"I, Walph of Wopping, take you, Gwadys, to be my wawfuwy wedded wife."

Marian tried to be brave and ignore the pain in her heart, appearing as Gladys' bridesmaid in the chapel in Nottingham Castle. No one knew it, but within months, Vasey would arrive in Nottingham and install himself as Sheriff, forcing Sir Edward from the position he'd held so honorably for so many years. Marian and her father would be in disgrace, and Gladys would quickly drop Marian as a friend. But for now, Gladys felt she adored Marian, and it gave her prestige to have the daughter of the sheriff as her bridesmaid.

Marian tried to be happy for her friend, though it was agony to be part of a wedding when she would never have one of her own. Robin was gone. Never again would she see his enraptured eyes look deeply into hers...never again kiss his warm eager lips. When or if he ever did return, things would be different between them.

He didn't truly love her, she was convinced. He had chosen glory over his people, and over her. In Marian's broken heart, he had already died, and she was slowly dying along with him.

The head cold she'd been getting when she had given Robin back his ring had turned into something far worse, due to her misery. She had eventually recovered, but remained weak and lethargic. Her father, worried for her health, had installed her in the castle where she could be near the best doctors in the shire. Somehow, she survived their treatments of bleedings and dosings, but she was almost unrecognizable from the beautiful, vibrant young woman she had been.

She wasn't to know it, but she would only fully recover her health and her beauty when she became interested in the needs of others after sharing her medicine with Sarah, to give to little Jess. Sarah's surprise that Lady Marian would show such an interest in her problems was just as big a surprise to Marian, and she realized, especially with so many needs in the shire under Vasey's new leadership, that she could do good by secretly helping others as the Night Watchman.

And it was only after her health and beauty returned and her heart began to heal, that she caught the attention of Sir Guy of Gisbourne, though he had been curious about her before he and Vasey arrived in Nottingham, all due to a letter Robin wrote to Marian she would never receive.

...

Several months before, in the Palace of Westminster, Robin sat pouring out his heart to Marian in that letter. Much stood by, forcing himself not to talk so that Robin could think. But it was difficult for Much to remain quiet, with so many things on his mind.

He remembered why he was here, and not home in Locksley. He hadn't known he would come, but the very day Robin bid his village goodbye and urged his horse away, Much had found himself calling, "Master! Wait for me!"

Robin reined his horse to a stop.

"I want to come with you," Much had said, unable to watch Robin leave.

"To London?" Robin had asked, atop his horse.

"Even farther. I want to take the Crusader's Pledge, and travel all the way to...to...where is it you said you are going?"

"Jerusalem, Much." Robin was amazed, and impressed that Much, of all people, would choose to fight. "Are you sure?"

"Jerusalem. Isn't that where the baby Jesus was born?"

"No, Much. That was Bethlehem."

"Bethlehem, yes! I knew that. But what is Jerusalem?"

"The capital. It's where Jesus died. Well, just outside the city."

"Died!" Much was sure both Robin and himself would die there also. But nonetheless, he had to go with Robin! It hurt too much to watch him go. He would fight for him, just as Robin would fight for his king, giving up everything they treasured, as well as risking their very lives.

Standing silently by now, a week later, waiting for Robin to complete his letter, Much did not regret his decision. They were due to travel to Portsmouth later today and board ships that would carry them to the Holy Land. Beyond that, Much didn't care to think.

"There," Robin said with a sigh, finishing his letter and sealing it. "I'm due to see the king," he explained, standing and holding the letter in one hand and a purse in the other. "Much, can I trust you with this? It's important."

"It's to Marian, I know," Much answered. "What do you need me to do?"

"Give it to a courier, along with this purse of money. Hire him to travel to Nottingham, and deliver the letter directly to Marian."

"I can do that," Much assured him. "You go to the king. He doesn't like it when you're late."

Robin handed Much the letter and the purse, then, still emotional, dashed away to his meeting with King Richard.

"A courier, a courier," Much repeated out loud to himself, hunting through the palace to find one. It was more difficult than he imagined, but he would not fail his master. But suddenly, he stopped his search and stood still, anxiety overtaking him as he heard the palace criers call out the summons for all crusaders to gather outside the main gates to leave immediately.

"What do I do?" Much asked himself.

Much first felt, rather than saw, someone watching him. Looking up, he beheld a sinister presence. A tall, well built man, dressed entirely in black, lurked nearby, watching him.

Throughout their conversation, the man kept his face in shadow, but Much shivered at the overwhelming sense of evil he felt in his presence.

Much overcame his shadowy fear and called out, "You! You haven't taken the Crusader's Pledge, have you?"

Guy of Gisbourne sneered. "I'm no loser," he answered.

"Well...then...Be that as it may, you can help me! Here! Take this letter, and this pouchy purse, and give them to a courier. Help yourself to a coin from the purse, as payment for your...your...your efforts!"

"I do not serve as a runt's errand boy!" Gisbourne angrily shouted.

"But it's not from a runt! It's from my master, Robin of Locksley, Earl of Huntington, to his lady!"

Already, from his encounter with Robin at the king's coronation, Gisbourne was obsessed with the man. His obsession would grow after he took over his life, including his lady, until that obsession shifted even more intensely to Marian herself. But for now, having never met her, Gisbourne sensed an enemy in Robin of Locksley, and an overwhelming desire to be him, or at least have everything he owned.

"I'll deliver his letter to a courier," Gisbourne lied, seizing both the letter and the purse.

Much was relieved. "Wonderful! Now, this is important. It might already say on this writing...I can't read you know, but it goes to Lady Marian of Knighton. She's the daughter of the Sheriff of Nottingham, and my master's...well...Let's just say they were betrothed. I've got to go!"

Much, believing the tall, sinister, angry man would locate a courier more easily than he'd been able to and send Robin's letter on its way, darted off to join Robin and the other crusaders to catch the fleet of ships awaiting their departure from Portsmouth.

Guy of Gisbourne stood alone, fingering the letter. Pocketing the money, he decided he wouldn't tell Vasey, but keep all of it for himself. Some of it would go toward buying a pair of silver spurs so that he could truly play the role of a knight and be called "Sir," as he felt was his right.

He continued waiting for Vasey to finish his private meeting with Prince John, who had quickly forgotten all they had done for him, killing Prince Geoffrey. Vasey knew their time was now to remind Prince John he wouldn't be Regent without them. Vasey meant to claim their reward, and Guy expected he would succeed. They were on their way to power and position at last, with the do-gooder, powerful king leaving and his devious brother, weak Prince John placed in control.

It was ironic, Gisbourne thought, holding the letter, that Locksley had written to the Sheriff of Nottingham's daughter, for that position of sheriff over Nottingham was the very one Vasey craved. Nottingham was located in the center of England, a strategic place to grow in power. Not only that, but Vasey held a personal grudge against its sheriff, though Gisbourne did not know its cause.

Gisbourne stepped to a window, where he might have light to read the contents of the letter. He didn't expect to see the king and his crusaders outside below the window, but he did. Sneering out at them, he spied the nervous ninny who had given him the letter along with Locksley, the king's favorite, seated upon the finest steed Gisbourne had ever seen. To own any horse again, but especially one so fine! Without meaning to, Guy angrily crumpled the letter in his fist.

Guy watched them all depart. Returning to reality, he opened his fist, smoothed out the letter, and slid his finger under the seal, opening it to read its heartfelt contents.

"My dearest Marian," the letter began, and Gisbourne was lost in thought and envy, reading Robin of Locksley's most private, heartfelt, and sincere apologies and feelings for the woman who was daughter of the Sheriff of Nottingham.

THE END