"Don't you -get- it, Robin? It's -over-, we -lost!- There's nothing we can do but accept it!"; I waved my arms at him, trying to get him to understand where I was coming from.
It was a rare sunny day and we were in one of those very convenient forest clearings, the type that's just big enough for two people to hold a semiprivate conversation. This was a particularly good clearing too; it had the large tree stump for sitting, the dirt-grass ground for pacing, and just enough trees to allow for an eavesdropper or two.
I was making the most of that flattened ground at the moment, but I have to say that Robin and that tree stump owned the entire clearing. He just sat there, undyed cotton trousers tucked into leather boots that spread easily in front of him, with arms crossed over a leather jerkin, regarding me like a parent regards an overexcited child. A smirk played on his lips. I wanted to kick him.
"Well, dearest,"; He drawled, "I hate to break it to you, but you're the one that put us all into this position to begin with." He hinted at my desperate attempt to get some notice a week earlier. So upset was I that not a single one of my father's guard had come to look for me, I had strolled into a checkpoint near the Keep and told them that I was Lady Marion of Evrytham, daughter of the lord, and that he could now rest easy knowing that his daughter was held to the bosom of Ye Outlawe Robin Hood. They had blinked at me like was crazy. "She's missing?" They asked.
Of course, that blunder had been partially Robin's fault. Or more specifically Robin's -wine's- fault. He just wanted to see me make an idiot of myself, and I am sorry to say that I kept him quite entertained that evening.
Oh, please, not that way.
Sadly.
"That was your fault!" I shouted, continuing to pace. I kicked my foot in his general direction and almost fell over my skirts. He choked on a laugh.
I halted my pacing and rounded on him, "You know -what-, Robin McSmartas-"
"Look," he interrupted, eyes traveling to the twitch starting in my eye that always started when I was about to attempt to pummel him, "Look. I have evaded these men for - what, three years? - I think I can handle one more chase."
"No, that's the point!" I replied, "You -can't- handle it this time, because now he knows you've got his daughter, and he'll throw the whole of army in your face!"
Robin blinked, the slight smirk fading. "I thought you said that he barely knew you existed, and that when he was aware, he treated you like dirt."
I gave him the universal female chin-tucked-eyebrows-raised look that means, Ex-ca-use me?
"You know what I mean." He said quickly. Uncrossing his arms, he put them on the stump and fidgeted to adjust his seat. "Anyway, we'll be fine. The boys are packing the tents now. We can head farther south. There's a nice port city there I've always wanted to visit; I've heard they are such lovely ladies there..." He eyed me carefully as he spoke.
I threw him a disgusted look before continuing my pacing, but I noticed he looked slightly satisfied. "You really -don't- get it, then? My father has the best selection of scouts and trackers in the county! He's bound to be the laughing stock of said county because his only daughter's been gone for three months and he hadn't even noticed. So he doesn't really like me; he's still got to reclaim this so-called 'honour' he's always going on about, and whilst he does that, you'll be slaughtered. I mean, maybe he's never cared about you and the men, Robin. So you're slight annoyance, but you never annoyed him. And he couldn't imprison you because al you ever really do is take the money he doesn't need. But now he can say you kidnapped me, and he always loves a good hanging, and twenty of them is just wonderful, and now he's going to get me back and I'll be locked in that damn tower again, and this time it'll be worse because he'll -know- I'd been out the fighters and the farmers, or hell, he'll just be mad that I escaped, and he'll never let me leave the keep again, ever-"
I'd turned for another pass, and walked right into Robin's chest. He stepped away and held me firmly by the shoulders and I looked up into a hard gaze, fighting tears. Sort of.
";Mara." He stated. "I swear to you that you will never be returned to Evrytham unless you wish it. We are going to go south. Maybe we can get a boat to the Continent; the pickings are slim here anyway. He let his arms drop and some of his usual humour crept back into his expression. "You have to watch yourself. That panic made absolutely no sense."
"It wasn't supposed to! It was a panic!" I'd recovered fast from that sudden seriousness, and managed to hide my desire to hug Robin fiercely by kicking him in the shin instead. He could be so sweet sometimes.
He hopped on one leg, holding his injured shin in both hands. "Oi! I practically lay down my life for you, and this is the thanks I get!?"
"According to you," I drawled, surveying him carefully, "I'm perfectly fine, with or without the life-pledge."
Satisfied that I'd chosen the right moment, I took my pointer finger and poked him hard in the shoulder. He lost his balance and fell with a yelp. I turned on my heel and marched into the forest, certain I'd just made a particularly dashing exit.
";Dearest!"; I heard a voice call after me. "Camp's the other way"