Angels Song
AN: Sequel to Angels Cry. This story is loosely in line with what did happen to Richard the Lionheart after the third Crusade. Takes up about nine months after Angels Cry ended.
Prologue
The gang stood silently in a small cluster on the perimeter of the market square in the city of Segelocum, a Roman settlement bordering the river Trent in the county of Nottingham, a good forty miles from their camp in the heart of Sherwood.
Much began to pace, they had arranged to meet Robin and Marian at this designated place at noon, it was clearly past that now and even Little John looked worried.
"I mean what if something has happened to them?" asked Much.
"Stand still!" Djaq commanded, but still Much paced.
"I am not being funny but we are better off waiting here for them then wandering off in a city we hardly know." Allan reasoned.
"What if something has happened to them? What if they are ….dead." Much said whispering the last word with some caution, only to see Will and Djaq shake their heads at him.
"Why don't we pop into that Inn over there we can still see the meeting place and we can enjoy some refreshment?" suggested Allan. It was a hot August day and he could do with a drink to quench his thirst
"Here we wait." Little John firmly replied and Allan shrugged reluctantly staying put.
0o0
In a small church in a tiny village several miles north of Segelocum a Priest carried out the wedding ceremony of the man and woman before him. He had heard of them, who hadn't? And in his quest for peace in times of strife and violence, where power and money seemed to control the world he agreed to marry them. Binding them legally to each other, to override the hand fasting ceremony they had shared ten months previously. The only witnesses were a scribe who worked for the Priest and his serving woman. Despite being a small affair it was clearly a happy one and the bride and groom not only left with each other but with a written documentation of their marriage.
0o0
Several hours after Allan complained that he was thirsty the gang relented and ventured into the Inn for refreshment. Robin and Marian had still not materialised and they could only imagine horrendous reasons as to why.
It had been a simple meeting with a messenger who had news from Count Friedrich of Hanheim. Much tried to reason over and over again to the annoyance of the others, as to why Robin had taken the notion to go alone with Marian in the first place.
0o0
A number of miles away the couple in question had taken off from the main road to Segelocum for some peace and quiet before they joined the gang once more. Concealed in a particularly sheltered glen they lay together on the grass, bathed with the warmth of the afternoon sun on their bodies. Robin glanced up at the position of the sun and sighed. He raised himself to his elbow and looked down at Marian fondly, with desire flickering in his eyes.
He took her left hand and ran his fingers across the scars that Gisborne's dagger had left behind some months earlier. It had healed now and he massaged her middle finger then looked at her. Marian met his gaze then looked at her hand. She bent her fingers into a fist and all but her middle finger did as she bid. The middle finger moved slightly but it seemed that this was going to be the extent of its healing. Marian sighed in acceptance of it and he took the opportunity to brush his lips against hers invitingly. This time it was Marian who looked up to the position of the sun to gauge the time of day. Robin shrugged at her non verbal question and she replied by drawing him back down to be reunited with her again.