17Disclaimer: I own nothing but my ideas and my limitless imagination.
Cherryblossomrain
Chapter 1:
"I blame you."
"Why? I'm not the one who tripped and fell down that hill." Will Scarlet pushed his mop of brown hair out of his face. "Are you alright?"
The Saracen woman next to him glared. Djaq hated the amount of attention they all paid to her, because she was a girl.
"I am fine." she leaned back against the stone wall and winced. Will's blue eyes narrowed.
"Djaq…"
"I'm fine." she paused, "and it is your fault."
"What? Why?"
"I fell down that stupid hill but you did not have to come and get me. Now we are both stuck in this country jail."
"Oh. Yeah."
Djaq settled her back more comfortably against the stones. She winced. The slope had been quite rocky and her back was probably scraped up. But she was not about to look weak around "one of the lads," as Robin called them. Even if it was just Will. She winced again, then suddenly began to dig in the medicine pouch at her waist. As she turned away, Will, who had been watching her with some interest, got a look at her back.
"Djaq!" he yelped. Will had seen the small reddish stain that was beginning to soak through her shirt.
"What?"
"You're- you're bleeding!"
"I am fine!" she turned to look at him and stopped. His face held such a genuine look of fear and concern that she instantly felt bad for snapping. "It's not that bad." she smiled. Will nodded, but he still looked worried.
"Are you sure…"
"Yes. I am perfectly fine."
"It looks rather bad…"
"I have had worse…"
"When you say worse… do you mean…"
"Worse. Trust me."
"Alright, if you say so, but…"
Djaq was starting to lose patience. "You want to help? Here." she handed him a small clay jar.
"…"
"Put it on my back."
"What!" he stuttered "but… your shirt… and…"
Djaq smiled wryly. "You have seen me without my shirt once, Will Scarlet, twice will not kill you."
"But…!"
"if you don't, it will get infected."
"Alright, but-"
There was a crash as a stone wall was smashed in. will put his arm around Djaq to shield her from the shrapnel. Djaq ignored it. She was feeling a bit odd anyways. Robin Hood, Allan and Little John came through the remains of the wall. Will moved his arm away and grinned sheepishly.
"I told you they would come."
"Yes, but they would have come earlier if you had been free to go get them."
Will shrugged.
Outside of town, they group met with Much and Marion. Much looked uncomfortable and was trying to explain to a rather annoyed Robin why she was there. Djaq smiled at Marion and waved. After a brief conversation with Robin, Marion came over to talk with Djaq.
"You look tired"
"Yes, well, a few hours in a boring jail can do that," Djaq smiled and glanced at the men around her, "and being with them always. So why are you here?"
"I was just giving Robin some information on a silver shipment he asked for." they had started to walk back towards camp, talking happily amongst themselves. Djaq noticed that her back was hurting more, but ignored it and continued to talk. Church bells rang in the distance.
"Oh!" Marion exclaimed "I have to go. My father's waiting for me. Bye Robin, bye everyone!" she took off down a path in the direction of her house. Robin looked after her for a moment, but continued to walk.
Djaq was feeling positively lightheaded now and began to lag behind. Will and Allan dropped back to walk with her. They talked and joked as usual, but Djaq had the feeling that she was being watched. As they neared the clearing, she felt dizzy. Just as the outlaws' camp came into view through the trees, Djaq felt her knees buckle and she sank to the leaf- littered ground.
Allan shouted for the others. Little John picked her up and began to carry her into camp. Will tried to help, but his usually clear mind was clouded with one thought: is she ok.
They placed Djaq on a blanket near the fire and everyone went back to their usual business. Will sat down nearby. He would watch over her.
-zzz-
When Djaq awoke, the sun was setting, but the first thing she noticed was not the sun. It was Will Scarlet. He was sitting a few feet away. Looking at her. She blinked.
"It's almost night and you still have a low fever. You should go back to sleep."
"Oh, are you a doctor now?" she sat up quickly and her head began to spin. He smiled. It was infuriating. Maybe he was right though.
Djaq lay back down and her eyes grew heavy. She noticed, as she began to doze, that her back had been bandaged. I'll have to ask about that, she thought.
Her mind began to drift. Was that will's voice? What was he saying? Althoughshe was almost asleep, Djaq could have sworn shehad just heard someone whisper "Sleep well, my love."
A/N: so, I'm not sure I like the title. I want anyone with an idea for a title to put it in a review and send away! I will pick the one I like the best. I'll probably list them all, but sorry if I forget.