Deep in the Forest (3/?)

[charlottemay.livejournal.com]

Title: Deep in the Forest (3/?)
Author: Charlotte May
Email:charlottemay43@hotmail.com
Rating: PG13 (may be R in later chapters)
Pairing: Dom/Billy, Orlando/Elijah, Karl/Miranda
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. I intend no disrespect to Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd or anyone else mentioned in this story.
Warning: AU
Feedback: Always welcome!
Summary: There are some very familiar faces running round Sherwood Forest. Yes, folks, it’s a LOTRPS Robin Hood story! Do I really need to point out that it’s an AU? ;-)

Part three – in which Dom and Billy go to the pub, and Elijah ruins Sean’s day.

Author’s notes: The Trip to Jerusalem is still exactly as it’s described, except nowadays it serves nachos and chicken tikka masala… and it’s usually full of tourists. ;-)

I'm going on holiday on Saturday, so I'm afraid it's going to be about three weeks before the next part of this is out. Sorry. ::runs and hides before anyone notices the cliffhanger::

Part One
Part Two

Cross-posted to monaboyd, fellow_shippers and my lj.




Deep in the Forest

Part three – in which Dom and Billy go to the pub, and Elijah ruins Sean’s day.

“As I see it, Billy, the plan is this…” Dom glanced across at Billy as they rode down the hill towards Nottingham. The other man seemed blissfully unaware of his scrutiny, his green eyes scanning the road ahead.

Dom thought back to the explicit dreams he’d had the night before, all involving the man riding beside him. If he shut his eyes, the images and sensations came flooding back. Hands touching, lips caressing, the feel of skin on skin. He swallowed hard. This couldn’t go on - he was going to have to do something. But would Billy be responsive? Or would he get a punch on the nose?

On the plus side, when he’d confessed that Elijah and he had been lovers, Billy hadn’t looked repulsed. But, on the other hand, he’d mentioned being engaged to a woman, which was never a good sign in Dom’s experience. Though Dom did wonder if perhaps Billy might be willing to change sides, as it were, as he’d been dumped unceremoniously by the woman when a better offer had come along.

Dom couldn’t understand how anyone could get a better offer than Billy.

He realised Billy had turned to face him and was waiting for him to continue. Dom cleared his throat. “Yes, the plan. Well, Billy, as I see it, we need to rescue Ian first, then the Sheriff has less hold over Orlando.”

Billy nodded in agreement. “Do you know where Ian is?”

“No. That’s the problem. Viggo was convinced he wasn’t in the castle, but I think he must be somewhere nearby. There is a guy who might know where he is. Not much gets past Andy-a-Dale.”

“And where do we find him?”

Dom peered up at the sun. It was probably about two o’clock. “At this time of day, I think we’ll find him in the Trip to Jerusalem Inn. If he isn’t there, I’ll buy you a pint while we decide what to do next.”

“Why did you bring me, Dom?”

Dom was taken completely off guard by Billy’s question. “What?” he stuttered. Could Billy tell what he was thinking?

“With you… today. Why me? You hardly know me. I could be working for the Sheriff.”

“You’re not, are you?”

“No, but you know what I mean.”

Dom pulled his horse to a stop and turned to face Billy. “To be completely honest, I…” He paused. He couldn’t say it. Not with Billy looking at him in that totally innocent, trusting way. Admitting he wanted to shag him into the middle of next week was not an option. “…I want to get to know you better. I’ve never met anyone from Scotland before.” Oh, that was lame, Dom, he thought to himself, very lame. “No-one knowing your face could come in handy… and it gave me a good excuse not to bring Elijah along.”

Judging by Billy’s expression, he’d bought the line about Elijah, which was partially true. Dom had loved Elijah – still did to a point – but he was not a man to have around in a crisis. He went to pieces so fast you were in danger of getting hit by the shrapnel. And when dealing with someone as devious and calculating as Bean, you needed a cool head.

“Here we are,” announced Dom, as they rode through the town gate. “Nottingham!”

“So where is the Trip to Jerusalem?” asked Billy, looking around curiously at the narrow streets, packed with people going about their business.

“Under the castle,” replied Dom.

“Under the castle?” Billy looked baffled and Dom made a mental note to confuse him more often, because, boy, was he cute when he was puzzled.

Dom laughed. “You’ll see.”

====

Friar Sean Astin was a simple man. If he got a good meal, a tankard of ale and a peaceful night’s sleep he thought everything was right with the world. As long as someone didn’t come along and spoil it.

And on this day, someone did.

He was just tidying up after the lunchtime meal, when he noticed someone by the horses. At that distance, he couldn’t be sure who it was, but he had his suspicions. He put down the cooking pot he was holding, and walked quietly across the encampment. A grey mare was saddled up, ready to be ridden, and when he glanced underneath, he could see a pair of familiar-looking legs. The Friar firmly took hold of its reins and said, “Elijah, what on earth do you think you’re playing at?”

A sheepish face appeared over the horse’s saddle and said, “Let me go, Friar, please. I have to try and save him.”

“Dom is doing that. He told you to stay here.”

“Only because he wanted to be alone with that man… Billy. I saw the way Dom was looking at him.”

Sean had to agree with that; he’d seen the look in Dom’s eyes too. Though he didn’t think Billy felt the same. He hoped Dom wasn’t going to get hurt again, like he had over Elijah. “He’s our leader, Elijah. You should do as he says,” Sean said gently.

“Even if he’s wrong?” Elijah spat out defiantly. “I can’t stay here and do nothing. I have to do something. I love Orlando. I have to…” Elijah tried to pull the reins out of Sean’s hands, but only succeeded in making the horse whinny loudly and toss its head.

Sean looked at his young friend. There was passion burning in those huge blue eyes and Sean realised that whatever he said, as soon as his back was turned, Elijah would be off to Nottingham like a shot. He could only see one solution. The friar sighed. “Why don’t I come with you?” he asked. At least that way he should be able to stop Elijah doing anything too foolish; on his own, he’d be arrested and thrown in the castle dungeon in ten minutes flat.

Elijah looked at him doubtfully for a moment, then smiled. “Okay, saddle up another horse. I want to get there before it gets dark.”

====

Dom slid gracefully out of the saddle and tied his horse’s reins to a nearby post. He turned to Billy, who was grinning from ear to ear, amazed at what he saw. “It is under the castle!” he exclaimed, pointing up the cliff.

“Yeah, partly dug into the cliff the castle stands on. Some of the rooms are caves.” They walked into the crowded pub and Dom forced his way to the bar. “Two pints of your best, please,” he said, quickly looking round the pub.

“Can you see him?” asked Billy quietly.

“No, not yet, but there are another couple of rooms.”

Billy nodded and looked round. He’d never been anywhere like it. Dom had been right. The rooms were part cave, part pub. As they made their way through a stone archway, he reached out and touched the wall. A little shower of sand came away on his fingers. He realised Dom was watching him.

“Nottingham is built on sandstone; it’s easy to work,” said Dom. “So there are man-made caves under the whole town. People live in them, work in them. On the other side of town, there’s even an underground tannery. And there’s a passageway from the brewhouse across the road up to the castle.”

“Really? Could we use that?” Contrary to every scrap of his better judgement, Billy found himself beginning to get excited at the prospect of being part of this rescue mission.

“Possibly,” said Dom, grinning. “You know, Billy, we’ll make an outlaw out of you yet.”

Billy felt his cheeks get hot and was trying not to think about the reason why he might be blushing when Dom yelled, “Andy!” at the top of his voice and waved at a man sitting in a dark corner. They walked over to him.

“Dom!” exclaimed the man with wild hair and even wilder eyes that Billy assumed was Andy-a-Dale.

====

As he walked into the Sheriff’s private apartments, Karl of Gisborne rehearsed the question in his head. Yes, today he would have the nerve to ask. Today he would stand up for the woman he loved. He knew she was losing patience with him because the last time they’d met, she’d asked if he was a man or a mouse… and he was pretty certain she wasn’t joking. Yes, today he would screw up his courage and do it.

Of course, his problem was the man he was asking. Lord Bean had a habit of throwing people in the dungeons first, and asking questions later… much later. Karl didn’t want to lose his job as the Sheriff’s right hand man (which would be the inevitable consequence of pissing off Lord Bean) – the wages weren’t bad, the perks were reasonable; in fact, the only downside was the image problem. He was less popular than a tax collector. But Karl took the ridicule stoically, believing that despite the Sheriff’s “little idiosyncrasies” he was serving the people of Nottingham.

“My Lord?” Karl bowed low in front of the Sheriff. “You asked to see me?”

The Sheriff looked up and frowned at Karl. “Yes, I understand the Duke of Mansfield made a very ill-advised escape attempt earlier.” He leered evilly. “Make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Already taken care of, my Lord. The prisoner is now bound to a chair. He won’t be going anywhere.” Why the Sheriff was holding the Duke wasn’t something that had been shared with Karl, but he assumed it was because he’d committed treason. That was the usual reason for incarcerating anyone with a title. Any day now they’d be shipping Sir Ian off to the Tower of London and he could get back to his normal routine.

“Good. Well done, Gisborne.” Karl decided that this was as good a moment as any to ask his question… the Sheriff seemed in a relatively good mood with him. But when he tried to speak, nothing came out. The Sheriff looked back to his book, then realising Karl hadn’t moved, said, “You may go, Gisborne.”

His heart in his mouth, Karl stammered, “My Lord, there was something I wished to ask.” Yes, go on, go on, the voice in his head chanted.

The Sheriff sighed deeply. “Very well, I suppose I’ll get no peace until you spit it out.” He looked at Gisborne expectantly. When Karl didn’t speak immediately, he added, “Well?”

Karl felt a lump in his throat the size of an apple. He had to say it, he had to. He took a long, deep breath in and…. “I-wish-to-ask-for-your-daughter’s-hand-in-marriage,” said Karl, his words almost spilling over each other. Then he waited, holding his breath, for the Sheriff to answer.

To his dismay, Bean threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Stupid boy! Did you have no idea why I took the Duke prisoner? It is to force young Orlando to marry Miranda.”

Karl felt anger blazing inside him at the thought of his Miranda being forced to marry another man. “No! We love each other. She’ll never go through with it!”

“Yes, she will. She’ll do whatever I tell her to.” The Sheriff’s voice was chillingly calm.

“But…” Karl protested, but he couldn’t deny the power Lord Bean had over his daughter. If the Sheriff told her to jump, she’d jump. She wasn’t quite the same assertive woman that she was with him when her father was around.

“If everything goes to plan – and I expect you to make sure it does – by the end of the week, Miranda will be a duchess.”

“But Orlando isn’t the Duke.” Karl knew he was clutching at straws now, but it was worth a try.

The Sheriff smiled nastily, a malevolent gleam in his eye. “He will be by the end of the week.”

Karl stared in horror at Lord Bean, his personal problems completely forgotten. The Sheriff meant to kill the Duke of Mansfield?

====