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queenofmayMarian waited, polishing a bauble, while her father prepared to leave.
He kissed her on the forward, with that intense look of both courage and pity that twisted her heart, and the door was closed.
She tossed the bauble and the cloth toward the table, not even looking to see where they landed as she mounted the stairs for her room.
It was only one-fourth mark of a candle later she was edging past the guards outside Locksley Manor. She'd never considered breaking into Robin's house; and tomorrow she would have broken into her own house-- she swallowed and forced the thought away as she pressed against her eyes and flipped towards the door, knocking out the last door guard with her legs.
Everything was quiet inside.
A screaming silence warred inside of her.
The way to the main bedroom of the house was the same as ever. Her childhood knowledge of which step creaked and how far to open the door helping her make her way past Gisborne, who sat docile in a side room while she made her way upstairs. The silver in the chest he'd shown her earlier was half into her bag when one of the guards called out to Guy that the Nightwatchman was there.
The bag of coins were left on the floor as she ran to bar the door.
It would only hold so long. She grabbed the portmanteau full of silver and made for the window, but she was thwarted. There were guards with torches below. She turned with a jump at the sound of metal being struck into the door. Half a beam gave way and Gisborne called out through it about it being time to play.
Her heart raced thinking of what would happen if she was caught.
Her own neck. Her father. Robin.
She wouldn't die today. She wouldn't.
Marian's hand moved to the dagger at her leg, as she prepared for the door to give.
The she heard the thwack of an arrow and her heart grew wings as the sounds of footsteps and Robin's voice lifted up from the ground floor of the house. Gisborne turned to take on Robin, his more pressing opponent, taunting him with the news of their impending wedding. Marian took the distraction as good enough for her escape, pushing the door open and warily eyeing Guy as he looked up at her masked figure.
Her eyes found Robin's (bow taunt, green eyes wide, half panic and half exhilaration) and then Djaq (dark color of concern, and maybe understanding); crossed the knowledge of the bodies of the Men all near, all with weapons out.
Then Gisborne laughed--dismissing her--as he looked to Robin and said, "I will think about you when I take her to the marriage bed."
The insult did its job on many fronts. Marian's blood boiled. She didn't even look at either of them as she took the first step, trying to press herself to just go down the stairs. But it didn't work. Her gaze shifted through the eyelets to Gisborne. The dark face filled with arrogant frustration and something snapped--
She turned and punched him. The surprise sent him down and she kicked him in the stomach sending him rolling down the stairs at her feet.
Sense came seconds later as she went running down the stairs after his body; but it wasn't fast enough.
As she ran past him he reached up and punched her in the gut.
Stars exploded into her vision, but she didn't stop.
~*~
The sun was casting streamers through the leaves in the trees when they finally stopped running. Robin was still sprinting ahead in bursts, to make sure no one had spotted them, while Marian was doing her best. To keep up. To not cry out each time her foot slapped the ground. To keep breathing. Her vision kept blurring.
She'd be fine once they rested.
Marian hadn't expected Robin to suddenly turn on her from the hill, waving with his bow, "What do you think you're doing? This Nightwatchman business will be the death of you."
"But there are my last days at the Nightwatchman," she said, pausing. Then forcing herself say the rest. "I won't be able to do it when I am at Locksley."
"You don't have to go back to Locksley. I told you. You don't have to marry him."
He was so infuriating. Didn't he understand how infuriating he was?
Marian found her eyes watered, as she started. "I have no choice."
"No. I was coming to tell you. I have the proof I need." He was smiling, and yet she felt light weight suddenly. "The physician--he will talk. I found him and he agreed to give evidence. He did not treat Gisborne. Gisborne was not there."
The words echoed as though they were real and yet coming from all around her. "He was in the Holy Land."
"And he will say in public?" She asked it quietly, joy warring with a denial of wanting to believe so close to losing everything (everyone). He was looking around, still looking at the smallest noise, reaching out a hand to place on her shoulder. In case. But she could not help herself. "Really?"
He nodded.
"I don't know how to thank you," Marian said, raising a hand. Her breath was shallower. She was sure it was sudden news of her freedom. Her hand floated for a moment, before landing over his on her shoulder.
"We'll think of something." His hand slid upward, fingers caressing the edge of her cheek, green eyes so full of joy. He turned with a sprinting step as his grin widened. "Come on."
Then Robin move entirely as she felt her weight shift from having leaned into his hand. Her body felt sluggish, heavier than it should have been. The step that was meant to take following him forward brought her suddenly to her knees. Pain ricocheted across her midsection and her knee wouldn't even hold her up. She toppled further, her hand going to her stomach where the punch had landed.
She knew it was bad. Knew it was a wound and not a bruise.
She'd had proof that she was bleeding. But it couldn't be that bad.
Her blue eyes sought out Robin. She heard her voice from far, far away call out his name. Not a scream. It sounded confused. Searching. Saw him turn, in such slow motion, the look of confusion replaced by one of sudden fear. His lips moved and she could tell he'd said her name but she couldn't hear it.
He kissed her on the forward, with that intense look of both courage and pity that twisted her heart, and the door was closed.
She tossed the bauble and the cloth toward the table, not even looking to see where they landed as she mounted the stairs for her room.
It was only one-fourth mark of a candle later she was edging past the guards outside Locksley Manor. She'd never considered breaking into Robin's house; and tomorrow she would have broken into her own house-- she swallowed and forced the thought away as she pressed against her eyes and flipped towards the door, knocking out the last door guard with her legs.
Everything was quiet inside.
A screaming silence warred inside of her.
The way to the main bedroom of the house was the same as ever. Her childhood knowledge of which step creaked and how far to open the door helping her make her way past Gisborne, who sat docile in a side room while she made her way upstairs. The silver in the chest he'd shown her earlier was half into her bag when one of the guards called out to Guy that the Nightwatchman was there.
The bag of coins were left on the floor as she ran to bar the door.
It would only hold so long. She grabbed the portmanteau full of silver and made for the window, but she was thwarted. There were guards with torches below. She turned with a jump at the sound of metal being struck into the door. Half a beam gave way and Gisborne called out through it about it being time to play.
Her heart raced thinking of what would happen if she was caught.
Her own neck. Her father. Robin.
She wouldn't die today. She wouldn't.
Marian's hand moved to the dagger at her leg, as she prepared for the door to give.
The she heard the thwack of an arrow and her heart grew wings as the sounds of footsteps and Robin's voice lifted up from the ground floor of the house. Gisborne turned to take on Robin, his more pressing opponent, taunting him with the news of their impending wedding. Marian took the distraction as good enough for her escape, pushing the door open and warily eyeing Guy as he looked up at her masked figure.
Her eyes found Robin's (bow taunt, green eyes wide, half panic and half exhilaration) and then Djaq (dark color of concern, and maybe understanding); crossed the knowledge of the bodies of the Men all near, all with weapons out.
Then Gisborne laughed--dismissing her--as he looked to Robin and said, "I will think about you when I take her to the marriage bed."
The insult did its job on many fronts. Marian's blood boiled. She didn't even look at either of them as she took the first step, trying to press herself to just go down the stairs. But it didn't work. Her gaze shifted through the eyelets to Gisborne. The dark face filled with arrogant frustration and something snapped--
She turned and punched him. The surprise sent him down and she kicked him in the stomach sending him rolling down the stairs at her feet.
Sense came seconds later as she went running down the stairs after his body; but it wasn't fast enough.
As she ran past him he reached up and punched her in the gut.
Stars exploded into her vision, but she didn't stop.
~*~
The sun was casting streamers through the leaves in the trees when they finally stopped running. Robin was still sprinting ahead in bursts, to make sure no one had spotted them, while Marian was doing her best. To keep up. To not cry out each time her foot slapped the ground. To keep breathing. Her vision kept blurring.
She'd be fine once they rested.
Marian hadn't expected Robin to suddenly turn on her from the hill, waving with his bow, "What do you think you're doing? This Nightwatchman business will be the death of you."
"But there are my last days at the Nightwatchman," she said, pausing. Then forcing herself say the rest. "I won't be able to do it when I am at Locksley."
"You don't have to go back to Locksley. I told you. You don't have to marry him."
He was so infuriating. Didn't he understand how infuriating he was?
Marian found her eyes watered, as she started. "I have no choice."
"No. I was coming to tell you. I have the proof I need." He was smiling, and yet she felt light weight suddenly. "The physician--he will talk. I found him and he agreed to give evidence. He did not treat Gisborne. Gisborne was not there."
The words echoed as though they were real and yet coming from all around her. "He was in the Holy Land."
"And he will say in public?" She asked it quietly, joy warring with a denial of wanting to believe so close to losing everything (everyone). He was looking around, still looking at the smallest noise, reaching out a hand to place on her shoulder. In case. But she could not help herself. "Really?"
He nodded.
"I don't know how to thank you," Marian said, raising a hand. Her breath was shallower. She was sure it was sudden news of her freedom. Her hand floated for a moment, before landing over his on her shoulder.
"We'll think of something." His hand slid upward, fingers caressing the edge of her cheek, green eyes so full of joy. He turned with a sprinting step as his grin widened. "Come on."
Then Robin move entirely as she felt her weight shift from having leaned into his hand. Her body felt sluggish, heavier than it should have been. The step that was meant to take following him forward brought her suddenly to her knees. Pain ricocheted across her midsection and her knee wouldn't even hold her up. She toppled further, her hand going to her stomach where the punch had landed.
She knew it was bad. Knew it was a wound and not a bruise.
She'd had proof that she was bleeding. But it couldn't be that bad.
Her blue eyes sought out Robin. She heard her voice from far, far away call out his name. Not a scream. It sounded confused. Searching. Saw him turn, in such slow motion, the look of confusion replaced by one of sudden fear. His lips moved and she could tell he'd said her name but she couldn't hear it.