As soon as Allan led Maggie away, Robin took a deep breath and uttered a quick prayer. "Give her some of Your mercy, Lord," he breathed. "And give me the words to make things right."
Jumping up, he grabbed hold of the bar beneath Marian's window and pulled himself onto the lower roof of the house. Certain he wasn't being watched, with his heart pounding in his ears, he put his face to her open window and softly called her name.
Marian was in her room, sitting perched on the edge of her bed, fuming.
"You!" she cried when she heard his voice.
She leaped to her feet and strode angrily toward her window. "You have some nerve, Locksley, showing your face again here!"
"Don't believe what she said, Marian. I swear to you, it wasn't true! I'd never besmirk your honor! I hold it too dear!"
"You have no right to hold anything related to me dear, do you hear me?"
Putting all her strength behind her, Marian reached through her window and shoved Robin with both arms. To her surprise, and to his, he staggered backwards off the roof and fell to the ground below.
Not knowing whether to be pleased or alarmed, Marian slammed her shutters closed and held her breath.
Recent rains had softened the ground, but Robin's tailbone still hurt from having taken the force of the landing.
But he was undeterred. He had to make her believe him!
Robin winced in pain as he stood, but shook it off and ran around the side of the house. Confident the sheriff's spies had taken a day off, he barged through the front door, gave an extremely surprised Sir Edward a quick greeting, then took the stairs two at a time and charged into Marian's room.
She gasped in anger and surprise at seeing him.
"Do you never give up?" she demanded to know.
"No, I don't," he panted.
Thinking it the right thing to do, he dropped down onto one knee before her, like a lover about to propose.
Marian held her breath.
"Please, Marian," he begged, with passionate sincerity, "you have to believe me."
The look on his face convinced Marian he spoke the truth. She gave a small gulp, then smiled a slight, hesitant smile.
"Get up, you fool," she said, her voice warm and affectionate.
Robin's face broke into a sunny grin, and he rose to his feet, wincing a bit in pain.
"You're hurt?" she asked, with concern.
He laughed. "Only my...my tailbone," he admitted.
"Well, I'm certainly not going to kiss that better! "
It had slipped out before she had a chance to think. Marian instantly regretted her words, but Robin's infectious laughter somehow made it alright. She laughed right along with him.
"I did tell you one lie today," Robin said, sunshine pouring from his smile.
"What was that?"
"Just now, when I said only my tailbone. I hurt other places, too. You're strong, you know, Marian!"
"I'll take that as a complement, knowing how you value strength. Where else do you hurt?" she asked, more kindly.
Robin lifted his eyebrows and looked pleadingly at her, still wearing his irrestible grin. "Here," he said, pointing to each of his wrists.
Marian inhaled sharply, then made up her mind. She took a step closer to him, then lifted his wrists, one at a time, a placed a gentle kiss on each one.
"And here," Robin breathed softly, pointing to his cheek, caught in the magic of the moment.
Marian stood on tiptoe, and lightly brushed her soft lips against his scruffy cheek.
Afterwards, they stood, searching each other's eyes, transported back to an earlier time, when all was right and beautiful between them.
Barely able to speak, Robin pointed to his lips, and panted, "And here, too."
Marian closed her eyes, lifted her face, and leaned just the slightest bit toward him.
Just as Robin was about to press his lips to hers, her door burst open, emitting Marian's father.
"Young man, what are you doing in my daughter's room?"
The magic was shattered. Marian jumped a step backward, and Robin felt his body's pain once more.
"I was just going, Sir," he said. "I only needed to clear up a misunderstanding." Smiling adoringly down at Marian, he asked, "We're alright, then?"
She smiled back, blinking her eyes as if awakening from a dream. "I think we might be," she told him, her heart leaping about wildly in her chest.
"Well, then," Robin grinned, feeling completely well again, "I'd better be going! Goodbye, Sir Edward." He inclined his head respectfully, then turned to Marian and lifted her hand to his lips. "Milady," he breathed, his voice full of love.
Marian sighed deeply. "Goodbye, Robin," she smiled.
Robin didn't know what he was about, he was so transported. Without thinking, he climbed out her window and down to the ground, then left her yard, whistling a merry tune.
Once he had gone, Sir Edward turned on his daughter.
"That young man seems quite adept at leaving by way of your window! I won't have it, Marian! Have you forgotten everything? Have you forgotten how he broke your heart?"
"I haven't," she said, all the joy going out of her again.
Edward only wanted to protect his daughter. Recalling how ill Marian had become when Robin had departed for war, he enfolded her in his arms and said, "I almost lost you once. I can't risk that again. Think, Marian. Let your wise head lead you, not your foolish heart. He's an outlaw now, with nothing to offer but sorrow, and possibly even death."
Marian shed a tear, then two, then a whole floodgate of tears flowed from her eyes onto her father's chest. "Yes, Father," she wept.