"Guy! Wait!" Marian cried out as she ran after the said man. But Guy refused to stop. "Guy!" She called again with no reply. "Robin!" Marian yelled as she looked back, "Would you care to help?" She scolded her lover who didn't seem to care much.
"Just let him be. The further away he is, the better." Robin yawned lazily, stretching his arms as far as he could with his body propped against the bark of one of many trees.
Marian let out a loud huff at Robin's nonchalant manner, but she wasn't about to give up yet. She ran as fast as her legs could. Reaching out, she had finally managed to grab Guy from his forearm.
"I said w-wait. You big oaf!" Marian panted. Her slender fingers tightened around Guy's forearm, head slightly bowed as she tried to catch her breath.
"What?" Guy asked without turning around.
Once she could breath normally again, Marian raised her face and was met by the back of Guy's head. However, before she could speak his flushed ears distracted her.
'What happened in there? I've never seen Guy so flustered.' Marian wondered. Her grip had loosened a bit as she began carefully considering on how to voice her thoughts. 'Why am I even thinking about it! I just have to ask him. There's nothing wrong with me asking such a question!'
But Guy had never been a patient one; he turned around to face Marian, "Speak up. It must be quite important for you to run all the way here."
The brunette felt her face burn up, but for a whole different reason than Guy's. His words highly annoyed her; she bit her lower lip to contain her anger. Yet her voice was loud enough and her irritation as apparent when she spoke, "Well thank you for doing the courteous thing and ignore me! You are such a gentleman for making me run all the way here."
"Hah!" Guy scoffed, a sarcastic smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Should I've expected any less from the lady who has been in a constant run in my wake?"
Before Marian could react to the man's words, Robin had finally decided to join in, "Don't they all?"
"As usual, speaking out of turn." Guy retorted with a sigh. "What do you want?"
"Kind of cheeky coming from the one begging me not a passing moment ago." Robin countered with a smug look.
"Robin!" Marian exclaimed, a pink shade adorning her cheeks, "I can defend my self just fine! And would you two stop with the tactless mockery?"
Both men stared daggers at each other, but remained silent with respect to the lady's request.
"Now care to explain what happened?" Marian sighed at the men's childish antics.
"I do not think it is anyone's business but mine." Guy replied as he looked away.
"Yes it is once you set a foot in my camp." Robin retorted, stepping once again in Guy's line of sight.
Guy remained silent for a while, contemplating the situation.
"Come on, Guy." Marian urged, "Why do you always have to be so stubborn?"
"Are you sure you are one to speak?" Guy sighed, arms crossed against his chest. 'Sadly, I do owe them an explanation.' The man thought as his eyes darted between the outlaw and the brunette.
"It is not my place to explain in details." Guy started, "And I don't think the lass is ready for a questioning either. However, the one thing I can and regret to say is that that fool has made herself an enemy of the Sheriff."
"Well, I can't say that I can hate the enemy of my enemy, can I?" Robin smirked, "But what did she do to earn such an honorable title?"
Marian was about to speak when she abruptly settled with a low whisper, "No." The brunette frowned, eyes fluttering in thought, as she seemed to tie all events so far. "The assaults on his soldiers?"
"Yes." Guy affirmed bitterly. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he continued, "And all of you haven't been quite helpful either. Since catching you lot has been proven hard to accomplish countless of times, who do you think will take the fall?"
"The lass." Robin answered, "So now it is our fault?"
"No." Guy muttered under his breath. 'It is no ones fault but mine.' He added mentally, 'I should have looked out for her. I am just repeating the same mistake. Like Marian. She was everything to me and I lost to her to Hood.'
"Guy?" Marian called; the man's abrupt silence troubled her.
The man clad in black raised his eyes, bringing Marian in his sight. His eyebrows creased ever so slightly as he thought, 'Was?' Since when had his affections for the lady become something of the past?
A scornful chuckle escaped Guy's lips, which startled the couple. But truth to be told, a chuckle had barely expressed how Guy felt at that moment. He felt like laughing. He wanted to laugh like he had never laughed before. Finally acknowledging the fact that the Lady of Knighton held no special place in his heart or thoughts was liberating. Some might argue that it was all thanks to Malak, but Guy wasn't ready to embrace such a fact. How could a young, naïve lass have such an impact on him? His pride would never allow it. All he cared for at the moment was the freedom he was feeling for letting go of the woman standing in front of him.
"GUY!" Marian cried out, her discomfort apparent on her face.
"Malak must stay here. In your camp, Hood." Guy finally spoke quietly, disregarding the lady's discomfort. His face was stoic; as relieved as he felt he wasn't about to bare his feelings to the ones standing before him. Robin was about to say something when Guy added, "As much as I loathe saying this. Your camp is the safest place for the lass."
"I do not care. That was not what we agreed upon." Robin objected. He pointed back at the camp's direction, "I won't put my men at any further risk."
"Do you think I would keep her here if I had any other option?" Guy opposed, "I do not trust you, Hood. And I would have taken her back to Locksley in a heartbeat if I could!"
"Then take me!"
"Malak!" Marian exclaimed. Her head spun in the direction of the voice.
The girl was barely standing. And if it weren't for Djaq, she wouldn't have been standing at all.
"I'm sorry, Gisborne. I couldn't stop her." Djaq looked at Guy apologetically, "She suddenly disappeared without a sound."
"There's no need to apologize, eh, Djaq." Guy sighed deeply. He knew the girl was fairly stealthy if she wanted to, but for someone who could barely stand? 'It seems I underestimated her.' Guy scoffed at the lass's willfulness.
"Take me back, Master." Malak repeated, determination written all over her face.
"Do you even understand the situation you are in?" Guy asked with a quirk of an eyebrow, "The Sheriff will have your head if he ever catches you."
"But no one saw my face!" The lass insisted. Her breath was becoming labored; her body was yet weak and standing was rather straining even with Djaq's support.
"I'm not taking that chance!" Guy lashed out in extreme anger, "You are staying here and that is final!"
Mariam wanted to somehow intervene, calm Guy. She had seen him in such a state a number of times before, and she always reacted spontaneously never dreading the consequences of her actions. Yet this time she was too scared to speak. But she wasn't scared of the man himself; she was scared of his words- of getting hurt. And that troubled her.
"Marian?" Robin called his fiancé. When he didn't get any reaction from her, he gently nudged her shoulder, "Marian, are you alright?"
"What? Huh?" Marian shocked her heads lightly, "Yes. Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you look troubled?" Robin replied. He seemed a bit confused and worried.
"Oh. I'm just trying to find a suitable solution." Marian replied with a forced smile. Seeing that Robin was not quite convinced, she hurriedly placed a quick peck on his cheek. "I promise. It just has been a long day."
"Isn't it always?" Robin chuckled, before a stern look overtook his face. "How about you both leave? You are already causing trouble."
"Says the troublesome lad."
The new voice caused all sorts of emotions in the camp. Guy cursed under his breath as he buried his face in his right palm. Malak lips began to shiver ever so lightly, as she withheld her tears. All the while confusion was written all over Marian and Djaq's face. And last but not least Robin was left speechless.
"Before anyone says anything. She wouldn't take a no for an answer. And she's the most stubborn person I've ever met." Allan announced with both hands raised in surrender, "Aye, Gytha?"