Yes, my wonderful readers, it has been a long (long) time, but I am back (with lots of new chapters)! There are a few comments I want to make before you read ANY FURTHER!

1- Apologies, APOLOGIES for taking so long. We all know how life can be, but I have not forgot about Marian.

2- This is the newest chapter BUT the story has undergone LOTS of revision. You may want to start from the beginning. I had to eliminate (sorry in advance) some characters because they didn't contribute enough to the story. Thus, some of the sequences have changed and the story is slightly different.

3- I hope this story was worth the wait. As always, please enjoy and let me know what you think!

"Take Lady Marian and Lady Charlotte back to the castle," Guy ordered two guards. Nodding, they grabbed each of us. I yanked my arm away, expecting Charlotte to do the same, but she didn't. Once we were back at the castle, I decided to go to the garden; I still wasn't ready to be cooped up inside. Charlotte followed me.

The moment we were out of earshot, she pounced.

"What in the world was that?" she asked.

"What?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Do you think me a fool, Marian? You deliberately knocked over that cart to help the outlaws escape!" she accused.

"Oh please, Charlotte! Now you're just being silly!" I waved her off, hoping to convince her to drop the subject.

"I know what I saw, Marian! Now start talking!"

"There's nothing to talk about, Charlotte!" I lied. We both locked our eyes in a stare down, her blues against my hazel. Just as she was about to crack, another figure appeared.

"Marian—"

That broke our contest. Charlotte whirled around and came face-to-face with the infamous Robin Hood.

Knowing my friend, I grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth before she screamed or yelled for the guards or a combination of both. While Charlotte may have been taller than me, I definitely had the strength over her. I also think she was just too shocked, or scared, to fight back.

"What are you doing here?" I scolded Robin and Will, who suddenly appeared beside Robin. Charlotte said something, but it was muffled by my hand.

"Um...well..," Robin stuttered, clearly not expecting me to be with someone. In a different situation, his loss for words would have been comical. I had never seen him flustered like this.

"Well as you can see, it's not a very good time," I gestured to Charlotte.

"Yeah, I can see that," Robin eyed her.

"Marian!" someone called for me. At the voice, Robin and Will immediately disappeared into the trees. Now all I had to do was keep Charlotte's mouth shut.

Releasing her, she whirled on me.

"What was that?! Do you know them?! Why were they here?" she fired off at me.

"Charlotte, just please don't tell anyone," I begged. The last thing I needed was her big mouth spreading rumors.

"What do you mean, don't tell anyone? Marian, you're conspiring with outlaws! That's treason!"

"You heard one conversation! You cannot possibly know what's going on between the outlaws and me!" I argued.

"Marian!" the voice was closer and recognizable as Guy's.

"Just, please, please don't say anything!" I begged. Guy's voice came again. Charlotte glanced to it for a moment, and then turned back to me.

"Fine, but you better be ready to explain yourself," she agreed, just as Guy found us.

"Ladies," he greeted, "Charlotte, I was wondering if I could steal Marian away for a moment."

I could tell Charlotte didn't want to leave. As she walked away, she eyed me as if to say Remember our deal. Guy offered me his arm. I reluctantly took it.

"Marian," he began right away, "I'd like for you to come to my home for a little while. Nottingham's become too dangerous with Lock— Hood on the loose."

I couldn't help but notice the slip-up. He knew about Robin, and he deliberately kept it from me. He didn't want me to know. More importantly, he didn't know that I already knew.

"Oh, I don't know, Guy," I mumbled after a moment.

"I've already asked the Sheriff. He thinks it's a great idea," he assured. Well if the Sheriff gave permission, there was not much I could do except accept. Refusal would be insulting.

"Um, well, I guess I'd better pack," I smiled bittersweetly. What was I going to say? If the Sheriff approved of my going, then there wasn't an option. I was going. When I walked into my room to begin packing, Charlotte was waiting for me.

"Okay, talk," she ordered. I sighed, grabbing my bag, mentally preparing myself to begin my story.

"What are you doing with that?" she asked gesturing to the bag, interrupting me already.

"I'm going stay with Guy for a little while." Her mouth dropped open.

"What? Why?"

"Okay, which story would you rather hear, Charlotte? The one about the outlaws or the reason as to why I'm going stay with Guy, because frankly I don't have time for both," I snapped. I instantly felt bad, but it had been a long day. All I really wanted to do was crawl into my bed and sleep.

"The one about the outlaws," she sat on my bed and listened intently as I told my story.

"So you knew Robin Hood before you came to live in the castle?" she asked after I was done.

"No, I knew Robin of Locksley. I know about as much as you do about Robin Hood," I answered, and it was true.

"So is this the guy you've been waiting for?" she asked after a moment. That took me by surprise. I had to really think about it. Just as I was about to answer, a knock came at the door.

"Are you ready?" Guy whispered as I opened my door to him. I muttered a soft yes. Charlotte caught my eye as I grabbed my things and followed Guy.

There was a carriage waiting for us right outside of the castle. Guy held the door open for me as I stepped in. Once the door was closed, I could no longer see out. The windows were covered by dark curtains; the interior was a deep red. It gave off a very dark and ominous feel.

After he saw I was safely inside, Guy returned to the caravan of guards traveling with us. He would be riding his horse. Apparently, this was another one of his "precautions" to protect me, though I sincerely doubted Robin was arrogant enough to attack a whole battalion…though I have been wrong before.

Eventually the carriage began to jostle back and forth, evidence that we were on our way to Guy's home. The solitude allowed my mind to wander freely, eventually finding a certain green-eyed outlaw.

For the first time since his return, I actually had time to sort out my thoughts and feelings about Robin. But no matter how much I thought on it, I was still just as lost as I was the first time I saw him. What did I feel for Robin? His appearance always gave me nervous butterflies, but for what? I figured it was for fear that he would be caught, but why did I care? Why did his crooked smile seem to melt my heart? Why did his mischievous eyes intrigue me so?

My mind was so intertwined with thoughts of Robin that I didn't even notice that the carriage had come to a stop.

"Marian?" Guy's sudden appearance at the door startled me.

"Apologies, I did not mean to frighten you," he stated earnestly.

I shook my head and let out a nervous giggle as I took his hand to exit the carriage.

It took my eyes a while to adjust to the bright sunlight. When I did, I gasped. My eyes fell upon Locksley Manor. I could feel tears brimming at the corners of my eyes. The last time I'd been here…well, I didn't want to think about that.

A small crowd had gathered to see who was making the fuss. I noticed some familiar faces and many recognized me, but they didn't give me welcoming or happy or even sad looks. It was worse. Locksley looked upon me with pity.

I felt my cheek flush. Guy walked among them with his chin held high. The difference in social classes was as clear as day. Guy gave off an air of authority and control.

Between the pitying looks and Guy's arrogance, my head began to swim. I made my way inside the manor. Not much changed, only, everything seemed less vibrant. The colors were duller; the floors didn't shine as brightly, the whole environment was a bit gloomy.

"Would you like to be shown to your room, Milady?" a servant mumbled, bowing. I nodded; he began leading me through the manor. I kept my eyes downcast. This place just wasn't the same without Robin.

I didn't notice we'd stopped until I ran into the servant.

"Pardon me, Milady. We are here." He bowed again and left me to my room. The moment I looked up, my mouth fell open. Had the mood not been so somber, I would have laughed. Of all the rooms I could have been given in Locksley Manor, I was given Robin's room.

"Surprised?" a voice came causing me to jump. My eyes found Robin who was leaning nonchalantly up against the wall like he always did. He gave me a small, sad smile before taking in his room.

"Last time I was here was the day you visited," he mumbled after a moment.

He must have noticed my confused look.

"You didn't leave to go to war immediately," it wasn't a question. He appeared at my window that night.

He shook his head in confirmation of my theory.

"I left for training and never looked back," he smiled sadly. Memories came flooding back to me as I'm sure they did to him. I suddenly felt the need to apologize.

"Robin, I—"

"Don't, Marian. I got everything I deserved," he smiled, coming back from whatever memory he had been absorbed in. He finally walked over to where I was standing. Shivers shot down my spine as he brushed a stray hair away from my face. There were those butterflies again, but right now, I didn't care that I didn't know what to think of Robin. He was here now, and I wasn't going to question it.

"You put her WHERE?!" a voice shouted from somewhere in the manor, completely ruining the moment. Robin pulled away, and I turned to the door. Footsteps could be heard bounding up the staircase. I would have turned to tell Robin to leave, but by now I knew he was already gone. A moment later, Guy came storming in.

"Marian, I am exceedingly sorry that you have been put into this room. I shall see to it that you are moved immediately!" he apologized, face red and flustered.

Guy was really beginning to try my patience. His controlling demeanor was suffocating. He could not keep me from Robin, and deep down I think he knew that, too.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked feigning cluelessness. Confusion crossed Guy's face. I had to bite my lip to keep from smirking.

"Nothing, I suppose," he said after a moment, "Sorry to have bothered you, Milady."

"Think nothing of it," I replied politely, or perhaps sarcastically.

"Dinner will be served in an hour," he bowed before leaving me in peace.

As soon as the door shut, I heard two feet land softly behind me. I turned just in time to catch a fierceness in Robin's eyes just before it disappeared, concealed by his signature smirk.

"You know if I don't act fast, Guy is going to get the jump on me," he smiled, sauntering to the window.

"Then you'd better go," I followed. At my comment, he gave me a look liked I'd said something wrong.

"What?"

He just shook his head and jumped out the window. I found myself running after him to watch him disappear. By time I got there, he'd already dropped to the ground. The way he moved just out of sight of the guards, it was like a dance, so smooth and sure. My chest began to tighten. I wanted to follow him. I'd go anywhere with him. I felt so sure.

Suddenly, my confusion was gone. I didn't want to fight it anymore. I wanted Robin. He was the most important thing in the world. I didn't care what happened in the past or what lay ahead in the future, just as long as he was in it.

Marian finally admits her feelings for Robin! Will that change how she now acts among the nobility? Will she tell him? R&R!