"What were you and Djaq talking about?" Robin asked her, as they sat on the bed unlacing their boots.
"Oh, just girl stuff" replied Marian smiling coyly at him and lying down.
Robin rolled his eyes at her (in a most Marian like way) and said, "I'm just going to fetch some extra blankets"
When he returned Marian was already half asleep. He smiled at her before returning to the task of creating a bed for himself on the forest floor.
"Robin, what are you doing?" asked Marian, gazing at him from where she lay, propped up by one elbow, wearing a slight frown of confusion on her face.
"I'm making up my bed"
"And what is wrong with the bed that you sleep in every night, that is already made up?" she asked, patting the blankets beside her.
"You are in it" he replied "And as you have already said that you don't want to lie with me tonight, I respect your wishes."
"Robin?"
"Yes my love?"
"I said nothing of the sort, you assumed it."
He looked up at her. She looked beautiful, lying on her side with an altogether dishevelled look about her with her messed up hair, muddy dress and sleepy expression. A smile played around his lips.
"Are you sure?"
Marian laughed and rolled onto her back.
"Not so long ago, you would have jumped at such an invitation Robin of Locksley!"
Robin gathered up the blankets that he had lain on the ground and turned again to face her.
"Yes, of course I'm sure Robin." She said, rolling her eyes at this sudden fit of gallantry.
He flashed her a cheeky grin before climbing onto his bed leaning his head down to meet hers.
"Well in that case…" Robin began before he was cut off by Marian's lips pressing against his own. He was a little taken aback by her eagerness, but reciprocated by parting his lips and letting his tongue dance over hers. Robin felt her lips smile underneath his as she arched her back, pressing her body to his.
As they gently broke apart, Marian giggled at the look of amazement in his eyes and rubbed the tip of her nose against his.
"I really have missed you Robin," she said as he rolled over, taking her with him so that she lay on his chest.
Her fingers played with the strings on his jersey.
"I should never have let you go back to the castle," he whispered, kissing her hair.
"Robin…" said Marian, a note of frustration creeping into her voice, "We're not arguing about this again"
Robin opened his mouth to retaliate but, seeing the steely glint in Marian's eyes, he knew he was going to be beaten and closed it again.
She smiled, knowing she had silenced him, and snuggled back against his chest.
Robin planted another kiss in her hair and moved his arms to her back, encircling her body and caressing her back.
He felt that they did not get enough moments like this, just him and her, alone. Now that she was, once again, living at the castle he hardly ever saw her, and when they did it was always snatched moments, the time they had together depending on how long his men could hold off whoever was pursuing him.
He could feel her gentle breath falling on his shoulder, the steady rise and fall of her chest against his, his strong arms wrapped around her waist and he suddenly felt a rush of protective love towards her.
He hated having to spend so much time apart from her, but knew that is was safer for her to be in the castle, and also more beneficial for him, to have a spy on the inside. Robin just wished that, for once, they could do as they pleased, without the pressure from society or responsibilities…
