Marian
I paused beside a tree, knowing the living could not see me. I was dead; a ghost. When we had time I would tell Robin what we were—what he was about to become.
The gang came up behind him now.
'Is it true?' Archer asked.
My love's brother. He certainly had found his place in the world and I would have liked to know him properly. Robin turned around and looked at him.
'Yes,' he said.
'But you can't die,' Much insisted desperately.
Robin came over to him and hugged him. 'Much,' he said calmly. 'My best friend. You followed me no matter how senseless my mission.' I had to agree with that one. Robin stumbled over to Archer. He almost fell over, but Archer caught him. 'Archer, my brother, you have to lead them now.' He passed on the mantle of leader.
'Without you?' Archer asked.
'Yes,' Robin told him. 'They are your family now.'
Then he stumbled over to Kate. To her, I was grateful. She kept my Robin from doing too many senseless things the way I once did.
'Kate.' He kissed her forehead. 'Brave Kate.' Then he moved onto Tuck. I was also grateful to him, pulling my husband back from the brink of madness before it could take too strong of a hold. 'Tuck. Thank you for everything.' Tuck nodded. Robin moved onto John.
'This isn't fair,' John said.
'John,' Robin told him, 'this is a good day to die.' Penny was the last one he stumbled over to and pulled into a hug. 'Penny. My little sister. You're strong. Never forget that.'
'I promise,' she told him, on the brink of tears. 'Say "hello" to Marian for me, Robin.'
He smiled against her hair—a smile that echoed mine—and promised. 'I will.' Then he pulled away and, with one last look over all of them, stumbled away.