Chapter three:

Marian's POV:

Beaming, I walked back from the forest and entered my house.

"Marian my dear, we were about to start worrying where you had got to!" My concerned Mother exclaimed.

"You look very happy," Father raised an eyebrow, curiously, "what happened?" He put his book down.

"Nothing much," I muttered, avoiding eye contact, "Just really enjoyed myself."

My parents looked at each other, they could always tell when I wasn't telling the truth. Father gave a subtle shake of his head, and Mother decided not to press.

"We are glad you had fun, dear." Father smiled, warmly.

"But," interjected Mother, "we did tell you last time, that you have to tell us before you go into the woods."

Ah, I'd forgotten that they'd said that last time I snuck out.

"Yes, sorry Mother. That must have slipped my mind." I shrugged, trying to sound apologetic.

Hazel, our maid, pocked her head around the door and informed us that dinner was ready.

I didn't realise how long I spent in the forest playing with Robin and Much! I thought to myself, I must have been there for hours. Well, Much, did give me an apple, and half of his sandwich to eat, that's probably the reason my stomach wasn't roaring. No wonder why my parents were worried!

Quickly running upstairs, I dumped my bow and arrows onto my bed and washed my hands. Hazel, set down a plate full of meat, potatoes and of course no vegetables, in front of me at the table. Hazel new me too well! She was more part of the family than a servant, Hazel had been around ever since I could remember.

Father was looking through some papers, while eating his meat, and Mother was feeding my little brother, William. He only ate mushed up vegetables and little potatoes so far, because his teeth hadn't grown in fully, yet. William barely got any of it in his mouth anyway, his food usually ended up on the ceiling, or all over Mother. I laughed as he wacked the spoon out of Mother's hand, it landed on the floor across the room.

My little brother took after Father in many ways. He shared his sense of humour and dark green eyes, but he had Mother's knowing smile and red hair. William may well be a copy of my Father when he grows up, but I will forever see my mother in his smile.

Unlike William, I shared my Mother's eyes, blue on the edge but golden around the iris, and my Father's auburn hair. Father and I were alike in our determination, if we wanted something, we got it. Not that Mother wasn't head-strong, but she was also very practical.

Mother had the spoon back in her hand, ready to face the little devil again, and Father was still looking through his papers.

I drifting off into a daydream, gazing into a certain boy's eyes of gorgeous green.

Robin's POV:

Walking home, I felt like I was floating. Just thinking about everything that we were going to do tomorrow, made me feel giddy with excitement.

Trying to form an actual conversation was so difficult, when all I could think of was the way the gold rim of her iris lit up when the sun was on it. How the blue in her eyes was like a stormy sky, perfectly dangerous and powerful.

Marian walked with such grace, yet determination, drifting with such ease, it seemed as if she was flying.

"Hellooo? …Earth to Robin! Anyone in there?" Much waved his hand in my face.

"Oh, I'm sorry Much. I was um-"

"Thinking about Marian?" Much cut me off.

"No." I stated defensively, "why would you think that?"

"Well considering the fact that your cheeks were bright red whenever you looked at her, I couldn't help but assume." Much said, shrugging.

"She's quite pretty" he added.

"Yes, she is." Was all I could say, even though it was a grand understatement.

When we arrived at home, Much went to the servant's quarters to prepare for dinner. He was the son of the head maid in my parent's household, he was my personal servant actually. But I never treated him like one, he wasn't a servant, he was my best friend.

After dinner was done, I went straight up to my room and found the box that my Grandmother had given me two years ago, just before she passed away. Carefully, I opened it up and took out the ring inside of it. When Grandmother gave it to me, she said:

"Now Robin, my dear," She reached over to her bed-side cabinet and picked up a delicate, black box. It had pretty gold stitching, all around it and Locksley was engraved on the bottom. "One day, when you find a girl that makes your stomach flip over and your heart skip a beat. Give her this ring, it will let her know how much you love her, and that you will always be by her side."

I didn't know exactly what I was thinking, but I found myself running back into the forest. Coming to a stop, I started to walk in the way I saw Marian go, when she left the forest.

A house came into view, with one window on the top floor, still light up. A tree leaned very close to the lit-up window. A girl came into view, opening the window slightly, to let the war summer air in.

Realising my foolishness, I turned to go back.

But, an urge this strong couldn't wait until morning.

Marian's POV:

As I laid in bed that night, I imagined a lean, tall figure tapping on my slightly open window. Certain that I was imagining it, I rubbed my eyes. The figure was still there, when I opened my eyes back up.

"Hello again, Marian." The figure spoke, in a hushed tone

"Robin?" I questioned, walking over to the window and opening it fully, so he could come inside.

"Yes, I'm sorry that I am here so late at night. It's just, I… well I just came to give you this." Robin walked over to my bed, and sat on the edge, patting for me to sit next to him.

His cheeks flushed a rose colour, when I sat next to him. He held out his hand and asked:

"May I?"

Giving him my right hand, he took it gently in his considerably bigger hand, and carefully slipped a ring on my ring finger.

Holding it close to my eye, it was gold in colour and had two thin rings intertwining with each other. Studying it, I realised it had tiny little diamonds in the middle of the ring. It was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.

"Oh my," I was unsure of what to say, "thank you so much, Robin!" Smiling brightly.

Robin itched the back of his head before he said,

"I-I just thought it went w-with your eyes." He stuttered. "You don't have to wear it if you don't like it!" Robin rushed.

"Robin," I stopped him, "It's beautiful, I love it!"

Robin bid his goodbyes, embarrassed by the fact that he was blushing so much.

"Goodbye, and thank you again!" I grinned.

He lightly took my hand, and gently, he kissed it. "See you tomorrow!" He whispered.

Before I could process anything, he jumped off of my windowsill and ran back into the forest.

I used to think that the sheer beauty of the forest was down to the untouched wilderness. But now, I wasn't sure that, that was what was drawing me to the forest any more.

Was it the boy running through it?