This fanfic idea comes from the prompt I choose to do for the Bingo Ficathlon at the Robin Hood Fan Community forum.

The prompt was: "Marian accepts Guy's proposal at the end of 'Walkabout', both thinking that Nottingham is about to be destroyed. It doesn't happen. Now they're both left wondering what's next. Will Marian actually go through with the marriage this time? And if not, how in the world does Guy deal with the loss a second time?"

To explain the beginning of this fanfiction, I did a video "It's Our Fight". (You can see it at dolphen3's channel on Youtube.)

English is not my first language. I really want to thank wholeheartedly a great friend of mine, Sahraobsessed, who so kindly assumed the role of Beta-reader for this chapter as my sweet Brokenheirloom is actually unable to do it. Please, pray for her to feel better soon because I miss her dearly and it's really difficult for me to work on this story without her as we started it together.

Sorry to have been so long to give you this chapter but like I already told you, my health is my worse foe and I must admit that it wins the battle against my will too often...

Nevertheless, I hope you will keep your interest and enjoyment for this story because I will not let it go, I have too much to say and I really want to share it with you, no matter how long it will take.

Please believe me when I say how much I give you my best to please you and to update as soon as possible. I hope this chapter, focused on Guy, will please you as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Now, come back to the more important here: enjoy this chapter and please, don't forget to review ;) and... Thanks again!

Chapter 13

Like the first night they shared together, Guy awoke to an empty bed. This time the sheets where Marian had been were still warm - proof she didn't leave long before. He couldn't help but scowl at himself for not hearing her leave. How could this be? He never slept soundly or deeply but since she started sharing his bed, it was as if she was a balm to his heart. He finally found his rest, waking fresh and new for the first time since the death of his parents. Well... the short time they spent actually sleeping, he thought smiling. Being so close to Marian was really the best way to prevent him from sleeping at all. Nevertheless, she had her way to expend him so that he couldn't stay awake. She had left him in their bed for a second time. He was angry with himself because he would give anything to have awakened first, to watch her sleep...

Of course, at some point that night he was awake while she slept but his mind was too far away to enjoy this rare moment of happiness and peace. That was really how he felt when she let him behave like a husband. He felt whole for the first time, happy and at peace, as if all his inner demons had decided to leave him. When she gave him permission to love her, his demons shut down, trapped in a deep place where only their shadows remained and, for once, those feelings were bearable...

But he was alone again as soon as she left him. His demons were free to torment him with a vengeance until he just wanted to scream, to plead to be spared his living hell. He desired only running after his wife, his pure angel, begging her to save him with all the love she held in her heart. The same love he swore he saw in her eyes when they made love before falling into a peaceful sleep. When she whispered his name so passionately, he thought he could read her feelings in her eyes. So full of passion, longing, and desire, not lusty desire, but a craving for something one would die without having it. It was as if she felt what he experienced every day since he met her...like he was back in the desert, craving for water, throat parched with thirst, seeing an oasis with promised water with the knowledge even a drop of it is forbidden...

Could Marian really love him already? She had come back to him and for more than sharing a moment of lust. He was sure of this but his mind couldn't really accept it. He thought he saw it when he told her his true feelings; when he let the words he wanted so much to reveal to her escape him, words he never had ever said before. Her eyes were shinning with tears. Her face was so bright, so open, so moved than he knew she believed him. Even when she whispered "I know", he couldn't help but smile of happiness and pride because he knew how deeply he had touched her. How strongly he had tethered them both together. God, she really was his life! How could he breathe when she was not with him?

Guy was roughly jerked to reality as Allan knocked at the door and opened it without waiting. He really should explain to that little rascal that he needed to wait before entering or what was the point of knocking? Besides, Guy needed him to wait because he couldn't afford to have Allan entering in the room if Marian was still asleep one morning. He told himself "stop dreaming, the blade is already too deep in your heart, don't twist it anymore".

"Did I tell you to come in, Allan?" Guy scowled sharply.

"Aye... seems you had a good night, Gizz... Not kidding, but I'm not sure I'll stay around today if you're already in that mood."

"Allan!"

"Alright, alright..." the younger man raised his hands as if in surrender before jumping on the desk to sit while his master started to prepare himself for the day.

Usually Allan knew better than to stare at his master because Guy hated having his every move watched, but today was different. Even if Guy's mood was grumpy - not unusual after all - there was something more to his behavior, something different than caught Allan's attention and ignited his curiosity.

The squire couldn't put his hand on the matter but something seemed new... as if a great change took place in his master's manner even if Guy hadn't realized it. Guy seemed distracted, as if day-dreaming, almost pleased. Allan shook his head. Contentment and Guy weren't two words he put easily into the same sentence, particularly in a positive way. Something had changed.

Guy tried to ignore the inquisitive looks from Allan since the younger man entered the room but his squire's behavior grated on his nerves too much.

"What?" he finally snapped making Allan jumping in surprise. "Why do you stare at me like that?"

"I don't know, Gizz..." started the young man hesitantly.

"Something seems amiss but I can't understand what it is."

Good... gratefully thought Guy. He knew it would be an insufferable thing for his squire to guess his master had experienced the best night of his whole life the previous night. Guy would not have to put up with Allan's stupid jokes and innuendos. The Master-At-Arms was too touchy to bear it today... he wanted nothing more than to rethink last night and the wonderful time he had bedding his beautiful, irresistible wife. Having his warm and sensual memories being changed to the subject of jest wasn't something he could envision easily.

"Did something happen yesterday?" asked his squire in a searching tone.

"Don't know what you are talking about..." grumbled Guy, his breath catching in his throat and his eyes becoming wide as he saw only a few inches of Allan's hand the little leather ribbon Marian used to tie her hair when dressed as the Nightwatchman. She must have forgotten it when she left in a hurry this morning.

Guy knew he needed to grab the leather ribbon before Allan saw it or he would never hear the end of it. This ribbon was too feminine to be Guy's, plus his hair was too short to require one. A lady's ribbon in his chamber could start Allan's spiraling imagination and since his squire knew Marian was his only love; it would not be hard for him to guess what had transpired last night. Oh God! Guy wanted those stolen moments between he and his wife to be only for them, at least until he succeed in making her stay forever with him.

"I want you to be the amazing knight and noble man you were when Nottingham was besieged. I want you to be the brave man who was ready to give his life to defend us all, the man who was ready to protect this city against danger, the man who made me so proud to be called his wife!"

Guy's eyes shut tightly as he recalled the wonderful words she had told him yesterday. Never before did she say something as glorious and full of awe about him. At that moment he thought he could die of happiness, having succeeded to touch her heart and prove to her he wasn't simply a mere man, the "Sheriff's puppet" but a man which could deserve her admiration and her love.

His whole body felt a warm wave of love and excitation running through it as he recalled the look of earnest tenderness in her eyes when she said those prideful words about him! All his life, at least since his parents' death, Guy had been underestimated, bullied, mocked, humiliated, and treated as a simple man, next to nothing. Vaisey always repeated to him how stupid he was, unworthy of the chance the Sheriff gave him. Of course Gisborne knew a lot of his ill treatment came from his reluctance to give into his Master's mad desires. The fact he couldn't sometimes get through the remainder of his conscience to oblige some of the Sheriff's plans. Reasons why he suspected Vaisey didn't explain everything he planned to his henchman, thinking him too weak to obey him blindly, the thing Marian obviously ignored by her way of judging her husband's actions, thought Guy with a little smirk.

Nobody since his youth had ever believed in him or uttered such beautiful and proud words about him. It was as if Marian's words had healed, or at least eased, some of his deeper wounds. By her words and honest gaze she had free him of a curse he thought he would have to carry upon his shoulders 'til the end of his days: the certainty of being not worthy to be liked, even less loved because he was a murderer... he had murdered his parents, given his sister to a monster and sold his own soul to a man who was certainly close to being the Devil's twin.

Nevertheless, she had said such incredible things last night that his body and his heart were elated at recalling the pride and joy he felt hearing her say "I want you to be…you, Guy. I want you to be the real man you are."

"Guy?" Allan's uncertain voice caught Guy's ears, ending his daydreaming and putting him back in realty again. His eyes focused again on the little leather thong on his desk next to his squire's hand. "Guy, are you alright?"

"Of course I am" scowled his master as he rushed to his desk to grab the ribbon as quickly as possible. Allan jumped in surprise, putting up a defensive arm in front of his head as if he feared Gisborne's approach was only to beat him.

But nothing happened and the squire couldn't help but wonder what had possessed his master to run to the desk and leave it as quickly if it wasn't to beat him... Guy's behavior was more and more inexplicable and Allan wasn't sure he liked this because he couldn't understand it.

In the meantime, Guy seemed unaware of Allan's troubling thoughts; his back to the younger man, he reveled in the scent of the leather thong, remembering so much of Marian's fragrance, a sweet cinnamon scent and something else... something that smelled only as Marian could... spicy and sweet as her skin... God, his mouth watered with only the scent of this ribbon and he didn't even know when he would see her again... all his body started to ache at the thought of having to wait for her again.

He knew he would have to wait for as long as she needed to be sure he would be himself for real. She had been clear with the terms of her "surrender" to him. to be his real wife for life.

"A woman has to support her husband in his decisions, and I couldn't do that if you continue to be so blindly obedient to the Sheriff's orders."

Guy knew perfectly what he had to do and, even if he feared the consequences of his decision, he had long acknowledged someday he probably would die at either the Sheriff's own hands or those of a rival favorite. But for his beloved trapped sister and for the only woman he had ever loved, whom the Sheriff always saw as a threat as she was able to make his heart feel, he couldn't delay his actions any longer. It was time to act.

Slowly stroking the leather ribbon against his lips and closing his eyes to inhale his wife's scent one last time, he put the little thong under his shirt, next to his heart, breathed deeply and sighed deeply before turning to a dumbfounded Allan.

"Are you ready?" he asked with his usual gruff voice. "The Sheriff awaits me."

Allan didn't move. His eyes narrowed, trying to decipher his master's surprising behavior.

"Allan! Do I have to kick your ass to make you move?"

"No, no, Gizz. Calm down..." answered the young squire as he jumped off the desk to open the door for his master. More than certain something was amiss, he needed to put his finger on why Gisborne was acting so strangely because not understanding a situation, particularly when he was in the middle of it, disturbed Allan.

Guy took long steps down the corridor, wanting nothing more than being done with the difficult conversation he was about have with the Sheriff. At his master's door, Guy turned to Allan and ordered him to stay outside. His squire tried to argue, but the decisive stare he received as an answer made him rethink his behavior and agree with his orders.

Gisborne braced himself, closing and unclosing his fists several times and steadied his breath before opening the door. His face was as blank as it always was in presence of the Sheriff. Allan watched his master enter the viper's pit; truly snake was the description to use about this vicious man. Allan was certain now that something was different today. Even if he didn't know what, he just hoped Gizz wouldn't do something stupid and he had to pay for the consequences...

After all the Master-at-Arms wasn't as bad and cruel as Allan first thought he would be. He even started to like Guy with all his scowling and his moods, perhaps because he felt that there was something more to him than the mask he showed to the world. He had seen Marian's eyes full of awe on their wedding day during Nottingham's siege. He had seen them kissing each other senseless, as if they were really lost in their passion. He was now sure that, even if the Lady couldn't currently admit it, she was truly and utterly in love with his dark master.

Concerning Gisborne, he could only laugh a little with indulgence at his master's behavior in front of his new bride. Unaware of her feelings for Guy, the man was lost in his desperate love for her. When he was near Marian, Guy was like a puppy; looking at her with begging eyes to receive a mere look, ready to die of happiness if even her dress touched him. Allan shook his head in disbelief; if loving someone could make one such a fool, he was more than happy to not catch such folly. He promised himself than he would do as much he could to assist his lovesick master and his loving Lady wife to be reunited. He clearly saw the anguish she felt when she learned of Guy's beating. He hoped she would finally come to her senses and return to her husband yesterday. Allan felt really disappointed when he didn't see her in his master's room this morning... but no matter how long it would be and how many times he would have to shake Marian to make her come to her senses, he would do his best to reunite them.

His master had already been through too many things. He heard rumors in the castle about his past and childhood. Mostly he heard the terrible nightmares Guy had sometimes; making him scream from the depth of his lungs, his eyes wide with fear and hurt... Allan woke him several times during those terrible moments. He had been struck by the weakness of his master afterward; how shaken he was, his eyes losing focus and his fists clenching the sheets so tightly that they turned white. Allan had troubles swallowing at time how disturbing it was to see his powerful and frightening master being reduced to a terrified boy, seeking for love and reassurance. The younger man had swear to himself that he would never allow anyone else but himself - or perhaps Marian, if she finally proved worthy - to see his master this way. It would be the end of him, particularly if the Sheriff knew of it.

Allan would protect his master when he was the most vulnerable because he knew that Guy had already protected his squire several times. But more than that, he would do it simply because he felt a real attachment to the older man, as if he could be an elder brother of his... a grumpy, moody, sometimes bully, but surely an elder brother anyway.

Allan had no one else in his life; no relative, no family. Those who he had called his friends, Robin and the Gang, didn't even look at him without loathing, even if he had at first served Guy without wanting to; only to save his own life after being tortured. The only person who seemed to care about him a tiny bit, who simply tolerated him without judging him or asking him to change, was Guy.

To be honest, Guy never asked him to change, but Gisborne beat him in the hopes it would help the young squire to come to his senses. Seeing no improvement, Guy finally let up and now only scowled at Allan's behavior. It was only the squire's own fault if sometimes Allan went too far with his teasing and head-strong behavior, pushing Gisborne beyond patience and making him ready to beat Allan again. Allan had mastered the art of escaping his master's fists however, he thought better than to anger his master, particularly after the siege of Nottingham.

That event had been a real change in Allan A Dale's way of thinking. After the dreadful moment when he thought they would all die, he couldn't help but be filled with awe and pride for his master's behavior. He now saw Gisborne very differently; the older man was really worth serving. Allan was proud to be able to assist a man who had been so brave when he could have left without even a glance behind his shoulders. But what earned Allan's heart was more than that. It was how humble Guy was. Even after saving everyone's life, he never had gloated about his actions, never sought glory and honor as some other people Dale had followed.

For acting without calculating the good he could win in the process and for the kindness he showed sometimes to his rebellious servant, Guy had attached the young squire to his side forever... at least as long as the foolish man could keep his head on his shoulders. By the way his master had entered the Sheriff's office and the odd feeling the squire had that morning, Allan feared it wouldn't be long.