Everything is a choice

By Leah

Summary

A Guy and Marian story set during season one. Marian makes a desicion that greatly upsets Robin but pleases Guy very much.

Fic is set during ep 12 of S1, very AU.

Story is dedicated to Jules and Jessi. My friends and my BETAS.

Disclaimer

If I were to own Robin Hood RH would be played by a man not a hairy toddler!

Yes, I'm calling Bobbin the hairy toddler now. It sounds a lot nicer then "Runty"

Robin Hood is being played by a furry little git, so therefore I do not own the show.

I do not own the song "Twinkle, twinkle little star" either.

Rated PG 15 to M for sexual content. Rated MA to NC17 on other sites

Knighton Hall

The Lady Marian of Knighton paced back and forth in her bedchamber gnawing on a finger nail. Sweet Jesu she was bamboozled! What was she to do? Should she go out as the Nightwatchman and rob Gisborne or should she remain in the hall with her father?

'Rob him,' a voiced insisted in her mind. 'He is evil. He deserves to be robbed,'

Evil? No. Vasey was evil. Guy was just … He was driven. He was afraid. He was jealous. He was-No. She had to be strong. This was not a two way thing. She had to rob Guy.

Squaring her shoulders with determination the girl headed over to her bed. Crouching beside it Marian reached beneath the four poster bed and after a moment or so of feeling around withdrew a large leather satchel.

The knock on her chamber door caused Marian jump to with alarm. Gathering her wits, she replaced the satchel telling who ever it was they could enter.

"Father," she then greeted with a relieved smile. "Is supper ready?"

"No, not yet."

She frowned with concern. "Are you well?" she asked. "Is something the matter?"

"I am feeling quite well," Edward told her dismissively. "But I fear I must say this, Marian."

"What?"

"I think you robbing Sir Guy is not one of Robin's grandest ideas."

"Father I-"

"But that doesn't mean I do not think the nightwatchman cannot have one final adventure. Come to the cellar with me."

"What is this?" Marian asked staring at the bags lying at her feet.

"Food, coin. Take it to the village of your choice."

"This is very generous," Marian begun. "But I-"

Edward placed his hands firmly upon his daughter's shoulders, silencing her. "I saw it in your eyes; you do not want to rob him, Marian."

"I must!"

"Because Robin told you to?"

"No I-"

"That is the reason, Marian!" Sir Edward cut off sharply.

Marian rolled her eyes suddenly finding her father insufferable company.

"Think what you will," she spat, bristling with anger, shrugging his hands off her shoulders. "But I am telling you that you are wrong!"

"There is no reason why you cannot leave Robin to his own plans and take this to a needy village instead!" Edward cried, waving a hand toward the sacks. "Robin has pushed you into a corner Marian. And you are feeding his fire by committing this reckless act! Think what Gisborne would do if he were to catch you. Think of how my heart would break if you were to hang."

Marian wiped her forehead, sighing heavily.

"I have to go," she told her father.

"Marian-"

"Leave me be, father," she snapped. "I have to go!"

Locksley Manor

The Nightwatchman tread slowly, blending in with the shadows, eyes darting here and there for signs of the enemy.

"I'm not being funny," said a voice. "But why can't we just head back to the camp?"

Allan A Dale.

"We're here to steal Gisborne's money," was the exasperated reply. "In case Marian chickens out."

Robin Hood.

"Marian chicken out?"

Will Scarlett.

"Perhaps Gisborne has-"

Much.

"We do this now!" A gruff forceful male voice insisted, cutting Robin's devoted friend off.

Little John.

The Nightwatchman paused as it thought about what action it was to take then gave a heavy sigh and darted off.

Marian crept into her bed chamber, pulled down her mask then as quietly as she could, left her chambers and scurried downstairs til she came to her destination, the cellar.

The sacks, to the girl's surprise, were still there. Perhaps her father had thought she would have a change of heart and come back to retrieve them. Well, she had not had a change of heart. Robin had merely arrived in Locksley before she did.

'Looks like I'm going out again,' she thought with a slight smirk.

Clun village

"God bless ee, Nightwatchman!" cried a near toothless crone, clutching a purse of coin and a pie to her chest.

The hooded figure nodded to the woman then urged its brown rounsey gelding onward.

In between Locksley and Knighton

With her gelding grazing nearby, Marian stripped from her disguise and waded into a stream to bathe before returning home. Although the water was frightfully chilly the maiden did not care one little bit. She splashed the water over herself, delighting in the stinging coldness and the way her breath came out in little pale puffs against the near pitch black sky.

When it was time to go, Marian staggered out of the stream and retrieved her cloak so she could dry herself. Tonight had been a good evening she decided whilst rubbing her naked skin with the cloak. The nightwatchman's final fling had been a success. Still, the idea of no longer being a shrouded champion of the poor wounded her a little. Marian had always known one day she would have to give this secret identity up but she had never allowed herself to dwell on the thought for too long for it would hamper her without a doubt.

'Ah. The regrets of maturity,' she thought bitterly.

Knighton Hall

She arrived at Knighton close to dawn. Putting the rounsey back in its loose box and giving it an ample feast of hay, Marian hurried back to her room, tore off her disguise, folded it and then replaced it under her bed.

'I'll destroy it later in the day,' she decided and drifted off to sleep.

Sometime later Sir Edward was shaking her awake.

"Sir Guy is here. Quickly, he says it is urgent."

Marian groaned.

"Just five more minutes," she muttered, rolling onto her side.

Edward cursed under his breath and threw her robe onto her head.

"Get up!"

Grumpy from being so rudely disturbed from such a pleasant sleep, Marian stomped down the stairs behind her father. As soon as she saw Guy she gave her betrothed a glare which could be clearly translated as.

"This had better be good."

"Marian," the man greeted.

"Guy," she replied trying her best not to yawn in his presence.

"I bring news," Guy told the older man and girl. "The king is not coming."

"Pardon?" Sir Edward asked.

"It was a falsehood," Guy went on. "The sheriff wants to bring the nobles plotting against him out into the light."

"Why are you telling us?" Marian demanded, weariness forgotten, "Why now, Guy?"

"Quiet Marian," Edward ordered, holding the younger man's gaze.

"Sir Guy. Why would you come here with information such as this? The sheriff will not thank you."

"I do not care whose side you are on, old man," Guy rumbled, folding arms across his chest. "My concern is for your daughter. I promised her I would protect you both from harm, I am doing that right now."

"This is a great risk you are taking," Marian quipped. "Our lives will be in danger if the sheriff even suspects-"

"Then we play it safe at all times," Guy growled, cutting her off. "Your father must swear loyalty to Vasey and …" he pinched his nose. "The wedding must go as planned."

"No! I will not base a marriage on a lie!" the girl wanted to scream at the leather clad man but sense told her it was the only thing they could do.

She bowed her head in defeat and let out a long shuddering breath.

"Marian."

She looked up to see her betrothed standing before her and stupidly wondered how his hands had ended up grasping her shoulders without her feeling them.

"I know you barely care for me," Gisborne told her softly.

"That is not true," she protested weakly. "I am trying to-"

"No, don't sugar coat anything. I know. I've always known."

Marian bit her lip. She was quiet for a very long time.

"What you have done today, for my father and I, is brave and honourable, Sir Guy of Gisborne," she said at last. "And I would be proud to marry you on Saturday."

The look on Guy's face was one of surprise.

"Our union may not be the happiest," he told her, voice wavering a little. "I am not as perfect as your former betrothed."

"I'm sure we can come to some kind of understanding," Marian replied dryly, ignoring his mention of Robin Hood. "I will try if you try."

Guy released her arms. Nodding to Sir Edward, he made for the door. It was only then Marian noticed his usual gait was different.

"Guy, why are you limping?" she asked.

"Hood," was the only reply he gave.

Near Sherwood

Later that after noon Marian saddled her bay palfrey and rode into Sherwood Forest. The girl rode on and on til she finally found an appropriate spot beneath an oak tree.

After making certain the hole she had spent an hour digging was deep enough, Marian returned to her horse and removed the satchel containing the costume for the nightwatchman.

"Farewell dear friend," she murmured, lovingly placing the satchel into the hole. "We've had a grand time, you and I."

Knighton Hall

Marian returned to Knighton to find the seamstress Gisborne had appointed to make her wedding gown waiting in the main room with Sir Edward.

"Ah, Lady Marian, I thought you'd never come," the woman said smiling broadly at her. "Come on, let's go to your chamber and start fitting you. Time is of the essence young lady!"

As soon as the seamstress had left with her measurements, Edward called a servant to bring in food and wine.

"You did not rob Gisborne," he said as soon as the servant girl had left them alone.

Marian wondered over to a chair and sat down, bowing her head to stare at her reflection in the polished wood.

"No … I did ride to Locksley with that intention but Robin got there before I did. It dawned on me right then and there that I didn't want to rob Guy at all."

Sir Edward's bushy eyebrows rose in surprise.

"After today's events," Marian went on, "I've come to the conclusion that I could actually be happy married to him and I know why."

Edward's eyes widened.

"Go on," he told her.

"Guy is not Robin. Not by a long shot. He is vain and sadistic. But he does not look at me the way Robin does. He does not talk to me the way Robin does. And … he tries. He tries to please me." Marian wetted her lips with her tongue. "I have not been fair to him, father. And again, after the events of this day, I realise now that it is time I made an effort to appreciate him."

The former sheriff smiled proudly at his daughter.

"You should have been a king," he told her.

"I should have been many things," Marian replied ruefully and the words, "But I am a woman," hung unspoken in the air.

"I know now that Robin needs a damsel who needs a champion so he can have all the glory. I know now that Guy needs love and someone who can believe in him."

"Do you hope to sway Gisborne's loyalties by marrying him?" Edward asked.

A determined light gleamed in Marian's clear blue eyes.

"If Hercules can work miracles, father, so can I!"

Robin came to Marian's window around midnight. He tapped and tapped at the wood of the hall's wall until the maiden rose from her bed and marched over to meet him.

"What is it?" she snapped, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"You did not rob Gisborne."

"I choose to take food and coin to Clun instead," Marian answered coldly.

"We have someone who can testify against Gisborne in front of the king," Robin informed quickly. "A physician. This means you don't have to marry him. We can-"

"Thank you, Robin," Marian interrupted sharply. "I'm sorry … But I am going to marry Guy." She turned her face away from him to stare the curtains. "I am going to marry Guy," she said again.

There was a lengthy pause and Marian had to return her gaze to see if Robin was still there. He was and the look on her former betroths boyish face was heart wrenching.

'Please say something,' she thought miserably. 'Please, Robin, please!'

"God save you Marian."

"God save us all," she whispered and was soon watching the outlaw flee from her as though she were a creature from the darkest pit of Hell.

After the wedding Locksley Manor, Guy's bed chambers.

After the wedding feast Marian had been whisked away from Gisborne and her father to be prepared for the wedding night by four middle aged, fat, loud female servants. She had been bathed in almost painfully hot rose scented water. Her long dark hair had been re-washed, dried and pinned up. And as soon as it was dry her body had been dressed in a cream silk night shift accompanied by a white silk robe fit for a virgin bride.

Now Marian stood alone in her husband's bed chamber waiting for the moment when he would enter and … She paled and nearly ended up retching into her chamber pot. Dear Jesu … What was it going to be like? Would he be rough and cruel or would the exact opposite.

"Breathe," she ordered herself out loud. "Breathe."

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Marian invited, licking her lips anxiously.

The door opened and Thornton of Locksley and a servant girl entered with a large silver jug plus two goblets.

"Sir Guy sends his apologies my lady," the kindly old man told her. "He thought you might like some spiced wine while you waited for him."

Marian offered Thornton a small smile of thanks.

"Shall I keep you company?" he asked.

She shook her head. As much as she would have liked to have said yes, she needed to be alone with her thoughts.

"Well, good evening my lady,"

"Good evening."

As soon as the door had closed behind him and the girl Marian got up and paced, her feet making soft padding noises against the soft fur rugs and considerably louder slapping ones against the polished wooden floor boards.

She was quiet tired and at the same time alert beyond comprehension. The knowledge that Gisborne could enter the room to exercise his rights as her husband upon her body any minute now made her heart pound and her head ache.

'Face it, had you chosen not to go through with this Vasey would be stretching your necks,' she reminded herself crossly.

Deciding to ignore the wine, the young bride walked over to the window for some fresh air.

Outside the moon was full and the stars were shining brightly against the near black sky.

"Twinkle, twinkle little star," the girl sung softly, not knowing where the melody or the words had come from. "How I wonder what you are."

She stopped singing.

What was Guy besides an infuriating enigma? What would her role as the Lady Gisborne be, besides dressing in silks and lying flat on her back whilst he rode her? Marian hadn't the faintest idea for he had never explained it to her.

Would Guy treat her like a queen? Shower her with precious gems and expensive silks. Buy her beautiful high stepping palfreys?

"Up above the world so high,"

Would he put her on a pedestal?

"Like a diamond in the sky,"

Fed up, Marian wiped an offensive loose tendril from her face.

"He can forget about the wedding night,' she muttered under her breath. "I'm going to bed."

Gisborne opened the door to the bed chamber and was immediately rendered immobile and speechless as soon as his eyes rested upon the new lady of Gisborne who sat by the window with the evening's full moon turning her face and hand silver and the chambers candlelight turning the rest of her golden.

A soft breeze played with her hair, causing loose tendrils to gently bob up and down.

'This is my wife,' Guy thought continuing to watch her in silent wonder. 'She is finally mine,'

Carefully, he closed the heavy wooden door behind him, making sure to make as little noise as possible. However, the girl, to his amusement, jumped and gave a sharp gasp of surprise.

"You scared me!" she accused yet there was not a single trace of anger in her voice.

"You were day dreaming," he contributed.

"I wanted to look at the stars. They are so bright this evening," she explained. "I wonder … is it possible to day dream during the night?"

"Any one can dream, Marian," Gisborne replied smoothly. "Anytime, any place."

'And I dreamed of this moment ever since I first laid eyes on you," he added silently.

Marian rose from her chair, making her way toward him. When standing before him, she raised a hand to her head.

"Wait!" Guy told her, startling her again. "Don't take anything off," quickly adding in a more gentle tone. "I want to do everything."

Marian dropped her hand to her side. "Very well," she consented.

Her husband wondered over to the table to pour wine into the goblets.

"Are you trying to turn me into a drunkard?" his wife asked curiously, taking the goblet he offered her.

"No," the man replied casually. "Just making an attempt to settle your nerves. There is no reason for you to be anxious, Marian. Your father is safe in our guest chamber."

"I know he is But …" Marian licked her lips, clutching the goblet so tightly he feared she would break it and splatter its contents all over him. "You are going to hurt me, aren't you," she told him at last. Marian was not asking a question but merely stating a fact. Gisborne had entertained the idea of lying to Marian earlier in the day but soon decided against it. He was quite a lucky man this day and sure as hell didn't want to ruin his luck by fibbing.

"Guy?"

"Yes," he answered her seriously. "I am going to hurt you."

Marian's already pale complexion became a great deal paler. Her painted lips peeled apart, forming an "Oh"

"But," he added before she could utter another word. "The pain will only last a moment."

Marian's eyes widened with surprise as it dawned on her that Guy was not talking about their future; he was talking about taking her flower.

"You did not answer my question," she explained gently. "I want to know what will become of me after this evening."

Gisborne sighed heavily, raking a hand through his dark mane.

"Marian," he began but stopped, pinching his nose and taking a deep breath." Marian," he said again. "I am not a good man. We both know this. But …" he paused, licking his lips in an agitated manner. "Can we not take this one day at a time?"

Marian hesitated and her brief moment of hesitation caused Guy to become even more agitated.

"I swear to you, Marian, by my own blood I will never willingly harm you or your father."

He reached into his doublet, taking out a small curved dagger. Resting the blade lightly upon the flesh of his palm, he prepared to cut himself.

"No! I believe you!" Marian cried. "Stay your hand, Guy! I believe you!"

Gisborne slowly set the knife onto the table.

"Drink your wine," he told her gruffly.

Marian raised the goblet to her lips. After sipping it delicately she soon found herself swallowing a rich sweet liquid which warmed her stomach almost instantly. She set the goblet down after a second sip fearing if she had too much it would dull her senses. Something she did not want. She needed to be clear minded around her husband this evening for she could not let him get the upper hand if he gave into the needs of his cock rather then being patient with her.

He too, she noticed, drunk little.

'Time to do the deed I suppose,' she thought sarcastically.

"I am ready," she told him, sounding more nervous then she would have liked.

Gisborne set his own goblet aside.

"Turn around," he requested softly.

Warily, the girl obeyed, bowing her head to stare at the rug beneath her feet, fingers fiddling with a piece of thread on the sleeve of her robe.

She never heard him approach and within moments she felt his fingers carefully withdrawing a jewelled hair pin from her hair.

She jumped.

"Shh," Guy soothed. "Steady, steady."

'He speaks to me as if I am his Rounesy,' Marian thought with some annoyance. 'I do not have four legs and a tail!'

Gisborne watched in silent fascination as Marian's near black curls cascaded down her back like a river of silk. Reaching out, he plucked a curl from the mass and raised it to his nose so he could smell it. He sighed deeply, breathing in the scent of rose petals.

"Guy?" Marian asked uneasily. "Is something wrong?"

"No," he told her after a lengthy pause. "Just taking my time." He placed his hands on both the top of her shoulders, sliding them lower and lower til he was gripping her firmly just above the elbow.

In front of him, Marian stiffened and swallowed thickly.

"Easy," he murmured. "Easy."

"I think I may need some more wine," Marian told him.

"More?" he echoed, a little surprised.

"I think I am going to burst out of my own skin," she admitted.

"Well that would be unfortunate," he rumbled from behind her. "The servants will be cleaning this room for months."

Gisborne left her to retrieve he goblet. When he returned Marian, desperate to control the madness inside of her, almost snatched her goblet from him. Raising it to her lips she took a little more then she was supposed to and as a result ended up hunched over and coughing violently.

"That will teach you not to drain good wine!" Gisborne growled at her but stopped his reprimanding to lightly rub and thump her back.

"Better?" he asked her.

Marian nodded and took one last sip of her wine before handing it back to him.

Gisborne marvelled at what he had reduced Marian to. Gone was the defiant blue eyed beauty who had dared challenge the sheriff every chance she could. She was just a girl now. A frightened, meek little girl waiting for him to give her hell.

The dark haired snorted mentally. What use was a girl to him? He could do nothing with a weak willed girl except poke her.

"Don't be afraid of me," he murmured. "Never be afraid of me."

Guy reached out and began to untie the thin strips of material holding her robe together. Then together he and Marian watched as the flimsy outfit slithered from her shoulders onto the floor, forming a silky heap on the furry rug.

Marian bit her lip. All she wore now was her shift, the only thing shielding her body from her husband's wolfish eyes, hands and mouth.

"Take it off," she pleaded with her eyes. "Please, I just want to get this over with. Take it off!"

Guy stepped closer, reaching for the hem of her shift.

"Raise your arms," he commanded. As soon as she had done this, he pulled the shift up and up.

The end of part 1

Authors note

Oh dear me! What a cliff hanger! Will our gorgeous Gisborne like what he sees under Marian's shift? Will they have their wedding night or will Marian's case of nerves get in the way.

Is Sir Edward safe from the big V?

You'll find out in the next chapter!