Refreshed from a good night's sleep, Robin of Locksley awoke to the comforting sounds of his village and household staff awakening to begin their daily chores. A soft spring breeze wafted through the open window, and the smell of freshly baked bread competed with the soft rose petal scent clinging to his sleeping wife's luxuriant dark hair.
With one hand, Robin scooped up Marian's grey cat Moonlight from its spot between them, placing it at the foot of the bed.
"Nobody gets between me and my wife," he said, grinning.
The cat spat, then settled down near Marian's feet. He was supposed to belong to six-year-old Grace, but, like everyone else in Locksley Manor, he adored Marian, and claimed her as his mistress.
At the sound of her husband's voice, Marian stirred in her sleep, then slowly blinked open her eyes.
"I didn't mean to wake you," Robin apologized, encircling her in his arms and nestling against her back.
"It's alright. What time is it?"
"I don't know. Sometime before Prime, I think."
Lifting her hair, he began placing kisses along her jawline, cheek, neck, and shoulders. Marian closed her eyes and purred like her cat, then snapped her eyes open and froze in surprise.
"Listen!" she ordered.
Robin leaped from the bed, hurriedly jumping into his trousers and snatching up his shirt when he heard his younger daughter's voice call down from the roof from outside their window.
"Hold on tight, Edward, and don't let go!" Grace was calling.
Robin, with Marian right behind him, dashed to the window and looked out to see their four-year-old son, Edward, standing below in the yard, holding onto the end of a rope. A long ladder stood propped against the side of the house.
Since Edward was looking up, he spied his parents at the window, and called up to them, "Hello, Mama...Daddy! Gracie's gonna try to fly!"
"Robin, stop her!" Marian almost screamed.
Without a word, Robin dashed from his room, down the stairs, and out into the yard of his house. Marian followed, her nightdress's long skirts swishing about her ankles.
Robin was already half way up the ladder when Marian caught sight of Grace, holding her father's unstrung bow, standing proudly on the edge of the roof. The six-year-old, still dressed in her white fluttering nightdress, sported a pair of trousers underneath her gown and an excited grin on her chubby cheeked face.
"Good morning, Daddy!" she announced. "It's a lovely morning to fly, don't you think?"
"So lovely, I think I'd like to fly myself! Mind if I join you?"
Marian, from the ground, couldn't believe her ears. "Get her down, Robin!" she called up to him. "Don't encourage her!"
Both she and Robin guessed what Grace had been planning to attempt. Her eyes always shone whenever Uncle Much would tell how Robin had escaped the evil Sheriff of Nottingham by "flying" to the ground, grasping his bow as it slid upon a rope held by Little John.
"I'll get her down," Robin answered back, having reached the roof himself now, "as soon as you secure that rope to something far sturdier than our son!"
Their oldest child had now joined her mother in the yard. Ellen, small for her age, looked younger than her eight years. "Be careful, Daddy!" she shouted up to him.
"Don't be ridiculous," Marian snapped. "Put her on your back, and climb down the ladder!"
"She'll be every bit as safe on my back sliding down that rope, as she would be if I use the ladder. Safer even. It'll be much quicker, Marian."
"Please, Mama?" Grace begged. "I'll hold on tight! I promise!"
By this time, the yard was filled with curious villagers, many making the sign of the cross, fearful for their beloved master and his daredevil daughter, atop the high, steep roof. Marian glanced quickly through the crowd, her face lighting up when she spied Little John's large form lumbering towards her.
"Give me," John commanded, and Marian obeyed without question, handing him the end of the rope.
As he had done years before, John wrapped the rope around him, then signalled to Robin with a nod of his head.
"Ready, Gracie?" Robin asked, his eyes shining as brightly as his daughter's.
Clinging tightly to her father's back, Grace chanted, "Ready!"
First checking to make certain the rope was securely fastened on the rooftop, Robin positioned his bow above his head, then pushed off, to begin sailing quickly to the ground. Grace shut her eyes, but wore a huge smile all the way down.
Marian held her breath, only releasing it when she saw her small son jumping up and down with excitement, shouting out, "My turn next, Daddy!"
"John?" Robin invited, cockily planting a quick kiss on Marian's cheek while handing her their rescued daughter. "What do you say? Are you up for another flight?"
Another exciting day in Locksley had begun.