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Part 38

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Pulling away from Marian, Robin wiped his eyes and said with more confidence than he felt. "I have a plan. You stay here, with Tristan. I am going back home."

"To do what? Raise an army against King John? Robin?" She returned, looking doubtful that he could achieve anything positive in these circumstances, which would result in him still being within the law of the land.

"He is not going to die Marian. But he needs to know that we haven't left him. You will stay with him while I work the plan out with the others?" he queried, remembering very clearly the Marian of her youth.

With a frustrated sigh she emitted. "Of course I will. As much as I fear for all your safety I know that it would not be you, if you did not try and get him out of this mess. Go, go back to Locksley and get Little John and Much to help you. I will be here when you return."

He took her hands in his and kissed them gently one at a time, they walked together as far as the entrance to the dungeons and then he slipped away, back to Locksley.

Marian was just about to go back to spend the remaining hours with Tristan when a young girl caught her by the arm and dragged her to an alcove.

"Lady Locksley, I am not sure you know me," she said, her blonde hair highlighted by the torch burning a little further down the corridor.

"Yes you are Elizabeth, Phillip's sister." Marian said, suddenly having a feeling where the conversation might be heading.

"Tristan, may I see him with you?" she asked, her eyes begging Marian to take her along to the dank prison. "Please, I have done all I can. I talked with my father, begged him to put a good word in for Tristan but he refused. I would go to the King myself but I know that he would toss me aside like a damp rag." She hung her head and began to sob.

Marian who still remembered what it was like to be young with a broken heart took pity on her and replied. "Come, I am going to see him now, perhaps he will find more comfort in you being there than me."

Together they journeyed to the dungeon and both Phillip and Tristan came forward to the bars. As Elizabeth spoke to her brother Phillip, Marian made use of the time to speak some words to her eldest son. "Tristan…"

"Please. Mother do not. I know my fate, the Sheriff came to gloat. I do not want to die, not now. I had so much I wanted to do, I wanted father to be proud of me, I wanted a life that was as full of adventures as you and father had. I wanted to see the world and I wanted Elizabeth to be my wife."

Selecting the most important bits of his speech she replied. "You are the son, your father and I wanted you to be, we are very proud of you and love you with all our hearts." Clasping his cold hands and rubbing some life in them.

"Where is father?" Tristan asked in the same tone he had used as a small boy.

"He has a plan, or so he says, to rescue you. He went back home for weapons and John and Much."

"He should not have to risk his life for mine."

"Yes he should because he loves you. I love you, my son." She told him, with tears glistening on her lashes which she willed to go away until she was alone, or at least only in the company of Robin.

With a look of sadness and a kiss to his mother's fingers, Tristan took his attention to Elizabeth instead. The young maiden cried as they kissed through the iron bars and Marian could only pray that Robin did have a plan up his sleeve.

At a quarter to midnight, Elizabeth and Marian were still situated in the dungeons, heavy footfalls revealed the Sheriff and half a dozen of his men.

Marian stood from where she had been sitting on the jailer's stool, and asked. "What do you want? Can you not allow us moments with our loved ones before you are so cruelly to take my son away from me?"

"You have two other fine sons Lady Locksley they will have to do." He replied.

She did not immediately quite get the meaning of his words as the jailer opened the iron door and took Phillip from the cell. The Sheriff signalled to two of his men and they took a chained Phillip away up into the courtyard with them.

"What are you doing?" Marian questioned, as the jailer pulled Tristan out of the cell as well, two more men flanked the boy either side ready to maim him if he as much moved a muscle.

"I do not trust your husband, nor does the King. We have brought forward the hanging to midnight."

"NO!" She screamed and lunged for the Sheriff.

There was no Robin to hold her back this time, but the remaining two Sheriff's men pulled her away and she clawed their faces as she tried to get closer to Tristan who was being taken away to die. Panic and fear rose up within her until she felt sick; there was no way she could get Robin back in time and no opportunity to save her own son's life herself. In fact as the guards hauled her up the steps she realised that the Sheriff and King meant for her to watch the hanging. Marian shut her eyes and swallowed hard, this was not happening, it had been bad enough losing Robert but to lose Tristan was unthinkable. She bit and fought the two young guards but it had little or no effect and just when she stilled and looked out to the courtyard she knew that it was too late.

The courtyard was full of the populace of the town, somehow the Sheriff and his men had roused them from their beds to witness the example they were making of Tristan. That anyone noble or not would face death if they as much harmed a hair on any animal within the forest. At midnight, the drum beat slowly, in a macabre sort of way and as the stool was kicked from beneath Tristan's feet Marian yelled his name before her world, and his, went black.