Chapter Four

The execution

"Robin."

"Marian."

"Robin."

"Marian I will not!"

"Robin if you don't save Guy," Marian shouted. "I swear I will do it on my own!"

Robin's eyes flashed. "You will not! I'll not have you riskin' the babe just to go rescue someone who isn't worth it!"

"Robin, the babe will not be at risk!" Marian snapped. "Now, please!"

"Why should I rescue Gisbourne?"

"Because I asked you to." Marian said. "Please, he saved me and I never repaid him."

"He also tried to kill you!" Robin shot back. "I say that the debt has been canceled. We're going to the castle to get back the treasure and Gisbourne's execution is the perfect distraction."

"So his blood for your distraction?" she shouted. "He was hurt and angry! He didn't know what he was doing!"

"Robin!" All heads whipped over to see Will and Djaq running towards them. "You remember the girl Isabella pardoned yesterday?"

He nodded. "How can I forget? The woman's tongue was sharper than Marian's."

"She's being executed with Gisbourne." Will said. "She tried to help him escape."

Marian crossed her arms. "Well, Robin, the treasure, or rescue Gisbourne? For your sake, it better be Gisbourne."

"Why?" Robin shouted. "He tried to kill you and me!"

"As have you tried to kill him! I was cruel toying with his affections and I want to make it up to him!" She shouted. "Robin, I don't know much about him. But I do know that he is a lonely and miserable man and I'd rather the king pass justice on him not a angry sister!"

Robin shook his head, "I can't."

Marian's face grew cold. "Then…. maybe you're not the man I thought I'd married."

"Marian."

"Just go!" She turned and ran off into the forest. "Maybe I should have married Guy! He always did what I asked of him!" Robin groaned and ran his hand through his hair.

"She's your only treasure." John said as he passed by robin. "Don't let her slip through your fingers."

"Even if it includes releasing our arch enemy?"

John nodded, "if it means keeping your marriage together, yes."

Robin exhaled, "I'll think about it on the way there. We're running out of time."

The tower door banged open and Meg opened her eyes to find her face inches away from Gisbourne's and her arms about his neck. She momentarily forgot how to breathe as she took in the sight of Guy's face which was so close to hers. His eyes were open, and if she didn't know better, she could have sworn that he'd been watching her sleep. They sat up as the guards walked in with Isabella. Guy stood up and she accepted his offered hand, surprised at the strength and warmth that filled her at his touch.

Isabella frowned. "Look at you two. Tragic, things never work out for you do they Gisbourne? First Marian, and now, the day you die, Meg. You'll die...never knowing love."

"Isabella," he stepped forward. "Let her go. Please, I'm begging you-"

"Begging?" She snapped. "That's a little odd for you!"

"Isabella!"

"Did you think of me when I begged you not to make me marry Thornton?" She shouted.

"Isabella don't take your anger out on Meg, settle it with me. My blood should be enough. I'll do anything you want. Anything. Just let her go."

Isabella shook her head. "I want to see look on your face when her head falls into a wooden bucket." Meg gasped at the evil in Isabella's face and voice. How had she ever admired her? "I might even have you chop off her head!"

Guy shook his head. "You couldn't make me. You could torture me to death, turn me over to Robin Hood himself if I didn't comply and I still wouldn't do it."

Isabella laughed, "touching." She turned to guards. "Shackle them, lead the prisoners down to the courtyard." With that she turned and spun away back down the tower stairs.

Guy glanced at Meg as they were shackled. She struggled briefly, but stopped to try to control her fear and emotions. Her arms were shaking, but she was trying to control them. The guards gave him a shove and he moved down the stairs. Meg was breathing loudly behind him, but not crying. For what seemed like to short a time span, all he could hear was the guards clanking armor and Meg's breathing. Then, the guards opened the door and they walked out into the bright sunlight. After two days in the dark, the sun hurt his eyes. The first sounds that greeted his ears, were the sounds of booing. He hadn't been surprised; he was ready for this.

"I'm scared." Meg said quietly.

"When it comes," he said. "It'll be very quick. You won't feel a thing."

He didn't know if his words were any comfort to her. He'd never known how to comfort a woman and now that his life was about to end, there wasn't enough time to learn that lesson.

Meg followed along behind Guy as the crowd jeered at her and Guy, well, mainly at Guy. The words she heard made her ears tingle and watched as children were allowed to spit at him. She stood beside him, trying not to look at the tree stump in front of her and the executioner standing to her left.

"As you all know from bitter experience," Isabella said firmly from her throne facing them. "Guy of Gisbourne is an enemy of the people. He must pay the ultimate penalty. This…woman, tried to help him escape justice."

She threw her head back and shouted defiantly. "Aye! And I'd do it again!"

The crowd booed at her and Guy hissed. "Will you shut up stupid girl? You're making it worse!"

"She will share his fate. In the future, if anyone challenges my authority, they shall suffer the same punishment." She sat down, crossing one leg. "Have the condemned any final words?" Isabella's eyes flashed with anger and she turned to Guy.

"Isabella, you win. I'm not going to plead for myself. Go ahead, kill me, I don't care. But not her. I'll do whatever you ask of me if you'll spare her and kill me in the end anyway. Don't take her life."

Isabella hesitated, and for a moment, she thought she'd be let go. But then she looked at Meg with a calculating look. "Have you anything to say?"

Guy glanced at her and whispered. "Say you're sorry, she'll let you go."

Meg was silently as she carefully weighed her options. If she spoke the right words, she'd live, but she'd be a hypocrite. But...if she spoke the truth, she'd die. But Meg was always honest and could she wrestle with her guitly concious once she was free?

Meg inhaled and spoke. "I do. I pity you Isabella." She said. "It must be a cold heart you have that makes you able to order the death of one's own brother without shedding a single tear!"

"Meg." Guy hissed.

"Belive me, if I weren't a God fearing woman, I'd lie to you." She kept her head up straight as she continued speaking. "You wrong your hand in this! The king should be the one to past judgement on him, not a angry sister! Believe me, there is good in your brother, and if you end his life you'll never know the kind of man that he could be."

Isabella's eyes flashed angrily. "Proceed with the execution."

"She's just an innocent girl!" Guy shouted as he was pushed to the ground.

"No!" Isabella shouted. "Make him watch! Execute her first, then him!"

Meg finally let those tears she'd been holding flow down her face as she was forced to her knees and her head put in place.

"Meg." Guy said to her. "I'm sorry. I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault Guy!" She felt a faint breeze stir her neck as her hair was parted from her neck.

"Thank God that I met one angel before being condemned to Hell."

"Don't put a limit on God's mercy." She closed her eyes tight and waited for the end to come. She didn't regret speaking those words, not for a moment.

It never did.

A loud grunt made her look up in time to see the executioner fall back with an arrow in his chest!

"For once," someone shouted as she heard what appeared to be the sound of an arrow being released. "I agree with Gisbourne!"

"Hood!" Isabella shouted. "Get him!"

"Meg!" Guy shouted. His leg caught her in the side and she rolled, landing beside the stump. A sickening thud made her look up just as the giant ax landed in the spot where her head had been a moment ago. "Sorry."

"Sorry!" Incredulous, hysterical laughter welled up in her. "You saved me from getting me head chopped off and you think a wee nudge warrants an apology?"

"Let's not loose our heads!" Guy said moving towards the ax.

"I haven't lost it yet!" She said getting up.

He pulled her up and moved her towards the ax to free her hands from the chains. A hard yank and she was free, somewhat. They needed the key to remove it completely. "You're ridiculous." He grabbed a sword from a fallen guard and handed it to her. "Here."

She stared at him as if he were insane. "I cannot fight! I'm a woman! Women do not fight!"

"I'll try to get you a quiver of arrows." he said grabbing her wrist and helping her down the stairs. "Next time if I can manage it. Come on!"

Meg rolled her eyes as Guy gripped her waist and put her back down on the ground. "I can't use arrows either!" Just over his shoulder she saw a guard charging at them with a dagger. "Look out Guy!" She screamed giving him a shove.

The guard slashed her in the stomach and she screamed gripping her wound. Guy swore and kicked the man in the face before stabbing him with a sword he picked up from a fallen man.

"Meg?" He said. "Meg?"

She gasped for air and tried to remain calm. "Come with me." She turned and saw what appeared to be a Saracen male standing there. "She is hurt."

"Follow one of Robin Hood? No thanks!" Meg groaned on purpose and clutched wound. She could feel Guy was getting nervous. "Meg, stay with me."

"Follow me and I will save her or not follow and she will die." The man said. "It's your choice."