take it to the back," Tuck offered to the bearded giant, but then did not wait to hear what the latter had to say about it, but instead took from him what he had hauled in. "I might as well take the chance to send Much to the front, then."

John was only too willing to relieve himself of his burden, but only to head straight back outside for the next batch of supplies.

"Nasir," Robin turned to his Saracen friend, "there is also some game on the sled." There was no need for him to say anything more, for the other man knew without any words what he wanted. He had already stowed his whetstone in his belt pouch before his leader had finished the sentence, and then he let his swords slip into their scabbards while he rose. It was only a brief moment before he made his way outside.

Robin placed the two jugs not far from Scarlet near the wall of the cave and then went also back outside. In the process, he just noticed out of the corner of his eye that Much had returned from the back of the cave, and he hoped that his brother would get the idea to help them on his own. Of course, he knew everyone had to do their share so they were able to survive, but sometimes he forgot what that entailed and then Robin was forced to remind him. He did not like to do so, for he always tried to avoid exposing the younger man in this manner to the rest of the outlaws. After all, Much was no longer a child, but had by now grown into a man. To Robin's chagrin, however, his brother did not always behave that way.

In the next moment, however, he no longer pondered Much, for he had to help Nasir shoulder the hunt's spoils, and afterwards he also grabbed something to take back to the cave himself. In the meantime, John had also disappeared once again inside their shelter - heavily burdened - as had Tuck and Marion, and at that moment Loxley was again reminded of his brother, for the latter had not yet appeared to fetch anything from the sled, which caused Robin to frown in displeasure.

When – after he had gone back into the cave - he caught sight of him he was about to admonish him, but before he could even open his mouth, he realized for what reason the other one had not yet joined them. He observed him setting down one of the bowls filled by Tuck next to the knight - trying not to come closer than absolutely necessary - who had obviously been awakened by the comings and goings. The delicious smell of the food must have then reached him, which Loxley was not able to ignore as well.

Robin would also have liked to eat something right now, but he was aware that first it was necessary to bring all that was on the sled into the cave. The knight could have been of help, but the man was their guest and Robin certainly did not want to start a fight with him, since the other man had acted exceptionally - and unexpectedly - friendly for the last two days. Apart from that, Much had just made his way out, so Robin refrained from saying anything. Sometimes it was better to remain silent.

The knight was not the only one who did not help getting the supplies into the back part of the cave, but Will was also behaving in a peaceful manner - by his standards - and in any case Robin did not want to interfere with that. Otherwise, he would not have bothered to provide his hot-headed friend with more mead. Unfortunately, this was the only way to ensure that Scarlet's behavior would not change. Besides, it was already astonishing that he could stand being in the same cave with their guest. In fact, Robin had already thanked Herne profusely for this miracle at Yule, for he did not take this for granted.

By the time Robin went outside for another fetch, he realized that it had started to snow once again, so he was relieved that John was now able to get the empty sled into the cave as well. Mainly since this meant that they could now all gather around the fire to enjoy the meal.

In the meantime, Tuck had not remained idle, for he had emptied the contents of the already filled bowls back into the large pot, only to then refill the bowls with hot stew. He had already handed these out once again, and Robin was now in fact the last one to receive any. Exhausted, he let himself slump down next to the fire on one of the hides that had been laid out, and afterwards the only matter that was important to him for the next while was the warm food and the pleasant sensation that spread throughout his body - emanating from his belly. It filled him completely - in the truest sense of the word.

"Any more?" Tuck's question interrupted Robin's preoccupation with his own well-being, but of course he did not refuse the offer and shortly thereafter held another bowl with the delicious stew in his hands. Its contents vanished into his belly just as quickly as that of the first one. Only then did the outlaw's leader consider himself able to turn his attention to his surroundings once again. The first thing he noticed was the fact that he could not hear anything except for the noises the rest of them was producing while they were eating. This gave him a sense of an exceptionally tranquility, which pleased him greatly and which he intended to savor as long as possible, for such moments were rare in his current life.

"Would the Lord of Misrule also be interested in another bowl of Tuck's delicious stew?" he thus inquired of their guest in good humor, but when he heard nothing in response - neither a yes nor an indignant protest - he raised his head abruptly to ascertain what might be the matter with the knight.

One look was then all it took him to let the sense of well-being and peace vanish on the spot and to be replaced instead by the terrible sensation of impending disaster. This was solely due to the fact that in the place where the knight had been sitting all along, there now lay only the thick cloak in which he had wrapped himself.

"Where is Gisburne?" Robin demanded to know from his friends.

"Right there," said John, who at that moment had gotten a refill, to which he now gave his full attention.

"No," was all Robin could bring himself to utter as he rose, albeit slowly, for the warm, sumptuous meal had already taken its effect.

"He probably had to go to the back for once," Marion voiced her opinion without taking her eyes off her own dish.

Seeing that her suggestion had some merit, Robin made his way to the back, where not only was their storage room, but there was also the possibility of relieving oneself in a separate smaller cave without having to go outside. Although Loxley assumed that the knight would certainly not be thrilled about being caught off guard by someone there of all places, he was still willing to face his outrage. To his chagrin, however, there was no sign of the other man.

The outlaw had managed in the meantime to shake off the lethargy into which the sumptuous meal had put him, and just a few moments later he was back at the fire. There, his first glance fell upon Nasir, who had also risen and was at that moment holding the knight's cloak in his hands. Apparently the rest of the man's clothing had been lying underneath and was now revealed. This made Robin gasp in dismay, which then caused everyone else to look up from their food as well.

"What?" was all John could produce in his amazement, while Will once again lapsed into that giggle that was so out of character for him.

"'bout time," was all he said, though.

"Is that ... all of his clothing?", Marion wanted to know from Nasir, which caused the Saracen to rummage in the pile with his foot. He then nodded, which gave Robin an even greater sense of foreboding.

"But where could he be?" posed Tuck the question that at that very moment was also essential to the leader of the outlaws.

"There are some tracks here," Nasir informed them while pointing to the mouth of the cave.

Although Robin was standing right next to the fire, he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

"He went out without any clothes?" Marion was unable to keep the incredulity out of her voice.

"Will cool 'is temper down a bit," Scarlet mumbled between sips of mead, apparently fully satisfied with his assessment of the situation.

"Would do you some good, too," snapped Robin, but his remark bounced off his friend without any effect.

"He will freeze to death," the leader of the outlaws was now addressing the rest, but at that very moment it slipped his mind that he stated the obvious, for that same thought must have occurred to his friends as well.

It was once again Will who felt he had to answer. "Serves 'im right," he brought out with a nasty grin.

Robin shook his head in exasperation. "We have to go looking for him. Right now!" he tried to rouse the rest of the group, all of whom were struggling with the after effects of the good meal - just like he had done only a short time ago.

All except Nasir, who was already getting ready to exit the cave. He gave Robin only a quick glance before vanishing into the falling snow to look for further traces, as his friend assumed.

So, Loxley hurried to leave the cave as well, in order to support his Saracen friend, even though he was well aware that the other one was best suited to track down the knight, even without any help. At the same time, Robin racked his brain as to why Gisburne had left the cave stark naked. In winter, while snow was falling. But since the outlaw could not come up with anything at all in this regard, he put his thoughts aside for the time being, not least since these would be of no help to him in the present situation.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group had finally gotten up and got to the mouth of the cave, wrapped in their thick cloaks. At that point it became obvious to Robin that it would be of no use if all of them rushed out into the open. Now he needed to bring some order into the whole matter.

"Tuck, you stay here. Please prepare everything for when we return with Gisburne." The monk nodded, unfastened his cloak, and slipped back inside.

"Much, give Tuck a hand, please!" Just then, Robin realized that his brother had indeed stepped outside, but had not prepared to go into the woods. Apart from him, there was only one other person who also seemed not to care about what had happened to Gisburne, but Robin had not expected that from Scarlet either. However, he was about to comment on Much, whose behavior puzzled him, when it dawned on him that at this point it would be of no use. He therefore decided to postpone this talk until later.

"John, Marion, for now we'll stay together. First we need to wait and see what Nasir finds out." The two nodded their agreement before heading out into the clearing besides him.

However, the Saracen was already coming towards them shaking his head even before Robin got the chance to ask him anything.

"He's gone. His tracks lead to there." The other man pointed in the appropriate direction with one hand. At that, Nasir directed his gaze skyward, not letting on whether he considered the snowflakes that touched his face to be unpleasant. Robin realized at once that this was his way of telling him that the snow had already covered the footprints the knight must have left behind.

At that point, Robin could not help but wonder how long he had been preoccupied with his own food. How much time had passed since the moment he had last seen Gisburne in the cave eating his stew? His bowl, at least, had been sitting empty next to his cloak, so he had eaten it all before he got the idea to go out naked into the snow.

Now Loxley took a look at the sky as well, but only to determine how far the day had progressed. There was still light, but according to his opinion dusk could not be far away. And if by then they had not found the knight, then ... Robin did not want to take this thought any further, but he could not avoid the conclusion.

"We have to find him before it gets dark," he uttered, something that had to be obvious to all of them, though he did so only since he did not know how else to react to what had transpired. "He can't have gotten far yet." The last was more of a wish than his honest assessment of the situation.

"What made him do it? Idiot!" growled John. Naturally, he was not thrilled about having to leave the cave for the second time that day.

"I don't know, John, but it doesn't matter now either," Marion replied, and Robin nodded spontaneously, for that was his own point of view as well.

"We can deal with the reason for all of this later. First we have to locate him, and we have to do that before he freezes to death," Robin expressed his opinion, although he assumed that the other ones were aware of this as well.

By this time, Nasir had already turned back to move into the direction he had just pointed out to them. The three followed him on the spot, for that was the best they could do in this situation. However, they had not gone very far into the woods when the Saracen stopped yet again. After they had caught up with him, they could also see the reason for this. None of them could miss the fact that the blanket of snow spreading out before them seemed to be intact. Despair threatened to overwhelm Robin, but he was not one to let something like that stop him. And neither were his friends.

"We'll split up, each going in a different direction," Robin instructed the rest, and they immediately set off, as did their leader. He trudged through the snow with determination, keeping an eye out for any tracks and something like snapped branches, and he listened for telltale sounds, but there was absolutely nothing which caused him to break out in a cold sweat all over again. However, the entire situation was so absurd that he was suddenly overcome by an irresistible urge to burst out laughing, which he had to give in to only a short time later. Here he was, Robin Hood, looking for Sir Guy of Gisburne to come to his rescue. It took him a long moment to get the hysterical laughter under control yet again.

He was just about able to move on once more when a loud whistle alerted him that Nasir had something to tell them, so he set off on the arduous return walk. In doing so, he was of course hoping that the Saracen had managed to spot the knight, but alas, this was not the case.

"We won't find him in this manner," the other man only informed them after they had all reconvened.

"We'd need a hound," opined Marion, who apparently had also run out of ideas.

"But we don't have a hound!" Robin did not know what they should do next either.

"No hound!" Nasir reiterated, but with him it was not as if he was at a loss. The other one was already on his way back to the cave mouth.

"We can't just stop searching," Robin called after him, but his friend did not react to these words. However, since he did not give the impression that he intended to give up either, it suddenly occurred to Herne's Son that the other man knew exactly what he had to do right now. It would not be the first time that he was helping the outlaws in his own unique manner.

When the three reached the hiding place again, Nasir was already coming towards them, but not alone, for he was leading Gisburne's black stallion by the reins, which had also been accommodated in the cave. The knight would never have thought of leaving the animal outside in this weather and although Robin was always very wary around the horse, he would not have had the heart to leave Fury - this was the name of the beast - in the snow. After all, the horse was not responsible for its rider.

All of a sudden Robin was sure he knew what Nasir was up to. This thought gave him the hope that they could still reach Gisburne in time. Everyone in the shire knew how close the bond between the knight and his steed was. If anyone could find him under these conditions, it would be Fury.

When the Saracen passed him with the horse, Robin noticed that Nasir had also grabbed the knight's thick cloak, for this was now upon the beast's back. Though, reflecting on it, he could not have imagined that his friend would not have thought of such a thing.

However, the confidence that Nasir had found a solution to their problem waned gradually, for although the stallion seemed to be making his way through the woods quite purposefully - while Robin was amazed at how placidly he was following Nasir - they still could find no trace of the knight. Then darkness fell over the woods and Herne's Son lost the last bit of hope he had managed to hold on to. Now he could no longer believe that this episode would end well.

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It was a loud neigh that snapped Robin out of his bleak musings. When he raised his head, he could notice that the stallion was suddenly pushing forward and Nasir was allowing him to do so. Instantly, Herne's Son hurried to follow, while at the same time he was wondering for what reason the beast reacted in such a manner, for he could not hear anything except the noises made by the search party. But he had only taken a few more steps when he suddenly - and quite unexpectedly - could hear soft singing coming from a spot in front of him. Exactly from the same direction in which the horse was moving.

It was not very long before they emerged from among the trees and found themselves on the shore of the mysterious lake that lay at the heart of Sherwood. Only those were able to reach it who were permitted to do so by Herne. Robin had always been convinced of this fact, at least until this very moment, but now he was not so sure anymore, for this would imply that his spiritual father had allowed Gisburne to come hither. This was not something Herne's Son could truly believe.

But in fact, at that point the answer to this question did not matter at all, for it would not change the fact that they had finally managed to locate the man they had been looking for. Loxley had already ceased to believe in it, and if he had imagined that they might find the other man after all, it would have been only while he was lying unconscious - if not dead - in the snow. Instead, the man stood on the bank, arms raised, gazing up at the moon that had risen above the trees while chanting. Robin was however unable to make out any of the words, as he did not know the language. Yet, he could not deny that it did sound amazingly good. He would never have guessed that the knight could sing at all.

It was not the first time that Herne's Son was at the lake during night, and therefore he was not surprised by the manner in which the moon could make the mist glow that was rising on the shore of Darkmere. Still, he had not been prepared for the sight he now faced, for even from behind Gisburne was clearly visible, though the moon was in front of him. The mist had magically been transformed in an eerie source of light that made the knight appear like a being from another world, for he seemed to be far too beautiful to be a man of flesh and blood.

Robin almost gasped, for this sight had evoked an unexpected sensation in him that he did not want to deal with any further. He was not able to explain his reaction and he shook to rid himself of the effect this man had on him. But he was not the only one who was being affected by what he saw, for Marion and John also stood rooted to the spot for a short moment. Fortunately, at least Nasir did not seem to have succumbed to the spell of this scene - and of the man standing naked on the shore of the lake - for he had already approached the knight to a point where he was able to throw the warm cloak over him.

No sooner had the cloak settled on Gisburne's shoulders than he stopped singing and instead he turned around. Robin realized at once that the man did apparently not care about wearing anything else. Once more he spread his arms - which he had just lowered - and in doing so, the cloak gaped wide open. The knight remained standing in this posture without stirring further, while staring at Robin, ignoring the other three completely. The same was true for his stallion, who had however begun to nibble at his master's hair. Loxley would have made any bet that the other man would react to Fury, but instead he paid attention only to the leader of the outlaws. Then suddenly a blissful smile spread across the knight's face.

"Goddess of the Moon," he exclaimed in rapture. "I have called to you, and you have answered my call and descended from the skies." These words had barely left his lips when he rushed towards Loxley, who was so taken aback - just like his friends - that he made no move. This did not even change when the other man's arms closed around him and the latter's head sank onto his shoulder. Robin had by no means expected something like this.

Gisburne did not remain in this position for very long, however, for fairly soon he straightened up to his full height - though he towered over Loxley only slightly - and flashed another smile at the bewildered outlaw. Robin could not help but notice that this made the other appear completely different from what he was used to from the man. Even if he took the latter's conduct over the last two days into account. This was not all that surprising, though, as he had never seen Gisburne smile in such a friendly manner. He could not have even guessed that the knight was capable of smiling like that.

"You are far more beautiful than I could have imagined, Goddess of the Moon," the knight exclaimed after he had eyed Loxley once more. He was still embracing the outlaw, and Robin had no idea how to get out of it without spooking Gisburne. He had also no idea what might be going on with the other man. Most of all, he was surprised at not being able to detect the slightest sign that the knight had been running naked through the snow, and not just for a few moments. After all, they had had to look for him for some time before they came across him.

"You are so beautiful," the knight kept saying, and those words were more than sufficient to make John and Marion giggle. When Robin then looked around at his friends, he noticed that even Nasir seemed amused. Robin, on the other hand, did not find the entire affair funny at all, especially since the knight still had not let go of him again. Oddly enough, though, he did not feel threatened by the knight. At least not in the way he usually did when they met. Except for the last two days, when Gisburne had not seemed threatening either, no matter what Will's opinion on the matter might be.

"We need to get away from here, Gisburne," he tried to draw the knight's attention to the fact that this was no place to spend the night. At least not at this time of year. But the other man did not seem to be listening to him.

"I never knew how beautiful the Moon is. I'm sorry about that," he stated now in an apologetic tone, still gazing directly into Robin's face. The latter was now beginning to feel a little uncomfortable in the man's embrace, especially since he now had the definite impression that the other wanted to kiss him as well. If he were to succeed in doing so, Robin would be hearing about this for months to come. What had happened up to this point would already cause some ridicule, but it would be nothing against his friends' reactions to a kiss.

"Guy," he tried to get through to him once more, "we can't stay here."

But instead of replying to Robin's words, the knight pulled one of his arms away and half turned from the outlaw. As he did so, he swung his free arm in a semicircle that included the lake, above all, and then he pointed to the moon, which stood above the woods in almost perfectly round beauty, beyond any doubt making an imposing impression. At the sight of it, it struck Herne's Son that only a few days ago the moon had shown its full magnificence in the nocturnal sky, for it had only lost a little bit of its perfect form.

"The Goddess of the Moon belongs right here, into this wonderful forest, onto the shores of this magical lake," Gisburne explained to him in his most heartfelt tone. He was seemingly unaware that he would usually consider these words to be utter nonsense, and Robin shuddered, for – in his opinion - this showed that something very grave must have happened to the knight. Otherwise, he would never behave in this manner. And whatever had transpired, it must have taken place in the cave, therefore more or less under the eyes of Herne's Son and those of the rest of the outlaws.

'Herne, grant me strength!' he sent a silent prayer to his spiritual father before turning back to Gisburne.

"The Goddess would like to go somewhere else," he now tried a different approach. As he had not wanted to startle the other man, he had said these words softly and in a gentle tone, yet this statement of his caused the blissful smile to fade from the knight's face in an instant. In its place there emerged an expression of concern.

"I did not mean to upset you, Goddess of the Moon," he uttered then in a scared tone. "After all, I want nothing more than to comply with your wishes."

Robin suppressed the giggle that welled up within him, assuming that it could probably only do harm at this point, but he could not help overhearing his friends' reaction to these words, due in part to the fact that the knight had not been speaking particularly softly.

But he then did manage to get a few words out. "Let's go," he uttered, still speaking softly, before turning to Nasir, who was still holding the reins of Fury.

"Gisburne must get on the horse," he informed his friend; after all, the knight was the only one of them who stood barefoot in the snow. It was out of the question that he should walk all the way back to the cave.

However, he had not expected any resistance from the knight, who otherwise never missed an opportunity to get on the back of his four-legged companion. But this time he refused to be persuaded and it took Robin some time to figure out that the other one did not want to ride when the 'Goddess of the Moon' was walking. This statement even made a certain - albeit twisted - sense.

And apparently not just for Robin, which was revealed by Marion's next words. "You should have realized that yourself," she remarked, while the corners of her mouth twitched tellingly. Obviously, she was having some trouble not laughing out loud.

"That's not helpful at all," he hissed at her, but she did not seem to mind.

She did, however, have something helpful to contribute. "If you really want to get him on the horse, you'll have to get on as well," she told him.

Robin sighed, for this was not something he wanted to do in this situation, but he could not close his mind to the realization that she was almost certainly right.

Therefore, he had no choice but to turn back to the knight, who was once again looking at him with that enraptured expression on his face, which by now was getting on Robin's nerves. In a way, he missed the arrogant impression that Gisburne usually showed.

"I allow you to be with me on the horse," he finally managed to tell the other man, otherwise they would probably stand here all night. In return, he was hugged anew by Gisburne - and again, it was quite unexpectedly for him. And since the other man was by no means a weakling, the outlaw was forced to realize that he would only be able to free himself from this embrace if he were to hurt the knight. But he could not bring himself to do so, for Gisburne clearly did not know what he was doing. Besides, Loxley also had a guilty conscience, for he could not rule out the possibility that one of his friends had something to do with the knight's condition. In fact, this was more than likely, since no one but them had been in the cave.

But even before they got to the point of heading back, it suddenly occurred to Loxley that those who had remained in the cave would also overhear Gisburne's remarks as soon as they had reached the hiding place once again. While this was not really something Robin wanted to expose himself to, he was also aware that he could not avoid it. They had to return to the cave and as soon as possible, even if the knight showed no signs so far that the cold and the snow were getting to him. Nevertheless, they could not assume that it would stay that way. For this reason, they had to go back right now.

Then, suddenly, an idea struck Robin, causing him to turn his head so far that he was able to look at John. He was unable to move more than that as Gisburne was still clutching him. "John, go ahead. Have Tuck prepare everything for our return. But more importantly, make sure Will is too drunk to get any of it. We can't afford to have him interfere. He'd be nothing but trouble."

John just nodded before heading off, and Robin dared to breathe a sigh of relief. What he had just told John was indeed true, but not the whole truth, for the leader of the outlaws feared Scarlet's anger less than his ridicule. And he did not want to expose himself to it - if he could avoid it in any way - especially since Will would be after him for years, knowing him as he did.

"We should get on the horse," he then tried to persuade the knight to first loosen his embrace, which the latter - surprisingly - did right away, even without saying anything himself. As the outlaw was now finally able to mount he turned to Fury, only to realize at that very moment that the horse was not saddled and he had no idea how to get on the beast. After all, he was not really an accomplished rider. He had rather seldom to do with these creatures.

While he was still standing beside the horse, unable to decide and racking his brains, he suddenly felt two strong hands grab him by the waist, but before he could react, he was lifted up. Then he found himself on top of the beast looking down at the knight who had picked him up with an ease as if he weighed no more than a child. And just a moment later, the other man had leapt onto Fury behind him. Robin only wondered how he could be capable of such a thing after having been out in the cold for hours.

Then, as the knight proceeded to wrap Robin in the cloak as well - snuggling his naked body against the outlaw's side - and subsequently embraced him once again, it was fortunately only Nasir who noticed that while his friend reacted to this with some astonishment, he was also seized for a brief moment by something like a pleasant shudder, which Loxley immediately attributed to the fact that the knight's body was emitting a heat that was also a comfort to the outlaw. Marion had already turned away at this point and was instead looking at the spot between the trees where John had just disappeared from her field of vision.

"Rest assured, my beautiful Goddess, that I will not let you slip," the knight assured Robin in all sincerity. This time the outlaw was sure he heard his Saracen friend chuckle.

While the horse made its way through the dark woods - led by Nasir - Robin could not help but notice that he was really in no danger of falling down, for the knight held him firmly in his arms. Actually, the outlaw had assumed that being beneath the same cloak with a completely naked man would be uncomfortable for him, but this was not the case, for in the first place he felt relief, since he was now going back to the cave at last.

Gisburne himself did not seem to be bothered by his state and it was not long before he started whispering words into Robin's ear that he probably thought the 'Goddess' would like to hear. The outlaw was glad that it was already dark, as for this reason no one noticed that his face was flushed red, for what he got to hear had fairly little to do with worshipping a Goddess and more with what the knight would like to do with a beautiful woman. And he said so in rather explicit words.

Furthermore, the other man did not forget to praise the alleged woman that was being with him on the horse. "I have never seen a more beautiful woman than you, my Goddess," the outlaw got to hear repeatedly, but also how lovely his voice would be, with the last striking Robin as rather odd, especially since he hardly ever answered.

But one remark of the knight was more unsettling than anything else - in Robin's opinion: "Let me be your sun, my lovely Moon," he begged Robin quite unexpectedly, at the same time attempting to pull the other man even closer to him. The outlaw would have liked to resist, but he had come to realize that he could do no more against the knight than a child could against an adult. Gisburne seemed much stronger than usual.

After some time, the knight was no longer content to just hold the outlaw. While continuing to cradle Robin with his right arm, he began to pass his other hand over the latter's body, which had a most unexpected effect on Loxley. There was no way he would have expected that this tender caress would actually arouse him, and he could only hope that the knight did not notice. Moreover, he was once again relieved that it was dark.

Unfortunately, Gisburne was not content with caressing the other man, he also started kissing him. At first only his hair, but since Robin was not resisting - of course, solely for the reason that he was stunned in shock - the knight obviously felt emboldened and so he now covered the outlaw's neck and cheek with kisses as well. It was all too understandable that it took Loxley a moment to perceive that the knight was being quite tender in doing so. If Robin had in fact been a woman and fond of the knight, he would most certainly have been delighted by the other man's attentions. But being neither, he sat transfixed on the horse, a fact Gisburne apparently failed to notice, for he went on and on with his affections, interrupted only now and then by assuring the 'Goddess of the Moon' how beautiful she was.

                                                               ***************************

When finally, the clearing with the cave came into view, Robin was so relieved that all his tension left him, causing him then to almost fall off the horse, and this time it was indeed Gisburne who saved him from a tumble. In fact, the other man had not loosened his hold at any moment, although this must have strained him quite a bit. At that very moment, the outlaw was really grateful to him, but he definitely was not going to show this, for he did not want to encourage the other man even further. All the more he was not sure if this would even be needed, as the knight was obviously deeply immersed in his - deluded - notions. Hence, nothing Robin could do would be likely to influence him in any way. Still, the outlaw did not want to take any chances.

With as much vigor as the knight had gotten onto the horse at the lake, he now leapt down before anyone could say a word, only then to help Robin get back on the ground without giving him a chance to dismount on his own.

"My Goddess," Gisburne bowed to him, then stepped aside, apparently intending to let the outlaw go first.

Robin suppressed a sigh, while at the same time hoping that John had actually managed to keep Will out of their - of his - way. Then he straightened his shoulders and walked slowly towards the mouth of the cave, while Gisburne stayed a step behind him. In this manner, they entered the outlaws' winter lair almost at the same time - but definitely in step - where everyone else was waiting for them. Robin would have preferred to be alone with the knight, but he was well aware that this was no more than a wish that would not come true. Then, when he thought about this some more, he realized that this was not what he wanted after all.

Behind his back he suddenly heard Gisburne inhale sharply, causing him to turn around on the spot, fearing that one of the others had managed to sneak up behind the knight to ambush him. But there was no one but the Norman, who, however, had stopped with an amazed expression on his face, as if he had never seen the cave before. Moreover, he gave the impression that he was looking upon some great marvel.

"Your palace is beyond anything I could have imagined, my beautiful Goddess." The words he spoke were delivered with an earnestness that once again astonished Robin, for there was none of the arrogance that the knight otherwise displayed evident in them. But these words also caused Marion, Nasir, and John to giggle, while Tuck stood open-mouthed next to the fire. Apparently he was incapable of anything but staring at the two men who had just entered the cave. Whatever John had told him previously seemed not to have prepared him for what he was about to see - and hear.

"Welcome, Gisburne," Robin could not help but remark, just as he could not keep the resignation out of his voice that had befallen him. He had absolutely no idea what to do with the other man.

"What happened to him?" Tuck wanted to know after he had recovered a little bit from his shock.

At the same moment, Gisburne also voiced something. "My thanks for allowing me to step inside, my Goddess," he commented, making Robin realize that he must have been oblivious to the reactions of the other outlaws. It was as if the rest of the group did not exist for him. Robin’s shoulders dropped once again.

"Sit here by the fire, Guy," he begged the other man, as this seemed the most sensible course of action. Surely the knight had to be feeling cold, even if he showed no signs of discomfort of any kind. But Robin did not want to risk him being killed by the cold after all now that they had managed to find him and bring him back. They could not afford any of that, especially when he considered the villagers.

"Will you come sit at my side?" Once again, the knight gazed up at Robin with that enraptured expression on his face, to which the others reacted with another chuckle. Robin was himself in no mood to do so, however, for he had a good idea of what the knight would like to do once they were seated side by side by the fire. On the other hand, he had no idea how to stop him unless he were to knock him down. It would not be for the first time, but the current situation was quite different from the previous ones and, moreover, he did not know how the other man would react to it in his state. It was better to reserve this possibility as a last resort.

"He doesn't give the impression of having run through the snow at all," noted Tuck, who had seized the opportunity to take a closer look at the knight, who still had his cloak draped over his shoulders, but who had made no effort to cover the rest of his - unclothed - body with it. Thus, he had given the monk a good view of himself, which the latter had obviously taken advantage of. With the result that his face now had acquired a certain blush. Robin was sure that this had nothing to do with the warmth from the fire.

"Has he been acting so ... peculiar all the time?" Tuck then wanted to know about as well.

Quite surprisingly, it was Nasir who provided the response. "From the moment he laid eyes on Robin."

"He believes him to be the Goddess of the Moon," Marion could not help herself, making a desperate attempt to suppress the giggle that was welling up within her, but being not successful.

"The affair is no laughing matter," Tuck remarked, but his friendly tone made it clear to everyone that he had not meant to reprimand anyone. "It's imperative that we figure out the reason he's acting in this particular manner so we will know if he will be able to return to his usual state on his own. At the same time, we also need to know how long we're going to have to wait for that to happen."

"I hope this doesn't last too much longer," Robin expressed his wish, for he had once again to endure the knight's attentions, mostly in the form of gentle kisses. Gisburne was completely focused on the leader of the outlaws and did not react at all to the others.

However, Robin now wanted to take advantage of this, for he had come to understand that he could talk to his friends without the knight being aware of it. "Don't you have any idea what could have caused this, Tuck?" he therefore wanted to know from his friend, while at the same time moving a little closer to the fire, for he was still feeling cold.

However, he regretted this right after, for to be sure this movement had not escaped Gisburne's notice. Right away, the other man got rid of his cloak - now sitting stark naked next to Robin - and placed the piece of clothing instead on the outlaw. However, when the latter then glanced at the other one, he noticed that the man had furrowed his brow.

"I would never have guessed that a Goddess could be cold," he expressed what had obviously been going through his mind.

Robin decided to act on Gisburne's misconceptions. "This is my mortal body, and therefore it is reacting like that of any other person." He had chosen to do so simply by seeing the remark as an opportunity to pose a question to the other man. "I wonder, on the other hand, why you don't freeze. Or are you not a human being?"

The knight was frowning once again. "I am, of course, a human being. Where did you get that idea?" He did not seem to understand what Robin could be referring to.

There was nothing left for the outlaw to do now but to gesture towards the man next to him - the naked one - being very relieved that John had apparently managed to take care of Will. At least there was nothing to be seen of the former soldier at that very moment.

The knight followed his hint and glanced down at himself. At that moment, he seemed to notice for the first time that he was not wearing the least bit, for his face was flushed to a certain degree.

"I ..." he began, "I didn't ..." Obviously, he did not know what to say at that moment, but straight away he started looking around. Even though he did not state what he was looking for, Loxley was pretty sure it was his clothes. Robin shot Tuck a questioning look, whereupon the monk indicated a spot near the cave wall.

"Over there," Robin then drew the knight's attention.

As soon as Gisburne spotted what he was looking for, he stood up and hurried over, which caused Robin to breathe a sigh of relief, for he had already experienced the proximity of the naked man as quite strenuous. It also gave him the opportunity to exchange a few words with John. Even though the knight gave the impression that he was not getting anything that was not related to him directly, there were some issues that the outlaw did not want to talk about if he could overhear.

"What about Will?" he inquired in a whisper.

"Sleepin' off his drunkenness in the back. Sadly, we'll gonna get more mead tomorrow. Will can take a lot," his bearded friend told him.

"And Much?" Robin had of course noticed immediately that there was no sign of his brother either.

"He's got an eye on Will," Tuck informed him now. "When John explained what was going on in the woods, it seemed to make Much very uncomfortable, so I sent him to the back, too."

Robin nodded, assuming that the younger man had just not been able to figure out what had happened. When matters got too complicated, he sometimes responded with some confusion. His brother could not blame him for that either, since he was not sure himself what to make of the whole situation.

"Do you have any idea what might have happened, Tuck?" the leader of the outlaws wanted to know next, while casting a furtive glance at the knight, who was still busy getting dressed. This took longer than Robin had previously assumed, for apparently the knight was first examining each piece of clothing thoroughly, as if he had never seen it before.

"He seems to be seeing things that are not there," the monk began. "Or rather, he is seeing things differently than they really are. Not unlike someone who has had too much to drink."

"Will would never have let him near his mead," was all Robin could think of to respond.

"I didn't say he had been drinking," Tuck rebuked him. "There are other ... substances that can cause such a state. Herbs, berries or mushrooms."

"But where would he have gotten his hands on something like that?" wondered Marion, forestalling Robin with her question.

"Do you possess anything like this?" he demanded to know from Tuck instead.

For a moment the monk looked down at the ground, as if he had reason to be ashamed, before mustering up a reply. "I need to check the supplies," was all he wanted to say though, and then the chance for an undisturbed conversation was gone, as Gisburne returned to Robin's side, now fully dressed. But he still ignored the others and focused solely on Herne's Son. Despite this, the outlaw did not want to continue his conversation, after all, the other man had in the meantime also noticed that he had been naked, which did not seem to have bothered him previously.

"I am back, Goddess of the Moon," the knight announced, entirely unnecessary.

"Come sit with me again,' Robin begged him, for he wanted to prevent Gisburne from wandering away from the cave a second time, perchance. He certainly did not want to have to search for him in the woods once more, not to mention that it was now completely dark outside, as well as the fact that the snowfall had increased again. Once before they had been lucky and managed to track down the knight. It was rather unlikely that they would succeed another time.

The other one let himself not to be asked for long, but he sat down immediately next to him, whereby he came so close to the outlaw that he almost sat on his lap. Once again he put his arm around his shoulders. Robin was uncomfortable with this - especially with Marion and John watching them - but he could not afford to scare the knight away. For this reason, he allowed the hug, which then in turn led to him being kissed as well. Fortunately, the kisses only landed on his cheek and on the back of the hand that Gisburne had clasped and brought to his lips. Robin, however, thought it a bit odd how little it seemed to bother the other man that he was dealing with a Goddess - at least according to himself - for he treated the outlaw no differently than he would other women. Of course, Robin could not be completely sure about this, for he had never been able to observe the knight doing anything like this. Not that he had ever wanted to. In any case, he was glad that the knight was acting quite restrained, for Robin had heard completely different tales.

Rescue came finally in the guise of Tuck, who handed Robin a bowl containing a dark liquid. "He must drink this," he murmured to him, before moving away once again without being noticed by Gisburne.

"Here, my Knight," the outlaw turned to the other man right away. "Drink this."

Gisburne took the bowl from him without any misgivings, put it to his lips, and emptied it in a few gulps. He barely managed to put the vessel back on the ground before his eyes fell shut and he slumped to the side. He might even have hit his head on the floor if Robin, who was sitting very close to him, had not caught him. On this occasion he then could realize that the knight was fast asleep, drugged by whatever Tuck had mixed together. The outlaw breathed a sigh of relief as Gisburne was now definitely oblivious to what was going on around him. But Robin was also glad that he was now no longer the center of Gisburne's attention.

"Thank you, Tuck." It had taken him a moment before he was able to express this. He paused for another moment before finally posing a question, "What will happen now?"

"For now, he's going to sleep. At least until tomorrow morning. And if I'm not mistaken, he should be back to his old self when he wakes up," Tuck told him.

"So, you have uncovered something?" his leader and friend wanted now to know from him. If the monk had concocted a remedy, then he must have indeed found something. Robin could not believe that he would have simply given the knight some drink on the off chance.

Tuck did not reply to him right away, but maybe that was just due to the fact that he wanted to get his thoughts in order before he launched into a response. "I had some dried mushrooms with the supplies in the back of the cave. Some of them are missing now."

"Dried mushrooms?", Robin wondered, for when he heard that description he only thought of the stuff Tuck put in their stew. There were mushrooms in there, too, from time to time.

"Not this kind," came back promptly, as if Tuck had read his mind. "These are special mushrooms, for ..." He did not continue talking, but only looked at Robin with a red face. Then, however, he picked himself up and kept on speaking. "The apothecary who came through the woods a few months ago had them among his belongings. Maybe I should have thrown them away, but ..." Again, he stopped speaking and this time the pause lasted longer.

"But what, Tuck?" Robin wanted to know when the other one failed to speak further of his own accord.

"I thought we might need something like that at some time," the monk admitted in a small voice.

"For Gisburne?" probed Robin.

The other one nodded. "But I didn't give them to him, Robin," he added then.

"Who else knew about the mushrooms?"

The other one just looked at him mutely.

"Tuck, please, who did you tell about the mushrooms?"

"I showed them to Much so he wouldn't accidentally put them in our meals," the monk admitted at last.

Robin could immediately follow for what reason Tuck had done such a thing. When dealing with Much, it was always better to consider even the most absurd ideas. This was something Robin had learned many years ago. Still, it had been of no use to him and he wondered to this day if perhaps he could have hidden his bow better. But it was also possible that in this case it was a matter of destiny.

"Then I guess he put them in Gisburne's food, didn't he?" he stated merely. "Have you talked to him about it yet?"

Tuck shook his head.

"Fine, let me do that. In the meantime, you take care of our guest," Robin begged his friend before heading to the back of the cave where Much was keeping an eye on Will.

He had only to take a brief look at his brother to realize that the other one knew very well that he had done something wrong. From the guilty expression on his face this could be deduced beyond any doubt.

And then the younger one started jabbering. "I didn't mean it. He should only get a bellyache. Tuck said we shouldn't eat them mushrooms. They're no good for us."

"It's all right, Much," Robin tried to reassure his brother before he would burst into tears, for he was giving just this impression at that moment. "Gisburne didn't die. And he doesn't seem to be doing badly, either." But then he did put on a serious face, for he wished that the younger man would not forget again that he had done something wrong. "But the next time Tuck tells you to keep your hands off something, you'll have to stick to it. Next time it might not go so smoothly."

"But it was only Gisburne," the other one attempted to plead.

Robin sighed, for he did not know how to answer to this argument. In any case, there was no point in explaining to Much why it would be so worse if the knight would have died. For the miller's son, the first point that came to his mind was that the Norman knight had killed his father. Robin could even understand him. Besides, it was not Much's task to take care that the people living in Sherwood were safe. That was up to Herne's Son.

"Stay here with Will for a while, please," he therefore simply asked him, for further reproaches would perhaps have rather the opposite effect of what Robin wanted to achieve. He made his way back to the front, where nothing had changed with regard to Gisburne's condition. But Robin had not really expected anything like that, since Tuck had told him that the man would probably sleep until the next morning. Robin would like to do the same, for the events of this day had tired him beyond measure.

Only to then have to realize that he had not succeeded in hiding his fatigue. At least not from someone with Nasir's abilities. In fact, his friend approached him immediately as soon as he returned to the front of the cave.

"Sleep," he told him, but then added that he would keep watch. By now Robin knew his friend pretty well, so he was sure the other deemed the additional words to be unnecessary. It was probably just a sign of how tired Robin appeared to him. Needless to say, he accepted his friend's offer gratefully, but as a precaution he settled down between the knight and the mouth of the cave so that he could quickly intervene in case of an emergency. At that moment, however, it only led to Nasir shaking his head in indulgence before placing himself against the opposite wall. Robin knew he would keep an eye on their guest, not succumbing to the temptation of falling asleep, but also not taking the opportunity to harm the helpless knight. In doing so, he provided his leader with the opportunity to rest and recover, something he was in dire need of. Therefore, it was no wonder that his eyes dropped shut as soon as he had made himself more or less comfortable.

After that, Robin knew nothing more.

                                                               ******************************

When Robin opened his eyes the following morning, several things immediately struck him as disagreeable. The first was the fact that it was Will's angry nagging that had awakened him, for he had hoped his friend would take longer to recover from his excessive mead consumption. Next, he then realized that he had not slept as long as he had wished, for it was still dark outside. It then followed that he had by no means recovered as well as he would have liked. This, in turn, was almost certainly due to his muddled dreams, in which he had been pursued by Gisburne, who chased him with the words "beloved Goddess of the Moon," and when reaching him, instantly embraced him and showered him with kisses.

Apart from Will, however, there was no one else to be heard in the cave, and Robin was about to sink back into the furs when Nasir called his name softly. As he looked over at his friend, the latter nodded in the direction of their guest. Robin followed his gaze on the spot and then had to realize that probably he had not been the only one who had been awakened by Will, for Gisburne's eyes were open as well.

Loxley, of course, was immediately wondering how he could tell if the knight had recovered from his delusional state brought on by eating the mushrooms, when he became aware of his sullen expression. At that moment it became obvious to the leader of the outlaws that Gisburne was back to his old self. But obviously he could not remember what had happened the previous day, for if he had, he would have been either confused or rather annoyed. But he had not even furrowed his brow. He just stared at Robin in a foul mood.

"Good morning," the outlaw wished the other man with feigned cheerfulness, having noticed out of the corner of his eye that Nasir woke first Tuck and then the rest.

"What's good about this morning?" the knight replied glumly.

"Perhaps that it's time you returned to Nottingham, Gisburne, before the Sheriff gets the idea to send out a search party that will most certainly get lost in the woods. Do you want to be losing more soldiers this way?" Robin had the distinct sensation that the truce that had prevailed throughout the last few days between the outlaws and the Sheriff's steward would come to an end today. Therefore, they had to get rid of their guest as soon as possible.

"It is indeed time for me to return," the other man agreed with him - somewhat surprisingly.

"But not without a breakfast," announced Tuck, who had already begun filling the previous day's stew into bowls. And before the knight could even open his mouth for a comment, the monk had already put one of the bowls in his hand.

"That's a good idea, Tuck. And afterwards we will escort our guest to the edge of the woods, as befits a good host," Robin elaborated then, as if this was something he did all the time.

Gisburne had sense enough not to remark on it, for he had to realize that he would never find his way out of Sherwood on his own.

So, after everyone had eaten - and the knight had checked that his horse was all right - Robin, Nasir and John set off to lead their guest out of the woods, but not by a direct route, of course. The snow, in which they sank almost to their knees in some places, was helpful in hiding from the knight where the cave was located. Before they arrived at the edge of the woods, it had started to snow yet again and this ensured then as well that their tracks could not be followed back very far.

Gisburne, however, did not give the impression that he was interested in where they were going. To Robin's surprise, the knight made no move to mount his stallion. Perhaps he was afraid that the horse might hurt itself if it stepped into a hole hidden under the snow, but perhaps there was another reason for this, for Robin could repeatedly observe that he was being eyed - furtively - by the other man. He almost expected Gisburne to ask him what had transpired the previous day, but the knight did not open his mouth for the entire trip, at least not to speak.

It was only when they had reached the trees at the edge of the woods that he turned to Robin one more time.

"I will have to forget what has happened over the last few days. You should do the same," he told him in such a low voice that none of the others could overhear his words. This gave Robin the impression that after all he might recall everything that had taken place the previous day, but before he had a chance to reply, Gisburne had already mounted his horse and was off in the direction of Nottingham.

Over the next few months, Robin frequently wondered if he should approach Gisburne about what had happened, but the opportunity never arose.

And then the summer arrived and everything came to an end.