The dark and the light of day.

'You...ran?'

The cold calm voice of Sheriff Tywin looked to the Captain of his guards and that of Bryn beside him, other guards stood to the side of the castle and were watching him nervously.

'We had no choice my lord..we were heavily ambushed and...'

YOU RAN!' Tywin swiped the goblet in front of him and chucked it with success at the nearest guard, whose helm clanged and he sagged against the wall.

'You ran from a man who nearly died not so long ago, from a man who has...5 followers...'

Bryn stepped forward' 8 followers ...three more joined him in the village surrounded us.

Tywin's cold dark eyes studied Bryn, he stood and put a finger to his lips 'Oh..I do apologise...8...8 MEN AGAINST YOUR TWENTY AND YOU STILL FAIL TO KILL THE BLOODY OUTLAW!.

His voice rang and a few guards shrank away from his as though expecting something to land on their heads.

The Sheriff sniffed and turned back before starting to laugh.

'I can see why the people love him...the daring Robin Hood.. We must simply...make them hate him, and then we take him down. We crush him and break his men who surround him.

Bryn...I need to see you alone..i've got a plan.'

Marian found him halfway up a tree sat on a branch looking out to the river, she climbed up with ease and sat beside him.

'You do remember we are technically man and wife now. Even if it was with the King's ring and I was dying'

Robin didn't say anything but he looked to Marian a small smile on his face, though his eyes just looked so big and sad.

' I thought I'd lost you'

Marian nodded slipping her arm through his 'I know, I'm sorry I just...I thought I was going to die, you'd only just buried me it wouldn't have been fair for you to do so again.'

Robin moved a hand over hers clutching it tightly as though scared she was going to disappear at any moment.

'It's not just that...I...I didn't handle it very well. I was reckless I didn't care if I lived or died.. Tuck found me after I jumped over a water fall...Healed me .Talked to me. It helped but...i still missed you with every fibre of my being...'He paused to swallow hard.

'You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to I'd understand Robin'

The outlaw shook his head fiercely and carried on 'Kate came into camp and it was nice to have another female...to talk to. She became a good friend and I admit I...kissed her but she wasn't you. I couldn't love her any more then I could as a friend .

Then Isabella came...Guy's sister. We...talked and I found comfort in doing so with her. She stayed in camp once...twice..she'd fallen out with Guy...It..it wasn't love but...I.. 'He shook his head a twist in his gut as he carried on talking' .. I...kissed her..I...'

Before he could say another word he felt Marian's finger push against his lips to stop him talking. A soft smile on her face, eyes shining bright to him

'I understand.. Robin I can see the guilt plain on your face but you don't need to be so..You thought I was dead. If you found comfort with...either one of them or someone else I can not complain because to you I was dead...That is the past, what we need to do is look to our future if you'll have me of course'

God he'd missed her so much, he knew why she had done it, why she had kept the fact she was alive from him. If she had got Djaq or Will to tell him she was alive only for her to die for real this time. It would have finished him. To rebury her and lose her all over again. But now he had her back, he wouldn't let anything happen to her, not this time.

A small smirk tugged at those lips of hers and Robin smiled and rolled his eyes, moving his arm and leant his body close to hers to press her down against the branch of the tree.

'Oh I don't know.. it depends on whether you think I'm still worthy of you m'lady'

'I don't know about worthy...but big headed..and stupid...and vain'

'So could the same be said of someone so stubborn and reckless and ...'He grinned as his face grew closer to hers, his last words nothing more then a mumble as their lips crushed against one anothers and they kissed passionately.

This was when they were one and the same person, it had all the best feelings and the best memories he could think of. Like the way the air smells after it rains yet the smell is a good one, or the bright colours of flowers in summer. The little things that made them happy and yet this kiss was a hundred times that. They never thought they would get this chance again and yet.. this was real it was happening. This time nothing would stop them being together again .

Is the trap in place ?' The Sheriff's cold eyes studied the ruined courtyard which had workers were doing everything they could to rebuild it the best they could as it used to be. Bryn stood close arms held behind his back, his dark brown leathers made his eyes seem darker.

' The villagers will hate Robin and we'll lure him here, he'll try desperately to win his people back and then we'll have him. He'll be hung the next morrow and his men will lose all hope. We'll slaughter them like the animals they are'

The Sheriff narrowed his eyes and looked back to Bryn 'Don't celebrate too early Bryn, only do so when Hood is dead and so are his men. Vaisey made that mistake and look where he is now.'

Bryn nodded and stalked off to his captain of the guard, he had heard what had happened to the man in charge before.. Sir Guy of Gisborne. It hadn't ended well and rumours were he had mostly failed over the love of a maiden. Bryn would not fall down that trap . He would crush this Hood and gain favour when Prince John came to Nottingham. Then possibly he would be making the demands rather then Tywin.

The water was cool and pleasant on her feet, as she walked on the river bed smiling to herself. Dressed in her light under dress, hair wet after just washing the day's heat and dirt from her skin .It felt nice. Suddenly she felt arms round her waist pulling her to them.

Marian smiled to herself leaning back against the male who held her.

'Robin' She chuckled turning to kiss at his lips again.

'How could I possibly resist ? I know you don't mind you never could quite take your eyes off me whenever I was around'

Marian tutted and put a finger to his lips again 'You..think too highly of yourself '

Robin smirked and let his arms drop so that Marian could dress properly. She had brought a few new things back from the Holy Lands along with Will and Djaq's possessions, and they'd travelled all the way back to Nottingham on horse and camped where they could.

She dressed quickly lacing the dress up at the front, turning back to Robin only to find him half- knelt and rummaging for something on the ground.

Puzzled she raised an eyebrow 'What on earth are you doing... ?'

'I'm just looking for...hold on ..I'm just looking for ..'

She moved to crouch beside him but before she could Robin looked up and held out something in his hand.

'This...

His opened his palm showing a ring studied with a green gem inside, the metal weaved like that of flowers and leaves.

Marian blinked several times before Robin smiled.

' I want to do this properly this time, with no Sheriff, no guards around .On my terms and in the place we both love...so '

Robin cleared his throat as Marian giggled lightly, eyes bright and the smile impossibly big on her face.

'Will you...make me the happiest man in the world and marry me...again? Properly this time'

Marian smiled and found tears pooling her eyes as she nodded over and over again.

'Yes you idiot...' Robin slipped the ring on her finger, it fit just perfect and hugged her tight.

'This time I won't lose you'

Marian smiled and cupped Robin's cheeks.' I'm not going anywhere.'

Author's notes: Had to be done I love Marian and Robin so much they just deserve to be happy, but the Sheriff has a plan so will it all be short lived..You'll have to stay tuned guys. Next chapter sooooooooooon x