Marion shook her head sadly: "Over the last few days he nearly died of a fever."
Edward looked at her, shocked. "I understand. But what happened? Little John won´t tell me."
"We ran into an ambush," Marion told him. "He was caught and, before we were able to free him, Gisburne tortured him. And he was seriously wounded when he saved John´s life, while John was freeing him. John felt very bad about that. Maybe that's why he hasn't told you."
Edward nodded. "Herne didn´t intervene? Didn´t say anything?" he asked.
"It's as if he's vanished into thin air."
"Strange. Maybe there is a reason for that."
"I've given up searching for reasons, Edward."
"Can I talk to him?"
"He's unconscious..." Marion sighed. Edward was disappointed. "But I´ll tell you when he is awake," she hurriedly consoled him.
"Thank you, Marion." Edward walked back worried and sat down among the others, they talked sadly with each other.
Marion went back to her husband to look after
him. Robin was awake. She sat down and took his hand. "What
happened to you, my love?" she asked. "Why all this pain?"
Robin shook his head slowly. "…destiny…" was all she
heard.
"You were close to death, Robin," she whispered. "I
know...but I...escaped...it!" Robin panted.
Marion nodded, a
wry smile on her lips. "Indeed, you did. Edward asked for you."
"Is he...here?"
"Yes, we want to celebrate Samhain, but
I´m not really in the mood to celebrate," Marion explained.
Robin touched her hand gently. "You needn't look after me all
the time, Marion," Robin said, pushing down the oncoming pain.
"Why not?"
"To put your mind on other things." Robin
closed his eyes. He felt the pain deep inside and he knew that he
wouldn't be able to hold it back any longer. "Marion." His
fingers clutched her hands. "Please...I..."
Marion looked at
him anxiously. His body cramped and he clutched her arms. The blanket
fell off his body, and Marion tried not to look at his emaciated and
injured figure. His bandages had turned red, and some of the wounds
had re-opened, too. Marion kept him close and never forgot his
horrible, pained scream when he felt he couldn't bear it any
longer. She felt his fingers dig into her shoulders.
The
conversation at the other end of the cave stopped, and John was the
first who hurried towards them. Robin groaned and panted heavily.
John freed Marion carefully and took over her role. Marion groaned
too. Robin had nearly broken her collarbone in his agony.
Robin
started to struggle to get free, but he had no chance. John's iron
fists held him firmly. "I´m not your enemy, Robin," John
said, trying to calm Robin down, but it wasn't easy.
Robin
didn't notice anything around him. The pain was too strong. John
had no other choice than to hold him firmly because if Robin moved
too much all of his wounds would open again.
Pain shot through
Robin's body and he screamed again and again. In the end his voice
was only a hoarse whimper, and then Robin tired and lost
consciousness.
John laid him down gently, fighting hard
against his tears and the anger. He covered Robin's naked body with
the blanket and lowered his head. Tuck knelt beside Robin and looked
hurriedly at his wounds.
He changed the bloody bandages and said
to John: "Thank you, John. I think you prevented something worse
from happening."
John nodded silently. It was no comfort to
him. "I feel responsible for all that's happened," he told
Tuck.
Tuck looked up. "It makes no sense to reproach yourself."
Marion said: "It was his decision to save your life."
"I
know..." John answered. They all knew how he must feel, but none of
them had behaved any differently. Marion hugged John and he breathed
deeply.
"I hope his grief ends soon," Tuck said sadly. Marion
looked at him anxiously. "His wounds won't heal quickly, Marion,"
Tuck replied. "He will suffer for a long time and I don´t
know if he has the strength to go through that. Every battle he has
won so far has meant a loss of strength, Herne's Son or not. Every
breath could be the last, Little Flower. He's dying. That's his
true condition," Tuck said solemnly.
"I was afraid you would
say that," Marion answered and looked lovingly at her husband's
face. "As long as he lives, I won't give up, Tuck. Hope never
dies." Marion took her place next to Robin and stroked his sweaty
face softly.
"If you need me, Little Flower..." Tuck offered.
Marion nodded but knew he had to go. Their guests needed food.
John
hesitated, before leaving as well. "If I can do something..." he
said.
"Just look after our guests, and, if you want, you can
look after us from time to time," she said. John nodded and, after
a long look at his friend, he turned back to the others. Marion was
alone with her dying husband.
"Why is Herne doing this to you?"
she asked again. "So much pain and grief – for what? If he wanted
you to die, why not be fast and merciful? Why this?" Marion
couldn´t understand. Since they had rescued him from the
village, she had seen him dying a bit more every day. His painful
scream was still in her ears.
After a couple of hours he
moved a bit. His eyes opened with a struggle. Marion slid a hand
beneath his neck and raised his head slowly into her lap. "Marion!"
His voice was low, trembling. "I cannot...any...longer..." His
voice faded away.
Tears dropped down her cheeks. "Don't leave
me alone, my love. I beg you!" She cradled him softly.
Robin
breathed shallowly. "It's beyond...my decision...now. My strength
is up," he groaned.
"If Herne lets you die in this way,
I'll damn him!" she said wildly.
"No...my dear...do...not.
It's...beyond his...control…too." He closed his eyes with a sigh.
"I can't...promise you...that I'll...be...with you...any
longer…"
"Oh, Robin!" Marion cried, tears streaming down
her cheeks now, seeping into her husband's dark hair.
"I...love...you, Marion. I...always will." A heavy shudder
ran through his body and his hand reached for the wound in his side.
Robin groaned. "It hurts so... much..."
Marion kissed him
carefully. She felt his hot face and noticed that his fever had
returned. Robin's ordeal seemed to have no end. His trembling thin
hand touched her face. "I love you so much, Marion!" he said, a
weak but warm smile for her on his lips. Then he lost he
consciousness again. His hand fell. Marion buried her head between
Robin's head and his shoulder and cried all her sorrow out.
She didn't know when she fell asleep, when the exhaustion came. She only knew that she dreamt. She dreamt about their wedding, the time they spend together without anyone else, the good and the bad times they had. The dream stopped when she died after their escape from Nottingham. Suddenly Herne was in front of her."The Powers of Light and Darkness are vanishing, my child! Only this night – the world of the living and the dead are thus close! Act quickly!" The last thing she saw was Rhiannon's Wheel before she woke up.
She was lying next to her husband, covered by a blanket. It
was silent all around, the fires were burnt down, and everyone was
sleeping. They hadn´t been in the mood to celebrate a happy
feast. The circumstances were too serious. She looked into John's
face. The giant had guarded them since she had fallen asleep. "Sleep,
Marion. You need rest."
She shook her head. The dream had tried
to tell her something. "We have to hurry. Herne spoke to me!" she
said firmly, once she had remembered. "We have to take Robin to
Rhiannon's Wheel. Quickly! We haven't much time."
John
looked at her in confusion. Edward was the next one who joined them.
He was the only one who was awake. The rest were still sleeping. He
looked at Robin, then at Marion. "I felt Herne's presence. Has he
told you something?" he wanted to know.
Marion nodded.
"Then
we have no time to lose."
"Slowly. What happened here?"
John asked.
"If we don't take Robin to Rhiannon's Wheel he
will die. Herne was in my dream and he told me that the Powers of
Light and Darkness are vanishing. We must use this night, Samhain,
because only this time the worlds of the dead and the living were
thus close! We must take him to Rhiannon's Wheel. Do you
understand?" she asked.
"Only half of it, but I´m
ready. I'll do anything if it will save his life." John stood up
and lifted Robin easily into his arms. The three went silently out of
the cave and hurried in the direction of Rhiannon's Wheel. Nasir,
who was on guard, glanced after them with a strange look and walked
into the cave to wake the others.