NOTTINGHAM CASTLE

"Why is nothing ever simple?" Vaisey screamed as he paced around the large table in the great hall.

Guy was watching his every move, his face a stony glare.

"If Hood has the crown it means he can get word to the king about what we were going to do with it!" Vaisey continued to shout, "I will be even more of a traitor than I already am."

"Prince John will think you have failed him..." Guy sneered.

"Do you think that this is funny?" Vaisey screamed and hurled one of cups on the table at Guy, "If the prince thinks I have failed him Guisborne then he will surely think you have to!"

"Our failed mission in the holy land has meant that the line we walk is even thinner... I AM THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM!"

At that moment the doors to the great hall swung open and Thomas walked in.

"Well?" Vaisey snapped.

Thomas looked tired, it was the middle of the night, did Vaisey never sleep?

"We couldn't find him." Thomas said and Vaisey's face grew furious.

"But the crown is coated in a special scent, with your permission my lord, I will leave immediately and hunt it with dogs and a few men."

Vaisey sneered at him, eyes burning angrily.

"Just get me that crown."

THE CAMP – SHERWOOD FOREST
It was clear that Robin was not happy.

Mad, angry, furious… were all much better words to use than happy.

He was pacing up and down the camp angrily with his hands on his hips. He was managing to cover the entire length of the room in two or three strides, eyes locked on something dead in front of him.
"What is going on?" Will asked as he and Alan entered the camp from checking the traps.

When they had left no one had risen, but now it was clear that something was wrong.

Very wrong.
Djac looked up at him with a sad smile from her place by the table.
"It is Marian." Robin was dangerously close to shouting, "she has taken it upon herself to take the crown to Hull."
Alan raised an eyebrow, "and?"
"And?" Robin shouted as he spun to face the man, "she shouldn't be riding, she shouldn't be on her own and she certainly shouldn't be racing towards Hull!"
"Well..." Alan held his hands up defensively, "it wasn't like you were letting her do much around her anyway..."
"She knows what she is doing." John said firmly as Robin started to pace again.
"You taught her well..."
Robin sighed angrily and covered his face with his hands, trying to take calming breaths.
John leant closer to him, braced on the table, and spoke quietly.
"She will be alright."

Robin looked at John with no expression on his face.

His eyes displayed clear doubt.

HULL – RICHARD OF LEE'S HOUSE

"Sir Richard?"

Marian pushed open the door to his house to see it empty. She held the crown in the bag tight in her hand, her cloak swaying behind her as she walked slowly through the house.

"Hello?"

She peered to her right and saw a door slightly open.

Marian turned and pushed the door open, only to gasp at what she saw on the other side.

Sir Richard, and who she presumed to be his wife, were tied back to back in two chairs, their servants cowering around them.

She took a step forwards to try and help, "Sir?"

"Do not move."

The low voice behind her made her blood chill, and she froze instantly.

"Turn around…"

She heard the snap of teeth behind her and spun to see Thomas, holding a hunting dog on a chain, with a few armed guards.

"Ah if it isn't the tavern girl?" He sneered, "What are you doing here?"

Marian said nothing, just continued to hold his gaze, her stomach rolling uneasily.

She was unsure whether it was fear, or whether she was actually going to be ill… the baby…

Robin had been right.

Not that she would ever admit it…

What had she got to prove anyway by coming here?

Aside from doing it out of anger at Robin, she was unsure what she had hoped to achieve, apart from angering him for shouting at her so.

"Give me the bag." Thomas handed the chain the dog was on to a guard.

Marian swallowed and took a step forwards.

"No, just throw it." Thomas said flatly.

She threw it with a stiff movement and it clattered to the floor before him.

The dog barked loudly and growled, pulling hard on the chain towards the canvas bag.

"Incase you are wondering, the crown is covered in a special scent that dogs have been trained to follow." Thomas told her, "We followed you from Nottingham."

Marian said nothing and did not move as he nodded at her.

"Bring her."

So Robin had been right, this had all been a mistake, maybe she was better off at camp.

No.

She would not be put under house arrest by him; she would not have her role within the gang usurped because she was with child.

Whether she had done this for the right reason or not…

He hadn't even given her a dog tag yet...

Of course there were bigger and more important things going on, but still...

Marian felt she should have to ask for one, that he should have already given her one.

The guards walked closer.

Marian only started to struggle when the guards grabbed her arms and put her hands in shackles.

"Let go of me..."

"oh save your breath." Thomas snapped and his eyes narrowed at Marians hands.

"Wait."

Marian froze as he walked over to her. He took her left hand firmly in his and she hissed in pain.

"Where did you get that?" He demanded as he looked at her ring.

She glared at him, "Robin Hood gave it to me. I am his wife."

His hand snapped to grab her face and forced her to look at him.

"Who are you?" He demanded, "What is your name?"

She scoffed and said nothing.

"Tell me!" Thomas shouted and took her chin in his palm, pushing her head backwards.

The heel of it pressed on her neck and throbbed painfully.

"Marian." Her voice cracked slightly from the force of the mans hand on her throat.

His eyes narrowed, "So I didn't imagine it... in the tavern... you are Lady Marian?"

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of nodding; she knew he knew that he was right.

"Or you were." He stressed and her eyes sparked angrily.

"I imagine that Vaisey will want to see you." He said, "Put her in the carriage."

The guards started to drag her forwards.

"Robin said that you loved our king, why would you work with the sheriff..." She shouted over her shoulder at Thomas.

"Because times have changed!" He yelled, "I have nothing except guarding the king's rocks... with help from the Sheriff, Prince John and the black knights I could be so much more."

"You'd still be a traitor." She hissed as she continued to struggle.

He narrowed his eyes, "how naive you are."

"Take her to Nottingham!"

NOTTINGHAM CASTLE – A FEW HOURS LATER

Robin was clearly simmering as he handed out money to the peasants dotted around. Much was at his side, in Marians normal spot when they did drop offs.

"She will be alright... you know she will..."

Robin was trying to drown out Much's constant words of what he thought were comfort. Actually all they were doing was making Robin more and more stressed.

A carriage started to roll through Nottingham, and the gang moved out of the way to watch it move unchallenged into the courtyard, and Vaisey appear with Guy at the top of the stairs.

The gang slowly crept as close as they could without being seen to watch as the king's insignia became visible across the side of the carriage.

"Oh no." Much gasped as Robin's eyes widened.

Vaisey clapped his hands as Thomas bowed after exiting the carriage, handing over the glittering gold crown.

Robin felt his heart stop beating.

Thomas turned and yanked a woman with brown hair from the carriage, hurling her at the feet of Guy and the Sheriff.

"Marian!"

Vaisey's eyes snapped up as Robin drew his bow.

"LOWER THE PORTCULLIS!"