"All right?" Djaq asked me as I weakly looked up at her as I smiled and nodded. I glanced over to see Robin sitting against a nearby rock and pull a blunt arrow from his quiver on the floor and a knife to sharpen it.

"Yes. Thank you, Djaq." I smile weakly. I noticed that Robin watched Djaq leave, scraping at the point with his knife. When she has disappeared, he turned to me with a smile as I returned it simply yawning slightly. Robin soon stops sharpening and sits back against a large rock.

"Well, the bad news is you’ve been stabbed. But the good news is you don’t have to marry the man that stabbed you." He teased as I rolled my eyes and chuckled slightly.

"And what will happen?" I quizzed as he gave me 'I have a plan' face as I raised an eyebrow.

"When the King comes to Nottingham, I will make an entrance. He will let me speak; he trusts me. I will present the evidence, the physician will corroborate it, and...and Gisborne will be done for." He informed as I frowned slightly and gulped uneasy as I knew what he meant by 'done for'.

"Well, will he hang?" I asked in barely a whisper.

"Yes." He bluntly snapped as I weakly scowls and turns my head away. Something within me was frightened for Guy and desperate for him not to hang as I frowned wondering if I could possibly to my distaste be developing feelings for him.

"Esme, this is a man who would force you to marry him. A man who tried to kill the King, a man who stabbed you!" Robin snapped at me louder as I felt like a child being told off. His voice echoed making my head slightly as I glared back at Robin, did he not know me at all?

"Even so, I will never support hanging." I growled as Robin stares at me incredulously a moment, then looks away.

"What?" I asked him puzzled as Robin looks up, about to say something, then changes his mind. He shakes his head and looks down. I hate it when he does that.

"No, tell me." I demanded as he looks back up at me and stares solemnly at me for a moment before answering.

"I think you feel for him." He softly spoke as I felt my heart stop a beat and my throat catch in my throat. I felt nervous and fearful like you do when you've been caught in an act of something wrong. I gulped it away as I felt uncomfortable by these feeling and strong emotions towards Guy. Even if I came to accept them I knew Robin would never accept it. My father would if it made me happy but Robin….

"You are stirred by him." He jealously spat as I chuckled and turned away, pretending to find his immaturity amusing.

"He said it. And he was right, wasn’t he?" Robin demanded as he seemed threatening as though I was being committed for a crime and he was trying to get me to confess. I refused to answer as I knew my voice would betray me and I knew he was right, which made me feel defeated.

"You won't even deny it?" He asked though he voice seemed hurt and lost as I shook my head refusing to look at him as I swear I felt a tear run down my right cheek, hidden from his view.

"Grow up." I muttered.

"Well, this morning when you thought you had to marry him, you were happily resigned to your fate. His... “qualities”... and his “genuine feelings.” Robin growled as I looked at him scoffing.

"I was trying to be brave." I defended.

"But why? This whole Nightwatchman thing, it’s—"

"What whole Nightwatchman thing? I am only doing what you do, but with more intelligence. "I interrupted as Robin stands and comes to my side. I could tell he was angry, there was a dangerous spark in his eyes that made me fearful as I wished to sink deeper in the furs that I laid on.

"You would have thought you would have learnt by now. Every time you go out, you get arrested... or stabbed... or betrothed. Adding: You should stay at home and do your embroidery!" He scorned as I scoffs in utter disbelief at his affront and turns my head away. I couldn't believe him!

"I did not mean that." He spoke quietly after a few minutes of silence as I shook my head betrayed.

"Yes you did. You know, even my father, who is old and infirm and has a lot more to lose than you do, even he supports me more than you do! Ah!" I snapped back indignantly as I writhes in pain. As I spoke Robin stood up grabbing his quiver and turning his back to me walking away as I knew he didn't want to hear what I had to say to him.

"Esme, you need to sleep." Djaq tries to calm me down as I was fuming with Robin. How dare him! I shook my head and closed my eyes taking in deep breaths in hoping to calm myself down as I soon gave into the fog and essence of slumber.

*************

Esme is still unconscious. Robin is sitting on the floor at her side, his back to the rock, slumped over asleep. Esme’s hand is resting on his back. Djaq runs in and crawls up next to Esme.

"Esme? Wake up!" Djaq shouted at her as Djaq undoes Esme’s buttons to reach the wound again.

"You said to let her sleep." Robin yawned from his light sleep.

"This is not sleeping. This is her body shutting down." Djaq informs as Robin immediately stands up with alarm.

"Gisborne’s knife has caused damage inside. I must open her wound. Esme! Esme!" Djaq snaps fearful for Esme as she struggles to wake Esme before she is resulted in a final result and slaps her around the face only to make her groan and weakly open her eyes slightly.

"I do not feel well." Esme whispered as Djaq checked pupils.

"I need clean instruments. You stay here. Hold her hand. I’ll be quick. Do not let her sleep." Djaq instructed Robin as he nodded and grabbed her hand as Djaq climbs down from the rock and runs out of the cave.

*************

"Whose first?" He questioned as he swayed towards us as the men behind him snickered and laughed at the excitement of the sick treatment to come.

"Take me first" My mother begged trying to keep me hidden behind her as I shivered with fear as the men laughed and snickered at her bravery.

"Bring her to me" He instructed as two men gripped my mother's forearms holding her in place before I felt a strong hand grip my hair pulling me to my feet as I screamed.

"NO!" My mother shouted followed by a sudden snap as her pale cheeks burned red and slowly purple as I tried to get the grip to release my hair as they dropped me at the leader's feet. Bending down he snickered and laughed as I winced trying to look away or move away as he spat in my face.

"Welcome to hell dearie"

*************

Robin continued to lightly tap Esme’s nose keeping her awake as they both smiled. They remembered doing that as kids when they would venture out in the fields of Locksley and to prevent them from falling asleep Robin would tap her nose and Esme would poke his sides or his cheek. Djaq arrived not that much longer after and starts to undo Esme’s clothes.

"I will cut you open. If I can find the damage, I will sew it up." She informed truthfully to Esme as she saw Esme's wide eyes with anxiety as Robin stands and walks a few steps away.

"What are my chances?" Esme questioned as Robin turns back around with fear and dread in his eyes.

"If I do not do this, none. If I do, very little. My father treated the wounded in the battlefield. He said, “Never lie to a wounded man.” Djaq spoke truthfully as Esme leaned back stunned by her words as she sighed deeply.

"Or was it “Never lie to a dying man”?" Esme challenged with composure as Robin’s face intensifies.

"He said that, too." Djaq nodded as Esme sighed and knew that her life could end any moment and were in Djaq hands.

"You are not going to die." Robin assured me once Djaq had left as I shook my head. I knew my chances were low and I wasn’t going to deny it. Unlike Robin I wasn't going to pretend that the truth was false to make me feel better. It's better to accept it than pretend.

"We have never once spoken the truth to each other. For instance, I call you a fool when I mean you are a hero. Robin glances aside. I criticize your actions and then mimic them myself as the Nightwatchman. I chastise Robin Hood—" Esme started as Robin began to shh her in hope he wouldn’t have to accept the fact she might not make it as it made his heart shatter.

"I will not be shushed! These might be my last words." Esme demanded stubbornly as Robin chuckled slightly at her behaviour.

"No, they will not be. They cannot be. B—I should never have left you. I should never have gone to war. It was a mistake! And you were right. I wanted glory. But believe me, the battlefield is the last place you will find it." Robin pleaded as Esme shook her head as Robin knelt down besides her taking her pale hand in his warm rough one. He held it closely to him as though he let go she would melt away from him.

"You forget that I know you too well Robin. You would have always regretted it if you hadn’t gone." She whispered quietly.

Before Robin could continue Djaq returned and returned to Esme's side as they both went silent as Djaq pulls up Esme’s shirt with one hand, holding a large knife in the other.

"Robin, hold her." She instructed as Robin stands up and presses down on Esme’s shoulders as Djaq cuts into her. Esme arches her back and screams; Robin grimaces and turns and twists his head, unable to bear it. Djaq is still trying to mend Esme’s wound. She is poking around inside trying to see what she needs to do. Esme - moans, just about unconscious.

"I can’t reach it without causing further damage. Robin, press here. Stop the bleeding." Djaq instructed as Robin reaches in, squirms a bit and hisses. Esme lets out a soft moan and Djaq shakes her head in frustration.

"I cannot! I am not trained. I don’t have the right instruments. I can’t do it." Djaq snapped frustrated.

"Much, put your finger here. I need to get the physician." Robin informed as Much ran over and placed his fingers were Robin hand. He squirmed and winced at the feeling of blood sticking to his fingers and the unusual sense of feeling the heartbeat.

"There is no time." Djaq snapped.

"Make me time." Robin called as he dashed out of the cave…….