Well, here is my new story! ((There is much rejoycing))

It takes place after A Fool's Game, but can probably be read it seperate from that story. Only the first chapter might be a bit confusing at times.

M-rated for some nasty scenes (violence) and references to s-e-x (sush, let's not say the s-word lol). Just to be safe really.

Disclaimer: Alas Robin is not mine!!! And neither is anything here exept my OC:s, them I own and keep in my pocket. :-p

Chapter 1. All things beautiful

And so there came a chilly autumn morning, with a light grey fog dancing as fairies over the meadows and trees. The metal in Sir Guy's outfit caused a hollow clinging noise as he made his way down the cold and damp corridors of Nottingham Caste. It pleased him to be accompanied by this grim aura, the intimidating sound of a powerful man at arms. He was a strong and tall man, Sir Guy of Gisbourne, handsome although gloomy and cold in a way that made people cautious when they were near him. He had the face and posture of a man that wouldn't hesitate to kill in cold blood. And in truth, as they came to know him, no one was disappointed or thought themselves mistaken in their first impression. You were wise to be cautious around Sir Guy.

Even though this had always been true, Sir Guy could indeed be ruthless, it was more so now than ever before. He felt haunted still by the events surrounding Lady Marian's near-assassination and Robin Hood's near-capture. He could still not quite understand his own actions. He had defied the sheriff, risking everything as he did so, and he had helped his mortal enemy in escaping from almost certain death. And he had done all that because of a woman who had scorned him, left him by the altar, punched him and made him into the laughing stock of everyone. It was still the talk of the town, whenever he passed people he could hear them whisper and giggle. And what made it all worse was the knowledge that it was Robin Hood that had saved Lady Marian, it was he that got her gratitude and liking. Had not Sir Guy deserved some sort of love from her when he did all this!? And yet her eyes were filled with nothing but awe and resentment when she looked at him.

Sir Guy stopped by the door to the sheriff's quarters to gather himself. The short walk had made his rage bubble up again and he turned to punch his fist into the cold stone wall. It hurt, but that was just as well. Pain worked like nothing else to sooth this anxiety, his pain or the pain of others. He would take it out on the peasants later, or on the prisoners perhaps. Get back on Lady Marian by making her responsible for actions that wouldn't please her. It would be her fault. When he chopped the finger of a peasant boy for not attending church it was in truth she who held the axe in her white hands. Sir Guy took a deep breath and opened the sheriff's door.

"My Lord… Oh I'm sorry, you have company"

As Gisbourne stepped into the dusky room a rather striking woman had turned to face him, cloaked and partly hidden under an emerald-coloured hood. Sir Guy had rarely seen anyone with so many colours - she was painted as the finest birds in Vaysey's cages. Her hair was a giant red mane that lay draped around the rosy face in perfectly arranged curls, her eyes blue as ice and the clothes didn't lack a colour that the rainbow could brag about. Over by the bird cages a smaller woman stood party turned away from him. Her features looked quite similar - the hair was red enough - but in her it all looked plain or even a bit ugly. They must be sisters but nature had not been fair in this family it seemed. While the flaming red head had curves that were accentuated by the colours, her smaller shadow only looked pale and faint. It was as if everything in her had been mixed with water, making it pathetic and feeble.

"Ah Gisbourne!" Vaysey exclaimed "I don't think you have met the Butcher sisters? This lovely woman is Vera Butcher, or perhaps you preferred to be called 'Vix', hm? Over there by the birds is her sister Katie. They have come to take a position in the castle. Vix here is to be out new matron"

"Really?" Sir Guy couldn't hide his surprise. What was the sheriff up to now? This woman could be seen as many things but not a matron.

"Katie is thrown into the offer as well, so they're something of a bargain it seems. We have been a bit short of maids since you get them all pregnant. You really should put a leash on your 'little men' Gisbourne"

The comment caused the woman called Vix to burst into laughter, making Gisbourne clench his jaws in shame. The sheriff degraded him! They all laughed at him as if he was a joke of a man and not the powerful nobleman he set out to be. Then her face split into a radiant smile that would have the sun blushing, and Guy forgot all about his shame. She was indeed striking!

"Well, we don't get easily seduced by little men" she said "If there is to be any seduction taking place I would rather have a bigger man. Don't you agree with me Katie?"

Katie turned her attention to her sister for a moment. She had a very faint smile, so much unlike Vix's that it looked almost ridiculous. The girl seemed distant, watching the room around her as if she was trying to imprint every detail into her memory.

"A woman needs to be safe" she said.

This was a very plain girl, Gisbourne thought, nothing like her sister. Vix spoke as someone that was used to standing up in front of a crowd. Her voice was powerful and had a very pleasant ring to it. Still, her jokes were rude enough for a shabby alehouse, and this was no respectable woman. Sir Guy realised that he was staring at her and turned to the sheriff.

"Sir I have come here in a matter of some importance" he said.

"Really Sir Guy? I'm intrigued, do tell me"

Gisbourne looked at the women, were they to stay in the room? As usual Vaysey didn't take him serious it seemed; he didn't even bother to show the two servants the door. Guy sighed and restrained himself.

"As you know we have had some trouble with this Night Watchman. He is in league with Robin Hood and we can't have it. He stole from me"

"Yes, yes, you said. But that was ages ago, he hasn't bothered us since. Didn't you stab him? The poor bastard is probably seven feet under by now, pushing up the daisies so to speak"

"No he is not. He has been spotted again"

"Really? Well we'll just tell the guards to keep an eye open for masked avengers then. I'm sure they wouldn't notice that if we didn't tell them to"

"But that is not enough Sir!"

Vaysey looked at Sir Guy. He didn't like his tone. It almost sounded a bit rebellious - he was getting way to cocky for the sheriff's taste. Vaysey turned to the Butcher sisters.

"I'm afraid you will have to leave us" he said "men's work"

"But of course my lord, we have so many chores to attend to ourselves"

Vix walked out of the room, her hips moving just a bit to teasing, followed by her sister. It struck Sir Guy that this woman who called herself Vix Butcher must be a whore, and not a cheap one. When they closed the thick wooden door, Vaysey aimed his attention at Gisbourne.

"Charming isn't she?"

"Very my lord. But why is she to work here? Surely she is a prostitute"

"I'm sure she is" the sheriff said, grinning "The fancy kind. You must have heard of Vix Butcher Gisbourne? Hm? The Roxdale Vixen? I have met them before, in London Castle. It wouldn't surprise me if they have spent more time with Price John than the two of us together. You shouldn't underestimate a skilled escort girl"

"But you always say that women are lepers!"

"Well, I don't mind lepers as long as they infect the right people. Now, what is it you want to do with this Night Watchman?"

"I want your permission to hunt him. I want to punish the peasants that help him"

"Ah that same old story is it? Hunting outlaws like game, killing peasants. Don't you ever get bored with it Gisbourne?"

"It is my job Sir!"

"So it is… Well then go do your job. If you want to hunt this watchman then get to it. Have fun"

Gisbourne bowed a bit and Vaysey watched his sergeant leave the room. This would keep Sir Guy quite occupied while he took care of more important matters. The latest reports from the Holy Land were rather alarming. It seemed the war wasn't going to go on forever, and that meant that Prince John had increasingly little time for his coup d'etat. This time must be well spent, Robin Hood was a far to a big a threat to be let roaming free when the king returned. The only problem was that the sheriff was running out of ideas.

And now Vix Butcher had shown up, that woman was always bad news. But she might know Prince John, and the sheriff couldn't risk showing her the door. The prince regent had been a bit displeased with Vaysey lately. He had to make sure Prince John got his money, or he would loose his advantageous position. All in all it was all quite annoying.

---

Marian was sweaty and warm even though the night had been cold. It hadn't been an easy choice to take up the night watchman again, but people were still starving and they needed hope. It was more about hope than anything, she thought as she let out her hair. Whatever she did, or whatever Robin or the other outlaws did, the money or the material wellbeing was less important than the fact that someone acted. Marian had realised that trying to imitate Robin was a really bad idea. She was only one woman after all - she didn't have a gang to back her up. Still, she'd been the night watchman for years before Robin came along and that had always gone smooth enough. Knowing your limitations was just a part of growing up, just as making sure you stretched those limitations was a part of being young. She was young, and she was growing, and she was proud to be…

"The night watchman? I thought you burned him to ashes"

Marian turned around and found Robin lurking in the shadows by her bed.

"How long have you been there?" she smiled and crossed the room to give him a kiss.

"Not long. Longer than any sane man would, mind you, but considerably shorter than a real village fool. Darling, I thought the nights were our quality time?"

"You make me sound like a bad woman Robin" Marian laughed.

She put her arms around the outlaw leader's waist and pressed herself close enough to feel his heart pound. Her sweet boy - It seemed almost absurd that she had been willing to trade this for security. He drew a deep shivering breath.

"I'm telling you, there are times that I wish you were"

It was a joke, yet it was true. The time that had passed, the escalating intimacy, had made it apparent to both of them that they would want more and more from each other. It was a problem. Even if they had been married this had to be kept a secret, and with intimacy came the risk of Marian getting knocked up and then where would they be? Thus they pushed this matter into the closet and made it into a joke. She let him chase her and he pretended not to know that she wanted to be cached.

They stood for a while and caressed each other while the first rays of light lit up the room in a bluish shimmer.

"You are sweaty" Robin said finally, leaning his cheek to her head and making her hair into a mess.

"It has been a long night, Lancey is worse of than me I think" she answered referring to her grey steed "The sheriff has been hard on the people by Sodham quarry. Now that the mineral veins are fading he takes it out on the workers. He should just move them to a different area, it's not like he's going to squeeze more iron out of the rocks by starving the miners. He's not particularly practical is he?"

Robin laughed. How he adored this little righteous, clever woman. Marian talked as if her heart could carry all the troubles in the world, he thought. He didn't quite like this night watchman business, yet he knew that it was mainly him being over protective towards his betrothed. Had it been any other man, then he would have admired the effort and treasured the helping hand.

"No the sheriff is not particularly practical" he agreed "I love you"

He gave her a light teasing kiss on the lips, feeling his body grow tense and excited as he did so. She held him back with her hand on his chest as the world started to spin around her. She would not have him kiss away the conversation. She needed to know how he felt about her riding out in the night once again.

"Robin you don't mind it do you?"

"Mind what?" he murmured while giving her ear feather light tugs with his teeth.

Ooooooh no don't do that, she thought as she felt a very pleasant shiver run down her spine. He knew what she liked, and he liked that she liked it, and that made her like it even more. This was way to distracting.

"Mind the night… the night…" she pulled away from him a bit, forcing him to face her "the night watchman"

He smiled, seeming quite intoxicated, with a look in his eyes that Marian found it very hard not to be affected by. Like he craved her, she thought. Damn this situation, he was so beautiful and she had to be the rational one.

"I mind the night watchman being out helping the poor when she should be here feeding my starving heart with tender love" he said, leaning over to give her a deep kiss.

"Robin I am serious!"

Robin sighed and forced himself to put some distance between them, locking his eyes into hers. Then he held her face in his hand - gently stroking the appetizing red lips with his thumb - as he talked.

"So am I" he said with his softest voice "I do mind that I can't be with you, for whatever reason. I also mind that you could get hurt, and truth to be told I'm not really into masks. It's all a bit to cunning for my taste. But I'm also so proud of you. I can't believe how bold you are, how sweet. Just be careful will you? Don't get yourself killed again"

Marian smiled. He actually supported her, so perhaps he had grown into a man finally. And what a man, none the less! She felt her body grow weak, giving in to his tender gaze.

"Give me a kiss then" she said "Or am I too sweaty for you?"

He served her a mischievous smile, drew her close and then pushed her back to the wall to make it impossible for her to escape. He would look dishevelled when he came back to the camp, his hair in a mess and the clothes untidy. Allan would make fun of him but he could take that. He moaned a bit when he felt her nails against his neck, lacing her fingers into his hair. She was very bad at restricting him, he thought, and cursed her a bit for being so irresistible. Then he lifted her up and threw her down on to the bed.

"You need to rest" he said, curling up beside her "I will stay until you fall asleep. You are so pretty when you snore"

"I do not snore!"

He laughed ad gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Yeah you do"

He looked down at her chest - the pale skin over her collar bones heaved and shivered slightly - and saw a thin gold chain that had slipped out of its hiding place under her clothes. There was a ring on it, their ring. She wore it as he had done in the holy land, hidden from the world but close at heart. It made him so happy to see it there, an irrational joy that made him dizzy and sentimental. He felt as if it really meant something, it was as if this was more than just a simple symbol. It bound them together - this made the amazing fairy tale real to him. So many failed battles and now this one victory that made everything else fade in comparison. He might as well walk over fire; his feet couldn't burn anymore. She made him feel invincible.

Marian was fast asleep and Robin stayed by her side, watching her features go soft as she disappeared into a dreamless slumber. What if Gisbourne knew what he did? That the night watchman was Lady Marian Fitzwalter, and that she slept so serenely by the side of his mortal enemy. This would be Sir Guy's worst nightmare, Robin thought as he got ready to escape Knighton Hall before the servants got up. He really wouldn't like this at all. But Robin did, and the love struck outlaw couldn't stop smiling as he made his way back to the camp in the chilly autumn morning.

---

Allan pushed his way through the crowd in Nottingham Market, hidden under a brown cloak and keeping close to the houses. It was early in the morning and the guards was just about to change shift, the tired night guards giving way to still a bit sleepy morning guards. This was the best time to go about business in Nottingham, and they had come there to distribute some of their 'acquired wealth', as Robin called it. Not that Robin had come into town with them, he was a bit to well known to risk it. Allan leaned on a booth belonging to some Clum farmers when Will and Djaq came up behind him, laughing and joking around with each other.

"Allan" Will said "We have finished our stuff. Maybe now we could get some food"

"You sound just like Much" Djaq teased him "You better be careful, you don't want to be a fat outlaw do you? You would lose all credibility"

"Shut up Djaq" Will smiled.

Allan studied the two young outlaws. This was just too good to be true.

"Oy leave your love quarrels to your alone time" he said "We'll buy some bread and cheese. Support the local economy, yeah? Come on lovebirds"

He glanced over at Will to see his reaction, and found the young man's face turning into a brighter shade of pink. 'We didn't… we're not…' he mumbled as he passed Allan.

"Sure you're not mate" Allan said and gave Will a thump on the back as he followed him out into the masses of people doing their weekly shopping.

It was a pitiful market. The booths were half-empty due to the fact that hardly anyone had money to spare, and under the grey fog Nottingham town square seemed gloomier than ever.

"Even the salted fish in the fish merchant's barrels will turn bad long before it's sold out!" Will exclaimed irritated. He was a practical young man and didn't like it when things went to waste.

"Yeah well…" Allan started, thinking about a way to improve Will's mood.

"… There will be better times" Djaq interrupted him, looking quite protective towards her friend.

Allan looked around. The world was grey and soaking wet, the damp chilly air heavy to breathe. If there had ever been an eerier morning in Nottingham he had yet to see it. Perhaps that was why he though that she was a ghost when he first saw her, crossing the market place with a basket full of food dangling from her thin arms. She looked ghostly enough, small and faint as a fairy with the reddish hair tucked up under a piece of cloth. Her clothes were blue and green, far too bright and big for her.

"You shouldn't wear your sister's clothes Katie"

"She is kind to give them to me"

"She would be kinder to give you clothes of your own that fit you"

The memories came over Allan, striking down as lightning bolts. He saw her as he'd seen her so many times, crossing marketplaces, crossing rooms, lingering in corners, sitting by his side… This was a ghost, a shadow from the past that he'd long put behind him, and yet she was here. How could this be!?

"Allan? You know that woman?"

Djaq's words made Allan twitch, pushing him out of the odd trance that trapped him.

"Katie Butcher" he said, unable to hide his surprise. Surely it couldn't be her!

"What the plain girl?" Will asked "With the odd clothes?"

The comment made Allan come to his senses, realising he had to get his act together.

"Not that plain" he answered "The clothes are odd but you should see them on her sister. If Katie Butcher is here, then so is Vix Butcher and that is just bad news for everyone"

"Really?"

"Yeah, trust me on this one… We better get back to the camp…"

'Before she sees me' Allan silently added in his head. Vix Butcher would indeed be bad news for everyone, but to him Katie Butcher might be worse news still. He really hadn't expected to see her again...

"Wow" Will burst out suddenly "Is that Vix? She's amazing!"

Allan looked over to the fruit booth and found Katie joined by her sister. Well then it must be Katie, he thought, and if Will can see them then they can't merely be ghosts.

"Yeah that will be her alright" he answered.

"Allan who are they? Why do you know them!?"

Djaq had a very annoyed expression in her dark eyes, watching Will as he gazed over at Vix Butcher.

"The Butcher sisters…" Allan said, trying to explain the situation "They are… Just people I used to know - in the bad old days. They come from Roxdale, or we met in Roxdale. God only knows where they come from, somewhere at the world's end I reckon"

"They are really sisters?" Will inquired "Because it's odd isn't it. I mean she is so… plain… and then she is so… beautiful"

"Listen, she is not that plain" Allan exclaimed before he could stop himself.

"And she is not that pretty!" Djaq added "She dresses like a whore and her hair is too red don't you think?"

Allan gathered himself, this situation was spinning out of control and why did he still defend Katie like this?

"No Djaq is really much prettier Will, you better tell her that. Women don't like Vix, trust me on this one"

"Alright I'm sorry… Don't shout at me" Will said "She is sort of plain and then she is rather good looking, better like that? You are pretty too Djaq"

Djaq gave him a rather sour look.

"Don't make fun of me Will"

"I'm not! You're pretty! You are!"

"But not like her…"

"Djaq you don't want to go there" Allan interrupted her "Trust me"

Women always behaved odd around Vix, he remembered, and men behaved even worse. She was the kind of woman who used her charms to make men do whatever she wanted. And she was way too good at it.

It seemed that they lingered too long by that booth, watching the odd sisters, because all of a sudden Katie Butcher turned around and looked straight into Allan's eyes. That gaze felt all too familiar, for a second their eyes locked into each other in mutual recognition.

"Hello, who are you?"

"Allan- a-Dale they call me. You're Vix's sister, I've herd of you"

"I'm Katie"

"Katie… That's a nice name. Don't you ever smile Katie?"

She gave him a faint smile, so vague it was barely more than a shadow.

"No" she said, and showed him in.

Allan shook his head, forcing himself out of memory lane once again.

"We must go" he said "Come"

The three outlaws made their way back to the camp in different kinds of silence. Will felt amazed and enchanted by Vix Butcher, Djaq was shocked and irritated by her own irrational jealousy and Allan's head buzzed by the sound of a thousand memories that came back to haunt him. Thus started the day that the Roxdale Vixen and her ghost-sister had made their way into Sherwood Forest, and they were not about to leave it any time soon.

((drumroll)) End of chapter one, ladies and gents, but be not saddened- there is more to come! Please comment, exept if you hated it, then just sod off why don't you :-p

LOVE/ Trix