In an upstairs room, an injured man lies...(open)

[Robin Hood]

Aug 9, 2009 4:44:38 GMT Tuck said:

Tuck could see the pain on Robin's face that was both physical and emotional as Tuck removed the most recent and immediate threat to Robin's continued existence. "Better late than never I suppose, especially in the predicament that you find yourself, my son and friend," the newest outlaw rejoined back to him. "Besides, isn't this the best test for the rookie outlaw, to rescue the leader of all the outlaws," he chuckled.

As they began to slowly move away from the action, down the alley, Tuck saw Robin inspecting the wound now that the blood flow had slowed and almost stopped. His reasoning against the Priory seemed to make sense. There was no reason to put the Sisters in in unnecessary danger. "Then, what do you suggest, Robin," he asked.

Tuck was not sure the Tripp would be that much better, In his opinion the faster he got him to the forest the better off he would be. After all, if the Priory was the first place they would look, the Tripp Inn would not be far down the list. "I will send for her once we arrive, and I will carry you the rest of the way if needs must."

Tuck followed Robin's instructions to the letter. If nothing else, Tuck was quite a meticulous and particular fellow. "We'll leave a message for Roe in the wall, Robin, he will get word to them, by his own horse if necessary to summon the outlaws to your aid. By the way, the overall rescue attempt, from my vantage point seemed to be going well, and I trust that Roe was to provide a safe escape route, eh?" Once they reached the Tripp, Roe arranged a room on the upper floor as far back as he could get it, but one with an escape route as well.

Robin smiled weakly at the Friar. "I'm grateful of your offer to carry me, Tuck, but for now, I'll settle with your arm if I may." He gripped Tuck's sleeve as he hobbled down towards the Inn. "Yes, leaving a message for Roe is a good idea. The others will worry and so will Marian." He paused then, thinking wistfully of his wife. "He's been a great help. A real asset to the team, to be honest." Robin gave a hiss of pain and stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "I don't know what I'd do without them. They're my family."

Reaching the Trip Inn, Robin pulled his hood up over his head and hobbled slowly up the stairs as Tuck negotiated the room. Standing in the shadows of the landing, Robin went over the events that had happened that morning. For the first time, he realised it could have all gone horribly wrong! Luck had definitely been on his side though and he offered up a small prayer.

[Tuck]

The Friar smiled back, "I am used to carrying heavier cargoes Robin of Locksley, not all of them spiritual. You really know little about me. It shows the breadth of your heart that you trust me so. The arm it is then." Tuck sometimes wondered what the other outlaws, including Robin, thought of him, he being marginally a man of the cloth and all.

It was easy to see, even given his present physical condition, that he was a good leader. He was concerned about putting his men at ease, and Marian, about his condition. He was the type of man that other men were not only willing to follow, but eager to. "I will see to it, Robin. I think two notes, one to the outlaws and one to Marian would be in order. I think Robin .... there are few men who would have done what he has for the outlaws. He must believe in the cause, of course, but I think he must have a lot of personal loyalty for you as well. I'm sure they feel the same about you as well, my son. Now, go and rest."

[Robin Hood]

Pushing the bedroom door open, Robin limped inside. He winced at the pain which jabbed at every step he took. Hopping to the bed, his face was drenched in sweat due to his efforts by the time he flopped down. For a moment, Robin's head lolled back on the pillow and he closed his eyes. Then, swallowing rapidly, he looked up at the Friar. "Thank you, my friend." Robin whispered, now feeling the fatigue. "If you would fetch quill and parchment, I'll write those two notes now."

The outlaw waited patiently until Tuck returned with the required items (scuse pose), then he quickly scribbled a note for the outlaws, outlining his predicament. To Marian, he wrote carefully so has not to alarm her. The last thing his wife needed right now, was a shock that would set her recovery back. The quill dropped from his hand as he finished. Robin's eyes started to close and he slipped into unconsciousness.

[Tuck]

Tuck could easily see that Robin was at the end of his physical endurance. He helped him take the last few steps to the bed, finally having to help him get into it so so that he wouldn't fall and hurt himself further. With a wordless nod, Tuck went and quickly searched successfully for the necessary items. At the same time, Tuck sent word to Sister Mags, describing the severity of the injuries without indicating who was involved. However, it was indicated through the messenger that discretion was of primary importance.

When he returned with the requested items, he propped Robin up, so that it would be easier for him to write. "Its important to get these written as quickly as possible, Robin. Its important, in terms of the flow of blood, both to your head and to the wound, that you get in a horizontal position with your feet elevated somewhat. Then, I can take the tourniqet off and begin addressing the wound directly. I hope that Sister Mags, from the Priory, will be here soon to help me. Be prepared, though, Robin. She will question both of us as to why youweren't brought to her directly. She is not likely to be very accepting of your desire to keep her out of danger, so expect a lecture, and be forewarned," Tuck smiled.

As he finished writing, Tuck saw him drift off. He removed the parchment to the adjacent table, removed the pillow, and elevated the feet. He reasoned that might help bring him back to consciousness as well. Tuck knew, that given Robin's precarious physical state that he knew he had to get to work on the wound at once. He hoped that Sister Mags would arrive shortly. Once she did, she would be able to care for Robin while Tuck went in search of Roe directly or he could deliver the letters to the hole-in-the-wall at the Tripp. Time, however, was perhaps not working in their favor.

[Sister Magdalene]

Sister Magdalene had just been returning from an errand of mercy when she was met at the door of the Priory House by the pot boy from the Tripp Inn. The lad was agitated so it took a few moments for Mags to calm him down enough to know what he wanted. Luckily for her, the good Sister had enough medicinal herbs and potions in her wicker basket so she took the boy by his shoulder and turned him back toward the Tripp. Hefting her basket, she followed suit.

Moving carefully through the busy streets of Nottingham, the Sister paused at the door of the Inn then, taking a deep breath, entered the building. The pot boy took hold of her sleeve and led her away from the raucousness of the tap room, instead heading for the wooden staircase which led to the upstairs level. Creeping along the corridor, the lad led her to a door and knocked softly then slipped past Mags and back down to the tap room. Magdalene waited for the door to open, wondering why there had been the need for such subterfuge. It didn't take her long to realise though. Tuck opened the door and hastily bid her enter, shutting the door as soon as she slipped through.

An injured man lay on the bed. Magdalene arched her eyebrows. "So this is your famous Robin Hood?" She asked, to which she received a nod from the Friar. Dropping her basket on the table, the Sister rolled up the sleeves of her habit before taking her sturdy hessian apron from the basket. Tying it around her waist, Mags approached the bed. This was the first time she'd really seen Robin, elusive as he was when he wanted to be. She was quite surprised to see that he was younger than she'd imagined. And he had an honest face too. Even as she made these observations, she was still assessing her patient. His breathing was regular, although a little shallow at times. Pressing the back of her hand to his forehead told Magdalene that Robin didn't have a fever as yet.

Magdalene returned to the table where she'd left her basket and started to take the herbs she'd need out of it. "Tuck, get someone to fetch me hot water and plenty of it. A large pottery bowl too, and send that pot boy along to the tailor's shop down the street for a sharp needle and some thread." Her eyes had been drawn to the wound, the blood conjealing on Robin's leg. "Did you raise his feet?" Mags asked, pointing to the outlaw's legs. "Well done, a very good idea." She praised. Reaching into her basket, she withdrew a small silver knife and unsheathed it. Carefully, so as not to jarr Robin's injured leg, Sister Magdalene cut the material of the trousers so she could see the wound better. "Hmmm," she murmured thoughtfully.

A knock at the door heralded the first of the things that she'd requested. The good Sister strode towards the door and opened it a crack. When she saw it was the pot boy again, this time bringing the water and bowl that she wanted, Mags smiled at the lad and took his offerings, telling him to run quickly to the tailors and to bring some more water when he came back. Returning to the bedside, the Nun poured some water into the bowl and, quickly but carefully, started to bathe the wound. Once the leg was cleaned of blood, Magdalene could see how deep the wound actually went. She squinted. It seemed that, apart from the nick in the vein, there was very little vessel damage. Luckily, the flow of blood had almost stopped now and Mags again thought how amazing and resilient the human body was.

The water in the bowl was now coloured by the blood she'd cleaned from the leg. Carefully, Mags selected the necessary herbs she needed and sprinkled them into the remaining water in the pitcher. "Tuck, I'll need your help. I'm going to lavage the wound, pour the water over it. I need you to hold the bowl underneath to catch it. I don't think the Tripp's Landlord would be too happy if we flooded this room." Showing the Friar where she wanted the bowl, Magdalene then carefully poured the water and herbs from the pitcher. It proved quite easy to wash the wound thoroughly this way and, thankfully, the bowl caught the majority of the water.

Magdalene smiled at her friend as she relieved him of the bowl, placing it on the table to be removed when the pot boy returned. "There is little more I can do for him, Tuck," she inclined her head towards an ashen faced Robin, "As soon as I have the needle and thread, I'll heat it up in some hot water then sew up the wound. With God's good Grace, hopefully we can avoid a fever and infection. He should not be moved until tomorrow, and I will stay with him until then. I'd be grateful if you could get word to my fellow sisters, my friend. And I suppose you have to get word to his people? Why don't you go and do that while I finish up here?"

[Robin Hood]

Robin slowly regained his wits. For a moment, he suffered that bit of confusion on waking that sometimes happens. The part where a person tries to remember what happened before unconsciousness overtakes them. Rob frowned as he waited for his mind to clear. There was a burning feeling in his thigh but nothing compared to what it had been earlier. His eyes flickered open, and Robin slowly turned his head to see who else was in the room with him.

A grey clothed figure stood before the fire, ladelling something from the pot over the flames into a bowl. As she straightened up and turned, Robin could see that she was a nun. More than likely the indominable Sister Magdalene that Tuck was always mentioning. "Ah you're awake," Sister Mags smiled at her patient. "I was wondering when you would rejoin us." Lifting her robes, the Nun carried the bowl towards the bed and looked down at the outlaw. "So you're Tuck's infamous Robin Hood." Mags grinned. Robin, warming to the good Sister, smiled back although a bit more weakly. "And you're Tuck's famous Sister Mags." he replied, struggling to sit up. Mags placed her bowl on the table beside the bed and helped Robin up into a sitting position. "Be careful," She warned. "Your leg wound is still open. I don't want to close it yet in case there's an infection." Mags plumped up the pillow behind Robin's head.

"Thank you," Robin replied, trying to ignore the pain in his leg. He grimaced and eyed the white bandage. Mags handed him the bowl she'd been carrying. "Here, drink this, its feverfew. It will help with any ill effects." Robin took the bowl and drank the draught, then laid back against the pillows. Mags took the bowl and placed it on the table. The outlaw's eyes darted around the room. "Where's Tuck?" He asked. "Is he back from delivering the messages?"

Mags shook her head. "No, he's not back yet but he shouldn't be long." The Nun busied herself with her medicines, grinding herbs with a mortar and pestle. "Rest easy Robin, you're safe. Now, do you want anything to eat or drink?" Try as he might, Robin couldn't relax as Magdalene suggested. He was worried about his friends. Had they managed to pull off the rescue? How would Marian react when she found out he was injured? There was so much to think about and how would the outlaws cope with him laid up with a bad leg?

[Tuck]

Tuck was constantly wondering how his new friend, comrade, and leader .... Robin hood of Locksley was faring. He knew that, with Sister Mags, he was receiving the best of care. Despite that fact, he also knew that Robin had sustained quite a nasty leg wound, and had lost a quantity of blood that would make a quick recovery difficult. He had seen such wounds on the battlefield, and understood that it would likely be some time before Robin could rejoin the outlaws and take a productive part of their normal activities.

First of all, Tuck knew, he had some duties to fulfill, and some messages to send on their way. There would undoubtedly, with Robin's apparent absence from the outlaws, that he head perished. The messages that Tuck was sending out, to outlaws and to various people in adjacent villages was to stop that kind of talk, and indicate that the leader of the outlaws was still in good physical shape. Tuck had accomplished this without revealing to anyone, even the outlaws of wher Robin was being treated and recovering. This accomplished, Tuck made his way back to the Priory, taking a zig-zag course so as to assure that he was not being followed. Finally, he reached his destination, knocked, and slipped within the Priory once the door was opened to him. After identifying himself, he slipped through the door, silently listening to the conversation between Sisters Mags and the Lord of Locksley.

"That's enough of the mutual admiration society there, you two, I believe. And for once, Robin of Locksley, listen to someone's advice. I would hate to have to be the one to amputate your leg!"

"Where's Tuck? .... Is he back from delivering the messages?"

"Of course Robin, I would not be here unless my tasks were completed. And before you ask a blitz of questions, we have no news yet. This evening I will venture back out into the town to gather information. We would not want to endanger you or the other outlaws needlessly by contacting them directly. We can find out what we need to by less direct but safer means, eh?"

[Sister Magdalene]

Mags made a shooing movement with her apron in Tuck's general direction. "Now don't exagerate, Tuck, he won't be losing his leg. Don't listen to him, Robin, he's teasing you." Shaking her head slowly from side to side, the Nun busied herself with tidying up the work table, giving the two men as much privacy as she could so they could continue their conversation.

Robin stared wide eyed at Sister Magdalene and Tuck. They way they acted, well it was like an old married couple except, of course, they weren't. He swallowed, the thought of losing a leg now firmly planted in the front of his mind. Of course, it wasn't something the outlaw wanted to contemplate but, he had to acknowledge, if it weren't for Tuck and Sister Mag's timely intervention, it could have been that bad.

He tried to speak but as Robin opened his mouth, all that came out was a strangled squeak. Robin rolled his eyes and coughed to clear his throat. "Of course, Tuck," he replied, "Find out what you can later. Then see if you can rustle up someone with a horse and cart or something. I can't stay here for long." Noise from the tap room siphoned up through the Inn's floorboards. "Its too dangerous and the longer I stay, the more I put people at risk."

Mags hadn't wanted to earwig, but when Robin talked about plans to move, she had to intervene. "I wouldn't advise you go anywhere tonight, Robin," She frowned, rubbing her hands on her apron. "Theres a big risk that your wound will start bleeding again. Rest here for tonight and if you're adamant you want to go, then it would be safer for you to go in the morning." Mags looked pleadingly at Tuck, hoping he would back her up. "And where will you go? It needs to be somewhere close so that I can still treat you." She added.

[Tuck]

Tuck just smiled back At Sister MAgs, what was for him a quite sly smile. "Aw .... Mags ....I'm just having fun with him the way he would with me, eh." You do remember Mags how serious a student I was in the old days. I doubt if Robin and his outlaws would believe half the things you could tell of me. He could tell she didn't have the time or patience for such things ... she had obviously more important things to think about right now.

Tuck knew that he had been joking about Robin's leg. Tuck knew that it was a fear that Robin had had, about the possibility of losing the wounded and damaged leg. Tuck had not seriously been worried about that. He had been worried more about the tremendous loss of blood, and even if Robin survived, the amount of time it would take him to recuperate so he was at leat well enough to be moved.

For someone who gave out so much good advice to others this man-boy could be just foolish .... borderin on crazy. "You are in no position or condition to give out orders Robin. You are not in charge here ... Sister Mags is .... and I'm here to back her up and/or knock you out ... if that's required. If you survive .... you won't be able to move for days .... and if you try you'll set you recovery back weeks. You'll just have to suck it up and stay here, and that's final."

[Robin Hood]

Knowing he was defeated, for the moment, Robin slumped back on the pillows and began idly twiddling his thumbs. He looked from Tuck across to Mags and then back again. Theirs was a very special relationship, even the dunderhead that he was could see that! The outlaw gave a deep sigh. "I have a lot to thank you both for. If it weren't for you, Sister Magdalene and Tuck there, well I don't want to think what would have happened." He grimaced as a throbbing pain sliced through his leg.

Sister Mags noticed his discomfort and, picking up a phial, tipped its contents into a pewter cup. Adding water, she mixed the medicine then sat on the bed next to Robin and supported his back as she made him drink the tonic. "There, that should help with the pain." The Nun told him. "Sleep now, regain your strength. You're going to need it." Robin started to protest but, whatever herbs Magdalene had given him worked really quickly, and his head began to nod.

As soon as the outlaw slept, Mags turned to Tuck. "Is everything really all right? Did you manage to contact the other outlaws?" She asked, her eyes darting back to Robin briefly. "All being well, we should be able to move him in a couple of days. Will he be safe here until then? Will his friends be guarding the place?" She had so many questions she wanted to blurt out but knew that it wouldn't really help to do so. *One thing at a time* Mags told herself.

[Tuck]

Tuck knew that Robin had to be physically weak to give up the argument so quickly. Tuck knew that Robin had a lot of natural self-confidence. It was one of Robin's many gifts that allowed him to carry through when other men might just give in or given up. However, often that self-confidence can evolve into a dangerous over-confidence. That type of feeling can make one feel that they're invincible and not prey to disaster. Robin had been foolish to leave himself as exposed as he did, even though it was a lucky stab by the guard. Tuck knew that he didn't even have to say. There was no need to rub it in, as long as Robin himself understood it. "I think that we are just happy that we were in the right place at the right time to be of assistance to you."

Tuck saw that there was little that was ever able to escape Sister Mags' keen observation. She saw the pain that Robin was in and reacted to it quickly with some medication. "You were always the best Nurse, mags. It almost always seemed that you could sense the pain of others, whether it be physical or mental." He saw that Robin did not fight her ministrations much either, as appeared to drop off into a deep sleep rather quickly.

Tuck also knew that Mags was able to put up a brave front. She could make everyone assume that things were going smoothly, even when she had her own doubts and questions. "We are operating the blind a bit here, Mags. The outlaws are not a monolithic group, working in unison, especially with their leader nearly down for the count. Some have been contacted and some haven't. I think it would be unwise tyo have too many guard us here. It would attract to much attention. I think it would make sense, as long as its some who wouldn't be recognized, that would travel up and down the street outside, and have them switch off with others every few hours. Actually, though, I think everyone is safer, if the Abbey simply appears to be in normal operation, providing little reason for anyone to investigate. Stay as calm as you appeared just now to Robin and I think all will be well. The problem will be keeping him still enough for enough days for him to begin to mend, I think."

[Sister Magdalene]

Mags waved her hand, dismissing Tuck's compliments. "Ah, no, Tuck," she replied, "Its just my eyes are quick and I don't miss much." The nun chuckled then but she felt far from light hearted. Keeping her back to the Friar, Mags walked to the Inn's window and looked down over the crowded street below.

"We cannot move him to the Priory House, I can't put my fellow Sisters in danger. I think the best thing would be to keep him here at the Trip. Arrange with the Landlord that he is to put the story around that a wealthy merchant has been taken ill and that I have been called in to nurse him. Nothing too serious, but something contagious, say the Flux." The Nun nodded mostly to herself. "Then, after a few days, when Robin has recovered sufficiently, we can move him. Until that time, don't worry too much about him moving. I have potions available to me which will freeze his body but allow his mind to remain active."

[Tuck]

Tuck nodded in agreement. Yes Mags was ever the observant one. It was a very necessary skill in the position that she now found herself in. "You would not be the skilled healer that you are without that ability. It allows you to see things that others might and do miss. For example even as a child you were able to see and observe a young boy who was in emotional pain, while others saw just a stoic student. I don't think the crusades were helpful for that boy either," he winked at her.

"We have more pressing business at hand, as you have just indicated. It is more a question of logistics,and what is possible. I think you have observed and analyzed the situation quite well. Robin should not be moved until he can move, and the cover story you have worked out for him and this room would seem to be a good one. The potion that you suggest is a wise one as well. The less interference we have from Robin himself, the better."

"I think my task now is to go and try to bring the outlaws up to speed. Given the normal group of attendees in the Trip, having 2 or 3 outlaws in the group downstairs as security should not be difficult either. I have much to do and accomplish." With a curt, but respectful nod, and the slightest of smiles, Tuck was gone.