The ball continued late into the night. The musicians had not yet reached the stage when they would begin playing out of tune, too tired to care. Marian danced with her father, with the gossipy Martin of Alyesbury, and with Gladys' dull Ralph before getting to dance with Robin again. She tried to put the thought of civil war out of her mind, but it continued to plague her.
She was thrilled when she realized Robin slowly maneuvering their dance steps toward the doorway of the great hall. Reaching it at last, they left the ball unnoticed and headed for the stairwell. Up, up, up they raced in tight circles on uneven risers, until they reached the castle battlements.
"Good evening, McClellan," Robin said to the guard, standing sentry at the top.
"Lord Locksley...Lady Marian."
"Just thought we'd take a breath of fresh air. Don't mind us."
McClellan, who would later be promoted to head the guards under the future Sheriff Vaisey and order a certain Allan a dale to lose a hand, smirked under his helmet. Breath of fresh air indeed! A person would need air, after climbing all those steps to the top of the castle!
Robin led Marian to the opposite side, where McClellan's back would be to them, affording them a measure of privacy. "Now," he murmured, lifting her chin with one finger while leaning in to kiss her mouth.
Smiling, she stopped him and teasingly said, "I thought we came up here to look at the stars."
"I see them...in your eyes. And not only stars, Marian. When I look at you, I feel you can see right into my soul."
Trembling, they melted together in a kiss, lingering and achingly sweet. Marian knew that after they married, the Church taught they would become one flesh. She already felt one with him, their bodies pressed together, their lips clinging, their tongues tentatively exploring. Yet she knew there was more...the longing ache she felt for him and his for her promised even greater fulfillment after they became man and wife.
She felt Robin pull at her hairpin and her hair cascading down. Instantly angry, she pushed him away and grabbed her hairpin from his hand.
"What have I done?" Robin asked.
It wasn't him pulling down her hair that made her angry. That was only the excuse she used for flaring out at him. The threat of losing him in battle was what truly affected her, though she did not know it.
"My maid servant worked hard to style my hair just right," she snapped at him. "Why did you pull it down?"
"I like it down," Robin tried to explain. "I do, but I didn't realize I was doing it. I mean, I just felt compelled to...I just wanted to bury my face in your hair, Marian."
Marian stared sternly back at him. There were other things they wanted to do, things they didn't yet know how to do, she was thinking, but they didn't pursue them willy nilly!
"I'm sorry," Robin apologized. "I'm sure you can put it back the way it was. Kiss and make up?"
Her look grew even more stern. Her anger flared hotter when he began to chuckle.
"What?" she demanded, feeling uncomfortable.
"I was just reminded of your Aunt Mary. I didn't think there was a family resemblance, until now."
"I don't look like her! I look like my mother!"
"Then I envy your father. Come on, Marian, don't be angry. We can fix your hair."
"It isn't...I don't care about my hair!"
"What then?" His voice grew low and tender. "Did I push too far?"
She couldn't tell him of her fear of losing him, for that would reveal her need, and she did not want to be needy.
"It is my hair," she lied. "I can twist it and put it up again, but it won't look the way my maid styled it."
She did so, sticking in the hairpin to hold her hair in place.
"That could be a dangerous weapon, your hairpin," Robin teased. "For a minute there, I thought you were going to plunge it into me. And speaking of weapons...how did you get to be so good, hitting the center ring on your first shot at my archery lesson?"
"Pure luck," she teased, hiding her sadness. "I heard you convince Aunt Mary to take part in your lessons tomorrow."
"She can't criticize you for doing it, if she takes part herself now, can she?"
"Very clever, Robin." Marian sighed unhappily. Stop it, she told herself. There might not be a war. I'm getting myself all worked up over nothing, when I ought to be enjoying myself.
He was gazing deeply at her, trying to understand what was bothering her. Partly guessing right, he gently stroked her cheek and said, "Don't be frightened, Marian. War won't affect you. You'll be perfectly safe, as long as you remain in the castle."
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she angrily blinked them away. "I'm not frightened. Besides, I have my hairpins to defend myself with, don't I?" Her last remark was said with sarcasm, something Robin had never heard her speak before.
Mastering her emotions, she tried to tease him about the line he'd used before kissing her. "Really, Robin! All the way into your soul?"
He grinned sheepishly. "You could see it...couldn't you?"
They shared a laugh, and Robin took her fondly into his arms. Before he could try to kiss her again, Much's voice rang out. "There you are, Master!" Much cried, panting heavily. "Climbing! You know I hate climbing! And so many stairs! I couldn't even count how many there were! Well, I can't exactly count, so...! What have you two been doing up here, all alone?"
"We weren't alone," Robin said. "McClellan's been here with us, all the time. We were looking at the stars."
"Please!" Much scolded. Then, respectfully, to Marian, "Excuse me, your ladyship. Your Aunt Mary is looking for you. She wants Robin to ask her to dance."
