"Please, Your Majesty, I beg you, spare my husband's hand!"

Dropping to her knees before King John, Marian pleaded with her eyes for the king to show mercy. But she could find no hint of humanity behind his spoiled, hardened expression. She immediately launched into another argument, using logic.

"How will Lord Locksley be able to protect you, if he cannot shoot his bow?"

She could almost feel Robin's eyes behind her, their expression changing from alarm to approval as a smile stole over his face.

"Protect me?" the king whined. "But he's a vicious killer! He threw the delicate Mistress Fitzhugh over the castle ramparts!"

"Did he, or is that just your wife's accusation, to force you to arrest him? Ask yourself, Your Majesty, if Lord Locksley were a killer, why didn't he aim an arrow at Sheriff Vaisey when he presided over the shire? Locksley had nothing whatever to lose at the time, yet he let his enemy live."

"His enemy, who was my representative? May I remind you of that, Lady Locksley?"

Ignoring the twinge of fear she felt by King John's threatening tone, she pressed on, returning to her earlier argument. "All the same, you need Locksley now, to protect you. You yourself said you are beleaguered by those who wish to kill you. Surely Your Majesty hasn't forgotten the attempt to poison you."

"It's true, my lovely, though all too swollen girl, I am besieged on every side!"

"Can your guards protect you? They couldn't even stop the people here today from throwing vegetables at you!"

"It's true, it's true! My guards are useless! Just look what some fiend did to my nose! I believe it's broken!"

While Marian turned sympathetic eyes on the king, Isabella pictured Robin slipping from her grasp. Hurriedly, she sought to make herself heard. "My king! Don't listen to her! She's using her wiles to try to deceive you! Cut off Locksley's hand, and turn it into a backscratcher! Look at his long, tapering fingers! Think how good it will feel, when I use them to scratch your back!"

"Oh, shut up, you stupid cow!" the king whined, annoyed. "Did I ask for your opinion? I was having a delightful conversation with the lovely Miriam!" Smiling down at Marian, he adopted a caressing tone to say, "I will grant your request, my dear, provided you do something nice for me as well! Shall we go upstairs in your house, and partake of our long awaited pleasure?"

Marian went pale, and Robin strode to stand threateningly between her and the king. "Lay one finger on my wife, and I'll-"

"I'm sorry, but it's impossible, Your Majesty," Marian interrupted, struggling to ease herself to her feet. "The midwife has forbidden any such contact, for the good of the baby."

Unhappy at the news, King John glared back and forth between Robin and Marian. Finally settling his leering gaze on Marian, he pursued, "You two aren't having any fun at all? It's almost comical! But, my dear, there are other ways we can play together, without-"

Knowing she needed to cut him off before Robin did something desperate, Marian cried out, "Your Majesty, look out!"

The king dropped to the ground, covering his head with his arms. "Help! Locksley! Save me!"

"She's lying, my king," Isabella spat. "You're in no danger! You don't need Locksley! Cut off his hand! Arrest him for murdering that poor, innocent girl!"

"What are you doing?" Marian hissed at her. "Robin and I tried to help you!"

"As if I needed help from you! In case you didn't know, Robin left me stranded on the road, entirely at the mercy of any brute who passed my way!"

"He took you to Kirklees!"

"He didn't! He forced me off his horse, and left me to fend for myself, a poor, defenseless woman! I had no choice but to return to Nottingham!"

With Marian's eyes questioning him, Robin explained, "I couldn't listen to her filth any more. Anyway, she's proven who she is today, with her demands for my hand and her false accusations."

"That isn't the point! You lied to me, Robin! You let me think you'd taken her to Kirklees!"

"I've never lied to you!"

The king, unhappy that he was no longer the center of attention, called out, "Bored now. Guards! Take Locksley to the dungeon. I arrest you, Hood, for the crime of murder, not to mention neglecting to invite me to your feast!"