Chapter 3 an Arrow to the Heart
The sound of the water trickling had Phoebe smiling; this was a truly remarkable fantasy land. It was as if the invisible wall kept the dinners in another world from those here, walking and dancing and such.
The feeling of recurrence was so intense that when she turned to glance up at Cole she did not exactly see him but another, with that long dark hair and a quiver of arrows at his back.
"My lord hood yee shant dally here. The sheriff shall find thee." She told him as they stood by the stream, the waters rushing gently passed them.
"Surely my lady doth not think so little of me that thee would worry over me?" He teased her lightly and she wondered even after all that had happened Robin could be such a wild one. True he led and cared for his people but he was as once he'd been, a wild and spirited boy.
"Nay Robin tis only that I wish yee not injured by misadventure." She murmured trying not to sound to mothering. Marion could remember how much he hated that. Even when they were children he had.
"Ahhh Marion ye need not worry for I shall always return to yee." Robin murmured pulling his wife to him for a long slow kiss, one saying more than any words how much he loved her.
"Nay not if that fool oxen hath his way." She said when he finally lifted his head.
"Marion," Robin murmured tilting her face up so their eyes met. "Love you hath known me how many winters now? Hath I ever let you down before?"
"Nay." The green clad young woman, his queen of the may replied honestly.
"Aye and I shant begin now." He told her as if that solved the matter to his satisfaction.
"Phoebe?" The deep, familiar voice pulled Cole from her vision and she looked up into those well-known cobalt orbs to find concern there.
"Hmm?"
"Are you alright? You looked kind of spaced out there for a minute." He informed her, wondering if she'd had one of her visions. He hoped to, he didn't really want to deal with one of those things. Not that he hadn't missed the excitement of their lives but the danger she'd been in, was still in…
"Oh yeah I'm fine just a little jet lag I guess." She shrugged and he didn't see anything odd about her reaction so he nodded.
"Hmm, that happens."
"Yeah, listen Cole I was thinking and well…" phoebe began not quite sure how to ask him this. "I know I shouldn't even ask but um…"
"Phoebe you should know I'd do anything for you. I have done almost anything." He pointed out and she nodded a sad smile touching the edges of he lips.
"I know but Cole so much has happened," she wasn't sure how to proceed so she forced the words passed her lips. "Would you have time tomorrow or the next day to spend with me?"
'I mean you don't have to, I just…"
'Phoebe I love you, always have and always will. Of coarse I will." He smiled at her. It was hard to believe she'd be so nervous but they'd not had the best track record.
"Oh, I…" She could feel her cheeks go the color of mars.
"Would you like to dance?" He asked breaking the awkward feelings
"Yes, yes I twould." She heard the slip and his jet brow arched and she wondered just how to explain that one.
As the song began she knew it, knew it's soft melody, it's words and the meanings behind hearing it here and now with him. It twas the tale of them, their song as it were.
***
"Well looks like you have everything down to at letter."
"Yep. We even have a floorshow." With that he turned her to watch as a figure in a page's clothing set up three targets, then six men appeared, two dressed as nights, one as a woman, another as an old man and the last two as beggars.
Phoebe didn't miss the appearance of what looked to be a royal clad man, who was supposed to no doubt be prince john.
"And I thought I went all out for my work." Phoebe murmured and Cole smiled at her.
'Well I did forget two characters tonight."
"Oh yes robin and Marion."
"Marion was ill, and her back up had to go visit her sister in Cleveland." Cole explained.
"Oh, what about robin?"
"Well," Cole blushed a little.
"Don't tell me you do that." Phoebe said in amusement.
"Only when I'm in town, otherwise my second does."
"Why?"
"It's fun and a tradition." Cole shrugged.
"Well then you should go change your clothes." Phoebe told him matter-of-factly.
"Your right, I'll be…" He seemed to hesitate before turning to her. 'Phoebe I know it's silly but I'm short a Marion and your hear…"
"Cole you want me to be your Maid Marion?"
"Would you mind?"
"No, not really, it might be fun."
'Great come on."
***
Twenty minutes later as Piper and Leo were sitting at their table talking about the new addition to their family a trumpet sounded and the lights dimmed so they were cast into near darkness; say for the large fire in the center of the room.
"Good diners of the chimera room we bid yee welcome to our humble bower and thus hope yee take pleasure in our evenings festivities." A figure dressed in a squire's costume called aloud and then the man shifted as the fire rose licking higher in the center of the room, allotting more light for the show.
"My dear are yee enjoying our humble proceedings?" The figure in the thrown asked and the pretty veiled woman at his side nodded.
It was only then that Leo noticed who the maid was. He had to smile. It seemed that his sister in law was smiling, truly smiling for the first time in a long wile.
'Highness Tis been found out that the outlaws are here!" A figure in important looking clothes called running up to the prince.
"Good, very good." The prince rubbed his hands together in glee.
Beside the prince, Lady Marion was scanning the crowd for her lover.
"A word lady?" A figure clad in a lavender gown asked coming closer and Lady Marion frowned up at him.
Yee shant be here will the prince will have all of yee."
"Nay, robin hath taken care of this. He just ask that yee be prepared for trouble." The figure told her in what was supposed to be as stage whisper but in truth was a stage whisper. All saw him slip her a dagger but the two men to her right plotting the demise of the outlaws.
"Many thanks good sir." Marion smiled at the outlaw and then the man was moving on.
***
Piper had not seen her sister so into a roll as she did now, Marion seemed truly a part of the scene, it was almost as if phoebe were not in their own time but n the past. The thing was she knew from the glass in her hand all was well. Too it was nice to see phoebe so herself again.
***
'here yee here ye!" The prince rose to his feet and the archers knelt before him. "Let the contest begin with the knowledge that the prize shall be this golden arrow!"
Within minutes the competition began and soon the contestants were eliminated. When only one of the soldiers remained and a beggar Marion almost smiled. That would be her Robin, he was so crafty, and not even the prince would know what he was up to.
As the two last arrows were shot there was a tie and so the page moved back the targets twenty paces.
Marion found herself clutching the arm rests of her seat and holding her breath as Robin moved to take his final shot. And he missed.
The prince frowned and looked to the sheriff who didn't know what to make of it either. Ten as if still in the midst of the competition the last archer went, neatly splitting his last arrow down the middle.
Phoebe had to hold her smile as she knew what robin had done, he'd switched costumes and so he'd not been the beggar but the soldier. She'd not even guessed, yet she'd not seen him after he'd left her to dress.
She didn't" have more time to think about this as all hell broke loose and she was jumping up, grabbing the prince even his men surrounded Robin and his men.
"Thou shall let them go highness if ye wish to see another dawn." She hissed in his ear and the man Phoebe held was as still as any demons she'd known in this situation.
"Let them…"
"But highness!"
"I said…" Marion tightened her hold and then slightly let go so not to truly strangle the man.
As soon as the soldiers let up Robin was racing for Marion, grabbing her and then running for the stream where they then jumped. Phoebe, having known this would happen was not surprised when they landed on the other side in silence. The back of the chamber having already been cleared.
Still when they landed Phoebe found herself alone with Robin, the door over the water having been silently slid shut
"Well, that was a change." Phoebe smiled up at him, her heart still pounding form the excitement of the little play.
"Yeah, it was." Cole murmured staring down at her, with her soft eyes sparkling with merriment and something almost carefree. God, had he ever seen her like this?
Neither thought of what happened next as Cole lowered his head and Phoebe rose to meet his mouth.
TBC ***
Well? I hope this makes up for the blunders with the last chapter. Funny it took me under an hour to come up with this one. if it was confusing I'll explain everything in good time. PlZ r and R and let me know what you think.
