"Little John," Robin said, skidding to a halt from his run to their camp in the Forest. He knelt and took the unmoving girl into his arms. "How is she?" Little John shook his head, his eyes cast low. "Oh, god…" Robin held her tighter and quietly cried into her long hair. "No…" He had sworn to his father that he would do all he could to protect her in anything. "No." Tears slipped down his cheeks and salted her hair. "This was not supposed to happen! Not her! She did nothing wrong!"
"Psst!" Elizabeth didn't waken when Robin hissed at her. So he tried again. "Psst!" Still nothing. He sighed and watched her sleep on the cold stone floor of her dungeon cell while he tried to think of a way to wake her so he could talk to her. There was no reason for her to continuously send Allan A' Dale away from her and Robin couldn't understand it. Finally, he reached through the bars with an arrow and poked her none too gently on the bottom of her bare foot. She jerked her legs out of harm's way and sat up quickly, startled and still half asleep. "Wake up!" he hissed at her, returning his arrow to the quiver.
Rubbing her eyes, she stood slowly then walked over to the bars. "What are you doing here?" she asked very sleepily. "I thought I said not to come."
"No, you told Allan not to come," he replied. "There is a difference." He reached through the bars and tilted her head so he could see her bruised face better in the torchlight. "Gisborne?" She nodded. Robin looked disgusted as he gently released her chin. "What time will they hang you?"
"Dawn, I should think," she said. "How'd you get past the guards?"
He smirked. "A little Saracen magic from Djaq." He sighed and looked at her sternly. "What are you doing to Allan?" he asked. She looked at him quizzically. "He's half mad with worry. Why haven't you let him in to see you?"
She blushed a little. "I don't want him to see me like this," she said quietly. "And I've only turned him away once. Earlier today—tonight rather."
Robin's brow knit in confusion. "He's been here everyday trying to get in to see you," he said. "Said the kitchen girl told him you don't want to see him every time he's asked."
"What?" she asked, very confused. "Mary's only told me about tonight. I didn't know he was here before."
"Interesting," Robin said more to himself than to Elizabeth. "That's very interesting." He clicked his tongue then said, "That'll wait until tomorrow. Let's get you out of this."
He began to work on the hinges of the cell door. Elizabeth grabbed his wrist. "Don't!" she hissed. "I want you to rescue me during the hanging." He stared at her for a moment. "I want Gisborne to hurt from my escape."
"How will that hurt him?"
"I convinced him to make it a public execution," she explained. "Now, get out of here before the guards come."
Robin slipped his hand through the bars and cupped her cheek in hand. She did the same to him. "Be strong, Little Sister," he said quietly.
"Don't be late, Brother," she replied. Then he disappeared from sight and she settled back on the cold, hard stone floor and drifted into a restless sleep.
The next morning, Gisborne kicked her in the leg to wake her. The method worked, but she didn't get up. She remained stretched out on the floor while she spoke to him, "I've been awake for several hours, Gisborne; you didn't have to kick me."
"Let's go," he said gruffly.
She didn't move. "I was lying here, thinking about death," she continued. "I was trying to think of how it would feel. Motionless, devoid of thought, emotion…" She looked up at him. "It's rather peaceful." She sat up, folding her arms around her knees. "Which begs the question: who are you punishing with my execution? Me or Robin Hood?"
"Get up," he growled, latching onto her arm and hauling her to her feet before dragging her out of the dungeon, through the corridors of the castle and out to the courtyard where she was to be hanged. The bright sunlight blinded her momentarily before she was able to scan the crowd of spectators, searching for familiar faces of the rescuing sort.
Allan, Djaq and Will slid to a halt upon seeing Robin sobbing into Elizabeth's hair. Djaq gently touched Will's arm, then ran off while Allan dropped to his knees beside Robin. He reached out and touched her hair softly. Robin looked up, tears streaking his face. "Allan…" he choked through his tears. "I'm so sorry, Allan. I wasn't fast enough." He allowed Allan to take Elizabeth into his arms and hold her.
"Elizabeth," Allan murmured into her cool cheek. "There are so many things I wanted to tell you, Sunshine. But I didn't have the courage…" Tears fell from his eyes. "I'm sorry…" He held her tighter and closer to him. "I love you…" he whispered.