Marian awoke that night in the camp to the sound of someone crying out in their sleep.

Oh no, she thought. Another nightmare.

But when she looked at Robin in his bunk, she was surprised to see him lying peacefully still.

It was Much! He must suffer the dreams as well. Poor Much! she thought, rising from her bunk and walking softly to his side.

Tears flowed from under his lashes, and his face was contorted from unknown horrors.

Marian began to gently stroke his brow. Bending down, she placed her lips close to his ear and softly began to sing a lullaby she remembered from childhood. She was shortly rewarded by seeing Much relax, stop crying, and even begin to smile.

Satisfied, she started to return to her bunk, but stopped when she heard Robin say softly, "If Robin Hood is the Spirit of England, as I tell the lads, then you, Marian, are England's Angel."

"You should be asleep," she said gently, thrilling at the sound of his voice. Walking to him and sitting on the ground beside his bunk, she told him, "Your body needs rest."

"Sleep's overrated," he said with a smile. "I'd rather talk with you." Keeping his voice low, so as not to wake the others, he added sincerely, "That was beautiful, Marian. You helped Much more than you know." He wondered whether she had done the same for him, since coming to live with him in the forest. He hoped she had.

"I thought you didn't like singing."

"Only when it's Much. I'm a music lover, Marian, like the king."

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better. Djaq's got me so tightly wrapped, I can't move my arms."

"That's the idea. It's a far better way to heal than leaping from windows and battling guards, not to mention kissing tavern girls."

Robin chuckled. "With all respect to Hannah and all she did for us today, I was beginning to grow tired of hearing her ask for kisses."

"Is that what you were doing, when I left to find help?"

"Believe it or not, she asked me to tell her a story. She likes happy endings."

"Really? Well, I can't fault her for asking for kisses. Yours are very sweet, Robin."

He stretched his neck, reaching for her lips, then pulled back, wincing in pain.

"Lie still," Marian whispered. "I'll come to you."

Their kiss was slow and sweet, lacking the passion of the kisses they'd shared earlier that day, but tender and loving and filled perhaps with an even deeper longing.

When it ended, they shared a silent look of love, until Robin teased, "You broke our pact today."

Marian lifted her brows. "You broke our pact," she teased back. "You were the one who tried to keep me from joining in your rescue."

"And you went to Nottingham, without my approval."

"Maybe we need a new pact," she teased.

"I have a few ideas."

She was stroking his cheek with the back of her hand, and would have given him a light, playful slap if he hadn't been injured.

"I'm afraid you're going to be a terrible patient while you heal," Marian told him.

"The worst," he agreed. "An impatient patient. It's hard to be wounded and helpless, when God designed you for action."

He was referring not only to himself, but to Marian. He understood why she was often so difficult lately, and it didn't help when he lashed out back at her. He silently vowed to do better.

Beginning immediately, he told her, "I have a job for you, Marian."

She was surprised, and pleased. "What is it?"

"You know the boy the sheriff blinded..."

"He's from my village," she told him. "I didn't recognize him at first, because... His name's Henry."

"Henry," he repeated, committing it to memory. "I want you to take food to his family. Maybe Djaq's got something that can help him not to hurt so much, at least physically. Comfort the family, as only my Angel of England can."

It would be hard, she knew, but she willingly wanted to try. "Do you want me to go alone?"

"Take John with you," he told her, believing Little John would be her best protection, should she need it. "He's a father. He can better understand, I think, than the others."

She nodded, then stifled a yawn.

"I'm keeping you up," he realized. "You go back to bed."

She returned to her bunk, but only to fetch her blanket. Wrapping it around her, she sat down again on the ground beside Robin's bunk, and placed her head on it, next to his.

"Goodnight, my hero," she whispered.

"Goodnight, my angel."

And goodnight, my love, he thought, his heart swelling.