The Sheriff of Nottingham indulged himself with a wicked smile watching Lady Marian disappear in the castle doors. The thug that should have been hanged today had managed to escape, and that was a nuisance, but the Sheriff has already come up with another idea for tonight's entertainment. Gissy, Gissy. The man is loyal, but oh God, is he a lovesick idiot. He gets especially silly when it comes to Lady Marian, a pretty and strong-willed daughter of the previous Sheriff. The current Sheriff had no doubt the girl had a part in today's mess. He did not understand her involvement, nor did he care. It was not the first time this opinionated damsel meddled into his affairs. Tonight, however, both she and Gisborne will have a surprise waiting for them. Won't that be fun!

Some time ago a hag came to the castle gates. She was selling various potions, claiming for them to have all sorts of powers. Ostensibly, her decoctions cured illnesses, healed wounds, turned women into beauty queens and made men's loins burn with lust. Sheriff ordered the old fraud to be thrown out, of course, but not before purchasing one of her vials through his guards. According to the hag, the little bottle contained none else but 'the liquid love', a powerful potion, one single drop of which was enough to render a woman wild with desire. All a man had to do was to offer his lady love a goblet of wine with the potion in it, and the next thing the wooer would know was his belle begging for his touch.

The Sheriff just had a pitcher of such wine sent to Lady Marian's rooms. By now Gissy has probably given up on the chase. The Sheriff was ready to bet the man's next move would be coming over to Lady Marian's quarters. Guy never missed a chance to talk to the girl, if by 'talk' you mean standing around and watching her with puppy eyes. With any luck Marian has already taken a sip or two, and if she has, Gissy has the night of his dreams ahead of him. The Sheriff tried to imagine how would Marian feel in the morning, when the charm wears off and she realizes what she has done… oh, what wouldn't he give to see her face at the moment.

The Sheriff didn't do this for Gissy. What he wanted to do was to teach a certain haughty little lady a lesson. She could use some humility in her manners. The Sheriff would not hesitate to hang the girl if he thought he could get away with it, but alas, this was not the case. Marian was his trump card against Robin Hood, both a hostage and a bait. Alive, she was precious. Dead, not so much. However, the girl was in a desperate need of a wake up call. She got unruly. She forgot her place. It was about time to remind her.

'You did this for me,' Marian breathed out. 'You saved my life.'

Guy gave her one of his rare warm smiles.

'Hey!' Allan a'Dale made a face.

'Both of you,' Marian corrected herself. She walked towards Allan and pulled him into an embrace.

'That was nothing really,' Allan told her, looking both smug and eager. 'What's being chased by a dozen of soldiers between friends, eh?' He looked at Gisborne.

'We are not friends,' Guy said pointedly. 'You can go now.'

Allan left. Guy turned to Marian.

'You saved my life today,' she repeated. The man was watching her intensely. The was longing in his eyes, the familiar hunger that always prompted her to tease him.

'Would you do something for me now?' he asked.

'Name it,' she demanded, stepping closer.

'Stay,' he said softly. 'Stay and make this castle a better place to live in.'
Marian beamed. That fitted her plans perfectly. She stood on her tiptoes and embraced Guy, like she did Allan a minute ago.

'Thank you,' she whispered, planting a light kiss on his cheek.

The man's arms wrapped tighter around her. Marian let out a happy sigh. She never liked Guy of Gisborne, but his yearning for her, so evident and so ardent, was strangely alluring, calling to some animal instincts inside her.

She moved to step away but lingered in the circle of his arms, watching his face. He looks nothing like Robin, she thought idly, and yet he is handsome in his own way. Like a predator. Like a wolf. Marian raised her hand and traced his cheekbone with her fingertips. He took it as a cue to lean forward and kiss her fully in the lips.

Marian giggled. She wanted to stop him, like she always did. Instead, she found herself kissing him back. She nearly died today; the thought still made her blood boil and her head spin. What's so wrong about being a little reckless? Marian moaned softly, clinging to Guy and throwing her head back for more kisses. He saved my life, she reasoned to herself. He deserves at least some of my affections. I want him to know Lady Marian can be grateful. She placed her hands on his shoulders and ran her fingers through his fine dark hair.

'Oh, Marian,' the man was whispering. His breath was fast, his kisses were getting feverish. 'My dearest Marian… finally, you… I've been waiting for so long… for you...'

It's getting way too far. The thought swam lazily in her head for some time before sinking in.

'Guy,' she whispered, astonished at the huskiness of her own voice.

'Yes, my love,' he muttered, kissing her neck. His fingers ran along the neckline of her dress, baring her shoulder.

'You should stop now,' Marian declared. She pressed her palms against his chest, but couldn't find it in her to push him away.

Guy looked at her, his eyes hazy with desire.

'I won't stop,' he said, his hands hot on the skin of her neck, 'until you make me.'

'I thought I just did,' Marian told him petulantly, but he already moved to kiss her cheek.

'Your voice did,' he replied, getting to her ear and biting at it slightly. 'Your lips say otherwise.'

To prove his point he claimed her mouth again, his passion making her forget all her arguments for the time being.

She came back to her senses only when he swept her off her feet.

'What do you think you are doing?' she asked him suspiciously.

Guy didn't reply. He lowered her onto the bed and settled next to her. His hand caressed her hip, then moved to the thigh. Marian rubbed her forehead absent-mindedly, surprised at herself. She felt absolutely at ease, having no urge to stop Guy or make him go away. On the contrary, she found herself arching her back invitingly, asking for his touch.

Gisborne was kissing her shoulders, tracing the collarbones with his tongue. His breath was so hot it almost burned her. Marian felt his fingers tug at her dress, baring the breasts. That sobered her up.

'We cannot do this,' she protested, sitting up and covering herself. 'Only those who are married can share the same bed.'

'I shall wed you first thing tomorrow morning,' Guy promised her, putting his arms around her and resuming his ministrations.

'You men always say things like that to get what you want.' Marian tried to wiggle free but Gisborne's hold on her was tight.

'If you don't trust me, I'm ready to wed you right now,' he whispered between the fervid kisses. 'Let's go find the castle chaplain. He'll marry us.'

'I don't want to go find the chaplain,' Marian decided, reclining back on the pillows. She indeed had no desire to go anywhere, or search for anything, or marry anyone. What she wanted was to stay in bed and to enjoy the sight of a man so mad with love for her he was barely coherent.

'Me neither,' Guy agreed. 'Tomorrow morning, at dawn, my Marian.'

His fingers, surprisingly nimble, undid her bodice. His hot hands got under her robe, fumbling around, exploring her curves. Soon the thin linen was in folds at her neck; Marian realized it doesn't cover anything anymore, and took the garment off.

'I never intended to allow you to go that far,' she mumbled to Gisborne. Before, she always found her rooms way too draughty for her liking. Somehow, tonight she felt too warm for her clothes.

'Believe me, I know,' Guy muttered in reply. 'Every time I see you I vow to myself to not let you charm me again. And every time I allow you to do whatever you please with me.'

'It's not the same,' Marian protested weakly.

'Of course it is,' Guy assured her, getting at taking off his own leather jerkin. Marian clicked the clasps playfully. She was just joking around, but Gisborne took it as a sign of impatience, which encouraged him even more. Before she knew it, they were both completely naked. Then the hot body of the man pressed against hers, and she lost herself in the blinding current of desire.

Waking up took her a considerable effort. Her head was buzzing, her eyes hurt, her body ached. She groaned, propping her head on her elbow, and nearly yelped when she saw Guy Gisborne sleeping peacefully next to her.

The man's hand rested on her waist. He was… (she looked around the room and sure enough, there was a pile of discarded clothes)... naked. As was she.

'How dared you!' she shouted and slapped him with all her strength.

The man winced, waking up. He touched his reddened cheek and frowned.

'How could you, Guy Gisborne,' Marian went on vehemently, jumping out of the bed and wrapping herself in a linen bed sheet. 'I knew you had no honour, but I never believed you were such a … bastard!'

Guy turned on his back and sat down, anguish and alarm rising in his eyes.

'Marian,' he said in a puzzled tone. 'My love. I don't understand...'

'I am not your love!' she shrieked. 'People don't do to their loved ones what you did to me!'

'Marian, what are you talking about?' he demanded, getting up and fishing his breeches out of the pile of clothes.

'You know exactly what am I talking about! This!' Marian pointed at the bed, so briskly she nearly banged her finger against the poster. 'I trusted you! I thought you would never stoop so low to force yourself on me!

'I didn't force myself on you!' Gisborne shouted, pain now written plainly on his face. 'You wanted it as much as I did!'

'I wanted it?' Marian shouted, breathless with rage. She scanned hurriedly through her memories of the last night, and gasped. God almighty! Guy was right. It was she who threw herself at him. Well, she hugged him. And then he kissed her. And then she didn't stop him. And then he… damn!

'Marian,' Guy said, taking her hand tremulously. She startled and snatched it away.

'Don't you dare touch me!' she hissed, backing away from him.

Guy dipped his head and went for the rest of his clothes. While he was getting dressed, Marian watched him, feeling nothing but emptiness inside. What is she to do now? How will she look Robin in the eyes?

When Guy turned back to her, his eyes were sad.

'I knew it was too good to be true,' he said. 'I'm still willing to wed you...' he stopped mid-word, silenced by the expression of fury and revulsion on her face. 'Whatever you think of me now, whatever curses you call upon my head, this was the best thing that ever happened to me.'

He left the room and closed the door after him. His heavy footsteps died in the distance. Marian, still wrapped in the linen sheet, sat back on the bed and burst into tears.