[Episode OOM -- "Ducking and Diving" 2.05 (2)]

[queenofmay]

Marian hadn't been far, fretting and not even able to pace, from the room where The Sherrif and his physican were, with the unconscious body of Henry of Lewes. She couldn't do anything about Robin's spy, but she had to keep an eye on The Sheriff's spy, and whether he relayed King Richard's information to him and The Black Knights.

Nothing was going on, yet, because she could still hear Vaisey's voice rising higher and higher every few minutes. Still not getting what he wanted. She'd had to shrink into the shadows when Mathilda, the old wise woman, was brought in cursing everyone up a storm, and saying something Marian couldn't catch about her daughter.

She'd finally managed to sneak up on the corridor walkway, catching bits of conversation, promises about getting to go, snippets of Matilda's warm snark, only to have to flatten herself against a wall when the door flew open again. Blight, The Sheriff's physician, stalking out, heading one way.

But the gaurds who followed him, had divided. Half of them following the man, and the other two headed toward her. Guy, right there, at the head of another. Barely twenty feet from her when she turned, trying to flee the walkway. Unable to run without looking even more suspicious.

Comments

[landlesslord]

Even at the foot of the stairs, Guy can see Marian is not only lurking in the corridor, but that she is missing her guard. His swift jog up the stairs continues into the hallway so that he can catch up with her easily.

"Marian," he called, slowing as she turned to face him. "Where's your guard?"

[queenofmay]

She cannot run. She cannot. All she can do is try to reground, try to have a good enough reasons for being here, when he will ask. She was curious and wanted to see the new prisoner? No.

Marian had to turn, cursed the question when it reached her, to face him. Addressed she could not continue to retreat without other problems. Her hands, palms flat bouncing faintly against the skirts over her thighs, as she almost put her back to a pillar.

"I don't know." She took a step to one side. "I must have lost him."

[landlesslord]

A likely story. It wasn't hard to see that Marian didn't exactly relish having her every move watched, especially with the freedoms that her father allowed her.

Guy turned and caught the eye of one of his men.

"Watch Lady Marian."

[queenofmay]

No, not another to lose. With the needed jobs of watching for both a traitor and a spy. Marian curled her shoulders and tilted her head, imploringly crestfallen toward Guy at the opposite part of the rampart.

"Is that really necessary?"

[landlesslord]

As he crossed the hallway to face her, he couldn't help but be the slightest bit amused at her chafing at the conditions of her confinement in the castle. Admittedly, he himself would be more than a little frustrated with a guard hovering beside him at every turn, but if the alternative was to be imprisoned in a single room...

"I don't know. Is it?"

[queenofmay]

That was far less unyielding than she expected.

"Well," she decided to test it. She could not do what she needed with one there. She kept her back to the stone pillar, and her eyes on him, letting herself stay a little tense, but so curiously passive in her earnest dislike. "Do you think I'm threat?"

[landlesslord]

A threat?

He looked at her, assessing briefly.

"No."

[queenofmay]

If her mouth dropped open in a small 'o,' it was less to do with the fact he had absolutely no idea she'd several times beaten him and more to do with the quiet, insult-free answer. Even if he had looked almost amused at the ludicrous concept.

She followed after him quickly, calling out, "I was wondering, if I could have a day away from the castle, and the guards--" Marian crossed in front of him, turning around with a smile, blocking him at the next pillar. "--and accompany you."

Wouldn't it be so much easier to see where he went if she did? Or to know, with the simple question, whether she should be staying here watching this door or following him to a spy?

[landlesslord]

That she follows him is something of a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. Just unusual.

"I'm on business."

It's an easy refusal.

[queenofmay]

She let her smile fall small, almost secretive.

"Sounds interesting."

[landlesslord]

"Marian, it's private."

Not even the Sheriff knew who he would be going to meet - all that a handful of his own men knew that they were to watch for a sign at the Trip Inn.

[queenofmay]

The tone was already a no -- but his answer meant he might be going to do any number of serious things, which might somewhere in there, include meeting Robin's spy.

She leaned in, pressing it, even knowing the answer. "Sounds doubly interesting."

[landlesslord]

This was rapidly becoming less amusing. He didn't have time for this, if he wanted to catch his informant at the Trip Inn.

"Marian. No."

[queenofmay]

Marian sighed, frustrated un-surprise, letting it come out as a sound of being denied. Like a child, or a court girl denied her want. "Very well. But--"

But she tilted her head, staying close, still imploringly. Without pretending it didn't give that of course, she was overtly trying him for her freedom, by any and every means. "But at least let me have a day unchaperoned."

[landlesslord]

Guy is not so blinded by Marian's charms that he can't tell when she wants something. At least, when she is this obvious.

Hmm. He leant against the pillar beside them.

"You're up to something."

[queenofmay]

Marian smiled brightly, leadingly, "Yes."

"I’m charming you," Said with that same brightness, even though it was more off cuff, said blankly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"So, that I can have," The pretense slipping for a touch of more earnest honesty, and apparent restless, her need to not be watched for all her jobs, than she'd originally thought she would. Pointedly, toward the man behind them, "An hour or two without a goon on my back."

[landlesslord]

The opening salvo of her renewed attack isn't quite what he was expecting.

There might have been more smiling and small talk and...who knows what.

The honesty. The plain speaking.

It's unexpected, but he much prefers it. He gets enough politics from the Sheriff all day.

Guy glanced over Marian's head at the guard, before dismissing him with a nod.

[queenofmay]

Marian's eyes had gone wide, her mouth opening in, surprised. It had been such an impossible, last attempt. Her smile was going to take over her whole face soon.

She'd be able to keep track of the traitor. She'd be able to try and see if he saw the spy. He was going to let her have any amount of trusted freedom.

[landlesslord]

Marian would be free of her guard.

Guy moved to pass her, catching hold of her wrist and then her hand as he did so, turning her to face him as he stopped at the top of the steps.

There could not be complete freedom though, not while she was still a guest of the Sheriff.

"But you stay in the castle." On this point, he was firm.

Now though, he had to hurry to meet his informant at the Trip Inn.