Chapter 18

Holy Land – July 1191

Robin was walking around the market hand in hand with Rachel. "So is that everything we need?" Robin asked nudging her playfully. Rachel smiled.

"I assume by we you mean me." Rachel nudged him back.

"Well it's our little habit now." Robin smiled; he had been meeting Rachel in the market every Friday for the last 2 months, ever since he bumped into that day. He spotted an alcove with a drape to cover the entrance; he gently pulled Rachel in behind him and pulled the cloth across. Rachel smiled as she looked into his beautiful sparkling eyes. Robin bent his neck and his lips met hers. But at that moment, the same happened to Robin as it did to Marian. He wasn't kissing Rachel, he wasn't holding her in his arms. It was Marian. They pulled apart, Robin leaned back against the wall with Rachel leaning on his chest.

"You know, my father would have you hung if he knew we were together." Rachel sighed.

"It's alright, I crave the danger." Robin laughed kissing her hair.

"I had better be going, my father may send my brother out for me again." Rachel sighed again after a few moments silence. "Goodbye Robin."

"Goodbye Rachel." Robin said letting her go. Before she pulled the cloth back he grabbed her hand and pulled her into another kiss. When he was done she was gasping for breath. "Goodbye." He smiled and kissed her hand, before pulling the cloth back himself and walked off to find Much. Rachel waited a few moments before she headed out of the alcove and toward her home, she felt lighter than air like she was walking in the clouds. She was completely smitten with the 23 year old Captain, Sir Robin of Locksley.

Robin was sleeping soundly in his bunk, it had been the first time he had slept fully without speaking Marian's name meaning Much could sleep as well. Something however disturbed Robin slumber. He woke to a loud clanging of metal and shouting. "MUCH, MUCH! SARACEN RAID. THE KING IS UNDER ATTACK!" Robin shouted grabbing his bow and some arrows then running out of the tent to protect the king. Robin clammed his arrows into ground and started to pick off Saracen's one by one. He grabbed his arrows and moved on, running across the camp. He bedded them in the ground again this time before he realised his third arrow he felt a cold blade pierce into his body. He let out a cry and fell to the floor as the man who stabbed him pulled out the knife and ran towards the king.

"Master!" Much cried as he ran to Robin. Robin looked up to see a Saracen entering the Kings tent, he summoned all his strength and fired an arrow at the man. He missed. He fell to the ground again. "MASTER!" Much was now at Robin's side. "You're wounded." Much panicked.

"Get help, the Kings tent. Now!" Robin ordered as he pushed himself up on Much's sword and headed for the kings tent. Robin used all his strength to ran into the tent to protect his king. "Your majesty." He shouted charging through the opening. He knocked the sword which was pointed over the king and hit the Saracen in the stomach. They continued to fight before Robin cut his arm, an arm he would never forget, an arm that would soon catch up with him. An arm with a tattoo. The Saracen ran and Robin leaned against the pillar before falling to the floor unconscious.

Knighton

"Why is it that it always rains in the summer?" Marian cursed as she and Adam stood in the stables she had her horses turned out in the field, she wasn't planning on bringing them in just because it was raining. "The only time we need some sunshine for the harvest and it has to rain." She grabbed a knife from her belt and threw it at the wall.

"Nice shot." Adam said retrieving the knife. He walked to where Marian was stood, she moved aside.

"Breathe, release everything, focus on the spot. And throw." Marian said. Adam threw the knife at the pillar and hit it, just. He groaned.

"How do you make it so easy?" He said.

"I had a lot of practice." She laughed. "It easy to throw knives at something when you pretend it's a person you can't stand."

"Let me guess… Robin?"

"You could guess that but you'd be wrong. It was actually Leighton, and the new sheriff and Gisborne."

"Keep your voice down the spies Marian." Adam scolded looking around. Marian raised her eyebrows.

"Do you honestly believe I care?" Marian sighed wishing she would have agreed to marry Robin.

"You say that but I know you, if anything happens you will." Adam said pulling the knife from the wood and stepping back again. He took a deep breath and threw. He smiled when he saw it centre itself exactly where Marian's had. She patted his shoulder.
"Not bad." She smiled, "For a Maiden." And with that she laughed and walked out of the stables. Adam shook his head and laughed at his mistress, he watched her leave. She really was beautiful, but she was his friend, he would never do anything to change that. Marian was the sister he never had, why would he want to change that. Besides she still loved Robin, however much she denied it Adam could see it. She loved The Earl of Huntingdon, she always would.