Marian fit in quite well at the Elliot's house, they accepted her into their family very quickly. They were lovely people. The two parents Emily and William were away from their house a lot. So she spent quite a bit of time with their two kids. Six year old Ellie and twelve year old Colin.
"Where are you from lady Marian?" Chimed Ellie.
"I have told you before Ellie you need not call me lady, Marian is just fine. And its not very far away. A place called Cornwall." That wasn't a lie she had spent most of her younger years in Cornwall. But thereafter she moved around a lot. She couldn't stay in one place.
The children had learnt quickly that she couldn't do as many things with only one functioning arm. They helped her in the best was they could. Her arm felt so strange, it was like she had a dead weight where her arm used to be. She hated being so limited, it made her feel like an invalid. She was quite happy that in all her time staying at this house, her powers still hadn't surfaced. It was great. But it made her fear when they would. She was constantly alert. Who knows how they would take it here?
She wished she knew how to control it, then things would be so much easier. She was going to Nottingham today. There was a market. Ellie and Colin's parents trusted Marian to take them to the fair. They thought of her as the children's governess in a way.
"Get your cloaks children."
They disappeared in a second. They were good kids. They always did as they were told. Marian was becoming more certain that she was in 1190. That she had time traveled. It made no sense, but that seemed to be the only thing that could of happened. This was far too realistic for a dream. Then she would think again. Time travel wasn't possible. She groaned.
There was nothing she could do.
"Marian, here is your cloak." Colin looked at her with his large blue eyes.
The fair was extremely busy. The three of them could hardly make their way through the bustling crowd. But the children still enjoyed themselves. They got toffees and little wrapped chocolates. Which they quickly slipped into their pockets. Marian found Ellie a pale blue cloak with dark twisting embroidery around the bottom. She tried it on, it went nicely with her flaming mop of hair.
Colin got some nice leather boots. He wanted to walk with them as soon as he bought them, even though Marian warned him he would get blisters. She smiled it felt good to do something simple. To finally not worry so much about being caught.
As the sun was creeping across the sky and the children were starting to look tired, Marian decided to stop at one more stall. It was filled with herbs and spices. Lady Elliot's cook would love some of them.
"Excuse me lady." An elderly woman was right beside her wanting to purchase her items.
"Oh pardon me." Marian stepped out of the way.
She grunted. Then she looked at Marian again. "I haven't seen you around here before."
"I'm from Cornwall and yes I just moved here."
"Hmm, are you employed?" The old woman, was eyeing her as if assessing her worth.
"Not not currently, I look after these two kids. But that's just helping some friends."
"I need a maid up at the castle. I apologize for my forthrightness, but I have had trouble finding somebody. You see our sheriff is very picky about who serves him."
Marian nodded. "I will think about it."
"I suggest you take it." The old woman said. "Its not easy to get employment in these parts. Look if you want it, come to the castle tomorrow morning. Tell the guards that Madge sent you."
"Thank you for your offer, I will likely be there tomorrow. But I will give it some thought and talk to my friends up at the house."
The old woman nodded, satisfied.
Marian bought the spices. Then it was time to go. She grabbed the children's hand's, well Ellis grabbed her good hand and Colin held her useless claw of a hand, they were walking a lot slower now so she had to make sure she wouldn't lose them.
Luckily the house wasn't far from the market. They only had a short walk. She didn't think the kids would be able to handle a long one. Colin was wobbling slightly when he walked she knew he was starting to get blisters.
"Colin get those boots off." She stopped walking. "I have got your old ones in my bag, they will be much easier to walk in."
"Yes, lady Marian." He sat down on the grass and began to unlace them.
"One minute you are under attack and the next you have children." She spun round, it was the man who had claimed to be Robin Hood. "Its crazy how quickly things change."
"What do you want?"
"I just wanted to say hello." He said innocently.
"Hello." Said Marian nonchalantly.
"Robin!" Shouted Ellie. She ran up to him and wrapped her tiny arms around his waist.
He laughed. "Hello El, wow you are growing up fast."
"You know these children?"
"Haha of course I do." Ellie let go of him and shyly stood next to Marian again. "I am a good friend of their parents."
Marian smiled. "They didn't say, I'm sorry."
"They don't talk about me a lot, and that's alright." He laughed.
Marian's vision went black she dropped to her knees. Oh gods. Then a scene flashed out through her mind. There was Robin, pointing a bow at a dark haired man then Marian jumping in front. The arrow hit her in the chest, she cried in pain and then the vision faded.
She woke up shaking, sweat was dripping down her forehead, it prickled.
"She will be fine, Robin. Just let her rest."
The voices were in the hall. "Fine, but I'm coming back tomorrow."
He seemed like a nice man, she smiled. Maybe he was Robin Hood?
The children came into her room and told her stories about how Robin had carried her home and looked after her. Ellie thought she was dead, Marian could still see the tear streaks on her face. She hugged them both. She wished she could thank Robin but he was already gone.
The next morning she decided she was going to take the job at the castle. She got her cloak and was on her way. It would be good to do something. Work would keep her mind off other things.
The castle guards were two young men, who smiled at her when she approached them.
"Madge sent me, she wants me to work here."
"Come right through miss." The oldest one beckoned her in.
The keep was reasonably large, grooms walked around carrying buckets of water. Maids chatted in corners. It was a busy place, she pulled her hood down and made her way to one of the maids, they would know the best way to the kitchens.
She walked straight into someone tall. "I am so very sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Well make sure you do next time." A tall man dressed all in black leather. She looked up at his face.
Her heart dropped like a stone, it was the man from her vision.