Lie To Me
Chapter 7. - Exit Strategy
"Now" The Sheriff said finally. "Let's get this execution started then".
Robin glanced at Marian and tried to get her attention but it was no use; she wasn't looking.
Little John huffed. "Never thought I'd die in front of him...".
The Sheriff grinned. "I know, it's almost anti-climatic, isn't it?".
"I always thought I'd die in the line of duty" Much muttered. "Saving the innocents...".
Gisbourne took a seat next to The Sheriff and stared menacingly at the outlaws, all tied to separate wooden poles.
"What do you think, Guy?" The Sheriff asked "Hang them...burn them...dunk them...What do you say?".
Gisbourne grinned. "I think we should let Hood watch his gang die first, starting with...Lady Marian".
Robin's head shot up and he cast a look to Marian.
The Sheriff banged his hand on the table. "That's fantastic!".
Gisbourne rose from his seat and approached Marian.
"Beg for your life" he told her.
Marian looked him straight in the eye. "What?".
Gisbourne pulled his sword out and held it to her neck.
Robin struggled with his binds but it was no use. "Gisbourne, you hurt her and I swear I will come back from the dead and kill you myself!".
Gisbourne grinned. "I'll wait for the day...".
He turned back to Marian and brought his voice down to a whisper; "Beg for your life...".
Marian's leg shot out and she kneed him in the crotch. "I would sooner die with my pride then waste it on you".
Gisbourne lunged for Marian but The Sheriff stopped him.
"Come now, Gisbourne" he smiled "Let's let them have their final words...before they die!".
His laugh echoed through-out the air and Robin involuntary shuddered.
"Y'know what?" The Sheriff continued. "Let's open the gates and let the crowd in, they're certainly waiting for a spectacular show!".
While the guards began opening the gates, Will turned to Djaq.
"Djaq" he said, emotion rocketed his voice.
Djaq looked up and smiled at him. "Yeah?".
"I've been wanting to say..." Will began "For a long time now and...".
The gang all looked up and waited for Will to continue.
"I've always..." he said breathlessly, not looking at Djaq properly. "I want you to know, that before we die...".
Djaq looked up, holding her breath. "Yeah..?".
"I love you" he stated firmly.
Djaq smiled warmly at him. "I love you too...".
Will blushed scarlett red.
"Bloody hell..." Allan muttered.
"Shut up, Allan" Little John replied.
Marian smiled at Robin and he smiled back. The love was there...but so was their impending death.
"I can't...believe this" Much spluttered "All this time...I knew it! I said to myself, I said there's something fishy going on between Will and Djaq and...—".
"Shut up, Much!" Robin, Little John, Will and Allan all shouted at the same time.
Much nodded. "Right...".
Their heads turned as the noise filled up the castle grounds with hordes of people.
"Oh god" Allan muttered "This is it, this is how we're gonnah die...".
"It's a good day to die" Little John said firmly. "Today, is a very good day...".
"Why do you always say that?" Much complained "Why!?".
The crowds all gathered round and The Sheriff and Gisbourne sat back down in their seats.
"Be this as an example!" The Sheriff cried "Become an outlaw and God...shall punish you!".
Marian scoffed and glanced at Robin.
The Sheriff evilly smiled. "So, on this day, we shall burn Robin Hood and his gang of outlaws!".
The crowd were silent; tears were being shed and everyone was wearing black.
"Executioner!" The Sheriff cried "Light them!".
A big bulky man, wearing a black mask approached them with a flamed-branch.
He reached up and lit the top of Allan's wooden pole and carried on, lighting Little John's, Much's, Will's, Djaq's, Marian's and finally Robin's.
Allan looked up and saw his flamed-pole. "Oh god...I can't believe I'm dying this like...".
The Sheriff downed his goblet of wine. "Oh, this should be fun...".
Gisbourne glanced at Marian and she stared back.
"You had your chance, Marian" he stated "And now you're going to pay the price...".
Marian's eyes darkened and she looked up through her hair. "I'm paying for my sins, Guy of Gisbourne...One day you'll have to pay for yours...".
Gisbourne gulped and he looked away.
"Marian" Robin whispered.
Marian looked up, knowing that in a few minutes, the fire would reach them down the wooden poles and all words would be lost.
"Marian" he continued. "I just want you to know, that I...love you and if I were to die with anyone here, I'm so glad that it's you...".
Marian smiled. "I love you too, Robin of Locksley".
"Marian" Robin asked seriously "Will you marry me?".
"Haven't we already tried that?" she joked.
"I'm serious, Marian" he replied. "I love you...Will you marry me?".
A single tear slipped out and rolled down Marian's cheek as she nodded weakly. "Yes, yes! I will marry you, Robin".
Robin grinned. "Will you, Lady Marian, take me, Robin of Locksley, to be your husband, in sickness and in health, for poorer or richer, from here on now, til death do us part?".
Marian smiled. "I do, Robin...".
Tears escaped Robin's eyes and he blinked them away.
"Do you, Robin of Locksley" Marian began "Take me, Lady Marian, to be your wife, in sickness and in health, for poorer or richer, from here on now, til death do us part?".
Robin turned to her and smiled. "I do, forever".
Marian's happiness was short-lived as she felt the heat from the flames come closer to her.
"We are Robin Hood!" Little John bellowed. "We are Robin Hood!".
"We are Robin Hood!" they all shouted loudly.
"God, stick them on a burning stake and their still flipping happy..." The Sheriff rolled his eyes.
"We are Robin Hood!" they repeated.
"Does that include me?" a voice asked.
Robin looked up and grinned. "Carter!".
Carter jumped down from the castle wall and landed on the platform with the nearly-burnt outlaws.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you!" Much cried.
"I can imagine" Carter smiled back, grabbing a bucket of water and chucking it over Allan, Much and Little John's flamed poles and untying them.
"Don't just stand there!" The Sheriff yelled "Get him!".
Gisbourne lunged up and unsheathed his sword.
Little John, Allan and Much battled the on-coming guards as Carter continued to put out the fires.
"What are you doing here?" Robin asked as Carter untied him.
"Tell you later" Carter grinned as he handed Robin and Will a sword each.
Marian untied Djaq and they grabbed some left-over axes.
Robin quickly leant in and kissed Marian quickly. "Hello, my wife".
"Hello, my husband" Marian smiled back.
"You got something to get us out of here!?" Little John cried.
"Horses!" Carter cried back.
Gisbourne had reached the platform and was lunging for Marian.
Marian's hand shot out and she punched him hard. "That...was for the slap! And..." she grabbed him and hit him hard in the crotch with the wooden part of the axe "That! Was for my father!".
While he was down on the ground, Marian grabbed his sword and whacked him on the back of the head with the handle, knocking him out. She rolled him off the platform and into a big bucket of water, making it over-spill.
"That was for..." Marian said to herself, smiling "My husband...".
Robin's hands wrapped around her waist and he pulled her out of a guard's way, making him fall off the platform.
"Hey" he smiled.
"Hey" she smiled back.
"Robin, can you do that later, please!?" Little John cried as he fought off several guards with his bare hands.
Robin and Marian joined the fight, which was going considerably well.
"Damn it!" The Sheriff cried "Every single time! Gisbourne!".
"He's a little...busy right now" Marian cried back, smiling "Sorry about that".
The Sheriff stamped his foot in frustration.
"Oi Sheriff!" Robin cried, raising his bow and arrow at him. "Give you some advice, might wanna duck!".
The Sheriff ducked down as the arrow hit the chair behind him.
"Guards!" The Sheriff screamed "Get me inside, now! Now!".
The guards circled The Sheriff in a protective huddle and ushered him into the castle.
"Wuss" Robin muttered.
Carter led them out through the crowd and to several horses.
Marian and Robin climbed on one, Will and Djaq took one, Carter took one, and Little John took one, leaving Much and Allan to share.
"I'm in front!" Much cried; climbing on the horse first.
"Sure you are..." Allan muttered back, climbing on and sliding on, in front of Much.
"Allan!" Much cried.
"Hold on" Allan warned him.
They rode off, guards on their tail but slowly giving up.
"Your being here isn't a coincidence, is it!?" Robin yelled to Carter.
Carter smiled "I thought you learned that nothing is a coincidence!".
They all smiled and sighed relief as they continued to ride past the village and into Sherwood Forest.
Okay...What are we thinking..?
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