Okay...hello everyone welcome back for another update...this was a wierd one not hard to write...just a wierd one...the next one will be better obviously by the end of this you'll see why...so i took your thoughts into consideration about meg and all...and i think i see where this is going to go... another note: gave much a good role in this because i just say episode 9 of series 3 and he was so brave in that even though kate dumped him...anyway rant over hope you'll read review and enjoy
Chapter Twenty Eight: Leave Darkness Enter Darkness
"Packe your things," said Guy, "we're leaving!"
Marian stared at Guy. She was fully awake now and sleep had vanished from her eyes.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"We are leaving," he said. Then he went to the closet and got out two bags. He began throwing in Marian's clothes and his clothes.
Marian shook her head at her husband's actions. "Why are we leaving?"
"Do I have to explain everything to you?" he asked.
Marian pretended to think. "Well, let's see you are telling me to abandon our home in the middle of the night while there is a house full of people asleep!"
"Don't be so dramatic Marian," said Guy throwing more clothes into the first bag. "It's almost morning. Besides, the idea is to leave while they are asleep."
"I don't understand," said Marian.
"I didn't think you would," said Guy.
Marian raised an eyebrow. "What happened to you?"
Guy said nothing. He continued packing like a machine. He had no thought to what he was doing, only that he continued doing it. Marian forcibly grabbed his arm so that he would stop and look at her. His eyes met hers.
"What?"
Marian gulped. She had not seen his face look like that since…before Clara.
"What is wrong with you?" she asked nervously.
Guy shook his head. "Nothing."
"You are not yourself," accused Marian.
"I am. I am Guy of Gisborne."
"Not the one I grew to like," muttered Marian under her breath.
"What did you say?" asked Guy angrily.
"Tell me what's wrong!" said Marian. "What is going on?"
Guy stopped his automatic packing and looked directly at Marian. He looked into her wise face. There was so much beauty and strength in her. Guy almost smiled as he thought of it, but he stopped the smile from reaching his rigid face.
He had to tell her something.
One option would be to tell her the truth. Guy inwardly rolled his eyes.
And how would that sound Guy? 'Marian, just wanted you to know, Robin loves you and he wants you to come back to England with him. And, let's face it, I'm not about to let that happen. So I'm kidnapping you before he can okay?'
Guy realized that probably would not sound too good in the fair lady's ears.
He could lie.
Now that was an idea. That was something Guy could do, easily. He was a natural liar. But he felt wrong lying to the woman he loved. Then he thought of Clara. His adorable little girl who looked to him to move the world for her. His sweet little child who deserved more than he could offer her.
This is for you Clara.
"Marian" said Guy, "I did not want to tell you this but…" He stopped himself.
"But what?" asked Marian.
"I heard Much talking with Robin, I heard them talking of a plan."
Marian raised a brow. "What sort of plan?"
Guy bit his lip. "They are planning to murder Clara?"
Marian shook her head. "Perhaps you heard wrong."
"I did not," said Guy.
"Then why did you not tell me of this sooner?" asked Marian.
Why does she have to be so curious all of the sudden? Guy furrowed his brow.
"We don't have time," said Guy miserably. "We need to leave now!"
"I'm not leaving!" said Marian. "Sorry Guy, but I'm not leaving. I know these men, they wouldn't harm Clara. They do not harm innocent children."
Guy cocked his head to the side. "What about Robin?"
"What about Robin?" asked Marian.
"He might try to kill her," said Guy, "you know, as one last attempt at revenge."
"Don't be stupid," said Marian breathlessly. "He does not need revenge; he does not love me anymore. You heard him yourself; he just came to make sure we were alright."
"Revenge," said Guy knowingly, "is always with men. It is hidden inside of us like a monster. It attacks without any reason or thought. And it attacks innocence and good intentions."
Revenge attacks love. Your love for Robin for example.
Guy shook his head. "I'm sorry."
Marian's heart began to moan. "Where will we go?"
Guy bit his lip. "That does not matter. What matters is that we are together. That we will be together."
He felt confident as he spoke these words.
Then a little voice came to Guy's ear. A nagging very familiar voice which was also sweet in Guy's ears.
Guy, from what you told me about this man, he seems like he would move heaven and earth to find Marian. He would find you Guy, and then he would kill you, and he'd have a good reason to. You kidnapped someone, two someones, counting Clara. And I don't want you dead Guy.
And I don't want you dead Guy.
And I don't want you dead Guy.
I like you.
Guy.
Meg.
He was thinking of Meg again. Guy had tried to shake away thoughts of her from his mind but it was no use. He was thinking about that kiss they shared. The two kisses they shared together. He did not want to admit it but he had felt something in those kisses.
He ached for her.
Ache?
Ache?!
He yearned for her.
Yearned?
How do you bloody well yearn for a girl you've only just met?
This angered him even further. This enraged him and he began packing again. When he was satisfied he stopped and looked at Marian. "Get Clara, we are leaving now."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Guy shook his head. "You are my wife Marian."
"I did not know I was your possession Guy," she answered back angrily.
Guy realized he was getting nowhere. If he wanted her to leave, it was best not to use force, but to use compassion. Guy gently took her face in his hands and held it. He kissed her on the lips.
"I just want you safe Marian, I want our family to be safe."
Marian held onto Guy's hands. "That is what I want too. But I do not understand this. This is too rash and too hasty. We do not know where we will live. This is your home Guy. This is my home."
Guy knew she was right. But he also knew that he had to fight for her.
"It is merely a structure with walls. Home is where your love is," said Guy.
Marian smiled at him. She knew exactly where her home was, and it was most certainly not with the man who held her face in his hands. It was with the man who slept two doors down from her. But she believed that he did not love her. And therefore, Robin Hood could never be her true home.
She nodded. "Do you want me to get Clara then?"
Guy smiled. "Meet me outside."
He then got the bags and crept out the room. Marian watched him leave and took a deep breath. Now that Guy was gone she could think again. There was more oxygen in the room for her now. She could breathe again.
Marian paced back and forth for a while deep in thought. She was worried that perhaps Robin was planning to kill Clara. And that made her fly into a heinous rage. It made her want to take her child and run into Guy's open arms. But, she loved Robin. It was a simple as that.
She loved the man of the forest. She could not deny that.
It was that feeling of love which prevented her from leaving immediately. It was that feeling which also made her do something she found to be very stupid. Marian rummaged through her drawer and found some plain parchment. She also found some ink and a quill. She took all of these items to her night stand and began to scribble down a letter.
A very important letter to a very important man.
When she was done writing she folded the letter and held onto it tightly. She sighed. Then she walked out of the room and down the hall to Clara's room. Marian opened the door quietly and found Clara was asleep in her crib while Robin slept in his bed.
Marian smiled tenderly at the outlaw who captured her heart. She slipped the letter by his side. Then she went to the crib and picked up Clara. She held the sleeping child in her arms and the two of them began to walk out of the room.
The girl turned back to look at the boy. "I will miss you Robin."
Then she turned around and walked out the door. She tiptoed past the sleeping outlaws and out the door where Guy waited for her.
"Are you ready?" asked Guy.
Marian looked up at him with curiosity. There was so much mystery in his eyes. There was so much confusion and bitterness in his stare. Something had happened to him this night. Something out of the ordinary. Marian was going to make sure, very sure, that she found out what it was before they left Agincourt. She was not going to give up and play good wife this easily. Oh no.
She figured that in the open air, in the cool night, Guy would confess whatever was troubling him. She knew he would.
And if he did not, then she knew who to turn to.
Gabriella.
Marian could not have known Gabriella's horrible fate, just as much as Guy could not have known about Marian's plan or her letter.
"Are you ready?" he asked again.
Marian nodded. "Yes."
The two of them, along with Clara walked down the hill and away from the house Guy's grandfather had built.
Though Guy felt forlorn as he walked away from the house, he realized it was best. Guy's grandfather had told him he would find bliss in the manor. But his grandfather had obviously been delusional. There was no happiness for Guy resting in that manor. There was nothing special or blissful about a house full of outlaws and a man ready to steal your wife away.
Guy and Marian stole away into the night full of secrets and plans. Marian intended to get the truth out of Guy's mouth, and Guy wanted Marian as far away from Robin as humanly possible. He did not expect that she would want to make a visit to a certain herb shop to visit a certain friend.
And, what neither Guy nor Marian could have foreseen in all their haste and bustle was that someone had seen their departure. Someone had not been able to sleep and therefore walked out of a bit of fresh air. She found rest on the soft grass and finally drifted off to sleep. But was rudely awoken by Guy's harsh voice.
This someone had sat up and looked on in horror and wonder at the scene before her lovely blue eyes. It did not make sense to her, and believed she witnessed a trick of the darkness. But it all became very clear to her when the two figures, along with the child, began walking away from the manor in an odd haste.
Eve rubbed her eyes and blinked. She saw that the night was beginning to end and dawn was a little ways away. She ran into the house and opened the door. She looked down at her friends who lay asleep. Eve needed to wake them. But though she lived in such close proximity to them for all those months, she felt embarresed waking them.
She could almost picture how it would look to John to see the face of a young girl urging him to wake up.
Eve made her way to where Much was sleeping. She shook him gently.
"Much!" she whispered furiously. "Wake up!"
Much moaned and rolled on his side. "Five more minutes."
Eve sighed. "No, now!"
Much opened his eyes and stared up at Eve's lovely face.
"Hello," he said.
"Much, please get up," said Eve desperately.
Much smiled lazily at the girl he adored. "Is it morning?"
"Not yet, but—"
Much grinned and pulled Eve down and kissed her passionately. Eve let herself go for a minute, enjoying the tenderness, but then she broke from the embrace. "Much, no!"
Much felt saddened. "What do you mean?"
"You are a rubbish kisser," said Eve trying to make him awake and angry.
"What?" asked Much a little more awake.
"I said, you are a rubbish kisser!" she whispered more loudly.
Much sat up angrily. Eve smiled.
"Okay," said Eve, "good now I need to tell you something."
"What?" asked Much angrily. "Are you going to tell me you don't love me now? Have a go then."
Eve hurriedly shook her head. "No! I was lying, Much. I need you to wake up! We need to speak to Robin, now!"
Much remained seated. "No."
"No?" Eve repeated.
"I mean no," said Much angrily. "Firstly, because he doesn't listen to a word I say anymore. Secondly because I want you to answer me something."
"What?" asked Eve with a tired look.
"Why did you leave in the middle of the night like that?"
Eve blushed. "Much I…I couldn't sleep."
Much shrugged. "It's okay, you can tell me the truth."
"Much," sighed Eve, "I am telling you the truth. I could not sleep."
"So what happened then?" asked Much.
"I went outside for a bit and I fell asleep," said Eve.
"So why aren't you still outside?" asked Much.
"That concerns what I need to tell Robin!" Eve tried to explain.
Much shook his head. "I knew you didn't love me."
Eve gasped. "How could you think that Much?"
"Let's list them shall we?" asked Much angrily. "Firstly, you flirted with Allan earlier today. Secondly, you left my side in the middle of the night to go outside. Thirdly, you said I was a rubbish kisser when I tried to kiss you!"
Eve smiled sweetly. "You are still mad about Allan? It was nothing, all for you and your beautiful head my darling Much. I left your side because I had a…uh…bad dream." She got very quiet.
Much dropped his angry expression and changed it to one of concern. "What was it?"
"It was about you," she said quietly. "You died, killed in battle far away from me. I…couldn't breathe. I had to get some fresh air when I awoke."
Much embraced her. "I will always bring you to the battles I might die in."
Eve laughed and shook her head. "Please, just avoid the battles altogether."
"And what about the rubbish kisser bit?" reminded her lover.
"Oh," she said blushing, "that was a lie. You are an amazing kisser."
They broke the embrace and stood up.
"We need to go to Robin," said Eve taking Much's hand. She led him to Clara's room. She opened the door and looked briefly into Clara's bed. She shook her head when she saw Clara was missing.
"Then it was true," she muttered.
Much looked too and saw Clara was gone. "What happened?"
Eve did not answer. She went over to Robin and saw the note. She shook her head. "Robin, wake up!"
Robin awoke with a start. The first thing he saw was the letter face gracefully to the ground. He swiftly retrieved it and picked it up. At first he smiled at the handwriting for he recognized it at once. But then Much and Eve looked on with worry as Robin's face lost its light and grew more and more grave with each line.
Eve remained silent while Robin read but Much was more vocal. "What does it say?"
Robin did not answer but continued reading onward. He read until the last line and then he looked up at his two brave lads. He stood up and quickly took his sword and sheathed it. There was anger and determination on the leader's brow as he slung his quiver of arrows over his back. There was fear as well as he held his bow in his hand firmly.
Robin began to walk out of the room when he paused and looked at Much and Eve. "Wake them up. Wake them all up. I am leaving now, they need to know too. Wake them."
"But master—" Much pleaded. He wanted to go too.
"I must do this alone," said Robin. "You both must alert the gang."
They watched Robin walk out of the room, past the sleeping men and out the door. When the door closed behind him Much sighed.
"What are we going to do now?"
Eve rolled her eyes. She walked out of the room and began clapping loudly. "Wake up lads! Wake up!"
Djaq was the first one to respond. She got up and shook her head. She turned to Will and soon he too arose. Stephan was up next and readying himself the only way he knew how—by praying. Little John gave a mighty yawn and grabbed his great staff.
Allan took a little longer to awaken. Djaq splashed cold water on his face and suddenly Allan was awake and ready to go.
The groggy gang looked at Eve and Much.
"What do we do now?" asked Will.
"Did Robin leave any instructions?" Djaq asked.
"Where is he?" asked John ready to fight.
"Do you have any bacon?" asked Allan drowsily.
Eve looked at Much. Then she looked back at the gang. "All we know is that Marian and Guy have left the manor. Robin went to follow them we suspect."
"Suspect?" asked Stephan breaking his meditative state. "This is my brother we're talking about. He left us, alone, again!"
"He does it often you'll find," muttered Much under his breath.
"Well," answered Eve, "he read a letter and then left."
"Where's the letter?" asked Will.
"In his old room," said Eve, "we weren't sure whether we should read it or not. Seeing as it was addressed to him and all."
Will sighed. "That hasn't stopped us in the past."
Much nodded. "True."
"Show of hands," said Much, "who knows how to read?"
Eve, Djaq, and Stephan raised their hands. Much stared with awe at his girl.
"You know how to read?" he asked her.
"Later," she whispered.
"Show of hands," said Will, "of those who can read, who wants to read a private letter that wasn't address to him, or to her in this case."
Djaq, alone raised her hand.
"What?" she asked defensively. "When you live with a group of illiterate boys you get used to reading letters that aren't addressed to you."
Eve led the gang to Robin's old room. The letter was still lying on the floor. Djaq picked it up and began reading it silently.
"Aloud!" said John.
"Please," said Will quietly.
"My dearest Robin," Djaq began, "Let me begin by telling you that this is the hardest letter I've ever had to write to anyone. I am leaving. I am leaving with Guy and as soon as I finish this letter I shall be gone from this manor. And I do not know where we are going, only that we are leaving and apparently not coming back. I know you probably hate me and have found someone else to love—"
Allan chuckled. "Not from what we've heard him say at night Marian!"
Djaq gave Allan a cold look and continued, "but I must say this to you because this is what I want you to remember about me. I want you to know that I love you with all of my heart. I married Guy for you my darling, not for myself. And do not blame Will for this, he was trying to help me."
Will interrupted. "Did she really say that?"
Djaq rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to finish this or not?"
"Finish," said John.
"I love you Robin. I know it is wrong to feel this way but it is the only thing I know how to feel. And I don't care anymore about what is or what is not proper. When I saw you, lying dead on the floor, I knew that life can change instantly. By the very second. So, if these are my last words to you, then let them be my love for you. I have tried to fight to stay but Guy will not hear of it. He claims that you are plotting to kill someone I love, and that I cannot allow. If you love me, which I doubt, then hopefully you shall find me still in France. That is, if you still care to follow me."
"I knew he would move heaven and earth for her," mused Will.
"Forever yours, Marian," finished Djaq.
There was silence for a while as the gang breathed in each word of the letter Djaq had just read to them.
"We go," said John.
He led the charge out of the manor and outside. The dawn was breaking and light began to shine through the patches of trees. It was a new day. It was a new beginning. The gang ran with all full speed down the steep hill and towards the future. They did not know what was going to come but they knew something was coming.
So while Robin ran to Marian, the gang ran to Robin, and Guy ran from it all no one expected that Clara would be the key to the entire journey. It would be Clara's decision and hers alone which would prove to be the most important in the end. Though she was a baby and could do no more than eat and scream, in this chase for love, she would bring about the fates of the rest of the gang.
At this moment, while Marian and Guy walked through the countryside to Agincourt, Clara was beginning to plan something, though she did not know it yet. After all, it was a new dawn, it as a new day, and Clara was the future of them all.
Clara is going to decide all of this??? whoa what do you think she could do?? Marian still thinks that Gabriella's alive...hmmm...and im so happy i made eve useful i mean, i love her, but i feel like she can be dead weight sometimes but now she has a use!!! yay!! also...correct me if im wrong but did i make Stephan freakishly similar to Tuck?? i hope not...anyway love you all!!!