Chapter 21

Knighton – December 1191

"Marian I am so glad you decided to join me." Gisborne said at the top of the stairs when Marian walked in.

"Well I was coming anyway, with my father. I thought that company may be nice." She showed her perfect white teeth again, it seemed the only way of enjoying a night painlessly. It was the night before Christmas; Marian had rather hoped that The Night-Watchman would have been able to go out. But when the invitation had been offered, Marian's father ,Edward, had insisted she attend. Since her father did not know about her antics, she could not deny. And once Gisborne had become involved there really was no chance. Well then Christmas night she would dress as The Night-Watchman and give a late Christmas present to every family she could.

The evening was a bore if Marian was honest. Nobody would dance as sheriff Vaisey despised 'prancing' as he called it. The music being played was a drone and the wine was awful. Only the sheriff was having fun at everyone else's expense. Marian was stood beside Gisborne's chair. She had yet to be offered her own. She was growing bored with being stood doing nothing. "Sir guy, I am going outside. I feel rather warm." She said and smiled. Gisborne stood but made no attempt to follow her, she was glad about this.

Marian walked up a familiar staircase and onto the battlements where the icy winds meet her; she cursed herself for not bringing her cloak. She looked out to a familiar scene, a snow covered Nottingham and she smiled at how beautiful it was. The cold and the snow and the time and the place made her begin to remember one night when she and Robin had been up here. She smiled but tears began to form in her eyes. She knew she still loved him and she knew she always would. But the frustration at being nearly 22 and unmarried was taking its toll. Tears ran down her face, making her even colder. Many of her noble friends were already married with 3 or 4 children running around and now even Melissa, someone she had once called her best friend had married and moved away in hopes of a better life. And being up there on that night made Marian realise that she was waiting for a man she swore she had gave up on. "Oh Robin, when are you coming home? I promise Im not angry anymore, I just miss you now." She whispered. She sat between the points in the battlements, luckily she wasn't afraid of heights, wondering where the man she loved was, right now. She put her thumb up to the moon to cover it with her thumb. No matter where you are in the world it's never bigger than your thumb.

Sicily

Robin too was sat on the wall of the battlements, although he looked on a completely different scene. There was no snow, no trees, just water stretching for miles and miles. Water they had sailed on. He had been deemed fit to travel a month ago and had now reached port in Sicily with the kings allies, where they would stay for a week, they had already been here for 6 days and were due to sail again tomorrow, once the boat was repaired and restocked ready to continue their journey to Aquitaine and then onto to England, home to Nottingham, to Locksley. But right now, that was a million miles away for Robin although in only 4 months they would be on English soil. He put his thumb up just as Marian did and smiled. "No matter where you are in the world it is never bigger than your thumb." He whispered. "And how true it is my love." He sighed.

Robin heard footsteps, he knew it would be Much, he could tell from the sounds he made when he ran and he was the only one he knew he was here. "I knew you'd be up here." Much said and Robin gave a sad smile. "Are you coming downstairs, you must keep your strength up, or you will be taken ill again?" Much said.

"Yes I am coming now." Robin said looking up to the moon one last time. He turned to his friend and wiped the sadness from his face. "So Much, what is on the menu?"

"Oh master, there is so much food that my belly hurts just thinking about it. There is pig and beef and lamb, plus all kinds of pies and cheese."

"Sounds filling we had better get some before it all disappears."

"Can we Master?"

"Why else would I be walking towards the dining hall with you?" Robin laughed and patted his friend on the back.

Robin had never been one to eat a lot, but tonight he had felt so hungry, and now he was fuller than he had been in a long time, he felt as though he could not move. That was until a young woman came across the room to him. "I have been looking at you all night and you have returned my glances. Are you just a tease Robin of Locksley?" She smiled alluringly and moved closer to Robin.

"I have been called many things but never a tease." Robin smirked with a little too much wine in his system.

"Well unless you want a new name, I suggest a dance."

"Of course." Robin smiled.

Robin woke in bed with a young women next to him. Oh god what had he done. I tried to think back to the night before but his mind was foggy. He knew he had had too much wine and by the time he was being lead up the stairs to this room, at least that's where he assumed he was lead, he couldn't say no. It seemed the only way to forget about Marian's marriage. He crept out of bed trying to find his clothes. Thank goodness he was leaving today, how could he face this girl again. Once he was dressed he grabbed his sword, bow and quiver and quickly but silently made his way out of the room, hoping to never set foot on Sicily's soil again.