Thank you. A little bit more for you. J x

Disclaimer: original characters copyright bbc/tiger aspect.

Everything is a Choice

Book 2 – Land

Chapter 1

It was late September.

Apart from the odd blustery shower, hinting that winter was just around the corner, the French countryside continued to glory in her coat of tans, russets and yellows, rivalling the best that England had to offer at this time of year. And if I could have summoned up the energy to admire it, I might have found our journey across France a gentle and uplifting experience after the turmoil of the boat.

But I couldn’t, because everything about it was wrong.

‘What do you mean, you didn’t like it?’

‘I’m not saying I didn’t like it, I’m just saying it didn’t agree with me.’

‘Well, I’m not surprised. You’re supposed to eat the main course before the dessert, you idiot, not with it.’

‘Well, how was I to know it was dessert?’

Allan and Much were bickering as usual.

At least some things never change.

Unlike my relationship with Much.

Had we been close? I’d like to think so. Much was always grumbling about the fact that I didn’t talk to him and I guess he had a point; I wasn’t big on divulging my feelings. But I had always thought he understood me, none-the-less.

Now, I’m not so sure.

And I knew what it was, because he’d been right. Gisborne had come between us. And no matter what I did or said, there seemed to be nothing I could do to rectify matters. Although, to be honest, I didn’t try very hard.

‘I thought Guy explained it to you, Much.’ Allan flicked his eyes guiltily in my direction and I pretended I wasn’t listening.

Because that’s how it was, whenever Gisborne was mentioned. Because in the eyes of Allan and, to a lesser degree, Much, Gisborne had become an ally, if not a friend. Only John remained aloof, neither accepting nor rejecting him; his goal to survive this saddle sore experience and get home again, not to work out whose side he was on. Not that anyone was taking sides, but I couldn’t help feeling that Gisborne was stealing my gang.

And I didn’t like it.

After having ridden for a week or so, it had occurred to me that we could simply decide not to rendezvous with Gisborne that evening. Leave him at whatever accommodation he had secured for us and take a different route. I had even mooted this point to Allan, as we had taken shelter under an old stone bridge when a sudden downpour had caught us by surprise.

‘You what, Robin?’

‘I’m just saying, Allan.’

‘But he’s expecting us.’

‘So?’

‘So, not being funny, but what’s he going do when we don’t show up?’

‘Who cares, Allan. We don’t need him. We’re perfectly capable of making our way to Le Havre on our own.’

‘I know that, Robin. What I’m saying is, I don’t get it.’

‘Don’t get what?’

‘This business with Gisborne. I mean, what was all that stuff on the boat about? You know, us working together with Gisborne, if not this?’

‘That was different.’

‘In what way different?’

‘That’s what I’d like to know,’ Much chimed in.

I raked my hands through my sodden hair, wishing I had never started the conversation.

‘You know how, Much.’

‘No, I don’t. I’m as confused as everyone else.’

‘Well, that doesn’t take much,’ Allan snickered.

‘Okay, you explain it then, smarty pants.’

Allan looked pointedly in my direction.

I sighed, realising I owed them at least some kind of an explanation.

‘Gisborne killed Marian,’ I stated, the bitter words clawing at my throat.

‘And you tried to kill him,’ countered Much.

‘And you stopped me,’ I pointed out, accusingly.

‘Er…I think you’ll find that was Captain Jehal who did that, Robin,’ Allan corrected.

‘And who tipped him off,’ I retorted.

‘Come on Robin, you know why we did that.’

I was surprised. John didn’t usually partake in these conversations, preferring to keep his own counsel.

‘So why didn’t you kill him?’ Allan asked, conversationally. ‘I mean since when have we ever stopped you from doing whatever you want to do?’

I could think of a few times, but I didn’t bother to elaborate.

‘Because he wouldn’t let me,’ I replied.

‘Who wouldn’t?’ Much asked, perplexed.

‘Gisborne,’ I answered. ‘Every time I went about confronting him he damn well changed the rules.’

I was thinking of the time when he had pushed me out of the path of the pirate’s sword that had been destined for my heart. Or the time he’d pulled me from the clutches of the icy sea. Or the incident by Locksley pond and the new bow he had anonymously given me. There were just too many times for me to ignore.

‘But I thought that was what you wanted,’ Allan came back, equally perplexed. ‘I thought, that is we thought, you’d be glad to see that Gisborne had changed, was trying to change.’

‘Look at you,’ I shouted, my anger both uncontrollable and unreasonable. ‘All of you, taken in by him because he’s finding you decent food and a comfortable bed at night. Can’t you see what he’s doing?’

‘Oh come on, Robin,’ Allan scoffed. ‘You don’t seriously think he’s doing all this just to split us up do you?’

‘I didn’t say that.’

‘Then what, what! You wanted us to get on with the guy, to accept him and work with him, despite how we feel about him, and now you’re saying you want us to ditch him.’

‘I just wanted to understand, that was all, Allan. To make some sense of it. I…’

I turned away, feigning interest in the torrential rain and a sudden flash of lightning that had hit close by.

‘I just wanted to understand, Allan, that’s all,’ I carried on quietly. ‘I didn’t say I wanted to marry the guy.’

They pretended to laugh, as though I’d made a joke, and they also pretended to be fascinated by the storm, whilst I absently stroked my horse’s mane, my warm tears mingling with the cold rainwater dripping from my hair.

to be continued…