Thanks if you read and or reviewed this story. I hope it was not too depressing, but I had to get it written to move on and write more if that makes sense.

Part 10

"Everybody clear on what they are doing?" Robin asked the small group of men, women and boys before him. They nodded their assent and broke up for a few moments until Robin gave the signal that it was time to leave.

Much took Katherine to one side away from the hub of the group and cleared his throat noisily, then wrung his hands together in a great display of nervousness.

"Once," he began. "Once when it was Robin's birthday and I arranged for a party in a barn…."

"A Nettlestone, before you followed the Sheriff, Gisborne and Marian to the Holy Land?"

"Yes that time. We were imprisoned and it was Djaq's idea to share things from our hearts, she had a name for it, which fails me right now. Well I would like to say something to you. We are going to fight, not you….not you. I mean me, Robin and the rest of the gang."

"And the King and his men." She added.

"Yes, yes. Well last time we fought with the King, Marian….Marian lost her life. And…… well I did not expect it and I know the others did not either. I know that we never know what is around the corner and I just wanted you to know I love you. Not as a brother, not as a friend, but I really love you Katherine. And I know I probably don't deserve you and I know you probably don't feel the same way for me, but I just needed you to know that."

His hands were shaking as she took them within her own, his dwarfing her petite ones but she stilled him and said. "After Roger and my boys died….I thought I would spend the rest of my days alone. But you walked into it one fine day and changed everything."

"You love me too?" he asked, not quite able to believe that she actually reciprocated his feelings.

"I love you too." She whispered and he laughed with the little jump his heart did for joy.

She stood on tiptoe as he met her in a kiss, a soft sweet moment that heralded the beginning of so much more.

"Stay here until Little John, brings Prince John out. The King can decide his fate later." Robin said to Katherine and the two young lads who were honorary members of the gang; Daniel and Mark. They stood at the East Gate with horses. "Then you take him to the designated place and meet with Thornton." The trio nodded and he added to his remaining men. "Come on lads."

From the shadows they watched until the King and his procession arrived in the town, then they joined the ranks at the back, walking into the castle to meet with the Sheriff, Gisborne and the Black Knights. The mercenaries were far enough away not to cause trouble as they had been seen on the Great North Road ready to intercept the King who had chosen another route and in all likelihood were still waiting to ambush him there.

The King, Robin, Prince John, Vasey and Gisborne conducted their meeting at the far end of the Great Hall, while the gang and the King's guard watched keeping an eye on the Black Knights as they did so. Raised voices escalated into, angry men and angry men turned into fighting men. The first man to draw his sword was Rotherham followed swiftly by Durham and then all hell broke loose, just as Robin knew it would. Vasey called his own guard in, outnumbering the King's force by at least three to one.

The room resounded with the clash of steel. Robin swiftly dealt with one guard before moving on to a Black Knight, another guard and another. He slowly but surely made his way to his target; Gisborne. He kept Prince John and the King in his vision at the same time. His only focus was the battle, nothing more than that.

"Hood!" spat Gisborne with malice as they finally came face to face.

"Gisborne." Robin replied, blocking his opponent's sword with his own.

"Going to kill me?" Gisborne taunted. "To avenge Marian?"

"I think," said Robin, as they clashed swords and out manoeuvred each other. "That your guilt is slowly killing you on its own."

Gisborne laughed, in a pained manner and Robin knew he had hit the nail on the head.

"What about your regret?" Guy fired back. It was a clash of emotional warfare as much a physical one.

"My only regret Gisborne, is not killing you sooner." He said forcing each word out.

"But you didn't have the guts." Jeered Guy.

"I had the guts; I just didn't have the opportunity."

"You lie."

"Whether I am or not, it doesn't matter now. You are going to be dead very soon anyway."

"I wouldn't count on it, not if I kill you first." Gisborne answered.

"Go on then, kill me." Robin taunted, lowering his sword momentarily. "You can't can you? You see Marian every time you see me. I can kill you, but you can't kill me?"

"No he can't," said a voice behind Robin. "But I can." And the Sheriff plunged his sword into his enemy who dropped like stone to the floor. "You think Gisborne I was going to let you kill Hood? He was mine to destroy."

"Master!" cried Much running to his side, and Allan held his sword to Prince John's throat as the King turned to the group of men.

Much looked at Vasey and said. "You….you….Robin……I will kill you for this," and without thinking he thrust his own sword into the Sheriff with a sob.

Gisborne didn't move and that was his downfall as the King took the opportunity to ram his weapon into the leather clad man, saying. "For Robin of Locksley and for Marian!"

"Robin, Robin!" Much said kneeling down. The battle was over now and the rest of the gang and surviving King's men gathered round Robin Hood. "Robin?"

Robin looked up at the outlaws surrounding him acknowledging them with a tormented smile and said. "Goodbye my trusty friends, you have served me well, now go and live in peace with those you love."

Tears fell down Much's face; he could not contain his feelings as the others were managing to do. "Master?" he said one last time.

"For every man……. there is a purpose that he sets up in……. his life, let yours be the……. doing of all good deeds." He said through pained breaths.

"Robin?" said Djaq softly as she knelt at the side of the still form of their leader. She examined his injury and shook her head at everyone with a sad regret that she was unable to save his life.

Robin's eyes fluttered closed and he could see Marian before him, in white surrounded in an ethereal glow and calling him home. The last words he uttered fell from his lips in a gossamer whisper. "I'm coming, my love, I'm coming." And he gave up his earthly life and joined her in eternity.

At Locksley there gathered a group of men and women who had survived to live another day; Much, Katherine, John with Alice, Allan, Will and Djaq, along with their children. They had promised ten years ago that they would meet to commemorate their freedom, if the fates allowed it. Of course ten years had changed and aged them all, some more than others. They had been pardoned and still remained free men and women. They stood in the newly stone built church of Locksley that the current Lord had commissioned.

"You should do the honours?" Little John said to the present Earl.

"Yes….. well." The Earl stuttered.

"I can read the inscription." His wife told him, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"We did not bring it all the way from the Holy Land to remain under a cloth for all time." Said Djaq, who stood beside Will and smiling at the remainder of the group.

"Go on then." Added Allan. "I have places to be things to do, even if you lot haven't."

"Bonchurch a hard estate to run?" asked Will with a smile.

"I didn't say that," Allan hastily added. "Much just get on with it."

"Alright!" Snapped Much.

"I think there should be some opening words." Katherine, his wife suggested.

"Words?" Much replied.

"I have never known you to be lost for them before." John told him.

"Words….yes….very well." Much finally agreed and cleared his throat. "I Much, Lord of the Manor of Locksley am very pleased to see you all again. I am glad that you returned for this special day to remember ten years free from Sheriff Vasey's and Sir Guy of Gisborne's, torturous rule. We are here to unveil the memorial stone to the man who will always be the true Lord of Locksley in our hearts. My wife Katherine will read the inscription."

"As you never bothered to learn to read." Smiled Djaq.

"Yes." Much said quietly embarrassed, removing the cloth.

Katherine stepped forward and read. "Here lies Robin of Locksley, who died fighting for the injustice of the poor and for the King. Also we remember Marian his wife who died for the same cause in the Holy Land. Let God not separate those who truly love one another."

"That is perfect, just what I would have written." Much said, wiping a stray tear from his eye. "And now I have only one more word to say on the matter."

"What?" they chorused.

"Let's celebrate, let us eat." He replied with a beaming smile through his tears and laced hands with Katherine who gave him the support he needed.

They filed out and went back to the Manor where a feast had been prepared not only for the guests but for the entire estate of Locksley. And Marian and Robin, smiled down from heaven, together for all time.

The End.