Returning from the pond, Marian stopped Isabella as they approached camp. "They're practicing," she whispered, stepping behind a thick oak. "Let's watch."

Robin and Much were practicing sword moves on one another, while Allan and Kate looked on. "Much," Robin objected, stopping, "you'll never improve, if you hold back."

"I don't want to hurt you!"

"Trust me, you won't. Ready...now!"

"Come on, boys!" Kate was in her element with Marian and Isabella away from camp. She felt herself the only "girl" again, since Djaq didn't matter to her.

" 'Boys?' " Isabella whispered.

"Try not to mind Kate," Marian whispered back. "She hasn't anywhere else to go."

"Why don't you ship her off to the convent?"

"I'm afraid she would disrupt the nuns' work there." Marian did not wish to talk, but to watch. She loved watching Robin fight, not only to learn from him, but just because he was so beautiful to her eyes.

Marian could see that Much was having trouble seeing. She noticed a smile on Allan's face as he used Djaq's small round glass to reflect the sun into Much's eyes. Blinded, Much spun around, bumped into a tree, then began hacking away at its trunk.

"Am I winning, Master?" he asked, while Robin looked on, wearing a half amused, half exasperated grin.

"Allan," Robin said, holding out his hand to take Djaq's glass.

Much, able to see again, was surprised. "Ah! I suppose I'll need to sharpen this." Taking Robin's sword and Djaq's glass as well, he stood aside to watch Allan's archery lesson.

"You're good," Robin told Allan. "Let's see if you can do this." Lining up three arrows on his bow, he prepared to fire them off, one by one. Kate stepped forward with one more arrow, whispering in his ear, "I bet you can't do it with four."

Robin's eyes lit up at the challenge, and he grinned appreciatively at her as he took her arrow.

Watching, Isabella whispered to Marian, "The way she spoke to him was perfectly suggestive! She's after him and he doesn't even realize it."

"He knows. She's harmless, just annoying." Marian wished Isabella wouldn't speak so she could give Robin's shooting her full attention.

His four arrows flew in quick succession, each splitting the one before it.

Isabella caught her breath.

"Now, Allan," Robin said.

"I can't do that," Allan said.

"Try it with the sun in your eyes," Much said, shifting Djaq's glass about to catch the sun's rays, but only succeeding in blinding himself again.

"Try it with two," Robin suggested.

Allan tried and failed. He couldn't hit his target with one, while trying to balance another arrow on his bow.

Robin showed him, placing his hand over Allan's while Kate danced about them. "Work on that awhile. Don't give up. I know you can do it."

"Can anyone have a lesson," Marian called, stepping from behind a tree, "or are you only teaching men?"

Isabella watched Robin's face light up as he looked at his wife. Stepping from behind the tree as well, she saw his face grow grim.

"Where's her blindfold?" he asked Marian. "And why are her hands free? Your hair's wet as well?"

"We both bathed," Marian answered him. "Is there a crime in that?"

Kate stormed away, angry that the two women she felt stole Robin away had returned.

Marian continued her defense. "Look at her, Robin. She has no shoes, and very little else on. She's no threat. I think we can stop binding her wrists now."

"Do you?" he asked angrily. "I thought you were the one who warned me, I didn't take her seriously enough."

"Robin, may I speak to you alone?" Marian asked, more a demand than a question.

"Allan, take Isabella back to camp, after you blindfold her."

Allan obeyed, tying on the blindfold more tightly than necessary, and pushing Isabella along.

Much stayed and took his place beside Robin, but Marian was used to him being alongside. She began, "I think we can learn more from her, if we're kind."

"Was I cruel?"

"No, but I mean really kind, as a true friend would be."

"Don't tell me you're friends with her now!"

"Her? Unbelievable!" Much interjected.

"Not friends. I'm not such a fool as to trust her. I only mean, friendly. You forget, I served as a very good spy for you, Robin, and I didn't learn all I did by being standoffish from Gisbourne."

"You ought to have been more standoffish! Maybe then he wouldn't have believed you were his and hurt you!"

"How dare you blame me for his cruelties?"

"I did not mean that."

"You said it. You must believe it. I never gave him a reason to believe I cared any deeper than a friend, even when I was forced to be engaged to him." Realizing her mistake, she added, "Except for the time I kissed him, but that was to save your life!"

Robin, having said more than he'd wanted, gently told his wife, "I spoke out of turn. I'm sorry, Marian. You were an incredible spy. But we're speaking of Isabella now, not her brother. Why did you bathe with her? You must know you made yourself vulnerable."

"I stayed between her and the bank. And I'm a much stronger swimmer. She can't swim at all, as you ought to know. She told about the time she had to cling to you underwater, and you made her undress."

"Marian!"

"What? Do you deny it?"

"It was innocent, I swear it. I thought of you the entire time."

"Really?"

"I was trying to keep us alive, but she was saying things that made me think of you."

"What things?"

"A dream she claimed to have had, about living in a cottage with children. I was wishing it could have been us, and it sounded perfect to me, picturing you."

Marian was quiet for a moment, no longer angry. "And here we are now, living in less than a cottage. But it is somewhat perfect, isn't it?"

"It's wonderful."

Much cleared his throat, then said, "Master, do you wish me to leave?"

"That would be a good idea, Much."

As soon as Much had gone, Robin took Marian in his arms and kissed her slowly, lingering over her lips.

"It's always sweet to make up after we argue," Marian said, remaining in his embrace, her arms around his neck. "I meant what I said, about cultivating friendship with Isabella. I think I can do it. She isn't really too different from her brother. Both of them share so much."

"That is what worries me. They're both dangerous, Marian."

"You laughed at me before, when I tried to warn you about her."

"That's because I'm a man."

"Oh! And because I'm a woman, I should be afraid? I'll pretend you did not say that, Robin."

"Are we arguing again?"

"If you're smirking at me, the way you seem to be, then yes."

"I'm not smirking!" He wasn't any longer. "Alright, Marian, you try to make friends with our guest. See what you can learn from her, while I try my way. With any luck, between the pair of us, we'll soon learn where the king is."

"A competition?" Marian was pleased. "You haven't a chance, Robin of Locksley."

"You be careful, Marian," he told her seriously. "Don't forget what Matilda calls her."

"A hobby horse?"

"I meant a snake. Snakes look harmless, with nothing but a mouth to defend themselves. But many are deadly. I was nearly fanged to death, as the sheriff put it, that time his sister paid him a visit."

"I remember. He said you had died!"

"You saved me again that day. I seem to owe you, not having rescued you half as many times as you've saved me."

"Well, let's not make that a competition. Let's just stick to the one at hand. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to begin."

"After I question her first."

"During. I'll look sympathetic, and get you to stop hounding her."

"You go ahead and try, my love." He kissed her again. "You go right ahead and try."