Title: A Most Cunning Plan, or How Much Saved Marian from the Hideous Ring
Characters: Much, Marian
Word Count: 886
Rating: G
Summary: Much pays a late night visit to Marian at the castle to amend Robin's horrendous taste in jewelry.
He sneaks in at night. He is never given enough credit for his stealth, but if there is one thing a servant learns to do, it is to fade into the background, to become unnoticeable. Much has rebelled against that of late, demanding attention along with autonomy, but it is a skill he has not lost. He moves quickly through the hallways, drawing no attention, no suspicion.
In fact, the only person who seems suspicious is the person who he has come to see.
"What are you doing here?" Marian asks, pulling him into her bedchamber when she finds him at her door.
"Can't an old friend pop in for an evening chat?" He asks cheekily, enjoying seeing her flustered for once.
"Much." She hisses, glancing anxiously over his shoulder at the closed door.
"It's fine. No one saw me. Really." He defends himself.
"Hmpf." Marian snorts inelegantly and Much hides a smile before he begins to talk.
"Now, as to the reason for my little visit. I hear that congratulations are in order. That Robin has asked you to marry him. Again."
"Indeed." Marian smiles to herself, "He compared me to his bow."
"How romantic." Much rolls his eyes while Marian laughs.
"It was…memorable. He even had a ring."
"Ah yes, the ring. That is why I'm here." Much says.
"The ring?" Marian asks, startled, "Why?"
"Is it the ring that Allan brought to the camp earlier?" Much asks, clarifying that what he already knows is indeed true.
"Yes, it's the same one." Marian stands and moves to her desk, rifling through her jewelry case for several moments before pulling out a monstrous green ring and showing it to him.
"That is hideous." Much says plainly, starring at the offending piece.
"Isn't it though?" Marian agrees quickly, before tossing it back into the box and closing the lid. "I can't very well tell him that though, can I?"
"So you'd rather wear that…that thing, on your hand for the rest of your life?" Much shakes his head, "Trust me; he's not worth that amount of suffering."
"Much." Marian smiles at him and he finds himself smiling back, before reaching into the small pouch he has brought with him.
"Well, I can't say I'm terribly surprised at Robin's horrible taste, and luckily I had prepared for such an eventuality." Much pulls out a much smaller ring, a simple gold band with a tiny red stone at its centre. It's not an elegant ring, nor an expensive one, but it is familiar to Marian.
"I can't believe you have this." She says wondrously, taking it when he holds it out to her. "I thought I'd never see it again."
"Do you know how long it took me to find it in the grass, after you threw it after him? Ages! But I thought he might need it again one day." Much says softly, "And I was right, wasn't I?"
"You were." She nods, slipping the ring onto her finger, holding her hand out to admire it. It feels familiar, just as it did five years ago when Robin first placed it there. "I went back later, you know, to find it. I searched for hours in that field before finally giving up. What a mess I was, on my knees, covered in dirt, sobbing over a ring."
"Not over a ring." Much corrects gently.
"No, not a ring." Marian agrees, still staring at her hand. "But how am I supposed to explain this to Robin?"
"Aha, that is where our plan comes in." Much says grinning at her.
"'Our' plan?" Marian questions.
"It is a very ugly ring Marian, I was not the only one who noticed."
"So Will and Djaq and Little John…?" Marian trails off.
"Well not Little John, but the rest of us. Something had to be done. Obviously." Much grimaces at the memory of the green ring, now safely hidden in the jewelry box.
"Alright then, let's hear this plan." Marian says.
"Well, you used it as a signal with Robin before, so why not do so again? Just this time, it will conveniently be lost, or broken, or stolen on its return to you."
"Poor Robin, all of his people plotting against him." Marian laughs.
"Well, that's what has to happen when someone has such awful taste in jewelry." Much says simply. "Next time you see him after that, bring the old ring, say you found it after throwing it at him all those years ago, and tell him that's all you want, all you need, whatever lovey-dovey drivel you can think of."
"Drivel Much?" Marian says, "Aren't you the one who used to spout those awful poems for Martha here in the kitchens, and Anna too, not to mention-"
"Alright! There's no need to bring that back up again." Much flushes bright red.
"You're right. It's a very cunning plan."
"Of course it is," Much nods before moving to the doorway. "And what's more, unlike most of Robin's plans, it will actually work." He opens the door, peering out quickly to ensure that the hall is empty.
"Much," Marian catches him by the sleeve just as he moves to leave, "thank you."
"You're welcome. Obviously," he says. "But for goodness sakes, whatever you do, don't ever accept jewelry from him again."