Here's the next chapter :)

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Chapter 4

When Robin woke the next morning he went straight to Marian's tent to see how she was. He quietly entered and saw that she was already awake and was sitting up in her bed. She smiled when she saw him and motioned for him to come over to her, patting the spot next to her. Robin walked over and sat down by her legs facing her. She seemed better than she was yesterday.

"How are you feeling?" He asked cautiously.

"Better" she answered softly. "I missed you after you left." She smiled

He laughed bashfully at her honesty and took her hand in his.

"I missed you too."

"I was thinking about what you said to me yesterday," she started. "About you understanding how I was feeling and so on and I came to the conclusion that there's no point in me dwelling on such a happenstance. What's done is done and there's nothing anyone can do to change anything."

Robin paused to look at her, wondering where she going with this. Marian looked at Robin and smiled positively.

"Therefore, I have decided to look to the future. Our plans have already changed so much already. I could have lost my life yesterday…"

Robin interrupted with a loud intake of breath. Marian stroked his hand comfortingly.

"I could have lost my life yesterday without doing the one thing I have wanted to do for a very long time now. It is because of that, that I believe we should rearrange our plans."

"What plans?" he asked confused.

"I remember us saying one day in the forest how we would find Lardner and bring the King home, defeat the Sheriff and then get married."

Robin smiled at the memory and finally understood what Marian was referring to.

"So what is it that you would like to do, Milady?" he smiled knowingly.

"I think we should get married." She smiled. "Yesterday proved that anything can happen. Life's full of surprises and I want to carry on knowing that we are married and together in every sense of the word."

Robin leant forward and kissed her on the lips. She responded enthusiastically and moved him closer to her, knowing that he agreed with her and wanted the same thing, even though he hadn't verbally said the words.

"When do you wish?" He asked her, when they finally parted.

"Here and soon. We do not know how long we will be in the presence of the King. Do you think he knows of a priest who could marry us?"

Robin nodded and said, "There is a priest that is here on the campsite. His role is to pray for our success and to bless all those who have died or who are injured. I will speak with the King today."

Marian nodded and took him in her arms, rejoicing the fact that soon they would be married.

"Marian? You know you said that this was the one thing you have wanted to do for a long time now. What did you mean?" he asked, pulling away from her slightly but still keeping her in his arms.

"Well I think I have had the longest wait to be married than any other woman alive Robin of Locksley." She told him

Robin smiled as she hit him lightly on the arm.

"I know and I am sorry" Robin told her honestly. "But we will be married soon and I have always loved you."

"Really?" she asked

"What? Of course I have. I told you before in the castle." Robin said shocked.

"Yes but that was not that long ago. All those opportunities when we were younger and even after you returned from the Holy Land, you never told me."

"I could never say then. I…"

"You mean you were too proud to say" she told him bluntly.

Robin looked down guiltily.

"You've always had a problem admitting how you feel my darling," she said stroking his cheek.

"I'm sorry" He said, kissing her hand

"I have always loved you Robin of Locksley and have done everything I could to show that to you," She admitted.

Robin looked up at her as if motioning for her to continue.

"I stayed with Guy to protect you Robin. I desperately wanted to be with you but I needed to protect you. You were better informed with me in the castle. I saved the King and stood up to Guy yesterday for you Robin. You worship the King with all you heart and although I have disliked him for taking you away from me, and have disapproved of his motives, I saved him for the people of England, so that your hard work and sacrifice would not be in vain. I wish to support you Robin in every decision you make and I did it all Robin because I love you."

Robin was stunned silent at her speech. She truly did love him through all that time he doubted her love for him. After that moment his love for her had grown even more.

"I love you more than anything in this life Marian. Believe me when I say that I always have. I had to chastise myself from you Marian. You have no idea how much you affected me. I was always embarrassed by my emotions, especially when I was younger. No other man felt the way I did for a woman. My father even scolded me for having such feelings. I thought by not admitting how I felt I was doing you a favour."

"But Robin all I ever wanted was your love." She told him gently. "When you asked for my hand in marriage I was truly elated. I firmly believed that in your own little way, you loved me. Then you left me for the Holy Land and I doubted your feelings for me. But no matter how much I chastised you when you returned, my feelings were always there. Then when you told me that you loved me that day in the castle, my love for you grew so much stronger. When you asked me to marry you again in the forest I truly believed that this time was for real and that our love for one another was stronger than ever. That's why I want to marry you now. I love you Robin. I always have and I always will."

"I love you so much Marian." He told her as he brought her to him in a passionate kiss, combining all the ones they had previously shared into a long heartfelt kiss, both feeling a stronger bond after finally understanding the other's true feelings.

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