***I'm very sorry for not updating in so long!** Here' s Chapter Six!*
Robin dodged just in time, and the sword flew straight into the wooden pillar behind him, slaying a black rattlesnake preparing to strike him. Its venomous fangs hung limply along with its neck as blood gushed out of the wound. Little John stared blankly at the slain creature, his mouth agape.
"Robin.. she saved you.," he started, and then stopped as a look of pure confusion struck Robin's face. Robin quickly turned to face Marian's knife- it was pinned to the rattlesnake directly behind him. Two of Robin's men tentatively approached the pillar to inspect Marian's handiwork. "That rattlesnake would have killed you, Robin."
Facing Marian, Robin started to speak. "She has, I see. Well, Lady Marian, I believe I owe you an apology. For saving my life, it is now my duty to set you free. Charlie, Samuel, please blindfold the Lady and escort her out of the forest so that she may find her way home." As soon as he had finished, Robin inhaled slowly, once more glancing at the slain creature, and then brushed his hair back, dumbstruck. "If you'd done that a second later, I doubt there would be breath in me, Lady. Yet how did you know that I would turn in time? What a risk you have taken." His words were approached with a laugh as light as feathers floating across the air.
"At least half of the stories I've heard about you had to be true, Robin. And they're amazing! The adventures and the excitement," cried Marian, stepping towards the pillar and pulling out the knife. As though to fight an invisible enemy, Marian lunged and twirled, stabbing the knife here and there.
Robin stared at her, further dumbstruck. Then he remembered something that had been bothering him. "Marian, you're a lady, correct? How did you come by such excellent swordsmanship?"
"It gets boring in palaces. You probably wouldn't understand," Marian replied, suddenly self-conscious. She set down the knife and straightened down the pitiful rags that were the remains of her dress.
"Well, it's been quite a pleasure, Lady. We hope that you may find your way home with ease. Charlie? Samuel? Blindfold her, please, so we can lead her out of our corner of the Sherwood Forest safely."
"Yis, Masta' Robin," they replied, gathering enough clean rags to blindfold her with, and then closing in on her once more.
Seeing this, Marian sprung into action. She grabbed Robin's wrists with her hands and stared into his deep, green eyes. Charlie and Samuel, confused, glanced askew at Little John, who said and did nothing.
"I do not wish to find my way home. I left there for a reason, you know. I wouldn't mind staying here, however."
Marian released Robin's hands and bit her lip hopefully as Robin considered her proposal. He rubbed the stubble on his chin with a soiled hand, occasionally glancing at Little John and his merry men. They remained silent, leaving Robin to his decision.
In his mind a conflict raged. Marian could obviously defend herself, but if captured, who knew what might happen. Yet she had saved his life and did not wish to return home. But she was only 15, what trouble could she cause? Yet though her age was a petty number, her temper and character were fiery and bold. Indeed, Robin had never met a woman like her before.
Little John slowly approached Robin, his wide girth pushing Charlie and Samuel out of the way. They stumbled across to the other men, who were silently observing Little John whisper words into Robin's ear.
"Robin, you must remember that the King's Men are after us. They will find us soon enough, in less than two days I presume," Little John whispered. Robin understood his point of view, and yet.. "But Little John, she did save my life," Robin objected, giving Marian a quick look. Little John rolled his eyes at Robin, and continued. "Had our friend here been a man we would not be arguing here. Lady Marian is quite an attractive girl, isn't she?" Hearing, Robin uttered another cry of objection, yet this failed to hide the new shade of pink touching his cheeks. "Are you suggesting that I've, I've, grown attached to Lady Marian?" Robin did not need Little John's reply to know that this was exactly what Little John was suggesting. John nodded slightly, then backed away to see Robin's reaction. "Robin, you're in charge of this camp and of our group and it will be your decision. Just remember what I've said, and don't let your heart get in the way of your head. Got that?" Robin acknowledged Little John's words with a slight tap on his shoulder, and then faced Marian again. She had been waiting by the pillar, slightly shivering, as though she had just realized the icy cold pervading the camp. Her sparkling eyes stared into Robin's, and Robin felt an odd feeling previously unknown to him. Shaking his head a couple of times to rid himself of whatever feeling had been controlling him in the previous moment, Robin made his announcement.
"Lady Marian, our presence in these parts of the woods is currently unknown by the King's Men, so we will stay another day- partly to prepare for our journey, and partly for time to decide whether or not to allow you to remain in our party."
Robin dodged just in time, and the sword flew straight into the wooden pillar behind him, slaying a black rattlesnake preparing to strike him. Its venomous fangs hung limply along with its neck as blood gushed out of the wound. Little John stared blankly at the slain creature, his mouth agape.
"Robin.. she saved you.," he started, and then stopped as a look of pure confusion struck Robin's face. Robin quickly turned to face Marian's knife- it was pinned to the rattlesnake directly behind him. Two of Robin's men tentatively approached the pillar to inspect Marian's handiwork. "That rattlesnake would have killed you, Robin."
Facing Marian, Robin started to speak. "She has, I see. Well, Lady Marian, I believe I owe you an apology. For saving my life, it is now my duty to set you free. Charlie, Samuel, please blindfold the Lady and escort her out of the forest so that she may find her way home." As soon as he had finished, Robin inhaled slowly, once more glancing at the slain creature, and then brushed his hair back, dumbstruck. "If you'd done that a second later, I doubt there would be breath in me, Lady. Yet how did you know that I would turn in time? What a risk you have taken." His words were approached with a laugh as light as feathers floating across the air.
"At least half of the stories I've heard about you had to be true, Robin. And they're amazing! The adventures and the excitement," cried Marian, stepping towards the pillar and pulling out the knife. As though to fight an invisible enemy, Marian lunged and twirled, stabbing the knife here and there.
Robin stared at her, further dumbstruck. Then he remembered something that had been bothering him. "Marian, you're a lady, correct? How did you come by such excellent swordsmanship?"
"It gets boring in palaces. You probably wouldn't understand," Marian replied, suddenly self-conscious. She set down the knife and straightened down the pitiful rags that were the remains of her dress.
"Well, it's been quite a pleasure, Lady. We hope that you may find your way home with ease. Charlie? Samuel? Blindfold her, please, so we can lead her out of our corner of the Sherwood Forest safely."
"Yis, Masta' Robin," they replied, gathering enough clean rags to blindfold her with, and then closing in on her once more.
Seeing this, Marian sprung into action. She grabbed Robin's wrists with her hands and stared into his deep, green eyes. Charlie and Samuel, confused, glanced askew at Little John, who said and did nothing.
"I do not wish to find my way home. I left there for a reason, you know. I wouldn't mind staying here, however."
Marian released Robin's hands and bit her lip hopefully as Robin considered her proposal. He rubbed the stubble on his chin with a soiled hand, occasionally glancing at Little John and his merry men. They remained silent, leaving Robin to his decision.
In his mind a conflict raged. Marian could obviously defend herself, but if captured, who knew what might happen. Yet she had saved his life and did not wish to return home. But she was only 15, what trouble could she cause? Yet though her age was a petty number, her temper and character were fiery and bold. Indeed, Robin had never met a woman like her before.
Little John slowly approached Robin, his wide girth pushing Charlie and Samuel out of the way. They stumbled across to the other men, who were silently observing Little John whisper words into Robin's ear.
"Robin, you must remember that the King's Men are after us. They will find us soon enough, in less than two days I presume," Little John whispered. Robin understood his point of view, and yet.. "But Little John, she did save my life," Robin objected, giving Marian a quick look. Little John rolled his eyes at Robin, and continued. "Had our friend here been a man we would not be arguing here. Lady Marian is quite an attractive girl, isn't she?" Hearing, Robin uttered another cry of objection, yet this failed to hide the new shade of pink touching his cheeks. "Are you suggesting that I've, I've, grown attached to Lady Marian?" Robin did not need Little John's reply to know that this was exactly what Little John was suggesting. John nodded slightly, then backed away to see Robin's reaction. "Robin, you're in charge of this camp and of our group and it will be your decision. Just remember what I've said, and don't let your heart get in the way of your head. Got that?" Robin acknowledged Little John's words with a slight tap on his shoulder, and then faced Marian again. She had been waiting by the pillar, slightly shivering, as though she had just realized the icy cold pervading the camp. Her sparkling eyes stared into Robin's, and Robin felt an odd feeling previously unknown to him. Shaking his head a couple of times to rid himself of whatever feeling had been controlling him in the previous moment, Robin made his announcement.
"Lady Marian, our presence in these parts of the woods is currently unknown by the King's Men, so we will stay another day- partly to prepare for our journey, and partly for time to decide whether or not to allow you to remain in our party."