Part 15
It was Christmas morning and Much couldn't sleep having dreamt of Acre, he fidgeted and accidentally kicked his neighbour who grunted a response that was a foul use of the English language, so taking up as little space as possible he sat up. He lit a candle thinking it appropriate for the time of year. The light flickered across the rock of the cave giving a warm glow to his surroundings and he felt perhaps it was a day for celebrating after all.
They had however nothing to celebrate since Marian's disappearance five days ago and the return of Gisborne to Locksley with no news from Eleanor or Thornton the outlook was bleak. Robin was sleeping thankfully, fitfully and obviously dream filled. Each day that had passed so far had been unbearable according to Much. It was quiet without Marian, without the spats she had with Robin, without the teasing, without her conversation and input into various things and he knew that not only Robin felt it but the whole gang as well.
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Guy was downstairs early in anticipation of entertaining. Eleanor was not so excited at the prospect but anything was better than spending the whole day with a man she deemed miserable, soulless, a tyrant on society, hard and uncaring on those he claimed he had softer feelings for. She herself had been about in the day longer than he, seeing that the poor folk of the Manor had a Christmas they deserved.
To Guy things were coming together, these new friends of his had been recommended by others he knew and trusted, in circles he chose to linger. In circles which in time would make him a great man, far greater than his dreams took him and one day he might finally be free of the Sheriff.
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Robin sighed the day was dragging and not fun and light-hearted as the Christmas of the previous year had been. Much had cooked a swan and while he had shown appreciation of the feast he had no appetite for it. Where was she? From all he had gleaned he knew she was alive and in likelihood would be until the Spring which gave him a few months at least but….he stopped thinking and watched the gang enjoy themselves and sighed again…no he would not be content until she was back where she belonged, with him.
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Marian was grateful for the bed she had, in a room which was barren save a bed and a stool. The walls were whitewashed and even seemed to shine at night. She had a lone candle also, courtesy of the place in which she looked likely to spend the rest of the days. The nuns were pleasant enough and it was not a silent order, for that she was thankful. It was a disadvantage that she was now in Derbyshire at an Abbey she believed to be Minchen. The weather wasn't good and she knew it was foolishness to try and escape. Especially when here at least she was clean, fed, warm, had a bed on which to lay her head and was adequately clothed. The only thing she didn't have was Robin and the company of the other outlaws, she ran her hand across her belly thoughtfully, she was astute and knew that after the child was born Gisborne or the Sheriff would be back for her, with revenge in mind. She would have to somehow leave just as the weather thawed. Marian toyed with the ring on the third finger of her left hand and remembered the message which accompanied it, that the two Celtic hearts knotted together signified a perfect token of love. She sighed and wondered what Robin had to remember her by; hopefully it wasn't the dreams…..