Thank you.
Part 36
1214
Robin's bearing alone had him granted entrance to the castle with Marian at his side. They were forced to wait in an ante room until the Sheriff had time to see them. They were brought refreshments while they waited, more than Tristan would have been given they both were fully aware of. Husband and wife both paced the room crossing in the middle each time until Marian could not take the tension, of the not knowing any longer.
In the middle of the room she reached and clutched onto his arm. Words were not necessary, they both felt the same aching desperation which welled up from the pit of their bellies and travelled to their hearts, settling there like bad indigestion.
He ran his warm hand over her cold one and with a gentle touch squeezed it gently.
"This is wasting time." She uttered, her lashes heavy with tears.
Unable to bear her crying he pulled her into his arms and soothed his wife with soft words that both knew would not change the situation in the slightest.
They were still standing locked together with Robin's chin resting on the top of Marian's head when the door opened. The Sheriff along with no other than King John himself entered the small chamber. The King shut the door behind him, the very fact that no other personal had entered alongside them had both Lord and Lady Locksley's mind in turmoil.
They bowed to the King. Robin and Marian took solace in placing their arms about each other for the blow which was about to wind them straight in the belly.
"Your son Tristan of Locksley was brought to my attention today," The King told the pair before him. He had never liked Locksley and now they were older his feelings had not altered. It was no secret that there was no love lost between the two of them and he did not care about the consequences of the news he was going to impart. "He committed a grave crime."
"Deer are killed every day by the people of England." Robin said, no one commented on his lack of proper address to the King.
"Yes and today your son was unlucky enough to be caught red-handed." The Sheriff added.
"He was not alone Your Majesty; Phillip of Umfrey was with him." Marian protested, but even as she did so the despair that had been fluttering in her began to spread and she gripped on tighter to Robin for support.
"Phillip of Umfrey was not the one who fired the arrow. Your son Tristan was. He will be made an example of." The King went on to say.
"Then send him to war with you, but do not do anything else I beg of you," Robin pleaded through gritted teeth, only Marian holding on to him prevented Robin from throttling the men before him.
"No, that will however be the fate of Phillip. Tristan however will hang, a noon tomorrow."
"NO!" Marian screamed. She was out from Robin's arms before he could stop her and went directly for the King himself, who took a step back. Robin grabbed his wife and fought to keep her from killing the men who had deemed that their eldest son would pay the ultimate price for his crime.
"He needs to be made an example of and who better than the son of a noble. To hang a mere pauper for the crime seems less effective. Oh and Locksley, your second son, I can not recall his name is to report for duty here, you have not sent any men to fight in my war against France, now I need more men and I request, no order for your second son to join me by anyway I have to."
"No, not over my dead body will I send any son of mine to fight with you," he said, his eyes glittering like steel, fathomless and hard.
The King sighed and said. "Very well, I relent. But you must find someone within your estate to send here for my army. I leave the day after tomorrow at dawn and they must be here then or I will take your second son."
The King turned on his heel not waiting for the couple before him to bow and not expecting them to either. The Sheriff followed close on his heels. Marian and Robin were alone. They were tightly enveloped in a fierce hug in the small ante room with the knowledge that their son was destined to hang. Tears ran down their faces as they allowed the implication of the King's words seep into their souls. Robin knew that he could not permit this to happen, he had to find a way to stop this, before it was too late.