Chapter 31
Haze
Robin wasn't sure what he was doing. Somehow his knife had left its place on his belt and was now against Noor's neck. Somehow Noor was no longer on the horse but in front of him stumbling toward Nottingham on foot. The last few minutes were hazy but he was sure that at some point he had come up with a plan that involved holding Noor hostage and taking her back to Nottingham. The hazy feeling followed him all the way into the harem for Djaq to retrieve Abdullah; it had followed him back across the courtyard and into the woods. The hazy feeling engulfed him until the dusk came. Then Robin found himself in the woods with Noor, listening to her scream at him in a mixture of Arabic and English.
"What I did? What I did? What did I do Robin? You tell me you have an evil sheriff that will not work for peace, so I send you the way to remove him. I give you a non lethal poison – THAT YOU'VE WORKED WITH BEFORE – and exact directions on how to use it. You and the girl muck it up, you get her hung and now you've taken Abdullah and me hostage. Not to mention the fact that you've put a knife to my neck! Do you really want to talk about what I've done Robin, or should we talk about what you've done?"
"What I've done Noor? What I've done is wrong I know that. But you Noor, you my Princess are just like your stories, only ever half done. I have only ever heard half of anything from you! How was I supposed to know that you had given her foxglove and monkshood? You could have given her anything!"
"What else would I have given you Robin? I would have only given you a poison that you had seen used before. Plus I told James what was in the pouch! How dare you accuse me of omitting things?" Noor was infuriated. How dare he accuse her of such things!
Had James told him what was in the pouch? Did he know anyway? He should have expected that Noor would give him something he was familiar with and her zombie powder would have made sense as a poison to use. It didn't matter; Marion's death wasn't the point. The point was that Noor always kept things from him, this time it had simply resulted in Marion's death. Well if he was in the muck this far he might as well keep digging. "What about my leaving the Holy Lands? You were involved in getting King Richard to send me home, weren't you? Admit it!"
"Yes, I persuaded King Richard to send you home. You were ill and your time in the war had come to an end. Allah had willed it that way. So I had King Richard send you home."
"Why Noor? Why did you do it? Look at what you've sent me to! Is this to be my punishment? Are you an angel now instead of a sorceress telling me my punishment for my sins? That I must live so close to all I love while not really being a part of it? Why Noor? Is this some curse you've placed upon me, witch? Not to mention how! What did you do Noor? King Richard isn't an easy man to persuade! How did you do it Noor?" Robin roared at her. All these months and it was all coming out. All of the rage, the pain, the humiliation that Robin felt was finally being released.
"It was best Robin." Noor responded quietly. "It was just simply best. As far as how, that is none of your concern. King Richard is easier to persuade than you would imagine."
"Why? Abdullah? What could he have done to me, Noor? Castrated me for entering the harem? Killed me on the suspicion that I touched you? What exactly could Salahadin have done that you haven't done to me already? You didn't send away James of Essex, or even King Richard for that matter! Salahadin hasn't sought revenge against them or any of the other blue eyed men in the King's guard! Why should he have sought it against me?" In his heart Robin knew he had gone too far and that Noor was now beyond his reach.
Coldly Noor responded. "I will not argue with you, Robin of the Hood, Earl of the Forest, and Lord of the Trees. I am the mother of the son of Salahadin - defender of Heaven and Earth and Lord Sovereign of the Holy Lands - and I will not argue with a heretical heathen. My son and I are leaving, immediately." With these words Noor turned silently from Robin. How dare he hurl such accusations at her!
"You're right Noor. You and Abdullah are leaving. You'll be leaving with Much and me in the morning. You should sleep now we'll be leaving once Guy of Gisbourne is buried and the Sheriff is made example of."
"Robin, you know the man she poisoned isn't dead. He's simply comatose; zombie powder cannot kill a man." Noor responded in a small voice. She wouldn't argue with Robin, it would do no good. Later, when he was rational, she would attempt to reason her and Abdullah's freedom from the crazed man she had once cared so much for.
Smiling a cruel smile Noor had never seen before, Robin responded. "I know that Princess and so do you. But it would seem that in fact it is not our problem."