Somehow in the tangle, Guy's dagger had missed the Nightwatchman, but managed to snag a piece of his jacket. The Nightwatchman had left Locksley without a scratch on his body, leaving Guy with naught but a scrap of oiled deerskin for his only quarry. In most circumstances, Guy would let the Nightwatchman flee, for he was sure to find the man another time, and the matter was not urgent, but the scrap of cloth mocked him with its insignificance.
His blood still hot from the fight, Guy called for his dog handlers and let the hounds fight over the leather so they could learn the scent. The pursuit led Guy and his men straight into the forest where the Nightwatchman usually fled to, and a short distance in, the trail split. Guy's men spread out in teams, while Guy went off alone, taking no less than three dogs with him.
As the day dragged on the forest became soaked in blues and grays. Just as his dogs started to bark louder, announcing that they had rediscovered the trail, the roar of rushing water filled Guy's ears, and his heart dropped. The Nightwatchman must have heard the dogs a while ago and headed to the stream to lose them.
Before he gave up hope, another sound came into focus, this time of a horse whining. Guy dismounted and followed the noise up to the Nightwatchman's bay palfrey, which was leashed up to a tree not far from the stream. Thrilled at his luck, Guy tied up his own animals and crept forward. Once he came up to the edge of the water, the sight he found almost stopped the beating of his heart. There, alone by the water, stood the woman of his dreams, stripping herself of the Nightwatchman's leather. Bracing himself on a small branch, Guy watched, captivated, as nothing but the light of the moon and the evening star bathed her before she dipped into the silver water.
It was not long before he gave himself away. The branch he had been holding snapped. The noise rang out among the rocks, and the Nightwatchman turned and froze. Time stopped for a moment, and he watched with fascination as she flushed a bright rose, from her face, down her neck, to her breasts and the top of her thighs. She must have seen her enemy standing there by her horse, with a moon-shaped dagger in his fist. Fearful that she might flee, Guy stepped forward into the water, wetting the toe of his expensive boots, and extended his hand to her, calling out softly.
"Marian?"
She reacted instantly, throwing herself at him like a wildcat, trying to strangle him with one hand and grab his dagger with the other. He wrestled her to the ground, growing hot as he felt her slippery form slide underneath him. Finally, he pinned her, with his hands on her arms, his thighs on her thighs. She panted for breath beneath him, her hands able to clench only at air. He was mesmerized by the Amazon beneath him; her beauty eclipsed any anger he had at discovering her betrayal. Her eyes met his with defiance and he decided he could not let her go. Tentatively, he lowered his lips down to her face, and met her mouth with a ginger, tender kiss. She went soft beneath him and he released his grip on her arms to hold her face.
The next thing he knew, it was daylight and his head was throbbing. He looked about him to find both horses gone and the dogs sleeping. A heavy rock with a wide flat surface sat in the grass not a foot away. He grimaced, wondering how to explain this to his men, and then smiled, not really caring.