Whatever they were or were not, it was beyond them both now, what with Lady Luck nowhere to be found and him reaching the end of his rope. But, mayhap there was hope for them yet…
If he could only find a way around this blasted hanging…
The sheriff stared down his nose at the old man across him, wondering if he should grant an old man and one set to hang a last request, it was only humane to let the man absolve his conscious, Loxley's father had been a valued friend of Edwards after all…
What could it hurt?
"Please sheriff, let me talk to the boy, and absolve myself," the man requested with dignity. Vaisy stood walking around his desk to stand, staring out his window at the sky only now streaking with golden hues as dawn began to break.
"What I should tell you, is to go, to go back home to your daughter and forget the boy you once knew, if I had a heart, that's what I'd say" Vaisy admitted without an ounce of shame, "But I don't, and if you want to speak a few words to settle your conscious, that's your business, and since I'm such a nice man…I'm going to let you."
"Thank you sheriff" the older man said with a stately grace that even Vaisy had to admire. "Stay with Loxley as long as you wish do whatever you wish have a heart to heart or bonding session, but, and this is my condition when it comes time for him to dangle I don't want to hear a word from you, understood, yes? Good, now get out."
Edward stood with a slight bow to Vaisy and exited the room, he knew his way to the dungeons. When the door had shut behind him he blew out a breath, sagging in relief.
That had been a chancy request to make, but he needed to see Loxley before they led him to the gallows.
He steeled himself for what he might find all the way down, imagining all sorts of horrible possibilities while praying that the truth would not be so bad as that, his skin crawled at the state of the prison cells, and his blood curdled at the thought of the boy he'd known, and loved as a son, in this ungodly place. But Robin wasn't a boy anymore; he was a man, moreover an outlaw.
He could do nothing for him now, but perhaps, his daughter could.
"I am here to see the outlaw" Edward said, the words odd and unfamiliar on his tongue, outlaw, instead of Robin. He didn't give the bumbling guard a chance to argue, brushing past like he belonged here, like he knew what he was getting himself into, even if maybe he didn't.
"This way, sir" the guard said trailing after, shoving open the cell door at the end of the small corridor. He stepped in, raising the torch the guard flanking him had handed over.
"Robin?"
"Edward?!"
Edward ignored Robins questioning gaze in favor of turning to the guard, "You can leave us" he commanded like he was sheriff once more and this was his dungeon and he expected, no demanded, to be obeyed.
"But sir…" the guard protested weakly, "I'm a weak and aging old man who only wishes to clear a few matters with this outlaw whose doings have been a burden upon us all, leave us to speak alone" Edward ordered, not missing Robin's flinch and concealing his own at the cruel words.
"Right sir. Just pound on the door when you're done here" the guard instructed glancing between the older man and the outlaw with uncertainty, "Thank you" Edward said, closing the door on his face.
"Robin" Edward was at his side in two steps, inspecting the wounds littering the lean and wiry body, a single stripe of color arching across his abdomen.
Robin blinked as though still not sure he wasn't seeing things, that Edward was really here, because honestly if was the last thing he'd expected.
"What has he done?" Edward whispered, but the words were redundant, he had eyes to see. Robin shrugged cocking his head to the side, "He couldn't resist a little fun before my big day with the gallows" chuckling as though something about that were morbidly humorous.
"You shouldn't be here" Edward said unhappily, "Neither should you" the younger ma pointed out with a shrewd glance, "How did you get in here, anyways?"
"Nothing illegal I assure you, I have to think about Marion…I don't condone what's been done here Robin, you must believe that" Edward said quickly making sure that point was clear, even though he needn't concern himself because Robin nodded with a bleak kind of understanding, "I know."
"Coming here was risky Edward, surely you must know that" Robin reminded him, a hint of reproof in his tone.
"I had to see you Robin. You are always upholding justice, feeding the poor freeing the innocent, and my Marion, dispensing food and medicines where she can, you both risk so much, it was the least I could do to come here, I had to see you" Edward said tiredly.
"You shouldn't have concerned yourself with me, as you said, you must think of Marion, and this was a risky move on your part" Robin reminded him gently, "No more so than what my daughter is planning at this very moment."
Robin froze, groaning audibly.
"Please, please tell me she is not going to do something foolish" Robin implored of the older man his head bowed, "No more foolish than setting her heart on a wanted man."
"The Night watchman has returned then?" Robin asked his lip twitching in a telltale grin of appreciation, he really should have expected it; Marion was hardly one to stand on the sidelines knitting gloves.
"The Night watchman has returned" Edward replied with acceptance while a gleam of pride make itself known in his gray-blue eyes.
"I've came to warn you, and to tell you that you cannot die on her now Robin, she's gone and set her heart on you, for good or bad, she loves you more than ever" Edward stated with blunt honestly, "And if there's anyone that can get you out alive, it will be her, when Marion sets her mind on something…well you know."
Robin exhaled through his teeth, he liked this not at all, but Edward was right, "I suppose your right," adding with such a deep worry etched into his face even in this gloom it was apparent to Edward, he paused saying in a rush "I dearly hope she doesn't earn herself a rope to match my own." Edward cast him a prickly, reproving glance, as that was the last thing any father wanted to hear concerning the well being of their daughter.
"As do I."
Edward made as though to leave before sitting back down, turning to Robin with a pained look on his well-aged face, "I've been a poor friend to you Robin, and much as I wish I could excuse it as a necessary distance, its not true I put that distance there and I haven't done anything about it" Edward said plunging on blindly, feelings long stored showing through.
"You came back, and already people were speaking your name, you were fanning fires with nothing more than a few words, first that blatant dismissal of Gisborne, and then the business with the new sheriff…I took the easy way, when I should have stood my ground long ago, you made me see that Robin, and I'm sorry for not welcoming your safe return as I should, you were not only the betrothed of my daughter, but my son, and though it was hard to see you go, I understand I understood, though it broke my heart to see her so brokenhearted."
"I should have never gone, I was young and naïve and foolish, more so even than Marion will say I am today," Robin said with a faint smile tilting his lips up.
"Everything happens for reasons beyond our understanding, you left and nothing can change that, but think on this Robin" Edward advised with a solemn steely look coming into his eye, "If you had not gone, would you still be the man you are today? The one England needs, and hails as Robin Hood?"
Robin's head jerked up as the cell doom swung open.
"It seems your times almost up Loxley" the sheriff said grimly, "No rescue attempts, I'm surprised, disappointed even I was almost looking forward to one of those little scenes you know when your men try to storm the castle gates."
"The day is early yet," Robin vowed with a cocky smirk.
"Maybe your right, but the time for rescues is over, because I have you, so tell me whose going to shoot the rope and dramatically save your life? Your little friend Much? A clue: no. It would seem, Loxley, your not as irreplaceable to your men as you would think" his glove slapping mockingly across Robins face.
Edward stewed in silence.
"And you, not one single word, remember our deal" Vaisy snapped turning to the other man, "Deal? What deal?" Robin demanded becoming uneasy, "Nothing concerning you Robin! I only came here to clear my conscious and wash my hands of you for once and for all time," Edward snarled stalking past the whole lot of them.
He didn't look back, the one flash of pain and anger and humiliation that had been painted clear as crystal on Robins face had been enough, no need to look again, that one glimpse had been more than enough to set his scheming conscious to railing at him for being a cold-hearted old man.
He eased his mind with the knowledge that Robin would see the truth while wincing at the mocking words of the despicably sheriff,"…Oh, that look, I wish I could just freeze that, it was priceless" Vaisy laughed motioning to the guard hanging in the back, tall and lean like, "Bring him" he said, "Yes, you, move!" the guard did so almost sluggishly, as though he'd rather skinny dip in a winter-cold spring and be doing this. He held his tongue, ignoring how Robin flinched when he came up and roughly – he was Luke, the guard – tied the outlaws' hands giving the lead-rope to Vaisy, he knew it was nothing more than reflex.
That was he told himself, to get by.
"Where on earth is Gisborne?" Vaisy demanded, the guard shrugged, grunting "Don't know my lord, haven't seen him about" he explained but before the words were through there was the heavy thud of boots on stairs and the leather, dark, clad form of Gisborne stalked in looking entirely to pleased.
"Ah, there you are, I thought you were going to miss the hanging"
"I wouldn't miss it."
"No, I don't suppose you would. Well! Don't just stand there man, bring out the prisoner" Vaisy snapped, leading the way, Gisborne hanging back to walk along the other side of Loxley.
"I wonder will Marion be present? I can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes…you're about to die like every other common outlaw. I wonder, will she cry?" Gisborne trailed off as through trying to picture it.
"Its hard to image" he muttered, Robin snorted, "Marion doesn't cry."
Gisborne shrugged, "Don't you want her to? You are going to die, there's no way around this now Loxley, it will happen I assure you" Gisborne said, "If you ever loved a person, truly, loved them, you'd do anything to prevent them from having to cry over your grave" Robin said looking straight ahead, "But you wouldn't understand something like that."
Gisborne sneered, "Love? Ha! That's for the weak minded, creating an illusion of something more to make their lives seem worthy!" he said with bitterness sharp on his tongue.
Robin cocked his head to the side, giving the dark haired man a peculiar look, as though he saw something in him that for once was no all iniquitous and wholly irredeemable, but then the look was gone, replaced with hatred as he said softly, for there was no need to raise his voice.
Gisborne – weather he knew it or not – was hanging on his every word.
"I already know the wroth of my life Gisborne. Do you know yours?"
"Are you two done whispering back there?" Vaisy snarled yanking gleefully on the rope forcing Robin to tumble forward caught only by the young guard who rightened him before backing away hastily under the sheriffs' icy stare and Gisborne's pitying, if disapproving gaze.
Gisborne gritted his teeth at being mocked so openly, and before Loxley no less! He had no time to see Loxley or his reaction because they were at the castle doors Gisborne and Vaisy paused, hearing the angry mob awaiting on the other side, "It seems quite the crowd has shown for your hanging Loxley" Vaisy remarked, adding beneath his breath, "I'm not sure if that's very touching, or really disturbing."
She was ready. Well, mostly. She was as ready as she ever would be for something like this, leastwise. She felt silly and childish like she was dressed in someone else's clothes and this was all one grand game of charade.
But here the prize was Robin life.
Relief as she'd never known it before swept through her when the castle doors swung open and she spotted him standing there, straight and tall, so confident and cocky she could kiss him, or kick him, that was up for debate what with his whole getting caught, again, business.
Her relief was short lived, replaced with a fierce anger that put fire in her belly.
"Of all the dastardly things to do!" she snarled beneath her breath, her voice venomous and livid even muffled as it was under the mask.
"He's pulling him along like a dog on a chain" she thought, wincing as Robin stumbled down the steps, the mob quieted, frozen apparently by their heroes plight they surged forward as one helping Loxley onto his feet again, cursing, spitting and pelting the sheriff and Gisborne with rotten eggs, old putrid food and other more disgusting unmentionables.
Swiping pungent egg off of his face Gisborne snarled, dragging Loxley up and over to stand in front of him, Gisborne smirked, the peasants wouldn't dream of pelting there bloody hero. From her perch behind the windowsill she had a birds eye view of the entire towns square.
She could see Will, the guard to Robins left backing away as Gisborne took over forcing his way through the angry mob of peasants, she swore that once Robin had looked straight at her, that roguish wink in his eye, as he'd been led up the gallows, hands tied, rope adjusted about his neck…
She wanted to look away, but didn't dare to.
"Oh, bring out the Saracen man, kill two birds with one stone and all that" Vaisy barked out as an after thought, a smile playing at his lips. Gisborne nodded, "Fetch the Moslem, boy!" he barked at Luke.
The boy hurried off, sweat beading his brow.
Marion grumbled under her breath, she wanted this done, she wanted Robin back. Now.
What was taking so long?
They didn't have long damn it!
Robin was counting on them, on her, this time, and she had vowed not to disappoint. These people hadn't come to see hanging, no they had come for the rescue "outlaws never leave there own behind" and she'd be damned if she didn't give it to them in spades!
The heavy beat of the drums echoing the mad racing of her heart, going thud-thud-thud in her ears, icy dread filling her veins.
This was it.
The seconds ticked by, like the instant over to soon, and she wasn't ready for it. Not for the screech-scratch of the chairs, or the crackle-snap of the rope gone taunt, or the silent blind panic in blue eyes she was only barely close enough to see.
There it was, the signal! She fumbled, drawing back on the string and praying hard let loose her arrow. There was a long drawn silence, followed by an uproar of chaos.
"Oh Damn."
Once second everything was fine the sun was shining, right in his eyes too.
But he was alive and right then that counted for a lot, and he knew without a doubt his men would come, Marion would come.
With the next the chairs went poof, and he couldn't breath worth a damn for the rope strangling him more efficiently than he'd ever been strangled before, that's about when the doubt kicked in. Subsequently he heard the thwack of a rope sliced clean through, and panicked, by couldn't he breath?
Right, it had missed him.
He was fighting for every breath as the rope dug deeper into his throat and then he was a bewildered man flat on his back and he couldn't have been happier, he even welcomed the knocking the wood had given him.
"Thank Allah!"
His first thought was to run.
His second was "I'm alive" his third "I must save the Englishman."
He stood hunched over, evading the guards clambering onto the gallows, grabbing for there swords when everything went up in smoke, there was a distinctive pop and the town square was filled with a blackish gray mist that hung heavy and thick in the air.
Through bleary eyes he saw a strawberry blond man scramble onto the gallows and hack the rope with one vicious swing of his sword, blocking himself and the Englishman from arrows with his shield.
"Robin!" Much exclaimed hugging him before dragging him behind as they made their escape, "John!" Much shouted, and the brawny man was there, smashing the guards heads together and sending them toppling, and dizzy eyed "We go now!" he exclaimed loudly.
Robin shook his head, staggering along behind Much who grasped his wrist tightly his vision blurred at the edges, smoke everywhere, people shouting "Where is he?"
The sheriff, "Catch him!"
Gisborne, "I can't see a bloody thing!"
Robin tugged seeing a shadow come up from behind the glint and gleam of a sword apparent even through the most and haze and blurred vision, "Much" he croaked, hoarsely his voice refusing to work properly, "What was that-"
"Get down Robin!" Much shouted and he dropped on reflex alone, face hitting the dirt, he rolled and the guard stared at him dumbly for a minute before falling over, dead. An arrow sticking from his back, Robin scanned the upper windows. She looked every inch the Night watchman from her obscure mask to her dark cloak – Marion.
"Hey look up there! Its him, the Night watchman!" people started shouting pointing up at the solitary figure standing at the window. "Run mister!" one of the young lads in the crowd exclaimed before being hushed by his mother, the Night watchman took his advice.
Hearing the clank of booted feet on the stairs that could only mean one man.
Guy. He'd always had an obsession with her alter ego. She threw her pouch, thick clods of mist exploding everywhere as she leapt the few feet down into the midst of the crowd, and disappeared.
"I'll get you one of these days!" Gisborne shouted from the window. "Not if I can help it" she muttered but didn't stop racing to Robin and Much, the Saracen tagging along.
Robin didn't say anything, and she was hurt but brushed it aside for later. She'd only saved his bloody life after all. He must be becoming rather used to this by now. "Will?" Robin coughed, and she was instantly, ashamedly, contrite.
His voice was rough like sandpaper, harsh and raw.
"Will? Where is he? And Allan? Where are they!" Much exclaimed his eyes flitting about anxiously, an idea came to Robin and he grabbed at the horse Djac held and seating himself, barely, barreled back into the crowd, and the mist, and headlong into danger.
"Dammit! We don't have time for this" Marion cursed.
Djac held her arm, "Let him, he has a plan, give him a moment" she advised, "Half a plan, if we're lucky" Marion conceded grumpily and Djac laughed, "Yes, if we are lucky."
As it happened he did have such a plan.
It was touch and go what with this blasted vision and scratchy voice, but mostly there. Allan had forgone his safe escape of shimmying down the castle wall with his rope when he'd seen what Will was about.
"The bleedin' fool!"
"What? Who are you?" Vaisy's desperate and panicked voice demanded as he backpedaled, Will threw off his helmet and guards mail with and it was like a weight taken from his shoulders.
"Don't remember me? I'm Will Scarlett!"
"Oh my, I'd no idea, all this time…that was you, loyal member of Loxley's little band, and here you…oh my, this is good, much better than I thought, I wonder what your comrades will think?" Vaisy taunted with a truly devilish grin, Will grimaced, "Fight me you coward! Fight me!"
Vaisy turned his back, "Turn around you bastard, or I swear I'll run you through" Vaisy shook his head self-assuredly, "No you wont. Because Robin doesn't abide killings, not in cold-blood" Vaisy argued.
"What's he talking about Will?" Allan demanded his eyes going between the two, "Nothing!" Will denied, "Nothing" he repeated harshly.
"We've got to go mate, come on, whatever it is let it go, he'll get his…just not today, come on" Allan persuaded eyeing the guards as they began fumbling there way toward the sheriff through the mist still hanging in the air, "You weren't there Allan, you know what he did, what he made me…" Allan tried to grab for Will but the lad shied away, "No."
"Will!" two head turned as two horses came charging through, people throwing themselves out of the way, Will blinked, as though in a shock.
"Robin" he said dully.
"We must go, now! He is not worth it, let it be" Robin said roughly, every word agony to him, he held out his hand, "Its over, and forgotten" he said with dead serious, Will took his hand and Allan swung up onto the other horse behind the Night watchman with profound relief.
That day they made good their escape, traveling deep into Sherwood losing themselves in its beauty and greenery.
"Should we be letting you go home now?" Much asked, "I'll go home, but not tonight," Marion said, her eyes drifting to Will and Robin who were talking some distance from the rest.
Will was doing most of the talking.
"I wonder what they are talking about" Marion said, Much shrugged, "It'll come out eventually" and turned away, sounding more convinced than he was, he had the feeling that it was just the opposite. No need for Marion to know that, she probably did already, after all, she knew Robin could really be very closed mouthed about the oddest things…
"…There is nothing to forgive!" Robin exclaimed in exasperation as Will asked for it yet again. "It was hardly your fault" he reasoned, "I did it, though, and I can't just take it back and pretend it never happened!"
"Yes, you can."
Will froze, "I'm not like you Robin, I can't just dismiss something and go on like it never happened, when it did. Those marks on your back, your face? They weren't all the sheriffs doing. Me. I did that!" Will snapped, shame and bile rising in his gullet.
"I hardly need you to remind me of it," Robin snapped grinding his teeth, "But I am fine, I am alive, and have already put this behind me" he finished calmly, "I want, you to do the same," he looked Will in the eye "It hurt, and you did not mean it, you were playing a part nothing more, that man Luke? Tuck him away in the back of your head and forget him, let yourself be Will once more and forget him. As I have. What do you say?" Robin held out his hand, and Will took it, "Alright."
"That's a good lad. Now lets have us a drink, me and you we've earned it!"
Will looked at Robin as though he wasn't sure what to make of him and began to laugh, "We all have!" he replied as the made there way back into camp where there circle of friends waited anxiously.
"No more heroics, no more feeding the poor, no more rescuing damsels in distress, no more anything tonight master!" Much commanded in his sternest no nonsense tone, which only came off as pleading and hopeful, "Alright Much, alright" Robin soothed easing his friends concern, "Besides, to tired for all that tonight" he added with a grin.
Much rolled his eyes.
"Englishman, thank you for giving me a place to stay until my ship comes through" Azeem said, "Consider my camp, your camp" Robin said indulgently, the others were curious about this change, "Wait, you cant be serious, that ain't funny Robin! He tried to kill you, what's to say he wont kill the rest of us in our sleep?" Allan demanded, Azeem frowned darkly; Robin curbed the situation "Allan he was under the impression that I had killed his family, but there's no more misunderstanding anymore are there?" Robin asked, "No. I know you did not do it, you are a good man Englishman" Azeem said wearily.
"I am going to see if I cannot find my daughter, she was not among the bodies I only assumed that…" the Moslem trailed off, Djac placed a hand on his shoulder, he gave her an odd look, "How did you come to live with this bunch?" she tossed Robin a smirk, saying "Turk flu" and laughed.
Will joined in, realizing how superstitious and prejudice he'd been then, "Turk flu my axe" he muttered.
Robin eyed Marion as she sat quietly beside him, still dressed as the Night watchman, minus the mask and hood pulled back, hair loose and free falling over her shoulders in a neat wave of chestnut brown, she truly was magnificent.
"Lets take a walk" Robin whispered in her ear and they slipped of together hand-in-hand walking under the darkening sky carefree and happy to be together alone. "No tongue lashing over my foolishness?" Robin joked lightly, tightening his hold on her hand, small and strong in his own, "No."
"No?" Robin asked searching her eyes for some sign of what she was feeling. "Don't ever do that again Robin, swear it" she commanded her face-averted head leaning against his chest, Robins' arms instinctively wrapped around her shoulders, "I don't make promises beyond my ability to keep."
"Robin…I-" she started to say just as Robin spoke "Marion…I" he broke off rubbing his neck self-consciously, she smiled tenderly, waiting for Robin to finish his words.
"Marion, the last two days have made me realize something, those important things between us, that have never been said? My biggest regret would be having never told you."
Marion waited, her eyes all alight the stars in her eyes. "How very beautiful, how brilliant you are, and how much I love you" Robin confessed, his hand cupping her cheek.
"I thought you were going to die, I missed, I'm not as good as you with a bow, and I thought you were going to die, I love you Robin, but I hate you for what you make me feel" she choked out on a sob.
Robin froze, this he had not expected.
She was crying. Marion was crying. "Shush, shush, its all right now, I'm here and you're here, and we have all night to stay like this, just you and me…" Robin promised leaning in…
"Master! Supper is done!"
Marion and Robin burst into fits of laughter that left tears trailing down her face, "M'ilady? Are you well?" the ex-manservant asked at a loss of what to do when faced with her tears.
She waved him away, "I'm fine, really" she assured him, but it sounded far to much like what Robin always was saying for him to believe her. But it was Marion. She was a sensible lady.
Much stood there frowning at them wondering which one had lost it this time, or maybe they both had just gone plain mad, it was the stress and pressure, it did that.
He shrugged and turning on his heel trudged back to camp, leaving the lovers to enjoy the night. They deserved a respite.
"Where were we?" Robin murmured nipping at her ear, she turned her cheek shoving him aside, he ended a good few feet away hiding a wince he sulked and she laughed playfully tugging him back.
"We were here," she whispered, kissing him hard, her hand tangling in his hair as she pulled him close. "What about the others?" she asked as an after thought clearly more than a little breathless, her heart racing madly at his smallest of touches, "They'll figure it out."
That said Robin tugged her down onto the leafy forest floor their backs to a great oak he slanted Marion a roguish smile that lit up his blue-blue eyes.
Shadows hiding the telltale bruise on his cheek as he smiled at Marion like she was the last star on a lonely night.
They had bested the sheriff, the Night watchman had returned, and he'd avoided his own hanging by a hairs breath. When all's said and done they hadn't fared to badly, no one was dead.
Robin tilted his head back as they enjoyed the night, muttering with quiet gratitude, "By the way, thanks for my life."
"Your very welcome. Now kiss me" Marion insisted kissing away the bruise she knew she wasn't supposed to see, and knew better than to mention.
"Demanding aren't we?" he teased chastely kissing her brow, then her cheek "And you're loving it" she replied with a laugh at his antics his five o'clock shadow tickling her skin. "Oh yes, very much."
Then there were no more words, just a long silence filled with love as they enjoyed the night and the company they kept the world narrowing and blurring at the edges and it was like it used to be, like it was supposed to be, it was again.
Just Marion. Just Robin.
And the soft silence of Sherwood all around.
The End
C. R. Cheetah: Thank you everyone for the reviews, they have been a great help, and much appreciated!
This is the ending REDONE. Enjoy.