Robin felt as if awakened from a deep sleep. Finally he realised his life had been a lie, his position and status predetermined by his birth and the expectations of others. He realised that he had never truly accepted his fate. Leaving Marian to follow the King to the Crusades had been the first glimpse of an escape to a different life. Though the life of a Crusader was gruelling it had been thrilling. Every day a challenge, danger at every turn, every second of life made more precious by the ever present threat of death. Meeting the King and becoming his friend was like story he had heard as a child with himself as the hero.

Returning to Nottingham, his Father dead and the peasants on his estate now looking to him for protection and guidance had been like imprisonment.

He cast aside the responsibility he did not want when he fled to the forest. Living outside of the law, taking chances with his survival, Robin Hood was born and Robin of Locksley was forgotten. He did not want his old life. While Marian remained beyond his reach he could adore her. There would be no painful reality to their love, only the excitement of stolen moments. What would they do for a lifetime together? Make sure the harvests were safely gathered? Make provision for the future? Give alms to the poor? Settle disputes over pig ownership? Count sheep? Make preserves? Knit? God help him, he couldn't do that!

Marian would be no compensation for the everyday torture of such a mundane existence. He could never make her happy as miserable as such a life would make him.

He looked at Guy of Gisbourne and allowed himself to consider his life. A man alone, a dispossessed Knight, a man of noble birth with no means to support himself or satisfy his unfulfilled ambition. He would stand and fight for hearth and home. Where Robin dreamed of glory and the love of the King Guy dreamed of security, a family and the love and support of a courageous and caring partner. He dreamed of the love of Marian.

When Nottingham had been under siege following Vaysey's disappearance, Robin had charged Will Scarlett with Marian's safekeeping. Even then Robin could not stand by her, racing aimlessly around the forest instead. He need not have bothered sending Will into the Castle to protect Marian . For weeks after Vaysey returned Nottinghamshire had been abuzz with gossip of how Guy of Gisbourne had stood firm to defend the people from Prince John's army. Lady Marian had stayed and Sir Guy's love for her demanded that he stay by her side to the bitter end. So many had seen him on bended knee pledging his love to her. People had been shocked that Vaysey's henchman would exhibit such tender emotions so openly. Robin himself had heard rumours that perhaps Lady Marian's goodness had turned Gisbourne's black heart to something closer to grey. He realised he did not love Marian as she deserved to be loved. Had Gisbourne truly earned Marian's love as she had said?

But how would Robin know? How could he be sure Guy of Gisbourne was worthy of the faith that Marian and now the King seemed to place in him.

He knew what he must do. He stood up.

"My Lord," Robin spoke quietly and with a dreadful calmness. "I accuse Guy of Gisbourne of attempted regicide. I have no proof aside from my word as a man of honour and I had hoped as your trusted servant. Let God judge which one of us speaks the truth. I ask for the right to prove my integrity and defend my good name. I challenge Guy of Gisbourne to an armed fight to the death, I ask for the right of trial by combat."

Richard could barely contain his anger, his patience was being stretched wafer thin "You have no right to make such a demand. You have been accused of nothing. Your character is not being defamed! If you choose to continue with this insanity I will be forced to order my guards to take you into custody until you come to your senses."


I am satisfied with the account that I have heard from Lady Marian and Sir Guy and would advise you not to anger me further with your continued defiance. We have other matters of importance to discuss and I would urge you to see reason and not force my hand to punish where I would sooner extend the hand of friendship."

The King turned away from Robin dismissively. He had had enough. What he had initially found a quite amusing diversion from the recent tedium had rapidly become tiresome. He was hungry, thirsty and had the beginnings of a headache to deal with. The arrow wound to his shoulder was less troublesome than of late, but the afternoon was proving exhausting rather too quickly. He needed some time to consider how best to resolve the problems presented to him that day.

Robin was not so easily put down.

Robin leapt up and threw himself at King Richard, pushing him to the floor. "Forgive me my Lord," Robin muttered as he dragged the King's own sword from the scabbard at his waist. Desperately he placed the sword's tip to King Richard's heart, standing over him. Looking to the guards as they stood, stunned and unsure of themselves, he shouted. "Give Gisbourne a sword and then give us some space."

The Templar Knight nearest to Gisbourne unbuckled his belt and removed his own sword which was still in its scabbard and threw it across to Guy, who caught it awkwardly

"Robin" screamed Much in disbelief. "What do you think you are doing?" Much wrung his hat in his hands ineffectually. Robin's behaviour of late mystified him. Much was reminded of the traumatised crusader who they had met in Nottinghamshire. Unable to speak for himself Much had named him named Harold. With Djaq's help they had restrained him with sleeping draughts for his own protection, the villagers had been terrified of him. Much shuddered to contemplate such a fate for Robin.

Robin smiled. "Do not worry my friend, it matters not. The King knows I love him and cannot hurt him. Gisbourne and I have a score to settle and it cannot wait any longer" Robin's grasp on reality seemed to be slipping further away.

Robin moved away from the King, bowing to him as he did so. "Again I beg you to forgive me my Lord." he grinned cheekily and winked at the King who gaped back at him open mouthed. The King was none the wiser to Robin's meaning if that was his intention. Pain and anger had reduced the King's indulgence for Robin to nothing.

Robin stepped backward through the opening of the tent into the late afternoon sun and gestured tauntingly for Gisbourne to follow him.

The King, Gisbourne, Much and a handful of guards went after him.

Whatever insanity had taken over him Robin now seemed careless of his situation. A host of witnesses had seen him assault the King and threaten his life with his own sword. Now, outside, he was strutting like a peacock, swinging his sword about in a series of graceful arcs, then dipping and lunging, hopping from one foot to the other and then bouncing on his toes. Gisbourne watched him caper about in disgust. Hood was unbelievably arrogant, sickeningly so. Suddenly Robin leapt, somersaulting into the air and landed immediately in front of Gisbourne.

"Well Gizzy" he announced shortly. "I think the time has finally come for a little honesty. I hate you and you 

hate me. We both want the same Lady and the same Land. From where I'm standing, the world would be a much better place without you in it and I guarantee you think the same of me." He smirked, antagonizing Gisbourne further.

"Tell you what. Fight me for it"

A vein began to throb in Gisbourne's temple as his blood began to pound. He felt his nerve ends tingle with anticipation, and his pulse began to quicken. He was aware of the swiftly swallowed red wine fogging his brain and shook his head as he took deep breaths. The sword in his hand felt strange and unfamiliar and he was afraid it would be liable to slip from his grasp. The ground beneath his feet was uneven desert sand, unlikely to provide a firm footing for either of them. Then there was Robin's arrogance to consider, he was too confident, took too much for granted. Robin had misjudged King Richard, Guy was sure. He could see the anger and impatience as it displaced the affection and indulgence that had previously been so obvious when the King looked at Robin

He could see an opportunity but was unsure how to proceed. In the space of a few hours Guy's world had been turned upside down. He was only alive because of his love for Marian and her love for him. He was unsure what to make of King Richard. Twice he had tried to kill him, yet having spoken to him he couldn't help but like him.

The King was naturally charming, a warrior and a leader. Guy could understand why Robin had followed him through the horrors of war. What he could not understand was how Richard could turn his back on England. Guy had no understanding of why anyone would wish to fight in heat and dust hundreds of miles from home. Presumably they hoped to earn a place in Heaven. He had no idea why anyone thought God would be interested an a battle for a town in the desert. Guy had his own idea of heaven. Marian, a home and a family was all he dreamed of through the years of humiliation at the hands of Vaysey.

He had never thought himself capable of loving her. She had been a means to an end when he first arrived in Nottinghamshire. Land and status could be his if she consented to marry him. Then he saw her as a means to redemption. Her purity and goodness would obliterate his sins when he took her to the marriage bed. She had shunned him and left him at the altar. He had destroyed her home. Somehow they had overcome their mutual pride and stubbornness. When Nottingham was under siege he would have died to protect her. When he discovered her identity as the Night Watchman he braved the terror of Vaysey's wrath to conceal the truth. The honesty of his feeling for Marian had shocked him at first, now he was more accustomed to the idea. He sincerely thanked God for loving Marian.

He was nearing the end of his torment. Only Hood stood between him and the fulfilment of his every dream. He felt the familiar surge of excitement. It was time to fight.