I know, It has been a while, but sometimes there is a thing calles real life.... A great thank you to my dear beta, who read over my chapter in only a day. *sending flowers*

Illusions 23

How long will it be until he has me called? Or does he want me to do the first step? Perhaps this was the reason for him waiting. She had come to him when she had pleaded for Guy's life and now the King wanted her to show her gratitude – voluntarily. She could postpone it for a little while, but eventually she would have to talk to him. Marian looked out of the window. As though the weather wanted to indicate her future, dark clouds agglomerated at the sky and a few minutes later the wind beat at the trees in the courtyard and the rain poured down forming large puddles. Marian shivered and wrapped herself in a warm woollen shawl. She would search for the old servant, who had brought her to the King before.

King Richard smiled; he had been right. Lady Marian was no timid, modest goose who would wait like the proverbial lamb. Instead she was coming to him…very good! He would enjoy her immensely. She was a beauty; Robin had taste to give him his due; he'd always been a ladies' man. But the King also knew that Robin would never be faithful to one woman and would probably be grateful if he could go back on his marriage proposal. Why buy a cow if all you needed was a gallon of milk?

Could Lady Marian indeed be so naive as not to know that an affair with the King would not remain unnoticed, that there was nothing you could more rely on than the gossip of the servants? Afterwards a marriage to Robin would be impossible. Or was it possible that she wasn't interested in this marriage after all? He would find out.

Richard nodded to his servant. "Bring Lady Marian to me."

The old man shuffled through the hallway towards the King's chambers. He had bowed and had kept a straight face when she had told him that she wanted to talk to the King. He had served King Richard since his childhood and utterly loyal to him, but nevertheless she had the feeling he would disapprove of a relationship between herself and his master; there was a hint of a reprimand in his eyes.

He opened the door and Marian took a deep breath and bowed deep. She was in the lion's den in the truest sense of the word; slowly she approached the man, who was sitting in his usual chair and again she felt his charisma he was well aware of. Her knees nearly buckled and she felt dizzy. Richard was looking at her, silent and patient.

The very moment she rose again and the King saw her eyes, he knew he had been wrong. His lips curled angrily. Didn't she know that grown men trembled before his gaze? But this young woman didn't seem to be intimidated - despite her respectful bow. Richard felt her inner rebellion and he glanced at her with icy green eyes, his gaze boding ill. "My Lady...?" With satisfaction he noticed that she avoided his gaze and was biting her lower lip. Aaah, not quite as confident as it had seemed at first...

"Your Majesty, I knew that I had to talk to you," Marian said eventually. "..although I still do not know how to begin. It was only after my plea for Guy of Gisborne's life that I realised how outrageous my request to spare his life must have appeared to you. If Robin had not come just in time to save you at that fateful day in Acre...." She paused and looked into the King's face that had not brightened despite her respectful words. "It takes a great king to do something like this and I am more grateful than I am able to express."

King Richard rose and approached her, reaching out for her.

Marian hesitated and the King nodded slowly; his eyes had a hard glance and his lips curled contemptuously. "Did you really think you could smooth me by some flattering remarks? Madam, pray, don't take me for a fool to fall for the flattery of a woman…," he sneered.

"Your Majesty…"

„…a woman, who does not know her place," he continued.

"….please believe me…"

"Enough!" Richard interrupted her cuttingly, but after a pause he added in a deceptively calm voice. "It is late and you may wish to retire. I got the impression that you are exhausted and I will take care that you will be able to have the rest you deserve."

Marian swallowed, but there was nothing left for her than to bow and leave the room. The King had turned away and didn't give her so much as a glance. Marian knew that there would be ramifications. Dazed, she returned to her room.

The Kind was standing at the window for a while; then he fetched a little bell on the table nearby and only a short time later his old servant entered. "Tell the Earl of Huntington that I want to talk to him."

Robin was used to be called to the King even late at night; he took a cloak and followed the servant. When he entered and bowed he saw at once that something was … different. Richard was pacing; he seemed to be unsettled and in a strange mood. "Sit, sit, Robin," he said eventually. "You know that you are much more to me than a faithful subject. You have sacrificed much and you have saved my life. You are a friend and you have a place at my side not many people have." He laid a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Robin, it would hurt me to know that you'd risk all this because you shoes the wrong woman."

"What…?"

"No, Robin, my friend, hear me out. I know what she has done for England's sake, but surely you have realised that a woman like her is not fit for the King's court. The woman you marry, must do you honour. My mother told me that Mathilda of Dwinington was very impressed by you and a woman like her would raise your ….instead of tearing it down like Marian of Knighton, as much as I dislike having to tell you. Lady Marian has not even bothered to follow the rules at my court and this story about Gisborne…. I needn't tell you what kind of impression this made on my faithful knights and courtiers and what people are thinking of her. Is she really the woman you wish to marry?"

Robin felt as if he had been slapped in his face. He had not known how bad her plea for Gisborne's life had sullied Marian's reputation. And the worst part was – the King was right. Marian was no longer the sweet woman he had loved back in Nottingham. Often she was sullen and ungrateful for what she had been given here at the King's court. If he had not given the promise to marry her…. His throat felt dry and he harrumphed. "your Majesty….it is…I cannot go back from my word…"

Richard smiled; he had been right. What are friends for, Robin? I'll help you. My impression is that Lady Marian is somewhat exhausted. I will take care that she will have time to recover for a while and I think the nunnery in Middletown will be a good choice."

"Middletown? Never heard of it." Robin frowned.

"It's not far from Shrewsbury." The King watched Robin through half closed eyelids and saw how he tensed.

"Shrewsbury…" he murmured and stared at an imaginary point on his hands, not able to look into the King's face. This was far away, so far that it was nearly a banishment and it was near … the Welsh boarder. He swallowed. His gaze met the King's then as he realised what this meant. Even if she returned eventually, everybody would think where the abbey was and there would be rumours. A marriage would not be possible any longer. "Think, Robin, think! If Lady Marian really loved you as you believed, would she have really pleaded for your and your King's worst enemy's life? Would she have behaved in a way that causes everyone to wonder what her motives are? Are you sure that you really know her, Robin?"

Richard saw at once that he had hit the mark. Robin's gaze hardened and he clenched his fists. The King had spoken aloud what he had thought himself a hundred times. How could she have compromised him in such a way?.... And when had she told him the last time that she loved him? Robin nodded slowly and saw that the King relaxed.

"Believe me, Robin, it is the right decision, not only for you but for England; I need you. And Lady Marian will realise that unless she is willing to endure the most vicious gossip at the court for some time, a retreat to a nunnery for some…. months… will benefit her as well. And…well…the situation is hard for her, this I will admit, and eventually she will receive a handsome dowry from my own treasury to marry someone who suits her better. I will personally help her to choose a fitting husband. " And believe me, my dear, it will be my pleasure.

Richard himself had told Marian where she would recover from the exhausting events at the court. Robin had come to her only a day later. His gaze had avoided her eyes. How long shall I stay in the nunnery? she had asked and had not got an answer. She had not expected anything else; Robin had become the King's puppet and would parrot anything Richard told him. The Robin Hood she had once known had never allowed her to be transported to a nunnery in the middle of nowhere without any prospect of getting back. But all this remained unsaid; it would have been no use anyway. Eventually she had opened the door and had looked at him for a last time. "Good bye, Robin. Don't bother to write." The man she had loved once had blushed furiously and had left the room hastily. She had not seen him again.

Only a few days later a carriage left for Middletown. Marian leaned her head against the cushions and closed her eyes when they left the Tower. She didn't want to see anything of this magnificent building that would only remind her of her foolish dreams which had burst like a bubble.