AN: hey just a few thoughts on what could have happened if marian went through with the wedding to Gisborne at the end of S1.

Please read and review

xx

The other path

Marian ambled outside to the washing line, a basket brimming with clothes carefully balanced on her hip. Guy kept telling her that washing was servants work, but Marian needed time alone, and she quite liked washing and hanging her clothes. It made her feel self sustaining, independent. Something she used to feel constantly as a maiden. But now as a wife, with servants to attend to her every need and desire, she felt worthless. As she pegged garment after garment on the rope string, she let her mind drift to the past six months.

As she walked out of the church, arm in arm with her husband, she saw a face, nearly completely hidden by the shadows of Sherwood Forest. It was a man, but his face almost seemed inhuman with the complete devastation which had etched itself into his features. Her eyes hovered on him a moment, their eyes locking before Robin felt he could not bear to see any more of her and closed his eyes. A tear trickled down his face, which had become to look phenomenally older in a matter of hours. He reached his hand up to his face and wiped the tears away and at that moment, Marian wished she could go to him, to wipe away the tears as he had time and time again for her. But she could not. After spending a moment composing himself, the great Robin Hood bowed his head in respect and resignation, before turning and walking slowly back to the camp.

Guy led her back to their new home, to the same house that Marian had always dreamed of spending the rest of her life there with Robin. She was shown to her room, all the time trying her hardest to push back the tears. The maid finished unpacking her gowns and left the room to find fresh flowers to brighten things up. Marian looked around the room, noticing a small, rolled up piece of parchment lying on her dresser. She sighed. Probably a note from Guy. She unraveled it, liking the way the parchment slid through her fingers, the way the corner slit her finger, the way the blood trickled out. It was a note from Robin.

My dearest Marian,

If you are reading this than my worst nightmare has become a reality. You have been wed to Guy. I do not wish to hurt you or ask anything of you in this letter, just to tell you what I kept silent all this time. I love you, Marian. I love you like the sun loves the day, like the moon loves the night. Your eyes outshine the stars above us, the same stars which I wished on every night for my whole life. I wished for only one thing – that each time I saw your face, your smile and your eyes, it would not be the last time. I wished that if anything ever happened to you, I would be right there beside you to fix the broken pieces and to save you like you saved me every day. That day when your heart stopped and you breathed no more, all I wanted to do was to get revenge, to hurt those who had taken my Marian from me. My world fell down around me and no matter how hard I tried; I couldn't bandage it up like a physical wound. The colours of my world faded to grey. All I could think of was the things we never got to have – a marriage, children and a comfortable home together. You rose from the dead and it seemed like the Lord had answered my prayers, only to have them crushed hours later by the very man who almost killed you. I thought that maybe, after all we had been through, I might have been able to change your mind. I wish to thank you Marian, for being my sole reason for living all these years. Everything I did, everything I do, I do for you. I wish you happiness in marriage with all my heart and want you to know that however you may seem to the world, you mean the world to me.

With love until the end of time.

Robin

Marian closed her eyes as the tears came. He had loved her but never had the courage to tell her. But it was too late now. Marian threw herself on the bed and cried.

Over the next few days and months, Robin began helping the poor less and less. It seemed as if the spark had gone out in his life. After 4 months, Robin stopped fighting and gave up. The poor went hungry and the sick without medicine. Everywhere she looked there was poverty, discrimination, sexism and darkness. Marian decided to go for a small visit to Robin's camp, to try and motivate the gang. But when she arrived, there was not the laughter and good spirits she had expected. The camp was quieter than a graveyard. Much sat silently in the corner, stirring a pot of vegetable broth. Will was quietly whittling away at a dog tag and Allan sat by his side, watching as the ever famous symbol was carved once more. Djaq and John were hunched over Robin, who was slumped against the wall, the energy gone from his body. As Marian walked into the camp, the gang turned to look at her. All except Robin. She went to him and crouched by his side, looking him deeply into the eye and saying "Robin, the world needs you." But he still could not look at her; it would only remind him of what he had lost. Her honeysuckle voice fell on deaf ears however, as Robin just continued to stare straight ahead of him, his dull eyes blank and sorrowful. She straightened up and sighed; she had tried, but not succeeded to save Robin Hood for the final time. She held back the tears as she nodded at the other outlaws to show respect before turning and walking away.

The violence, hunger and hatred continued to brood over Nottingham town as people realized that Robin wasn't going to save them. The doom spread like a pestilence and Marian decided she needed to try one last time to get Robin back on his feet. She returned to the outlaws' camp to find four men and one woman but no Robin.

"Much, I need to see Robin." Marian pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that Marian." Replied Much, tight lipped and pale faced.

"Why not?" Asked Marian, both curious and indignant.

"Because Robin is dead." Much's reply shocked Marian. Dead?

"But...but how?" Marian world was closing in around her, constricting her air pipe and making a lump rise in her throat.

"He died of sadness five days ago. The pain just became unbearable. He couldn't see a world without you. You never realized just how much he loved you. When we fought in the holy lands, he just never shut up about Marian Fitzwater, the lady he loved with all his heart. He murmured your name as he slept each night and prayed for you each minute of every day. And you still left him for Guy." Marian was speechless. Robin was dead. She turned and ran, though the trees until she came to a small glen. She picked a small bunch of flowers and laid them by a tree. Robin's tortured spirit would be free. Marian had proved that she cared. He had got his final wish.

Marian finished hanging the last of the clothes and went back inside. Someday soon, she and Robin would be reunited. But until then, whispers on the breeze and flowers laid by Robin's grave would have to suffice for the words she never had the chance to say.

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What did you think?

xx

.jelly