It was one thing to weep quietly over the thought of drowning herself in Locksley Pond and having Robin discover her lovely, lifeless body floating face down in the water, and another thing to actually carry out the plan.

Annora wanted Robin to be sorry, to weep as she was weeping, to charge into the pond and pull her cold, limp body from the water, to hold it against him, all the while crying out to Heaven, "What have I done? The woman I truly love is gone! If only I'd known my heart sooner!" But the more she thought about it, the more she hesitated in actually carrying out her plan.

For one thing, the water in the pond was bound to be cold. And it wasn't a romantic enough spot. There were weeds growing in that murky pond. And how could she guarantee it would be Robin who found her, and not some ignorant peasant? Besides, didn't drowned bodies bloat, and maybe turn an odd shade of blue? She didn't want him to see her looking ugly!

"If only there was a way to die, that wasn't so hideous!" Annora wished.

Sobbing anew, she rose from her bed, reached for her lovely satin and lace robe, and tiptoed from her bedchamber, to walk the castle ramparts and gaze out toward Locksley, weeping and sniffling at her sad plight. "You are cruel, Robin Hood," she sobbed, thinking only the stars, and perhaps the Night Watch, could hear her. But she was wrong.

"How sad Love is!"

The all too familiar, sly voice of Queen Isabella made Annora jump.

"Your Majesty," she gasped, dropping a curtsey.

"Oh, come, my dear, you needn't be so formal, not with me. We are friends, you and I, united by our shared love for the same handsome outlaw, and of course, by our own little secret."

"He's not an outlaw anymore," Annora rose to defend him. "He's Earl of Huntington, and Lord of Locksley. He's...he's..."

"He's what? Devoted to his wife? Ha! She doesn't deserve him, does she?"

"I want to die! Everything's such a mess! I didn't think that poison you made me give her would hurt her, or the baby! I only thought it would make her-"

"I made you give her? Don't insult me. You sound like my brother now, always blaming others for his own evil deeds."

"But...you..."

Isabella lifted her lovely brows, waiting for the stupid girl to stammer out her accusations. Really, she was growing tired of manipulating such an ignorant fool! And to think, Robin meant to get to her, and trick her into testifying to John what had happened, implicating Isabella in the clever little diversion of trying to poison him as well as Marian!

And Robin could do it, too, Isabella realized. All he needed to do was flash his little imperfect teeth in one of his perfect smiles at the chit, and Mistress Annora Fitzhugh would spoil everything! Isabella wasn't about to let that happen!

"Look!" she cried, pointing off in the distance. "Is that Robin now?"

"Where?" Annora cried, excitedly.

A small struggle ensued, as Annora tried to get her footing after being pushed from behind. But the queen was too determined not to win. One final shove sent Annora over the battlements. She was too petrified even to scream.

"Ooh!" Isabella cringed, in good humor, when she heard the body hit the ground. "You mentioned you wanted to die. Wish granted!" Brushing off her hands, she pulled her black cloak more tightly around her, and disappeared before the Night Watch could discover her.

...

Morning dawned, and Robin lay blissfully in bed, gazing at Marian while she slept, grinning at the sound of her snores.

One final, explosive snore from her own mouth woke her, startling her and making Robin laugh.

"I didn't..." Marian begged, "Tell me I didn't make that sound!"

"Shh, it's alright," he soothed, gathering her tenderly in his arms. "It was nothing. Just another indication our baby is fine."

"It isn't fair, you know," Marian said, enjoying nestling against his warm, hard body. "Men ought to be made to suffer the same indignities, at least for a day!"

"Ahh, we're already rude enough, without-"

"Rude? Robin of Locksley, are you saying I'm rude?"

"I'm saying you're gorgeous. And I think you're amazing, carrying our child."

"Women do it every day, you know."

"Not my child! Seriously, Marian, every time I look at you, I'm awed."

"Matilda says it is a miracle, for us."

What else could he say to that, but to kiss her?

"Robin," she sighed, content, even while wanting more, "we haven't talked about names."

"Good idea!" In spite of him boasting it wouldn't be hard to resist her, the silky warmth of her skin, her beauty, her scent, the deep love he felt pulsating in his heart and throughout his body, was going to make these next several months agony, if he wasn't careful. He wanted to protect her, and enjoy this blissful miracle with joyful anticipation, not be consumed with passion.

"Names!" he repeated. "Let's start with boys. Do you have your heart set on anything?"

"Anything but Much," she teased. Growing somewhat sad, she added, "Or Robin."

Sensing her change of mood, he bit back his own teasing comeback. "Marian, what's wrong?" he asked, brushing a lock of hair off her cheek.

"I'm sorry. It's just my condition again. It makes me emotional."

"It's alright. I never told you. My...my mother once said, 'Never be ashamed, you have a heart.' "

Marian's answering smile was small, and still a sad one. Yet she was moved, for Robin rarely spoke of his mother, whom he'd dearly loved, but had lost while a small child.

"Yet you hid your heart from me," she marveled. "Even after your mother's sage advice?"

"Did I?"

"You know you did."

"I hid my hurt. I wanted to appear strong, for you. I hope I didn't hide my love."

"We both did, but not any longer."

Another kiss dispelled most of their sudden sorrow. The sun was beginning to rise, and sounds of Locksley waking up reminded them how precious these moments were, alone together.

"Why not Robin?" he asked. "Not that I'd want any competiton, you know!"

She hesitated before admitting, "Don't scorn me, but I always thought the baby we lost, the one Gisbourne killed, was a boy. I've always thought of him as Robin."

Her husband was too moved to speak, wondering how deeply Marian, who felt partly responsible for that baby's death, still grieved. Holding her closer, he stroked her hair, and listened while she poured out her heart.

"I never expected him to do it," she confessed now, the words spilling out of her. "I thought I could handle him. And I could! But at that moment, when everything was falling into place, I didn't care anymore what side Guy chose, as long as he didn't try to harm the king. I saw him as you did, Robin, equally as evil as Vaisey, beyond redemption. It just felt so good, to finally be able to speak the truth, to admit to his face that I loved you! You can't imagine how deeply it hurt me to hurt you, Robin, when I told him I despised you, that I'd never marry you. Especially just after you'd saved me!"

The hurt of that moment when Robin had brought her the necklace was something neither one of them wanted to relive, any more than the memory of Gisbourne stabbing her. But the talk of baby names would have to wait. For the moment, the only remedy for sadness was to lose themselves in kisses and tender caresses.