"I, Robin, take you, Marian, to be my wedded wife…."

Robin repeated the words with feeling, the same words he had promised her twice before, while in the burning sands of the Holy Land. This time, he was kneeling beside her in the cool, newly rebuilt Locksley village church, surrounded by his gang, his villagers, his servants, the neighboring nobility, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, and King Richard himself. He had bathed, was trimmed and brushed and shaven, leaving a thin stubble of beard at Marian's request, and was wearing a splendid new doublet of rich blue and silver brocade, as he had promised his Love he'd wear for their wedding.

She was dressed in a golden gown, its rich color making her luminous skin glow. Her glorious hair was flowing under a lace veil, and her eyes, bluer than the sky, bluer than the sea, lovelier than a starry night, were shining with love and joy and promise for him.

This was not the wedding that had joined them as husband and wife, for that had already taken place, but it was the wedding she had dreamed of ever since she had been a little girl, when her heart had been captured by the Earl of Huntington's loving little rascal of a son.

Robin suspected Marian was thinking of her father today. He thought of his parents as well...his tender, patient mother, with the gentle touch, who had died birthing his dead brother, and his brave, noble father, who had died trying to save others in a fire in an inn, on his way home from London. They may have lost their parents, but they had each other, now and forever, and it was more than enough.

He heard her repeat the words in her clear, proud, lovely voice, and his heart swelled. When he slipped the ring on her finger, he heard her gasp with delight as she recognized her emerald ring. Count Friedrick had read in Marian's letters what the ring meant to her, and had purchased it back from his king, and sent it to Robin for their wedding. Robin had to admit that the Count had his good points.

The priest was telling him to kiss her, as if he needed prompting. He kissed the lips he knew so well, the lips he always hungered for, the lips so sweet it sometimes hurt. But there was no hurt today...only joy and awe and thankfulness and praise.

Afterwards, he rose and helped her up, then stood smiling with her at the faces of those whom they loved. Kate was back with her family, and if she was scowling at them, what of it? He had kept her safe, as was his duty. Little John, scratching and sweating in splendid new attire, was shifting about uncomfortably beside the Queen Mother, who held his arm proprietorially. Allan was scouting out the ladies in the church, most likely thinking unholy thoughts, and planning pretty lies. Will and Djaq were smiling warmly together, he back in his village church with his own lovely bride, who would present him with their own child soon. King Richard himself, whom Robin had followed in hero worship for years, had stood in the place of Marian's father today. And finally, his male best friend and most loyal companion, Much, who was crying, because he had the most tender and loving of hearts.

As if in a dream, they left the church hand in hand and stood breathing the fresh air of Locksley, the finest place in all of England. They were toasted and feted and congratulated, and Robin led Marian, or rather, she seemed to lead him, to speak with each and every guest. There was a wedding feast, but Robin didn't taste it, even though he ate. He couldn't stop smiling at Marian, and her beautiful smile mirrored his.

A goblet of wine helped to clear his head, and he found himself speaking with Much.

"Master-"

"You'll have to stop calling me that, Much."

"I know. I know. It's just so hard."

"You can do it! Remember how hard it was to learn to say it when we were fourteen, and you'd been saying, 'Robin' for years? You mastered it then...you can unmaster it now, right?"

"I'll try, Master."

Robin chuckled. "How are you finding Bonchurch?"

"Lonely."

"Oh." Robin made a mental note to visit Much more often. Much had settled at Bonchurch, and Robin at Locksley, even if Marian had been living at the Castle. The villagers would not accept that "Maid Marian" was already married until they themselves witnessed the wedding. "Well, you're welcome here any time. I miss you, too," Robin admitted.

Much looked embarrassed. "It's not just you, Robin. Or the gang. It's Eve. When I lived at Bonchurch before, Eve was there. Now, she's not. I made a promise to her, Master, I mean, Robin, that I would find her, when justice returned to England. And now that King Richard's returned, and the Sheriff's been hung, it's time for me to keep my word."

It was true. Richard had tried Sheriff Vaisey, and found him guilty of treason. He had not needed the Pact, for Vaisey had shot Richard through the shoulder, aiming for his heart, while they were in the Holy Land a year ago. The destroyed Pact, would, however, have convinced Richard, beyond a shadow of a doubt, as to his brother John's guilt.

Like Gisbourne, Prince John had fled to France, but he wasn't in hiding. He was living in style in the French Court, with the 100,000 marks King Henry of Germany had rejected. Robin had been alarmed when he heard Richard speak kindly about his younger brother.

"John mistakes me if he is afraid," the King had told a disbelieving Robin. "After all, he is my brother. Of course he has been foolish, but I won't reproach him now. He is young."

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but he is two years older than I. He is twenty-nine."

"Nevertheless, the ones I want to settle with are those who seduced him. He has been the victim of bad advice."

And so, Vaisey had his "come uppance," as Robin had predicted, and had been dragged to the gallows, kicking and screaming, but Prince John was forgiven.

But now, Robin's thoughts returned to Much. He was surprised at Much's devotion to a woman he had known for only a few days. Smiling, he realized he shouldn't be...Much was the truest, most loyal person he had ever met. If Much had felt himself in love, it would last a lifetime. Robin prayed his friend would find Eve, and she would be the woman Much believed her to be.

"Shall I come with you?" Robin volunteered. It felt funny saying that, as if their roles had somehow been reversed.

There would be nothing Much would have liked better. But, no, Robin needed to stay with Marian now. "No, Master, I mean Robin, I have to do this alone."

They emotionally embraced goodbye, and Robin returned to Marian's side. There were village songs and dances, and everyone ate and drank their fill, knowing the nightmare had ended and the future was gloriously bright. Robin began to really have fun with his people now, so much fun he didn't want it to end. This was the welcome home celebration he should have enjoyed three years before, but even better.

As the moon began its descent, Robin felt Marian gently squeeze his arm. "It's nearly day," she murmured sleepily.

He winked at her. "Spoilsport."

"I thought bridegrooms were supposed to be eager."

"Oh!" He grinned. "Well, in that case, Lady Locksley..."

He swooped her up into his arms and carried her across the yard. Everyone stopped what they were doing and watched them, smiling. Robin paused when he reached the door to his ancestral home. "Ready?" he asked her.

"I've been waiting all my life, Handsome."

Amidst the cheers and applause of his people, Robin carried Marian over the threshold of Locksley Manor, and all the way up the stairs, to begin their life together as Lord and Lady Locksley.

THE END

...

(NOTE: Richard's words concerning Prince John are supposedly what he actually spoke, or words to that effect. UNBELIEVABLE! Thanks again to my loyal readers and reviewers. This would not be fun without you. You don't realize how I look forward to reading the reviews!

I could have treated Kate more nicely, "but where would be the fun in that?" Also, the lion.

I will write again soon, for I am thinking of my next story, set 5 years from this one-since all my stories are connected, it will take place shortly after A BIRTHDAY FOR MUCH, and will concern the newly crowned King John trying to kill Prince Arthur. England needs a hero! Robin to the rescue! Curiously, Prince Arthur's grandmother was Margaret of Huntingdon, so, in my story, that makes him cousin to you-know-who!

From what I've read of the actual Robin Hood legends, Robin and Marian were happily married for 20 years. In 1215, Lord Locksley travelled to Runnymede to pressure King John to sign the Magna Carta. Returning home, he found Marian stabbed to death by a cowardly "Black Knight" -they were actually called "The Knights of the Evil Hold," and he took revenge and killed the coward who had killed her. This forced him into outlaw status again, and he lived the remainder of his days in Sherwood. Just in case anyone's interested! Learned this from THE ROBIN HOOD HANDBOOK, by Mike Dixon-Kennedy, a book published in the UK in 2007, which reprints all the old Robin Hood legends, and features Patrick Troughton as Robin Hood on its cover. Patrick was Sam's actor grandfather, who played Robin in a BBC television series in th 1950s, preceeding the Richard Greene series).