CHAPTER SUMMARY: The King is returning to Nottingham as Guy and Katherine make preparations for their wedding. Something tragic happens which starts to bring lies that have been kept hidden to the surface.
CHAPTER 12 - Marriage of Lies - PART 1
SHERIFF'S QUARTERS
Vaisey tried to roughly grab one of his many helpless birds from their cages and into his hand. The birds in the cage fought to avoid his grasp, trying to break free for it was a fate worse than the cage they were in. "Ah, Gisborne." Realizing his second-in-command had finally arrived, he handed him the bird. "Hold the bird." Guy looked reluctant, backing away. "Here, come on. Give him some love." The sheriff insisted, leaving him no other choice as he gently took the bird into his leather gloved hands. He looked down with worry, not wanting to hurt it. "Poor thing. Tis poetry, huh? Caged bird. Creatures that would fly free absolutely under my control." Guy gazed up, understanding the metaphor. "Good, I like it. Now...speaking of caged pretties, when will you marry Katherine?" He asked, eyeing the birds in the cage like prey as they flapped about.
"In due course." Guy responded, feeling as if the sheriff was trying to make a point of him as usual. He tensed, not liking where this was going, but made sure to hold the bird carefully.
"Oh, come on, don't be coy. It's only an arrangement, is it?"
Guy sighed, the bird squirming it's head about his hands, trying to look for a way to freedom, but not sure how to break free. "No, we will marry when the King returns."
"Ah," the sheriff exclaimed. "When the king comes. I might have news for you there."
His expression changed, perking up for what his boss would have to say. "What news?"
Looking through the bird cages, the sheriff was suddenly changing the subject just to leave his second-in-command hanging. "You know, sometimes I don't feed them all for 3 days. Cruel perhaps, but I find it makes them sing better."
"What news?" Guy slightly loosened his hold and the bird took this opportunity to escape from his hands, taking off into the rafters, avoiding the lies that were to follow. Both men looked up surprised.
"Hmm...Gisborne." Vaisey mumbled, shaking his head.
KNIGHTON HALL
With their father back and their differences behind them, the sisters had returned back home. The family was tending to the garden when they were surprised to see Gisborne arriving. "Katherine!" She turned to see him walking over to her with a huge smile. "Marian, Sir Edward." He said, greeting her family as well.
"Sir Guy, what is it?" Katherine turned to address him.
"I bring good news. To sum it up-" He paused before realizing he should tell her this news romantically. "No." Guy began to pick her up, carrying her onto his shoulder, wanting to literally sweep her off her feet.
Marian noticed this and panicked. "What are you doing?"
Their father followed, thinking she was being kidnapped by him as well. "What do you think you're doing? Sir Guy!"
Noticing the worry in their voices, Katherine spoke. "If you're trying to sweep me off my feet, congratulations, but can you tell me what for?"
Realizing he had gotten carried away in his emotions again, Guy put her down onto her feet, eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "I apologize. I honestly just wanted to sweep you off your feet."
A smile came to her face as she chuckled. "And why is that?"
Guy grabbed her hands, the smile returning to his face. "Will you come with me to Locksley? There is something you should see."
"Then sweep me off my feet!" She chuckled.
LOCKSLEY MANOR
Following Guy inside his manor, servants walked around the village. Some familiar faces Katherine recognized not just from earlier with their engagement announcement, but from her youth of visiting the village with her family. The couple ended up running into one familiar face altogether who recognized her immediately. "Lady Katherine." The elderly man said.
"Thornton!" Her face lit up seeing Robin's manservant. He was surprised to see her here along with Guy as to which he could only put two and two together. Noticing the look on Guy's face, he quickly strode away.
"Come with me. There's something I want to show you." Guy said, taking her hand and leading her up the stairs. Walking into his bedroom, he pulled back a curtain and revealed a chest full of coins. "I show you this." He took the silver coins into his hand. "My wealth."
Katherine raised an eyebrow. "What does this mean?
"This means everything. This means that I am a man of substance. Wealth I can provide for you. I'm a man of power. The sheriff and I, increasingly with Ki-" he paused, catching his words. "Prince John." Katherine raised an eyebrow at him as he continued on. "This means that I am a man of lineage." He reached for her hand, stroking her cheek. "The Gisborne heritage is a proud one. I will be glad to continue that line with you...as my wife."
Katherine's eyes went wide, finally piecing everything together. "The King is returning?" They both smiled at each other happily.
When Robin went to visit Marian at her house to inform her of the new discoveries involving news of King Richard returning home, Marian realized the real reason Gisborne had come to take her sister away.
Now, Much, Robin, and Marian were standing outside Locksley manor, watching the couple interact with each other. Wanting to get a closer look and knowing she could get away with it, Marian sneaked up into the manor, standing at the edge of the stairs as she listened to them speak. Her blue eyes landed it's sights on the chest and a thought crossed her mind.
Seeing Katherine and Guy making their way down the stairs, they stopped in their tracks, surprised to see her there. "Marian." Guy questioned.
"Sorry, I was curious to see what you had to show my sister." She replied, standing tall at the bottom of the stairs.
"The king is returning." Katherine exclaimed with joy. "We will be getting married on Saturday."
Marian perked up, forcing a smile onto her face. "That's great news." The sisters grabbed each other's hands as Guy followed them outside the manor with an equal smile on his face. The girls got onto the horse and Guy offered Katherine one last look of absolute joy before they began to ride off.
Marian glanced at Robin hiding behind a pillar of linen hanging on a line, giving them a stern, melancholy look. Katherine noticed the two men finally, the smile fading from her lips. Robin shook his head as they rode off, knowing he would have to do something to stop this wedding from happening, and quick. He had to convince Katherine and make her see the truth of Gisborne before it was too late.
Stepping out from behind, Much watched as Robin walked around, looking at his fellow villagers. Thornton spotted him and approached. "Robin, I don't know what to say. I am sorry."
"Tell me what you know."
"The king comes on Saturday. The wedding takes place on Saturday, here at Locksley. They're going to decorate the church."
"I need you to cast your mind back, to my absence. Gisborne was unwell, or so he said. The truth is he went to the Holy Land to try to kill the King."
A look of surprise crossed Thronton's face, trying to recall the events of the past. "Robin, I'd love to say that you are right, but he was here. He was unwell." He pointed out, stating the facts he knew.
"But no one was allowed to see him!" He yelled, causing the manservant to hush him before he attracted attention to himself.
"He had a fever, contagion." Robin couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculous cover story of all this nonsense. "But the physician came every day. I cooked the master's meal every day. The physician took it into him."
Robin shook his head, feeling sorry for his old friend. "No."
"Who was this physician?" asked Much.
"Um… Pitts is his name."
"And where does this Pitts live?"
"In Nottingham now. In Battley Street." Thornton sighed, following after his previous master still finding it all hard to believe. "But Robin-"
"This wedding cannot happen!" Robin stated, starting to head off, grabbing his bow and arrows. He was going to save Katherine and show her the truth of who Gisborne really was, even if he knew it would hurt her. All he wanted was her and Marian's safety. She had to know who she was marrying.
KNIGHTON HALL
Katherine watched as Marian worked on her sword practice, doing different techniques. Both sisters were quiet on the way back home, still trying to process the reality of what was happening on Saturday.
She couldn't believe it. She was about to get married, and so soon. Her thoughts raced back to the rather intimate moment she was with Guy, feeling her cheeks flush. It was all about to change, and Marian didn't know how to feel with the fact Gisborne would be her brother-in-law real soon.
"Have some exciting news to tell, Katherine?" Robin spoke, startling the sisters. He walked up towards them, carrying a stick behind his back.
"As if you don't already know, Robin." She replied, rolling her eyes at him.
"Guy showed Katherine her future fortune as Lady Gisborne. They are getting married on Saturday." Marian told him, not wishing to lie to him.
Robin chuckled dryly. "And what? He showed you some trinkets, made you agree to go along with the wedding?"
Marian gave him a look, telling him not to get her started. "Robin-"
"Still at it with your nonsense, Robin. I agreed to marry him when the king returns and I'm going to, that's final." Katherine stated, glaring at him. Marian continued her sword practice, sensing they were about to go at each other's throats again.
The outlaw sighed in frustration, looking face to face with her. Why was she always making him out to be the bad guy lately? "Yeah, but you promised to under duress. A promise under duress is not a promise at all. He could be lying to you about anything that comes from his mouth." He stated. "You can't tell me you haven't doubted or questioned his intentions at all."
Katherine hesitated before responding. "No, I haven't. I trust in him."
Marian sighed, adding into the conversation to defend her sister. "Besides, it's not like she can back out now. If he knew I betrayed him - if he knew I was the Nightwatchman, he would lash out and not just at me." The sisters exchanged a fearful look.
Robin sighed, annoyed with the sisters. "Why do you two always do this? Use your father as an excuse for doing nothing!"
"Because our father needs us."
"And you need him! Because without him you would have to make a choice."
Katherine got up and got face-to-face with Robin again, glaring at him. "Don't you dare yell at my sister for the decision I've made. I'm marrying Gisborne and that's final. I know you can't accept the fact I love him and that he is a good man, but that's on you. Understand I also have my reasonings for going through with this to help protect my family, so quit trying to stop me, Robin."
But he wasn't going to take no for an answer. It was obvious she was so blinded by her loyalty to protecting her family and to Gisborne that she refused to see the truth or to even acknowledge it. "You will understand I am doing this for your own good. I will find a way to stop this."
"How?" Marian asked.
"I will expose him as the liar and traitor that he is. And then Katherine won't have to marry him."
"Robin, please, do not make this more difficult than it already is." She begged him.
"But she can't marry a man whose lies she turns the other cheek at!"
Katherine began to argue with him, feeling hurt by his statement. "Why do you keep making him out to be such a bad man? If anything, you're the one refusing to see the good qualities in him!"
"I believe his feelings for my sister are genuine." Marian added in, all 3 of them arguing with each other at this point. Both sisters going head-to-head with Robin. "He has wealth-"
"Wealth?" Robin exclaimed. "Marian, you're supposed to be the Nightwatchman. You should steal from Gisborne and give to the poor. Not acquire wealth yourself!" He glanced at Katherine. "And Katherine, you can't keep refusing to see a ugly truth you don't wish to see. You have to stop denying it and do something about your reality, otherwise things will never change!"
Hearing the commotion between the childhood friends, Edward appeared at the door and called out. "Robin." They seemed to ignore him.
Both sisters looked at the outlaw, rather offended. "I will deal with this." He told them.
"Robin!" Edward said again, warning him. The two sisters walked away, back inside the house. "Can't you see you're upsetting them? Go." Katherine sat at the table as Marian watched her, both sighing from the fight they just had with him. That was a first. Edward came in and spoke to them. "I must leave for Merton. Will you two be alright?"
"Yeah, as long as he doesn't come back." Katherine exclaimed, resting her head on the table.
Marian looked up to him, asking. "Do you have some scheme?"
"The sheriff has a scheme. I think he intends to kill the King in Nottingham." This caused both sisters to perk up in absolute shock and horror. "He cannot risk losing the shire. I must act. Merton is loyal to me and to the King, he will help."
"A man must protect his King." Marian stated, happy to see her father joining the fight.
Katherine was surprised to see their father considering to fight the injustice. "And I will go through with the wedding."
Edward stepped forward. "If I could protect you and the King, I would." He said, addressing both daughters.
"We know." Marian replied, putting her arms around her sister's shoulders. "I'll be there to help her in spirit for you as her bridesmaid."
Katherine looked up, moved by her sister's action. "Marian…"
"Besides, I have a plan of my own." Her sister stated, smiling proudly. Katherine knew that smile on her face, figuring she was planning something.
"What? The Nightwatchman?" Edward asked.
She couldn't reveal too much, not wanting her sister to catch onto the plan she had in store. Especially since it consisted of her stealing from her soon-to-be husband for their fortune. Marian just had to give Gisborne a final middle finger before he was married to her sister for good. "Yes." Marian said. It wasn't really stealing if Katherine would get it back in the end anyway, just not from her husband.
Edward walked up to his daughters, taking them into a hug. "You both are my world. We shall go and do what needs to be done."
"Be safe." Katherine told him before making her way upstairs with Marian following after. When nighttime came around, Katherine laid in bed as Marian started getting into her wardrobe as the Nightwatchman. It was like watching a knight put on their armour, preparing for the battlefield. "Are you going out now?"
"Yes." Marian replied, surprised to see her still awake.
"Be careful." Katherine told her, watching as she jumped out the window. She rolled over in her bed, thinking over the events of today before finding her eyes drifting off to sleep.
LOCKSLEY MANOR
It was a peaceful and quiet night as Marian carefully walked up to the manor, knocking out the guards in the process as she sneaked by. She was quiet going into the manor, careful not to alert Gisborne who she spotted, sitting in one of the rooms with his men. Some were passed out from drinking themselves silly.
Carefully walking up the stairs, making sure they didn't creak with her arrival, she snuck into his bedroom and pulled back the curtain where the chest was. Opening it, she put down her sack and began to fill it up with the silver coins that clinked.
Little did she know, one of the guards she knocked out was starting to get back up.
KNIGHTON HALL
Robin climbed up to the bedroom window noticing a candle was still flickering. "Marian. Katherine." He whispered, looking in to see if she was there, but he only found Katherine asleep in her bed.
"Katherine!" He whispered, trying to wake her up. "Katherine!"
She turned to glare at him, throwing a pillow across the room. "Shut up, Robin. Can't you see I'm trying to sleep? Go annoy someone else."
"Is Marian here?" He asked.
She sighed, sitting up to address him, not caring if he saw her in her nightgown. "No. She went out to do her usual Nightwatchman stuff." It should have been obvious already.
"Where has she gone?" He questioned.
Katherine shrugged, walking up to greet him at the window. She saw the rest of his merry men outside. "I have no idea. She didn't tell me much."
Robin's eyes suddenly went wide. "I know where she's gone. Of course she would dare to do such a thing."
"What are you talking about?"
He gave her a serious look. "She's stealing Gisborne's money." Robin began to run off, causing Katherine to have no choice but follow after. Even if she doubted her sister would do such a thing, she had to make sure she was safe.
LOCKSLEY MANOR
Marian continued to grab the silver coins, completely unaware of the guard that had awoken and was about to give her away. "Sir Guy! Nightwatchman!"
She paused, hearing the footsteps coming her way. Running to the door, she grabbed the latch and locked it. Marian leaned into the door, hearing Guy at it. "Open up." He whispered bitterly. "There's no escape."Breathing heavily, she looked around for any possible way out of there. Guy looked back to his guards, shouting orders. "Give me an axe! You two, outside!"
Marian ran from the door, grabbing her sack full of coins and heading for a window. Two guards were standing outside it with torches and she felt her blood go cold, knowing she was trapped with no escape now. Hearing the hard sound of an axe chopping away at the door, she gasped. There was nowhere to run now.
Guy poked his hand and face through the door, only causing further panic in her. This couldn't be it? Either way, if she revealed herself to him, she considered herself dead. She looked to the man her sister would marry with absolute fear. "Time to play, Nightwatchman!"
An arrow stopped him as he began to try knocking down the door again. "Mind if I join in?" Hearing the voice of Robin seemed to wash that fear away, helping her regain herself.
"Locksley!" Guy exclaimed, glaring at the outlaw who pointed an arrow at him with a smug smile on his face. Oh, how he would enjoy knocking it from his face. "Have you heard the news? I'm to marry Katherine." In that moment, the Nightwatchman opened the door, causing Guy to look back with surprise. Robin and his men exchanged looks with her as she saw they were here to help her. Guy noticed this and chuckled. "I will think about you when I take her to the marriage bed."
Walking down towards him, Marian felt her blood boiling at him for speaking about her sister in such a way, especially right in front of her, even if he didn't know it was her. She kicked him, causing Guy to yelp out in pain before kicking him down the stairs. At this point, Marian was fully convinced with Robin, feeling the need to protect her sister from her blindness towards Gisborne.
As she went in for another kick, Guy ended up knocking her with something that caused Marian to cry out in pain. She managed to limp away from him despite feeling a burning sensation at her abdomen. The merry men remained strong, keeping their target's locked on Gisborne as the Nightwatchman joined their side.
Robin went to kick Gisborne for hurting her before helping Marian out of the manor. "Get the money!" He told his men, as they did so and took their leave from the building. "You know where to meet! Split up!' Robin told them, taking Marian with him as they all ran.
Katherine appeared at the manor, watching as Robin and Marian rode past him. She gave him a nod, telling him thanks for keeping her safe before she decided to go confront her soon-to-be husband. She walked in to see Guy on the floor. "Guy- what happened?"
"What are you doing here?" He asked, surprised to see her.
She saw the dagger and blood in his hand, looking concerned. Katherine had to think of a cover story. "I was thinking about you and thought I should finally visit you here at Locksley before we become husband and wife. I should get acquainted with my new home after all." Even if she already knew a little about the manor to begin with just from being friends with Robin.
"Robin, his men and the Nightwatchman paid me a visit." He sat up, carefully holding the dagger.
"You're hurt!" She exclaimed, going to address his wound as he pulled back from her touch.
"No, it's the Nightwatchman." Guy responded, looking at the dagger and blood upon his hand with a cold look. "I got him with this."
Katherine paused, holding her breath as she felt her skin go cold. "W-What?"
Feeling her stomach lurch, she got up off the floor, absolute fear and concern in her eyes. Guy noticed this and realized he must have been scaring her with all his violent talk. This caused fear in him, wondering if this is how she would react to everything he hasn't told her about himself; his dark, evil deeds he purposefully lied and avoided to tell her. "Sorry, I- I just didn't want him getting away with it. I want the best future for us." He said, taking her hands into his.
Katherine couldn't even look up at him, her mind rushing to the fact she had to go check on her sister. Biting back tears, she spoke. "I-I have to go home. I need to make sure Marian and my father are safe with all the outlaws running around tonight."
"Let me escort you back."
She would have tried to deny him, but Katherine knew he wouldn't take no for an answer. At the very least he could drop her off, but she couldn't let him inside. No, he couldn't find out the truth hidden behind the doors to an empty house. He couldn't know the fact that he had just mortally wounded her sister. He couldn't know the fact that their father was away, going to fight against the sheriff. He couldn't know the lies.
Katherine heard that nagging voice inside her head again. You can't keep refusing to see a ugly truth you don't wish to see. You have to stop denying it and do something about your reality, otherwise things will never change!
She pushed it back once more, convincing herself that Guy didn't know it was Marian and if he did, he probably wouldn't have hurt her. "Okay." She said, allowing him to take her home.
SHERWOOD FOREST
Robin and Marian walked through the forest. It was difficult for her to keep up with his fast pace, feeling the burning sensation in her abdomen getting stronger despite the fact she was trying to ignore it. She continued on, but started to feel her body getting slightly weak, bringing it down to the fact they had been walking all night and she was exhausted from earlier.
"What do you think you're doing?" Robin said, turning to address her. "This Nightwatchman business will be the death of you."
"I admit it was a close call, but Gisborne won't figure out it's me, even when he marries my sister."
Robin shook his head. "What have I told you? I'm going to make sure she doesn't marry him." He smiled at her. "I was coming to tell you I have the proof I need to prove it to your sister. The physician, he will talk. I found him and he agreed to give evidence. He did not treat Gisborne. Gisborne was not at Locksley. He was in the Holy Land."
A smile came to Marian's face. "He will say this in public?" Robin nodded.
"Robin! Marian!" They were interrupted hearing the shouts of Katherine who was trying to find them. Spotting her, Robin began to run towards her realizing her panic. Marian tried to follow but began to feel her legs giving out, falling to the ground. "NO, Marian!" Katherine exclaimed, causing Robin to look back towards his beloved. They both came to her side as Robin took Marian into his arms. "She's been injured."
"We need to meet up with my men and treat her quickly."
"Put her on and tell me where to go."
They walked into an underground cave with water dripping around them. "John!" Robin called out, holding Marian in his arms. His men heard the call and came running to greet them. The great giant man from before took her into his arms.
"Gisborne stabbed her in the belly." Robin said, relaying Katherine's words.
"What?"
"It is a shallow wound. Not serious." She reassured them, making Katherine happy to see she was still conscious.
Djaq quickly took to action, knowing what to do. "We need to dry everything. She needs to get dry."
"Get a light." Much grabbed a torch.
They began to lay her down upon a rock. "I need clean water to wash the wound." Katherine took her place beside her sister, watching as Djaq began her work. In this moment, she didn't care if she was with the outlaws and got caught, her sister was her main priority. "Do you have wine?"
"A little."
"For the pain." Much went to grab it as Robin and Katherine watched the healer do her work. Laying a wet cloth on her wound, Marian cried out in pain. Her hands were bloody, looking upon the wound and measuring how deep it was. "This is not long. What did he use?"
"A dagger." Katherine told them. "He, uh...he showed me."
"Can you feel this?" Djaq asked, pressing into an area and causing her to whimper.
"Should you be pressing?" Much asked.
"I need to look inside. Wine." Robin poured it into Marian's mouth before Djaq looked back up at her and her sister, warning them. "This will hurt. Are you brave?" Katherine took her sisters hand into hers as she nodded in response.
"Do it."
Robin couldn't stomach the scene, having a hard time watching her in pain. Marian screamed out, clutching Katherine's hand tightly. "Shush. It's okay, Marian. Stay strong."
"Keep breathing!" Djaq reminded her, helping her to fight through the pain of cutting her open.
"She will be alright?" Robin asked the healer who gave him and Katherine a serious look that sent chills down their back.
"I need to sew. Give me a needle."
Robin grabbed one off his person. "This needle is thick and blunt. Are you prepared?" He asked his beloved.
"It is the way you said it." Marian cried, her voice shaking. Djaq took the needle and began to thread it, sticking it into her, causing her to yelp once more. Robin joined hands with Katherine and Marian, showing them he was here for them.
Once Djaq had finished, Robin sat in front of the sisters while Katherine stayed at Marian's side, feeling relieved. She pushed her sister's hair away from her forehead, smiling at her. "That's my brave sister. How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine considering." They both chuckled.
Robin sighed, watching them as they went quiet. He finally spoke. "Well, bad news is you've been stabbed. But good news is, Katherine doesn't have to marry the man who stabbed you."
She rolled her eyes over at him. "Just for the sake of my sister, I'm not going to start with you. Instead, I'll humor what you have to say. So...speak."
His green eyes went wide with surprise before he explained. "I found the Physician who was taking care of Gisborne when he was sick. He says that he was in the Holy Land. So...when the King comes to Nottingham, I will make an entrance. He will let me speak, he trusts me. I will present the evidence, the Physician will collaborate it and Gisborne will be done for."
Katherine blinked her eyes in confusion and disbelief. "Will he hang?" Marian asked.
Robin nodded. "Yes."
Brown eyes went wide, looking between them both in horror. Katherine felt her heart lurch in pain, not wanting to see Gisborne be resigned to that fate...even if what Robin had said was true. "No. I can't buy into this, I just can't!"
"Katherine, this is a man who would force you to marry him. A man who tried to kill the King! A man who just stabbed your sister." He pointed out, trying to get her to realize what he saw in Gisborne.
She turned to him with tears in her eyes. "But...I love him. Let's say that what you have said is true: do you really want me to sit back and watch as a person I love hangs by a noose?"
Despite her words, Robin kept silent, both agreeing and disagreeing with what she had to say. Even if he couldn't understand why she loved such a man, Katherine made a valid point. He changed the subject, looking over to Marian. "And as for you, this Nightwatchman thing is risky."
"I am only doing what you do, but with more intelligence." Marian stated.
"I thought you'd learn by now. Everytime you go out, you get arrested, or stabbed. You should stay at home and do your embroidery." Katherine gave him a look as he paused, still down on the ground. "I didn't mean that."
"You know, even my father who is old and infirm has a lot more to lose than you do. Even he supports me more than you do." Marian strained to say, screaming out in pain from trying to sit up.
"Shhh. Stay down." Katherine said, trying to calm her down. "You need to rest."
Hours went by and Katherine stayed by her sister's side the whole time. She eventually passed out from exhaustion, not noticing that some of the merry men and Robin would come in everyone once in a while to check on her.
Djaq came in, starling Robin and Katherine awake. "Marian! Marian!" she said in a panic, trying to wake the poor girl. "Wake up!"
"You have to let her sleep." Robin said, stirring awake.
"It's not sleeping. This is her body shutting down."
This caused Katherine to jolt up, rushing over to her sister to help Djaq wake her. "Marian. Wake up, please!" She patted her face, not getting any response from her.
"Gisborne's knife has caused damage inside. I must open her wound."
Robin jolted up, going to join the women. "Come on sister, wake up. Please." Katherine begged, looking to her with worry. Djaq ended up slapping her, causing a slight whimper from Marian. They let out their breath seeing that at least she was still with them.
"I need clean instruments."
"What instruments?" Robin asked.
Djaq looked between the childhood friends. "Stay here. Hold her hand, I'll be back. Do not let her sleep."
Robin goes to hold Marian's hand as Katherine sits behind him, trying to stir her sister awake. What came to her mind was recalling happy memories from their youth. "Marian, do you remember when you were sick when we were about 8?" Her sister looked to her, nodding. "What was my remedy to help you get better fast...or so I thought?"
"You poured honey all over my head."
The sisters chuckled as Robin raised an eyebrow. "And of course it didn't work. But father and the maids were very furious with me."
"Everything was so sticky." Marian replied, making a face.
"How about that time when I took you two for an adventure through the woods and Katherine ended up twisting her ankle?" Robin recalled, looking between them.
"You ended up carrying Katherine on your back all the way home." Marian replied, smiling over the fond memory. "That was the first time I ever heard you refer to Katherine as your little sister."
Her sister looked over to Robin with a surprised look. "What?"
"Ever since, he's always thought of you as a little sister, Katherine." Marian watched as her beloved and sister exchanged a look of understanding between each other.
Much came in with panic in his voice, putting everything down and ruining the moment. "Alright, here is the paste. And uh, the instruments are coming. Djaq is coming. I'm sure- I'm sure-"
They raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm sure?" Marian asked. "I am sure is reassuring. I'm sure, I'm sure, is not."
Noticing that he had bugged them and not wanting to cause them any of the panic he was feeling, he cleared his throat. "I'll go. Drink this- uh, all of it." Much said, handing her wine before running off.
"What could Djaq have told him?" No one dared to answer that question, keeping quiet. "It's not good, is it? Tell me the truth." Marian said, addressing Robin.
"Maybe not so good."
"You're going to be fine, sister. You're stubborn." Katherine reassured her and herself for that matter.
Djaq came back into the room as Marian sipped away at the wine, preparing for the worst. "I will cut you open. If I can find the damage, I will sew it up."
"What are my chances?"
"If I do not do this: none. If I do: very little." Marian let out a shaky breath as Katherine and Robin looked to each other with worry. "My father treated the wounded in the battlefield. He said never lie to a dead man."
"Or was it never lie to a dying man."
"He said that too."
Djaq left once more, leaving them all alone. "So...never lie to a dying man." Marian muttered, looking to her family.
"You are not going to die." Robin stated. "And I have not lied to you."
"We have never once spoken the truth to each other." Marian grunted, struggling to move. This caught Katherine by surprise, quietly listening to them talk.
"We haven't the time to argue."
Marian retorted stubbornly. "Do not tell me when it is the time to argue." Robin chuckled, causing her to ask. "What?"
"I do not think there could be much wrong with you."
"I am serious." Marian said in a low voice. "We have never once spoken the truth to each other. For instance I call you a fool when I mean you are a hero. I criticise your actions and then mimic them myself as the Nightwatchman. I chastise Robin Hood-" He tried to quiet her, but she wasn't going to take it. "I will not be shushed. These might be my last words."
"No, they will not be. They cannot be." Robin was trying his hardest to hold back his tears. "Because we should be together! I should never have left you. I should have never gone to war. It was a mistake and you were right, I wanted glory. But believe me, The battlefield is the last place you will find it."
"You would have regretted it if you hadn't gone."
"But not as much as I regret going. Not as much as I regret losing you. Marian, I should not have gone."
Katherine watched them with sad eyes, but this time it wasn't because of the fact she felt lonely or like she didn't fit into their lives. No, it was because in that moment she could see how much they loved each other and she wished dearly for them to be together. It made her think back to Guy and her relationship with him, causing her heart to clutch painfully which made her question what it was trying to tell her.
Even though he was the one who stabbed her, Katherine believed he wouldn't have done it if he just knew who she was. Right? She should have just told him the truth from the very beginning, leaving her to think this was her fault for not doing so. She loved him so much, that was certain but...
"I love you. You love me, we all love each other. Drink the wine." Djaq stated, coming back with everything. She pulled up Marian's shirt and looked at the wound. Katherine gave her more wine. "Robin, hold her." Djaq started to open her, causing Marian to screech out at the top of her lungs from the unbearable pain. The Saracen started to struggle, seeing Marian was starting to bleed too much. "I cannot. I am not trained. I do not have the right instruments. I cannot do it."
"Katherine, put your finger here." She did as the outlaw instructed.
"I need to get the physician." Robin stated, packing up his stuff.
"There is no time."
"Make me time." He yelled.
"Be quick." Djaq said.
Marian had passed out, looking pale and quickly fading as she bled out. Much had come into the cave and helped Katherine hold the area to stop her bleeding. Her sister looked to her hands and saw the blood on them before rubbing it off on her dress, going to gently touch her sister's face. Brown eyes scrunched at the fact she felt ice cold.
"Should I feel a heartbeat?" Much suddenly asked, making Katherine's heart race with fear.
"Yes." Djaq answered before noticing the look on his face.
"Oh god. No. NO!" Katherine burst out, sobbing with realization. Djaq ran over, checking her eyes before pounding on her chest to get her heart started.
"What are you doing? You'll hurt her!" Much exclaimed.
"Trust me, Much. Where she is, she cannot feel a thing." After a few poundings, they started to feel her heartbeat again. Much and Djaq looked up with smiles as Katherine perked up. "This cannot happen again. Where is the physician? I cannot wait."
They heard Robin entering the cave, shouting. "How is she?"
"Alive."
The said physician walked in, looking like a panic ridden mess. "You have to save her." Robin told the man.
"Science is advanced, but we are always at the hands of the lord. Here, you give her this. It's a draft of the surgery. Put a little on her tongue."
Djaq did as he instructed but informed him of what she had done. "She has a dagger wound near the liver. A leaking blood vessel. I have sewn it up."
"You have been trained?"
"A little."
"Good, then you've probably saved her life."
"If you agree, then I can close up the wound."
The physician briefly looked at it, not even caring. "Very good. Close the wound." This caused Katherine to give him a suspicious look.
"Do you have a needle, thread, cloth?"
He fumbled through his bag again. "Oh yes." Robin eyed him carefully as he handed the stuff to Djaq, noticing some things were missing, raising the outlaws suspicions as well.
"Excuse me." Robin said, leaving the area. He whispered to Katherine before checking outside and seeing trails of cloth left behind by the Physician. Robin ran around the forest, untying all the cloth pieces before hearing horses coming their way in the distance. He began to shout out for his men, heading back to the cave.
"John. Much. Your weapons now. If i am not mistaken, the sheriff and Gisborne will arrive at any moment."
"We gotta run." declared Much.
"No, we cannot run. Marian." Robin stated, not leaving his post at all. They were going to protect her and Katherine.
Little John stood tall, holding his stick. "WE. DO. NOT. RUN."
Much panicked, believing he was the only one thinking logically at this moment. "We're trapped in a cave and all surrounded. We are all going to die."
"Yes." Robin told them.
"Oh lord."
The physician walked up to them, chuckling. "What did you think? That Gisborne did not tell me that one day somebody might come asking about his alibi? That we did not have a plan in place for just the occasion? The charade is over. Your friend is dead."
Katherine let out a shrilling scream of grief, confirming their fear, causing all the men's blood to run cold. Robin's eyes went wide before running back to the sister's side.
Djaq walked up to him, tears in her eyes. "Robin, I'm sorry." She went to leave them alone. Seeing Katherine sobbing over her sister's body, he went to her side immediately. Katherine took him into a hug and they both held onto each other, crying over the loss of their loved one.
"I should have told her I loved her." The outlaw began to sob. "I loved your sister so much. I- I wanted to marry her." Katherine wished he could get that chance. All she wanted was for her sister to be alive and get that wish. In that moment, she would trade it for anything in the world.
As if testing her on it, The voice of the sheriff was heard outside, causing Katherine to gasp, realizing that more than likely Gisborne was with him as well. "Robin! Oh, Robin. Come out, come out wherever you are."
Robin and Katherine pulled back from their hug, a knowing look passed between their eyes before the outlaws' eyes went dark with rage and revenge. It sent shivers down Katherine's spine. Nothing mattered anymore with Marian gone.
He was going to kill.