White Sails

Locksley Manor

Archer's voice wasn't coming just as clear, as Isabella's. When he was standing by the window, his voice was loud and firm, but when he was in the back of the room, it was coming like the whisper of a trembling child. Robin couldn't explain it.

He frequently wondered what the lives of them both would have been like, if that fire hadn't killed their parents and separated them. As things were they ended up on different sides. Perhaps it'd be better if they had been one family.

The unavoidable additions of Guy and Isabella, Ghislaine's older children, on the other hand, reduced any chances of a happy life.

This situation affected Robin's dreams too. Two boys running in the fields in the sunshine, playing and laughing and the scene always changed quickly into a bloody battle with only one victor. After such dreams Robin woke up in a bad mood. This morning was the same, but things improved during the day.

"Absolutely not!" Isabella snapped and Robin's attention was drawn back to the house.

"It was only a suggestion. No reason to bite."

Their quarrel had began with Archer's idea to host a tourney at Locksley. Isabella declined, unwilling to reconsider.

"I'll bite and cut if I have to! Any ideas about presenting yourself as the Lord of this place, forget them. You're just a polished guard around here. My polished guard. Understood?"

Archer mumbled something, and Robin heard the wounded child again. It upset him. However, he wouldn't allow this feeling of sympathy towards the version of his abandoned brother to cloud his judgment about the man Archer really was. It was a painful realization that he had risked his neck for an ungrateful, conniving traitor.

It had been obvious since that day Robin had gone to the castle to find out what was going on. He had overheard them, Archer and Isabella, meeting for the first time and it was enlightening as it was hurtful.

"So you are Malcolm's bastard son..." Isabella beckoned him to get closer.

"And-"

"End of story," Isabella interrupted him with a warning; no mention of their mother would be tolerated. "Now. Why are you here?"

"Not for the plenitude of love, certainly!"

"Clearly not. Or you would have stayed with the other two who fought so bravely to save your life, wouldn't you?"

"I came here to offer you my services. If that's something that doesn't interest you, I will be on my way."

"I will need proof of your abilities. As for your loyalty we can safely assume it doesn't exist."

"Tell me."

This was the second meeting between them that Robin was witnessing. He was hidden, carefully placing himself away from any source of light that could reveal him to the patrolling guards.

Suddenly there was commotion in the yard and that meant one thing; guards from the west side of the Manor would walk past him to get to the front door where everyone would gather. He had no time to climb down and disappear, so he held his breath, waiting.

The guards passed and Robin was safe. Isabella was gone due to the urgent message. Apparently news about her intercepted correspondence finally reached her.

"Sorry, Sheriff, old habits." He laughed when he reached the first trees of the forest, touching the important letter inside his pocket.

"At last!" Much exclaimed. He had been waiting deep into the woods, impatiently. "I thought you stayed for supper."

"I am hungry. Do you think I should have asked for a place at their table?"

"You've done weirder things than that."

"True enough! Did they save the miller's leg?"

"Thank God, yes." Much delivered the news as relieved as he was when he had received them. "How about Locksley?"

"Kate's mother is doing fine. Her aim improved, by the way." Kate's mother disliked Robin for the danger he brought to her daughter and when Robin tried to defend himself she threw a sack of dirt at him. Again. "And my little brother is now living in our father's house," he said without bitterness. Robin, over the years learned to forget what it felt like to have a home.

"He didn't waste time!"

"The mission Isabella trusted him with when he introduced himself, went as planned. With his successful return he took his reward; Locksley."

"Everyone's gonna live there except for you, master. How can you be so calm?"

Robin smiled. "I've got more important things in my possession, Much." He showed the letter with the Sheriff's insignia, initially addressed to a general whose army of mercenaries she wanted to do her bidding.

"But she'll know, we know."

"It would have been better to have her completely in the dark, but I won't complain."

"But she'll find a way to get this, or another army. What do we gain?"

"Precious information; the reason she wants the army."

"Was she foolish enough to mention it?"

"From what I understand it is the second letter she wrote to eh-" Robin opened the letter and read the name out loud. "Cyneric. He wasn't convinced the first time. She's desperate enough, so..."

"So, why does she want an army? Beside the obvious reason." Much was overwhelmed by the news of another army marching to Nottingham, to kill them.

"Prince John is coming to Nottingham-"

"Again?! What ever for?"

"-to make it the center of his rule." Robin finally finished his sentence.

"That's why the guards..."

"Yes, the guards too."

"More black knights, then!"

"So it would seem."

"Master! Have you taken leave of your senses?"

Robin looked at Much's ever worrying face and smiled.

"Well, look at you! You say all these horrible things with a smile."

"There are some things that I kept from you, but it is time to tell you."

Shortly after Gisborne's arrival at the camp as a member of the gang, Robin was spending less and less time there. He was taking long walks away from the poisonous air that surrounded Gisborne. During one of those walks he came across something he had lost hope he'd ever see. A soldier with a white basket in his arms.

"As promised, Lord Locksley," the soldier had bowed to his superior. Indeed, it was as promised, long ago...

"Robin. Come. Sit." Richard had summoned Robin to his tent the night before Robin's departure to discuss important matters. "How are you?"

"As well as I can, your Majesty. Thank you for your concern."

"Robin..."

Robin stared at him.

"Talk to me."

"About what, your Majesty?"

"Whatever you believe you should say."

"She.." Robin started, "she thought it was a mistake to be here. Witnessing the suffering caused by Prince John, she believed you had to return home and help the people." Robin would never speak like that to his King, but if Marian had been there she would have the courage to speak her mind.

"A popular opinion. Even among my counselors." Richard didn't seem offended. He valued honesty as much as loyalty. "But it is not time, yet. Peace must be achieved here."

Robin didn't comment on that. He went on talking about Marian. "She was loyal to the people of Nottingham. She helped them and bled for them. She lost her pride, her home, her father to this cause. For them. And she kept fighting. And she fought for you as well. She escaped, but she returned to the lion's den, not as prey, but as a spy. For me. She worked ceaselessly to keep England safe. She didn't abandon the people not even when the city was surrounded by an army ready to raze everything to the ground." Both men fell silent. "That's what I wanted to say. I wanted you to know about her."

"I knew about her, Robin."

"Not as my betrothed," Robin said. "I wanted you to know her as the person she really was; a remarkable woman, now lost forever."

"We will remember her. I give you my word. But we must work hard so that her sacrifices will not be wasted."

"I want nothing more, your Majesty." Robin was determined to honor Marian's memory with or without help. But Richard knew he was also completely concentrated on their mission.

"To that end, I need you in England. And this time, we cannot allow any more complications in our communication. Not an easy task, I know."

"How?"

"How's your knowledge about Greek myths?"

"Not as good as my tutors would have liked, your majesty."

"Once there was a monster in a Cretan labyrinth, called Minotaur. Seven boys and seven girls from Athens were sacrificed to him to appease King Minos. The son of King Aegeus, of Athens, decided to end this tragedy. He traveled to Crete and managed to kill the monster. His father had made him promise that if he'd be successful, the sails on his ship should be white, so that the king would see it from his lookout and know his son was returning home victorious. But the young man forgot to change the sails. The king saw the ships arriving with dark sails and threw himself to the sea, mourning."

"Devastating."

"Do you see the power of a simple action? Just the color of the sails was enough to kill a king. Black sails meant one thing; death of his son. The message, Robin, was clear."

"But untrue, your Majesty. The son was alive."

"Well, we will have to be more careful than that."

Much having heard this conversation, understood little. "Well?" he asked impatiently.

"The white basket in the arms of the messenger, Much."

"Of course!" he nodded. "What about it?"

Robin laughed. "Much, the King is coming home."

Somewhere in north France, close to Calais

Marian, Carter, Will and Djaq, accompanied by Olaf and few of his men were traveling through France on their way home. The rest of Olaf's group had moved separately and they would meet on English soil.

"Well done, Little rock!" Olaf said to Rochelle. He insisted on calling her by the meaning of her name. "Steady and swift." Her training was going well.

"Thank you, Olaf." Rochelle responded with a smile. She didn't mind being called rock. On the contrary she thought it was a praise.It was another chapter in the great adventure she had begun when she left home, and which was now leading her to England and its fascinating people.

"Bitter Grace, your turn." Olaf turned to Marian who also didn't object, but enjoyed far less this peculiar name he had for her.

She was teamed with a strong opponent. The blows were accurate and the fight was quick. Marian was falling on the ground, her arm aching; a winner nonetheless.

"You have it in you," Olaf said, "fighting hard."

Marian was uncomfortable with that assessment, despite how Olaf meant it. The last time she had heard it, her life took a turn she didn't expect.

"You have it in you. You fight hard, for a girl." A tall man spoke.

Marian squinted her eyes and fought the foul smell that was rising to her nostrils. She was on the deck of a ship, bound to chains. Again.

She remembered when she, Vaisey and Gisborne were under attack a few nights after Allan had escaped. She remembered convincing Vaisey to free her and let her fight. She remembered him, too scared for his life, using her as a human shield. She remembered bleeding and she remembered killing. But she didn't remember losing.

She looked around for anything familiar. Gisborne in chains too, perhaps. Or Vaisey beaten to a pulp. And then, Gisborne appeared from the shadows with Vaisey at his heels. Neither of them looked like they had suffered. Of course.

"I wasn't good enough for you." Gisborne told her, holding her face in his hands. "My love wasn't good enough for you. See if you like it here." He pushed her backwards and looked away.

"Here? What's here? Who's this? What have you done?" The chains rattled as her body shook violently with rage.

"Come on Gisborne, we have a King to kill."

"Come back!" she pleaded, not knowing why.

"You're mine, girl," the tall man repeated.

It didn't need saying. She was on a slave ship.

Author's note. Marian means bitter. Marianne means Bitter Grace in Norse and I just thought it'd be fun if Olaf was using this way to call her. Little rock (Rochelle) came as a bonus!