Part 10
"What is happening?" Marian asked, straining to see but was unable to over the crowd that had gathered.
Alan, Djaq looked at Little John too waiting for a reply.
"Nothing," he said. "They are circling each other."
"Oh," said Much with a swift exhalation of breath. "This is not good, not good at all,"
"Shut up," said Alan. "Nothing's happened yet."
"You have what you wanted," said Robin taunting with, "I am here, fight me…kill me if that will please you."
Guy said nothing as he summed up the situation, to let him go now would be foolish. No doubt all the peasants were on his side and would shout encouragement to their hero, jeers at him. His men were looking at him for a signal to arrest Robin Hood but he gave none. Robin Hood was Gisborne's and the Sheriff had made it perfectly clear that in this instance he wanted nothing to do with the demise of Robin Hood.
Guy made the first lunge after Robin set down his weapons upon the grass, which were rapidly collected by Djaq who crept up to the arena not only to spectate but to anticipate anything out of the ordinary as well.
Marian walked closer as the fight ensued, it reminded her, a lot of the fight the two men had had in the forest and she knew from Much's expression that he felt the same. The exception this time was they had a fairly large audience and they tried to be the first to beat the other to pulp. Marian squirmed as a particular punch caught Robin off guard and she briefly looked away wishing this was over and that neither would kill the other, the whole thing was making her feel sick. The fight continued for ages, they took turns to knock the other down. Finally Guy sent Robin spiralling to the floor and he lay still not moving, Guy laughed and staggered as he did so Robin moved and with one flip Gisborne lay flat on his back on the grass, Robin kneeling above him, blocking out the sun.
Robin's breathing was laboured, with his lip split and what would be the next day a very black eye, forcing Gisborne to lie still he said "Do not ever cross the line with me again, next time I will not spare your life"
He stood, wiped his lip with the back of his hand and looked round making eye contact with all the gang, giving a slight nod, he walked off and they followed him back into the haven of the forest from which they had previously come.
"Master," said the sergeant. "We can get them for you?"
"No," Gisborne replied. "Leave them for another time. I think I might need a physician," he added before passing out stone cold on the ground.
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Robin and the gang made they way back to camp, he shrugged off Djaq and Marian who wanted to examine how badly he was hurt as they went on their way. Finally there, he sat down with a thud and instantly regretted it wishing he sat slowly instead.
"You," said Djaq pointing her finger at him. "Could have been killed."
"I had no intention of dying today," he replied with a charming smile which split his lip again.
Djaq shook her head at him in disgust and he looked at Marian instead and decided she was not looking impressed with his actions either. She walked over and sat beside him ordering him to remove his shirt. Robin was going to refuse but one look from both women made him change his mind, he did as he was bid and allowed them to wash his cuts and tend to his bruises.
"You are lucky nothing is broken," Djaq scolded.
"He is lucky he is alive, we are lucky we are alive," Much added frowning at Robin.
"Why are you ganging up on me?" he asked his voice coming out high and he cleared his throat.
"Because we care," Marian said. "You were foolish."
"I was foolish to fight for you?"
"You were not fighting for me. You were fighting for the people of Locksley."
"And you," he said waggling his eyes and regretting the action as it hurt.
The gang busied themselves at the other side of the camp.
"I am not mad with you," Marian said quietly.
"You are not?"
"No? Except perhaps I should have got to fight him for myself."
"And why is that?"
"Because it is me he is angry with really not you."
"It would not have solved anything."
"You would have let me? Not that it would have stopped me if you had said no."
He laughed, but stopped, wincing as he did so. Hoping for sympathy he asked. "Kiss me better?"
"You never give up do you?" she asked.
"No never."
She raised her hand, kissed her fingers and lightly ran them across his split lip which now sported congealed blood, Marian replaced her fingers with her lips, peppering kisses across his mouth and finished by kissing him on the cheek.
"I think that is enough," she told him.
"For now," he replied his eyes twinkling back at her and she smiled.