Seven

My Betrayal

She was my obsession, my every want, my every fiber, and I had her. Or she had me. Mary blinded me, gave me something no other woman had, and turned my whole being into a fiery vessel of passion.

I spent little time in Sherwood for those few weeks. Mary snuck out to me, Marian warned me against it, Robin seemed concerned for my absence, Delilah avoided me, and I became estranged from my sisters. I barely even saw Delilah and I believe that it disturbed me so badly I just kept going back to Mary, my lover, my bewitcher.

The night was falling, the stars winking their existence above, and the forest of Sherwood still and silent. My feet carried me before my thoughts could rebuke my actions and I thought my path to Mary was clear.

"Will?"

I stopped, frozen, feeling two familiar eyes on me, and when I turned I saw Robin standing there, staring at me. Robin was gazing at me, as if he wished to say something more, but I knew he could not.

"Rob."

"Where are you going?"

I hesitated. Didn't he know? "To meet Mary."

Robin frowned in reply, but then regained his composure and smirked. "Be careful, lad, Guy of Gisborne lurks 'round these parts nowadays."

For a moment I wanted to tell Robin that I did not have to leave—that I could stay behind and everything would be all right, but my pleasures spoke for me. "Thanks, Rob."

Turning, I vanished into the brush and made my way to the house of Mary. We meet in the barn, where we always relieved out building tensions. Later, when we finished, Mary would begin to dress again, no play or gentle touching, but a shameful redressing. I would follow suit; feeling more empty than when I had come to her.

I would question her this day.

"Why must it always be like this?" I queried, Mary looking back to me, her dark eyes set and cold. "Am I just your ass to be worked to death until the next comes along?"

Mary furrowed her brows, annoyed by my comment. "Will Scarlet, when have I ever told you I loved you?"

Shock chilled my bones, suddenly making me furious and in a rage, I moved toward the scrawny little wench. She was right, she had never said she loved me, after all the times I cried it out to her. "I give you everything!"

"Not so loud!" Mary hushed. "Why are you making such a scene?"

"Scene!" I hollered in my fury. "Don't intend to see me about your little shire tomorrow, Mary Fitzwater, or ever again."

Mary stood before me, her eyes centered on a figure behind me, the soft light of a lamp glowing in her dark eyes. When I turned back I saw a black clad figure, very short, black hair with wisps of silver here and there, and well trimmed facial hair. I knew this man, the man who had come from my mother's cabin. The Sheriff of Nottingham.

"What have we here?" The Sheriff smirked, casting the light on me. "A man in scarlet attire, one of Robin Hood's famed merry men."

I was nearly naked, only my crimson pants on, but I had no choice. I scooped up whatever I had and began to move away. "Seize him!" The sheriff cried. "And keep him alive!"

Without a second thought I leapt through the window, glass going everywhere, Mary's scream emitting through the air, and then I was on my feet again. I was nearly to the forest, nearly to cover, when suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder.

Gasping, I fell into the brush, and glanced to my left shoulder, where an arrow had lodged itself into my shoulder blade. I groaned and tried to stand, hoping no one had come any further after me, but then the shouts of the Sheriff and his men caught my attention.

I turned to see arrows coming from the forest and when I glanced back around I saw a very familiar young woman. "Will!" Marian cried. "You've been shot!"

"Marian," I grunted in pain, "you should be in the house."

"I'm never going back there, Will," Marian assured me, putting my good arm over her shoulders and helping me through the forest, "my dolt of an uncle wanted to marry me off, but I had other plans."

"Robin!" I heard Little John cry out.

Marian and I froze and glanced back as the merry men retreated. "Robin!" Marian cried in horror, searching each face as they passed. "Robin!"

"What's going on?"

"There were more men with the sheriff than we thought!" Young Much replied in haste. "We have to retreat!"

"No, but what of Rob?" I cried in terror. "Rob!"

"You have to go, Will, you're wounded—Robin will be all right!" Marian insisted, shoving me on.

I took Marian's hand in mine. "I will not let you go without me!"

Suddenly Little John came lumbering through the forest. "Go!" Little John commanded, ushering us all forward. "They've taken Robin captive!"

Oy vey, it's been a long damn time.