Alone together that night in a luxuriant suite of rooms in Leicester Castle, Marian faced Robin in anger. "Why didn't you tell me about rescuing the Queen Mother?" she demanded.

Her anger stemmed only partially from her complaint. Most of it came from her feelings toward the Princess Johanna. Even though Robin had behaved perfectly, Marian felt threatened by the princess's open feelings against her and toward the man she loved, the man who tomorrow would become her husband.

Not understanding, Robin was surprised by her anger. All day long he had waited for this moment when they could be together. And now, instead of enjoying each other, she was scolding him! "I told you, Marian," he said irritably. "It happened when the sheriff's mercenaries took over Locksley. That was the mission the king sent me on. You remember that, don't you?"

"Of course! But you didn't tell me it was Queen Eleanor! I would have been interested to know that, Robin."

"I didn't know it myself at the time."

"But you found out!"

"I can't tell you everything."

"Why not? Are we working together for England, or aren't we?"

"I have to keep some things from you, for your safety. If I told you everything and your tongue were to slip, how long do you think the sheriff would keep you alive? You know I'd include you if I thought it safe, but the more I keep you in the dark, the better I sleep at night."

"You don't trust me at all, do you?"

"I trust you. But I love you more."

"What other secrets are you hiding?"

"None right now. What secrets are you hiding from me?"

She gasped. She was keeping several secrets from him...Guy discovering she was the Night Watchman, Allan rescuing her from the hangman's noose, Guy attempting to rape her, and of course a beautiful secret...probably the most important secret of all.

"You see," Robin said calmly. "You are keeping something from me. And that's fine. I do trust you, Marian. I'll know what it is, when you're ready to tell me."

She felt ashamed. He was right. The best thing to do, the most loving thing, would be to admit her error and ask for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Robin," she told him, her eyes level and kind. "I've been so cross lately. Do you forgive me?"

He took her in his arms and kissed her. "Forgive me, too, for keeping things from you. But it won't be for much longer, my love. The nightmare is ending. We're about to be married, the king will soon return, England will be right again! Now, why do you think Leicester put us together in these rooms, when our wedding is tomorrow? I'd prefer to stay here, but I can room with Much, if you want to spend this night alone."

"Don't be a fool, Handsome. Think of all those years we spent apart, when we should have already been married."

"And this bed...! It would be such a waste!"

"And look at this nightdress they've put out for me. It's beautiful and so soft!"

"You're beautiful and soft. Wear the dress, since you like it, but..."

"But what?"

He snickered. "You're not even wearing it yet, and I want to take it off you."

"That sounds like fun. Of course, you'll have to catch me in it first."

Robin's smile beamed. Marian picked up the nightdress and smiling, shook it at him before turning on her heel and walking out the door to the adjoining dressing chamber, leaving the door open so they could talk.

While she was preparing herself, Robin stripped down to his trousers and his cream colored knit shirt. Stretching himself out on the bed, he bounced his body a few times, testing the mattress. He smiled, listening to Marian humming a happy tune, then called out, "You're sure it's alright for us...the timing and all?"

Her tune stopped.

"Marian?"

He could not know, but she had sunk to the floor. He did not want a baby, she thought.

"Marian," he called again. "Are you alright?"

Her throat felt constricted as she tried to answer him. "What does it matter now?" she asked. "We're to be married tomorrow. I thought we could dispense with counting dates now."

"I meant..." He struggled to say what he thought. It was awkward, and embarrassing for him. "I only meant...you know...last night, when you said you were tender up there, I assumed..."

"What?"

"You know."

She almost wept, she was so relieved. "You have a lot to learn about women, Robin of Locksley."

"Why don't you teach me? I'm an apt pupil, when the subject's so fascinating."

She appeared in the doorway wearing the nightdress, looking gorgeous.

He sat up eagerly in bed. She advanced to him and kissed him, and he pulled her down beside him. As he pulled the nightdress off one shoulder to begin slipping it off her, she stood up and moved away, softly laughing.

"I told you you'd have to catch me," she said, taking three running steps across the bed and jumping to the floor.

...

Their wedding day dawned. An early autumn storm had rolled into Leicester, with forceful winds and pounding rains.

"Don't worry, my love," Robin said, kissing a sleepy Marian awake. "Rain is said to be lucky for brides. And that's what you are today. My beautiful bride."

Breakfast was a formal affair in Leicester Castle. Robin found it a good time to state his case to the earl, trying to convince him to join him pleading for the king's return to England.

Leicester, his mood as foul as the weather, disagreed. "His Majesty has not yet achieved his goal in freeing Jerusalem. He cannot come home until he does. You, who fought so hard alongside him ought to know that, Robin. You need to do your duty and return with me to Acre."

"My fight is here now, and the king's should be, too. He needs to make peace and come home. His people need him."

"When the cause is as just, as big as the one in the Holy Land, people don't matter."

"People always matter. England matters."

"You left your own people once. They did just fine without you."

"No, they didn't. And neither did yours. Look outside the walls of your castle! Have you not seen their suffering?"

"It's almost traitorous, what you're saying," the earl exploded. "No wonder you are an outlaw!"

Marian could no longer be silent. "He is a hero! The poor no longer starve in Nottinghamshire, because of Robin! Before he returned-"

"I would like some more cod," Princess Johnanna told a servitor.

The Earl of Leicester had heard enough from his former friend and brother-in-arms. His mood was foul because, while Robin had been delightedly chasing Marian all over their suite of rooms and eventually catching her, the princess had withheld herself from Leicester and had poisoned him against their guests, saying anything to prevent him from marrying the couple.

Johanna could not have Robin, she realized, but she'd be damned before she let that pretty English rose have him!

"I think you had better go," the earl told Robin, "before somebody tries to claim the five hundred pound bounty on your head."

"If you won't help me, at least do me this favor," Robin pleaded. "I still believe King Richard will come home, sooner than you think. Tell him to be on his guard when he lands on our shores. If he's received any of my messages, he already knows about the Black Knights. But he doesn't know the Sheriff of Nottingham plans to surprise him wherever he lands with an army of mercenaries. Tell him, Leicester, if you value his life."

"I will do that for you."

"Thank you."

"Goodbye," Johanna told Marian, hiding her emotion from Robin's concern for her beloved brother. "Be careful on your way home. Beware not only the storm, but the dangerous outlaws about. But then, you must be used to them."

"You are no better than Prince John," Marian told her, savagely.

"Oh, but my dear, I am! Tell her, Robin! I'm really a lovely lady. I only become somewhat unpleasant when I can't have what I want. It's a shame about your wedding, but then, if I, of the blood royal, can't have what I want, why should you?"

"Don't do this, Johanna," Robin said.

"It's 'Your Highness' to you, Huntington, or should I say 'Hood?' "

"What have I ever done to you, to make you hate me so? I thought we were friends."

"Ignorance, ignorance. Leicester, darling, show these outlaws and their ignoble ruffians the door. I never want to see you again, Locksley, as long as I live."

Marian stood, refusing to be silent. "I hope the king is nothing like you," she said defiantly.

"He isn't," Robin assured her. "He's brave and noble and true."

"Ignorance and idealism, a dangerous combination." Johanna laughed hollowly. "I only wish you carried such blind devotion toward me, Robin."