A Place Called Home [Tag A+L]

[Kate Miller]

”Don’t let Luke here you say that, or he’ll kicked you again.” she said with a laugh, she couldn’t recall why he’d kicked him before, but he had where or not it left a mark, again she didn’t know. ”I’m guessing your ankles better now then” she indicated his standing without trace of grimace.

”Him and my father don’t exactly have the greatest of pasts. With the stealing and all, so I can understand why he’d rather keep a distance. she l tot a chuckle when he mentioned the Sheriff’s tendencies to inflict pain on the unexpecting. ”Yeah, I tend to hide when the Sheriff’s around. I didn’t plan on going out on Monday when he was here. But no, Luke had to go chasing after Will.”

She ducked away slightly as he waved his hand around, and unconscious choice, she didn’t want to be caught by it. She’d had quite enough of that, but she knew he didn’t intend on touching her. But better safe than sorry.

When he stopped waving his arms around, and leaned into her, she went back to where she was before. ”Always the quiet ones that are a bit strange.””If a pretty girl is gunna fuss over you, you take it don’t ya?” ‘You do… okay, modest thoughts Kate, MODEST!/[/i]

”Well you are certainly a very pre- nice bloke.” She blushed slightly at her slip, indeed he was extremely pretty. Well good looking. Very handsome. Pretty in a manly way… obviously. ”Nicer than most.” she grinned, and hoped that her father, and Luke, couldn’t here this conversation. It would be embarrassing to say the least, and Luke would, and her father would certainly disagree with her fancy. Her father because he didn’t know him, Luke because it was Allan. An outlaw and Will’s best friend.

[Allan A Dale]

"Bah, he goes anywhere near my shins and I'll take him back to Scarborough," he grumbled, remembering Luke's rather accurate kick. He'd been trying to help stop the kid killing himself, and hadn't deserved it, but he couldn't remember if he'd gotten an apology for it or not. Probably not, considering there were more pressing circumstances.

Actually, now he thought about it, being around Luke had given him a few injuries so far. He rubbed his chin in memory of the pain; he was lucky it hadn't bruised, Luke had headbutted him pretty hard. He looked down at his feet and lifted the offending ankle up, twisted it a bit.

"Eh, it's alright," he said, then looked back up at Kate. "Told ya I heal fast."

"Yeah I can't say I blame your dad for being a bit funny with him really, and Luke with your dad," he admitted; he didn't like to hang around with people who might rip him off. Of course, he was more likely to do the ripping off. He shrugged. "Hiding's a good idea. Give 'em what they want and they might leave you alone."

Sometimes.

"You have to tell me all about little Will Scarlett. He don't tell us nothing 'bout his childhood!" Allan declared. He'd always wanted to know if Will had gotten into any mischief; surely no one could stay at home all day and just... carve? The fact he'd gone and stolen a bag of flour was testament to the fact the young man was willing to do more devious things, desperation or not. What secrets was Will hiding?

Anyway, if he couldn't get it out of Kate, he was sure Luke would be happy to embarrass his big brother. Something told Allan that if they could get beyond the slightly dodgy start they'd had, they could be good friends, or at least allies in the never ending game of tormenting Will Scarlett (in the nicest possible way, of course).

Allan was pleased with the attention. He always took compliments well. "You ain't too bad yourself are ya?"

He wasn't sure they should be playing that game again though. Last time he'd been here her dad had nearly jumped down his throat. He didn't really fancy that again, especially if he hadn't actually done anything. A change of subject was in order.

"So come on! Will Scarlett, the early years. Please tell me he got into trouble? Stuck up a tree?" Allan pleaded. He wanted something to tease the carpenter about. "Or if you know any good stories about Marian or Robin, that'd be just as helpful."

Who said he had to keep his teasing to one person?

[Kate Miller]

”You’re willing to go that far just to get rid of him if he kicks you again?” she laughed, Scarborough wasn’t exactly the closest of places. ”And I’m glad to hear it! Can’t have you being rendered useless against any more guards now can we?”

”Personally I’d rather be on my own paying taxes then being a guest here, paying taxes. I doubt Dad’s gunna be the nicest of people to him, or anybody. He’ll make him pay for everything. Force him into working. Luke doesn’t know what he’s in for I’m telling yah!” she laughed slightly. It was true, if he father let Luke stay he wasn’t going to get a good deal out of it.

”You give them what they want, they still won’t leave you alone. Or they think of something else they [/i]need[/i]!”[/b] it was safe to say Kate really didn’t like the Sheriff much, if at all. All he did was steal from them openly, with them powerless against him. They refused to hand everything over, and they were dead.

Kate’s cheeks tinged pink and she looked away from him, if only for a second before she looked back up at him with a small smile on her face. Nothing came of the comment, which was good. Her father and her best friend from childhood were in the next room. It probably wasn’t the best of ideas.

She was overly grateful when he decided to another change of subject. They seemed to be rather good at that. Uncomfortable subject? New subject! ”What’s there to tell, his father taught him the trade, he spent a long time witling away at things. May some pretty cool things over the years. Always got a homemade present for birthdays. He was a well behaved kid, most of the time. Sure him, me and my brother had a great time messing around. Playing down by the stream and stuff. One time we had a rope swing over the deep bit, he fell off, into the stream, safe to say he got a cold.”

She pondered for a while, Robin and Marian? She never really saw either of them when they were really little. Marian was three years older than her, Robin six. She remembered something from when Marian had been about eleven. Maybe a little younger. Robin had dared her to climb the tallest tree in Knighton. Not that huge but big enough for her to get stuck. She voiced the story. The young girl had gotten herself quite the crowd. Robin had been laughing, his teenage self quite the cruel kid.

She didn’t have any stories about Robin though, she’d not grown up close enough to him to have them. ”Robin was always in Locksley, or Nottingham. So I don’t really know. It was rare for him to be here as a child, with Marian’s father being at the castle. They spent most of their time there, occasionally venturing back here.”

[Allan A Dale]

Allan scratched the back of his head. "Well, maybe not that far, but I'm not saying I wouldn't help him pack." He liked the kid, really, but he was still a little miffed. He held grudges over the most insignificant things.

Apparently Kate liked to dig at him. If it had been the other way round, he would have too. Except it would never have been the other way round, would it? His mental-Djaq (some aspect of his conscience, he figured - he'd long ago stopped worrying that it manifested itself as his friends and family at whim) prodded him and told him to be nice; women were just as tough as men, as she, Marian and Kate had shown him. Still, he raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I weren't totally useless! Distracted him, didn't I? Give me some credit!"

Personally, Allan didn't find anything wrong with Peter charging Luke for everything. Considering the taxes that were unavoidable, he needed the income and at the end of the day the money would help to put food in Luke's stomach, wouldn't it? Luke would work hard, and earn his keep; Will seemed sure of it, anyway. Allan didn't know him well enough to tell. In the end he just nodded. He couldn't comment, it wasn't his place (not that it had ever stopped him before) and he didn't know the people well enough at all. Maybe in a few months...

"All I ever seemed to get was "Allan, saddle my horse!" or "Do as I say!". Guess it's a bit different when you're working for 'em rather than just living under them," Allan mused aloud before he could stop himself. At least he hadn't mentioned the couple of death threats. And he knew Guy had favoured him a bit, but he was a funny git in Allan's opinion and had strange ways of showing his affection.

Allan groaned a little. That was it? He'd always thought the quiet man might be a bit more... more... well, misbehaved kid. It was always the quiet ones, after all. But no, Will just had to be a complete duck* all his life. Were there no knowledgeable gossips in this shire? Not even the escapades of the infamous outlaw leader and his stubborn-headed future wife(y) had any real interest. Had this place just been boring before Vaysey came into power? Oh well, he'd always find something else. His ears perked up a little when Kate mentioned birthdays.

"Oh yeah? When's yer birthday?" he asked, honestly interested. He pegged her for a summer child, somehow - she had that air about her. But, then again, he acknowledged he was probably wrong. He shook his head before she could speak. "Wait, let me guess. May? June?"

* Uh yeah ^_^;; Well ducks are dull, right? *licks* Love Will really~

[Kate Miller]

Kate laughed, helping him pack? He was as good as gone as it was, and it wasn’t like Will was going to let him join them all that soon anyway. By the time that Will would actually allow him into the forest even the Sheriff would have gotten over the grudge. So it would be safe to say it would long forgotten by Allan.

”Not totally useless. Not really,” she jested and turned away as he started mocking Gisborne. She started folding the dress she had just put together, gathering the threads and needles, popping them all in a neat pile before her so she could place them straight in the cupboard after Allan had gone.

”Well you’d best get used to living under them I guess. We all do don’t we? Even Robin, though I suppose he likes to pretend otherwise.” not that she was suggesting he wasn’t used to it. But if he was complaining about how he was treated as ‘Sir Guy’s Man’, he should try being a peasant in Nottingham. It wasn’t easy, and some of the time it really wasn’t all that fun either.

”Sorry, but as you can probably guess, Will wasn’t really one not to follow on the straight and narrow. He didn’t really do anything all that bad. The usual kid stuff, but nothing else.” she failed him on that topic, so now he was changing the subject again.

"Wait, let me guess. May? June?" she ran her fingers over the material in font of her and smiled. ”Close, but no.” she paused slightly, and laughed at his guessing, one month out. ”July. July the 23rd.” she nodded. Why was it hat important really? After Luke was sorted here, and Will was back on his feet, she would probably never see the guy again.

”What about you then?” she asked, ”I’m rubbish at guessing these things, but you seem like an autumn kinda guy. September or October time.”

[Allan A Dale]

Allan raised an eyebrow. Was she being patronising? He shrugged, brushed it off. He cringed a little; was it just him or did she seem to be nagging him for his comment? He hadn’t meant he was complaining or saying that it was more difficult to work for them rather than just live there (ok, so yes he was complaining a little, but hey, he liked complaining!) and he felt like he’d offended Kate. He mumbled an apology before picking up on the Robin topic.

”Lord of Locksley and all that, innit? Don’t think he’ll ever be able to forget that he was a lord, or anything that comes with it you know? I mean he still bosses Much around a lot, though he’s a free man and all now, but I dunno, maybe the guy finally got a backbone. Robin ain’t been doing it that much lately.” Allan scratched his head.

”’Course, we ain’t been back that long so there’s no saying he ain’t going to fall back into bad habits.”

I know I will, he thought, fingers already itching to dupe some poor sod out of his hard earned wages. What could he say? He was a thief, it was in his nature! The careful process of picking the right victim, the thrill of getting the prize, the excitement of the escape, the pleasure and pride of getting away... He smiled at Kate, worried it might look a bit sharkish with the thoughts going through his head.

He frowned a little and walked over to the wardrobe in the room. It was alright, it was. ”Figures. It would’ve been too good if he’d been a bad kid, you know, tease him and all!” he said, a little disappointed. Under his breath, he mumbled, ”Bloody duck...”

He perked up a bit when she said he was only one month out. He was usually good at guessing that, too. It had been a good trick to get him a pretty penny from the noblewomen who occasionally wandered through Rochdale when he was a kid. They always seemed so amused that he even knew the months, but always through the coin at him – didn’t want to get dirty now, did they? Allan noted the date in his head, and decided that if he remembered (which was unlikely, he’d never been good at remembering people’s birthdays, mostly because he never knew what the date was), he’d try to get her something. He didn’t know what, but... something. She’d probably like it.

Allan grinned. ”You’re right, you’re bloody awful.” He stretched a little as he spoke; he was feeling a little stiff from the standing around. He liked to move around while he was out, though once he got settled back down at camp he’d be a nightmare to move. ”January. Nice try though.”

He walked over to the window and stuck his head out of it, looking at the sky. It was probably time for him to get going, or at least to leave Kate alone before her dad or someone came back and tried to accuse him of using her.

"Hey, uh, you dunno if Luke'll be much longer do you? I mean, not that you would but if you had to have a guess?" He hoped he didn't come off as (too) impatient.

[Kate Miller]

It didn’t surprise Kate to hear that Robin still pretty much bossed Much around. From the little she had seen of him in his youth-filled years he always had then – she didn’t expect that to ever change. But for Robin not to do it too much, maybe the ex-manservant had said something about it finally. She hoped so anyway. He seemed a nice enough chap.

She rolled her eyes, back into habit? If that was one habit that was likely to return, then what others were there? She could sense his thoughts wondering slightly, he got that sort of look in his eye. But that train of thought soon went forgotten when he smiled at her – she smiled back.

After his initial complaining that Will was too good, and thus no fun to take the Mickey out of, she heard him mumble something about a duck. What the hell did ducks have to do with any of this? She raised and lowered her eyebrow before shaking it off. Some sort of outlaw thing that was for sure.

”I said I was bad! But I was only what? Three, maybe four months out.” she chuckled as he stretched. ”I’ll make sure to remember it. Outlaws, brown hair, blue eyes, facial hair – good lo- humoured, if slightly cheeky – makes a January child. Got it.

He was wondering around, looking out of the window. Bored was he? Or just not wanted for her father to come in with him there again. He would only take it the wrong way and then there really wouldn’t be any hiding the man’s temper from Luke.

”I can’t imagine he’d been too much longer. Knowing Luke and my father they’d try and get the conversation over, I’m surprised it’s gone on that long really.” she commented, taking her seat back at the desk. Standing next to or near the outlaw in presence would force her father’s thoughts to the wrong place. So if she was sitting, nothing could be ‘happening’. Advantage not taken. Not that Allan was about to try anything. Even if he wanted, he valued his life to highly.

”You getting bored of us peasant folk already?”

[Allan A Dale]

Allan noticed the quirked eyebrow and was a bit confused. Did she hear him? She didn’t pursue it anyway, so it wasn’t like it mattered. He gave Kate a slightly exaggerated bow as she complimented him, and felt slightly pleased she was going to try and remember it. It was... thoughtful. He was, frankly, touched enough by this that he didn’t notice her slip as she said ”good lo- humoured”, but replaying the sentence in his mind caused him to grin. Aw, wasn’t that sweet?

He nodded as she replied to his (rather stupid) question – how would she have known anyway? It wasn’t like she was a mind reader or anything. He, too, was a little surprised that Luke had been away so long; he’d wanted to make sure the kid was at least somewhat settled in before he went back to camp. Or, if daddy Miller wasn’t playing nice, at least he could make sure Luke got back to the camp relatively safely so he could hang about until something else could be arranged.

He shook his head frantically. ”Bored? No, no!” he exclaimed, spinning back to face Kate rapidly and sticking his hands out as if it would stop the insinuation. ”I just haven’t been this long on a drop off before, it’s a bit weird.” He rubbed the back of his neck a little. He added, quietly, as he turned back to the window, ”If I’m honest, everything’s a bit weird now...”

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, but still unwilling to leave until he’d seen Luke, he searched his mind for something to say and found himself utterly lacking. It was a bit stunning – he always had something to say! Perhaps he was just exhausted still... Yeah, that had to be it.

”Er, nice weather we’re having eh? Think it’ll hold?”

(OOC – Totally. Utterly. Stuck.)

[Kate Miller]

Kate blushed. So listing the features of the guy probably wasn’t the greatest of moves. But hey, it could have been worse. At least Luke hadn’t walked in on it. He would lock her away whenever hey outlaws were around. He really didn’t appear to like Allan all that much, at least not enough to let him near Kate. And it would take far too much effort to explain that shameless flirting was harmless and lead to nothing.

It was getting more worrying the longer Luke was taking, knowing her father he’d be putting him through his paces, trying to employ him to work the Mill. Though Kate didn’t expect it was his top choice of places to work. Let alone live, Allan had mentioned that. Luke wanted to live in the forest, not with his peasant friend. Well for now it would have to suffice. No more kidding himself into being an outlaw just yet.

”Glad to hear it, Mr A Dale,” she said with a slight laugh and smiled at him, ”Drop and run is the norm I guess. Get away as soon as possible to make sure capture is least likely?” it made sense for it to be weird, but for everything to be?

”In what way? I don’t mean to pry but surely life as an Outlaw is always weird?” she asked. The average day for Robin’s gang appeared to be, raid something, get the loot, share it out amongst villages and the people of Nottingham. Hardly what one would call normal now was it?

”think it’ll hold?” he was seriously talking about the weather? Did he really have nothing else? She rolled he eyes as she peered out, it was a particularly nice day - she’d give him that. Shame really that she couldn’t freely go out and enjoy it really.

”Let’s hope so. Saturday after next this new Lord bloke, Mannering has mentioned something about a Silver Arrow Contest. Masquerade party free food and drink… it’s like he’s begging for you guys to show.”

[Luke Scarlett]

Luke had never been so terrified to go and talk to someone in his life and it seemed his fears had been pretty well founded. At first it seemed Kate's dad had thought he was a customer and he'd oozed charm and lulled Luke into thinking that maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. Then Peter had recognised and all the charming hospitality had evaporated to be replaced by an angry man who seemed a bit like he was shouting even when he wasn't.

Somehow he'd managed to stutteringly explain that he needed a place to stay and that he'd be willing to pay for the room and any meals he ate there. Peter had said he needed to pay off the flour he'd stolen as well and that he wouldn't hesitate to go to the authorities if Luke was still associated with that no good outlaw. He'd clenched his jaw and nodded meekly along knowing that it was either find a place here or be forcibly dragged back to Scarborough by the very outlaw he had just lied about disowning. From there the conversation had gone downhill with Peter only giving him a week to find a job or he would be out on his ear and throwing in several barbed comments about his father's parenting skills that almost made Luke snap.

He'd been dismissed what felt like hours later with instructions to find Kate and tell her to make him up a bed. Shoving his hands in his pockets, partly to hide the slight trembling in his hands due to relief about having that awful conversation over and done with, he headed out to the front of the house. Kate would probably be there and maybe Allan, if the outlaw had waited around long enough to see he was settled rather than just abandoning him without a backward glance.

"It's like he's begging for you guys to show." Well that sounded like Kate and Luke stuck his head round the door then sidled in when he confirmed that it was indeed his childhood friend.

”Show for what?” He asked curiously and trying not to seem shaken from his conversation. He didn't want Allan thinking he was total wimp and Kate would only worry if he looked too ashen.

[Allan A Dale]

Allan nodded. Yeah, peg it when they had the chance. That was generally what they'd done... Unless Robin wanted to see them praising him or something. Allan had stayed behind, once or twice, and the villagers always acted as though Robin himself had put it there. He couldn't be everywhere at once, but he did (eventually) realise that it wasn't about the nobleman helping them out anymore; as they’d been saying for a while with their little shout of “We are Robin Hood!”, it was the ideal of the group more than the aid of the single man.

Although it still irritated everyone a bit.

”Always weird?” he repeated. Not really – being an outlaw had been Allan’s life for years, he was perfectly used to the quirks of being an outlaw. It was more... the people. Everyone had changed so much and it disturbed him a bit. He’d been hoping everything would just slot back into place but recent events had shaken everyone up. ”I dunno. Something’s just a bit... off.” He turned slightly to face Kate again and gave her a quick grin. ”It might all be weird for you, but it’s just another day for me.”

Allan’s ears perked up at this news. ”New lord? What’s that now?” He pondered over Kate’s information and rubbed his chin, thinking. It screamed of a trap already, but he knew that Robin (and certainly Marian) would welcome news of the sort. After all, as Robin would probably say, what was the point in turning down such a kind and generous invitation...?

”You’d think the Sheriff has a stash of these silver arrows somewhere...” Allan grumbled. He pondered the idea again, and recalled Kate had mentioned a name. He wasn’t sure he remembered it from the (very brief) drill he’d been given on potential visitors when he’d worked for Guy. ”What did you say the lord’s name was?”

”Show for what?” Luke asked, popping his head round the door and nearly (nearly) making Allan jump out of his skin. He grinned at the lad and gave him a small wave.

”Sounds like your new home’s getting a new boss too,” Allan beamed, already thinking of the possibilities that could arise from this. Surely all the nobles would be in attendance... How much money could they steal from them? Or, if they didn’t go to the contest, think of how easy it would be to raid the castle! He was sure there would be fewer guards, what with the lure of free refreshments... Besides, it was clearly a trap so most of them would be there, ready to catch Hood and his outlaws. It was the perfect opportunity for a plunder! He almost rubbed his hands together in a childish, devious glee but managed to compose himself.

”You... have managed to get settled in here, right?” Allan asked, a bit nervous. He didn’t fancy showing back up at camp with Luke in tow – everyone would be furious.

[Kate Miller]

Kate let out a short laugh, ”Of course it’s a little weird for me. But this isn’t the first time I’ve had an outlaw in my house whilst I’m theoretically alone.” she grinned back up at him and leaned back in the chair she was sat in, again pushing the front two legs of the floor.

”Well the building of the Hall is finished. It was originally intended for Sir Edward to return to it. Lady Marian too. But, uh, well – you know how that ends.” she mumbled before continuing, ”Mannering. Sebastian Mannering. I think he’s from London, or something, he’s no local man anyway.” That’s all she’d gotten from the washer women before they’d seen fit to shoo her away for being ‘nosey’. Because of course it was Kate who was being nosey. Not the women who continually talked about anybody but themselves.

”Show for what?”[/i] Luke’s unannounced entrance made Kate jump about half a foot in the air. Nearly falling backwards of the chair. She flailed slightly (hehe) and grabbed the desk leg pulling herself forwards. ”Knock much?” she asked she her heart beat went slightly crazy and she tried to settle herself down in the chair.

”Silver Arrow Competition” she stated in answer to his question. ”Held in bright old Knighton. Free food and drink for everybody. Attendance compulsory by Everyone. And when I say that I mean it. You won’t be able to breathe let alone move!”

Sure, Kate was happy to see that Luke in fact was still alive. That he hadn’t had his neck rung, nor been quartered. But she let out a short breath before smiling at him, ”Everything alright?” she asked, not only implying about his personal health, but his housing situation.

[Luke Scarlett]

Luke chuckled as Kate jumped and Allan looked startled when he spoke, they'd clearly been too absorbed in their conversation to pay any attention to people coming in and out of the room. "Knock? Why?" He asked still grinning. "It's the front room and it's not like you and Allan were doing anything... questionable were you?" He was only teasing but he still shot a warning look at Allan. If the outlaw tried anything Luke wouldn't be the only one baying for his blood.

"A new lord. A fair. Free food." Luke said moving to lean against a wall feeling much more comfortable now that he was back with friends and not people who would try to have him hanged. "Sounds like a pretty interesting time to be back in Knighton." He was saying it mainly to ease his guilt about kicking up such a fuss about leaving the forest. He didn't want Kate to think he didn't want to stay with her and it was unfair to drag Allan into an argument with his brother. Neither of them needed to know he was still smarting about being practically thrown out of the gang and even though they probably wouldn't be entirely convinced he could still try to put on a brave face for them.

"Yeah, everything's sorted." He told them both, face dropping slightly. "Your dad wants you to make me up a bed somewhere. I have a week to find a job and I have to pay for my room, food and the debt me and Will owe him for the flour." Luke shoved his hands deeper into his pockets looking thoroughly despondent. He couldn't think of anything worse than working full time as anything other than an outlaw and he'd probably be paid pittance whatever he did. Flour wasn't cheap, it would take him far longer than he wanted to pay off the debt and if he tried to get out of it he'd probably end up in the castle dungeons again.

[Allan A Dale]

”It’s not like you and Allan were doing anything… questionable were you?”

Allan laughed loudly at that, even more so when the lad sent him a withering look that did, in fact, make him pause for thought. (There were some things suggested in that look that made Allan want to go and hide back in his pit trap.)

”I think her point, mate,” Allan said, still chuckling a little, ”Is that this is were she measures her customers; how’d you know you weren’t gonna walk in on a lady with no clothes on?” To be fair, Luke probably wouldn’t have known this, so it wasn’t fair for Kate to be scolding him. He’d been gone a long time, if he had ever known, anyway.

Allan nodded at Luke’s comment. ”Hey, if I wouldn’t be killed on the spot, I’d be sticking round too. Knighton’s a bit of alright, ain’t it?” He was, however, intrigued by Kate’s emphasis on obligatory attendance.

Compulsory? That’s a bit dodgy…

”Well, looks like we’ll all just have to come, if it’s compulsory!” Allan grinned, thoughts already jumping off on tangents. They’d need good disguises, but…

”Yeah, everything’s sorted.”[/i] Allan felt his heart go out to Luke a little; it sounded like the next little while was going to be a bit tough on him. He wondered if mentioning it to the gang might result in aid with this debt, but then he was unsure of doing that – what if it wounded Luke’s pride, insinuating he was unable to handle his own affairs? (Like they hadn’t done that already…) But Allan was sure he’d be alright, in the end. He had a good friend in Kate who, while not influential with her dad, would at least stand by him, and he was certain someone from the gang (most likely Will, after all) would come and make sure he was doing ok. He was, essentially, one of them by default – he just wasn’t doing the “risk your neck for a bit of gold or food” bit yet (at least, not in quite the same way. Allan wondered if it was more dangerous to live under the roof of a man who could be considered your enemy, than it was to run around and be shot at by guards).

”You know, a lot of blokes would take you on and give you board as part of an apprenticeship,” Allan mused. ”Like if you were to become a blacksmith or something. My dad had this kid, Adam I think his name was, who slept by the forge because it stayed warm for bloody hours.” Allan shook his head; the boy had run away only a few months into his apprenticeship, but then his dad had been particularly harsh on him and whacked him with still-hot metal. Allan thought it wise to keep that tidbit to himself. ”You should ask about it, whatever job you get. Someone might have a nice barn you can sleep in for free, so all you’d have to worry about was paying off the debt and feeding yourself.”

Allan really hoped it didn’t sound like he was trying to get Luke out from Kate’s house. Well, he was, but only to make sure he didn’t feel like he was sleeping with the enemy or get paranoid about whether Peter had summoned the guards to take him away.

[Kate Miller]

Kate raised her eyebrow and laughed at Luke’s somewhat unneeded comment, because of course, with her father in the next room she was going to ‘fool around’ with a man. At outlaw. ”You scared me is all. And it’s only polite to knock before entering any room. “ Allan’s reasoning was also feasible though, but Luke knew that if somebody was indeed indecent, it would be in the changing room, with the curtain across if any.

”A very interesting time,” she muttered as she pushed back on her chair and stood. ”Knighton’s great, as long as you keep your head down and say yes and no when it’s called upon by the Sheriff. I’m surprise it was Knighton they tried to root out of a home for the mercenaries – with Guy’s grudge against us and all.”

”Then I’ll see you there, mask and all.” was she supposed to be excited by fetes and dresses - being a seamstress and all. But truth be told the only thing that she would get out of it would be more money. People of Knighton would want they’re best dresses fixed, and material for masks – things they could provide.

”There’s plenty of places round here that are begging for a helping hand. A few of the local farmers, other trades, whatever it is you want really.” There wasn’t a lot you couldn’t do in the area – loads of people needed help, always did. Some just couldn’t afford to pay more people than others.

(Laptop is about to die! Sorry its short!)