Doncaster – Yorkshire –Thorne Manor

The gang stood in a circle around the fire they had built in the courtyard of the manor.

Lady Alexandra stood holding a red rose, similar if not identical to the way Robin remembered Roy's mother doing when he had died.

Everyone had sombre expressions as she placed it in the flames.

Djac was stood tight to Will's side, hugging his arm, her cheek pressing into his bicep.

The young carpenter looked down at his wife and smiled sadly before looking back at the flames.

Next to them stood Lady Alexandra, her expression was one of great sadness, but also slight pride at the way her husband had finally stood up for what he believed in.

He may have given his life for his niece, but that showed her that he never would have gone through with killing her.

He was still the man she thought she married.

Alan looked uncomfortable, as did John and Much.

They all stood with their hands in front of them. They stared into the flames watching as the rose burnt and turned to ash.

It was getting cold around them. But none of them could find it in their hearts to leave.

The fire still burned, but it was the emotion in Marian's eyes, that fuelled the flames inside Robin.

He watched as the last of the rose disappeared and his wife swallowed, trembling slightly.

Without warning she turned to face him from where she had been stood at his side. She wrapped both her arms around his waist, and pressed her face into his chest.

He sighed sadly and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her hair.

Robin ached to understand what she was feeling, to be able to feel it for her, to take the pain away.

"Robin." Her voice was painfully quiet, but it contained the strength he had not heard from her since her uncle had died.

"Yes my love?" He whispered and bent his head down to look into her eyes as she pulled slightly out of his embrace to look up at him sadly.

"Please take me home." She breathed.

He nodded and pulled her back to him, letting her lean on him.

It was true he carried the weight of Nottingham, the burden of the Sheriffs plans and the lives of everyone in the shire on his conscience.

But he would always be able to carry her.

Never in his life would he lack the strength for that.

"Are you going to be okay?" Robin asked Marians aunt, who was stood in a black dress on the doorstep to Throne manor opposite him.

She smiled sadly, "I will be fine. The Sheriff of Nottingham has no authority here, and The Sheriff of Doncaster was Geoffrey's friend, I doubt I will have problem in the near future, besides.." The older woman smiled, "I am fortunate to have more than most."

Robin nodded, fiddling with a dog tag in his hands, "If you ever need anything, you know where to find me."

She nodded, "Look after Marian."

Robin glanced at his wife who was preparing the horses with the rest of the gang. She had said very little since her uncle had died the day before, he doubted she would speak much on the journey home.

"I will." He turned back to the woman.

She touched his cheek, "Things will get better, Richard will return."

Robin sighed as she dropped her hand, "I hope so."

Alexandra smiled slightly, "He will. Then you will live at Locksley with your wife and Children, Lord of that village as well as Locksley and Throne."

Robin frowned, "Pardon?"

The woman smiled with tears in her eyes, "He left this estate to Marian. We have no children; it has been that way, with her inheriting his land, since she was small."

Robin took a moment to process this by which time she had started speaking again.

"It is what keeps me going. I will be strong until things are better, then I know I can join him happily."

Robin smiled, "Thank you."

She laughed quietly and hugged his tight. They pulled apart and he pressed something into her palm.

Alexandra did not look down at instantly.

She watched and waved sadly as Robin mounted his horse, Marian and the others already atop theirs.

As they rode off into the distance she looked down at the small wooden tag in her palm.

She smiled to herself, and pressed it to her lips, before looking up at the sky, smiling to herself, and disappearing into the manor.

Doncaster-Yorkshire-The Old North Road.

The carriage almost shook Vaisey and Guy as they travelled back towards Nottingham.

Guy supposed he should have been pleased, they had managed to inflict some kind of blow on Marian, killing her uncle had caused the whole gang pain, and he was sure the Sheriff was pleased.

No matter is Hood was dead or not, by killing Lord Geoffrey they had at least achieved something.

But every time Guy thought this, he was remembered of the sound of her pain.

It had travelled towards them through the night, her scream.

Only once before had Guy heard a noise like that.

When his showed had struck her stomach in the Holy Land, when she had betrayed him...

Then she had cried out.

Vaisey saw his lieutenant in deep thought and sighed in disappointment. "Oh cheer up Gizzy, Thorne dead, which means that dear little Robin red breast and his wren will be weak... now is the time to strike..." His eyes darkened.

Guy's eyes narrowed.

"My Lord?"

Vaisey grinned, "When have I never had a strategy for a plan if it failed... I am after all, the man with a plan. As soon as we reach Nottingham, it must be put into action."