Work

[Devon Creek]

Devon groaned, looking at Allan like he was crazy. "All of it? Every last thing? Oh, hell," she squinted into the dark sky and snorted with laughter. "See, there's being generous, and then there's being just stupid. I don't think I could give away a single thing I got willingly. I earned it, why should someone else have it, eh?"

"It's a nice camp, then? I knew there was one there. I should see this place. You know, see if it's up to standard," she grinned at Allan mischievously. Could be a bit of money to be made there, and heck, she was the poor now, with no lodgings, no money, no relations.

"Huh," was all she could say about Will. She'd never really had a friend or anyone leave her. Except her family, but they didn't count to her anymore. "Kids," she sneered. "Little more than a racket, if you ask me." She reached out and took the bottle from him, disappointed to see that it didn't have very much left. She took a swig and tried to lift the mood.

"So, robbed any rich sods lately? Or left the Trip with a wonderfully attractive girl on you arm?" she put her head on his shoulder with a laugh, but frowned. "What did happen that night, 'cause mate, I get lost after going into the alley."

[Allan A'Dale]

He'd been expecting her reaction; most people felt the same when they heard about what the outlaw gang did with their ill-gotten gains. He waited wryly for her to get over her giggling fit, and realised suddenly that she might not even know why they did what they did. When she paused, he did his best to explain it, but even to him it sounded like he was making apologies for the gang's leader.

"Robin used to be a noble, y'know," he informed her. "One of them mythical ones that didn't rip off his peasants and treated people well...or so people tell me. Then he got outlawed for saving a load of us from the noose. Me and Will included, and he decided to screw over the Sheriff as best he could, and still keep his villagers fed. To be quite honest, he hasn't really come to terms with the concept of needing to keep stuff back because he's always had so much, you know? And I know what you mean about kids, an' all. Another mouth to feed, more work, more money to clothe 'em...and they aren't even any help till they've got a good few years under their belt."

She grabbed the bottle back and he laughed as she shook it with a slightly disappointed look on her face. And when she confessed that she didn't remember a key part of their last meeting, he couldn't help but wind her up, just a little.

He shook his head, gently. "Well, I'm not surprised you've blanked it out. After you ripped off all your clothes and went streaking through Nottingham screaming 'I'm the queen of all the lizards' it took me about an hour to catch you. You're a fast little runner, pissed or not. I reckon half the town's seen what you're smuggling under them clothes."

Not bad for making it up as he went along, he congratulated himself.

[Devon Creek]

Devon mouth fell open, her eyebrows disappearing into her shaggy fringe. "Really? Christ," she took a drink and laughed. She didn't think she'd been that drunk. "One of my better shows then? Well, I guess any hope of me being invisible in Nottingham has been shattered." Devon blushed slightly, but decided to blame it on the alcohol. And then, because she couldn't help it, she laughed at her own stupidity. Only she, when drunk would do something that absurd.

She gave Allan a nudge, a dirty smile on her lips. "Did you like the show? Gotta love the crazy ones, eh?" she said with a laugh. "Not much to smuggle, my friend. So once I was caught and properly clothed, what happened?"

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan was mildly disappointed. She might have looked surprised, but she took it in her stride regardless, barely even pausing. She was supposed to be shocked and appalled, rather than merely amused. Then again, in another way it was kind of impressive.

"Good God woman, I dread to think of some of the other stuff you've been up to if that barely raises a reaction. I'm only pulling your leg, Devon! Although, trust me, I still got the full effect. You and I spent a delightful evening in the gutter, I'll have you know; getting to know each other a bit more intimately, if you get me. Might not have been very memorable to you, but I had a good time, anyway. I'm just a little bit gutted I'm that forgettable."

He nudged her in the ribs to let her know he was joking (half joking, anyway) and snatched the almost empty bottle from her fingers.

"I think you owe me the dregs, at least, for such a greivous insult."

[Devon Creek]

Devon's stomach lurched as Allan spoke. She gave a distracted, half-hearted chuckle when it was quiet and let the bottle be removed from her grasp.

After all she'd been through, it took one night to do something like that. Wasn't that a good thing? That she'd finally been able to move on? Then why was it making her feel so sick? Holding her stomach, she groaned as it heaved again. Suddenly sounds and smells came to her mind, feelings from just months ago returning. Something acidic burned the back of her throat, but she swallowed until it went away.

"Yeah, forgettable," she muttered, looking around. Now she felt really sick. Rising quickly, she dashed to the river's edge and emptied her stomach into the high grass.

[Allan A'Dale]

The sour wine seemed to be catching up with Devon, and fast. Allan began to wonder if wine just got stronger and stronger once it started to ferment, if that was what had happened to the stuff. He kept an eye on her, slightly concerned. She seemed to be struggling to keep the contents of her stomach where they ought to be.

Suddenly she lurched forwards and heaved, a painful sound that made him wince in sympathy. He smiled faintly. Seemed to have lost her head for booze, apparently.

"You alright?" he asked, struggling to keep a chuckle out of his voice. "I did warn you it was nasty stuff, mind. Don't go blaming me."

[Devon Creek]

Devon wiped her mouth clean and washed it with some of the cool water. "You're right, that stuff should be banned from all alehouses." She said, putting her racing mind at rest. Just relax. If you hadn't been you drunk, you'd probably remember enjoying it. It wasn't like he forced it upon you. Right. She nodded slightly and shook her head clear of any other thoughts.

"Me?" she said, the picture of innocence for a moment. "I would never blame you." She batted her eyes at him then snorted with laughter. "Unless it was to save my own arse, then sorry mate. But you're not at the top by any means." She raised her hand and ticked off the people she would love to send to the dungeons in her place.

"My mum and dad, Jon, Mark, Sheriff of York, and a few other thieves I wouldn't mind see swing." She stopped, realizing how harsh that comment seemed. She'd just said she'd rather see her entire family swing than be imprisoned again. "It ain't the nicest of thoughts, but it's the truth." She told him with a shrug. "What about you? I'm sure there's a number of people you'd like be out of your life."

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan watched her rinse out her mouth, still feeling a mixture of concern for Devon's wellbeing and and mild amusement at her delicate stomach. She still seemed a little shaky, as if she was properly ill; although her words and tone were confident, her face betrayed something else. Maybe she was due for another round, she certainly didn't seem to have fully recovered just yet.

"Well, I thought saying that you'd sell out your own mum was just a saying, but you're the living proof," he replied. She was right, it did sound harsh, but he knew as well as anyone that just because you were related to someone it didn't mean they wouldn't screw you over.

"I would have probably said Tom, my brother, if you'd asked me a couple of years ago. He left me high and dry, nicked my money, my horse, everything. I was wanted by the law - well we both were - and he stole everything that I wasn't wearing. I was all ready to see him swing, until I did." He paused, thinking back on it. "Tom turned up in Sherwood, robbing people and pretending to be one of Robin's men. The Sheriff caught him and I was all in favour of letting him take the drop. Robin persuaded me otherwise, but we were too late. He was already dead. Can't say I wasn't sorry, even though I'd wished him dead myself."

[Devon Creek]

Despite thinking she would relax, Devon found herself holding her stomach unknowingly. When Allan described his brother, she laughed.

"He sounds like a man after my own heart." But she stopped abruptly when he said he'd been hung. "Sorry about that." And she was. Just because she'd left her family didn't mean she still felt a love for them. Maybe not so much for her parents, but she missed having Jon and Mark around. They had all betrayed her in a way, but having her brothers around for the last few days would have been helpful. They probably wouldn't have let mer make such stupid decisions.

"Yeah, Jon, Mark and my parents kinda left me, or I left them... Well, I'd feel kinda bad if I saw them take the dive, you know?" A heavy silence hung over them, and Devon began to fidget in the darkness.

"So how many men does Robin Have, eh? I know I didn't meet all of them when I made my first appearance."

[Allan A'Dale]

Devon seemed to relax a little, slipping back into her usual cocky self, but Allan couldn't help but notice the way she kept cradling her stomach. She reacted the way most people did when they first heard the story; at first amused, until he mentioned the fact that Tom actually had got his comeuppance. She apologised awkwardly but he waved it away and shook his head, not particularly wanting soothing. He missed Tom, sure, but he didn't really like to dwell on the past, saw little point in agonising over what couldn't be changed.

She broke the silence with an abrupt change of subject, probably for the best, all told.

"How many?" he replied, thinking hard so as to not leave anyone out. "We've got...well, Rob himself, and Much, you've met him, that's two...plus me of course, three; old prayer boy Tuck is four, and we've got John...that makes five..." He was ticking them off on his fingers, so he switched hands, "...Will and Djaq make seven, then, that's all of the people who're properly in the gang, so to speak. There's the Nightwatchman and the Raven what help us out sometimes, but they're not really with us, more just on our side."

[Devon Creek]

"So, it seems like I've got some introductions to work on." Devon rolled her eyes, laughing. "Better tell your friends to run for cover, the way I've been going." Picking at the cool grass, she wracked her mind for ways to lighten the mood.

"Oh, hell," she muttered, drawing a blank. She fell back onto the grass and rolled to face the outlaw. "You think of something to pass the time. I'm fresh out of ideas and refuse to sleep." Closing her eyes, she drummed her fingers on her stomach, not any particular rhythm or song, just for something to do.

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan laughed softly as she flopped onto the ground and lamented the lack of entertainment. "Well, I'd suggest something nicely innapropriate but I worry you'd forget it by tomorrow morning," he replied tartly. He was still slightly sore after her apparent lack of recall on that particular front. "Failing that," he continued, "there's always the old favourites to fall back on. Fancy trying Locksley Manor, maybe nick a couple of Giz's horses?"

[Devon Creek]

Devon threw her hands up, scoffing at the man beside her. "It's not my fault that I drank myself blind that night. I'm just surprised that you remember any of it. From what I remember, you polished off that...drink quite quickly." She shook her head, thinking of the rather potent concoctions she'd gotten from one of the less attentive patrons.

"'S probably better that I was off," she muttered more to herself, a dark look creeping into her eyes. But it was quickly pushed away by the mention theft.

"You haven't seen me in action yet, have you?" she asked, her mood instantly lifting. Her once dark eyes now glittered happily, full of mischief just waiting to be unleashed. "Just the horses? C'mon, Allan, live a little." She nudged his shoulder as she stood and quirked an eyebrow up at him. "What do you say? Partners in crime?"

((ooc: move this to locksley after? It's getting a bit long))

[Allan A'Dale]

Allan snorted derisively. "Not your fault? You were knocking it back fast enough, I'd say it's completely your fault. And well, I had something worth remembering. I had fun, even if it seems you didn't." He had a feeling that he could play along that line for a good long time. She was fun to tease, despite how hard it was to get a good reaction from her; maybe because of it. He'd always been game for a challenge, after all.

Devon seemed to be suddenly in rather maudlin spirits; making rumblings about beginning her journey, wherever she intended to go. But his suggestion had hit its mark dead on, she brightened almost immediately, upping the stakes and egging him on. He grinned. It was good to have an enabler around. An influence as bad as himself.

"Well, I wouldn't say that I haven't seen you in action," he drawled, gladly seizing the chance for another poke at her, as it were, "but I'm always up for a bit of crime. Partners it is."

He sprang to his feet and doused the fire, filling his empty bottle from the river and pouring it over the flames. They hissed out, steaming and sputtering and he stepped back and coughed, sizing up his baggage. He could probably leave the bedroll and fishing tackle here; his catch was still swimming in circles inside his keepnet, they weren't going anywhere and he'd have to be away from Locksley by dawn in any case. Mind made up, he turned to Devon.

"I'm gonna leave my gear here. I aint dragging it on a jaunt to Locksley and back, and it'll be safe enough in the dark." He glanced upwards at the stars to get his bearings and pointed out to one side. "Locksley's that way. Couple of miles from here, I reckon. We can make it in half an hour if we keep up the pace."

((Ooc - omg sorry for the no-reply for ages; I've been relying on email updates a little too much and the one for this totally slipped under my radar. See you in Locksley!))