Captive Hearts

A Robin Hood Tale

Author's Note: For the purpose of my story Marion's house was never burned down. This is my first story so reviews are welcome.

Chapter One: Rendevous and Walks in the Dark

Sherwood Forest

Running that was all she could remember. The feeling of needing to get away was so strong she did not think about where to go or what she would do when she got there. Wearing only her brothers shirt and pants, not coat or shoes to help protect her from the cool Fall elements, she ran blindly into the night.

Outlaws Camp

The gang had settled down for the night, feeling secure in their new well disguised camp; they all slept soundly, except for one. Allan A. Dale paced restlessly around the camps interior. Something was going to happen, he could feel it. A tension in the air left the forest outside utterly quiet. As he paced, not able to sleep, he listened for any of the normal noises of the night; no frogs, no crickets, nothing. The only sound of his friend Much snoring was the only sound being made. He ran his fingers through his shaggy Blond hair and let out a sigh. His conscience was starting to get to him. Supplying information to Gisbourne gave him money, but did not give him the happiness he thought it would. Something was missing. Robin and the gang seemed content getting absolutely nothing while risking their necks for the poor. It just didn't make sense. He tried to make these thoughts go away by busying himself with the embers smoldering in the fire place. Robin stirred around on the other side of the camp. In a moment he was up and came over to Allan.

"Couldn't sleep?" asked Robin.

"No, what are you doing up?"

"I am going to go pay the Night Watchman a visit", Robin answered as he slipped on his boots.

"Does Marian know you are coming?" asked Allan.

"Now what would the fun in that be?" answered Robin, a grin spreading across his face.

"Alright, but one of these times she is liable to stab you for sneaking in her window after dark."

"I'll just have to let her know it's me before that happens. Try to get some rest, we'll need you tomorrow when the sheriffs money for the Black Knights passes out way."

"Yeah, see you later." said Allan

Without a look back Robin Hood disappeared into the darkness.

Kighton Hall

A short while later he was climbing in the window of his loves bedroom. He wasn't to upset by the fact that Marian and Edward's home was watched during the day. Night visits made it easier to surprise Marian. He crossed the room quietly, leaned his bow on the wall, and silently made his way to the side of her bed. Robin sat down next to her, enjoying the even sound of her breathing. Before he could think better of it leaned over and gently kissed his sleeping loves lips. Marian's eyes opened with a start, and then realizing who was in her room, she relaxed back against her pillows. Confident she was not going to attack him like Allan had joked, Robin flashed a self-confident smile.

"Robin, would you mind explaining why I have an outlaw in my room in the middle of the night." Marian asked jokingly.

"I need to talk to you about something, and I didn't want to risk being seen during the day."

"I see, and did you know that the guards leave around an hour after nightfall?"

"I know, but you do have to admit you're happy to see me." Robin said still smiling.

She loved it when he smiled, not only with his mouth, but with his eyes too. He had been through so much in the Holy Land; she probably would never know the full extent of the horrors he had seen, and she didn't think she wanted to know.

"Alright, I'm glad to see you; it has been quiet this past week." Marian said smiling back at him.

She sat up in bed, letting her blankets slide down around her waist. Being the true gentlemen he was, Robin looked adoringly into her eyes, ignoring the delicate material that made up Marians nightgown. Seeing all the love in his eyes made Marian's heart feel like soaring. Gently she pushed Robin's hair from in front of his eyes with one hand, and tenderly stroked his stubbly beard with the other hand. She closed the distance between them and kissed him. The kiss was slow and sweet, but filled with underlying passion. In these moments they were able to forget about all their problems and troubles. Neither wanting the moment to be over, they slowly ended the kiss, but remained in each other's arms. Robin laid his head on her soft brown curls and she rested her head upon his chest. The world was the way it should be when they were this close.

A breeze came blowing in the window, left open by Robin, and his bow was knocked to the floor with a thump. From downstairs Edward could be heard moving about.

"Marian…Marian was that you? Are you alright?" Edward called up the stairs, concerned for his only daughter.

"I'm fine father, I'm sorry I disturbed you." Marion yelled as she pulled away from her love.

"What happened?" Edward called back up the stairs.

"I…I fell out of bed." Stuttered Marion, who glared at Robin for snickering at her excuse.

"Oh, goodnight then" Edward said not knowing he had interrupted one of the few quiet moments that Robin and Marion found time for.

"What is it that you needed to tell me?" Marion asked as she relaxed back a little.

"There are outlaws in the forest, other than my gang, and they are stealing women found alone in or around the Sherwood. I don't think you should go into the forest without me or one of the lads to protect you." Robin said completely serious.

"Robin, you forget, I'm the Night Watchman. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, but these men supposedly attack their victims in large groups. Promise me you won't go into the forest without an escort."

"Fine, I promise I will be careful." Marion said with a smirk. "Now it is time for you to leave."

"You're no fun Marion." Robin said as he stood up.

"Yes, well, all the same it's time for you to go."

Marion started to get up, but Robin put his hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down. He planted a light kiss on her lips, and turned around and left out the window. Marion went back to sleep, but was harassed by bad dreams for the remainder of the night.

Sherwood Forest

She stumbled. Her foot had caught on a tree root that was sticking out the ground. She didn't know how long she had been running, but her mind could hear the footfalls of horses chasing after her. She picked herself up and continued running at full speed. She looked back over her shoulder to see if anyone could be seen behind her. Before she knew what happened she was on the ground again. As she was struggling to find out what she had hit, and get up, she was pinned to the ground. Straddling over top her was a man, knowing it was on of her captures she began fighting. She swung her arms and connected with a strong jaw. Her hand broke with the impact. Crying out in pain, she had never been so scared. Everything around her went black and she slipped into unconsciousness's embrace. Allan A Dale had only been taking a short walk, trying to clear his head when he was hit from the side. Now as he stood up and drew his knife, he found his assailant out cold. It was a dark night, but he could see the person in front of him was small and thin. A hood covered the sleeping forms face. Rubbing his jaw, he crouched down to get a closer look at his attacker. Reaching his hand out he tugged the hood back roughly.

"Well… that's' a shocker." Allan stated.

Laying in front of him was a women; she was young too. If he had to guess he's say about eighteen give or take a few years.

"Hey come on, wake up." Allan said unsure of what to do.

He gave the unconscious women a nudge, and she stirred around but did not regain her senses. Sitting back he wondered what he should do. He couldn't just leave her, thinking back to the day the gang had found the baby in the woods. That seemed so long ago now back before Allan had betrayed Robin and the gang. If time could be turned back he would have let Gisbourne kill him. It couldn't have been any worse than the constant guilt he felt now. Shaking his head clearing it of these thoughts he went back to deciding what to do about the mystery girl in front of him. If he carried her back to the camp he would risk exposing its location to the wrong person, traitor though he was, he would not be able to live with himself if he was the cause of one of his friends deaths. He had already decided leaving her wasn't an option, after all she could be in some kind of trouble. Robin had mentioned a band of nasty outlaws in the forest that were stealing women to sell, but she didn't look hurt or even that dirty, a little thin perhaps. She was in men's close, but Marion and Djaq wore pants and shirts too. She defanitly did not look like Djaq and the other Saracen's did when the gang had found them. A wagon of funds for the Black Knights was scheduled to come through Sherwood tom arrow, and he would probably be missed if he was not there to help. Marion had let everyone know about its planned path, and while Allan had full intention of telling Gisbourne what they knew, something had stopped him. Finnaly he decided that staying where they were would be the best plan, if the women had not woke up by morning Allan would take her back to the camp. Settling back against a tree, Allan prepared for a long wait until dawn. Seeing how he did not have any rope on him to tie his attacker up with, sleep would be a bad idea. Sleep, the one thing he wanted so badly, the one thing that had avoided him at all cost, was making his eyelids very heavy. Before he knew it was happening, Allan fell into the deepest sleep he had in weeks.