Part 9

Dawn broke and gave rise to dripping woodland on the Great North Road, the rain had ceased but everywhere still bore the brunt of the overnight storm and was exceedingly wet. The outlaws resided in a cave some distance from the road, their horses sheltering under a clump of oak trees.

"Well Master?" asked Much, after a particularly long silence in the conversation. "Are we to continue to retrace our steps to Durham?"

Robin looked pensive and replied, "Marian and her companion…."

"Will," filled in Djaq who was convinced that the man seen with Marian was the man she loved.

"Will," repeated Robin.

"We do not know if it is Will," said Much.

"Will; it seems most likely to be," said John.

"So?" prompted Djaq to their leader.

"So we continue to back track to Durham. Yesterday I realised they could not have gotten that far on foot and if they are avoiding Gisborne they would not stick strictly to the main road."

"If they are heading back. You don't think they have reason to head to Rotherham or somewhere else?" asked Much.

"For what purpose?" asked Robin. "I think they would be heading back to Nottingham to see if it really was razed to the ground and…..to see if we are alive."

"They won't find us there though will they? I mean we are here. I mean, what if we have crossed paths as we backtracked? And they are now heading ahead of us to Nottingham," Much said and even Robin looked a little confused at his loyal servant's speech.

"Then," Robin said patiently. "They will surely speak with Thornton and he will inform them of the situation and they will hopefully go to the camp and wait for our return."

"It is looking for a needle in a haystack," complained Much. "We can not keep tracking up and down the country looking for them; we ought to head back to Sherwood. Master?"

Robin ran a hand across his tired drawn face and replied. "I have a hunch Much that they are closer to Durham than Nottingham. I do not know why, it is just a feeling."

"I have a feeling," Much went on. "I have a feeling that something is not right with the 'marriage' thing….it is fishy. Why would she marry Gisborne, Robin after what you shared with me when we were searching for the Sheriff? It does not make sense."

"What?" asked Djaq and Little John together.

"Tell them Master," Much urged. "Tell them or I shall."

"Tell us what Robin?" asked John softly, for one so big.

With conflicting emotions running across his features he replied. "The ring Allan brought that day in the forest….It was an engagement ring…..I gave it to Marian that day when we were in the tree."

"You were going to get married? And now she has married Gisborne?" Djaq asked Robin, adding. "You are right Much it does not make sense."

Robin nodded in response to Djaq's question and said. "I assume she had to do it to stay alive….."

"And now? What will you do now she is married to him?" asked Little John.

"I will kill him," Robin answered with vehemence but without the slightest hesitation.

0o0

Will rinsed out the canteen and refilled it with water, his eyes surveyed the area in front of him and he wondered whether it was worth setting any traps. His stomach was certainly telling him it was. Behind him he heard a twig snap and instinctively he was on his guard. He slowly turned holding a knife in his right hand and the canteen in his left wishing he had his axes with him as defence and came face to face with the culprit who caused the twig to break.