"Servant, more wine! Locksley isn't drunk yet!"
Lord Sheridan, very drunk himself, stood on unsteady legs at the banqueting table and roared out his command.
Robin, amused by Marian's look of outrage, enjoyed it until he noticed her father's face. Sir Edward was suffering, uncomfortable that his daughter should witness such drunkenness, yet uncertain what to do about it.
"Sir Edward, let me escort him out of here," Robin politely volunteered. "My manservant and I can put him to bed. Much?"
"I'll see to Aunt Mary," Marian told her father. "She's fallen asleep."
Robin grinned, then whispered to his love, "Meet me by the west staircase afterwards. We can climb to the battlements, and watch for another shooting star."
"Later tonight. I don't want to miss the first dance," Marian whispered back to him. "You asked me to save it for you, remember?"
"No one's putting me to bed," Lord Sheridan bellowed, "unless it's this little lady. What do you say, Lady Marian? Fancy a ride on an old warhorse?"
"How dare you?"
Marian's outrage was now matched by Robin's flaring temper. Leaping to his feet, he seized Lord Sheridan from behind, but was flung to the ground when the old soldier threw him off.
"You should have known better than to grab me that way," Sheridan told his star pupil, as a worried Much dusted Robin off. "Remind me to teach you that move." He roared out a laugh then sat down, pounding the table with his fist. Aunt Mary was jolted awake from her doze. "Now," Sheridan announced, "the reason for my visit."
"There will be time to discuss business matters later," Sheriff Knighton tried to remind him. "We mustn't spoil tonight's festivities, for the sake of the ladies."
"Father, let him speak," Marian said. "I must confess, I am curious why he is here."
Lord Sheridan drained his cup. "To take Locksley back with me, for a real battle this time. Prince Richard requested him specifically, to fight alongside him."
"Fight?" Robin asked, excitement building within him. "Fight whom?"
"His father, the king. All three brothers are united, even snivelling Prince John, to overthrow their father, with Queen Eleanor's approval."
"It will mean civil war, I'm afraid," Sir Edward sadly told them.
Marian looked at Robin. She was finding it hard to breathe, knowing he would be fearless in battle, taking risks that would surely get him killed.
But Robin surprised her. Thinking hard and with regret, Robin told them, "I will not fight against my king, even for Richard and the Queen. King Henry may be a terrible family man, but he is a good king. The laws he's enacted are just, I believe."
"Then you won't fight?" Sheridan demanded, surprised. "I never would have taken you for a coward, Locksley."
"I am no coward. If there is war, I'll willingly go to battle. But for my king."
"Against your hero, Prince Richard? I cannot believe it! You're choosing the losing side, Locksley. Even Prince John knows it! Why else do you think he's allying himself with Richard and Geoffrey? If he thought there was the slightest chance their father could win, he'd support the king, and be made heir to the throne."
"All the same, I will not take up arms against my king. It's treason."
"Then you are a fool, and my visit here is finished. But be warned...Prince Richard will be crowned king one day, and he will not forget those who chose to support him."
"I pray that he will. And I hope he'll understand, I would fight and die for him, if I believed his cause was just."
Lord Sheridan rose unsteadily to his feet and left the great hall.
Those who had overheard the conversation were silent for a time, thinking about the possibility of civil war.
Marian was the first to break the silence. Addressing both her father and Robin, she asked, "You don't really believe we're heading for a civil war, do you?"
"I hope and pray not," her father answered.
"Let's hope they can keep their dispute within their family," Robin told her.
"But what has the king done, to cause them to rebel against him?"
"What hasn't he done?" Robin asked. "I'm guessing the final straw was his promise to give his sons power over parts of the kingdom, then go back on his promise."
"But surely that's his prerogative, isn't it, as king?" Marian asked.
"But he did it deliberatively," Robin explained, "to show his power. He had no intention of giving up any control, even when he made the promise."
"That's enough talk, Niece," Aunt Mary scolded. "Men don't like ladies to discuss manly topics."
"It's alright, Madam," Robin told the old lady gently. "I love it when Marian and I discuss things. She has a good mind."
"Humph! Well, I don't wish to hear any more talk. I want to watch you dance."
"My lady?" Robin asked, standing and extending his hand toward Marian. "Please allow me the honor."
Marian's desire to dance had been squashed by talk of war. It had now become a duty, rather than a pleasure. All the same, she rose to her feet and let Robin escort her.
They were able to continue talking while they danced. The dance consisted of holding up one hand, palm to palm with their partner, and stepping in a circle, turning and stepping the other way. It might have been romantic, it would have been, if it hadn't been ruined by the threat of war.
"You aren't really going to fight, are you?" Marian asked Robin.
"Only if war breaks out. I have no desire to fight against the prince. I admire him, Marian. You have no idea how much I look up to him!"
"I hope there won't be war."
"It's what I'm trained for."
"What? You want to fight, don't you?"
"I don't want to fight against the prince, but I cannot in good conscience take his side. Anyway, let's hope it won't come to that."
Marian could not explain her level of anxiety. She felt a presentiment of doom, as if Robin were planning to go off to war and be killed.
Robin noticed her dismay, and tried to soothe her feelings. "Let's forget it tonight," he gently told her. "Let's just try to forget, and enjoy this moment."
It was easier said than done. Marian wished she could forget, but it was impossible. What would she do, she wondered, if he had to leave her?
...
(Note: Those of you who read my stories know I try to include history sometimes, as I have in this chapter. The royal brothers, led by Queen Eleanor, did rebel against their father King Henry II. The spoiled baby of the family, Prince John, was his father's favorite, while Richard was Queen Eleanor's. Who was Geoffrey? Another son, born between Richard and John. He was already married and had two children, a daughter Eleanor and a son, Arthur. Geoffrey died in a jousting accident. Years later, after King Richard died without an heir, many people wanted Prince Arthur crowned king instead of Prince John, since they knew how terrible John had been as regent. John had Arthur and Princess Eleanor captured and Arthur killed. That is why I wrote a story called Saving Prince Arthur. Anyway, back to this story...when King Henry learned that Prince John joined his brothers to rebel against him, it hastened his death, which led to Richard being king.)
