Kirklees Abbey

Robin stared at his 'wife' as Guisborne crumpled to the floor. Marian slowly lowered her arm and the heavy gold object she held in it, which had caused Guy to lose his consciousness.

"Young Lady?"

Marian spun, laying eyes on a frail old woman who she identified to be the mother abbess from the colour of her habit alone.

"Mother." She bowed her head slightly as she had been taught to as a young girl. She was gasping for breath from wielding the heavy gold decoration from the inside of the confession box to knock Guy out with. She put it on the floor, swallowing and taking in a breath again.

Out of the corner of her eyes Marian could see Robin and the outlaws stood at the other end of the aisle of the abbey.

Robin had his bow in his hands, armed with arrow pointing at something that Marian was stood blocking his shot.

John was watching Robin carefully. He was not a superstitious man, but he doubted that killing or harming a mother abbess, no matter what her faults, in the house of god, was a good and wise thing to do.

He trusted Robin to overreact or do something foolish where Marian was involved.

"Robin..." Marian gasped at the dark fire in his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"She is evil." Robin spat, his arm shaking slightly with the strength with which he was gripping the string of his bow.

Marian stared at him, "She isn't the one pointing an arrow at me."

"Get away from her Marian... let's go." Robin said firmly, his eyes locked on the Abbess over Marian's shoulder, but was clearly speaking to his 'wife.'

Marian raised both eyebrows, "she is the mother abbess Robin what can she possibly have done..."

"She locked us in a room Marian!" Much cried.

Will nodded, "She is working for the Sheriff and Guisborne... they told her to capture us."

Marian spun to look at the old woman before her gasping, "What?"

The Abbess let her eyes flicker to Marian. She nodded, "Yes. That is true."

"Marian." Robin shouted at her, her head whipped around to look at him. "Leave her."

"Why?" Marian whispered, "I do not understand."

The Abbess turned back to look at Robin, what she said caused Marian to spin to stare at the man she had given her heart to.

"He killed my son."

It seemed Alan was the only one undeterred by the change in atmosphere.

"Why do you all look so shocked, it may well be true, we do kill a lot of people?"

John hit him in the shin with his staff.

Robin stared at the Abbess, she glared at him, and Marian's eyes were drifting between the two.

"Who was he?" Robin called, for neither he nor any of the gang, or Marian and the Abbess had made any move the close the long gap of the aisle between them.

The Mother Abbess had tears in her eyes, "He went with you to the Holy Land... he was with you on your siege in Acre you killed him!" She screamed.

Alan scoffed quietly, "I ain't being funny, but I thought that nuns were holy... she either ain't a proper nun or she's lying, nuns can't have children."

"He was an orphan, found here when he was a few days old I cared for him." The old woman was shaking as she tried not to release her angry tears, "I loved him."

Marian felt her throat go tight as she looked back to Robin.

He straightened and swallowed, "I remember."

Much gasped, "Master..."

"His name was James." Robin spoke over his friend.

The old woman laughed angrily, "You have the arrogance to speak his name."

"I didn't kill him." Robin's voice cracked.

"Yes you did!"

"Robin?" Djac asked quietly, shocked to see Robin's hands, which were gripping his bow, almost shaking.

Much glanced anxiously at Robin, "Master is she talking about..."

"Robin what is she talking about?" Marian whispered as she watched Robin swallow.

She spun to look at the Abbess, "Please, Robin is a good man."

"Clearly," The Abbess's voice held biting sarcasm, "If he makes all women smile the way you do."

Marians jaw dropped slightly open.

"Do not speak to her like that." Robin found his voice, "It is me you have quarrel with, needlessly I may say."

The Abbess glared at him, "then please tell me Robin hood, if I have it so wrong, how did my son come to lose his life?"

Robin took a moment, drawing in a small breath before speaking.

"We had only been out in the Holy land a year, when I was made head of the king's private guard." His voice broke but he kept speaking. "I was young and inexperienced, desperate to prove myself to my king and my men, your 'son' included... when we captured the fortress abandoned by Saladin... I told the men... told them to spare the women and children, not to take any of the remaining men on in single combat... I told them to wait for reinforcements... I was ignored." He told her, his voice rising at the end in pitch as it broke.

The Abbess stared at Robin, seeing the tears in his eyes, also the sadness in Much's, as they heard and saw what had happened that day.

Having slept beside Robin for a few months now, Marian knew of his nightmares... but they still made her stomach twist.

"Robin..." Marian made to walk towards her love but the Abbess caught her arm, keeping her from moving.

"He wanted to prove himself as well... he wanted glory so he... he rushed out ahead of us..." Robin spoke clearly, "I froze, watching as everyone was slaughtered... we had to retreat, leave them there I couldn't..." He swallowed, "I can still hear their screams."

It fell silent in the hall, the Abbess letting tears fall down her face as everyone stared between the two people.

"I know that you annulled my marriage to Marian because you wanted to hurt me but..." He gulped, "I have to carry with me what I saw and heard... the responsibility of those people's deaths with me forever."

The Abbess straightened.

"Please do not ask me anymore, than to carry with me the blood on my hands that I can't wash off." Robin stared at her, "Please let me marry my wife... your son would not want you to scorn his memory by ruining the happiness of others... Kirklees has become a good place under your care please do not change that."

The Abbess stared at Robin for a moment before she dropped Marians arm, keeping hold of her hand.

"Please..." Marian whispered, "Please."

The Abbess stared at her and swallowed her voice breaking and quiet. "I never wrote to the Archbishop of Canterbury to tell him that I had annulled your marriage. You are still man and wife, just as you have been all this time."

She smiled at them sadly, "Forgive me; I thought I was honouring my sons memory."

Marian squeezed her arm, "I understand... what it is like to want revenge for the bad things that have happened to the ones you love... It is fine."

The old woman smiled at her, squeezing her hand before dropping it.

Marian stared after her as she took a step away from her and turned, walking down the hall towards Robin.

Much was anxious, as were the others as she walked towards them.

Robin however did not flinch or move as she stopped before him and pressed her hand to the top of his head in blessing.

"I ask you to bring the king home... stop more people from losing their lives." She whispered.

She moved her hand from his head and Robin straightened.

"I will." He nodded.

She nodded too and stepped around him, walking slowly out of the back of the hall, the doors crashing together loudly behind her.

All the outlaws were stood there, relieved that the whole ordeal between the church and Robin and Marian was over.

"Marian?"

Marian turned to look at Robin, who was gasping slightly for breath, the tears in his eyes drying.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

She smiled sadly and turned to face him, nodding only in reply.