After everyone had returned to their homes, and the girls were asleep in the new bed Will Scarlet had constructed, Marian gently rocked Edward to sleep as well, then lay him in his basket.
Robin's eyes were shining at her with so much love, she felt herself growing self conscious.
"What?" she asked him.
"I was just thinking about that other promise I made you today. Do you remember it?"
She smiled. "I do."
"Well, then..."
He rose from his seat and took her in his arms, and began to kiss her in a slow, determined fashion that swept Marian completely off her feet.
"What if the children wake up?" she asked.
"They won't."
"They might."
"We won't be here."
"Where will we be?"
"Within earshot, in case they need us. How does a swim in the moonlight sound to you?"
"Mmm. Very romantic."
"There's only one rule."
"What is it?"
"You can't get your clothes wet."
She pulled away, her eyes shining back at him.
"I'll race you to the stream," she said.
...
Robin caught his breath at the sight of Marian, her pale skin glowing luminous in the moonlight, poised on the edge of the streambank, ready to dive into the water. He shed his clothes in record time, then tossed them with her clothing onto a boulder, and plunged into the stream with her.
He came up sputtering, while she emerged from under water, uttering a little shriek.
"It's freezing!" she cried.
"Don't get out, Marian," he begged, shoulders tense and teeth chattering. "It'll warm up."
"When? By Midsummer's Eve?"
He swam to her and drew her body close. "There," he said, holding her while treading water, "isn't this wonderful?"
Her lips began to turn blue, and she shivered against him.
"Let's get out, please, Robin."
"Of course," he agreed, swimming with her to the bank.
It felt even colder out of the water than under it, if that was possible. Marian began to shiver violently.
"Now comes the best part," Robin told her.
"Even better than the plunge into icy waters? I d-d-don't believe you."
"Believe me. Now c-c-comes the part when I get to w-w-warm you up."
He spread his cloak on the ground and they lay on top of it together.
Marian was immediately convinced. This was indeed the best part.
...
They discovered that the night wasn't cold after all. In fact, for a short time, it felt as hot as the desert in Acre.
"We need to go back to the cottage," Marian told Robin, not wanting to move just yet. The stars through the treetops blinked down upon them so beautifully in the black velvet sky, and she was so comfortable with her husband's strong arms enfolding her.
"I love you," she sighed, not for the first time this night.
"And I, you. But you're right. We shouldn't leave the children alone any longer."
Robin rose and fetched their clothing. He allowed Marian to wear his cloak, then realized in a flash, "You didn't bring your cloak! Where is it, Marian?"
She was still groggy from love. "I don't know. I must have left it at Kirklees Abbey."
Every nerve in Robin's body woke up. He walked Marian back to the cottage and looked into the faces of their peacefully sleeping children, then surprised his wife by bidding her goodbye.
"Robin, where are you going?" she asked, as he ran out the door.
"To Kirklees," he answered. "It's time I confronted the real witch."
