Chapter 7
Knighton
It was a few days, since John had been staying at Knighton. Marian came into the house after doing the morning feeding it was around 7:30 and she had been up since 6. There were 2 other workers on the farm but with the new sheriff's taxes being so high she knew she could not afford to hire anymore help. She took a seat at the table and John came down the stairs and her father stood from the chair in front of the fire and sat down next to each other in front of her. 'This isn't good' Marian thought to herself. She leaned back in her chair and waited.
"Marian, I and your father have been talking. And we have agreed on one thing." John said softly. 'this really wasn't good' she thought again.
"That is never good." Marian sighed, shifting slightly in the chair.
"No Marian you have to hear us out." Edward said.
"That means whatever you are going to say I will not like."
"Nottingham is changing fast."
"Im aware."
"Then you will know we have to change to." John said.
"Something I'm less aware off."
"Marian we have been thinking and now that there is a new sheriff, having Dan stay with us may not be a good idea." John was treading very carefully.
"What do you mean?"
"Marian, like we said things are changing, with a new sheriff we cannot risk anything bad becoming of your name. You are 18 and unmarried with a child. This sheriff is mean and spiteful; he may try to turn the other nobles against your family."
"I do not care. I am not giving up my son." Marian shouted slamming her hand on the table.
"Well you will." Edward said. John shot him a glance and Edward withered a little. Marian was impressed.
"Marian it is for the best, he knows you are his mother and nothing will change that. You can still see him. You will not be abandoning him, just looking out for both of you." John said reaching his hand across the table to gently touch Marian's clenched fist. Once he touched it she quickly pulled it away and stood and crossed the room to lean on the mantel piece. She bit her lip in thought; she turned back to face the two men and sighed.
"Very well. I will take him to Locksley orphanage." She finally said.
Locksley Orphanage
"Thank you for this sister Mary, I cannot tell you what this mean to me." Marian said walking down the corridor with the nun.
"You are very welcome Lady Marian. And thank you for offering to pay for him." The sister replied.
"Well he is my son, just because he cannot live with me does not mean I can't support him."
"I fear we will soon have more children on our doorstep."
"I fear that too, I already see the changes in the villages and the villagers." Marian sighed.
"And until the king returns it will not get any better." The sister said. Marian physically and visually stiffened. "Sorry Lady Marian I did not mean to open old wounds."
"It's not your fault." Marian said simply as they walked into the room where Daniel was playing. "Please look after him." Marian choked.
"We will don't worry."
"Dan, mama has to go now."
"Mama." Dan said stretching his arms to his mother. Marian knelt down and hugged her son tears streaming down her face.
"Mama will be back soon. I promise." She said finally pulling the young child from her body. Sister Mary picked up the struggling boy, who had begun screaming for his mother. Marian quickly turned away and headed out of the orphanage. She got to her horse and cried into the mares shoulder. Olivia nuzzled her arm and snorted making Marian smile slightly. She wiped her face and mounted her horse before galloping back home towards Knighton.
Nawww :'(