"Free Robin Hood! Free Robin Hood!"

The roar of the growing mob outside the Tower grew louder. Within the prison cell, Much's wide astonished look changed to a grin. "Not like the mob of sheriff's mercenaries in the barn in Nettlestone, on your birthday," he proclaimed. "That mob wanted to kill us, while this one is...It's wonderful!"

"Our gang's grown in number, it would seem," Robin answered, his own grin jubilant.

"And we don't even have to pull strings on branches, or fire Will's arrow shooting contraption, to make it seem like there's a lot of us!"

Marian watched with concern as Robin playfully mock punched Much two or three times. Both men were in complete denial of King Richard's death, and Robin was reckless. "Haven't you punched enough?" she asked, alluding to his recent fight against Gisbourne. "I should think your knuckles must be-"

"Kiss them better?"

Marian saw Guy sneer in jealous disgust, and she turned angry eyes on him for insulting her husband. Then, returning her attention to Robin, she grew gentle and patient. "I know you're hurting," she said sympathetically. "I know how much the king meant to you...to England. But it's time to face facts, Robin."

His stunned, pained reaction made her know he knew the truth, and was only choosing to deny it. His mouth twisted, and his eyes looked hurt. "I can't accept it, Marian," he said, desperately. "I won't be able to lead us out of here, believing it."

Much, whose faith in Robin was childlike and unwavering, spoke up. "You came back from the dead," he reminded Marian, "not once, but twice! Gisbourne stabbed you both times, but here you are...blooming with health! Why shouldn't the king survive whatever Gisbourne did to him? He survived Saladin's armies! Remember, Robin, when he faced them on horseback, alone, shouting at them to come at him? What did he say again?"

Robin's voice was flat. "He said, 'You want to go to Heaven? I'll send you there.' "

"And they turned tail and ran! An entire army, against one man! They were scared! Of course, you were ready with your bow, to shoot any man who challenged him. They knew about you, from the Battle of Acre. They thought both you and the king were larger than life! What's that word that means you can't be killed?"

"Invincible?" Marian suggested, her eyes continuing to study her husband, wanting to help him.

"Invincible," Gisbourne sneered. "That applies to all of us here, except the runt."

"He's Lord Bonchurch to you," Robin seethed.

"I thought you were dead in the Holy Land, when I stabbed you," Gisbourne sneered back at him. "And Marian...I never meant to hurt you!"

"I shot you, for hurting my daughter," Marian told him. "Perhaps...perhaps the king isn't dead."

"No!" Guy roared.

Marian wasn't sure she believed it, but she understood that Robin needed to, to help them escape. Turning to Guy, she asked, "What difference does it make to you, whether the king lives or dies?"

"The way I see it, Gisbourne," Robin jeered, smugly, "you're a dead man either way. Prince John won't reward you. It would show he's culpable, if your plan truly did succeed."

"It was Isabella's plan," Guy bellowed back at him.

"Either way, you're a dead man. I'm not inviting you to be a part of my plan."

"You have a plan?" Much asked, eagerly. "A plan to escape?"

Grinning, Robin nodded his head. But before he could tell his wife and his friend, the cell door clanked open.

Marian saw Robin's face signal something to Much, who seemed trying to understand. Much's hesitation gave Guy enough time to grab Marian and hold her in front of him.

"Get off me!" Marian shouted, struggling to free herself from Guy's vice like grip.

"I'm coming with you," Gisbourne insisted, hatred for Hood spewing from him. "If you want Marian, you'll have to take me, too!"

"Let her go, Gisbourne," Robin ordered, holding Guy's attention while hoping Much would remember what to do. "She never loved you."

"I can speak for myself!" Marian argued.

Robin felt they were wasting precious time. With the cell door open and a mob of his supporters outside, he felt now was the time to break through the guards and try to escape. Marian, he felt, would not be able to run very well, carrying their child, so he and Much would need to help pull her along. He wished Little John were here to carry her, but he and Much would have to manage. But now, Gisbourne stood in the way of their escape, by holding Marian. If only Much would remember what to do!

"You're a coward, Gisbourne," Robin said, "using a woman as a human shield."

"Not a shield, but a bargaining chip," Guy savagely corrected him. "What's it to be, Hood? Take me with you, or leave her here alone...with me?"

At last Much remembered. While Robin's intense gaze held Gisbourne's attention, Much moved silently behind and punched Gisbourne in his kidneys. Guy instantly released Marian, spinning around to attack Much. Robin attacked Guy, and Marian could not resist punching him as well. Guy dropped to the ground, just as Isabella, surrounded by soldiers, stepped through the unlocked doorway, into the cell.

"Three against one," Isabella smirked, pleased to see Robin looking so sexy after having knocked out her brother. "Guards," she ordered, "lock my brother in. You three," she added, though her eyes looked only at Robin, "are being released, in a sense. King John orders you, Robin Hood, to appear with him on the royal balcony, to quiet the mob."

"There is no king in England but Richard," Robin seethed back.

"You're wrong, Robin. Your beloved Lionheart is dead. You had better accept John's mercy and show your allegiance before the rabble, unless your little trio wants to follow Richard to the grave."

"Robin," Much asked, "what do we do?"

"Well, we're not staying here, that's for sure," Robin answered. "No tricks, Isabella," Robin threatened. "We'll go with you to Prince John."

"Wise decision," Isabella gloated. "How delicious it will be, Robin, to watch you jump through all the hoops I set before you, like a trained animal in a circus!"

"You had better watch out, Isabella," Marian snapped. "My husband is no tame animal!"

"No, he isn't," Isabella agreed, lustfully. "Not at all tame, underneath. On that, Lady Locksley, we can both agree."