Author's note: Thanks again for reading. I think there will only be a couple more chapters after this. Hope you enjoy!

Ch. 10

LOCKSLEY

Djaq stared at her plate of food. It was a beautifully made meal, but she had no appetite. She smiled briefly, thinking of Much. "He would never lose his appetite", she thought. She looked across the table at her amorous dinner companion. He held her gaze—misinterpreting the melancholic look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. My servant should have prepared something from your country." Guy rose from his chair. "I will have a word with him now."

"No!" Djaq interrupted. "I'm just not hungry." She rose as he approached. Djaq had never taken full notice of their height differential. Gisborne was nearly a foot taller. She wasn't afraid, but he seemed more imposing than before. Her feeling of apprehension was intensified by the knowledge that the potion was unpredictable—it could wear off at any time. Gisborne suddenly ran his gloveless hand over her hair. He smiled.

"Did Hood ask you to shear your hair like a stable boy?" Djaq was slightly irritated at the comment.

"No it is practical."

"Practical?" He laughed in a half derisive , but not unpleasant tone. "It is a great punishment for a woman to have her hair cut in England. I must confess, though, on you", he stooped low to reach her lips, "I think I like it." Their kiss was interrupted by a soldier barging in the door.

"Sir Guy, sorry for interruptin'—

"Just get on with it," Guy replied.

"A few of the guards said someone was sneaking' around outside. They thought it looked like the Nightwatchman."

"What!? Assemble the guard, wait for me in the courtyard." Guy turned to Djaq. "I'll return soon. If there is anything you might want, ask the steward and he'll get it for you." With that, Guy clutched the hilt of his blade and fled from the room. "The Nightwatchman?", Djaq thought, "what on earth is Marian doing here!?". Djaq moved quickly to one of the windows in 

the spacious dining hall and searched for any sign of the Nightwatchman. It was late in the day, the sun was about to set, but she couldn't see Marian anywhere.

"Djaq!" A voice below the window whispered.

"Marian!" Djaq quickly dropped her voice; she knew Guy's guards weren't far off. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to rescue you."

"Really? Who will rescue you?" Djaq nodded in the direction of some guards in the distance near the stables. "Guy is out with his soldiers searching for you now."

"You sound like Robin. Don't worry, Guy's men are fools, we can make this escape cleanly and quickly if you come with me now." It was a tempting offer.

"Marian, I can't leave yet."

"Why ever not?"

"I can handle Gisborne, but if we're captured by the soldiers, they will find this," Djaq pulled a scroll from under her jacket. "It is the formula for that awful potion."

"You used it on Sir Guy didn't you?"

"The potion? Yes."

"No wonder he was so cold to me today." Djaq was a little surprised.

"Marian, you're not jealous are you?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I was only curious." They both heard footsteps approaching. "Just burn the scroll and follow me."

"I can't, we need to keep it."

"Why!?"

"Because this is most certainly not the only copy of these instructions. It is unwise to destroy our only means of understanding or combating such a terrible thing." Guards were fast approaching. "Marian you must run. If Gisborne finds you—just go, I can save myself." Against her better judgment, Marian fled Locksley. She couldn't combat that many soldiers on her own.



Marian just barely escaped Gisborne's guards. Either they were getting better or she was getting sloppy. She ran in to Robin moments after exiting the Locksley premises.

"Marian! You promised you'd return home." Robin shouted.

"The Nightwatchman had business. Gisborne's got Djaq in the great hall." Robin halted his lecture to get further intelligence.

"Is she in any danger?"

"No, in fact, she has Guy eating out of her hand. She gave him some of the potion." Allan smiled.

"That's really clever!" Allan added. Will and Much didn't look so amused.

"She refused to leave with me. She was afraid we'd get captured along with the fprmula for the potion." Marian explained.

"She was right, you two never would have made it, it's a miracle you did young lady." Robin said with a smile. "Thanks to you, we know exactly where to go. We'll take it from here." Marian was annoyed, but she couldn't leave her father any longer.

"Be careful Robin, Guy's guards are on high alert."

"I apologize for that interruption." Guy said as he shut the door to the hall.

"Was your search successful?" Djaq asked.

"If he's out there, my men will find him." Guy was more alert and less confused. The potion was wearing off. Time was running out, Djaq knew she had to make her move.

"It's for the best; you shouldn't do any fighting with your arm in that condition." She came up close to him and gently laid her hand on his left arm. He leaned down and kissed the nape of her neck. While Guy was thus occupied, Djaq slid her right hand slowly down Guy's right arm and smoothly took hold of the hilt of his broad sword, he didn't notice, but he suddenly pulled away.

"You are so still," he said finally.

"I'm not used to this sort of attention." Djaq replied as Guy poured himself another goblet of wine. Djaq could see that he was unsure of himself. There was no doubt that the potion was losing its potency.



"I'm surprised, a woman of your beauty?" He laughed. "I've forgotten you live like a man in the forest. Or, perhaps, Turkish men don't know how to woo a woman?" The last words were spoken in a low tone. Djaq bristled at the comment and nearly laughed. Sir Guy was hardly a great romancer himself. She had to admit, though, Gisborne had his charm.

"They talk less" she replied shortly. Gisborne smiled. He wrapped his arm around her waist and gently drew her nearer to himself.

"We should talk less then." He leaned close for a kiss, but Djaq turned her head at the last moment; he kissed her cheek instead. Guy interpreted the act as one of maiden shyness—not disapprobation. Djaq needed the opportunity to take hold of the sword once again. Once she had hold of the weapon, a familiar voice interrupted the unlikely lovers.

"Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt," Robin was perched on the window, a huge grin spreading across his face, "go ahead."

"Hood!" Gisborne still had his arm around Djaq, but his grip was abruptly broken when she pulled his sword from its scabbard. She held the point up to his chin. He looked shocked. Guy almost laughed at the sight of the petite woman holding the immense sword, but the severity of the situation prevented him.

"Not used to Saracen wooing?" Robin laughed. "How long had he been there?" Guy thought. Djaq backed slowly away. Guy didn't make a move—Allan and Will had bows trained on him. Once Hood and company were out the window, Guy called the guards. They had no hope of catching the outlaws under the cover of darkness though. Guy threw his amphora of wine to the floor in rage. The potion was wearing off rapidly now, after the introduction of so much adrenalin.

Once safely outside of Locksley, Djaq searched for the scroll beneath her jacket. She pulled out the document and quickly scanned it.

"Robin! The formula, it's not right!" She passed the document to Much.

"It's a poem by Vasey!" He quickly perused it. "And it's rather rude at that!"

"What? Did Gisborne switch them?"

"No, I would have noticed."

"I don't know, you two were awfully close." Allan interjected.

"The Sheriff must have switched them. We have to go back to Nottingham." Djaq answered. Much couldn't suppress a deep sigh.



"All is not lost, Sir Guy." One of the Sheriff's guards said as he emerged from the door. "She doesn't have the right formula."

"You followed me?" Guy was irritated despite the good news.

"I think you should be happy that I had the presence of mind to recover it. You were so besotted she could have slit your throat and you wouldn't have noticed."

"You mean I should be thankful that the Sheriff had the presence of mind to order you to switch the copies."

Guy punched the table. "You don't look well, Sir Guy, you should rest. We can inform the Sheriff in the morning." It was true, he did not feel well. His head was swimming—not unlike after a heavy night of drinking. What troubled him most, though, was the increasingly unbearable pain in his left arm.

"At first light, we ride to Nottingham."

"Yes M'lord."

TO BE CONTINUED