Hi agian. If you haven't noticed I have another Robin Hood story up now so go check out (once you're done here) It's modernized Robin Hood story, called Bring It On. My brother likes it, and I do to.

Thank you to Forest Archer, Rawr I'm A Toaster, and elizabeth marrain. For those of you that wanted happier content, I'm sorry. It's hopeful at least! And thanks to Rosalie who called the last three chapters 'tragically beautiful'. I hope you like this one too, Rosalie.

When Marian returned to Nottingham Castle and was back in her room, she could feel despair weighing down on her. Why did she have to lose her one true friend? Again. Sure, he was home, but not as her friend. What had she expected? Who had she thought he was going to come back as, a sixteen year old? What a fool she'd been, whatever she'd thought.

But that kiss. She could still taste it. It had been like a perfect spring day, a slight breeze, a loaf of bread fresh out of the oven, the warm sun, a refreshing rain, everything perfect in life wrapped up in a few moments. And when he had been touching her face… Marian had felt… beautiful. She had never wanted to feel beautiful, and hardly ever thought about it. But Robin had somehow made her feel beautiful without even saying anything.

Robin's kiss and touch had sent shivers down her spine, making her feel happier than she had ever felt. Somehow though, she hadn't wanted to receive that kind of happiness from him. She had enjoyed every second, but taking a step back and realizing who had given it to her it instantly had felt wrong. All wrong. Robin was supposed to be her friend; he wasn't supposed to be... that.

She began to undress, to get out of the ridiculous gown. She had looked exactly like all those pitifully shallow, dull girls. Shwe had been looking, and acting like them for the last five years. But no longer, she decided. Tomorrow she would leave this huge prison. Automatically she reached to take off her pendant; only then did she realize and remember what she had done. She wished she hadn't, wished it was still around her neck, with its familiar weight tugging gently at her throat.

Why? Why was it Robin she had to fall in love with? And why had she run away from it? Well, that answer was easy; because it had been Robin. But why hadn't she stayed and enjoyed it? She knew that she should have, and wished she had.

Marian crawled beneath the covers of her bed, and stared up at the ceiling. Heartbreak swallowed her whole, causing her to start crying. Every hurtful thing she had said to Robin came back, as if to haunt her. The look on his face spun before her eyes, making the tears come faster than before. "I'm sorry Robin," she sobbed, "I'm so sorry." But he wasn't there to hear her apology. "I do love you," she whispered, although he wouldn't hear that either.

Somehow, she fell asleep, the tears still coming, but even her dreams replayed for her what she had done to Robin and to herself. When she awoke the next morning and looked in the mirror she saw that that her hair was in a state of horror from the previous night's crying. Marian took up a comb and began to yank out the snarls, knowing it would take at least an hour to finish the chore.

Marian thought about Robin as she pulled the comb through all of her tangles. She hated how she felt about him, missed him as a friend, and didn't want him as lover. How could she be around him anymore? The answer was simple: she couldn't. Her throat closed at the thought but she took no notice of it, since she knew that she had no choice. She had to ignore him; at least until the betrothal bond was fulfilled and they were married. Then he would be happy, and she would be free to love him without worrying herself about losing a friend, since it would have happened anyway.

There! It made sense now, in a twisted way, anyway.

Keeping with her decision, Marian ignored him completely and thoroughly. Not a thought of him crossed her mind when she told Organa she was going home, not while she was packing, not when she was unpacking at her own manor. Marian forgot about him, until the following afternoon, when he came knocking on her door.

Marian heard the knocking on the front door, and hurried to open it. When she did and saw who was on the other side she felt an immediate longing to run into his arms. Emotions flooded over her, only increasing her need of him. She couldn't do it; she slammed the door shut before he even opened his mouth. She had meant to simply close it, but had known that if she tried to do it that way, she wouldn't have followed through, and lost her resolve.

For hours she let him stand there, while she organized the kitchen to the way she wanted it, the first step she took in running her own household. She finished her task without any difficulty, but it didn't give her any satisfaction. At least not the kind of satisfaction she wanted.

A question found its way inside her mind: was he still out on her doorstep? Marian hoped that he was, and hoped that he wasn't. She went upstairs and into her mother's room; the window there had a view over the road and front door. She eased the wooden shutter open and peeked out. She knew it! He was still there, standing in the freezing wind. A slight smile crept into her face, and she replaced it with a scowl.

Robin looked up and saw her. "I came to apologize for the other night," he called.

She banged the shutter closed, muttering to herself how stubbornness should be a mortal sin. The old bed creaked when she sat down on it. She had to go down there and talk to him. She was his fiancée, and they would be miserable together if she didn't forgive him. She did love him, she knew that with clarity, but she also knew that she didn't want to.

--*--

Robin knew it was time to leave; Marian wasn't going forgive him anything today. Of course, the door opened then and Marian was there, gritting her teeth and pursing her lips. "Come in, and state your apology." Her voice was cold and harsh, much like the weather. He stepped inside, wondering how such a miracle as Marian changing her mind could occur. She never used to change her mind. Still, he was glad for the invitation inside, however forced it was. She closed the door, gently this time. That was a surprise.

"Marian, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have rushed things the way I did, I was wrong. I'm not sure how to say this without you getting angry again, but I'll never speak of love again, even if I want to. I shouldn't have hung the mistletoe in the first place. Will you forgive me?" She looked like she wanted to, and at the same time was ready to run the other way. He had recited everything Will had told him to say, and it was supposed to work. He tried composing something of his own. "Marian, listen—"

"I've already forgiven you, Robin… I just… I'm not…" She sighed. "I feel like I don't know you anymore, and that terrifies me. Being angry with you seems to be my only remedy so don't try and stop me."

"All right, I won't," Robin promised, and then added, "But Marian, you do realize that we have to get married?" He hadn't wanted to bring it up, but knew he had to.

"I know," she responded frostily. "Just give me some time. I should be ready by the summer."

"Until then, I won't bother you." Robin didn't want to say that, and didn't want to wait until the summer; it seemed an unearthly amount of time to go without seeing her. He needed her more than he'd ever needed anything before and wanted to know everything that she was feeling, even if it was dislike for him. It was hard though, because some small part of her character had been turned slightly off balance, and because of that one difference everything else about her was confusing. He couldn't read her as well, which made everything difficult. He didn't know her at all it seemed, and he wanted to know everything about her, but she wouldn't let him. It hurt.

So yeah, there it is. Not happy, kinda hopeful. I'm not sure what to call it so could you tell what you think it is? The review button is completely free for use!!