After saving Queen Eleanor

As Robin passed the gate, he drew his hood up and covered the green shirt with a black vest. The guard who was now missing his vest had been unusually nervous, his hands trembling. Robin didn't give the matter a second thought. There could be thousands of reasons why the guard was shaken to the core. The Sheriff's tantrum after being outsmarted could be one.

It had been a great day, saving the Queen and destroying Prince John's plans. He wanted to share the news with Marian, as well as to listen to the details about the misfortunes of people in Locksley. His duty to the crown was done for the time. His duty to the people was next in line.

He moved through the crowd and he could see them covering their mouths as they spoke, as if it was forbidden to speak above whispers. The same stressful faces, like the guard.

The castle was dead silent. Vaisey must had ordered for everyone to keep even their breathing moderated. Soon enough Marian would solve the mystery.

As long as she wasn't part of it.

He hastened to her bedchamber. No sound came from within. No Gisborne around. At least he had been lucky as far as the Sheriff's lieutenant was concerned.

He used the signal knock to let her know it was him and soon her face appeared to greet him, noticeably upset.

"How did the mission go?" she broke the silence. She put on a brave face which he didn't believe. He saw a plea for good news. "What was it about, anyway?"

The need to know her troubles was growing with each anxious breath, with her each light frown, but instead of demanding the truth he calmly explained the day's adventures. He couldn't be sure that she was listening as captivated by the story as she should had been.

"So she's safe? On her way to France?" Something about the story must had upset her even more. Perhaps the fact that when he had seen her earlier he had said that they had news from the King. Marian must had thought that he was coming home and the reality disappointed her.

"She's on her way to France. Whether she safe, I can only hope! So, that is the end of my report." Waiting for Marian to feel comfortable enough to speak he felt the temperature dropping. "It's cold in here. You should ask for more wood-"

"Just say it and be done with it." Marian cried and almost torn her embroidery on which she had been working.

He noticed a small piece of cloth with a little robin on a branch. That must had been her gift for his birthday. What a sweet gesture, he thought. Before he could fall deeper into his musings he remembered that he was supposed to say something.

"Say what?"

She stared at him confused. "Haven't you heard? About the hanging?" Her eyes fell at the window, as if to guess why the news hadn't reached him yet.

One thing was certain. The hanging didn't happen. There was no body displayed. He would have seen it on his way in. "Who was to hang?"

"I was."

"What?!"

"The Nightwatchman, actually. I went to Locksley to-"

"You went to Locksley?!"

"I did what had to be done." She defended herself. "I will not apologize for it, Robin. I am sorry if this upsets you, though. It wasn't my intention."

"Upset?! I am beyond upset. I am furious. You lied to me. We are not supposed to be lying to each other. How can we trust each other with lies-"

"I shouldn't have lied. I am sorry." She seemed genuinely sorry. "It is hard for me, you see. As the Nightwatchman I am used to act alone without anyone interfering. But as Marian, since we've... it is difficult to get used to this."

He could see her point, but it was difficult for him too. "What if you decide to create another identity? How many people am I dealing with, Marian?"

"It is only me, as long as you accept all of me."

"As long as you understand you can't just humor me and then do as you please behind my back. It's not fair."

"Then never make me promise to stay behind and do nothing. It is not me and I know it is not you either."

Their reconciliation ended with an embrace, for which Robin had been longing since the moment he came inside. "I know, my love. It'll never stop giving me a fright, knowing you're out there risking your life-"

"Helping people!" she corrected him.

"That too." He agreed. "But, from now on, I will presume you're in constant fighting mood. How is that?"

"It'll do."

"Good. Let's get to the hanging part." Gisborne was bound to make an appearance and this was good a moment as any. "How does our good friend, Guy of Gisborne, fit to the story?"

Marian told him everything."The most interesting part was when Allan, under Guy's instructions, impersonated me and made an escape as the Nightwatchman for the Sheriff to watch. I could not believe what was happening before my eyes." She paused for a second and looked at him deeply in the eyes, as if asking for forgiveness for what she was about to say next. "I know what you think of him, but for this I feel grateful to him. He could have let me die. And yet he protected my secret."

A canceled hanging after the Sheriff had lost Queen. That explained why the people were so scared. Vaisey's wrath had to be terrifying.

"Of course I had to burn the mask and promise that I'd never become the Nightwatchman again."

"Oh, you promised, did you? Well, that should put everyone at rest!"

"Robin!"

"Well, him, you can lie to!"

"But today he proved-"

"He saves you now only to threaten you later. Gisborne cannot be trusted." Robin was adamant.

Marian shook her head.

She would never have a clear picture of what Gisborne was. No matter how close he would get to destroy her she'd always find a way to defend him.

"I had betrayed his trust. It's not easy to forgive after something like that and he has forgiven me."

Gisborne showed his good side and Allan helped her. But not before the first one captured her and the latter refused to help her.

Gisborne might had been reluctant to allow the Sheriff to have his hanging but he was far from able to understand why she had to put on a mask and steal money and food. He asked her to abandon this life for her safety, surely -Robin found this to be the only thing they would ever agree on- but he didn't promise her that she would have no reason to worry; that he'd make it his personal responsibility to help others now that she couldn't.

And Allan! He played the friend, only when his boss allowed him to. The castle was crawling with enemies. At every turn she was in danger.

"We're leaving."

"What?"

"You can't stay here. It's too dangerous."

"I am not leaving. My presence here-"

"Will be the death of you. Do you actually need the noose tightening around your neck to understand?"

"I will be fine." She cupped his neck with both hands and looked at him. "I will be fine."

"Then why do you need me?"

"What?" She asked, her arms falling on her sides. "What did you just say?"

"Why are you asking my opinion? What difference does it make to you? Whatever we might say now, whatever we might agree upon, you will do as you like and lie about it. It is so disappointing, Marian."

"I think you're crossing the line there, Robin. You're saying things you'll regret."

It took him less than an eye blink to cross the room and vanish out of the door.

That was the last time he had seen her, spoken to her. He ran after her when she was kidnapped, hellbent to find her. But he arrived late every time he had had a lead on her whereabouts.

And then she was dead.

"No time!" he breathed deeply. "So many..!" he had to squeeze a thousand words in a sentence. But there were people to save, people to escape from.

"Master?!"

Much! Much was a good beginning. Much had been missing and now he was found. "Much, are you hurt?"

"No, Master." The reassuring voice was like a balm. One less problem.

"What about him?" He pointed at Gisborne.

"He'll live."

Robin breathed again.

"Robin-" Marian started saying.

"We need to leave now and we must avoid a fight, though I don't know if that's possible. On our way here, Allan and I saw too many guards for a quick escape..."

"Robin?"

"So there's only one thing I want from you now." It was the first time he addressed her directly. "Promise me that I will die first. Many years from now, when we will be both too old to fight, and the time comes we must rest, I die first."

"I'll do my best to outlive you. Not a minute longer, though."

"I can live with that." He sighed. "Untie Much, and help me get Gisborne on his feet."

Gisborne's presence was an everyday necessity. It was a plight and a curse, but a necessity. But Marian hadn't been a part of that life. What would she do?

As if guessing his thoughts, she touched his arm. "No time, Robin."