Robin glared at the manor house looming before him. Inside those spacious walls dwelt Roger of Stoke, once a trusted longtime friend, late night drinking companion, and fellow soldier. Now, Robin regarded him as a rival and the worst kind of sneak. He couldn't wait to have it out with him.
Leaping from his horse, he handed the reins to a groom, then lifted Lady Cecily to the ground.
"Robin," she said, gazing up at him, "please tell me this isn't goodbye."
"Not yet," he said, unwittingly clenching and unclenching his fists in his anticipation to have at Roger. "I have some business to conduct here first."
"Good! I can't bear to think of you leaving, even though I did ask you to bring me here. I don't know about you, but I do so long for a bath!"
"I was thinking more along the lines of making my host pay."
At that moment, Roger himself stepped through the door of his house. His face showed surprise and pleasure at seeing Robin.
"Lady Cecily," he said, with a courteous bow. "Robin!" Roger threw open his arms and attempted to embrace his friend.
Robin bumped him with his chest, throwing off the embrace. "Lady Cecily wants a bath," he said, coldly. His eyes were hard and dangerous, and Roger knew right away he must have learned of his failed suit for Lady Marian's hand.
"You must both have baths," Roger said warily, noting how very dirty Robin was. "Please, come inside."
"No. Just the lady."
Cecily realized that Robin wanted her out of the way so he could fight Roger. Selfish though she was, she couldn't allow that to happen. For although both men were skilled warriors and Crusader knights, she feared for Roger of Stoke. She planted her feet and refused to enter the house.
"Robin," she said, "I won't go inside without you."
"Then it seems you've made a long, unnecessary journey."
Robin's eyes did not leave Roger's face. The challenge in them was unmistakable.
Roger decided the best policy was to bring everything into the open. "Robin," he began, proceeding cautiously, "I assume you heard about my pursuit of Marian."
"It's Lady Marian to you," Robin sneered. "Cecily, go inside the house. What I'm about to do to him is not fit for your eyes."
"I've never disobeyed you, Robin," Cecily reminded him. "But I fear I must now."
"Leave us!" Robin shouted.
"Robin, I think we should talk about this," Roger begged.
"Well, too bad. I don't."
"Just let me explain! The lady herself assured me all was over between you!"
"I gave you a letter in my own hand to deliver to her, and you-"
"I did deliver it! It was only after she read it that she dismissed you from her heart, or so I thought."
Robin was in no mood to listen. If Cecily wouldn't leave, he'd just have to settle this another way.
"Watch this," he said, confusing both Roger and Cecily.
Robin drew an arrow from his quiver and fitted it to his bow. "See that knothole?" he asked, pointing to a distant tree. "I'm going to hit it."
Neither could see a knothole, the distance was too great. Before they could blink, Robin had released an arrow that sizzled through the air and slammed into the trunk of the tree, throbbing noisily.
"Now it's your turn," Robin sneered.
"I'm no archer, you know that!"
"Shoot."
"I don't have a bow."
Robin laughed unpleasantly. "Here," he said, handing his own bow to Roger. "Use mine. After all, you're so good at taking what belongs to me."
Roger knew he couldn't reason with Robin, not in his current frame of mind. Perhaps, if he engaged in this silly contest, Robin's good humor would be restored.
"I need an arrow, too," he said, uncomfortably.
With a grand gesture, Robin reached behind his back and drew an arrow from his quiver. Then, with a lightening quick motion, he threateningly held it to Roger's heart, pressing its point through his shirt and nicking his flesh.
"Thank you," Roger uttered, somewhat frightened. He'd seen Robin kill, and was well acquainted with his temper, though he'd never been at the receiving end of it before. He wished to heaven he'd never laid eyes on the beautiful Lady Marian.
Trying his best to nock the arrow to the bow without looking too big a fool, he imitated what he'd seen Robin and others do numerous times. It felt awkward, but he kept trying. Tuning out Robin's quiet, mocking laughter, he drew back the bowstring, aimed at the arrow lodged in the distant treetrunk, and fired.
"Where is it?" he asked, not seeing his arrow.
Robin's mocking laughter grew louder, as he ran forward a few steps and picked up Roger's arrow, which had fallen dismally to the ground only a few feet away.
"That target's too big," Robin said, seizing his bow back with a nasty grin. "Maybe I should aim for your traitorous heart instead."
"I am no traitor," Roger insisted. "Marian swore there was nothing between you anymore, or I'd never have pursued her."
"Is that so?"
"Of course it's so! I love you, Robin! I'd never betray our friendship!"
Unable to stand it any longer, Robin smugly sneered, "That's very touching. But like they say, love hurts. Cecily, close your eyes!"
Flinging his bow to the ground, Robin raised his fists, inviting Roger to fight. "Don't deny me my satisfaction," he ordered Roger. "Knights by their Code cannot refuse a challenge."
"I don't wish to fight!"
"Well, I guess you should have thought of that before you tried to win my lady!"
Knowing there was no remedy, Roger reluctantly raised his fists, only to see Robin's eyes alight with malice. Not knowing his boyhood friend and fellow soldier had lost his taste for bloodshed, but believing Robin had nothing to lose, already being an outlaw, Roger wondered whether these would be his last moments on earth.
Cecily uttered a scream, and appeared to faint to the ground. It was a ruse to stop the fight, and Roger cried, "We must tend to the lady!"
"She'll be fine. I don't intend for this to take long."
Robin was growing impatient for Roger to throw the first punch. He circled his opponent, his jealousy fueled by the thought of Marian in the other man's arms. Cecily lay silent on the ground, one eye open.
Roger knew he had no choice. Robin would not be stopped. Taking a deep breath, Roger threw a punch, and immediately found himself being pummeled under the stronger force of Robin's fists. He backed up, crying out, "Mercy, Robin! I never meant to take what was yours! I believed it was over, for she said as much! I was blinded by her beauty!"
Robin only seemed to grow angrier, if possible. "Are you implying Marian deceived you? She wouldn't!"
"She did, but not deliberately! She wanted to be rid of you, I swear it! She tried everything she could, within the frame of maidenly modesty, to forget you, even going so far as to try with all her heart to love me. But she couldn't, Robin! She couldn't forget you, and that's why I gave her up!"
Roger's breath was coming out in pants, for the fight raged on between speeches.
"You couldn't give her up," Robin shouted. "You never had her!"
"That's exactly what I'm trying to tell you! Damn it to hell, Robin! Much was right. You never do listen!"
The mention of his simple, loyal servant and best friend soothed Robin's spirit. Swiftly, his jealous rage departed from him, as he stood over Roger, trying to grasp what his fellow knight was trying to tell him.
"She loves me?" he asked, as gentle now as an angel.
"It's obvious. How could you not know?"
"She loves me. Marian loves me!"
Cecily sat up. Her dream of seducing Robin within these elegant walls was slipping from her.
"She despises you!" Cecily cried out. "That is what is obvious!"
"She loves me!" Not knowing what he was about, Robin held out a hand to help Roger rise, shook his hand with enthusiasm, clasped him in a brotherly embrace, then ran and leaped onto the back of his horse.
Cecily jumped to her feet. "Robin, where are you going? You mustn't leave me! We've only just arrived, and we have so much left unfinished between us!"
"There's nothing unfinished, believe me. I'm truly sorry, but I have to go. Goodbye."
Robin steered his horse around, dug in his heels, and was off, leaving Cecily to choke back her tears amid the dust kicked up by Robin's horse.
"Come inside," Roger counselled her. "Margery will be so pleased to see you. And take heart, as I did. Believe me, neither one of them could ever be happy with anyone else, for they were made for each other."