WARNING: Character death below.
Chapter Ten
The sun dawned bright the next morning. Gisborne had ridden out just before dusk to Locksley, to pick the perfect victims for the sheriff's latest scheme. The sun was fully in the sky when he made his return.
"Ah Gisborne!" The sheriff called out, striding down the steps. "Good news?" He asked, training his neck to find the people trailing behind the horses.
"Yes my lord." Guy replied, gesturing to the older couple and young child. "A family worthy of pulling the heartstrings, like you requested."
"Good!" The sheriff yelled, clapping his hands together. "Send out the criers!" He turned to stalk back into the castle.
"My lord, are you sure this plan is wise?" Guy asked cautiously, following him.
"Are you questioning me Gisborne?" The sheriff sneered into his lieutenant's face.
"No my lord. But with Hood on the rampage, I fear for your safety." Guy answered slowly.
"I, have a plan! Hood will no longer be on a rampage after today. He will be dead!" The sheriff strode into the castle ignoring Gisborne. "Tie the loving family up on the scaffold! I want them on display, because at noon they hang!" He yelled from down the hall.
Gisborne shook his head before striding back to his men to relay the sheriff's order.
"What!" Robin burst out, his men jumping behind him as he towered over the young boy from Locksley. Marian placed a restraining hand on Robin's shoulder when he looked ready to bolt, and smiled kindly at the young boy.
"Thank you for informing us. Go home now. Stay inside, it's safer there." She said softly leaning down to give the boy a nudge towards Locksley.
"The sheriff can't do this!" Much burst out. "It's despicable!"
"Robin, what do you want to do?" Will asked from beside Djaq.
"We have to save them. They're innocent."
"Robin." Marian warned softly.
"I'm not being funny, but this is a trap." Allan commented from behind them.
"They are innocents!" John yelled.
"We're going to save them!" Robin said.
"No!" Marian pulled his arm when he looked ready to dash towards Nottingham. "You know this is a trap!"
"Yes and we'll go into Nottingham expecting such!" Robin argued.
"No, what you need to do is stop and think. Why is the sheriff just now setting a trap for you? Why not before?" Marian asked calmly.
Robin turned his head to stare down into the serious blue eyes of his wife.
"Something's changed." He realized softly.
"Yes." Marian answered.
"We cannot let those people die." Robin said running his fingers through his hair and pacing.
"Robin! Sometimes innocents must be sacrificed for the greater good." Marian said from behind him.
"Not today!" Robin argued.
"This is what got you outlawed in the first place!" Marian countered. "You are unwilling to wait for the right time to act!"
"I'm not being funny, but if Robin did wait for the right time, three of us here would be dead." Allan decided to point out, gesturing towards himself and the Scarlett's, who slowly nodded in agreement.
"No one is going to die today." Robin said darkly.
"Do you even have a plan?" Marian asked exasperated.
"Half a plan!" Robin answered looking at the outlaws around him.
One hour before noon, the outlaws were able to sneak into Nottingham, by mixing in with a group of villagers from Locksley who had come to witness the hanging. There was no time for long goodbyes, or last minute confessions because once the outlaws were within the gates, they broke apart from the villagers, splitting up from each other and stealthily making their way to different areas in the square. Robin and Marian ducked behind one of the stalls to the right of the scaffold. Will and Djaq and Allan and Luke mingled in the crowd in pairs, while John and Much looked for two guards to steal uniforms from.
"This is not a good plan." Much mumbled following closely behind John.
"Well it's the best we have."
"But the sheriff knows we're going to be here. He wants us here! He'll have a better plan."
"Much shut up!"
Much snapped his mouth shut at the older man's order and looked around him for an unsuspecting guard. Spotting two near a stand, he nudged John and pointed.
John nodded in understanding and circled behind the guards as Much walked up to them.
"The hanging today. Seems like a good one, eh?" Much asked conversationally. The guards said nothing. "What you can't even be polite and acknowledge me?" He asked. Before the guards could answer, John came up behind them, giving each a hard punch, knocking them to the ground unconscious.
"I guess not." Much said, making his way to the smaller guard.
At noon the castle doors burst open, and trumpets blared. It seemed like hundreds of guards streamed out of the castle, and in their midst were the sheriff and Gisborne. Much closest to the steps paled as the sheer number of guards came to a stop in front of him. Robin cursed low as he counted the number of guards upon the steps.
The sheriff came to the front of his guards, looking a little paler then normal due to his incarceration in his own castle, but smiling evilly as he looked to the scaffold. He threw up his hands before speaking.
"People! Welcome to the show!" He paused, then gestured out behind the crowd where more guards appeared. "Now that everyone is here, we can begin! These people!" He continued pointing to the family on the scaffold. "Are known cohorts of Robin Hood!"
"We're not!" Cried the woman pitifully.
"Shut up!" The sheriff bellowed at her. Turning back to the crowd he smiled. "Each member of this family has a connection to Robin Hood, even the small, innocent child."
Marian looked around the square, her eyes widening in horror at the number of guards, instantly understanding the sheriff's plan was not one of deception, but sheer brute strength.
"Robin, this is suicide!" Marian whispered harshly from his side.
"I know! Damn it!" Robin cursed looking at the multitude of guards in the square.
Up on the scaffold the sheriff is continuing his speech.
"Now you will see what happens to those who help Robin Hood." The Sheriff said lowering his voice, his eyes scanning over the crowd. "Shall we begin?" He asked conversationally of the crowd. "Hang them!" He yelled.
A man in a black hood stepped up to the family. He grinned evilly, before kicking out the stools from under each of their feet. The crowd gasped as the three people on the scaffold swung in the air their feet swinging as they tried to find purchase.
"Now!" Robin yelled to the outlaws rushing out from his and Marian's hiding place, two arrows already cocked in his bow. He released them and watched as they sliced through the ropes holding the woman and young boy. The two fell to the ground as a third arrow whizzed by, cutting the man's rope. Robin turned back to Marian, whose bow was still held out in front of her and smiled.
"Is there something you want to tell me?" He asked.
Marian smiled quickly, before her gaze turned to the guards rushing towards them.
"Maybe, but now is not the best time." She answered coming to stand by Robin's side as they pulled out their swords and braced themselves for the battle, while in the crowd the rest of the outlaws do the same.
The wall of guards came towards them, blocking their view of the steps.
Robin pulled Marian by the waist to him and gave her a deep kiss.
"Just in case." He said looking into her deep blue eyes, understanding instantly in their depths. They exchanged a sad smile, just before the guards reached them and the sounds of battle began to fill the air.
"Where are they?" The sheriff yelled out craning his neck to see above the guards advancing into the crowd of people.
"It is difficult to tell my lord." Guy answered his greater height allowing him to see further out, but still unable to detect the location of all the outlaws. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the quiver that held Robin's arrows, and his gaze narrowed on that spot.
While the sheriff and Gisborne scanned the area in front of them, something miraculous happened. The people of the shire, the ones so often helped by Robin Hood were suddenly everywhere. The swarmed around the guards, chattering excitedly amongst themselves, seemingly unaware of the disturbance they were causing. This action, created an effective blockade, preventing many of the guards from reaching the outlaws.
"Get out of the way!" The sheriff yelled, making a 'move' motion with his hands. "What do they think they are doing?" He sneered at Gisborne. "Get out of the way or I'll have you all hung!" The sheriff yelled but to no avail. The crowd continued to move around, blocking many of the guards.
Three guards had engaged Robin and Marian. The two were separated as Marian moved off to battle one guard, leaving Robin to tackle the other two. Both were able to quickly finish off their opponents, and moved on to the next, pulling them further and further apart, causing them to lose sight of each other.
The battle seemed to go on for hours, Robin fighting off one guard after the other. Many of the guards were still unable to get past the crowd of people, giving the outlaws a slim chance for survival. Gisborne scanned the crowd again, his gaze alighting on Robin's hood. He sneered, and single mindedly made his way through the crowd towards the younger man, not noticing anyone or anything around him.
"You're mine Hood." He said darkly coming closer and closer to the unknowing Robin.
Robin battled one of the sheriff's guards. Their swords clashed strongly against each other, sparks flying through the air. Robin kicked the guard to the ground and prepared to end their fight when a flash of silver caught his attention. Robin turned from the guard just in time to throw up his sword and block the oncoming blow from Gisborne. Guy yelled out enraged as he advanced on Robin, forcing the younger man to take a few steps back. Guy swung heavily at Robin again, sneering when Robin cried out in pain as the sword grazed his arm. The two battled back and forth, Robin already weaker because of his earlier fights with the guards. Another blow comes from Gisborne's sword, causing Robin to fall backwards to the ground.
Time seemed to slow down as Robin watched Gisborne prepared to deliver the fatal blow. Robin's eyes scanned around him, checking on each member of his gang, memorizing their features so that they will follow him to the hereafter. He watched Much; his faithful servant and beloved friend knock a guard to the ground with his shield. He saw Will and Allan, smiling slightly at the two friends who have again teamed up like in the old days and were slashing their way through guards. He watched John take on three guards single handedly and demolish them. His gaze turned to Djaq and Luke, each battling a guard. When his gaze finally came to Marian everything stopped. Robin watched her fight off a guard, his eyes full of pride when she knocked the guard to the ground. Seeing Marian's success, her zest for life gave Robin strength to fight. Pulling the last of his strength from somewhere deep within him, Robin lifted his sword, bringing the point up just as Gisborne lunged at him.
Robin looked up into the astonished eyes of Gisborne, and then back down to where his sword stuck of out the man's chest. Guy dropped slowly to the ground, his shocked eyes never leaving Robin's. Robin jumped to his feet and pulled the sword out of Gisborne.
Guy turned his eyes away from Robin as light suddenly filled his vision. His eyes squinted, blurry against the light as a figure appeared from out of it.
"Marian." Guy whispered reverently, holding out a trembling, blood stained hand. His vision blurred, the sunlight behind Marian added a glow around her figure. "You've come to guide me to heaven." He coughed deeply, blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth.
Marian had rushed to Robin's side, forgetting her own fight when he fell to the ground. Her eyes ran over his body quickly checking for wounds, before Guy's voice pulled her attention to the man that lay before them.
"He doesn't know I survived." She whispered glancing at Robin's hard face.
Robin leaned down and began to sneer. Preparing to inform Guy that Marian did not come from heaven to guide him, but that she returned from death to be with him.
"No!" Marian said sharply, grabbing hold of Robin's arm and pulling him back. "He is dying Robin, let him die in peace."
"He tried to kill you! He almost succeeded, twice!" Robin yelled.
"But I am still here." She said soothingly, trying not to look at the dying man at her feet.
"He does not deserve to think you'd come from heaven to guide him."
"He loved me." Marian answered simply with a shrug of her shoulders. "Let him die in peace."
"No." Robin said savagely, pulling away from her to sneer to Gisborne. "She's not here to guide you Gisborne! Marian is alive, she is alive and here, with me."
Guy's eyes widened in shock at Robin's words, his gaze momentarily turning from Marian to Robin and back, realization finally setting in. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words were able to pass his lips, only a single tear streamed down his cheek as he looked up at Marian and Robin, noting Robin's possessive arm around her waist. Marian shot Robin a dirty look before kneeling next to Gisborne, feeling pity for the man whom she knew for so long and noticing the immense guilt and pain hidden in his dark gaze. Guy never heard the sheriff cry out his name, the one word in a voice mingled with disbelief and rage his ears only heard Marian's words as she lowered herself to his side.
She took his hand gently in hers. "I wish you all the peace in the next life that you never found in this one." She said quietly to him, watching as Guy's guilt ridden eyes slowly closed. She sat silent for a moment, as Robin with unusual tact moved away a few steps to give her the privacy she craved to say goodbye to the man, whom she shared so many mixed emotions for.
Marian whispered words quietly to herself, words that none would ever hear, before slowly coming to a stand and moving to Robin who was gazing out towards the square.
"The family?" She asked quietly.
"Safe." Robin answered gesturing to the family of three, being helped to the gates by some of the other villagers.
"You shouldn't have done that." Marian said softly.
"Yes I should have. He did not deserve you! Not your memory, nothing! He tried to take you from me! He tried to kill you! I hope he burns in hell and every moment knows that you are here, with me!" Robin answered savagely. Marian shot him a shocked look, but said nothing.
"I am here with you. It is over now." Marian finally said softly, linking her arm with his, reaching down so that her fingers intertwined with his. The rest of the outlaws slowly made their way to the couple, blood spattered and weary, but thankfully all in one piece.
"Lads, let's go home." Robin said, squeezing Marian's hand in his, before leading the way back to the forest.
Author's Note: So this was the last chapter. I apologize to any Guy fans who read this and feel the need to explain my actions. When I started this story I believed that if Robin and Guy meet again in battle, both of them won't make it out alive. So I felt that given Robin's reactions to threats to Marian in the past, I felt that given the chance, in battle he would not allow Guy to survive. At the same time, I don't think he would commit the murder cold bloodedly because he is not like that, plus Marian would never forgive him, hence I had Guy be killed in battle.