Why did she let him do this to her? Marian wondered, furious with herself, and with Robin. Time and time again, she let him play havoc with her emotions, and it needed to stop.
Neither felt the cold as they stood facing one another, dripping wet, with Robin's hands resting lightly on either side of Marian's waist. The look he was giving her made her think she really could see into his soul, for he was hiding none of his admiration, longing, nor adoration. It was more than she could handle.
"Ow!"
The elbow thrust she applied to his ribs made him instantly release her, and step back in surprise.
"You promised you wouldn't elbow me!" he accused, his face shot with annoyance.
"I made no such promise," she replied, coldly. "If I had, you wouldn't be hurting. I know how to keep my word, unlike some people."
She watched him wince, and she was glad.
"I came back," Robin told her, recovering his composure. "The fact that you're still angry, after all this time, proves how much you care. Admit it, Marian! You didn't marry, and-"
"All that will change, when the King returns."
"You're not going to marry that traitor!"
"That accusation again? Grow up."
"It's the truth, Marian! The man who stabbed me and left me for dead, then tried to kill the king, is none other than your gallant Sir Guy of Gisbourne!"
"Disguised as a Saracen, surrounded by other Saracens, far from home, in Acre. Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds? Who were the other Saracens, Robin? His bumbling guards who work for him now?"
"I don't know! I only know, for a fact, that it was Gisbourne who did this to me!"
Yanking his wet shirt over his head, Robin flung it off, exposing the hideous wound in his side.
After one gasping look, Marian turned her face away, unable to look anymore at the wound that would forever scar the otherwise perfect male torso of her once beloved Robin.
Anyone else would have died from that wound! Did he even have any idea, how many times she'd pictured him dead, during the long, lonely years he'd been gone? Could he even guess how many times she'd woken up crying, dreaming of his funeral, an echo of his father's, picturing in her sleep the haunting image of his war-horse being led to the altar in Locksley's church?
"Show it to Djaq," Marian hissed, angrier still at the tears wetting her lashes. "I'm sure she'll enjoy rubbing ointment into it."
"WHAT?"
"Goodbye, Robin."
"Marian, don't go!"
Ignoring his plea, she carefully flung herself onto her saddle, and gently nudged Vesper with her heels, away from the look in his vivid blue eyes.
At first, her anger warmed her, but before long, she felt cold seep into her bones, as it filled her heart.
She mustn't let him do this to her, ever again. Their lives were separate now, their choices their own, and they both needed to make the best of trying circumstances, and end this game.
Guy couldn't have wounded Robin! He couldn't have travelled thousands of miles away, just to try to kill the king! It was impossible. He'd been ill, in Locksley, all the time. Robin had only made it up, when she'd been forced to accept Guy's proposal, to discredit the man even further.
As greatly as she hated the thought, her future was with Gisbourne now, and Robin's with...Djaq, for the time being. Marian doubted that relationship would last. At least, she hoped it wouldn't. If it did, that meant... The thought hurt too much to contemplate.
No! She was thinking about him again, letting thoughts of him consume her. No more, she told herself. Go home, get dry, and go visit Gisbourne. Give him a chance to prove he wasn't the monster Robin tried to portray him to be. Help him. Change him. Teach him how to love, and show kindness. Tear him away from the sheriff's evil influence, for the good of everyone.
...
(Note: In response to my wonderful readers, I must explain. This story is supposed to take place during Season One of the tv series, and stay true to the plotline, except with my invented additions. Currently, we are between tattoo, What Tattoo? and A Thing or Two About Loyalty. So, sorry, I cannot hasten Robin and Marian's reunion and understanding yet, as much as I'd like to. I love the show, and have watched it countless times, loving all the subtext and back stories, and relationships. it appears to me, at this point in the story, Marian has moved closer to robin but is now pulling away, while trying to establish a relationship with Giz. My invention of her assumption over a mistaken relationship between Robin and Djaq helps her to make this decision. But never fear, she shortly learn the truth!)