Tuck on his quest (OPEN)

[Tuck]

As he sat in his spot on the boat, Tuck thought that he had had much time to think on his long trip back from the Holy Land, contemplating on what he had seen in his many years there, and how it was such a waste; all of the death and destruction. He had heard tales of all of the oppression that currently existed in Britain, as well as all of the efforts over the last several years by a mysterious figure named Robin Hood to fight those injustices.

At times Tuck, in the beginning, had thought that Robin Hood wasn’t even real, that he was more legend than real. As time went on, and he heard more and more, Tuck decided that he must be real, but he wondered whether he more wedded to helping King Richard than the poor and downtrodden. In any case, Tuck felt that he was the people’s best hope and that he must find him.

As the small boat deposited him on the southeastern shore of Britain and moved away, he whispered to himself, “England, at last! It has been too many years since I have been here. But my mission is not yet complete. I must find this Robin Hood and fid out what his real intentions for the people are. I must be able to harness his abilities in service of the people. He may be their last real hope, and that is my mission now.” And he started off for Nottingham shire.

Tuck spent several long days on the road. Given the spring season it was still relatively moist and not dusty, but it had been a tiring trip. His goal was Nottinghamshire, since that was where Sherwood Forest was, and Sherwood was where he had heard that Robin Hood and his troop could be found. At least there was not the heat of the desert here, that seemed to sear a man to his core, he thought to himself. He had been somewhat familiar with southeastern Britain and London, as a young man, but this country to the north was a brand new experience for him, and he found it to be a beautiful one.

At his last stop he had been told that Nottingham was about a day's journey, and he knew that Sherwood lay between him an Nottingham. He had also been warned that the area he would be travelling through was known for it thieves and highwaymen. He thought he had prepared himself as well as he could, as he saw the road turned through a heavily wooded and thicketed area. "This must be Sherwood," he said softly to himself. He suddenly heard the sharp crack of a snapping branch, before shaking his head. "Just a case of nerves," he said to himself. Still, his body tensed up in anticipation of what he might find around the next curve in the road.

[Will Scarlett]

Will wandered along the bumpy track that wound through the forest that was once again his home. Despite his conversation with Robin and the dark thoughts that accompanied it, he couldn't help but feel slightly cheerful, as Sherwood forest in spring was a truly beautiful place to be. He whistled as he continued to follow the pathway, and as he turned a corner, came across a man dressed in a Friar's robes with his back to him. Why was there a Friar here in the middle of Sherwood? What was he doing? Was he with anyone else or was he alone?

As Will approached him, he coughed quietly to alert the man to his presence. Even though Will was a ferocious fighter and not afraid to stand up for what he believed in, he was often shy when it came to addressing strangers on his own. He wasn't sure why he was like this, but he had been for as long as he could remember. As a boy he was always very quiet and didn't like being the centre of attention. Over the years, he had become more confident, and since finding love with Djaq, his confidence had grown even more, but even so, he was still much more comfortable around people that he knew well.
"Umm...helllo?" he asked slowly.

[Tuck]

Tuck's years of experience of being surprised by his adversaries in the Holy Land had trained him well in the art of sensing the presence of others. What he had originally cast off as just a case of nerves, in unfamiliar territory, he had quickly accepted. Tuck, whether he understood it or not himself, had a very logical mind, and he came to conclusions very rapidly. As soon as he sensed the presence behind him he grasped hilt of the short sword that was under his cloak. However, when the stranger announced himself e formally, with the cough, Tuck knew he didn't mean him immediate harm, unless of course, he was just meaning to distract him.

Still grasping his sword, and just barely turning his head, but keeping his back to him, Tuck heard a young man's rather uneasy greeting. "My son, you would not happen to be one of the infamous outlaws that is said to inhabit these parts, would be. You see, I am just a poor travelling pilgrim of a friar with little else tan the clothes on his back. I am in unfamiliar territory you see. How far would Nottingham be from here? The directions that I have been given would seem to indicate that these woods are or are very near to Sherwood Forest. I have heard that the infamous Robin Hood and his band of outlaws have unchecked reign through this area."

Tuck slowly turned, so as to not unnecessarily alarm the young man. He also wanted to look into his eyes. He had often found that was the best initial way to judge a man. He saw before him a man who was a year or so on either side of 20. Although he didn't appear to have a very forceful personality, his eyes seemed to indicate a steady, if intense determination. He didn't think him to be particularly trusting, at least of him right now. "My son, forgive me and all of my questions, but I am tired, and I have traveled long and hard to reach this point. I would not want to have traveled so far in my journey from the Holy Land to see it ended by a group of robbing thieves that I would have to contest. So .... what can you tell me, my son? Do you have evil intentions toward my person, or not"

[Will Scarlett]

Will, slightly bemused by the mysterious Friar's speech, tried to think of a way to answer all of his questions, "Umm....no..." he replied, frowning in confusion before realizing that what he had just said didn't make sense as he hadn't indicated as to which one of the many questions he was answering. "I mean...no....I don't have evil intentions....but umm....." he paused. Who was this man that knew of Robin and the outlaws that resided in Sherwood forest? He didn't seem a bad person, but just because he didn't seem that way, it didn't mean that he wasn't, so Will wasn't going to give anything away about the gang.

"And um.... no.... I'm not an outlaw... sorry.... I um...." he trailed off trying to think of an excuse to leave this man so he could go and warn Robin about the strange Friar appeared to have heard all about him. Then a thought entered his mind - this man had not told him what his name was, but if he asked, then surely the Friar would return the question, and that was not one that he wanted to answer to an unknown man searching for the outlaws.

"I'm sorry... I've got to go... and... um... find someone...." He said stumbling to think of an excuse as he headed off the path and into the thickets, keeping an eye on the Friar to make sure that he was not going to make chase. He felt rude abandoning the man there as he could well be, as he said he was, a simple friar, lost in the woods. But then again, he could be bad news and trouble for the gang and so the last thing Will wanted to do was to lead him straight to the camp.

As he continued into the heart of the forest, away from the track and in the opposite direction from the camp, he stopped and stood still for a moment or two, listening to see if the Friar had followed him. When he was quite sure that he was alone, Will turned back and headed towards the camp making sure that his route was a complex, untraceable one and that he stayed well clear of the track to avoid bumping back into the Friar or anyone else that may be traveling along it the path on this fine spring day.

[Tuck]

Tuck stood there in the midst of the path, awaiting a response from the young man. By his dress, he was definitely a woodsmen, if not a peasant, and not one that familiar with a noble life. However, if Tuck thought that his initial greeting was a tad uneasy, his questions completely knocked the lad offstride. Tuck thought if he dared to asked the man his name he might completely collapse in front of him. And if he was indeed affiliated with Hood's outlaws that would never do.

When an intelligible answer did finally come Tuck was completely unsure exactly which question or questions the lad was answering. Suddenly the look on his face told Tuck he was aware of the confusion that his speech was taking. When he finally said he had no evil intentions, though, he seemed to clam uptight, as if he was revealing some deep, dark secrets. "Well, I am glad that you don't have any 'evil' intentions towards me, but then, what actually are your intentions that you are willing to talk about?"

Finally he thought, we're making progress! We've moved from no evil intentions to the assertion that he wasn't an outlaw. However, the tone in his voice was not filled with a lot of confidence. And just as suddenly he took on the appearance of being a caged rat, looking like he was seeking any path of escape. Tuck tried to reach out to grab and steady the young man, but he wasn't quite quick enough, and his newest acquaintance began a rapid retreat. Quickly determining that the lad was quite familiar with forest, while he was not, Tuck quickly gave up any thought of pursuit. "Go in peace, and with God, my son," he called out after him.

"That has got to be about the strangest and non-sensical encounters I've ever had with another human being," he thought to himself, shaking his head. "I guess I will continue down this forest road toward Nottingham and see what other interesting folk I can run across. This one was strange, but he appeared to have a good heart. I wonder who he was?"

[Lady Rosetta Court]

Rosetta was in a hurry. She was on foot and ran through the forest. She suddenly stopped. "That's it!" she screamed. She drew her sword. The gaurds that were after her drew theirs as well. One ran up to her but before her had chance to swing she stabbed him in the stomach. The other gaurd left as she killed their leader. She smiled to herself and put her sword away. "It'll be fate now if I met up with either Will or Tuck. Preferbly Tuck." she said to herself.

[Tuck]

"Now that they've gone I would feel much more comfortable if put away your long-sword Lady Rosetta. I take it that you have been unsuccessful in doing away with the Sheriff, or I daresay they wouldn't have given up the chase so easily," said Tuck as he emerged from the brush. Tuck wondered why he kept running across this young woman, but she was good company, and since they had last parted he imagined they both had acquired new information about the place they now found themselves.

[Lady Rosetta Court]

"Tuck." said Rosetta as she put her sword away. She walked over to him. "Well didn't think I'd meet you here." she smiled. "And about the Sheriff I haven't got him yet but he'll feel my wrath soon." she vowed.

[Kate]

Kate had been berry picking not out of lust for berried but because for once there was nothing to do. No one was in immediate need of her help no one was looking for her or chasing her she was just on her own completely mind numbingly bored. Not a feeling she was very used to. Having only spent a short few weeks in the forest Kate was still getting sued to finding her way about and was easily lost among the tall evergreen trees that enclosed around her.

Finding berries in such a large forest proved harder than she first anticipated and after only 20 minuets of berry hunting she was ready to give up. Berried didn’t even taste that great to be worth all this trouble. Time to head back to the camp, she thought defeated gazing down at the pathetic number of berries she had managed to find. The only trouble was which direction led back to camp? Kate had been so wrapped up in moaning to her self about berried that she hadn’t kept track of where she was going and now she was lost, again. The next hour and a half consisted of walking round and around in one big circle that she only broke when she realized she had passed the same large moss covered rock three times.

“This is Hopeless” She wined to her self as she sat down on the mossy rock.

"Tuck. Well didn't think I'd meet you here."

Her head snapped up so quickly that she was blind for a split second. A Voice which meant people which meant she was saved from the never ending circle walking. Quickly she darted off in the direction of the voice wanting to catch who ever it was before they moved on. As she rounded a corner of thick trees and bramble bushed she was stopped dead in her tracks by a face she had met only yesterday. The Witch! Perhaps it would have been better to have stayed lost.

“Great” she mumbled disappointedly. She had hopped it may have been one of the outlaws but instead it was a Noble woman/Witch.

[Tuck]

In fact Tuck was glad to run across any 'friendly' face at this point, especially after his encounter with Sir Guy. However, te fact of the matter was that he would have preferred to run across one ofthe outlaws, or Robin Hood himself. he had so many things yet that he needed to know. Tuck laughed and commented, "Well, I can't say that I expected to see you either in this area of Sherwood, and I don't doubt that you still have that 'mission' of yours front and center in what you plan to do in the future. Have you developed any better plans for accomplishing your goals?"

Suddenly, hearing the brushes to his rear part, Tuck whirled around, drawing the short sword he carried at his side under his cloak. "And what and who do we have here? Do you have some business here to conduct with Lady Rosetta, my child, or are you an outlaw, who desires to relieve me of what meager funds that I possess?," he said with a questioning look on his face.

[Peter the God]

Peasant Peter is still quite lost. He wanderes around, not knowing anyone or anything.
He spots Tuck, though
"GORDON BENNET" he cries
"It's FRIAR TUCK!" he exclaims, feeling a warm sensation somewhere below his navel

[Kate]

Kate’s hands flew up in front of her in defence at the site of tucks large glinting sword. Perhaps it might have been better if she had stayed lost instead of being attacked by a mysteries stranger and a witch. Cautiously she took a step back her eyes darting to the small dagger attached to her belt it wasn’t going to do so well against a large sword.

“Lady Rosetta…the witch?” Kate said stunned that the strange woman was in fact a noble. A Noble and a witch well that was something new it wasn’t often you heard of nobility openly practising witchcraft. Kate smiled ruefully and tilted her head to the side, “It’s alright you keep your meagre funds”.

Kate being new to this whole outlaw nonsense thought it best not to disclose her identity just yet after all this stranger could be some one from the castle.

“Just picking berries,” Kate side nodding to her basket of berries that she had dropped in fright at the sight of the sword and not wanting to have the shame of them knowing she was lost. Several of the hopeless number of berries had spilled out on to the crisp leaves of the forest floor and had become dusty and inedible. Well that was the last time she went looking for berries.

[Tuck]

Tuck looked at the young woman for a few moments, and then, as she reacted defensively he lowered his long-sword. By her expression it was obvious that she didn't mean to challenge them, and wished she was somewhere else. The tone in her voice seemed to express both some exasperation and frustration. That was made even more obvious when she took a step or two backward from where he and the Lady Rosetta were at.

Although he was sure that she had not a clue who he was, it was equally obvious that she knew the Lady Rosetta. Still, she did seem to have been stunned or surprised about something about Lady Rosetta. “Do you two know each other?," he asked as he put his sword away under his cloak. Fortunately, it appeared that the young lady was starting to recover somewhat since she responded with some humor. "Our apologies for frightening you. By the way, I am Friar Tuck. Who might you be? Do you live in the Forest or are you from one of the surrounding villages?,"[b ignoring her comment about the berries for the moment.

[Lady Rosetta Court]

"Kate the spell I cast on you was a protection spell." she said. "I have something for you." she handed Kate a small blade. "I made it myself. Take good care of it." she said.

[Kate]

Kate looked alarmed and recoiled for the dagger. Witchcraft was something to stay clear of and Kate would have nothing to do with it. She was sceptical of the whole thing but it was better to be safe than sorry. The small blade was pretty to be sure and looked very well made but it if had anything to do with witchcraft and magic she wouldn’t touch it. After a few seconds of silence Kate dropped her arms reluctantly but did not relax.

"Our apologies for frightening you. By the way, I am Friar Tuck. Who might you be? Do you live in the Forest or are you from one of the surrounding villages?

Kate’s attentions where drawn to the man who had just lowered his blade. A holy man wielding a sword and a witch with a dagger maybe it really would have been better if she had stayed lost. This friar did seem very polite and now that the sword had disappeared he was quite friendly.

“I was not frightened,” Kate lied and squared her shoulders,” and my name is Kate, I live…lived in Locksley.”

Her voice quietened as she thought of the home she had left behind to come live in the dark midst of Sherwood Forest. Angry at her self for allowing her feelings to show Kate forced a stern looking expiration to her face and drew her self to full height.

“What are you doing so deep in the forest, up to no good?”