The gang went to bed that night, happy. They had saved the people of Nottingham from Prince John's unjust tax. All in a day's work, they thought, with satisfaction. Or at least some of them were thinking that as they dreamed.
Allan was sitting up, unable to sleep. He saw Marian turn over. Her eyes were wide open.
"Psst!"
She looked over at him.
He cocked his head towards the cave opening.
Once outside he said, "I was thinking—we don't need all of Guy's money, right?"
Marian didn't answer, she was waiting to hear what Allan was getting at.
"I mean, the others don't know Gis. But you and me, we know him."
"What are you proposing?" she asked.
"I don't know, but maybe we could return some of it? It's a little unfair how we're always picking on him. It's all he's got."
Marian bit her lip. Her heart agreed with Allan. Guy had proven his kindness when he set her free. She knew he wasn't black and white and didn't deserve to be weighed as an equal villain as the Sheriff. And yet her head was screaming that this was a bad idea. Especially if Robin were to find out that they had shown compassion to the man he considered his enemy and that they had returned money that was meant for the poor. But then she remembered the truth Allan had shared earlier—Guy lost the woman he loved because of he had nothing. In a strange way she felt giving his money back was apologizing not only for that girl but for herself as well.
Finally she said, "We'll take half."
Allan nodded.
When they had furtively emptied half the chest, they carried it out of the cave and set off quickly towards Locksley.
They were well-practiced in the art of avoiding Gisbourne's guards. They slipped by unnoticed.
Allan said, "Wait out here, I'll put it inside."
Marian stood shivering out of view in the shadows. Her heart was racing. The sooner they get this over with the better, she thought.
Just as Allan bounded unseen out of the door and over to her, someone grabbed her from behind. Allan saw this and ducked and hid.
"Marian?" a gravelly, tired, and angry voice said.
The grip on her arm tightened.
"What are you doing here?"
It was Gisbourne.
Marian tried to answer but he didn't give her the chance.
"I thought I said I never wanted to see you again!" There was something in his eyes that she had never been there before. It was a look he reserved for others, but never her. It was hate—hate for Marian. She shuddered in his gaze.
He pushed her unfeelingly into the house.
Had he known that the reasons behind Marian's being in Locksley that night were motivated by affection for him, he would not have cared. He was overcome with anger and hurt at the Sheriff's treatment of him. He would have exercised raw power on anything that got in his way, if only to make himself feel better. The fact that Marian was the victim mattered not. He was blinded by his darker side. She was going to have to pay. She was going to have to be used to prove his worth to the Sheriff. Guy's mind was working furiously.
He finally said out loud, "Hood will come looking for you, no doubt."
She didn't respond.
"You're coming to Nottingham. Now!" he snapped, pushing her back outside.
Allan heard all this take place and hurried back to the gang faster than he had ever run.