"...And Tom and Lizzie opened up their own toy shop, where they sold wonderful toys to all the children. But their best selling toys of all, the ones nearly every child wanted, were their little toy dragons."

"Nice work, Daddy!" Ellen thanked her father with a wet kiss on his cheek for retelling her favorite story.

"More, Daddy," Grace requested.

"No more tonight, Blossom. Tomorrow's Sunday, don't forget, and we'll be getting up early for mass in the morning. And I expect to see my girls looking their best."

Marian helped her husband tuck the girls into bed. "And afterwards," she told them, handing Grace her poppet and brushing Ellen's hair from her cheeks, "Daddy will have new stories for you, the ones the priest tells us, darlings."

"About Lord Jesus taking away our sins?" Ellen asked, yawning.

Robin and Marian exchanged a look. "That's a pretty big concept for such a little girl," Robin grinned.

"I'm big," Ellen corrected. "Gracie's little."

"Dragon story," Grace demanded.

"I definitely need some new stories," Robin whispered laughingly to his wife. "If I have to tell that dragon story one more time, I think I'll make the dragon eat Tom and Lizzie!"

"It's too bad Robin Hood doesn't capture their imaginations the way Tom and Lizzie do," Marian teased. "Then again, I don't know whether I could stomach your retelling of Maid Marian. She comes across rather helpless, always getting captured and waiting for bold Robin to come rescue her, when the truth was..."

"...the truth was she saved him as many times as he saved her."

"More?" she asked, smiling archly.

He chuckled, not willing to concede that point. "Let's just say together they were stronger, and after they were married, they made beautiful babies together and lived happily ever after, while all the people cheered."

"Hurray! Hurray!" Grace cried, climbing out from under the blankets and jumping up and down on the bed.

"Go to sleep, dear," Marian said lovingly, while Robin caught the child in his arms and tucked her back under the blankets. Little Ellen already slept.

"Goodnight, Apple Blossom," he said, lovingly but firmly, as she settled under the covers and gave a happy little sigh.

" 'Night, Daddy. Love you. Mama, too. Ellen, too. Wake up, Ellie, I love you!"

"Shh! Let your sister sleep. We'll see you in the morning."

They kissed her and left the room contentedly walking hand in hand, listening to little Grace trying to tell the dragon story to her poppet.

Heading downstairs, they settled by the fireside to watch the flames, as they talked and dreamed of the future.

Marian laid her head on his shoulder and ran her fingers up and down his arm enfolding her body.

"It is so good to be home," she sighed. "I didn't want to leave Locksley, but I thought it was the only choice we had."

"Thank God for Queen Eleanor," he said, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

After a brief silence, Marian asked, "Do you think Seth will be alright? I mean, not just safe from Isabella and the king, but alright? Truly alright? Will he grow up to be a fine man, or do you think...?"

Robin smiled slowly. "He still needs a lot of care, but he'll get it, with Allan at the helm of that family. And besides, you heard Ellen...Lord Jesus takes away our sins." His smile faded as he briefly remembered the killings he had committed in the Holy Land. Marian felt his body stiffen, and she sat up and read his thoughts behind the pained look in his eyes.

"Believe it, Robin," she told him earnestly. " 'The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away,' and both acts are nothing but good and holy."

"We serve a good master," he agreed. Sitting forward, he suggested, "It's a beautiful night with that chill in the air. Care to go for a walk, or would you rather ride?"

"Hmm," Marian considered. "Let's walk. Just let me get my cloak."

...

Hand in hand, they wound their way through the fields, until they reached a sturdy fence. A blister on Marian's foot had been giving her trouble, so Robin lifted her hips and sat her on the top of the fence, where she removed her boot and smiled down at him.

"What?" she asked, as he stood smiling up at her with inquisitive eyes.

"I'm just waiting for you to tell me," he grinned.

"Tell you what?" She gasped in surprise. "Robin, how did you know? I mean, I'm not even certain yet!"

"When have you ever chosen to walk, when you could ride," he asked, "especially in those boots?"

"I just thought...I thought...I don't know for certain."

"Are you happy? How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine, which is why you needn't get your hopes up. Besides, I'd really rather wait a while, before I have to get fat and uncomfortable again. Sorry, but that's how I feel."

A shadow passed over his brow, and she immediately regretted her words.

"Darling, of course I'll be happy, if it's so. But let's just wait and see."

Robin still needed to be surrounded by people who loved him, she thought...the more the merrier, as far as he was concerned. He'd once teased her that he wanted a dozen boys and a dozen girls, and she wouldn't be surprised if that wouldn't suit him just fine. Well, one at a time, if her body would cooperate. She wasn't supposed to have been able to bear any children at all, after Gisbourne's near fatal wound, and Matilda assured her their babies were truly miracles.

"Miracles," she breathed, and Robin looked at her questioningly.

"Miracles. Ellen and Grace. And Richard. 'The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be His name.' "

"Amen to that," he said, kissing her fondly.