Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

The Long Road Home by Ecri

Part 2: Best Laid Plans

Marian watched the early morning preparations, appalled at the sight of the gallows, the ropes, but more so by the gathering crowds. That there were so many who would watch the event with eager anticipation as though it were entertainment shocked her.

The nobles, each dressed in enough riches to feed most of the peasants of Nottingham for a year were nearly salivating at the prospect of having Robin Hood's men in their grasps. The peasants were no less excited. Some, she was sure, must have supported Robin and his men, some should feel they owe some debt of gratitude if nothing else, but it was a dangerous thing to support the Prince of Thieves while standing in Nottingham's court.

As she stared out the window at the final preparations, she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. There was a coldness that permeated these walls. Not the usual cold of any castle—even her own home was plagued by drafts and dampness.

The cold here in the Sheriff's castle was different. It chilled more than flesh. It chilled bone and blood and soul. It filled her with fear and dread almost as much as being in Nottingham's presence did.

She turned from the window. She had to be ready when Nottingham called for her. He would brook no excuse for her not attending the hangings. She wished she'd been successful the day before. Soon after Robin's men had been led to the dungeons, she'd tried to be allowed to see them, to learn what news they had of Robin's death…if he were indeed dead. She had slipped away from her rooms and down the dark, cold stone halls. They'd smelled of candle wax and fear…and of herbs she could not identify.

She'd strode with purpose toward the dungeons trying to make it seem as though she had every right to be there. She'd used her position and her haughtiest tones to try to gain entry to the rooms where the men were being held.

She had almost convinced one of the guards to allow her to pass when she spied something through the half open door that made her gasp. Several of the guards were gathered around one of the prisoners. She could not tell at first who it was, but she heard him taunting them when they began to lose interest. Once, when he was slow about it, she was certain they were going to try to torment the young boy. The taunt's started afresh and she was able to glimpse the young man who'd asked her to dance the night Azeem had delivered Fanny Little's baby. Will Scarlett! Her mind supplied the name as she wondered what he was doing taunting armed soldiers when he was at their mercy.

The soldiers had closed the door denying her entry and she had returned to her rooms to a sleepless night full of worry.

Now, as the hour drew near for the event, her anxiety grew until it almost overwhelmed her. There was only one thing that calmed her and offered any solace to her breaking heart. As she finished dressing, her gaze fell on Robin's medallion. Looking at it filled her with a calm she had not felt since her cousin, King Richard, had departed England.

Holding it turned the calm to peace.

Making a decision born of defiance of Nottingham as much as a hope to hold onto that peace, she placed it around her neck. The weight of it was comforting. Wearing it she could almost imagine it was Robin who waited for her.

Almost, she thought, was better than not at all.

Marian stood with the Sheriff wondering how many people among the cheering masses below wished the tyrant dead. She stared stoically above the heads of the crowd. She could not bring herself to look at the gallows yet, but she had promised herself she would watch the men hang. In tribute to them, for what they and Robin had tried to do and for Robin himself who might be dead at worst or in no condition to watch at best, she would watch them draw their last breaths. She would be sure that any who saw her would understand that she heartily disapproved of these proceedings.

The commotion below surprised her. She heard shouts of traitor and a small knot of people seemed to fold in on top of someone.

The Sheriff had very little patience to begin with, and what little he had was worn thin by now. His voice cut through the cacophony and his order that whoever was at the heart of the melee be brought forward was swiftly obeyed.

Marian was shocked to see Will Scarlett and was hard pressed to hide it. The guards held him firmly, one with a hand in his hair holding his head up so the sheriff could clearly see him.

"Oh, yes. The turncoat."

Marian's head spun, her thoughts were a maelstrom. Traitor? Turncoat? When last she'd seenhim, Scarlett had been in the dungeons being beaten by the guards. What had happened in the last eighteen hours? She shook herself from her thought, forcing herself to listen to the exchange between Will and Nottingham.

"He was already dead." Scarlett was saying.

Wait, Marian thought. Had he just said that Robin was dead? Her heart sank. Her world tilted slightly and one hand flew to Robin's medallion.

"Are you sure? You saw Hood's body?" Everything the man said sounded derisive.

Marian held onto the hope that there had been some mistake.

"No."

Marian's heart leaped at the possibilities.

"I saw a…a gr…grave."

She had never heard Will Scarlett stutter before, but she could not begin to decipher if this could mean he was lying or not. He can't be dead, Marian thought, as the guards showed the Sheriff a sword they'd taken from Scarlett. He can't be.

"String him up with the others."

She'd barely heard the Sheriff give the order, but as soon as it was given, Will Scarlett was hoisted bodily above the heads of those present, soldier and peasant alike, and passed over their heads hand to hand in a wave of inhumanity until he reached the gallows.

She saw moments before the hangman did that there was no rope.

"My Lord," Scarlett bellowed, unable to hide his own fear at the swiftness with which things had escalated. "I'm afraid there's no more room. I must respectfully decline!"

Marian had to wonder if he actually thought it would be that easy to change the Sheriff's mind, but the hangman, no doubt eager to please the Sheriff, hastily tied Will to a barrel adding decapitation to the day's itinerary.

She felt her stomach twist as Nottingham ordered the hangman to get started. She clung once more with renewed fervor to Robin's medallion with both hands offering up fervent prayers, as the youngest outlaw, John and Fanny Little's boy, was the first to hang.

She heard cries of "My boy!" and frantically searched the crowd below for any sight of John Little. It wasn't until the boy fell from the beam and she followed the path of the arrow with her eyes that she saw him.

"Locksley." Nottingham whispered.

"ROBIIIIIIN!" Marian screamed his name with every bit of breath she had in her body, feeling spent yet exhilarated as she did.

Chaos followed. Explosions, smoke, flame and the sounds of clashing steel filled the courtyard and she was hard-pressed to account for all of the flying arrows.

She tried to keep an eye on Robin. He appeared and disappeared as the smoke billowed and the people scattered.

Then she saw him fire a flaming arrow. Following it with her eyes, she saw the hangman, axe held above his head at the top of an arc that would have ended with it buried in Scarlett's neck. The arrow struck home and the man fell as John Little destroyed the gallows and the doomed men were able to stand.

Marian felt the sheriff's hands upon her, and she bellowed Robin's name once more as she was dragged indoors.

To Be Continued