Enjoy my avid readers!

Moments later, Guy arrived and whisked me away to the castle. The moment I got there, I was nearly tackled by Charlotte.

"Oh, Marian, oh thank the Lord you're alright! I was so worried about you! I—" It dawned on her that we were not alone. She let out a nervous laugh, nodding to Guy.

"I shall take it from here, Sir Guy," she smiled, gently tugging me away.

"Um, Marian," Guy began. I stopped Charlotte and turned to face him.

"I can have a guard posted outside of your room for protection," he offered. I smiled at his chivalrous gesture. As nervous and shook up as I may have been, it was not for the reason Guy suspected. I would need to have time to myself to think, so a guard would simply not do.

"That won't be necessary," I assured. I placed my hand gently on his arm.

"Thank you, Guy, for everything."

I think my gesture took him by surprise, but I really was thankful. I was thankful that I didn't have to face whatever waited for me in Sherwood. I was thankful I could shut myself away and pretend my world had not just complete shifted on itself.

"Of course," he bowed before rejoining his men in the search for Robin Hood. I turned on my heel, ready to lie in my bed and think over what had happened. Unfortunately, thanks to Charlotte, that would have to wait.

She pulled me down the corridors and into her room and then sat me on her bed, immediately beginning her rant.

"How dare he? I mean how dare he?! He had the nerve to barge into my party and steal from my guests! Just…how DARE he?!" the rant went pretty much along those lines. How dare Robin Hood? Just how dare he?

After the first few minutes, I zoned out, opting instead to stare out of her window.

What if Guy hadn't interrupted us? What would I have found out? Who was Robin Hood really? But I knew these weren't the questions that were truly bothering me. Deep down, the real question was: Did I even want to know who Robin Hood really was?

"Marian, oh Marian, I'm sorry!" I snapped back at the mention of my name.

"Whatever for?" I asked.

"I haven't even bothered to see if you were okay! How are you? Did they harm you? What happened?"

I thought about those questions, only then realizing how tired I was. I was in no mood to relay the events of tonight until I could sort them out for myself.

"Oh, I'm fine Charlotte. I'm just tired from what happened. I hope you won't mind if I turn in early," I rose from my place on her bed.

She gave me a pitying smile and nodded.

"Of course," she agreed, "Would you like me to walk with you to your room?"

"Oh no! I'll be fine!" I replied, walking out the door. My room was just down the hall and to the right. Once I was safely inside, I shut the door and locked it. I stood with my back against it for a few moments.

Finally, I pulled myself together and sat down at my mirror. I took my mask off and began to gently brush my hair. While I did this, my mind wandered. What happened tonight? I tried to think of everything that occurred, but I found it all a bit foggy. I finally came to the conclusion that I would be able to better sort things out in the morning.

I glanced back up at my mirror and gasped. There was a man behind me. I jumped up, whirling to face the stranger in my room. The surprise nearly knocked the wind from me. I'd come face-to-face with my past, the past I had been running away from for nearly six years now it hit me full force.

I found my voice. He would not do this to me. I would be strong.

"Robin," I acknowledged without emotion.

"Marian," he greeted me after a short pause. Welcome home.

Robin is back! How will Marian handle his return? Will things go back to normal, or are they changed forever? R&R!