With pounding heart, Marian approached the aviary in Nottingham Castle, moving as casually as she could. As part of her deception, she carried a basket of apples in one arm and a small bowl of meat in her other hand, as if to feed the animals.

Pushing open the door, she was alarmed when her eyes met the horrific sight of a child, in shock and nearly bleeding to death, one hand chopped off at the wrist.

No! She knew there would be an injured child, but she hadn't expected this!

"Help!" she cried, running from the aviary. "There's a child in there bleeding to death! Somebody...help!"

Immediately, she found herself face to face with Sheriff Vaisey and Sir Guy of Gisbourne.

"What are you doing here, Missy, hmm?" the sheriff asked, his tone ice cold.

"I...I came to feed the hawks, and I discovered a child bleeding from having his hand cut off!"

"Feed my birds?" the sheriff asked in surprise. "You came to FEED MY BIRDS?"

"There's an injured child in there! Somebody, help!"

A crowd was gathering, but the sheriff was so distressed about her interrupting his scheme, not to mention the fact she was planning to feed his birds, he couldn't control his fury. Gisbourne realized they must not let it be known they were behind the child's injury, especially since he desired to win Marian.

"Send for a physician," he called. "Pitts. Barclay Street. GO!"

A page ran off to do his bidding, and Marian slightly relaxed. The child would receive care. She turned to go back into the aviary to offer comfort to the child, but was immediately stopped by the sheriff.

"Not so fast, Missy," he ordered coldly. "What exactly were you doing in my aviary, at just this time?"

She looked him bravely in the eye. "Wanting to feed your hawks. After that, I was going to the stables to give the horses some apples. I do it regularly."

The sheriff continued staring distastefully at her, as if she truly were the leper he claimed her to be.

"I have often seen Lady Marian go to the stables with apples, My Lord," Gisbourne vouched for her.

"YOU DO NOT FEED MY HAWKS!" Vaisey shrieked. "Do you not know they are birds of prey? They must be hungry to hunt! And you say you sneak in here and FEED THEM? HOW DARE YOU! I should make you eat their food! A clue...no! I have a worse punishment in mind for you, Missy! Oh, yes! Yes!"

Marian glanced into the crowd to see her father's frightened eyes on her. She hadn't known he was in the castle today! How he would suffer for her humiliation!

"My Lord," Gisbourne spoke lowly, "shouldn't we be watching for Hood?"

The sheriff turned on him furiously.

"Do you really think Hood is going to show up now? Do you, Gisbourne, hmm? A clue...no! If you weren't so stupid, blinded by the leper's big blue eyes, you would see he's sent his helper...his abettor, here in his stead!"

He turned furiously to Marian. "You don't really think me so gullible as to believe your little ploy of wanting to feed my animals, do you, Missy, hmm? Oh, you'll have to do better than that, if you wish to deceive me!" He lowered his voice to a near whisper, and pushed his face right into hers. She smelled the sour wine on his foul breath, but she did not flinch or look away.

"I've already had the pleasure of chopping off your hair. What will be next, Missy, hmm? I think it's time I put a noose around your pretty little neck. That is, unless you can convince me you had nothing to do with protecting Robin Hood!"

At that, the unmistakeable hiss of an arrow whizzed through the air. It buzzed past the sheriff's ear, just missing it by a breath, and lodged into a wooden beam, where it throbbed violently until it was still.

"Looking for me, Sheriff?"

Robin smirked cockily down at them from the castle wall, leaning confidentally on his bow. Looking up at him, Marian realized she had never been so glad to see anyone before in her life.

"THERE"S HOOD!" the sheriiff cried. "GUARDS! GET HIM! GET HIM!"

Robin nibbly climbed down a rope, right into their mist, unbelievably fighting off guards as he made his way towards safety. Marian was stunned when he quickly untied Vesper's reins and leaped onto the back of her horse.

"You promised me treasure, Sheriff," he called as he rode away. "I guess I'll just have to claim this horse as payment."

Playing along, Marian cried out, "No! Not my horse! Don't let him steal my horse!"

She held her breath as he and Vesper dodged a storm of arrows on their way towards the gate.

"Drop the portcullis!" Gisbourne ordered.

"No, Robin!" Marian thought. "You'll never make it! You and Vesper will be crushed!"

She wanted to close her eyes, but watched in frightened fascination as they approached the rapidly falling iron gate. She was surprised to hear Robin shout out a filthy oath, for she'd never before heard a single swear word escape his lips. She watched as he reined her horse, dove from its back, and rolled under the massive falling gate, just in time to squeeze to safety on the other side.

"NO!" Vaisey screamed, jumping up and down in frustration and kicking at anyone who came within kicking distance.

"Why don't we call it a draw, Sheriff?" Robin called back, grinning broadly. "You get to keep your treasure, for now, and I get away with my life."

"For now!" Gisbourne shouted back, in a rage.

Robin laughed mockingly, then proudly turned and ran away towards the freedom of the forest.

Trying as hard as she could not to smile, Marian nevertheless wore a smile on her lips. She realized Robin's use of foul language had been part of his deception, to convey he'd really wanted to steal her horse. He'd meant to distance himself from her, for her protection. She was grateful, and decided she could play as well as he, especially since she needed a reason for her flowing smiles. She gracefully ran to her horse.

"Vesper! Oh, girl! I thought that filthy outlaw had you! I thought I'd never see you again!"

The Sheriff breathed slow heavy breaths as he approached her.

"So, Missy," he sneered, "Hood really did come to claim his treasure after all. A lucky break for you, I think! But who ruined his capture, hmm? Who pranced into my aviary, to feed my hawks, and spoiled all my well laid plans? Hmm? Who was it, Missy? Was it you?"

"He nearly stole my horse!" she cried, feigning single minded vapidness.

"Come, My Lord," Gisbourne suggested quietly. "Let us go and devise another scheme to capture Hood."

"I WANT HIM DEAD!" the sheriff cried. "DO YOU HEAR ME? I WANT HIM DEAD!"

Marian breathed a sigh of relief as Gisbourne escorted Vaisey away. She had seen the injured child removed from the aviary by the physician, and she quickly jumped on Vesper's back to take another route out of the castle and ride to Barclay Street, to see how the child fared. She wanted to get quickly away, to avoid the scolding from her father she knew was surely coming.