"My Lord with a hundred men at my command I could cut down Sherwood and burn half the outlaws heads over the maingate by tomorrow's eve." Guisbourne tried to look noble despite having a chicken leg stuck to his armour.

"Thirty men Guisbourne and if their heads are not served to me on silver plates then your's will be. Understand? Now get out of my sight." Robert de Renault smoothed his moustache gently. A thorn in his side would be removed by the end of the day, it was a joyous occasion. Either way he won; this made his smile grow. "More wine."

***

Robin took aim at the oak tree, his aim steadied and he let loose. It bit deep into the bark. Much and Tuck cheered while Nazir and Scarlet muttered their grudging praise. "My round I think." Robin's long blonde hair caught the sunlight and glistened.

Nearby there was a strange whirring, groaning sound and a tall blue box began to appear.

"Lord in heaven protect me..." Tuck started to pray. The others drew their swords.

A strange figure emerged. She was about five and a half feet with long unkempt blonde hair. She wore a beige trouser suit with a yellow orchid attached to the lapel. She wore sensible walking shoes rather than the heels she preferred. Her outfit was complete with a blue silk scarf wrapped loosely around her neck. The scarf had tiny question marks embroidered onto it. "Hello, sorry to startle you. I'm the Doctor." She held out her hand in greeting.

***

Guisbourne's men started at the Vertfield edge of Sherwood. It was quite near Wickham and one of the villagers ran to Robin's camp to let him know about the situation.

***

The Doctor smiled as she shook hands with Robin. "I've always wanted to nip back in time and take in this era. David and Claire would be bored silly but history has always fascinated me. I'm the Doctor, did I say that already? You must think me a giggling ninny."

"Not at all." Robin was diplomatic. It was obvious this woman was unlike any noble born lady he had met while at his father's castle. Neither was she a peasant. She had all the finer qualities of a court bred artisan but without the arrogance that rank brought out in them. In fact she was so much like Marion.

"Are you going to introduce me?" Marion asked. She scowled at Robin for a second.

"Ah yes, sorry. My Lady Marion of Leaford, the Doctor."

"How do you do?" The Doctor held her hand out and smiled.

Marion felt she should be suspicious of this woman but she sensed nothing but friendship. "I'm fine. And you?"

"Bit of a twinge in the old knee but it's nothing a good rest wouldn't do. I must remember to put some chairs in the console room. I've put off and put off and here I am in my thirteenth incarnation."

***

Guisbourne's men worked hard, cutting down the trees and clearing away the cut branches. A wind began to blow. Gently at first, it soon picked up speed and velocity.

***

Fog blew through the trees and surrounded Robin, Marion and The Doctor. A horned figure emerged from the mist. "Traveller of time you must help the hooded man. The time to act is here, do not think to do. Beware the kin of hate."

"Does he always talk like that or was it just for my benefit?" the Doctor asked.

"Oh, he's always like that when he's possessed by Herne's spirit. The rest of the time he's quite ordinary. What did he mean traveller of time?"

"A story for another time I fancy. I hear footsteps."

"You're imagining things. Nazir has the finest hearing in the whole of England."

"Someone approaches." Nazir jumped to his feet.

"Fortunately I'm from Gallifrey. One person on foot unarmed. He had bread with vegetables for lunch."

"How can you tell?" Marion asked laughing.

"My hearing isn't they only acute sense I have." She tapped her nose.

Marion laughed. " I see."

Elric told Robin about the soldiers tearing down the trees. Robin gathered his group together plus the Doctor. Robin felt that she was going to get involved no matter what he said. "We have to stop Guisbourne from destroying Sherwood and from finding us. To this end I suggest we outflank them and fire at their exposed flanks using surprise to drive them off."

"No killing." The Doctor was resolute.

"Try not to kill if you possibly can. Aim for the legs and arms. If we can stop them defiling our home it should be enough. Guisbourne is mine."

***

Guisbourne's men drove further into the heart of Sherwood despite the cold biting wind. "Keep going men. Onward, nothing can stand in our way."

Arrows began to fly from the sides hitting many of the soldiers in the legs and arms. Several of the horses used to pull the heavy branches away bolted, knocking soldiers all over the wood.

Guisbourne drew his sword and charged towards the blond haired figure. "Now you die wolfshead." Suddenly he saw the person was a woman and he reigned his horse.

Robin took advantage and leapt from a low branch onto Guisbourne's back, tumbling him from the saddle. He pulled the hood down and smiled at his half-brother. "Guisbourne tell your men to surrender and I'll let you leave with your dignity intact."

"Never, the Sheriff will have my head."

"He's finally seeing reason is he? Well much as we hate each other I can't let him kill you when we're not there to witness it."

***

The Sheriff paced around his court room. It was passed sundown and Guisbourne hadn't returned. "With any luck they've killed each other." His words rang around the empty room.

"Not so fast my lord Sheriff." Robin emerged from the shadows by the window, loaded bow in hand. "Guisbourne didn't make it out alive."

"So only one fool left now. I'll burn you out of Sherwood Robin Hood and then I'll give your head to your father myself."

"My Lord..." Guisbourne entered the room, his armour damaged and several cuts to his body. "I fought my way back here."

"Guisbourne!" Robin exclaimed with as much astonishment as he could muster. Things were going to plan. He fired the arrow through the window, shattering it." Robin landed in the haycart's soft contents.

The Doctor got the horses moving and they trundled as fast as possible to the gate where John and Scarlet had taken the guards hostage. They jumped onto the cart and they sped off back to Sherwood.

Back in Sherwood the Doctor took part in the protection ceremony although the wine made her head spin. Finally she thanked her new friends for their hospitality and the adventure. She set the TARDIS controls to pick David and Claire up from the concert they wanted to see.