Disclaimer: Robin Hood belongs to BBC, Foz Allan, and Dominic Minghella. I'm just playing in their sandbox.
So, this is my first full-length Robin Hood story. It is an alternate universe that starts in the middle of the first series finale, where Marian marries Gisborne instead of leaving him at the altar because Much didn't get there in time to tell her that 'King Richard' was an impostor. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to leave a review when you're done, please!
Prologue
Hoofbeats pounded the ground. The sound echoed in the quiet forest, reminding the rider that time was of the utmost importance. The rider only prayed that the uneven tolling of the bell meant what he thought it did.
Sunlight hit Robin's face as the leaves of Sherwood gave way to the village of Locksley. He could feel his chest constricting as he drew near to the church where the woman he loved was giving herself to his enemy. There was still a flurry of activity outside. The women were cheerful, despite that most of the villagers disliked Guy of Gisborne.
Then Robin caught sight of Much, dashing from the opposite direction as if he was making a… No. The fear on Much's face made Robin's heart skip a beat. He pulled on the reins, asking the horse to slow as he reached the church…just as Marian and Guy came out, hand in hand.
Robin couldn't believe it as he saw them. Even though he had known that there was no way to avoid it, he still could not believe that she had gone through with it. His horror was apparent on his face as the reins slipped from his fingers. The faint smile on Marian's face turned to shock when she saw Robin. Guy's expression turned to a smirk as he saw Robin's own expression. Robin's chest felt like it was constricting to the point there he could not breathe. Without another thought, Robin urged the horse into a trot.
"Much!" he called, drawing his friend's attention from the newlyweds. He held out his arm to help Much onto the horse behind him – they had to get out of here. They had to stop the Sheriff. Marian was lost.
"I'm sorry, Master," Much tried to say. "I got waylaid…"
"It's fine, Much," Robin choked out. A deep frown creased his face, but his eyes, focused on the road ahead, were where his pain could be seen. "What is done is done."
"But it was still under false pretenses," Much pointed out. "It is not King Richard who is in Nottingham. Sir Edward and the others are in great danger!" There was a long pause before Robin answered. When he did speak, there was steel in his voice rather than pain.
"Then we have a friend to save," Robin announced, spurring the horse forward.
Less than a month later found Robin sitting on the grassy hill overlooking his boyhood home. Things were falling apart. Not in the gang, maybe, but in Robin's head, everything was falling apart. What reason did he have left to fight for England?
The hardest part was that Marian had married Gisborne, and had seemed to be relatively happy. She was supposed to be his! They had been betrothed before…but he had broken the betrothal when he had gone to fight in the Holy Land with King Richard. He had abandoned her. In a way, it seemed only right that she had married Gisborne anyway.
Robin leaned back, propping himself up with his hands. He still loved her, despite all of what had passed between them. A large part of him regretted what had been done. It had seemed like the best at the time…but Marian had been right. He had gone to war seeking glory. He had even come back hoping – oh, so naively – that things could still be the same.
Someone cleared their throat behind him. Robin glanced over his shoulder to see one of the people he had thought he would not see again standing behind him. Raymond of Durham stood waiting for him to acknowledge that he had heard. Robin rose to his feet, jaw set and hands on his belt.
There was a tense moment between the two men before Raymond smiled and held out his hand to Robin. The tension in Robin's body slowly dissolved as he took the other man's hand and the two embraced in the sort of hug long parted friends gave each other.
"I heard you had been outlawed, but I couldn't believe it until I saw you myself," Raymond said. Robin shrugged.
"It was necessary," he told the other Crusader. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in the Holy Land with King Richard." Raymond nodded.
"I was. His Majesty sent me to bring you this message," he told Robin, pulling out a folded piece of parchment with the King's seal affixed to it. Robin frowned faintly, the recent lines carved into his face seeming to deepen.
"Is he aware of the situation here?" Robin asked quietly, taking the paper. There was silence for a moment before Raymond responded.
"No, he is not. Considering what I have seen since I have arrived and attempted to find you, I do not think that he would be pleased." Robin nodded, popping the seal open and unfolding the parchment. His eyes scanned the words. He bit his lip as he considered what it said. This did not bode well for his current plans…but these were orders from his king. He recognized the handwriting as King Richard's, and not even Prince John had the particular seal that Richard had with him in the Holy Land.
"He wants me to return," Robin intoned quietly. Raymond nodded, his eyes on his comrade's face. "And to return to my position as head of the Guard," he added, looking up at the other man. Raymond was silent as he waited for Robin to speak again.
Robin tilted his head slightly as he reread the letter. Orders. He had orders from the King of England…but he had a duty here now. He had people to defend from the injustice of the Sheriff. But these were orders from the King!
With a sigh, he folded the parchment again and looked back at Raymond, who waited silently. Robin was torn. His thoughts were going in two directions, and he could not seem to get a rein on either of them. There was nothing truly drawing him to stay in England anymore, but the people still needed him.
"What do you say, Robin?" Raymond asked him, reaching out to put his hand on Robin's shoulder. Robin let his eyes, then shook his head.
"I have to think about this," he said. "I have a duty to the people here, too…" Raymond pursed his lips, but nodded.
"I don't understand why you want to stay here, but that is not for me to decide," he said. "I will need to be heading back to the port. My orders were to deliver that to you and return to the Holy Land. If you are going to go, you must decide today."
Robin let out a sigh and nodded. "I will," he said. "I'll meet you outside of Nottinghamshire at dusk with my answer." Raymond ducked his head in ascent and turned to go. Robin sat down again for a few moments, his gaze returning to Locksley. If there was one thing that could be said about Robin of Locksley, it was that he always did his duty, no matter what. This was no different. He knew what he had to do.
He rose, casting one last glance at the village in the direction of Marian, wherever she might be, and walked back to the forest.
