Hey all, this is my second Robin hood fan fiction...no poem this time...real deal story...set during the episode walkabout...marian leaves with Guy..right before robin brings back the sheriff and saves the day?? will he find her?? what will happen?? please read and review and enjoy

He Would Move Heaven and Earth

Speed.

That was key. Robin knew that the horses' swiftness determined the success of this entire journey. If the horse would just gallop a little faster then they would make it Nottingham a little faster, and then they would make it to Marian a little faster.

Robin watched the sheriff's unconscious body bump up and down with the horses' gallop.

He laughed to himself and smiled. The only time he expected him to see the sheriff like that was when the sheriff was dead and England was right again.
He tried not to think about that potential happy future, it would distract him too much from the present circumstances that were at hand.

Nottingham would burn to the ground if Robin were not quick enough. Every man woman and child would die that night if the sheriff did not arrive in time. His Marian would be killed if he did not bring the sheriff before the sun went down. He could not allow that to happen.

She has to live. She must live. I cannot live without her. Please God, let her live tonight!

He prayed to God for the horse to run like it had never run before. They were battling against the sun but Robin was sure they'd make it.

They had better make it before sun set.

However Robin Hood did not realize that as he raced against the sun, Marian, in Nottingham castle was racing against time.

Sir Guy of Gisborne was kneeling down before her. "Marian," he asked softly, "Will you marry me?" He had looked up at her pleadingly. The reason for his sudden and abrupt proposal was because of the current impending danger Nottingham was facing.

If the sheriff was not back by sundown, then Prince John's men would burn Nottingham to the ground. They would kill every man, woman, and innocent child living in Nottingham.

Obviously that was a future that no one in the town wanted. So every able bodied resident was inside the castle walls ready to fight anyone who so much as dared to torch their beloved Nottingham to the ground. They were willing to die if necessary.

Marian had been among those who were willing to fight and die.

But that was before Will had talked with her. Robin wants you to live. You have to live.

Then he had showed her Robin's engagement ring. Try not to get yourself killed.

And now Guy had a proposal for her garneted safety. But everything inside her told her that she must not accept. Marian did not want to marry Guy, her behavior last year was a clear sight that she would rather cause violence than become Guy's wife.

Lady Gisborne indeed.

"Let me think about it," she pleaded.

Guy arose angrly. "Marian, you have no time to think about this. This is a matter of life and death. Marian, you have to live."

Why was every man so concerned with her safety, was she that delicate? Marian did not think of herself as a delicate flower, but men seemed to think of her like that. Her father had not wanted her to be the night watchman.

It was too difficult, he warned her, she could get herself killed.

And now he was dead and gone.

All the men in her life wanted her alive. But what was the cost? Was she willing to give up her happiness to be alive? She looked at Guy, "Give me a minute."

She ran swiftly from him and pushed past groups of people waiting for their doom to come. All Marian wanted right now was Robin. She really needed Robin. But he was gone; he might be dead for all she knew. He was not back yet. She found herself close to tears. And then she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She whipped around to face Will looking at her. "What happened?"

"Guy wants to marry me, again, as a black knight he can leave the castle freely. And the family of the black knight can also accompany him. If I marry him, we can leave together and we'll both be safe."

He thought for a minute and scratched his head thoughtfully. "I think you should consider that as a legitimate option."

"Will," she cried, "do you realize that I would have to marry Gisborne? I'd need to stand before a priest and declare to him and the entire world that I love a man I detest? Will, what if we leave England? I'll never see Nottingham again. I'll never see you, or Djaq, or Little John, or Much ever again. I'd never see Robin—"

She could not continue and the tears began to fall. Will held her in his arms and calmed her down. "Marian," he whispered soothingly in her ear, "Robin will find you. No matter where you are, he will find you. He will move heaven and earth to find you Marian. You will see him again, I swear it."

"But I will be lady Gisborne," wept Marian, "once I marry Gisborne, I can never go back."

Will shook his head. "No. Marian, it does not matter if you are married. Marriage is a promise two people make to love each other forever. And you will not have a marriage to Guy. You will only have the ritual of a marriage, but you are not bound to him. You will never be bound to him."

They parted silently. "You really think I should consent to marrying him?"

He nodded. "It would save your life."

"Would Robin ever forgive me, do you think?" she asked quietly turning away from him. That was her fear. What would Robin think when he found her as Lady Gisborne? That title sickened her stomach.

"He loves you," said Will simply, "he'll always forgive you Marian."

She nodded and sighed.

Without looking back at Will, she walked through the crowds of people and found Guy silently looking out the window. She could see tall figure waiting as prince John's men prepared to burn down Nottingham. All he had tried to fight for was slipping from his fingers like sand. Marian pitied him. He was losing everything that meant something in his life. She was about to lose everything too.

So she touched Guy's shoulder lightly.

He whipped his head around fiercely and startled Marian. She backed away a bit.

"Have you decided?" he asked.

"Yes," she said taking a deep breath, "Guy, I will marry you."

Guy smiled devilishly and picked Marian up violently and kissed her passionately on the mouth. Then he let her down gently. "Come with me." He put out his hand and he led her away from the Great Hall.

He pulled her down long hallways and through abandoned corridors. Suddenly the two of them bumped into Allan A Dale. He was dressed in his usual black and held a sword in his hand.

"What is going on Guy?" he asked suspiciously looking from Marian to Guy.

"We're getting married," said Guy, "and we're leaving Nottingham before it burns to the ground. We need you as a witness to our marriage. Follow."

Allan briefly looked at Marian and chuckled. "Guy, I don't really do witness, anyway I've got to prepare for this onslaught we're facing."

"Allan, you will be a witness, that's an order!" yelled Guy angrily.

That shut Allan up. He glanced again at Marian and saw the pain in her eyes. They seemed to say that she needed one friendly face with her as she walked down the isle.

"Tell you what," he said to Guy, "I'll be your witness and I'll give her away."

Guy rolled his eyes and nodded. The three of them set off to the Royal Chapel. In the chapel sat a priest in silent meditation. He looked so peaceful and so happily contented. He probably had no idea that a war was about to begin.

But Gisborne did not let him remain in his present state. He shouted, "Up man."

The priest jumped up and faced the three agitated people before him. "What can I do for you?"

"Can you make us married?" asked Guy.

"You and this young gentleman?" asked the priest uncomfortably.

Allan suppressed a laugh and Guy rolled his eyes. "No, me and Marian. Will you marry us? It is of the utmost importance that you do so very quickly."

"A quick wedding?" The priest shook his head. "That I cannot do sir, you need a specific time, rings, a veil, a date picked out for the occasion. This is too rash my son."

So talking was out of the question for Guy. Instead he went with the more threatening approach that seemed to convince most people. He took out his sword and pointed it at the priest. "See, I do not think you understood me Father. I need you to marry us right now! We have everything we need right here."

The priest complied and told Guy to stand with him while Marian and Allan went across the hall to walk down the imaginary isle full while an empty nonexistent audience watched. Allan took Marian's hand and they walked across the other side of the hallway.

"Marian," whispered Allan. "Why are you doing this?"

Marian closed her eyes. "Robin wants me to live. I would rather have died than do this, you know that Allan, but he wants me to be alive. I love him too much to go against this particular wish he has of me." She opened her eyes and looked at Allan. "Will you do something for me?"

"Anything." And he meant it too. For all the evil and treachery that seemed to go hand and hand with Allan, he loved his former gang. He loved Marian as well, and would do most anything for her.

"If you ever find out where we are, please tell Robin. I know they might kill you if you come walking into camp again so here," she thrust Robin's ring into his palm, "he'll believe you if you give him this. And tell Robin that as I walked down the isle and as I kissed Guy, I pretended it was Robin. I thought of him through this entire ordeal. Promise me you will tell them that."

Allan nodded and held her hand tightly and protectively. Together they walked down the isle towards Guy and the terrified priest. And it was on that day when Guy and Marian were joined together as man and wife. Guy had placed a ring on her finger; she did not pull it off. Guy had kissed her, she had not resisted.

Gisborne told Allan to protect Nottingham from the oncoming attack. Allan nodded. Marian threw her arms around Allan's neck and whispered into his ear, "You are a good man Allan. You are not a traitor."

Then she released him and took Guy's hand. Together they walked out of the royal chapel, though corridors, and long hallways, until they reached the stables. Guy saddled his horse. He sat on the horse and bade Marian sit behind him. She did so and put her arms around his waist as he rode the horse out of the stables and past Prince John's men.

They nodded as Guy and Marian rode off.

How could Marian and Will have known that minutes later Robin Hood showed up triumphantly with the sheriff on the horse beside him?