So many people milled about the Locksley manor house. Marian couldn't move. She couldn't even breathe! This silly celebration of some yet unknown "big announcement." Maybe they were building a new church. The old one was fine, and that would just be a waste of resources. Maybe there was to be a new sheriff. Ha! A girl could dream. Maybe Robin was betrothed to an heiress of some kind and the announcement was the news of his engagement. He had been talking to that blond-haired woman throughout the evening. Well… as if she would even care about that. It would be a relief for him to finally have someone else to bother. (And if she told herself that often enough, she might even start to believe it.) She needed air.
Marian walked out to the garden and into the fields, brushing her hands over the flowering plants. She took a deep breath and gazed up at the stars above. It was so quiet and peaceful here away from the din of the manor. Whatever they were announcing, she was glad to be away.
A voice near her ear knocked her out of her reverie.
"You should be careful out here alone, Marian. You never know who might be sneaking up on you."
At the sound of the voice, Marian involuntarily turned with her arm raised to startle her potential attacker into giving her the upper hand. Robin ducked just at the moment she pulled back as she realized the voice had been his.
"Well, well, well, I guess you are prepared to protect yourself," his said, his sarcasm not fully able to disguise how impressed he was.
"A woman must be able to take care of herself," she said. "Lord knows, there is no one she can depend on as certainly."
"My dear Marian, surely you will be able to depend on your future husband. He will take care of you…" His green eyes met her clear blue ones steadily. "Whoever he may be."
She held his gaze a moment before narrowing her own eyes. If he was going to tease her in this way, she would throw it right back.
"But, Robin, there's only been one man I've ever envisioned marrying…" she looked at him meaningfully, hoping to take him aback. But she realized her was only looking at her seriously now.
"Marian, the announcement tonight…" he started, but she wasn't sure she could take it. Not now, not tonight.
"Finally announcing your betrothal?" she asked lightly. She turned to continue walking through the field, desperate to maintain the carefree tone in her voice. "Is it the blond from Barrington? I hope she knows how to stand up to you proper-"
"Marian, I'm leaving to join King Richard in the Holy Land." Marian stopped walking, but she did not turn.
"Marian."
She could not move.
"Marian. Look at me. Please."
She inclined her head towards her shoulder, the corner of her eye turned in his direction.
"The Holy Land?" she asked, confused. "What.. when... how long…" She lapsed into silence.
"Well," said Robin, discomfited himself, "I thought it was impossible, but I seem to have finally found a way to make you speechless. And it's not even the way I always imagined it." He grinned and waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"Grow up," she retorted automatically. He laughed heartily, seemingly pleased that she was not completely lost to him yet. "The Holy Land, Robin? But it's so far. And so dangerous. You could be killed."
"I am loyal to my king, Marian. His crusade is just, and I must serve him well."
"Glory," she spat. "That's all men can ever see."
"I see you," he said quietly. At that, she found herself swallowing past a slight lump in her throat. One that appeared there against her better judgment, of course. "And you see me. You're the only one who ever really has."
She turned to look at him fully, to really look at him. It was dark here in the garden, the only light coming from the glow of the manor house and the moon and stars above. But it was true, she could see him. She always had. She knew he was good man, beneath his bravado and his sarcasm. A brave man, an honorable one. Of course Robin would join his precious king in the Holy Land. It was a very Robin thing to do. But she wouldn't be happy about it. She couldn't be happy about it. About losing him.
One corner of his mouth raised, half smirk, half sad smile. "I love it when you look at me like that…"
"Grow up."
His face turned serious again. "No, really, I love it when you look at me like that."
She locked onto his eyes, almost lost in shadows. She felt a throbbing in her chest. Almost a burning. Was this her heartbeat? Was it always beating like this? Would it beat like this the entire time Robin was gone?
She spoke softly, "So let me keep looking at you then. Stay."
His eyes turned pleading. "I can't. You know I can't. The king requires my service."
"Perhaps I require your service." She didn't intend to be so saucy, but she was feeling a desperation she didn't know how to handle
All of a sudden they both realized how close they were standing in the pale moonlight. Robin took two steps closer towards her.
"Marian," he breathed and she felt it across her forehead. "When… If I return..."
"Don't!" she practically gasped. "Don't say it like that…"
Robin took another step closer, and there he was, directly in front of her. He reached a hand to her cheek and lightly brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. She shivered. Slowly, his mouth lowered to hers and his lips brushed hers just as gently as he had her hair. But her heart was still throbbing too hard for gentle kisses. She learned urgently forward and pressed her lips to his. He responded immediately and opened his mouth beneath hers, one hand cupping the side of her face, the other wrapping around her waist. Her hands gripped the material of his shirt, refusing to let him get away from her.
Marian would be lying if she said she hadn't imagined kissing Robin of Locksley at least once during her childhood, but she had never thought it would be like this. A moment of sadness and desperation, but also one of joy and pleasure that the moment had finally come.
After some time, their lips parted and they opened their eyes, blinking as they stared at one another.
"I have to go, Marian."
"Of course, you do," she said, pulling out of his arms, "and so do I." And with that, she turned and left Robin of Locksley standing in a field of flowers under a moonlit sky.