Watching the movie again (to insure that I got the dialogue right) I was disappointed when the movie had Robin declaring, "I would die for you," to Marian, then showing them getting married in the forest. I felt as though I'd been cheated. I wanted to know what was happening in the courtyard and how Will was managing, among other things. The final scene of the movie (Robin and Marian's marriage) also did not indicate how much time had passed. The next chapters will cover approximately two weeks following the climactic battle scene.

Will joined the others who were streaming through the now-open gate. Having had his own sword taken, he bent to retrieve the sword of a fallen soldier, briefly wondering if Robin had been the one to kill him.

Will fought ferociously, swiping viciously at any soldier he saw. He fought for Robin, he fought for his father, he fought for his mother, and he fought for numerous others who did not deserve to live under a tyrant such as the Sheriff.

In the distance, he saw Robin take a flying leap and crash through a stained-glass window.

That must be where Marian is, thought Will. He really would die for her, as I would for him!

Forced into parrying a blow, Will rejoined the fight, swearing that he would not give up until his brother came.

Will, however, was tiring. Wulf's attack had reopened his wounds, made worse when he'd been dragged towards the gallows and forced across that barrel.

All at once, he heard a yell from behind him. He turned to see Bull in danger, dodging blows from his opponent, unable to fight back. Acting on instinct, Will pulled his knife from his belt and threw it, lodging the blade squarely in the soldier's back. The irony was not lost on Will, how that same shot could have cost him a brother. He noticed Bull motioning at him and turned, only to encounter a blade in his side. He fell, watching as his assailant made to finish him off. Then, from out of nowhere, Robin came charging in. He stood squarely in front of his brother, prepared to defend him, even at the cost of his own life. He made quick work of Will's attacker, killing him with a single thrust of his sword. Once again, Will had escaped death and owed his brother a life debt.

Robin's arrival signaled the surrender of the Sheriff's remaining men.

Robin, however, paid no attention to the men lowering their weapons. His focus was on Will, who was quickly losing a lot of blood.

"Will," he said, his voice breaking on his brother's name.

"What happened to your chin?" asked Will, once more fighting against the darkness that threatened to overwhelm him.

"A parting gift from the Sheriff," said Robin with a bitter laugh.

"Robin," Will was fighting to speak now. "You're the best brother anyone could ever hope for. I'm only sorry that I won't be able to repay you for saving my life." Will's voice broke as he began to cough up his own blood.

"AZEEM!" Robin yelled, fearing for his brother's life.

"Robin, I love you," whispered Will, before the darkness claimed him.

Moments later, Azeem was kneeling at Will's side.

"It's alright, Robin. He's just fainted. He's lost a lot of blood, but he should heal. Even if the worst should happen and he develops a fever, he's a fighter, he'll pull through!"

"What should we do in the meantime?"

"Bind his wounds tightly. I assume you want to take him back to Sherwood?"

Robin nodded. "Yes, he loves the forest. If he were to die, he'd want to be buried there. And if he lives, he'll want to see the trees and the sky."

Azeem handed Robin the flowing robe that had hid his skin color.

"Use this," he urged.

"And this," came the voice of Marian, who had followed Robin down to the courtyard. She'd put her dress back on, but had torn part of her undergarments to make a bandage for Will.

"Thank you," said Robin, loving Marian even more for her understanding that his brother needed him.

Hurriedly, Robin removed Will's shirt, fighting back a wave of nausea that overcame him at the sight of his brother's blood staining the ground red.

He un-wrapped the now-useless bandages that had been previously used to stem the flow of blood, replacing the soiled bandages with the clean cloth of Azeem's robe and Marian's dress.

Once Azeem was sure that Will's bandages were tight enough to permit travel, he stood, pulling Marian aside. Robin was left to carefully pick up Will's surprisingly light body. He held Will the way he would a porcelain doll, as though any sudden movement would break him.

The villagers formed a pathway for the outlaws, Robin at the head, accompanied by Marian and Azeem. Tagging along was Wulf.

"Robin," he tugged at the edge of Robin's shirt, "Robin, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. If I hadn't attacked Will, the Sheriff wouldn't have ordered him to be killed. I'm so sorry!"

"It's not your fault, Wulf," said Robin, hoping to alleviate the child of his obvious guilt. "Will was injured only after he'd been rescued. You did no harm."

"But I did," Wulf insisted. "I knew where the Sheriff had had Will whipped. So, when I attacked him, I made sure to hit him where it would hurt."

Still holding Will in his arms, Robin bent down so he was level with the boy. "Wulf, I'm sure that Will knows that you meant no deliberate harm. He's a very forgiving young man. I'm sure he knows what his appearance must have looked like to you, what he'd led you to believe. It was only natural for you to lash out. I'll tell you what, when he's fully recovered, you can apologize to him yourself and he'll tell you, I'm sure, what I've been telling you all along—you are not to blame!"

"Thank you, Robin," whispered Wulf, falling behind to walk with his parents.

As the walk to Nottingham had been silent, so was the walk back to Sherwood Forest. Although the outlaws had won, their victory was overshadowed by the danger Will was still in. He'd been instrumental in their fight for freedom. Now, he was waging a war of his own, fighting for his survival!

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