Alone At Last IX

[Kate Miller]

Will’s top, tapered and finished. She cast it aside. She’d finished their order. Now she was free to do as she wished. Basically. She’d end up sitting around watching her youngest sister be Marian in a game of ‘Outlaws’ and refuse to kiss the newest boy that played Robin. She’d laugh, Rachel would glare, but continue playing and run off with Mark. Or Much. Whoever it was he was playing. Bless her.

She smiled to herself as she leant back in the chair and watched the green. More people were spilling out of their houses, off to market. Tomorrow was drop off day, so they could eat the remains of their food. Tuesday was a happy day. And the fullest day you could comprehend. She looked over at the stable, soon the Horsemen would be going about their daily business. She just hoped that the outlaws managed to get the guards out in time.

Her thoughts wandered. She saw the grins on his face. His fight with the beefy guard. Him falling to the floor. The doorway, him kissing her on the hand. Her blushing. She felt the hotness creep back onto her cheeks, as she tried to wish it away. But wishing didn’t help. She let out a groan and brought her palm to her forehead hitting away the thoughts of him.

Like wishing, it didn’t help. Her thoughts still wandered to the outlaw in the back room. The man she had flirted with, and him her. The man she had smiled at, and him her. The man she was willing to risk life and limb for. And him her. He had gone to face Jacob to keep his friends safe. He’d ordered her to stay. Pretend she didn’t know him. She hadn’t. She had gone against him like she did her father. She felt guilty for it. Of course she did. But it was that or let him be beaten to a pulp. She couldn’t allow that.

A coy smiled made it’s way to join the redness of her face. She thought of him pulling hr down, her hand on his chest the awkwardness of it all. The righ-

No.

Nothing could happen. As much as it seemed she liked him. He was an outlaw. She couldn’t like him. In any sense of the word. If anybody found out about yesterday she was as good as dead. Anything further with any of the gang and she was done for. She couldn’t be thinking like this. Not about him anyway. Certainly about the Thatcher’s eldest boy. And the Carpenter’s son. But not him.

Even if she wasn’t found out by law. If her father knew. Allan had to be a good three years, maybe more, older than her. As although that had been alright for her lady, it was not for her. She needed somebody younger. Less likely to have… experienced, the world. Much like she was sure Allan had. It certainly seemed that way.

No.

Allan she could not like. Not that she didn’t want to, she did. But she couldn’t. No matter how safe he’d made her feel. She’d just have to convince herself that it was due to him being another presence. A guest in their home and unable to play witness to such things.

No.

Allan she could not let into her life. She could not allow it. Would not allow it. And this time the conditional tense wasn’t going to win. Not wouldn’t. Won’t. Not Couldn’t. Can’t. Not shouldn’t. Shant.

No.

Allan A Dale was off limits. At least. Until he was no longer an outlaw.

Until such times. She heard a shuffling in the back room. She didn’t want to impose herself. Not now. So she stay, sat were she was. In her new found frame of mind. She’d wait for him to come out and leave. She wouldn’t go running to him.

[Allan A Dale]

Allan, eventually, managed to push himself up into a sitting position and he began to take stock of what was hurt, tender, and bruised. His chin was particularly sore, as was his stomach, and his ankle was still the size of... well, it was bigger than it ought to be, and the colour was worrying him slightly. It was a slightly blackish blue, which wasn't normal.

He lifted up his crinkled, slept in shirt and nodded; yep, bit of a sore bruise there, but poking it didn't seem to result in any extra pain, so he supposed he was probably alright. His wrists were a bit tender too. He thought he'd be worse off.

He pulled himself up with the help of the wall, slipped the other boot on as far as he could and pulled it back off again, and hobbled his way into the other room. Djaq was going to kill him.

He waved halfheartedly at Kate, grimacing. Would he even make it back to the camp like this? He needed to know what had happened.

"Morning," he greeted, doing his best to seem cheerful and chipper but failing and coming across as despairing, he feared.

[Kate Miller]

Kate looked round, and smiled at him, a morning greeting nothing more. So she told herself. ”Morning, sleep okay?” she asked not standing from where it was she sat. She’d happily stare out of the window all day. If her father would let her of course. He wouldn’t. But she could hope.

”You want me to take a look at your breeches?” she asked leaning back in the chair her bare foot against the wood. The front legs of the chair coming off the floor slightly. Acting casual and doing nothing remotely attraction worthy would get the day done without her failing in her ‘No Allan’ mission.

Or so she hoped anyway.

She looked down at his ankle. His boot had been forced on, as far as its swelling would allow. He wasn’t staying. She didn’t know whether that was a good thing or not. Certainly it made he plan easier. But did he really want to leave that quickly? She could huff and moan about it all late. But she could tell he wanted back at camp. She wasn’t going to stop him. She wanted to know what had happened too. She wasn’t about to hinder somebody else from doing so either. Especially when he too cared for her friends.

She just hoped that Will was okay. And Luke. The entire gang, but those two especially.

”You off?”

[Allan A Dale]

"Slept like a log!" Allan grinned, realising he'd left the bedding in a mess. Oops. He stretched a little and shrugged, looking down at his trousers. He was finding them quite comfy loose, and they weren't so bad as to hinder his movements when running, he thought, so his belt would probably suffice.

"Y'can if you want," he answered, though, remembering her mentioning it several times the previous day. He followed her gaze to his ankle, and looked back up with a quirked eyebrow. "You a foot person, eh? I prefer arms, meself, but each to their own!"

"You off?"[/i] He nodded."Wanna see if Will's back, need to check up on the guards in the barns, and I probably ought to turn 'em free at some point. I don't know if the others will even remember that they're in there." He rubbed his chin. He wouldn't be forgetting any time soon. He titled his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry. Another time, maybe?"

Idly he wondered if he'd actually make it back to camp on his own, but shook the thought off. He had to. No one was going to remember he was here, probably, in all the excitement, and he couldn't really stay much longer.

"I'll let you know Will's okay, yeah?" he asked. Brightening, he said, "Besides, I owe you three favours, madam. And I always repay my debts."

He thought about that for a moment, shrugged, then added, "Unless it's a gambling debt. But who pays those back, eh?"

(OOC - sorry short *runs to college*)

[Kate Miller]

”Well, you’re walking on it alright, and after last night I expected it to be unbearable. I guest you prove me wrong!” she said with a smile. Still leaning back in the chair. She rocked it a few times before settling it on all four legs and turning to face him, her body now side on the chair.

”Well if you need to go you need to go. Call back whenever, I’ll fix it. And if you guys need anything else - don’t hesitate to ask.” She nodded and smiled. She could understand his need to get back to the camp. She’d want to in his position. She did in hers if she was going to be honest. She worried about Will and Luke as it was, when they weren’t in serious danger. Now it was a lot worse.

”I’ll let you know Will’s okay, yeah?”[/i] she smiled gratefully at him before replying, ”That would be great, thanks.” so he’d be back? She hoped he would be. He was great company and everything, but it was al a little awkward. A little strange. ”Or send Luke with news. If he’s coming back here that is.”

The mood in the room brightened as he mentioned owing her. Which he did. Three favours. But what could an outlaw possibly do for a peasant Or rather, what could one of Robin’s gang do, that they didn’t do already, that is.

”Thanks for the company. It’s been nice talking to somebody different for a change,” she rubbed her nose, trying to rid herself of the awkwardness she was feeling. ”See you again?”

[OOC - short but I really don't have anything left XD]
OOC2 - too short to be a post so I'll stick it here XD)

Kate sighed as he left, and looked after him as he hobble. She let out a breathe and looked around the room, towards the mill and back out over the green. She pushed off of the desk one final time with her foot, coming slamming to the floor on the other two legs. "Right, then, work to do!

[Allan A Dale]

Allan smiled, hiding a grimace. Yeah, he was walking on it. And it hurt like hell. But he'd deal - he always did. He'd probably be worse off when he managed to get back to the camp. If no one was around, he could relax. If they were... well, he was kinda screwed. Simple as. He was actually pretty good at dealing with pain, normally.

"Yeah, Luke'll let you know... And you never know when we'll be around," Allan grinned, as he'd probably be the one to take over Will's deliveries until he was better, if he needed rest. He also fully expected Will to try and send Luke away, probably back to Scarborough, but if not at least here where he'd be relatively safe. He nodded thanks as Kate chucked a sack at him, looking inside to find several sets of clothes for the gang. "Cheers!"

"Can't say it's been too painful chatting to you either, Kate," he replied as he made his way to the door, raising his hand to his head as if tipping a hat to her, bag firmly clutched in his other hand. "'Course you'll see me again. Running away from the Sheriff, no doubt."

With that, he slipped out the door and began whistling as he strode (see: hobbled) his way to the paths leading away from Knighton, and slipped into the surrounding forests when no one was looking.

It was time to go home. He needed the bloody rest.