Hi everyone!

Thanks for the comments

littlemissmaster: he is happy that she's staying with them but worried for her safety as Gisborne's death makes everything more dangerous for them :)

Hopefully this chapter will explain things a bit better

Enjoy,

xxx

Chapter 3

When Robin left the King's tent he felt colder, implying that night was soon approaching. He walked over to Marian's tent and slowly entered to see her lying awake, looking upwards. Robin pulled up a small stall and took a seat beside her, holding her hand in his.

"Hello" he said softly hoping to attract her attention.

Marian slowly turned her head to look at him, acknowledging his presence. He could tell she had been crying.

"Shush it's alright" he said trying to sooth her.

He stood up from his stall and took a seat at the edge of her makeshift bed, leaning over her and stroking her cheek.

"I killed him Robin" she said sadly, like a small child who needed comforting.

Robin looked at her taken aback, finally realising that it was that that was bothering her.

"It wasn't your fault though Marian." He told her reassuringly. "You did what you had to do in self defence. He would have killed you otherwise."

"But it was I who encouraged him to behave that way. I knew his feelings for me and I carelessly just through that back into his face." She said, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Why, what did you say?" Robin asked slightly intrigued.

"I told him that I would rather die than marry him, that I was going to marry you and that I loved you." She told him, her voice breaking. "I do not know what came over me. It is like I could not keep it inside of me any longer. All of this pretence was becoming too much to deal with." She admitted.

Robin felt elated at her true feelings for him but at the same time saddened at the amount of pain she must have been going through for while now.

"Shush, it's alright now. He's gone and you do not have to pretend any longer." He informed her stroking her hair.

"I know. But I have blood on my hands Robin and no matter how much I try to clean them I can still see it. It won't go away." She cried.

He kissed her forehead and remained inches from her face when he said, "I know what it feels like to kill someone. I know what you're going through and I never wanted you to go through it. All I can say is that I will be here for you always Marian, to protect and look after you from now on. It will take some time for your emotions to heal but in time they will, I promise you."

He then took hold of one of her hands and kissed each of her fingers in turn. He did the same with the other hand before he put it down and smiled at her.

"All better"

Marian smiled sadly at his actions and motioned for him to lean in closer to her on the bed. When he was almost touching her with his face, she put both of her hands on either on of his cheeks and stroked his beard gently before joining her lips with his to feel that emotional connection that she had been denied for many weeks now. As he moved his lips across hers she felt him give her the strength she needed, reminding her that he was here and that he would always be with her.

When they pulled away, they remained close, both smiling at one another; Marian finally being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

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Let me know what you think :)

xxx