The next morning I woke early, to see Vaisey still in bed. I carefully climbed out of it and closed the curtains around it so I could change. When he woke up, I was already in the middle of brushing my hair.
"Someone's happy," he commented.
"I get to return home, what is not to be happy about?"
"And when you get back?" he asked me.
"I will not complain," I smiled and turned to him.
"If I knew returning home for a while would make you this willing, I would have allowed so earlier." He grabbed a piece of hair, winding it around his finger. "When you get back, we will announce our engagement, then the wedding will soon follow."
"I understand, my lord," I turned back to the mirror and started to put a pin in it.
"Here," he grabbed the pin and put in my hair yet again, doing the same with the other side. "You really should get better at doing that."
"My lord, the carriage is ready!" A voice of a soldier rang through the door.
"I'll see you in a week," I stood up and crossed the room, grabbing my cloak. "Do not worry, I will follow the rules you have set." I put the cloak on then walked out the door and to the carriage.
"Stop right there!" a voice rang out as the carriage slowed down. "Give us everything you got!" the same voice rang.
"We have nothing of value, we're just guiding the lady home,"
"The lady?" A voice asked, "But it is the sheriff's carriage," the voice I quickly recognized as Robin. "Come out, now!" he shouted, opening the door.
"I mean no harm," I whispered, exiting the carriage like he said.
"Take of ye hood,"
"I'm sorry, Robin, I can't do that," despite what I had said, I was grabbed and my hood was taken off.
"Sable? What are you doing in the Sheriff's carriage?" Much asked me.
"How could you?" Will asked.
"How do you know her?" The giant asked them.
"She is my sister, Sable of Locksley," Robin answered him then looked at me.
"She never said what she was doin' in his carriage," Much said, eyeing me suspiciously.
"What my driver said, returning home to Locksley,"
"Tie her up." I heard Robin say.
"Robin, please, you don't understand."
"Understand? Understand what Sable? The fact that you are on the sheriff's side?"
"No Robin, I am not on the sheriff's side. I'm in this mess because of you! And because of our beloved king, my beloved king." the last part I whispered. "I do anything to try to stop him from harming innocents, you know that! I gave up my freedom so you could have it, and yet you are still not happy?"
"Gave up your freedom? What do you mean?" Will asked, untying my arms.
"I mean when he was captured, I struck a deal with the sheriff. He would let you leave the dungeon, in return for me staying. People need you more than they need me Robin, I hope you know that."
"You mean when he threatened the people of Locksley?" Robin shouted at me.
"That wasn't part of it! He twisted my words and manipulated the both of us." I stood up and walked back to the carriage. "Now, I have to get there yet this morning, Sir Guy is expecting me, and if I don't arrive, then the villagers... I'm sorry Robin, I truly am, but know this," I reached and took the pins out of my hair, "I care for you, and you too, Will," I put the pins in Robin's hands, "They are not much, but it is all that I have at the moment. You will find out the full truth later," I gave both Robin and Will a hug, "And I'm sorry." I climbed back into the carriage. "Driver, onto Locksley." As we drove forward, I looked back at the gang, as they watched the carriage leave.
"Dan!" I jumped out of the carriage and ran to Dan Scarlett the moment it had stopped.
"Sable, how are you?" He hugged back before we continued into his house.
"I need to tell you something,"
"Well, what is it?"
"I'm engaged, we haven't announced it or anything yet, but I wanted you to be the first one to know."
"Engaged? To who?"
"The sheriff. He's letting me stay at the manor for a week before he makes the official announcement to his nobles and I don't have the guts to tell Robin." After that one awkward day, everything returned to the way things were before Robin had returned, and the week quickly went be.
"Sable!" It was Guy yelling at me, yet again, as I watched the guards load my remaining possessions into some carts. "Get in the carriage now!" I ignored him once again and ran to what used to be my room, which now laid bare.
"I hear you are disobeying Guy, I would hate to hurt some of your precious peasants," It was the sheriff who stood behind me in the doorway. "Where are your hairpins?" He grabbed some of my hair.
"On my way here, I was intercepted by Robin,"
"He would rob his own sister? Tsk tsk, now let's return, shall we," with that said, he pulled me out of the room that I had had since I was a babe, down the corridor and stairs, then outside and into the carriage.
"When will I be allowed to return?" I ask the sheriff once we've left Locksley.
"The King's birthday is coming up soon, and Gisborne is having a celebration. You may go back then."
"Thank you my lord,"
"I have found a priest to perform the ceremony in front of the nobles," he sneered, looking me up and down.
"When is it?"
"Tomorrow, after the council of nobles," I could feel my heart breaking in two, I was sealing my own death once the king returned. My response was simply turning away and looking out the window.
The remaining hours seemed to pass quickly and before I knew it, I was in a bridal outfit walking down an aisle to the priest and my future husband. The wedding was thankfully quick seeing as the sheriff was not known for his patience. After, all the nobles congratulated us and I was able to get a word with Marian.
"How could you marry him?" She asked me as we stepped outside.
"I made an agreement with him when Robin was first captured."
"I feel pity for you," we spoke softly to each other.
"Don't, it was my decision, no one else's."
"Marian?" It was Guy.
"Go, everything will work itself out," with that said, she walked back inside and was quickly joined by Gisborne.