Chapter 10

May 1195 – Mediterranean Sea

Marian was stood at the front of the ship, looking out at the vast amounts of water before them. She was amazed at how big the world was, when she had travelled previously she had been stuck in the cargo hold.

"Penny for your thoughts." The captain approached from behind and leaned over the rail next to her.

"You don't want to know what's going through my mind." Marian joked.

"Although I can probably guess."

"How long will it take us to get to Italy?"

"Hmm we've been sailing about a week now. So we should be arriving in about 2 or 3 weeks."

"You think you can get us there by the 17th?"

"It will be a challenge, but 15 days, we could do it." The captain smiled. "Why what's the relevance?"

"It's my birthday. And I'd like to be on soil for it."

"Well Lady Marian, I will see what we can do." The captain smiled.

"CAPTAIN!" The scout shouted from the crow's nest.

"What is it?"

"Captain, pirates."

"Pirates?" Marian repeated.

"Yes they fill these waters." The captain said.

"Marian!" Carter shouted running towards them. "Get below decks."
"He's right mi lady."
"No I'm staying up here." Marian said.
"Marian please." Carter pleaded. The captain had begun issuing orders, for his crew. They began tipping oil over rails so the pirates would slip and made a barricade out of boxes.

"How long until they reach us?" Marian asked.

"They are within range to fire arrows at any moment."

"Well that's means so are we?" Marian said.

"Marian please, get below deck." Carter said one last time.
"Carter you taught me to fight. With me up here with have one more body, who knows how many they have?" Marian paused looking at carter, he sighed.

"Fine but be careful."

"Someone up in the crow's nest," The captain shouted.

"I will go." Marian said running towards the rope ladder, she grabbed more arrows out of a basket and began to climb. The captain went to protest but carter but his arm across the captain chest.
"She is a better shot than both you and I."

Marian reached the top of the crow's nest and could see the pirate fast approaching. They began to fire arrows towards the ship. It was less balanced in the crow's nest and Marian felt far worse up here than she had done on deck, but right now she had a job to do. This was no time for sea sickness. She pulled an arrow from her quiver and placed it in her bow. Robin had told her that once she had killed she could never go back and that was something he didn't want for her, but if she was to get home to Robin she would have to today. Marian did a quick count of the pirates she could see.

"Carter, there is 30 possibly more." Marian shouted down. Carter looked up and nodded.

"They out number us at least 3 to 1." The captain said. He had left his first mate steering the ship so he could fight alongside the crew.

"Marian take out as many as you can from there." The pirates grew closer and closer.

"PREPARE TO BE BOARDED." The captain shouted as the pirate ship drew closer. Marian began firing arrows, she hit every target she aimed for sending the arrow straight through their enemies' chest killing them instantly. Pirates had begun boarding the ship and were locked below her in deadly battles with the crew, Marian began picking out pirates on board the boat to give her friends a fighting chance. She pulled the last arrow from her quiver and fired it at a pirate who was about to jump on Carter from the barricade. The pirate fell to the floor beside Carter and he looked up to Marian and nodded. Marian nodded back and then climbed down from the crow's nest and into the battle. No quicker than she hit the floor and drew her swords was a pirate running towards he, she quickly disarmed him and placed a sword through his stomach.

"Cut the ropes." The captain shouted to her. She spied the ropes down the side of the ship which tethered the two together. She dodged swords and arrows as the crew battled whilst she cut the ropes. The pirates ship begun to drift away, sending the remainder of the pirates overboard to catch it.

The crew looked around them and then one by one, dropped their swords. Marian seethed hers as did Carter. She looked around her at the number of dead bodies around her, luckily none were the crew, there was blood plastered across the deck and on the faces and arms of the crew, Marian looked to her own hands to see splatters of blood across them. A huge crack of thunder sounded above them and then the heavens open effectively washing away any remains of the fight.

"We need to put them over board." Carter said. Marian and the captain nodded and set to work disposing of the bodies.

The rain had stopped and the deck had been cleared. Marian had now resumed her spot at the front of the boat.

"Dear lord. Please forgive me for my actions today, I needed to survive. We all did. I know one should never take another's life, but today was necessary, please lord allow my journey home a quick and safe one." Marian prayed. Robin had been right, killing was not easy and now Marian felt dirty. She looked at her hands, all traces of blood gone and yet she could still see it.
"You did what you had to." Carter whispered appearing behind her.

"Now I know why he tried to avoid killing."

"There is no glory in killing Marian. But it doesn't make you a bad person either. Sometimes I think it helps to look from the other side. If you hadn't of killed them, they would have killed you and all your friends. Which is worth more?" Carter offered.

"It is a shame there has to be either. Carter what if…?"
"What if what?"

"What if when he finds out I have killed he looks at me differently?"

"Marian, if you honestly believe Robin could ever think of you any differently, do you really know your husband that well at all."

"I just want things to be like they were when we get home."

"They will be." Carter smiled. "You'll see."
"Carter?"

"Yes Marian."

"What is your first name?"

"Matthew." Carter said.

"Which do you prefer?"

"I haven't been called Matthew in a very long time."
"Well then. Carter it is."