Chapter five:

Marian's POV:

Once we had entered Robin's home, I was aghast. It was huge! A servant woman ran up to Much, and started to tell him off for not completing a job he was told to do. Momentarily, I was confused but then it was clear. Much must be a servant in Robin's household. It would explain the dirtier clothes, and the scruffier hair.

But, if Robin's family was rich enough to have this many servants, since I'm guessing they have more than two in this massive house, then that means.

Robin must be a Lord!

He didn't act much like a Lord, but I hardly acted to my title, as the daughter of the Sheriff and a Knight.

So, who was I to hold that against him?

The boys were about to give me a tour of Robin's home, but then we heard a carriage door slam. I followed the boys to hide behind a nearby sofa, when they both started to take my weapons off of me.

In shock, I began to protest, but Robin gestured for me to be quiet, and said they'd explain later. Much hid my weapons in a chest, next to the sofa we were standing near.

Just as Much closed the lid of the chest, the doors flew open with a loud bang as it hit the wall behind it. It hit the wall so hard, it threatened to smash the windows along it.

Robin ushered Much and I to hide behind a bookcase, where we were hidden, but could still see what was going on. Much hid me behind his back, as he was a bit taller than me.

Watching curiously, from behind Much's back I noticed as a familiar black-haired head came into view. The head, wearing an evil glare, was followed by a tall body and a pair of newly-polished, infamous, black boots.

"Robert." Sir Gregory said with a mocking smile, as he acknowledged Robin's presence.

My hand went instinctively to the ring on my finger, at the mention of Robin's name.

Behind him, I noticed another black-haired head, attached to a slimmer body reach his father.

"Greetings, Robert." Guy sneered, standing next to his Father.

I had never seen Guy like this before, I always knew he was growing to act like his father. But he always put on a facade when he knew I was looking; it was like he took off a mask, now he didn't know I was looking.

Robin's POV:

"Sir Gregory, Guy." I greeted, trying to keep my fists from clenching.

Guy looked as if he was about to give me some sort of bitter insult, but closed his mouth when he saw my Father and Mother.

My Mother and Father walked up to Sir Gregory, my Father shook his hand and my Mother greeted Guy.

"Such a pleasure to have you visit our lands, Sir Gregory. It's nice to see you too, Guy!" My mother smiled, as my Father started guiding Guy's father inside of his meeting room.

However, before they could go into Father's meeting room, Gisborne turned around to look at Guy and I, and said with a sneer:

"Why don't you get to know Guy a bit better, Robert? I'm sure that you boys will find something to talk about, maybe Guy could help your sword fighting skills."

"Yes, father." Guy bowed his head slightly, as his Father walked away with my parents.

After all of the adults were out of earshot, Guy smiled cruelly at me.

"Well Robert, are still playing you little solider games, shooting arrows at trees?" Guy sneered.

"Shut up Guy, my name is Robin, and at least I don't have to use my only two brain cells to spell my name like you do!" I retorted, "Even if I do still enjoy my using my bow, I am a much more useful solider to King Richard than your skinny little ass is!"

Guy looked at me in disgust as he said:

"It's Sir Guy to you."

"Oh Robin, we forgot! Didn't we promise that we would help Christopher with chopping up those logs of wood?" Much lied, as he came out from behind the bookshelf, I assumed Marian was still behind it.

"Don't you have people for that?" Guy asked, disapprovingly.

"Well yes, of course we do. But we promised him we would do it." I lied, playing along with Much's brilliant distraction plan.

"Just go pick your nose or something, Gorilla." Looking Guy up and down, I starting to walk away slowly.

I'd called Guy, Gorilla ever since I could remember. We were forced to spend lots of time together as children, as our parents used to work together. As a child, Guy only wore black leather and forever wore the face of a gorilla, grumpy and cruel.

My Father is the Lord or Locksley, and Guy's Father is the Lord of Gisborne, so they were always gathering to talk about the crusades, or the King.

We walked past the bookcase Marian was still behind and she carefully slipped in between Much and I. From Guy's perspective, it just looked like Much was walking in front of me.

A couple of minutes later

Marian's POV:

When we were in the safety of Robin's bedroom, I took one look at Much and Robin's faces and burst out in laughter, Much and Robin started to laugh as well.

"Go pick your nose, Gorilla!" Howling with laughter, I imitated Robin.

"Your skinny little ass!" Much joined in.

Robin was laughing so hard he had to clutch his stomach.

Robin, Much and I pretty much laughed all of the walk back to my home. We'd played in the forest again for a couple of hours, but Much had to go and help his mother with the laundry, or at least that was what Robin said. However, I saw him give Much a sly wink, as if he wanted to walk me home alone.

Even though I never did meet Robin's parents, I didn't mind because I'd had so much fun anyway! When we got to the forest at the back of my house, I kept walking but it was only when I got the door that led into the kitchen, that I realised Robin wasn't beside me.

Turing around, to see where he had gone, I saw him sitting at the top of the tallest tree, the one that you could climb into my bedroom if you climbed as high as he was.

"You know Marian, I think I can see my whole world from this spot." He grinned at me before gazing up at the starry sky.

"Me too." I replied, before I went inside to sneak some food from the cupboards and up to my bedroom.

Robin was still in the tree when I got up to my bedroom with a plate of food.

"I guess I'll see you around the forest then." Robin said, grinning as I opened my window.

"I suppose you will." I said leaning on my windowsill.

Leaning forward, he kissed me on the cheek.

Cheeks red as cherries, I watched him climb down from the tree, and run back into the forest with a glow inside of him.

Glancing at the ring on my finger, I smiled. Watching the diamonds sparkle in the moonlight, I couldn't help but hope that this warm, fuzzy feeling inside of my heart would last forever.