Dragged behind the warhorse, Djaq trying wake Marian, she nudged her. She had been unable to tell if her friend was alright until Locksley was in sight. Marian lightly stirred in the saddle.

"Aw, almost home good." The Sheriff kept his sneer plastered onto his face. Djaq cursed in Arabic and was certain that neither Vaisey nor Marian would be able to translate; which was a good thing.

As the company strode in through the cleared path, entering the small town Marian desperately sought to hide her face as she saw people in the market going about their daily duties, she wondered what they thought of her. She knew Robin would have been more than furious, she and Djaq were trying to prove a point that they could work on their own, but they had failed and now were going to pay the price.

Especially since she had joined Robin and merry band of outlaws she knew some must have thought well but at the same time disappointment. She quickly saw a hooded figure and as did Djaq; it was Allan buried beneath the deep green hood. Within a matter of moments he vanished within the crowd.

"People of Locksley I wanted you to see these two traitors and no that we do not tolerate them. So please tell Hood if you see him that his beloved and Saracen girl are getting executed tomorrow." Sheriff Vaisey announced he looked about searching the crowd in case Hood and his men were about; he kicked his horse's flanks to continue movement.

Marian passed out again perhaps from embarrassment and the wound on her head Djaq supposed. Many moments passed without interruption in silence. Why hadn't Robin come yet? Marian pondered mentally to herself. She wasn't about to let herself cry but she feared what Guy would do when she saw her, she knew he must have hated her.

The company entered Nottingham Town as if it were a party. Vaisey hummed a celebratory tune and the guards whistled in unison to their master's hum. The Sheriff dismounted and gave he gave his mare to the stable boy. Suddenly he waved three guards and they separated Marian and Djaq and he grabbed Marian by the wrist.

"You, Missy are coming with me…" He dragged her into the great hall. Marian weakly tried pulling her wrist out of his grasp, failed, as his grip tightens she gasped out in a weakened and whimpered pain. Leading her into the grand hall smiling vilely, he hoped when opened the doors to find Gisbourne but the room was bare of his lieutenant. He slammed Marian onto her side with great force into the table. She stumbled frightened trying to get up.

"Well leper I know someone who will just be thrilled to death to see you." Vaisey smirked going to his chair. "Sadly my poor man at arms thought you dead back in the Holy Land, Oh dear he was quite the broken soul when you told him you loved Hood and would rather Oh yes die than be with him. Rather shameful of you. Gisbourne has never been fairly much the same since he eh killed you." Vaisey monologued.

"You know that this will just kill him." One of the guards whispered to another. Vaisey whipped his head around to speak to them and Marian.

"Ooh I do hope so, he fallen apart quite spectacularly since then and if he does anything foolish concerning this Leper then I think he deserves the Hell awaiting him." Vaisey barked out in laughter.

Moments later in the Courtyard,
the wretched man in black walked through the crowd of guards and townsfolk. The formerly proud man was on his way to face certain punishment for letting Hood escape him again; his raven hair longer and his blue eyes rendezvoused with self-loathing and painful despair that all who tried to look upon them turned away from fiery gaze. The black heart of Nottinghamshire had spotted the stable boy leading the Sheriff's horse to the stable. Harshly whispering to himself, "My God, He's back."

He ran through to the grand hall just as Marian slumped to the floor in avoidance.

"My Lord what is the meaning of this?" Gisbourne asked raging and seething between each syllable.

"Ah Yes, there you are! I have some news looky who I found?" Vaisey crude smirk widened as his master of arms lifted the pathetic figure up. Marian down cast her gaze not wanting to reach Guy's expression. Guy's heart felt like it shattered to the hellish oblivion when he saw that it was Marian.

"I know who it is m'lord but you did not answer my questions... why is she here?" He said emotion running thick in his voice that he could not obscure. Thoughts raced past him; she is alive and still you killed her again. "Marian what are you doing here?" he asked flattening his tone. The Sheriff shook his head and tutted, "Oh Gisbourne, don't say you still have a soft spot for her… Oh dear."

Guy released her from his hands on her and placed one over his mouth whispered, "No..." his face contorted with anguish and betrayal "You.. cannot be with them...still. Tell me it isn't true Marian, TELL ME! ahhh..." He screamed knowing that she was going to lie to him knocking over candle stands and other things and then slammed his hands upon the table in front of them and in her ear he hotly whispered "I swear to God, Marian I will die of this before you hang..." Tears of anger and grief raged past his eyes. "Take her away. TAKE HER AWAY!"

For in the same moment in the dungeons, Djaq had met another prisoner named Eva, who had stolen some food and was caught by Gisbourne.

"I have friends that could help us escape." Djaq explained Robin and the Gang. "I hope so," the girl offered a weak smile to the Saracen. Djaq could only imagine what Gisbourne could be doing to Marian.

"Oh this is good i feel a hanging coming on!" Rubs his hands together happily but stopped when Guy spoke again.

"If she goes to the gallows-he combed his hair precariously with his hand- You will lose your master of arms as well, she will be left Alone in a separate cell and no one is allowed down there but me and a priest perhaps, but that is when she has finally ceased to be..."

The sheriff laughed, "Why can't you see she will never love you she is only using you." He shook his head. "I thought you understood. Why must we go down that path once again?"

He lifted his eyes to meet Vaisey's gaze muttered "Would it have been simpler for you if I had died in Holyland m'lord?" His head ached for answer as he saw no way of knowing his lord's answer. Vaisey opened a small cage picking up one of his birds a small yellow one.

"Oh come along Gisbourne, the leper should have died but that Saracen's heathen ways keeps her here."

"Perhaps I should have… I would not be the pain…." His voice trailed off.

"Gisbourne what you are feeling are ones that a girl would feel toughen up."

"I don't expect you of all people to understand me," he said exiting and rolling his eyes. He went to catch the guards who took Marian while Vaisey accidently crushed his bird in one swift movement.

"I'll take her myself." He ground out at the guards and they left him to do so, he looked behind him make sure they had left, "Well You need to explain Marian I can try to be even more reasonable than I have ever been but you have to explain it, Marian... please.." his dire eyes pleaded with the sadness in hers. In a soft small voice she shook her head, "Explain what Guy?"

"How can you be so careless? I am almost at my wits end trying to let you in but every time I do so, my heart is drawn out of my chest because of you Marian, and I cannot let myself have my heart just be pulled out. I love you still, but all you ever gave a damn about is Robin Hood... You should have just..." he stops himself as she spoke, "I do care for you Guy i really do but not in the sense you want me to, I didn't mean to hurt you but i can't help my feelings."

"Then you shouldn't have played me a fool, Marian... You only acted to love me when I did something like Robin, you never cared for me, if I was you, and I'd wish me dead for what I did to you. You string me along because you know I haven't a chance in hell of ever being with you and yet you toy with idea of making me a 'better man' when really you just want me to be like your precious Robin Hood." He yelped. She sighed exasperated; "In you i saw something more. I still believe that please understand i didn't play for you a fool. Isn't it me who should be the angry one after all you ran a sword through me almost killing me for a second time?"

Guy lowered his head and drew his short sword causing Marian to flinch,

"Fine, if it at all helps you cope with your anger then maybe you should do the same to me, because I no longer care whether or not I die, I should die by your hands, it is only fitting If you truly have no love for me than you will pierce me to my heart though it was always yours." he directed the blade to the left side of his chest forcing it into her hand. She placed her free hand on his chest.

"Guy I couldn't possibly do that. I do love you…" she trails off.

"Not in the same way that I love you, and don't try to say that you wouldn't love to just kill me after all the evil all the darkness and all the sins and crimes I've committed, You know it's what You really want to do, I am just one man who deserves no mercy even from an angel like you and all you have to do is thrust, Marian and I can leave you and Robin be." He said slowly shifting her wrist closer with the blade.

"Let me help you, leave the Sheriff you are a good man under all this." She neared tears as she felt his grip harden. The blade started to break through his leather, "I am too far gone Marian, there is no redemption for me- he pulled her wrist to him the blade barely passing into his skin- besides if I leave he will be forever hunting all of us."

She attempted to pull her hands away not wanting to go through with this, "Guy please I cannot please I don't do this."

"Do it!" he quickly jerked her wrist and allowed the blade to pierce his chest, she stepped back.

"No!"

"My heart for your side Marian." He rasped handing her the keys. "I will distract Vaisey in some way, save your friend and leave me to die." He blurted out.

She walked away from Guy and got about half-way before turning about and saying, "Thank you Guy." The madness of wanting and yearning to hold her had confounded him to the point to where he could not feel the pain of the sword. He withdrew it and ran into Vaisey, as he was looking down at his wound the blood was coming out more forcefully, "Arguh I am sorry I have failed you." Guy felt himself drained of almost all life and Vaisey went for his physician. Djaq and Eva ran past Guy and he allowed the wound to bleed out and looked for Marian.

She was passed out on the floor blood openly flowing from her leg. He lifted her up causing her to wake and give his chest more strain. "Don't do this-she winced as he picked her up- if you are seen the sheriff will get the wrong impression plus you will be punished. It is best to just leave me."

"I do not care Marian, I am as good as damned either way, you of all people know that... I will not let you die because of me. Not again." He finally caught up with Djaq, Eva and an angry Hood.

"Let me help maybe I can get Robin to make sure you have a safe passing distract the sheriff somehow. It is not safe…" looks at Robin sternly. "No it's alright, if you are safe that's all I want... Good bye Marian..." he placed her in Robin's arms. She grasped his shoulder,

"Why are you doing this?" Robin groused.

"Will this be the last time I see you?" Marian queried. Guy smiled a warm smile, "I pray so and Hood it did it because I love her." He ran back to the Castle awaiting death.