Robin Hood fic: Stew

Title: Stew
Characters: Much, Allan, Robin
Words: 257
Prompt: Much/Allan; just a confusion
Warnings: none
Rating: PG
Genre: Gen
Disclaimer: Not for profit.
Summary: Much is preparing dinner but Allan is convinced that’s not all that’s going on
Written for “Treat Much Right” from a rhdrabblefest prompt (but longer than a drabble)

“Much!” bellowed Robin.
Much appeared, rubbing grubby hands on his stained apron. “What, I’m getting supper on!”
Robin sighed. “Did you or did you not threaten to skin Allan?”
Much, puzzled, looked from his master to Allan, who was trying to hide behind Robin.
“Why would I skin him?” he asked at last.
Allan leant over Robin’s shoulder. “I heard you,” he said, his voice shaking. “It was all, and then cut the vegetables and then skin the rat.”
Much’s forehead creased as he considered this.
“I said I was sorry for being a traitor,” Allan whined. “Why would you want to skin me?”
A smile spread over Much’s features. “I was just talking about supper,” he explained. “Skinning the meat and cutting the vegetables.”
“See,” Robin said. “A simple misunderstanding.”
Allan, reassured, nodded and mumbled “S’allright then,” and wandered off.
As Much walked away, Robin paled, realising what Much had meant.
“Much? You’re not putting *rat* in the stew, are you?”
Much’s fixed smile was not reassuring. “Tree rat? Squirrel.” He was unconvincing and he knew it and instead decided to go for defiance.
“Well if you’d bring me a boar to cook, I’d cook boar, but you don’t! So, yes, there’s rat in the stew!”
Robin looked around desperately for assistance. “Half an hour,” he promised, jogging away. “We’ll get some nice juicy rabbits to cook.”
Much grinned as Robin ran away looking for help in finding rabbits. Allan reappeared from behind a tree.
“See,” the minstrel said with a wink. “Told you that’d work.”