Will Scarlett-A Man of Nottingham

The fog sat heavily on Sherwood keeping most travelers in as they didn't wish to lose the path, but a group of Crusader Knights chose to walk the fog. They kept their hands on loosely on their swords as they walked as Sherwood stirred with her own strange sounds. The lead knight paused to stare at a great stag that appeared for a moment in the fog and seemed to meet his eyes before moving on. He turned to his men and said quietly, "Sherwood has grown stranger since I was last here."

"And when was that, Crusader?" A calm voice asked from the fog as every knight unsheathed their blade but their leader said, "Too long ago, England is much changed. Now show yourself. I'll not talk to a spirit or a coward that won't show his face."

From the trees there was a laugh with a thread of tiredness in it as a lithe figure dressed in the green of the forest landed on the path in front of the knight and bowed, "You ask and I appear. Now tell me why you're going through Sherwood on a day when the weather pushes all others away."

"Because I wished to meet you, Robin of Locksley with no chance of anyone disturbing us."

In the silence of those words, the silken sound of bows being drawn could be heard as Robin met the Knight's gaze as still and calm as the stag had been, "You have met me and I and my men listen."

The Knight motioned his men to put down their weapons as he spoke, "I've been away from England too long and have heard and seen the good you do and wish your help in restoring my England to what she should be. Will you stand by your king, Robin of Locksley?"

Robin looked into the trees, knowing where all of his men were and then back to this knight, to King Richard. From the fog, eight men in green with longbows descended, all held taut as they waited, unsure if truly some sort of end of their fight might stand before them.

"This isn't the place for us to speak. Will you trust me enough to walk into Sherwood under my protection," Robin asked before Richard nodded and soon the Crusaders and outlaws had disappeared into the fog to discuss if hope had returned to England.

Power and loyalty are complicated things, when you have men with strong wills living and fighting together, a balance has to be found. Yet sometimes that balance shifts and starts to tremble.

The Fair passed with no great excitement, though Little John spoke often to hunters to see what the Sheriff was asking for them. He brought a cloud with him to Sherwood as he muttered about how he could do better.

Sparring matches between him and Will grew more violent as they began to argue about how Robin led the men. John would grumble and finally agree that perhaps Robin knew what he was doing, but it never felt like quite enough.

Will was tired, he hadn't seen many doors to Milliways and time kept playing tricks on his Kate, he missed her and worried for her. Soon it will be tax time as John's unhappiness frays at all the men.