Part 53

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"Marian!" Much whined. She gave him a look which suggested she was not in the mood for one of his tantrums. "Please……."

She shook her head and began to walk away. They were out together in the forest having collected some fresh bread from Nettlestone. He had to run to catch her up, careful not to drop his basket of food along the way. As he reached her he put out his hand and stopped her in her tracks desperate to plead his case.

"Much!" she said heavily with a sigh.

"It is a good idea; it is Marian, say you will go along with me on this. All I want is for it to be a special day for Robin."

"That is all I want too and still the answer is no."

"But why?" he pouted.

"Because I was thinking of something more…intimate. Something that does not include the whole of Nettlestone."

"But something that includes all of us….I mean when you said intimate, you did mean all of us? Not just you and Robin …. You meant just you and Robin didn't you?" he said, his face fell and he regarded her through sad eyes.

"Much …. You can celebrate too…I just wanted to be alone with him, we…"

"Never get anytime alone. I know Robin is always saying the same thing about you. I suppose now you are married I have to expect that."

"Much," Marian said as gently as she could. "You, Little John, Will, Djaq are a part of our lives but sometimes we want…need to be alone."

"It's alright you don't have to patronise me I understand I get it. I just don't like it. It is just since you have been married things have changed and I am not sure I like that very much. Robin's been distant ever since we came back from the Holy Land. I mean we used to talk, really talk about everything, now he only talks, really talks to you. I wanted his birthday to be special."

"It is special…."

"No it isn't," Much cut in. "It is not the way I planned it."

"Is life ever the way we plan it?" Marian asked him softly.

A shadow passed across his face as he thought long and deep about her question. "No. No is it not. I hate that too." He ruefully admitted but did smile at her this time instead of frown.

"How about a compromise?" Marian suggested.

"Hmmmmm," Much said with thought. "I think perhaps that might be acceptable."

"Good, then this is what we will do to celebrate Robin's birthday." She told him, they walked along deep in conversation. Much was pleased he had vented to Marian, things were better between them, well from his point of view and now they could plan Robin's birthday together. Marian probably did not think there was anything amiss to begin with.

-----

"What's going on? Guy?" Allan asked trailing his master like a puppy dog, three days after Marian's conversation with Much.

Guy was walking around Locksley Manor with a purpose, packing this and that as if he was about to embark on a journey.

"We are going away Allan, to perform greater things than we can achieve in Nottingham alone." Guy told his, his dark brooding features giving nothing away.

"What does that mean?" Allan asked none the wiser.

"Never you mind what it means. It means that you need to do as you are told, when you are told to do it."

"Yeah right, like every other day then," he replied and received a stony glare from Gisborne.

"I need these things in Nottingham immediately. Report to the Sheriff and make sure they are placed with his belongings." Guy barked, eager to be away from Allan, away from it all. He had been sleeping badly ever since he had killed Sir Edward with always floating images of Marian wafting across his vision. A trip with Vasey and Allan was not making him any less irritable.

The Sheriff was full of fine spirits. Allan had a feeling that he might need go and warn Robin of some such scheme, that Vasey was concocting.

"Allan, Allan," he greeted the ex-outlaw and Allan was immediately on his guard.

"Yeah what? Gissy sent this over said to give it to you. Where we going then, the Holy Land?" he joked.

"Not quite Allan not quite… I thought we would have to go there and kill the King but that is not necessary now. Now we know where he is."

"So where is he then? The King?" Allan asked as casually as he could. Vasey was not fooled for one moment; he still did not trust this outsider at all.

"The coast. Tell Gisborne to be ready by dawn." The Sheriff replied with a gleaming smile, he clicked his fingers at a passing guard and went to speak with him leaving Allan alone.

"The coast," Allan repeated, when he looked back at Vasey he had walked off. What good was that information to Robin and yet he knew he had to impart it otherwise the King would be dead for sure.