Lady Marian Fitzwalter breathed a sigh of relief as she settled back into her bed at Knighting Hall. She smiled softly as she could hear the faint sounds of her father's snoring coming from his room downstairs. Other than that the night was silent. No high-pitched chirps of crickets or other creatures who made their presence known in the darkness. Even the air itself seemed different.

But what was different about this night that set it apart from every other night?

"Robin's back," Marian whispered to herself. She rolled over onto her side and pulled her quilt up to her chin. No, no. I won't think of him….that….that….

Marian tried not to cry. She was a grown woman after all and crying over such silly things was something only children would do. Five years had passed since Marian had last seen Robin face to face, though he often appeared to her in her dreams. She had been much younger, more foolish...a different person then.

Robin was different then too. War in the Holy Land had changed him, though some would argue it was for the better. It made him become Robin Hood, the hero that they loved. In reality…or at least in Marian's mind, he was a fool who thought he could change the kingdom by giving up his own freedom less than a day after coming home from battle.

Suddenly a thud at her window startled Marian. She sat straight up with a sharp gasp. She huffed realizing the figure was only a threat to himself and not to her.

"Robin, what the hell do you think you're doing?" she hissed as the young archer swung his way into her room using the window frame.

"Lady Marian! Does your father known you use such language?" Robin tisked at her. He grinned and gestured to her bare breasts. "Lovely nightgown by the way."

Marian jerked her bed linen up and clutched it to her chest. She glared at her former lover. "Get out."

"I want to talk to you."

"So visit me in the day like a normal human being would, or is asking you to be normal too much for you to handle."

"You know that I cannot come to you in the day and risk being spotted by one of the sheriff's men."

Marian rolled her eyes. "Well, that's certainly not my problem. I'm not the outlaw."

"Still full of that spirit I…"

"Just get on with what you came here for," Marian said, gritting her teeth and rolling her eyes.

Robin sighed and sat down on the edge of Marian's bed. "Why are you so angry with me, Marian?"

Marian closed her eyes to gather her thoughts and opened them again. "Robin, please. Now is not the time."

Robin decided not to press the matter. "I need your help, Marian. We've always been good together….working side by side that is."

Marian sighed. "What is it that you need me to do?"

Robin grinned happily. "I can no longer be at the council meetings. I need someone I can trust to be my eyes and ears there. Will you do it?"

"Can you not sneak about the castle?"

"Only at night, and only to see you, my dear," Robin said with a smug smile.

Marian rolled her eyes once again. "Years later and you're still full of yourself."

Robin bit his lower lip unable to contain his clever remark. "You know, you could be full of me t…"

Marian reached behind her and grabbed her pillow. She hit Robin in the head with it. "Out!"

Robin chuckled and stood up. "And with that I bid you good night my lady."

Marian watched as Robin climbed back out her window. Wrapping in her blankets she hurried over to the window to watch as her old friend disappeared into the forest.