Robin Hood and the Dragon’s Mate
Chapter 10

Alan shuddered as the memory of gorging on the men’s blood washed over him. “You were right, Will. I am a monster; it’s only a matter of time before I lose control again. I should leave before someone gets hurt.” He kicked at a toppled tree. They watched as it snapped off the trunk and flew several yards before hitting another tree, splitting in half.

Will grabbed his shoulder. He turned him to face him, “Do you see my wounds?”

Alan noted the cut on Will’s face and the one on his arm and nodded.

Will waited expectantly. Alan, understanding, sliced his thumb on his tooth and brushed it over Will’s cheek and then over the wound on his arm. They watched as the injuries sealed themselves. Will looked up at him, “Why did you do that?”

Looking confused, Alan shrugged, “What do you mean? Didn’t you want me to heal them?”

Will smiled, “Of course, but if you’re a monster then why should you care what I want?”

Alan shrugged, “I care because you’re my friend, and that’s why I care that my presence is a danger to all of you. Those men came because of what I did to the guards. I am the monster they came to clear out of the forest.”

Shaking his head Will laughed, “Think about it, Alan. Do you think they would have reacted any differently if they had learned that we had a werewolf among us, or a shifter, a necromancer or a half-dragon? Hell, they probably would have freaked if they knew Ashlyn and Athyn were from another time. They did not seem to be very tolerant. The only thing you did wrong was leave someone alive to tell tales of your existence.”

“I killed those men. I lost control and gave into the beast.” Alan said, a pink tear slipping down his cheek.

“Yes you did, and in the midst of being out of control, at your weakest moment, you were still able to listen to reason and bring yourself out of it. You have much more will-power than I do. I am glad to have you on our side.”

Alan thought in silence for a long time while they walked. “I could have hurt Ashlyn,” he whispered.

Will stiffened and then turned to Alan, “and if you had, I would have killed you. Make no mistake about that. But the fact is you didn’t. When you were telling Robin to kill you, she begged him not to. Who am I to go against her wishes? She believes you can be trusted, so why can’t you believe the same?”

Alan looked into the trees as if he were trying to see past them to the girl who had stood up against his will when he had asked to die. “She is an amazing person.”

Will nodded sadly and whispered his reply, “Yes she is.”

“You love her.”

It was not a question but Will answered anyway, “Yes.”

Nodding Alan patted him on the arm, “Perhaps you should tell her. Let her know that if she stays it will not be for nothing.”

Will sighed, trying not to let the tears fall. “I love her enough to let her decide what is best for her. Robin said I shouldn’t pressure her or she’ll resent me one day. I don’t want her to resent me.”

Alan nodded, “I understand. I just think that she deserves to know how you feel. Shouldn’t she have all the facts before making her decision?”

Looking away, Will whispered, “I have told her that I love her. That will have to be enough.”

* * *

By the time Will and Alan returned to camp, Athyn was asleep next to Robin with his new bow clasped tightly in his hand. He seemed to be taking the whole battle well. Still, Ashlyn decided to keep an ear out in case he had nightmares. Alan seemed to be in a more upbeat mood as he approached Ashlyn almost shyly. “I owe you a debt of gratitude,” he said softly so as not to wake the others.

Ashlyn cocked her head, confused. “What for?”

He smiled, “I was ready to let myself fall under the blade until you forced me to defend you as well. I am grateful that you trusted me with your life.”

Ashlyn returned his smile, “Of course I trust you. We need you too much for you to just let yourself die.”

“Do you mean that Will and the others will need me, once you are gone?” He asked softly, looking over to where Will was now quietly stoking the fire.

She shook her head, “I mean we need you, Alan, all of us. I still have a decision to make, but I’m taking your advice and considering now what it is that I want.”

Alan grinned, “Good girl, take my advice on anything but romance…My experiences in that field have far from made me an expert.” His easy grin faded as painful memories wiped away his joy. Ashlyn touched his arm comfortingly. “Sometimes, losing something makes you understand and appreciate it so much more than those who have never experienced that loss.”

He smiled again but the sadness was still there. He patted her shoulder, “I’m glad that you are thinking about yourself in making your decision. After all, you are the one who will have to live with whatever you decide.”

She felt a chill of finality at his statement. It was true; it wasn’t as if choosing to go back could be a temporary thing. Once she was home, Will and the others would be gone for good. On the other hand she had just witnessed a blood bath that her own brother had taken part in.

A ten year old boy should never have to shoot a man. He shouldn’t have to see so much death either. He looked so innocent and vulnerable as he lay sleeping. Ashlyn knew that he needed protection from the horrors in the world. She feared that she was not strong enough to keep him safe in their own time, let alone this one.

She lay against the log close to Athyn, but she didn’t wrap him in her arms like she wanted to. Staring at the clear sky with a thousand pinpricks of light making patterns, she realized how small and insignificant she was. She wondered at how one small, unimportant girl could cross centuries and manage to make a mess of her life in two completely different times.

She acknowledged that she was no closer to a decision than she had been before. Wanting things from both times. She needed the safety and security for her brother and herself that their own time offered, as well as all of the modern conveniences. In this time she wanted Will and the friendship of Robin and his gang. She wanted the camaraderie and fatherly influence that Athyn had found with Robin. Feeling the weight of the decision pressing in on her, she once again fell asleep with tears streaming down her cheeks.

* * *

Athyn dreamed that he was in the video game Ashlyn had never let him play. He was shooting zombies with arrows and they were dropping like flies, but more and more kept coming. He laughed as he reached into his quiver for another arrow, but the laughter died in his throat as he realized that there were no more. The zombies were all around, getting closer and closer, teeth gnashing as if desperate to bite him. He opened his mouth to scream but then someone stepped up beside him.

Looking up, he saw Robin with his own bow at the ready. Casually tossing Athyn a new quiver filled with arrows, he set one against his own bowstring and drew. Together they stood, firing at the zombies. After a moment the monsters seemed to realize that they were outmatched. They turned around and ran away.

Athyn turned to Robin. He thanked him for the help. His hero clapped him on the shoulder with a grin, “Anytime.”

Then Ashlyn took hold of his hand and was pulling him away, toward the zombies saying, “Come on, it’s time to go.” Athyn began digging his heals in trying to pull away from his sister, but she just pulled harder. He turned back to Robin who looked upset but wasn’t doing anything to interfere.

“Help me!” He called to Robin, but his hero just sadly shook his head, “I can’t. She’s your sister, it’s up to her.”

Turning back he saw that Ashlyn had turned into a zombie. She was pulling him right into the middle of a huge crowd of zombies. They all reached for him and pulled him down until he felt like he was suffocating beneath them.

Sitting bolt upright he looked around and saw that everything was normal. There wasn’t a zombie to be seen. Shuddering, he stood and crept to the trees to relieve himself.

Having learned his lesson, he kept the camp in clear view. Turning to head back to the fire, Athyn saw Alan leaning against a tree. He walked over to him and the vampire acknowledged him with a smile, “Can’t sleep?”

Athyn shook his head, “It’s not fair, Alan. I don’t want to go back. Why don’t I get a say in the matter?”

Alan looked at him for a moment and then looked back towards the camp. “I suppose you do get a say. The only thing is, you’re still a child and Ashlyn is responsible for you. If she feels it will be easier to care for you in your own time, don’t you think she deserves to make that decision? Caring for a child is hard work; perhaps she feels that she will have more support there.”

Trying not to cry Athyn frowned up at him, “It wasn’t easier there. We were both miserable. At least here there are people who care for us.”

Nodding, Alan put a hand on the boy’s shoulder, “Your sister has a good head on her shoulders. You will just have to trust that she will make the decision that is right for both of you.”

“If…if she decides to go back, do you think Robin would let me stay here?” Athyn asked.

Alan sighed, “You are always welcome, Athyn. Do you think it is fair to turn your back on the sister who is willing to give up on love to take you home?”

“I don’t want her to give up on love. I want her to stay here with Will. This is home.” Athyn had fought against the tears, but now they flowed freely.

Alan pulled him into a brief hug, “If you go we will miss you both immensely. But ultimately it is Ashlyn’s decision. As your guardian, she must decide what is right for both of you.”

Athyn returned to his spot between Robin and Ashlyn a few minutes later His tears had dried, but he still felt raw inside. He knew that Alan was right, but he wished there was some way he could make Ashlyn see sense.

* * *

Ashlyn’s dreams were riddled with nightmares of zombies and museums. She dreamed that she and Athyn were wandering through the museum. They came to the Robin Hood exhibit. There were glass cases behind which Robin and the others were trapped. They banged on the glass. Athyn pushed a button to release them, but as they stepped out of the cages, Ashlyn saw that there was something wrong. They limped, dragging their legs like creatures from “Night of the Living Dead.” She realized just as Will was reaching out for her that they were zombies. Instead of kissing her, he bared his teeth and lunged for her throat.

When she woke, she was surprised to discover that she was lying on something soft and warm. For a moment she thought that maybe this all had been a dream and she was back in their apartment above the bar. She felt a rising panic in her chest. What if Will and everyone else weren’t even real? She had told Athyn that they weren’t real often enough. Then she felt her pillow move, a sigh of relief escaped her lips before she could stop it.

She felt a strong arm shift and wrap around her. She inhaled the smell of wood smoke from his clothing, wishing that she could stay right in this moment forever. Finally she opened her eyes and looked up into Will’s chocolate brown ones. “Hi,” she said feeling suddenly shy.

He gave her a sad smile, “Hi.” He spoke softly though one glance around told her that no one was sleeping anymore. In fact, it seemed that everyone had left camp to go about their morning chores.

Will let his arm drop reluctantly. He looked away from her. She had the distinct impression that there was something he wanted to say, but once she sat up he just stood and headed for the pile of wood he had gathered. He started chopping more wood than a breakfast fire would ever need. After only a few moments his face shone with sweat, but he kept chopping.

Ashlyn thought she saw a tear creep out of the corner of his eye, but it might have been just the accumulation of sweat. She remembered what he had told her shortly after they had met, “chopping wood helps take my mind off things that bother me.” Fiddling with the beautiful necklace Will had made for her, she realized her indecision was what was bothering him now.

To take her mind off his pain and her impossible choice, she climbed to her feet and walked to the edge of the clearing, gathering berries and edible plants that the friar had been teaching her how to recognize. When the friar returned she showed him her findings and he grinned up at her, “Yum, we’ll have a lovely berry tea with our breakfast.” He showed her how to boil the plant leaves, and then after the liquid had started to turn dark he fished out the leaves and added crushed berries. Stirring the concoction, he poured some of the mixture into a wooden cup that Will had carved. She blew on it until it was cool enough to sip. The mixture was a little tart but also quite sweet.

It reminded her of raspberry iced tea, which had been her favorite drink back home. “Oh, Friar, this is wonderful,” she gushed. She drained her cup. Then she filled it again, and when it had cooled she took it to Will.

He stopped chopping and used his tunic to wipe the sweat from his face. He took the cup suspiciously and took a tentative sip. His eyes widened, “This is delicious!” He exclaimed, quickly swallowing the rest.

She watched him after he handed her back the cup. When he turned to grab another log, she gasped at the sight of so many scars on his back. He looked back at her, then realized what she was looking at. Shrugging he said, “I told you I spent some time with slavers.”

He said it so nonchalantly that she expected him to laugh and say that he was just kidding. After a moment she realized that he was serious. She wondered at how casually he mentioned what must have been such a torturous time in his life.

Feeling compelled to explain, he told her about his time as a slave. She shuddered at his description of nightly punishments with the whip. His voice was distant, as if he could only recount the pain by separating himself from the memories. “The worst part was feeling trapped. The pain, I could endure, but it was torture to be reminded daily that I had nowhere to run.”

She thought that maybe she understood a little better why he used chopping wood to escape from his worries. He must have spent a lot of time retreating into his own mind just to maintain his sanity in such a terrible situation.

“That’s one nice thing about the future,” she whispered, not quite able to call it ‘her time’. He frowned at her as she explained, “Slavery has been abolished for over a century. Nobody is allowed to treat another human being like that, no matter what the reason.”

He nodded, and turned back to his chopping, clearly no longer feeling like talking. She realized that he must truly care for her because he had a much harder time facing the possibility of her leaving than the memory of his painful past experiences. The guilt weighed heavily on her heart when she realized that even knowing he cared so deeply for her didn’t make her decision much easier. If anything it only gave her one more thing to and worry about.

She couldn’t help dwelling on the things he had told her. Will’s horrid experience with slavers and the fact that Athyn could easily have shared the same fate was just another reason to take her little brother back home where he would be safe.

Ashlyn went back to the clearing. Numbly she gathered many more of the leaves and berries until her pouch was full. She planned to make the tea again to drink with dinner. It had made Will smile and she wanted to do something to see that again. Besides, she thought, if there were enough left over she could make it for breakfast the next day. Then she realized that today they would be returning to the dragon’s cave. If they found the amulet, she might not be here for breakfast the next day. Her heart sank. She kept gathering berries and leaves just to keep herself busy.

Soon the pouch was bursting. With her pockets filled as well, she returned to camp with a heavy heart. Robin and Athyn were back. Robin was praising Athyn’s good shooting. “He shot this rabbit right in the eye, it was a perfectly clean kill.”

Ashlyn was reminded of the guard whose eye had come out when she retrieved had the arrow for Athyn. Remembering the wet sucking sound and the little plop at the end as the eye popped out, she gagged and couldn’t eat when the perfectly roasted meat was offered to her. She did drink another cup of her tea however, sipping it slowly to try to settle her stomach.

Alan returned to camp with news that the path between here and the dragon cave was clear. It would be about a three hour hike so they decided to pack up and get started. The mood was subdued as they hiked. John scouted ahead. Alan trailed behind to watch for anyone tailing them. The friar, Will and Robin were silent.

Athyn, realizing that if they found what they were looking for he might be going home, started sniffling. He cast forlorn looks over his shoulder at Ashlyn while she glared back at him. She thought about Alan’s advice. She knew that whatever she decided she would have to choose for herself, not for anyone else.

She was surprised and almost disappointed when no zombies, guards, or dragons came along to stop them. They reached the foot of the mountain around noon so Robin and Athyn made their way into the woods to hunt down some lunch. The friar found a cool spring flowing down the mountain while Will started gathering sticks and branches to burn.

He didn’t bother to chop any, which surprised Ashlyn since he seemed to chop wood even when they didn’t need it. Instead he started a small blaze and then slumped beside it. He hadn’t met her eyes since they had started out on the trail. She wanted to comfort him, but realized that he would feel guilty if he saw how obvious his opinion of the matter was. She knew that everyone was trying to let her make her own decision and not to influence it.

The friar whistled a merry tune while they boiled a new bunch of leaves and berries for tea. Ashlyn had worked out an idea for crushing up the leaves and binding them in a pouch then letting the pouch steep in the water. The crushed leaves gave off more flavor than the whole ones had. The pouch made it much easier to remove the leaves when the tea was ready. Then they crushed up the berries and mixed them in. The tea was even better this time. It seemed to bring up the spirits of the group a little.

* * *

As they crept through the trees looking for prey, Athyn thought out his argument. When they stopped to rest he plunged ahead, even though he knew what the answer would be. “Can’t you make her stay? Don’t you want us here?”

Robin sighed and looked sadly down at the boy, “Of course we want you Athyn, both of you, but Ash has to make her own decision here. What if we made her feel like she didn’t have any choice but to stay? If she stayed because of that and ended up hating the difficulties of life here, don’t you think she would end up resenting all of us? I’ve already told this to Will. We have to let her decide, because if we try to decide for her…well trust me, it wouldn’t end well.”

Athyn shook his head, “It’s just not fair Robin. I want to stay here. Will you let me stay? If she decides to go back?” Even though Alan had already explained why that was a bad idea he had to ask.

Robin turned to him, “I would love it if you two stayed. But it’s not my place to step in between you and your sister. She is your guardian Athyn, she has gone through so much, even before you both came here, to keep you two together. “

Athyn looked away, hating that he was just a kid and didn’t get to make any of the important decisions. “I have to live with whatever she decides too,” he grumbled.

Robin nodded, “I know. It is very difficult being young Athyn. But I do believe that whatever she decides, it will be what she feels is best for you both.”

Athyn turned his eyes to the sky, hoping the tears wouldn’t start falling again. He imagined running away as Ashlyn took hold of the amulet and watching as she disappeared without him. He wanted to cry at the thought of her leaving him, and knew that he didn’t want to stay here without her. The only good choice in his mind was for both of them to stay.

Robin pointed out a flock of birds and explained to Athyn how he would have to track ahead before shooting so that the arrow would fly to where the bird will be rather than where it was when he shot. Three arrows fell behind and the fourth was too far ahead of the flying birds, but his fifth arrow struck true and a plump bird fell to the ground with his arrow protruding from its chest.

Robin grinned as they hurried to it and scooped it up, “See, you really are a natural.” He praised. Athyn wanted to complain that it didn’t matter if he was good at this, if Ash dragged him back to his own time he would have no use for this skill, other than stupid archery competitions, but he kept his mouth shut, knowing it was a pointless self-pitying argument. He gathered the arrows that he could find and followed behind as Robin led the way back to camp.

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