Beginning work as a castle guard, Robin felt the hours drag on and was only too glad when two other guards came to relieve him and his partner of their posts.

"Quick break to eat, and take a piss," his partner Evan told him. "Go to the Trip?"

Already his partner, seasoned as he was from years on the job, looked to Robin for leadership.

"The Trip sounds great," Robin agreed, knowing Allan would stand him a meal, or at least begin a tab, adding the cost to the amount he owed him. Removing his helmet, he carried it under his arm as he and Evan left the castle and made their way to the Trip To Jerusalem Inn.

"Is it always this...uneventful?" Robin asked. He caught himself from using the word "dull," not wanting to insult his partner's job.

"Nowadays it is," Evan explained. "It didn't use to be." He laughed. "But then, you know that."

They entered the Trip and were greeted by Allan. Robin was pleased to see the tavern so busy. Allan, at least, was in a position where he truly thrived.

"I was just telling my new partner 'ere," Evan joked with Allan, "the castle never used to be boring."

"Not bein' funny, but you guards miss the days when outlaws broke in, and caused all hell to break loose," Allan joked back. "Don't forget, I lived it on both sides, and every day was an adventure. What'll it be for you gents?" he asked, seating them at a table. "It'll be on the house today, seein' it's Robin's first day on the job."

"It's my lucky day, then," Evan said. "What you got?"

"Shepherd's pie or stew."

"I'll take the pie," Evan decided.

"Thank you, Allan," Robin said, truly grateful. "What's in the stew?"

"Same as the shepherd's pie, minus the crust and mashed turnips on top."

Robin ordered the stew, believing it would be lighter, and Allan left to fulfill their order.

Constance, the pretty, saucy server who had once acted as intermediate between Allan and Gisbourne, flounced to the table, delivering tankards of ale. Robin thanked her, and she stared at him in surprise, not expecting to see him wear a guard's uniform.

"Well, the world's turned upside down," she exclaimed. "I never thought to see your pretty face in here, under a guard's uniform. But then, there's lots of pretty faces here today, what don't belong."

"What you mean, Connie?" Evan asked her.

"You'll see soon enough. I don't think he'll like it," she added, indicating Robin. She flounced away.

"So," Robin said, enjoying his ale and addressing Evan, "do you have any family?"

He didn't hear his partner's answer, for just then, he caught sight of Marian coming through the door of the kitchen, dressed as a serving girl and carrying a tray loaded with food.

Robin leaped to his feet and strode over to her. Marian nearly dropped the tray, she was so surprised to see him confront her.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"Working, the same as you. Now, if you will step out of my way, I can do my job."

Robin could see the tray was heavy and he didn't want Marian carrying it, due to her condition. He tried to take it from her, but she resisted.

"Let me have it," he ordered.

"Let go!" she shouted back at him. They struggled back and forth with the tray, sloshing the stew from its bowls, until Robin managed to yank it from Marian's hands. Everything on it clattered to the floor, breaking into pieces of broken crockery.

The customers in the tavern broke into whistles and applause.

Allan came running from the kitchen. "What's this then?" he asked.

"Yes, Allan," Robin demanded, savagely. "What is this?"

Instantly, Allan dropped his anger and became defensive. "Oh, you mean Marian? Yeah, I gave her a job."

Marian did not want anyone to speak for her. "I asked him for the job," she explained to her husband. "You're working. Is it so wrong of me to want to help support our family, too?"

"You can support us by staying at Bonchurch and comforting our girls! Not dressing like a tavern wench, carrying heavy trays while being ogled by every man in Nottingham!"

"Our girls are having the time of their lives, running rampant through Bonchurch with Much and Eve's boys. And it's a perfectly respectable job," Marian insisted. "Allan hired me on the condition I don't work nights, and I don't go upstairs."

"I need you to resign immediately," Robin ordered her.

"Really?" she asked, lifting her brows.

"Yes."

"And I need you not to tell me what to do!"

"What I need," Allan interrupted, "is for one of you to clean up the mess you made, preferably the one I'm paying."

Robin turned his anger on Allan. "Since when has my wife taken orders from you, Allan?"

"Whoa!" Allan said. "I'm just the proprietor here...just a businessman trying to earn a living."

"I'll clean it up," Marian said, pulling a towel from her apron and bending over to wipe up the mess.

Robin saw nearly every pair of male eyes light up and focus on Marian's behind. He grew furious when he saw the men make quiet, laughing comments and nudge one another.

Without thinking, he seized Marian from behind and pulled her toward the kitchen.

"Get off me!" Marian shouted.

"OI!" Evan called to Robin from their table. "Your stew's getting cold! And it's nearly time we returned to our posts!"

"She quits," Robin told Allan.

"Oh no, she doesn't," Marian insisted.

"Oh yes, she does!"

"Which is it?" Allan asked. "Look, Robin, I thought I was doin' you a favor, hiring her. She's not exactly experienced, waiting on customers. And that tray you both dumped over isn't the only food she spilled today."

"That man put his hands on me where they don't belong," Marian reminded Allan. "What else could I do, but pour stew in his lap?"

"He was a paying customer," Allan tried to explain.

"He said he wanted to 'squeeze the melons, to see if they were ripe,' " Marian said.

"Where is he?" Robin demanded to know, his hand on his sword hilt.

"Long gone, and probably won't come back," Allan lamented. "Look, you two, I'm givin' Marian a chance to earn a decent wage. If you can't cut it, Mar, you're out."

"She doesn't want to 'cut it,' Allan, as you put it," Robin told him.

"I do!" Marian cried out. "I was doing fine, until you showed up. How would you like it if I came to your place of work, and tried to take your job from you?"

"Robin!" Evan called. "Time to go!"

"I need to go," Robin told his wife.

"Good bye, then," she said, coldly.

"This conversation is not finished," Robin said. "We will discuss this later."

"There's nothing to discuss."

"Allan?" Robin appealed, making one final effort.

"I'll watch over her," Allan told Robin quietly. "Nothing bad will happen to her. I'm not bein' funny, but she does add a bit of alright, some class and beauty to the establishment we've never had before."

"She's my wife!" Robin shouted, in frustrated anguish. "She's expecting another child!"

"Yeah, but she doesn't really show yet," Allan remarked. "Just a little swell over her belly. Lots of gents find it really...you know...hot."

Robin had taken enough. Without thinking, he threw a punch at Allan, knocking him out with one blow.

"Locksley!" Evan cried, heading out the door of the tavern. "We gotta get back now!"

Marian stared at Robin, knowing he had gone too far.

"See you after work?" she asked.