Robin was impressed. Marian's first shot of the three that would constitute their archery competition throbbed in the center ring of the target, just shy of the bull's-eye.

He answered his wife's proud and challenging smile with his own admiring one. "Good work!" he said approvingly, pleasing Marian even more. Then, brushing his lips on top of their infant daughter's head for luck, he turned to Much to swap his child for his bow.

Everyone held their breath while he took aim, anticipating one of the unbelievably amazing shots he was known for. But the shot he took was only amazing to him.

His arrow landed exactly where he planned...so close to Marian's it almost grazed it, but a hair farther from the center. The crowd gasped, then buzzed with surprised murmurings.

"Wind must have picked up," Robin announced happily, throwing Marian a sheepish grin before trading his bow for Ellie with Much again.

Marian flashed back a look of anger. "What is he doing?" she hissed to Allan, who watched alongside Will and Djaq.

"Not bein' funny, but losin' to you," Allan answered, grinning at the prospect of anyone showing up Robin.

"He lost that point on purpose," Marian fumed. "He'll probably lose the next one, too, just so he can perform some amazing feat no one's ever seen at the end, and humiliate me."

"Robin would not humiliate you, Marian," Djaq reminded her.

"No? He wouldn't think of it that way, but he would, if it earned him glory. What's he planning? To shoot his third arrow while holding our baby in his arms, or better yet, shoot backwards while eyeing the target through my new mirror?"

"No, Marian," Will insisted. "Djaq's right. Trust Robin."

Marian studied her husband, wondering. No other man in the world, she was thinking, could look so manly yet boyishly handsome, holding a baby.

Seeming to feel her intense gaze, Robin lifted his eyes, meeting hers with a look of loving joy.

"Perhaps it was the wind," Marian admitted, still feeling uneasy as she selected her next arrow.

Determined, she fired her second shot, then tensed with excitement when it landed in the dead center of the ring.

Over the cheers of the crowd, Marian called, "Beat that, Locksley, if you can."

Privately to their three friends, she confided, "He's going to split my arrow this time."

Much, flustered that Robin was losing, was having difficulty with the constant trading of baby for bow, so Robin handed Ellie into Little John's strong arms. The giant flushed with pleasure beneath his unruly beard when the baby cooed.

Robin grew as serious as Marian now, careful not to give his plan away. He had planned to win the second point, but with Marian's shot so excellent, the only way to do so would be to split her arrow, and he didn't want to do that.

He didn't want to take anything away from her today. She'd shot a perfect bull's-eye, earning the right to shine.

Lifting his bow, he aimed his arrow a fraction away from dead center.

Of course, his arrow hit just where he intended.

Marian searched Robin's face again. He appeared pleased, shrugging off her win.

"Shouldn't have had that third ale," he called, making all the village laugh. "But today is a special occasion, after all."

"I tell you, he's got something planned," Marian fumed to Allan, Will and Djaq. "I have two points, so he'll have to do something spectacular to win. He'll probably climb on his horse and shoot at full gallop, blindfolded."

"He'll get the glory," Allan agreed, somewhat bitterly siding with Marian.

Will and Djaq exchanged looks. The Robin of Locksley they knew would never do that to his beloved Marian. Unable to understand why Robin wasn't shooting his best, they nevertheless knew he wouldn't do anything to humiliate his wife.

Distracted now, Marian's final shot fell short of her previous two. No one spoke while Robin lifted his bow.

"I could hit the bull's-eye, and she'd still win the contest," he was thinking, just before doing so.

The crowd cheered. Robin, basking in their love, turned to smile at Marian, wondering why she wasn't smiling back. Then, raising his hands, he silenced the crowd.

"Thornton will now declare the winner," he announced. "Did I mention the prize is a kiss from the loser?"

Again, everyone laughed. Everyone, that is, except for Marian.

Thornton, the kindly old steward of Locksley Manor, stepped forward. "With two points," he announced, "the contest surprisingly goes to the Lady Marian!"

The applause was half-hearted, disappointing Robin. "You can do better than that," he told his people. "It's not everyday you see someone beat me! To Lady Locksley!"

The village adored Marian almost as much as they loved their good Master Robin. And so, with Robin's lead, they raised their voices in exulted cheers.

"Congratulations," Robin said, approaching Marian with an open, loving gaze. "And now, it's time for you to claim your prize."

Acting, Marian smiled as she had at him the time he'd returned from war and told her that her eyes could see straight into his soul. And repeating what she'd done that day, she now pushed him away just as he was about to kiss her.

"How dare you?" she demanded, under her breath.

"What?" he asked, his temper instantly flaring to match hers.

"You know what you did."

"I thought you'd be pleased! I was trying to be kind!"

"I don't need you to molly coddle me!"

"Fine! You told me that before!"

"Then what do you call what you just did?"

"It was kindness...a birthday gift! I thought, just this once, you'd like to beat me."

"Oh, I'd like to beat you alright!"

They kept their voices hushed, knowing it was a private quarrel, even if it was being played out before their entire village. Forgetting the crowd in their focus on each other, they jumped when Much's voice rang out.

"Please!" he cried. "I knew it! I knew it would be like this, when you two married! You're two of a kind, always fighting, like two foxes in a sack! Unbelievable! I don't know how you can stand it! Eve and I never fight."

"Much, this doesn't concern you," Robin warned, wishing his friend would go away so he could continue arguing with Marian.

But Marian had finished arguing. Much's words had somehow shaken her. Turning, she ran toward the manor.

"What have I done?" Robin asked himself, wishing he had competed fairly.

He should have known she would see through him. She was astute, after all, and she knew him so well. Not only that, but she was proud, just as he was. She'd shot beautifully, but her win was an empty humiliation when she'd won by him letting her.

"I need to apologize to my wife," he told Much before running after her.

As for Marian, she found herself trembling as she replayed Much's words in her head.

Two foxes in a sack. Is that the kind of a wife she was, snarling and snapping at her husband, the man she loved? What kind of a life was that for Robin, the bravest, truest, kindest, most loving man in the world?

She needed to change. She wanted more than anything to be a good wife to the man who so deserved it. She would change today...immediately. She would become docile, sweet and yielding. What better day, after all, to begin, but her birthday?