The sheriff's birds twittered in their cages while Guy of Gisbourne stood holding a small bowl of black paint, as the sheriff carefully painted his own toenails.

Isabella, followed by Meg, burst into the sheriff's quarters.

"Isabella! Meg!" Gisbourne cried, displeased to see them.

"What is this, Gisbourne, hmm?" the sheriff asked. "Lepers, in my chambers?"

"Your guards let us in," Isabella explained. "We've just been robbed by Robin Hood's gang!"

The sheriff grew excited and threw his legs to the floor from over the arm of his chair. "Was Hood with them? What was he wearing, hmm? His plain hooded ensemb, or his new brown leather and the low cut shirt with the beaded trim, where you can see the top of his pretty little chest peeking so temptingly out?"

"Hood wasn't there," Isabella explained. "It was only-"

"Well, lah dee dah dee dah! Do I care? A clue...no. Bored now. Come back when you have real news."

"It was Allan a Dale, and-"

"Your boy, Gisbourne! A traitor! Aw, poor Guy! You couldn't make him love you, could you? Just as Marian did, he preferred Hood to you!" Glaring at the two women, the sheriff asked, "Another sister, Gisbourne? How many more can I expect, hmm? Don't tell me your family multiplies like rabbits!"

"No, my lord sheriff," Guy seethed, angry at the mention of both Allan and Marian. "This is Lady Margaret of Eynsham. I ask your permission to make her my wife."

"Another leper, Gisbourne? Another distraction? And Marian hardly cold in her grave! Tsk, tsk, tsk."

"Marian is not dead, my lord. She returned from the Holy Land, along with two others from Hood's gang."

"Returned? I thought you killed her! Don't tell me you failed at that, too, Gisbourne!"

"She is alive," Guy fumed.

The sheriff rose to his feet and began pacing. "Alive, and returned to Hood's gang! Along with the two smart ones! Not to mention your boy! Hood certainly seems to be gathering reinforcements! No doubt he's expecting the king to return!" The sheriff laughed. "Pity he doesn't know the king's a prisoner, locked in some dank forsaken castle in Austria! My little scheme of having Prince John enlist Philip of France and Leo of Austria against the king is working! While King Richard rots in an unknown Austrian dungeon, Prince John reigns here! Oh! This is good! This is good!"

"Your plan was brilliant, my lord sheriff," Isabella said, casting a gloating look at her brother.

"And now you want to marry this, Gisbourne?" the sheriff asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust at Meg. "Oh! I see! You're trying to recreate The Leper! Dressing this one up in her clothes! I'm surprised you don't dye her hair with blackberry juice, to make it darker."

Gisbourne sneered, then asked his sister, "What happened to your hair?"

"Your so called leper friend cut pieces off it! If you meant to subdue her, Guy, you failed miserably! She was bold, and dangerous!"

"You faced Allan and Marian, and you did NOTHING?" Guy exploded. "Where was your weapon?"

"I was trying to gather my weapons in the woods!"

"Plants, to make poison? Take a dagger with you next time, and cut out their traitorous hearts!"

"Subdue her?" the sheriff repeated. "Ooh! Settle down, Guy, and tell Daddy everything. What did you do to Marian, hmm?"

"My lord, not in front of my lady."

Meg loved hearing that. At times she wondered whether Guy cared for her at all, especially when she caught him sneering at her when she spoke. But to hear him call her his lady, and to ask the sheriff for her hand, made her melt toward him all over again.

"At least this one's quiet," the sheriff said. "Did you learn a lesson from me, Gisbourne, and cut out her tongue?"

"I am teaching her to hold her tongue, my lord."

"Good. Good." The sheriff moved closer to Meg. "Tell me, Missy, hmm, how do you feel about authority?"

"I sometimes think the world would be a better place, if women were in charge."

"Do you?" The sheriff wheeled about to face Gisbourne. "You knew she felt this way, Gisbourne, yet you still chose another leper who would defy MY AUTHORITY?"

"No, milord. Meg is controllable. She is not like..." Guy turned his anguished face away.

"Say it, Gisbourne," the sheriff whispered, standing on his toes, his face just inches from Guy's. "She is NOT like Marian."

"She IS like her!" Gisbourne cried. "She will be like her!"

"Oh! And you are to be her puppet master, Gisbourne, hmm? Oh, this is good! This is good! I like this! It will be practice for you, learning to control others with something other than your sword. Yes!" He stopped smiling. "Just see she doesn't become a distraction, like Hood's wife was! Do you hear me, Gisbourne, hmm?"

"Yes, my lord." Gisbourne looked wretched, hearing Vaisey call Marian "Hood's wife." Try as he might, he couldn't accept it! But then, a thought struck him. Marian had just met Meg, and must have learned his intentions to marry her! He needed to hear all of Marian's reactions to the news. And just to increase her jealousy, he would host a party in Locksley tonight, and announce his engagement! But first, once Meg was out of hearing range, he would tell the sheriff what he had done to Marian, to get his respect for giving her what she had deserved.

...

Allan and Marian returned to the outlaw camp to find Robin away.

Kate scowled at them. "You upset Robin," she said, glaring at Marian.

"My master wondered where you were," Much told them, somewhat upset himself. "He told me to tell you he's sorry, Marian, but he had to take the horses back to Locksley."

Marian sighed. She knew she couldn't keep Fauvel indefinitely, but she was sorry Robin had taken him back before she'd even had an opportunity to ride him.

"Look what we brought!" Allan told the others, holding up Isabella's purse.

"Good work!" Robin entered the camp, back from his errand. "Where have you been?" he asked his wife, trying to hide his concern.

"Allan and I went to Matilda's. We saw a friend of yours there."

"From your tone, I take it my 'friend' wasn't Rosa."

Allan got close to Robin's ear and quietly told him. "Isabella showed us the view from under her skirts. Not bad! But watch out! She said some things your wife wasn't any too pleased to hear."

"What are you whispering, Allan?" Marian asked, accusingly.

"Aw, nothing much. Just givin' him a heads up, so to speak."

"Well, now that's everyone's returned, safe and sound," Much said, relieved that Robin could now relax, "why don't we all enjoy breakfast together? What have you prepared for us, Tuck?"

"Oatmeal. It's nourishing, and not too bad, with honey."

"Not bein' funny, but isn't that leftovers from the horses?"

"None for me, thank you," Djaq said. "I do not have much appetite this morning. I'm feeling a little ill."

"Are you alright, my love?" Will asked.

Marian remembered what Matilda had said about Djaq. She also found it cute, how Will tried to copy Robin in so many ways, even using his term of endearment.

"I am fine," Djaq assured her husband. "It will pass."

Much, taking his bowl from Tuck, moved away to sit with Little John. "It's not catching, is it?"

"I do not think so," Djaq said, smiling. "You, at any rate, are safe."

She knows, Marian thought, but she hasn't told Will yet. How wonderful for them! She sighed sadly, remembering the child Gisbourne had murdered in her womb, then took her own bowl from Tuck and sat down.

"Right, lads," Robin began, once everyone else was eating. "I have some news."

All the outlaws looked up at him expectantly. He in turn, looked straight at Allan and Marian. "Gisbourne's returned, which is why I don't want the two of you to go traipsing off without telling me first."

"Don't look at me," Allan objected. "It was her idea."

Ignoring him, Robin continued. "Gisbourne didn't return alone. He brought along Lady Margaret of Eynsham, and he intends to marry her."

"That's good, isn't it?" Much asked. "I mean, if he has a wife, maybe he'll leave yours alone!"

"Except," Robin added, "the lady in question was probably brought here under duress. I know her brother. He wouldn't want his sister in danger. Which means, lads..."

"We need to rescue her," Will finished.

"I agree," Marian spoke up. "But there's one difficulty."

"Only one?" Tuck asked.

"Allan and I met her today. She doesn't want to be rescued."

"Marian's right," Robin informed the gang. "Thornton told me Gisbourne's playing the gallant gentleman with her. She doesn't know what danger she faces, but we do. We can't let that stop us. Who's with me?"

Much was the last to agree. "Well," he said, "I suppose if we have to risk our necks going to Locksley to save a woman we don't know, who doesn't want to be saved, at least we should do it when Gisbourne's away in Nottingham."

"We should," Robin responded, a slow smile creeping over his face. "But where would be the fun in that?"

"Oh, no! Oh, no, Master!"

"Oh, yes! Lads, I have a plan."