To be honest, i wasn't sure if i was going to update this story again. But then last night i had this epiphany while watching rh vids on youtube...i started seeing the beauty in robin/marian again (i had always seen it but it just hit me again, like the first time i felt when i saw them kiss...fan girl sigh) and i just had to update this story...i hope you all are somewhat still interested in this story again i hope!! shout out to CindyUSA because if she hadnt reminded me, i dont know what would have happened. I wanted to put this up on Valentine's day (not that im a big celebrator of that...) but too tired to upload last night so happy Feb 15th everyone!!!!

To remind ya'll: Allan likes marian, Robin we thought was dead in holy land but back with nathanial who cured him, marian is forced to marry gizzy, allan is in dungeons for trying to save her on his own, much has to tell robin where allan is...marian is contemplating...well not sticking around for long after her wedding to gizzy...

Disclaimer: BBC can keep RH season three...i just wish i had a little bit of season one and two...but i got nada...

Chapter 10: Half-Truths

He was running very quickly. The wind would have trouble keeping up with a man that full of hate and sorrow. The steady earth, under the shattered man's feet, could not contain or begin to understand the heavy burden he carried. All that Robin knew was that he had to be alone, away from the camp, the gang, everything.

Robin just couldn't take it. He wouldn't take it anymore. He closed his eyes and thought of how Much's eyes had looked so pained—as if this news would surly break his spirit.

"Robin," Much had whispered quietly. "Allan is in the dungeons as well."

Much had begun the story, the unveiling in a way he believed would harm his best friend the least. He had hoped that he could hold off the very worst parts until the very end, until absolutely necessary. Much kept looking at Nathanial, his face was growing just as twisted and uncomfortable as Robin's—that frightened Much greatly.

The hero of the woods currently cursed Much. He stopped running and hit the rich earth underneath his feet angrily.

As Robin grew angrier, and angrier, he was also beginning to grow weaker.

Robin shook his head as he remembered how Much had gone on.

"See the thing is," began his best friend again, "he tried to save Marian."

Naively, Robin had nodded. "Why did the rest of you not join him? Help him?"

He gave a cross look to each member of his gang.

"He did not tell us," said Little John quietly.

"Why not?" Robin had raised his eyebrow.

"He did not want us to know," said Much. "See…he could not bear that she was in the dungeons and was forced to marry…"

Robin's eyes grew wide. "Much?"

Nathanial had bitten his lip.

"Much? Did you just say…forced to marry?"

Much nodded. "Yes."

Robin blinked. "Who?"

He had looked straight into Much's ever truthful eyes. They reviled nothing. But, they did not need to. Because, beaten though he was, tired and sick from the exhausting journey though he was, Robin still, even then knew who Marian was forced to marry.

And now the hero of the forest, of Sherwood grasped onto his knees to maintain his uneven breath. He felt utterly sick to his stomach and wished that the entire earth could swallow him whole. Truly this was what love was like, love for the weak hearted.

Robin closed his eyes and recalled how he had asked Much a second time the question he already knew the answer.

"Much," Robin had whispered desperately almost collapsing in front of his friend. "Tell me. Who?"

"Gisborne," Much had whispered so quietly that even the wind could not hear it.

Robin gasped quietly. "What?"

"I'm so sorry Robin," said Much.

"No!" Robin had then yelled loudly so that it rang throughout the entire forest so that all could know, Robin Hood's greatest love…was about to be lost to him forever.

Much had been the first to try and comfort the hero, but Robin had shaken him off. Then Will, Djaq, even Little John attempted to give Robin a shoulder, a sympathetic look, even a hug. But Robin, well, he could not take it. He could not take any of it. They did not understand. How could they? How could they possibly begin to comprehend how he suffered? How could they understand the pain that took over his chest at that moment?

They couldn't.

John was married and yet…he did not understand.

Much had been in love and yet…he did not understand.

Will had lost a mother and yet…he did not understand.

Djaq had lost a brother and yet…even she could not understand.

And now the protector of the poor wept. He knew that he could save her, he wanted…needed to save her. And yet he was, at this moment filled with such poisonous thoughts. He had survived on memories, on hope, on the beautiful dream he had held onto for dear life in the Holy Land.

Robin Hood sunk onto his knees. He looked up at the trees. He looked past them and their ever waving branches streaming with leaves. He looked at the clouds and the darkening sky.

"What do you want from me?" he asked the heavens loudly. "Do you want me to suffer?"

"I have walked a path of death," screamed the hero, "and I have survived. And I have come back, returned from the dead to find this?"

Robin's gaze was blinded by tears. "To find nothing?"

We should be together….

He remembered telling her that…it was so long ago now. It felt like he had lived lifetimes without speaking to her, or seeing her, or even saying her name.

"Marian," he whispered. "Marian."

It became his oxygen.

Though he did not know it, he had been followed.

"You will save her Robin," said a calm voice behind him.

Robin jumped and turned around. He found Nathanial looking down on him somberly. There were tears in his eyes too. He had been thinking of the woman he loved, and how, like Robin, he had lost her and his heart along with her.

But, in Robin's case, Marian was not dead.

And, in Robin's case, he would die, literally, if he did not get Marian back.

And Nathanial, when Robin had run off, had told this to the gang.

Nathanial explained the workings of the medicine and its magic. Though they were all eternally grateful and impressed beyond all measure as to the deed this man had done for their leader, they all were silent when Nathanial told them the negatives.

"He is surviving," Nathanial said quietly, "on the love, on the memories of happiness he has in his heart for her."

"Meaning?" said John who, like the rest of them, was more than a little confused.

"Meaning," said Nathanial, "that he will die if he does not have her for his own."

"Die?" repeated Djaq who was already beginning to fog over with tears. "Literally?"

"I assure you," said Nathanial, "I mean literally."

Much had given Nathanial such a dark look at that moment. He could not begin to explain the rage he felt for the stranger who had brought his friend back from the dead yet, yet Robin was still so close to the dead. Why did things have to have consequences? An action, no matter how good, had negatives effects somewhere done the line.

You couldn't sneeze in the forest without upsetting some creature…

But, Much remembered that Robin was alive. That was a blessing.

Yes, Much reasoned, that was truly a blessing.

"We need to save her then," said Much.

Will nodded holding onto Djaq's shaking hand.

"What about this Allan?" asked Nathanial curiously.

Much looked at the rest of the gang. He then proceeded to tell the new member of the gang the rest of the story, all the gory details.

And now, now, as Nathanial kneeled on the firm ground beside his friend, he felt a wave of pain for the man who ached, as no other man ever had.

"We will save her," he said in a low whisper.

Robin slowly turned to face his friend. There were tears in his eyes. "And what if I cannot?"

Nathanial looked down.

Robin continued, "What if I…kill her…because of my attempted rescue?"

Nathanial shook his head. "You would not."

Robin gave him half a smile. "It is because of my relationship with her that her house burned down."

Nathanial, uncharacteristically, snorted.

"It is not funny," said Robin.

"You burned her house down?" asked Nathanial hiding a smile.

Robin shook her head. "I promise you, that is not how it went."

"Really?"

"Gisborne," said Robin, "he sent soldiers to her house…he went to her house and he…he lit it on fire."

Nathanial nodded. "I am sorry. Forgive me."

Robin said nothing.

"She was not with you, in the forest?" Nathanial asked.

Robin stood up and looked towards the road leading to Nottingham.

Leading to Marian.

"She is independent," was all Robin said.

Nathanial looked at his friend. "You don't like that about her."

Robin shook his head, his eyes were still on the road in front of him. "No, you are mistaken, it is one of the many things I loved…love, about her."

"Yet," said Nathanial looking in the direction of Robin's eyes, "you fear for her, worry about her safety."

Robin nodded. "And for good reason it seems."

"You have always protected her," said Nathanial.

"Not well enough," said Robin shaking his head and turning away Nottingham.

"What were you staring at?" asked Nathanial.

"The direction of the road to Nottingham," answered Robin.

Nathanial smiled. "You have a plan."

Robin bit his lip.

"I have a plan," he had told her in great earnest, trying to look impressive, or brave. But when he saw her eyes he changed his answer to a more truthful one. "Well," he reasoned to the beautiful girl, "half a plan."

Why did all of his memories, bring him back to her.

"We need to stop the wedding," said Robin. "Simple."

Nathanial smiled.

He is coming back, he will be alright.

Nathanial took a breath.

I hope.

Robin still did not know about Allan and his love for Marian. He had run off before that information could be made clear. But, Nathanial had made it clear to the gang that Robin was not to know about that part of the story, for that would surely destroy him. For now it was best that Robin simply believe that Allan was in the dungeons in his attempt to try to save Marian.

It was the truth. Allan was currently in the dungeons and awaiting almost certain death, but, it was only a half truth.

Sooner or later Robin would confront the truth, that was what Much was sure of.

But Nathanial hoped that there would be a way around that possibility. Perhaps, once the wedding had been crashed, and Marian had been saved, Allan would go back to being part of the gang and no one would need know anything.

But, Nathanial did not know that Allan and Marian had kissed.

Allan knew.

It was all he thought of as he sat in the dungeon waiting.

Just waiting…

He could only hope that Marian was safe, was alive. Well, he knew that Marian was alive.

Giz isn't about to fancy marrying a dead girl.

He tried to make himself laugh, but instead he shivered. He felt helpless and utterly worthless.

All he could do as he leaned against the cold stones of the castle dungeon was to close his eyes. And when he closed his eyes…he saw her face. He saw their kiss in his mind's eye. Yet, despite how he longed for it, the memory tasted bitter in his mouth. It tasted like a sin, like a sin committed and then never repented.

How could you repent to a dead man?

How could you ask forgiveness from man whose body belonged to the earth and whose soul…?

Allan shook his bewildered head.

Robin, wherever you are…

Allan raised his head to the ceiling of the prison.

Forgive me brother.

And, as Allan wept, the sheriff walked through the halls of his castle in almost complete ecstasy. There was much to rejoice about.

Robin Hood was dead.

There would be no more uprisings from the worthless weasel-like peasants.

Even Gizzy was getting married.

The sheriff stopped walking and thought about this last bit.

Well, it was nothing to get too excited about, especially since it was the sheriff who had orchestrated the entire ordeal. Basically Guy's only job was to show up to the wedding, preferably, the sheriff thought, wearing something rather than black leather.

But, the sheriff felt a gnawing feeling in his chest.

There was something not quite right.

He knew something about Gizzy's bride to be, that Gizzy did not.

Vasey had walked in on Allan and Marian kissing. As best man, as loyal teacher, as the man with the plan, had to tell Gisborne the truth.

Besides, Vasey reasoned, he owned Gisborne everything.

Guy had killed Robin Hood. It was because of Guy that the sheriff rejoiced as he did. Free from fear.

Because of that the sheriff knocked on the door to Guy's quarters.

"What?"

"It's me," said the sheriff.

"Come in," said Guy.

The sheriff entered. He found Guy staring out at the window absentmindedly.

"Why are you here?" asked Guy with bitterness.

"You're supposed to be all smiles now," said the sheriff. "Give us a smile Gizzy."

Gisborne turned around to reveal a frown.

"I tried to see Marian today," said Guy.

The sheriff nodded. "And?"

"Nothing," answered Guy. "She would not see me. She would not let me in her room. I am reduced to paying her gossiping maids for information. So far they have not given me much."

"I think," said the sheriff approaching Guy, "that you ought to be more forceful with the leper."

Guy leaned his head against the wall. "Oh really? Why is that?"

"Because," said the sheriff, "because there is more about our little leper than meets the eye."

"Like what?" asked Guy meeting his master's black eyes.

"She kissed one of Hood's old dirty outlaws, in the dungeons."

Guy blinked. "She what?"

The sheriff smiled and said nothing. Though he was doing a nice thing for Gisborne by getting him a wife and telling him the truth…he so did like to see his Gisborne squirm.

It was quite entertaining for the bored sheriff who had nothing left to fear.

"I'm past caring," said the sheriff. "It is now fully your responsibility Gisborne."

The sheriff turned around and began to walk out of the room when Guy coughed.

The sheriff turned around. "Yes? You want another word?"

"What do you mean," asked Guy, "by, responsibility?"

"You know," said the sheriff as he left the room. "Try being a little more like you, and a little less like the dead outlaw in the Holy Land."

With that the sheriff left the room and washed his hands of the matter, leaving Guy alone to ponder the sheriff's words.

What exactly had the sheriff meant?

Guy thought about how he was different than the man that he had killed.

Guy also thought about one of those grimy filthy outlaws kissing his fiancé! Kissing his Marian! That he would not stand for…and perhaps…perhaps that was what the sheriff had meant.

If Guy tried to be more like his reassuring aggressive self and less like a tormented dead man…he would get what he wanted. Guy, with force, always got what he wanted.

Guy heard a knock on the door.

"Yes?"

"It is Anne," said Anne on the other side of the door.

Gisborne sighed. "I have no need of your assistance anymore."

Guy did not see how Anne scowled on the other side of the door, upon hearing her master's reply. "Why not?"

The man in black leather stood up and took a breath. He walked to the door and opened it. He looked down at the maid trying to go about her duties. Guy was beginning to think that the sheriff's way was far better, than this…the way of a dead man.

"I do not require whatever information you are going to give me," replied Guy in a monotone.

Anne bit her lip. Obviously her master did not understand the gravity of her news. She had heard, from Marian's own lips, what Marian was planning to do the night of the wedding. And Anne was positive that Guy was not going to like it one bit. He could put a stop do it if she told him what Marian said.

Guy was not giving her a chance.

"What are you going to do?" she asked quietly.

Guy pushed her aside and walked out of the room silently. "There are other ways of obtaining information than relying on the prattles of gossiping maids," he muttered.

Anne was almost positive that she knew where Gisborne was going.

While all of this was going on Marian, finally able to have a minute alone, was looking out her window. There were no trees in Nottingham, they had all been cut down, used for other purposes. Marian would have to make do with the knowledge that somewhere, past the prison walls of this castle, past the working town of Nottingham, there was a forest called Sherwood.

It was in that forest, that her heart truly belonged.

She cursed herself for being stupid enough to leave such a beautiful and peaceful part of an otherwise chaotic world.

Stupid girl, she thought.

She smiled as she remembered a certain young man scolding her about such things.

"Come with me into the forest," he whispered into her hair one night.

"In your dreams," she had replied.

Marian blinked back a tear.

In my dreams more like it, she thought angrily.

For all the momentary comfort that Allan had brought her with that kiss, for all that blissful forgetting she was able to do when she sat next to him, she still could not shake off her other feelings. She could not convince herself that Robin was dead. And, even though part of her had convinced herself that Robin was dead, there was no way she was marrying Guy.

At least, not for long…

And then she heard an angry knocking on her door.

I'd really appreciate comments, suggestions, even yelling would be nice...