Part 20
Marian lay in the bed, and winced the serving girl was sweet but not gentle in her administrations as she redressed the wound. The infection was not spreading which was something to be thankful for but what was infected had not improved in the last twenty four hours since Djaq had first dealt with it. She wondered where Robin and the gang would be spending the night, not safe and warm like she was. Warm, she was too warm she pushed the covers down, but then felt chilly so pulled them back up as the girl protested and told her to keep still. Eventually it was done and the serving girl proceeded to force some stew down Marian's throat after half the bowl was gone Marian feigned the need the sleep, and the serving girl slipped away.
The day had passed a mixture of sleeping fitfully and dreaming wild and horrendous dreams of Gisborne and his parting words to her and she feared this night would pass the same. She didn't have Robin tonight like she had had last night.
Last night; she had felt so hot, so out of her body as the dreams took over when she tried to sleep, but he had been there and he had held her every time she cried out, every time she thought Gisborne had gotten Robin, he was there holding her tight, soothing her in the embrace and kissing her damp hair with his soft lips. By the time she had woken from a more restful but still fitful sleep he and the gang were long gone.
It was still the middle of the night when the dreams began again, Gisborne was running Robin through with a sword, and then the victim turned into herself. She didn't die however as she found herself forced to marry Gisborne under the watchful eye of the Sheriff who said she wasn't going to be free this time. She woke with a jerk, her whole body damp with perspiration and she wasn't sure if it was the fever or dream induced, her breathing ragged she forced herself to return it to normal and gradually the fear and horror receded. Marian moved, pain soared through her body and she regretted it as she took a drink from the wooden cup beside her bed, fever or not she decided she was going to try and get out of bed in the morning there had to be something useful she could do at the home of Alistair of Markwick.