"Father," Marian asked the sheriff, nearly a week after the ball, "with the Council of Nobles approaching, are there any papers or anything your nobles should look over, before the session?"
Sir Edward put down the seal of Nottingham to study his daughter. Her lovely face looked anxious and pale. So, Locksley had been absenting himself, had he? And Marian felt she needed an excuse to ride to his village to see him. Had they had one of their arguments, he wondered, with neither of them wanting to be the first to apologize? Sir Edward could not understand his daughter's feelings for that young man, but he would provide her papers, if it would make her happy.
"Yes," he told her, shuffling through a stack of papers and handing her a copy of a deed he had signed that morning. "They ought to familiarize themselves with this."
"Thank you!" Marian smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'll be away a few hours."
"But back in time to sit with your aunt and sew this afternoon, I hope. It is your trousseau, after all. You mustn't appear ungrateful."
"I'm not, it's just...I'll do my best not to be late."
Approaching Robin's village on horseback, Marian was surprised to see the people of Locksley happily preparing for a celebratory feast. Feasts were not uncommon in Locksley, with Robin enjoying treating his people to food and festivity, but Marian was surprised he had not invited her to attend. She was, after all, soon to be Lady Locksley.
Reining her horse, Marian addressed a blond, scraggly village girl who was scowling up at her. "Good morning, Kate. What will you be celebrating tonight?"
"Luke Scarlet's birthday. He's ten. Master Robin's in the yard behind his house. They won't let me watch."
Marian tried not to mind the girl's lack of respect toward her. "Watch what?" she asked. "What is Lord Locksley doing?"
"Practicing fighting. He's been doing it for days. His shirt sticks to him, he's so sweaty."
Practicing fighting? No wonder Robin hadn't been to Nottingham. His head was filled with thoughts of war!
Kate's mother Rebecca stepped out of the door of the potter's family home. "Kate!" she scolded. "I told you to help with those decorations! Get to work, or there will be no feast for you tonight."
Once Rebecca turned her back and reentered her cottage, Kate stuck out her tongue. "I gotta work," she complained.
Marian resumed riding her horse through the village, smiling at the villagers who acknowledged her by smiling and bowing their heads. As their future Lady, they held her in reverence, all except the girl Kate, who was too sour to respect anyone.
Dismounting, she entered Robin's manor house.
"Lady Marian!" the steward Thornton greeted her. "The master just sent someone to invite you to tonight's celebration."
"Is it too late to call him back? I'm here now, obviously."
"Master Robin is out back. He will be pleased to see you."
Not meaning to, Marian couldn't help but roll her eyes. Pleased to see her indeed! If Robin missed her so much, why had he let nearly a week go by without coming to see her? And inviting her to Luke Scarlet's birthday feast at the last possible minute? She would be sure to teach Robin of Locksley not to take her for granted!
Reaching the yard behind Robin's house, Marian caught her breath. Robin had rigged up some sort of battleground, with man-sized sacks of dirt on horseback. Much stood by watching and assisting, while Robin jumped down off his horse and began rushing from horse to rearing horse, pulling sacks to the ground and stabbing them with his sword, as though taking on an entire army single handed. "Come at me from behind, Much!" he called out.
"No, thank you very much," Much responded. "I don't want to get thrown to the ground again."
"And that's how it's done," Robin proudly announced, sticking his sword in the ground and wiping his brow of sweat. "When it's finished, you'll be covered in blood and glory."
"Whose blood?" Much asked. "Not yours or mine, I trust."
Robin shook the sweat droplets from his hair, then spied Marian watching.
"Marian!" he called delightedly, his face lighting up. "You're early!"
She did not return his smile, radiant as it was. She felt almost sick, with the thought of losing him in battle looming. Real men, after all, fought back, the way sacks of dirt never could.
Robin approached her, but stopped a few feet away. His shirt was sticking to him, as Kate had mentioned.
"Give me a few moments to get cleaned up," he told her. "I've missed you."
"You know where I live. You might have come to see me once this week."
"Sorry. I've spent every spare moment, practicing. It isn't easy, with only Much to fight."
"Much?"
"He's learning! You'd be surprised, Marian."
"Amazed." Reaching into a knapsack she wore around her neck, she held out the deed her father had given her. "Here, I brought you papers my father said you're to acquaint yourself with, before the Council of Nobles."
Robin took the paper from her and quickly scanned it with his eyes, then handed it back to her. "This can't be the reason for your visit. Admit it, Marian, you missed me, too."
"I hardly noticed you were gone. I've been busy, as well."
"Doing what? Embroidering your finery, for our wedding?" He would have liked to add the word "night," but he was too polite toward her to say it.
He grinned and threw her a wink, then turned and raced toward his house, calling for a bath. Much, as always, followed him. But Marian stopped him with her words.
"I can't stay for your party tonight. I have plans of my own."
"What plans?" Robin asked, turning to face her, his face grim.
"Does it matter? If you had thought to ask me sooner, I might have been able to rearrange my schedule."
"Very well," Robin told her. "Seeing as how you're so busy, I'll tell little Lukie you can't come." Angry, he spun around and disappeared into his house.
What should she do now, she wondered. Return to Nottingham, without so much as a goodbye? And why were they arguing, if indeed they were? She wasn't even sure of that. She felt confused and angry, having watched him do battle against sacks of dirt! And hearing him praise Much! What about her almost perfect shot at their archery lesson, the day following the banquet and ball? Had he already forgotten about that?
Walking to where he'd thrust his sword into the ground, she looked about her to make certain she was alone, then lifted it. It was heavy, but she was stronger than she looked. Gripping its handle in both hands, she held it before her, then moved it slowly from side to side, keeping her movements steady. Then, imitating what she had just seen Robin do, she lifted the sword over one shoulder and quickly, brutally thrust it forward.
She jumped and dropped the sword when she heard a voice say, "Excuse me, milady. Thornton told me you were here."
Marian looked at the boy. It was Will Scarlet, nearly fourteen years old yet already as tall as Robin. A handsome boy, but awkward and shy, so different from his gregarious, chattering younger brother Luke, whose birthday it was.
"Yes, Will?" she asked, wanting the boy to feel at ease.
"My mother wants to thank you, for coming. She told me to give you this now, in case everyone crowds around you and Master Robin, tonight."
"What is it?" Marian unfolded a cloth he had handed her, revealing a small wooden horse wrapped inside.
It was exquisite, as if carved by a master craftsman. The horse almost seemed to breathe life, with every muscle and tendon perfectly fashioned out of wood.
"I...I made it for you," Will said, blushing. "You're going to marry Master Robin, and be our lady. You...you like horses, don't you?"
"I do. You made this? You're very talented. I will treasure it."
Will, still serious, smiled, then clumped awkwardly away on his huge feet. He didn't seem used to his height, having experienced a recent growth spurt. Marian guessed he hadn't finished growing yet, and his voice had squeaked more than once, even speaking so few words.
She couldn't remember Robin's voice ever squeaking, though Much's had for months. Robin had sailed through puberty with almost no awkwardness. A beautiful boy, he had grown into a beautiful manhood, without experiencing any of the customary unpleasant signs.
She sighed, rubbing the horse absentmindedly between her fingers and a thumb. She couldn't very well duck away from attending Luke Scarlet's birthday festivities now, could she? And if she were being completely honest with herself, she had to admit she wanted to attend. If war did come, how much time would she have to spend with Robin, after all? She didn't want to miss a moment, even if he seemed to care more for war than he did for her.
Well, she would just have to change that. Somehow tonight, she would get him to admit he loved her!
