Chapter 6

Marian had met with Robin earlier that day and spent the rest of the afternoon trying to hunt down Allan to press him for more information. If anyone would know if Djaq gave up any important information to Gisborne or the guards, it would be him, and she felt confident that she could threaten him into silence. He'd kept his word to her so far about keeping her secret and hadn't given up any more of Robin's secrets either since she saved him from his brush with death. She wouldn't say she trusted him, but right now the enemy she knew felt safer than the one that had completely blindsided her.

She was still in shock over last night's revelations. She had never been particularly close to Djaq, but she knew her well enough and this seemed very unlike the woman she thought she knew. She'd felt guilty even going to Robin about it in the first place, wondering if she were somehow betraying Djaq by doing so. The other woman had saved her life, after all. If Much was to be believed, Djaq actually managed to bring her back from the dead when her heart stopped beating. The debt she owed her couldn't be overstated and she would never forget that, no matter what Djaq had done. If it were only Allan she wouldn't have even gone to Robin, but finding out about the guards and Gisborne was too much for her to keep secret. She'd never forgive herself if something happened to Robin or the rest of the gang if she knew there was a potential traitor and did nothing.

Marian had been nervous to even address the topic with Robin. Telling anyone that a close friend they trust is betraying them and quite literally sleeping with the enemy is bound to be met with disbelief and suspicion. Robin's initial reaction was to laugh her off and assume she must've gone mad. It was only after Marian described in great detail exactly what she'd seen and heard that she saw the clouded look in his eyes and knew that he finally believed her. It had all clicked for him. Djaq's insistence on defending and protecting Allan, her lengthy absence from the camp the night before, he'd even realized that she'd seemed to be missing more often lately to "collect herbs" and search for "fruit and berries" and other such nonsense lies. And of course, it hadn't escaped his notice that she had been distraught at the news that the king had access to the sultan's messenger pigeons, a completely understandable reaction that he hadn't given much thought to at the time, but now he wondered if perhaps she'd decided that she'd rather be on the side that opposed King Richard after all. All the evidence seemed to line up now that it had been pointed out to him and what Marian witnessed was the clincher. He couldn't believe that he didn't piece it together before.

Marian had never seen anyone look as angry and disgusted as he did in that moment. And tired. He looked so emotionally tired, the kind of tired that just seeps down into your very soul. Tired of being betrayed, tired of fighting, tired of all of it. His fury over Allan's betrayal even seemed to pale in comparison.

"How can I ever trust any of them now? How can I trust anyone ever again?" He'd asked her in despair. "This is the second time this has happened! How long until there's a third, then a fourth, and then a fifth until there's no one left." She hadn't known what to tell him to comfort him after that. She could see him break inside.

"I am reasonably sure that Much would sooner die than betray you, Robin." She'd told him. "I may not know the rest of them well enough to say that for certain, but I know Much. He will always be loyal to you...as will I. You will always have us." He'd laughed bitterly at that.

"I know. I will always have the two of you and for that I am grateful, but I'm starting to think that that's all I'll ever have. No gang, no Locksley, no anything." Her heart broke for him.

She finally found Allan talking to Guy in an outdoor corridor near the room where she'd found him the night before. She hid behind the wall, just around the corner, to listen in on the conversation, hoping to find out anything she could. She could tell immediately that Guy was losing patience with his right-hand man and Allan seemed to be on the defensive immediately.

"And do it now. All you're worried about lately is that whore of yours, but it has to wait, Allan." Guy growled at him. "That is, if you value your job."

"I will, I'll get right on it." Allan promised him. Guy looked right past him to the door to the room.

"She's in there now, isn't she?" Guy scoffed. "Pathetic."

"Well…"

"Priorities, Allan. Get them!" Guy barked as he turned to walk away. Allan doubled back to the room, poked his head in the door to say something, and scurried away after Guy.

In there now? Marian thought to herself. She was supposed to be at the camp! Robin was supposed to have talked to her by now. If she's in there now, then...did she tell Allan that she'd been found out? Did Robin throw her out? Does she live here now?

Marian made her way over to the door and peeked inside. There she was, just as Allan said, lying on the bed with her back to the door and she appeared to be waiting around for him to come back. Or for one of the guards to pay her a visit. Marian wanted to burst into the room and confront her, but then she thought better of it.

What if she was already gone before Robin got back? If I go get him now, he can catch her in the act. Then she won't be able to deny it. I have to go get Robin, she decided as she made her way out of the castle and into the forest.