Post of the Month

~ November 2007 ~

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John/Alan ~ Written by Gwyn & Rhys. Posted on the HoS Yahoo group August 2006.

With an armfull of dead dry oak branches, John walked slowly back to the firewood he and Alan had collected in the forest clearing. The minstrel was already there; standing and thoughtfully surveying the firewood.

"How's the leg?" asked Alan as John came over and added his bundle to what they had already collected.

John grunted. "Holding up." It was a little stiff but exercise would ease that, he knew. His fever had gone, Tuck had looked at the wound this morning and pronounced it clean.

Alan looked at the two bundles of firewood that rested in the clearing; long dry branches. "Think we've got enough?"

"Aye," said John, "for the time being. Let's get it back to camp and stored away in the cave, keep it dry." He bent and wound rope around the larger of the bundles to secure it, and then, knotting the rope together to form a makeshift strap, slung the bundle across his back.

"Surely there'll be a storm soon," said Alan, securing the other bundle with rope.

John looked up at the bright sky through the trees. "There'll be one coming soon enough. But not today. Maybe tomorrow."

"Much should have come with us," Alan shouldered his burden, "three pairs of hands would have collected more firewood and carried more. If storms are coming, we need a store of dry firewood in the cave."

They had asked Much if he wanted to accompany them, but the sullen-faced youth had just slipped away down to the lakeside. John had caught a glimpse of him sitting on the fallen tree which stretched out into the shining waters as he and Alan had rounded the lakeside on their quest for firewood. Sitting, staring into the water, dangling a fishing line half-heartedly into it. He hadn't looked as though he was particularly intent on catching anything, so John hoped Will, Nasir and Robert were having better luck on their own fishing quest. The venison Much had brought back to camp yesterday evening had been consumed for breakfast, though Rhiannon had taken some of the marrow bones to make a broth for Ellie which she could then soak bread in.

"Robert'll take Much to task if he doesn't pull his weight, but for now, best leave him be," John said wisely. "He's still in the mood from last night."

"The girl?" Alan guessed, as they moved from the clearing back into the trees.

John laughed into his beard as they wended their way through the bracken and the staggered array of tall ash trees. "What was it? - Gwyndolene? I think he wanted to have his way with her. No wonder he's frustrated."

Alan laughed too. "He'll learn he can't have every girl that comes his way."

John unslung the aleskin from his shoulder to take a drink. He nudged Alan with his elbow as they walked and offered the skin. "Here."

Alan accepted the aleskin and paused to drink

"So what is it with you and Jenet of Elsdon?" John asked curiously, pausing beside him and watching as Alan took a drink from the aleskin.

"I don't know." Alan stood, replugged the aleskin and wiped his damp hands on his trousers. "Maybe something. Maybe nothing. She was another man's. She has a child by him...."

John suddenly thought of Meg.

"I don't want to cause her any danger by being her man," Alan finished.

"Lad," said John, "danger will come when it will."

"Was Meg ever in danger because of you?" Alan asked.

John nodded. "I got seen at Wickham by Gisbourne himself. Was obvious I was rolling in the hay with a Wickham woman. He punished the whole village because of their association with us. That's why we leave Wickham well alone now. Edward doesn't need the trouble. They'd hang him if they connect him with us again. He keeps his head down; he's got a family to look after. It's not as if he can come into Sherwood to join us."

"That's the problem of taking on a family, isn't it. Bringing them in here." Alan stood there and thought of Nesta.

"One of the reasons why you and Mildred didn't stay with us?" John asked.

"Do you really think Loxley would have put up with me back then?" Alan said wryly.

John laughed. "Aye, Robert's an entirely different person."

"No, I thought of it and then thought better. Children were bound to come and Mildred and I needed to be settled. I haven't been a minstrel all my life, you know. As a child, I helped my father work his land in our village. He was elderly - past fifty when I was born - and so I worked hard on our land from a very early age." They moved on through the trees again.

John regarded Alan curiously at the sudden flood of information. The man had never spoken of his childhood before. John thought of growing up with his tumble of siblings at Haversage. Most had survived the perils and illnesses of childhood. "You the only one?"

"It was my mother's second union," Alan replied. "I don't think she was expecting to produce anything from it as by then she was old for child-bearing too - but I arrived. I have two half-sisters. The product of my mother's first union. But they are a lot older than I. Were wedded by the time I was born."

John gave a grunt of acknowledgement and decided not to pry for anymore information.

"What do you think of Jenet?" Alan asked curiously as they moved on. "I've heard enough of what Will thinks - but you've not said a word. Tuck doesn't seem to think she's as bad as Will makes her out to be - but then Tuck is in the business of forgiving."

John scratched his head. "Jenet played Will for a fool six years ago. But only because she had to. She's a woman of some spirit, I'd say."

"Really?" Alan wondered. "That hasn't manifested itself so far to me. She seems almost....cowed in Elsdon. Forced to its edges."

"Who knows what may have happened to her in the last six years," John pointed out.

Alan fell to pensive thought as they walked on through the forest. He realised he did not know Jenet at all.