Title: Three Bowls of Stew
Fandom: Robin Hood (BBC)
Rating: G
Length: 490
Summary: Much finds three bowls of stew, and eats one of them.

Much creeps into the kitchen.  There’s no-one around, which surprises him a bit, but then he remembers Guy told him the Sheriff had ordered Sir Ralph’s men to leave the house.

Sir Ralph is in the dungeons of Nottingham Castle.  Robin has a plan to rescue him, but is waiting until the weekend, when the fair will provide cover for them.  In the meantime the Sheriff has taken possession of the house and brought just enough of his own men.

Much is hungry and the smell of the stew in the bowls on the table is enticing.  He tears off a chunk of bread and dips it into the first bowl.  As he eats the coated bread he pulls a face; far too much salt.  This has to be for the visitor the Sheriff wished to entertain in Sir Ralph’s manor house.  Much doesn’t trust anyone who likes that much salt.  He doesn’t trust the Sheriff either, not convinced the visitor is going to live long enough to return home, but he has little sympathy for someone who eats extremely salty food.

Undaunted, Much tries again with the second bowl.  This time he pulls less of a face, although he is not keen on the spices.  Having fought in the Holy Land Much is used to spicy food, even though he has never particularly enjoyed it.  It seems typical of the Sheriff to flavour his food with as many spices as he can.  Much has heard Robin use the word ostentatious, and he thinks this may be the right word to use.

The third bowl is smaller – Guy’s.  He tries it and then he wolfs the contents down.  Guy finds it hard to deny him anything and Much is sure he won’t mind – too much.  Then, feeling a little bit guilty, Much leaves sufficient gravy round the bowl for Guy to mop up with some bread.

Feeling satisfied, Much heads off to find Guy’s chamber.

***

The door opens and closes quietly.

“You ate my food!” Guy growls.

“Did it get you into trouble?” Much asks.

“Fortunately not.  The Sheriff had a go at me for sneaking back before them, so I nodded and muttered something about being hungry.  Which I still am.”

“I presume you wiped the bowl out?”

“Of course.”  Guy produces a large piece of bread, the edges of one end still covered in gravy.  He breaks the bread in half, passing one half to Much, but ensuring he keeps the gravy end for himself.

They eat in companionable silence, before Guy says, “We don’t have much time.  The Sheriff is leaving soon and I am to follow him at nightfall.”

Much glances out of the window to assess how long they have.  “There’ll be enough time.”  He turns back to look at Guy, at the same time pulling his shirt off.  “And with a house to ourselves you won’t even have to try to keep quiet.”