Vaisey and Jasper both walked out of the castle. Vaisey had a look of slight excitement on his face, while Jasper just looked amused. Both looks vanished when Guy walked up the stairs, now fully dressed in his proper leather attire, the fire not fully gone from his eyes.

"Ah, Gisborne. No sign of Hood's body I take it. Ah, no Linda either?" said Jasper, making Guy snarl in disgust. "You know, your future... your lives are hanging by a thread." Jasper looked to the both of them, smirking slightly. "I'll be back from Lincoln tomorrow to collect the Prince's money and view the body. Make sure both are ready," he said menacingly.

Walking down the steps, Guy scowled at the envoy and walked to the Sheriff's side. With a breath, he leaned back on the castle wall, glancing at the Sheriff.

"So melodramatic," said Vaisey in annoyance with a roll of his eyes. He frowned and waited for Jasper to leave.

The envoy was about enter the chariot, but stopped. "Oh, a thought on the spondulicks," he said, whipping around real fast to face them. "Hood was an outlaw. All outlaws had a stash. Robin Hood is now dead... apparently. Linda is somewhere... apparently." After a slight pause, he said, "I want my cut, man." Then he whipped around again and went inside the chariot, where it took him away.

Guy rolled his eyes, and clenched his fists. The mention of her name coming from his mouth made Guy want to knock his teeth down his throat.

"I'm loathe to say it, Gisborne," said Vaisey, interrupting Guy's train of thought, "but for once that preening ninny, he might be onto something."

*****

The sound of Robin's cough pulled Linda's attention away from tending his now fully dried and warmed up clothes. Sighing, she walked over to him.

"Hi," she whispered.

Robin shook his head to regain his eyesight. Looking around him, he saw that he was tied up against a rock. Giving a smug look to Linda, she cocked her head to Tuck, who was filling up a bowl with broth.

"The smell of my broth wake you, did it?" he said with a tiny smirk.

Nodding, Robin put an annoyed smirk on his face. "You knocked me out," he noted.

"Yeah, and it was all his idea," said Linda.

Tuck chuckled with amusement. Filling up the bowl completely now, Tuck walked to Robin's side, causing Linda to leave again and go behind Tuck.

"Here," said Tuck to Robin. "Come on. Drink this."

Dipping the spoon in the bowl, he spoon-fed Robin. He took a sip, but then spit it out on the other side. Tuck watched in shock, while Linda just shook her head.

"Robin Hood, you no-brained ninny," she muttered.

"You want to starve? Fine, starve," said Tuck.

"You best untie me," said Robin.

"Right. Not happening. Sorry," said Linda.

"I don't appreciate being trussed up here like a pig!"

"It's for your own good," said Tuck.

"And ours, too," added Linda.

"Now drink this!" commanded Tuck. "Come on!" After a small silence, Robin obeyed.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked. "The both of you?"

Tuck stirred the broth. "You know, years ago, when I left this country, the people of this nation were proud, strong, full of spirit," he started, and Linda settled down to listen. "Now I come back to see their backs broken, their hope shattered.

"Everywhere I go, I see fear and suspicion haunting their faces. And yet everywhere, I hear one name. Even from the mouths of children. One name whispered in hope. One name that keeps the flame of England burning."

"Robin Hood," whispered Linda, and Tuck nodded in agreement.

"Well, maybe that name's already dead—because I'm done with it," said Robin.

Linda and Tuck's faces both saddened, particularly Linda's. He knew his pain, and what he was going through, for Linda was, too. They both missed Marian very much, but Robin was suffering... and Linda didn't know what to do to help.

Sighing, Linda pulled Tuck to a corner.

"We need to give him some alone time," she whispered. "Maybe we could go foraging or hunting?"

Tuck nodded. "Yes, yes we could."

Tuck exited that cave, while Linda grabbed Robin's bow and quiver.

"Oi! That's my stuff," he said.

"Now you know what it feels like when you steal from others," she said with a smirk, and exited the cave.

Hunting was okay. Linda was able to catch a duck and snare a few fish. Tuck was able to gather some fruit and vegetables. Together, they made their way back to the cave... with Robin waiting for them in a white cotton shirt and black pants. As soon as Tuck went in, he shook his head disapprovingly.

"Oh, no, no, no, no," he said as he put down his basket, same with Linda with the duck and fish. "You're not going anywhere."

Figuring that this was his chance, Robin charged straight at him. Grabbing Tuck, he did a belly-to-belly suplex. Then he fought off Linda. They both wrestled each other, grabbing the bow. Robin won and threw her toward Tuck, still gripping the bow.

"Robin!" shouted Tuck, helping himself and Linda to their feet. Then they chased after Robin.

They ran across the path for two minutes, until they saw him. Two guards circled him, and he dodged their attacks easily. Punching one in the face, Robin cried out in pain. He used his bad arm. Tuck and Linda intervened. Tuck tackled one guard, while Linda fought off another with Robin's bow. Blocking the guard's attack with his bow, she kicked him in the groin.

"Wait!" she heard Tuck say. Whipping her head around, she found that Robin was hovering over a guard with a sword. Pulling Robin away from him, she gripped his good arm.

"He's just a boy, he doesn't know any better!" she shouted at him.

"Linda, Robin Hood is dead. It has to stay that way," he said. "I can be free of this at last!" Tearing out of her grip, he ran straight forward.

"Wait!" yelled Tuck, and pushed him back. "Let me deal with it. Let me deal with him. Let me deal with him. Okay?"

Robin sighed and shook his head. Walking backward, he pushed past Linda. The girl whipped her head around, narrowing her eyes and sticking her tongue out.

Idiot.

Grunting with effort, Tuck gripped the boy's collar. "Listen to me, lad," he said. "You'll leave now and never return. You won't tell a soul what you've seen here! Or I'll come for you one night, you'll die a terrible death! Swear on your mother's life!"

"I've seen nothing. I swear," said the boy.

"Go! Go!" said Tuck, and helped him to his feet. Then the boy ran off.

"Well done, Tuck!" said Linda in astonishment.

"Thank you," said he.

"Robin, you have to know that we can't let you kill Robin Hood," said Linda coming up behind him. "Give us one hour to change your mind."

Robin thought about it, then nodded shortly. "Because I trust you," he said.

Smiling, she hugged him. "Thank you."

Tuck was quick to end the moment. "Come, let's go."

Tuck led them through the forest, until they were near the entrance, sitting on a tall hill. When Linda got next to him, she had to try her best to hide her tears.

Locksley was in mayhem. Guards were busting in houses, and pulling out men, women, and children young and old. The leader? Guy of Gisborne. He was screaming orders to the guards, none of which she could hear because she had her face buried in Robin's neck. It was wasn't until Tuck tapped her shoulder did she begin to hear things... and see things, too.

"Linda, you need to see this."

*****

Guy and his henchmen rode into Locksley on horses. As soon as everyone saw them, they would cower back inside their homes.

"Grab them. Grab them all!" shouted Guy, and the guards obeyed.

One by one, guards stormed into houses, grabbing people and pushing them outside.

"Take them," commanded Guy in a raspy voice. "Everything they have. Everything they own. I want it. Bring them out. I want all of it. Gold, silver. 'Round their necks, 'round their wrists, in their filthy mouths. I want the lot."

"My lord!" called a guard, and Guy veered his horse around.

"What? Can't you see I am collecting taxes?" he said darkly.

The guard flinched. "Yes, my lord. This is tax collect... a late one."

Guy sighed. Getting off of his horse, he followed the guard, leading him to a family of four: Two boys, a girl, and a man. They were on their knees, hands tied behind their backs.

"Late tax, I hear," Guy said flatly. A small pouch was handed to him. Frowning, he opened it. His eyes widened piles of gold were stacked in top of each other. But that's not what shook him, for it was the label inside that bag:

Linda.

"How did you get this?" he questioned.

The girl, probably in her teens, answered with, "Why do you want to know?"

"Meg!" hissed the older boy.

"My lord Gisborne," said the older man. "It was a gift."

"From?"

Meg was about to answer, but the older man beat her to the chase. "Robin Hood."

"Papa!" she exclaimed. "He lies. It was not—"

But it was too late. Guy's eyes widened, and he stepped back. "When?"

"Just this morning," he said calmly.

"No! He lies! He—"

"Shut her up!" Guy screamed.

The guards grabbed Meg and clamped her mouth shut, her older brother struggling against his capture's hold. Guy turned around and ran his palm down his face. Just this morning... just before he had killed him. But just this morning, Linda had gone out into Locksley...

A sharp pain ran through Guy. Linda, Robin, Locklsey, all this morning. It was only logical: Before Robin and Guy had fought, Linda had gone out and went into the town. Robin found her, and killed her in cold blood.

"What do we do, my lord?" asked the guard.

Guy gripped the pouch. "Take all of their precious belongings," he muttered.

"And him?" the guard shoved the old man.

And him? His fate was in Guy's hands, and he was not about to be generous. "The friend of my enemy is my enemy," he said. Turning around now, a dangerous fire glinted in his eyes. "Kill him."

The guard smirked. Pushing the old man to the ground, he handed Guy a sword. Guy took it, and raised it over his head. Thrusting it through the man, the guard released the girl, and Meg screamed.

*****

"No! Let me go! LET ME GO!" screamed Linda once the three of them were inside the forest once more.

As soon as Guy lifted his sword over Meg's father, Tuck immediately grabbed Linda and cupped a hand over her mouth, then ran off. Tuck released Linda, and she started running back the way they came from. Robin quickly grabbed her waist, holding her back.

"I have to save the others. I can't let them suffer the same fate!" cried Linda.

"Linda, calm down. Meg will be okay," said Tuck reassuringly.

"No!"

Robin kept holding her until she finally broke down. As Linda sobbed hysterically, Robin gently pat her back.

"Who was he?" he asked softly. "The man?"

Linda hiccuped, still crying. "Thomas," she said. "I gave him that pouch. I made him promise to reveal me, but instead he protected me. It's my fault he's dead. I had him killed!" Then she stared to sob again, harder than before.

"Every day, it gets worse," said Tuck to Robin. "Injustice, cruelty, corruption. These people suffer, and they starve. And you'll abandon them."

"Like I abandoned Thomas," whispered Linda, who was now shuddering like crazy.

Gently tearing away from Linda, Robin walked away.

"Robin! Where are you going?" called Tuck, stopping next to Linda and putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Look, I can't help them," he said. "I've got nothing else to give."

"You will believe in yourself again," said Tuck. "I know it."

"We know it," added Linda.

"I struggled," said Robin defiantly. "I fought. I gave everything I had. I even gave the life of the woman I love." Robin paced back and forth. "Why are you doing this? Why does it matter to you?"

"Because if Marian were here, she would tell you exactly what I am about to say: Grow up. You can't bring yourself down just because she's gone! And she wouldn't want that! She wouldn't want you to give up so easily!"

"And because I have nothing in my life except my God and my country," said Tuck now. "I have no family, no wife, yet I have a full heart. That passion must go somewhere, Robin." Robin shook his head and sat down. "I'm just saying rest first," Tuck said gently. "Then maybe speak to that scruffy gang of yours."

"I'm not scruffy," said Linda with a small smile, as Tuck and her moved to sit next to Robin.

Robin looked down in shame. "I said terrible things to those men," he said sadly. "The bravest, most loyal men in England."

"And the most stubborn, dumbest, charming men, too," added Linda with a light laugh, leaning on Robin's shoulder.

"I didn't want...." Robin trailed off a little bit. "Any more blood in my hands," he finished.

"You'd die for them?" asked Tuck, and Robin nodded.

"We both would," said Linda.

"Give yourself a chance," said Tuck reassuringly.

"No, Tuck, Linda," said Robin, looking them both in the eyes. "I'm finished for good. I walk a few yards, and I'm shattered." Robin shook his head once more. "And you say I'm the last great hope for England."

"Because you are. John, Much, Allan, Tuck and I can't do it without you," said Linda.

"No," said Robin. "I'm just a fraud, waiting for revenge."