Wearing their hoods pulled over their heads, Robin's gang arrived with Marian in Nottingham amid the chaos of the hunt for Robin Hood.
"He's safe!" Much exclaimed. "Well, not exactly safe, probably. But he's not caught. He got away. Where is he?"
"We should split up," Marian told the others.
"I agree," Much said. "We stay here at least until the search is called off."
Little John forcefully disagreed, expressing the united decision of the rest. "No. Robin freed himself. He doesn't need us. We go back to camp."
"How do you know he doesn't need us?" Marian so desperately wanted Robin to need her. But then she gave a little startled jump, like a surprised deer.
Gisbourne was striding right toward her, his sword drawn, an angry snarl on his face. In an instant, Marian ducked into the nearest doorway, that belonging to the Trip to Jerusalem Inn.
"Now we have to stay," Will realized.
"Gisbourne is coming," Djaq told them. "Split up, as she said."
Inside the Trip, Marian came face to face with Allan a Dale. The Trip was crowded and noisy, and no one inside seemed aware of the hunt that was taking place throughout the castle and the town.
"You again!" Allan said. "Not bein' funny, but you don't want to be here. Especially now."
"Is Robin here?"
Allan wasn't sure he should answer, at least not honestly. If Marian found Robin upstairs with Hannah, she'd give him hell, which would be funny. But on the other hand, she'd be hurt, which wouldn't be.
Noticing the red mark on her neck, he laughed and said, "Robin get frisky?" No wonder he'd had an "itch," Allan thought. Getting frisky with her, then having to make it go nowhere.
"He is here," she guessed, ignoring Allan's improper question. Not finding Robin in the crowd, she raced up the stairs before Allan could stop her.
Pushing open a door, she found Robin lying face down on the filthy floor, with the tavern wench Hannah on her knees beside him.
"You're not 'ere to arrest 'im, are you?" Hannah asked.
"I'm here to help him. What happened?"
Marian dropped down on the other side of Robin, her heart racing.
"I don't know. He was strong and 'earty one minute, and the next...Boom! He fell on the floor."
"Is he wounded?" Marian's voice sounded weak, in her distress. "I don't see any blood. Help me roll him over."
Marian took hold of one of Robin's shoulders, while Hannah grabbed his hips. "On the count of three," Marian said. "One...two...three."
Robin awoke with a cry of pain as they turned him onto his back.
"Robin!" His anguished cry had cut right through his beloved.
"Marian!"
Through his pain, Robin looked at Marian with a tender, joyful smile.
"She your wife?" Hannah asked, taking in the loving looks passing between them.
"Marian," Robin said, "you've met Hannah. She helped save my life today."
"I don't know 'er," Hannah insisted.
"We have met. You don't know me, because I was disguised. Thank you...thank you for helping him." Noticing his broken bone, she exclaimed, "Robin! You're hurt!"
"Only a fracture," he assured her gently. "Don't worry, Marian. It will heal."
"Not unless it's properly set. We need Djaq."
"Jack!" Hannah said. "I know Jack. Sullen, silent gent what tried to clobber me, just because he was drunk."
Robin looked questioningly at Marian, an amused smile playing on his lips.
"This is no time to joke," Marian said, anxiously. "I need to find someone who can bring Djaq."
"The others are here?" Robin asked. "How did you find me, when they didn't?"
"Never mind." She realized that something had drawn her to him, just as he had felt drawn to her when she had returned to his camp. Was it really only last night?
Leaving the room, Marian ran down the stairs and found Allan sipping an ale. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. She never wanted to taste ale again.
"You alright?" Allan asked her. "You give him hell? Not bein' funny, but is he still breathing?"
"Barely," she answered. "Allan, you've got to help me! Find Djaq, and bring her here. Robin needs her."
"Whoa! What did you do to him?"
"There isn't time. Are you going to help me, or not?"
"Look, Marian, you keep forgetting. I'm not on your side anymore. I'm Gisbourne's man."
"You're not a man at all, if you won't help Robin! I don't want to leave him-"
"Then don't. Forgive and forget, and turn a blind eye. Like I told you before, what Robin does with Hannah has nothing to do with you."
Marian uttered a frustrated groan. "Do I have to find Djaq myself?"
It wasn't only not wishing to leave Robin's side, strong as those pullings were. It was the thought of coming face to face with Guy of Gisbourne.
"Yeah, you do," Allan answered. "Look, Marian, if I was to go find her, why would she come with me? She thinks I'm a traitor."
"She has never reproached you."
"Not with words, or force, like the others. But you haven't seen her eyes, all full of disappointment. It's worse than John shouting, 'Traitor' at me. I'm not going."
Marian shot him a look full of her own disappointment. It wasn't hard to take, like Djaq's. There was too much anger flashing in her eyes, and almost no sadness.
Taking a deep breath and readjusting her hood, Marian pushed open the door of the Trip and plunged into the streets of Nottingham, in search of Djaq.