Episode 1x13 "A Clue: No"
Feb. 23rd, 2008 02:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
queenofmayWhen the door opens back to her room Marian reacquainted herself with the weight of the choice she'd made before leaving.
She could walk better, even if the stairs leading to the bottom floor of her house still gave her some trouble. Step, shift weight. Step, shift weight. Try not to cringe or hit the wall through the entire thing. Her father met her at the bottom of the stairs, looking concerned for her being out of bed; taking one of her arms and placing a hand on her back he helped her.
Marian wished she could tell him of Milliways, of the days she'd gotten to spend recuperating, drinking tea and sleeping.
Instead she just gave him what would approximate a faltering smile that said she didn't need help and she focused on hobbling, more show than truly inability. He gave her soup, while they discussed his and his allies plan to protect the king. She couldn't help playing devils advocate. The idea of him being hurt, or worse, was too easily connected. But she couldn't disagree, or argue, when he said he'd waited too long. It was more confusing when he said Robin wouldn't help.
That he wanted to stop her wedding.
They both agreed he could not, even if Marian did not look up at her father when she said it.
It was confusing and compelling, but it was not the one that confused nor compelled her the most in this moment. Her father faltered when she asked him if he believed Gisborne had gone to the Holy Land, had wanted to kill the King and wounded Robin, but he didn't falter when she reached out for his arm and asked him to take her to him.
"I need to ask him."
The carriage ride bumped more than she liked.
Her side didn't explode with pain when the wheels went in and out of road ruts but it did ache consistently. Arriving at Locksley, she got out tenuously, testing her weight on her feet after the extended jostling. She thanked the boy who'd held open the gate to the carriage before she turned to walk down the pathway to the small courtyard between stables and the house.
Her name was called and she looked up to see Guy staring at her, face quite serious, yet lined with worry.
"I am quite well," Marian said, with a calmly informative tone, loud enough to be heard down the tunnel as she walked, making sure to totter just slightly.
She could walk better, even if the stairs leading to the bottom floor of her house still gave her some trouble. Step, shift weight. Step, shift weight. Try not to cringe or hit the wall through the entire thing. Her father met her at the bottom of the stairs, looking concerned for her being out of bed; taking one of her arms and placing a hand on her back he helped her.
Marian wished she could tell him of Milliways, of the days she'd gotten to spend recuperating, drinking tea and sleeping.
Instead she just gave him what would approximate a faltering smile that said she didn't need help and she focused on hobbling, more show than truly inability. He gave her soup, while they discussed his and his allies plan to protect the king. She couldn't help playing devils advocate. The idea of him being hurt, or worse, was too easily connected. But she couldn't disagree, or argue, when he said he'd waited too long. It was more confusing when he said Robin wouldn't help.
That he wanted to stop her wedding.
They both agreed he could not, even if Marian did not look up at her father when she said it.
It was confusing and compelling, but it was not the one that confused nor compelled her the most in this moment. Her father faltered when she asked him if he believed Gisborne had gone to the Holy Land, had wanted to kill the King and wounded Robin, but he didn't falter when she reached out for his arm and asked him to take her to him.
"I need to ask him."
The carriage ride bumped more than she liked.
Her side didn't explode with pain when the wheels went in and out of road ruts but it did ache consistently. Arriving at Locksley, she got out tenuously, testing her weight on her feet after the extended jostling. She thanked the boy who'd held open the gate to the carriage before she turned to walk down the pathway to the small courtyard between stables and the house.
Her name was called and she looked up to see Guy staring at her, face quite serious, yet lined with worry.
"I am quite well," Marian said, with a calmly informative tone, loud enough to be heard down the tunnel as she walked, making sure to totter just slightly.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-23 11:10 pm (UTC)"Did you try and kill the king in the Holy Land?"
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-23 11:26 pm (UTC)It didn't take long for her question to start to filter through and start to turn his heart to cold marble, though his face betrayed no flicker of the heaviness in his chest.
"Pardon?"
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-23 11:31 pm (UTC)But she couldn't stop now.
Even as a small part of wished she could. The box was opened; and even more the knowledge was necessary.
"Is it true? The last year you were not in quarantine with a fever, but that you traveled to the Holy Land. You and others, dressed as Saracens, and tried to kill the King?"
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 12:28 am (UTC)Locksley.
He turned away to hide his disappointment and crushed hopes.
Waiting for her to finish, he sighed and turned back slowly and carefully.
"Robin Hood."
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 12:32 am (UTC)"What of him?"
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 12:44 am (UTC)It's not a question.
There's only a scant few that know what he did in the Holy Land, fewer now that some of them were dead.
And only one that might discuss the subject with Marian.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 03:30 am (UTC)Robin was the only person who could tell her as such. Even Much could only claim to believe what Robin said he saw one dark night on a man's arm.
"This is a rumor which has been circulating and I need an answer," Marian stressed the word need more than she meant to.
Which made her feel confused about the idea of how much she wanted to know, and why she needed to hear it from him.
Marian steadied herself, looking him but thinking of Robin and the King and herself, her future. "I could not marry you if it were true."
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 05:56 pm (UTC)He cannot lie to her about this, not when he knows they are already marrying under false pretences.
He has not lied to her about that though. Not quite. She would understand his omission.
Guy is skilled enough at concealing his feelings that he able to hide his pained expression behind a mask of disappointment. He has the Sheriff to thank for that, at least, if not also the pleasure of being forced into this position in the first place.
A sigh.
"Rumours, Marian."
He began to circle her slowly.
"You need to be more careful..."
A pause to lean close and almost whisper in her ear.
"...who you listen to."
Guy came round to face her again. To look her in the eye. To tell her the truth.
"The day the King returns is a day of joy for me. It is the day that I marry you."
It is not a lie.
But it is not the answer to her question.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 06:12 pm (UTC)Marian shifted, hands grasping at the edges of her cloak tightly, unsettled by the disappointed sincerity of his last words.
"I am unsure."
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 07:25 pm (UTC)Her last words are disappointing and he needs no mask to show that.
"Well, you must be sure."
That he loves her, is perhaps the one thing Guy is sure of himself.
Marian on the other hand seems to be attempting some kind of protest against it.
Guy doesn't let her get any further than "but".
"Have you not seen what you do to me?"
He can't draw his eyes from her face; her smooth brow, her skin, her eyes, her nose, her mouth...
"My...passion for you."
This close he can smell the scent of her hair. He imagines that he can almost feel her warmth.
He cannot hold back any longer. Marian is an irresistable temptation, even now only hours before they are to be wed.
Her lips are soft and sweet-tasting as he gently presses his own to them.
"I have never felt like this before."
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 07:38 pm (UTC)It's suddenly her heart racing and panic is flooding her and not being sure whether to run away or stand very still praying it will end and why is he and he's warmer than she thought he would be and he smells familiar like leather and horses and something almost acrid with incense and it is not horrible and it is not right.
Heart in her throat, Marian pulled away, his last words hardly touch her ears.
"I must go."
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 07:54 pm (UTC)"Stay."
Automatically, his hand moves to grasp her arm.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 07:56 pm (UTC)"I must go."
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 08:09 pm (UTC)In her heart.
That she trusts he will love her and protect her all the days of their life together.
"Not until you tell me you believe me."
He needs this.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 08:16 pm (UTC)Her hand tightened on her cloak and her face remained clear.
"I believe you."
And anything else that would allow her to go back home. Now.
She smiled, feeling his hand relax, and slipped from him, walking out the door calmly. Once she passed out of the doorway her steps quickened.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-02-24 08:39 pm (UTC)Suddenly realising he had not had to reveal his treachery in the Holy Land to her, his legs felt weak and his heart pounded - loud enough surely for her to hear as she left?
He collapsed into a chair, relieved to have endured this test, to have maintained their tenuous situation for a while longer.
Now? He only had to make it through the wedding before they would be man and wife.
Guy hoped that Marian did not return to question him further. He doubted that he would survive it.