SHERWOOD FOREST
There were so many men.
There were so many villagers.
Hundreds, hundreds come to fight for the cause.
That was a lot of frightened men.
Robin and his gang, as well as Archer and Tuck, were busy trying to tend to them all.
Robin noticed that the men looked upon the younger man as some form of leader.
Men were slumped against trees, frightened out of their lives.
Marian was arms deep in a large barrel of water that they filled every day from the river to drink from.
"Marian." Robin moved through the throng of people towards her.
She glanced up at him but continued to hand out water.
"Marian we need to talk." He leant closer to her.
"We needed to talk before, we never did." She stated flatly and continued handing out the water.
"Marian…"
"What?" Her words were cold.
She knew he loved her.
She knew she loved him.
She knew that Isabella had played him…
But he had still kissed her.
Yes, they needed to talk.
"Not now Robin, please." She said and turned her attention to the next man.
"Yes now." He said firmly and grabbed her wrist.
"Let go of me." She snapped and wrenched her hand away.
"There are people here, hundreds of them, who need our help." She hissed, "Vaisey is sat out there with two towering war machines and a garrison army…. We do not have time to argue about this now, I can't…" her voice cracked.
"I can't do this now."
"Marian look at me, look at me I am sorry." He pressed.
"Please."
"Robin!"
Much's voice broke through the people.
Djac and Will as well as Tuck were rushing around tending to scrapes that people had got when falling to the floor under the shake of the massive stone on the floor of the forest.
Archer and Much were stood by the large bolder that had fallen, a distance from the men thanks be to god.
"Robin!"
Alan was with him, and they were anxious to speak to him.
"Go." Marian snapped as she handed out more water.
"They need you, all of them do."
"Do you?" Robin countered.
She flashed slightly hurt eyes on him before looking back down as she scooped more water.
"Marian please… I am sorry…" he started but she cut him off harshly, angry at him for almost acting as though it were she who was being unreasonable.
"Why should I forgive you at all, no matter after a few hours?" She snapped.
Robin sighed, feeling small.
"I do not know, all I can give you is love…"
"You seem to be able to give a lot of women that." She snapped.
He straightened, "That is not fair…"
"Isn't it?" She demanded and glared at him.
He said nothing but watched as she looked back down at the water.
He slowly and silently put her wedding ring on the flat edge of the barrel, before walking off.
It caught Marian's eye and she swallowed, taking a deep breath.
Slowly she reached for it and glanced up at his retreating figure through the crowds of men.
She sighed and slipped it back on her finger.
Robin approached the group of men surrounding the large rock.
"What have we got?" He asked anxiously, looking at it.
"It is local stone." Archer said and jumped atop it, crouching down and running his hand over the stone.
"Which means that he will have a lot of it, am I right?" Robin sighed and put his hands atop the stone, looking at it as he thought over the damage these boulders could do.
No one answered.
They had no idea how often Vaisey intended to fire them, or how many he had…
It would be a lot.
What did he want?
Much was on hand to voice the question.
The man was panicked.
Much, who had survived the holy land, seen horrors no other man had seen… was far frightened now than he had been then…
He was sure he was more scared now, in the forest.
"What does the Sheriff want?"
"Isn't it obvious, he wants Robin doesn't he?" Alan had his hands on his hips, "He always wants Robin."
"Then why hasn't he marched his army in here?" Archer asked.
All of them looked to Robin.
The archer lifted his eyes, "I don't know… we need to find out."
He pushed away from the rock suddenly, full of determination.
Marian, pushed herself away from the barrel of water, and sprinted through the crowd.
Robin was in search of a horse, he wanted to demand information of Vaisey.
"Robin!"
He turned at her voice.
She ran towards him, both of them tired of fighting.
She knew he was sorry.
They needed to be strong, together, they were stronger…
Her body crashed into his.
Her arms hooked around his neck tightly as her lips crashed down up on his.
His arms hooked tight around her beck, and under the passion of force of the kiss he bent her slightly backwards.
They pulled apart and he whispered against her lips.
"I'm so sorry my love, it is you, believe me, only you…"
"I know." She said simply, not explaining anything, or wishing to continue their argument.
They needed to be united.
"I know." She breathed.
They both looked around them at the hundreds of men.
"Why has Vaisey not marched in here already?" She looked up at him, her hands on his chest.
She asked the same question Archer had done.
"I don't know." Robin was still looking out at the men.
"I will ask him."
"Ask him?" Marian arched one eyebrow.
"I will ride out, and demand to know his price." He pulled away from her and walked to a horse.
He checked its saddle the gang were around him now.
He secured his sword on his hip and his bow and quiver to the saddle as he spoke.
"I will demand to know what Vaisey wants, what game he is playing." He swung up onto the saddle.
"On your own?" Tuck sounded unsure.
"No." Marian rode up atop her own hose to stand it beside her husbands.
"Not alone."
They exchanged a look, Robin slightly worried for a safety.
He let it go, just that once.
And besides, she was as safe with him as she was here in the forest.
"Let's go."