Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood BBC
Rose disappeared on her horse towards London with her Captain Nicolas. He was an older gentleman than her and Sir Guy by around twelve years and it was clear by the small scars on his face that he had seen his fair share of battle.
"Do you think the Prince will be honourable in his conduct your highness?" asked Nicolas.
"It depends what mood he is in," replied Rose.
Rose was quite gracious as she asked for an audience with her cousin. As most of the staff liked and respected her she was granted access almost instantly and even remembered not to bow to him given her current raise through the monarchy.
"Lady of Locksley…" began Prince John.
"Not anymore. I have received word from your brother the King and he and I politely request that you step down as regent," added Rose.
The Captain read out the proclamation that the King had written in the Holy Land and Prince John was shocked and looked as though he was going to cry at first but his temper soon started to flare.
"A Princess now? You were nothing more than a Knight's wife a moment ago and now Richard wants you to rule? You are his brother's daughter!" snapped Prince John.
"I don't want this to turn nasty but I need this palace if you don't mind?" asked Rose.
Prince John got up from his throne and glared threateningly at the Princess.
"You are going the right way for a room with my mother," he informed.
Rose was tempted to declare war on the Prince at that moment. The Queen mother being locked up was treason against her and the King as far as she was concerned.
"I had hoped for a peaceful abdication from you but you are really trying my patience. Richard has given me an army if you do not cooperate and my husband is in charge of it. You almost had me killed and he is not a forgiving man. I am willing to be reasonable…" began Rose.
"Do what you will Princess. I look forward to your invasion," added Prince John, mockingly.
Rose gave him a challenging look.
"I am warning you John; stand down as regent and you can live out your days peacefully. I don't want to start a war but you leave me no choice," she warned.
"Oh please Rose; I will meet your toy soldiers with black knights and we will see who the true Regent really is," added Prince John.
Rose turned and walked away from her cousin in a foul mood. As she expected the doors closed on her and she was threatened along with her Captain. As far as she was concerned it was the better option for him to imprison her against her will to give Sir Guy the chance to step up for his wife and his country. Prince John did not expect the Princess to smirk as he had her arrested and placed in irons like a criminal.
"Arrest her for treason and her Captain; I am in charge here and that proclamation was clearly fake," added Prince John, idly.
Rose did not struggle as she was taken to the tower. She feared for the Captain's life and wellbeing but she was not afraid of being arrested and taken to the tower as she was not alone. The Queen mother was there and jumped at the sound of the door opening and her niece being thrown into the room with her.
"Not you as well!" she cried.
"It's alright Auntie; help is on its way. Richard knows everything and made me regent which is why I am here," explained Rose.
"Help?" asked the Queen Mother.
Rose hugged her and assured her that everything was going to be alright. As far as she was concerned her husband was on his way to free her and give her the kingdom she cared about.
However, back in Nottingham Sir Guy was having problems with the Sheriff, who did not want to convert to his side in order to save his wife and see him as good as on the throne of England but he was not as patient and understanding as his good wife.
"You don't really have much choice Sheriff. I have the King's men and they are now my men. We are going to London tomorrow to start and finish this in the same day. If you send some of your men with us there is a chance that the King will be merciful if he returns or better still that my wife won't behead you for not doing so," explained the new Duke of London.
The Sheriff rolled his eyes.
"Oh please Gisborne! This is Prince John we're talking about…" began Vasey.
"And I'm talking an army of King's men plus recruits from surrounding villages and others that have heard of my wife's ascension to power. A handful of Black Knights are no match for men who have spent years in the Holy Land facing that kind of warfare," added Guy.
The Sheriff tried to consider his options carefully. If he stayed loyal to the Prince and Gisborne won his fight he was doomed but if he joined the fight there was still a chance that his head would leave his shoulders.
"Either way I see nothing that would encourage me to join you; either way I am going to lose my head," remarked the Sheriff.
"Sooner rather than later," threatened Guy.
The Sheriff did not take to being threatened in his own home and made the mistake of setting his men on Duke Guy and the handful of men he had brought with him. It was no trouble for them to defeat the Sheriff's men right infront of him in a matter of minutes without a scratch to themselves.
"Do that again Sheriff and the next time I raise my sword I will kill you; the reign of the Prince is over!" added Guy.
"And where is your precious Princess Gisborne?" asked the Sheriff.
"She is trying to do things peacefully but I have my orders. I will attack at dawn tomorrow; I will destroy all of his men and I will take the throne. Rose is my wife; do you seriously think that she'd let me play second fiddle? I am your future King!" snapped Guy.
The Sheriff paused. He considered laughing but realized that there was some truth in what he was saying. Rose would never belittle Guy by ruling over him; no matter what the proclamation said about his position as a Duke, with Rose in charge there was a good chance that his former henchman would be King.
"What would you have me do Gisborne?" asked the Sheriff.
"Join me; think about it; my wife has the power to see us both pardoned and both free. You want to keep your head you have to risk it in battle," added Guy.
So Nottingham joined forces with Locksley and the other surrounding villages. It surprised the outlaws to here that the Sheriff had given in so easily to Gisborne, who he had always seen as less of a man until he married into the royal family and was capable of commanding an army that would take over the country.
"What about us?" asked Much.
"What do you mean?" asked John.
"It's our England too," added Much.
Robin glared at him. He still had his pride and he refused to go to Gisborne and beg to join him in his battle to save Rose and the country.
"What about your debt?" asked John.
"I never said we were not going to London," replied Robin.
The outlaws were thrilled that Robin hadn't abandoned Rose. He was a man of his word and promised that he would repay the woman who saved him from a burning forest and her future husband's blade. If Rose had not returned; he knew that she was a prisoner at the palace and that her peace talks hadn't gone to plan.
"What about Gisborne?" asked Much.
"I doubt he'll have an issue with me saving the woman he loves," replied Robin.