Chapter 3: A Confrontation

Marian came up right behind Guy, in his usual black leather outfit and looking as gorgeous as ever, and whispered, "Would you mind if I hurt you?"

Gisborne looked at her in surprise, having not heard her come up behind him. "Pardon?"

Marian looked him straight in the eye, careful to keep her hands steady. "Understand that I need to."

Gisborne frowned, walking toward her in his trademark towering way, stopping only when she had to bend her neck all the way back to look him in the eye. "Why would you need to hurt me?"

Marian swallowed nervously. "I wish that I had other choices..." she paused as she searched for the right words to say, "... than to hurt the one I love."

A very ugly, menacing look crossed Gisborne's face.

"I know I better stop trying," Gisborne muttered, his eyes darting everywhere, Marian knew, in search of an object on which he could take out his anger.

Marian took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "You know that there's no denying -"

Gisborne shot her an icy, hateful glare, effectively silencing Marian. His next words were uttered in a sort of growl, barely above a whisper, yet more terrifying than anything he could have shouted at her. "I won't show mercy on you now."

Marian knew Gisborne wouldn't forgive her for mistrusting him. She was desperate to make her position clear - namely, that if he hadn't killed Robin, she might have married him, but also that she wanted her father left out of any forms of punishment for ditching Gisborne twice. "I - I've been waiting for someone like you," Marian stammered, feeling her attempt at explaining herself was failing miserably. "But now you are slipping away -"

"What have you done now?" Guy interrupted, contempt etched in his features.

Marian cast around for an answer. "Why does fate make us suffer?" she asked, not looking at him, beating around the bush in an attempt to evade a real answer.

"What does fate have to do with anything?" Guy asked, moving still closer to her.

"Don't you feel it?" Marian whispered. "There's a curse between us - between me and you."

"A curse?" Gisborne spat.

"I know you killed him."

"Why does Hood's death matter to you?" Guy asked, his blue eyes flashing menacingly, but Marian wasn't frightened. She'd seen this flash before - he was angry, but not with her.

"You lied to me."

"About Hood's death - ?"

"Yes!" Marian exclaimed. "I saw your tattoo, with the cut through it - I know you're the one who did it!"

"And how," Guy said, approaching her slowly and deliberately, "would you know that?"

"His servant told me," Marian said, keeping her chin up to mask her fear.

"You mean to tell me you're in touch with outlaws?"

"I think in comparison, your crime is far greater than mine!" Marian said.

Guy looked away, exhaling through his nose in frustration. "I wanted to protect you."

"I don't believe you," Marian said defiantly.

"Anything I did to Hood - I did it for you," Guy said haltingly. "He was an outlaw - a danger to you. I saw how he looked at you - he thought he could still have you."

Marian blinked. "Then you're a danger to me."

"How?"

"You've just admitted you're a killer."

"To protect you."

"Would you mind if I killed you?" Marian asked sarcastically. "Would you mind if I tried to? Cause you have turned into my worst enemy."

Guy sneered. "You carry the hate that I don't feel."

Marian pulled her ring from her finger and flung it to the ground. The sound of metal hitting stone reverberated through the corridor. "It's over now."

Guy stared at the ring in disbelief. "What have you done now?"