Disclaimer: I do not own Robin Hood, BBC, or BBCAmerica. Only OCs and plot post series 2 belong to me.

Chapter 58: A Pledge

Plans never seemed to work out for Guy when Marguerite was concerned. She had managed to attend to her morning business and return to the carriage before he woke up.

He suppose he should be lucky she didn't just saddle up Alsvoir and ride off again.

That exact thought had run through Marguerite's head as she washed her face that morning. It would be a simple thing, really, to ride to London. A pain, she would be incredibly sore, but her knights would do as she ordered.

As it were, she had the idea that Marion would insist on coming along so she might as well offer the carriage to Marion. The least she could do since Marion, all the girls really, were lending her their support.

"If we keep up this pace, we will be back at your estate in two days," Kazim told her as the horses were attached to the carriage. "Assuming we don't run into any more of your aunt's schemes."

"You know Eleanor, she is persistent," Marguerite sighed. "Did you know she left me an equal inheritor in her will? That has got to make Joan angry," she smirked.

"I'm not surprised, you are more like your aunt than her own daughter," Kazim shrugged. "She would probably give you all of Aquitaine if she could."

"She would give everything to Richard if she could," Marguerite argued. The sun and moon revolved around Richard, in Eleanor's opinion.

With the possible threat of more traps, half of Marguerite's guard went around to flush out any potential trouble. Unsurprisingly, they had another, smaller set of guards waiting. Obviously Eleanor thought her three dozen knights would have been enough with the first attack. By the time the carriage arrived, the smaller group was already taken care of.

"What if Guy wanted you still?" Marion finally broached the subject.

"I think the question is: did Guy ever want me in the first place," Marguerite deadpanned.

"What if there was another explanation for all of this?" Eleanor questioned.

"What if Otto is fat, balding, snores, and has numerous mistresses?" Gretchen pondered.

"If your cousin wants an empress in the family so badly, why doesn't she marry Otto herself?" Willa frowned. She had developed an intense dislike for the Queen Mother after two attacks.

"Lunch," Robin called out as the carriage stopped. He and Will had purchased food at the village and spread out the feast—there really was no other word for the amount of food necessary to feed Marguerite's army.

"You are coming out of the carriage, you will eat," Marion didn't leave any room for argument as she exited the carriage.

"I'm half tempted to see what she will do if I refuse," Marguerite smirked. "Coming Mother," She called out to Marion who laughed. The girls kept her company, and kept Guy away as the other outlaws and knights took shifts: eating and guard duty.

"Randall is cute with Ygrainne," Eleanor grinned watching the big Norman knight playing with the girl who was excited to be able to run and play. "Why do you call him archer?"

"Very few are as skilled with a bow as Archer," Marguerite grinned, nearly choking on her water. If only they knew what she had stumbled upon with him! Oh, her aunt Eleanor had discovered quite a secret with her Randall.

"Ygrainne will be sleepy after this," Gretchen sighed contently, laying down after eating.

Marion and Marguerite went for a walk to stretch their legs, Allan stealing the opportunity to spend time with Eleanor. "You could have given me a heads up," he frowned.

"I didn't know for sure what would happen…Gretchen and I weren't positive she was going anywhere, but we thought we could convince her to not leave. Did you think I would leave you?" she questioned.

"Sometimes I think it would be the smart thing to do," Allan confessed.

Eleanor laced her hands through his. "I told you to trust me, Allan-a-Dale," she frowned. "After everything we have gone through, you really are an idiot if you think I would leave. Marguerite needed someone, though. Plus, worst case scenario I would actually get to see London and get out of Nottinghamshire," the last part was said with wistful hopefulness that made Allan feel something, he couldn't quite define it. Here he had been around the world and all Eleanor wanted was to see something outside of the shire.

"Let's stay in London," he decided.

"I don't know if I want to stay… I haven't been before, after all, how will I know if I like it?" Eleanor pondered. "I just want to see something more, feel less like an ignorant peasant I 'spose."

Now that made him frown. "Only an ignorant peasant could ever think so little of you, Nora. Let's decide what to do after we see London," he grinned. He had never seen the city either; when they went to Acre they had sailed in and out of a different port.

Besides, he had no idea what he was going to do now that he would no longer be an outlaw. "So what happened to Marguerite? What did Guy do?"

"He used her to get lands, at least that is what it looks like, but I can't see him doing that," Eleanor frowned. "But Marguerite has proof. How could he be so …ugh," she finally growled. "She doesn't want to be Empress."

"Guy used her for land?" Maybe once upon a time he could have believed that, but when Guy falls in love—and he had no doubt Guy had fallen in love with Marguerite—he would manipulate anything to keep her. Something was off. "There has to be more to this."

"We'll keep Marguerite thinking she is safe, you and the boys need to fix this," Eleanor decided.

"I'm not being funny, but how?"

Robin was wondering the same thing as Willa joined Marguerite and Marion came to find him. She showed him the letters Marion had given her. "What?" Robin said reading the letter from Prince John, "you said Guy wasn't a sodding bastard!"

"I didn't think he was, so you figure out what is going on," Marion decided as she handed him the letter from Otto before joining the girls in the carriage.

"Did Marion tell you what is going on?" Guy demanded as the men mounted their horses.

"If she did? What if I agree you've been an ass?" Robin grinned, always happy to be in the know when Guy wasn't.

"We don't like this," Little John frowned as they followed the carriage. Not only was Guy somehow being an ass, it had taken Willa away before he had a chance to show her the wood carving project he had been working on. A carving he had made for her.

Robin patted his breast pocket where he had tucked the letters, grinning at Gisborn mischievously. "I think you have some explaining to do," was all Robin said.

"Robin, if you don't give me what I want, Marion is going to become a widow," Guy promised.

"Touchy, touchy," Allan grinned. Antagonizing Guy was amusing. "Let's just say, Marguerite may be in doubt of your affections."

Guy frowned and pulled out the ring he had for her. "Bloody hell, Gis, why haven't you given it to her yet?" Allan pondered, ogling the ring. "We could have avoided this entire mess."

"No, I don't think so," Robin said pensively, thinking about the letters. There were some deeper issues that had to be addressed. He took them out and handed them to Gisborne to read, finally taking pity on the man.

Guy recognized the one addressed to him and cursed. "I knew this would happen. How did she get my letter?"

"Does it matter? She thinks you traded her for land," Robin frowned.

Not recognizing the handwriting on the second one, he opened it and was thankful it was written in French, a language he could read, and not the German Prince's native tongue.

He crushed the letter after he finished it. Oh, they were going to Prussia, alright, just so he could show how displeased he was with their ruler, Guy thought.

Kazim, Marguerite's Saracen, fell back to ride with the outlaws. "I am very tempted to deal with you now and hide your body," he said casually.

"Has Marguerite ordered you to?" Guy inquired, it would tell him a lot of how she felt.

"She doesn't have to," Kazim smirked. "You get one chance to explain to her, or I will personally take her so far from you and this country, you will never have a hope of seeing her again."

Well, Guy thought, at least he was given the chance to talk to her.

No time to think about it. It was time for simple, straight forward actions as they camped for the night. They were half a day away from London, and once they reached the city she would leave.

As soon as Marguerite took two steps away from the carriage, Guy came out of nowhere and hauled her off. "Guy!" She yelled, hitting him, wishing for a dagger up her sleeve. "ce n'est pas decent! Imbecile!" she yelled, hitting him but he didn't loosen his grip.

"Rant all you want, Kazim is giving me a five minute window," Guy informed her.

"Archer, shoot him," Marguerite decided. Marguerite looked around and noticed everyone was looking pointedly in the other direction. "What, do they all have wax in their ears like Odysseus and the Sirens?" she demanded. "I know you can hear me, and I swear, I am going to place all of you on border duty for the rest of your miserable lives," she promised.

"If he doesn't make things right and I get stuck on border duty, I'll personally kill him," Brendan frowned. "You sure we have to give him five minutes?"

Kazim nodded. "Could you shoot him?" He asked Archer/Randall.

"With my eyes closed," Archer shrugged.

Kazim studied the younger man. "Can you shoot him?" Kazim emphasized, not doubting the young man's aim but his willingness. Something he never would have doubted before except for the secret Queen Eleanor had unearthed.

"Don't worry about my loyalties, Kazim. They are, and have always been, to my lady."

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Marguerite stopped struggling and was silent till they ended up in a secluded part of the forest away from prying eyes and curious ears. Not that those eyes and ears had even put up a good show of pretending to be helpful.

"You are not going to Prussia, certainly not to marry that foreigner. What the hell could you be thinking? His name is Otto," Guy rambled, fury building up inside him.

"First of all, some would consider me a foreigner. Second, I was thinking I would take up my birthright, who wouldn't want to be Empress? And thirdly, what is wrong with Otto? It is a perfectly fine name, a guy named Guy shouldn't be pointing fingers."

"You don't want to be Empress, that would mean marrying the people who killed Henri."

"Prussians didn't kill Henri, Austrians did. They are quick to point out the difference."

"Yes, Otto seemed very quick to try to win your affections. Just going to marry him without even agreeing to a face to face meeting first?" Guy drawled.

"You read my letter! I'm going to put Marion in the stockades," she frowned. "Every single one of them!"

"You left me, Marguerite," Guy fumed.

"You used me. But I find myself in a generous mood so I won't have John rescind his offer and take back the lands," Marguerite said, arms crossed over her chest. She turned and started to walk off but Guy grabbed her arm and turned her back towards him. "Why didn't you just tell me? I would have been fine with you joining our side just to get land! You could have just been up front about it all!"

"The lands be damned," Guy said, thrusting the crushed letter into her surprised hand. "Did you even bother to read any of the other letters? You would have realized that the only reason I asked for lands was because I knew no one, no one, would allow you to marry a landless title. It was all for you, Marguerite. You deserve a prince, an emperor, and no one is going to settle for a worthless, landless tile, so I asked John to help."

"Guy…"

He cut her off. "You are stuck with me, as far as John and your father are concerned we are as good as betrothed and I am not telling them differently. Robin and the others will back me up." They better back me up, he mentally qualified.

"Guy…"

"Why didn't you ever just ask me? You knew how I felt, could you really just walk away from me? Marry someone else?" he demanded angrily. "could you really just move on from me?"

"Guy!" Marguerite practically shook him to allow her a moment to speak. "How could I possibly know? I was so surprised, what would I say? I didn't want to hear it to my face you were only using me as a bargaining chip. I loved you too much to take that from you, you deserve every inch of land you get."

"Forget the land," he growled but she cut him off.

"I couldn't stand to have you tell me to my face it was all a lie. And no, I knew I wouldn't be happy with Otto, but at least I would be far enough away where everything didn't remind me of you and everything else I've lost. Gods, I just finally started to feel something again because of you only to have it crushed! How could I stay?"

Guy was about to speak when Marguerite dropped a bomb: "you have a son," Marguerite said pointedly.

Guy stopped, flabbergasted, his momentum lost. "What? Robin told you." Just when he thought the conversation was heading his way, he had things under his control, she managed to rip the rug out from under him.

"You should have told me," Marguerite emphasized with her hands on her hips.

"A bastard child of a former servant, it shouldn't matter to you, to us," Guy said.

"He is three. And is that still the case when his mother is dying?" Marguerite demanded. She had managed to hide her shock when Robin and the gang brought it up casually. The first thing she had done was send one of her knights to find out what the truth was. "If for no other reason, Guy, you should have told me that in twenty years someone could show up claiming to be your heir," she pointed out. "What if I was married before and had children waiting in the wing?" she demanded.

"You don't," Guy pointed out.

"Obviously we don't know each other well enough," Marguerite drawled.

"No," Guy shook his head. "You told me about Michelle, about your family. You would have told me that."

"Obviously not," Marguerite said, watching Guy's reaction closely. Confusion, anger, betrayal.

"No," Guy insisted. "You haven't been married."

"I have nearly a dozen nieces and nephews, Guy. Who the bloody hell do you think is taking care of them? Me and my father. Their fathers are dead, their mothers left them to be raised by us. And Genevieve! When Jacqueline died, everyone blamed her, claiming she was cursed and it is what caused Jacqueline to die giving birth. I couldn't allow them to hurt her, I just couldn't. Collin didn't want anything to do with her, so I took her. She is only a year older than your son."

"Is she cursed?" Guy drawled.

"My whole family is," Marguerite pointed out. "But she doesn't speak. She is cute as a button, and smart, but she can't talk."

"And you were going to take her with you, to Prussia," Guy said coolly.

"You read my letter," Marguerite pointed out. "You know I was."

"I'll tell you what I know, Marguerite," Guy said stalking up to her, sending goosebumps down her spine. He stopped with barely an inch between them. "I know you think I betrayed you, that I can't understand how important Genevieve is to you. I know you are lonely, and that I can't possibly fix all the despair from all of your losses." He brushed back her hair, enjoying the tactile touch.

He placed a kiss on top of her head as he grabbed her hands. "I know you are use to men giving you their pledge, but here is mine," he said and to Marguerite's complete shock, she watched as he knelt before her. "But this is what I also know, Marguerite: you are strength, compassion, beauty. I love you, Marguerite. You never lost me, and fight as much as you want, run as far you can, but you never will lose me. I can be relentless when it comes to you, Marguerite. I'll defy kings and laws and God to keep you, and work every hour of every day to ensure you know you are not alone. Not anymore."

Marguerite pulled up on their hands to get Guy off his knees; she wrapped her arms around his neck and caught him in a kiss. When they broke apart Guy wiped away a tear falling down her cheek. "Is that a yes?"

Marguerite laughed and hugged him. "It was." Did he have any idea how wonderful he was? Just being with her was enough, he didn't have to slave away at anything. "I never cared about the land and titles, Guy. You are what I wanted. You are worth more than being an empress."

"If only the rest of the world, especially your cousins, felt the same," Guy sighed as he leaned his forehead against hers, cupping her face gently.

"And," she said as Guy pulled a ring out of his pocket and slipped it on her hand, "from what I hear, you surpassed Robin's proposal by miles," she grinned.

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The afternoon was spent with the girls gossiping in the carriage, encouraging Marguerite to go through every detail of Guy's proposal again. And again. Marguerite was only too happy to indulge as they rushed on closer to her estate, Kent.

One of her knights, Brendan, arrived back. "Your family has moved to London, my lady."

"Then straight to the palace," Marguerite ordered. No reason to stop in Kent or Canterbury if no one was there. It was a further 2 hours but they pulled into city.

"Is it always like this?" Will asked as crowds swarmed the streets to see Marguerite ride through the city.

"It was when I was here last," Robin nodded.

Archer, riding behind the carriage and therefore close enough to hear the outlaws, grinned at them. "It's Marguerite. They haven't seen her in nearly a year. Needless to say, Queen Eleanor is slightly miffed, her reaction is not as … warm," Randall smiled.

"Archer, stop spreading the truth," Brendan laughed.

Marguerite waved from the carriage. Finally the gates to the palace opened and they rode through. A footman was waiting and opened the door, helping the ladies from the carriage. A line of servants were waiting for directions.

"Welcome back, my lady," the butler bowed.

"Thank you, Arthur. I will need rooms prepared for my guests."

"Yes, of course, my lady. I will open up the blue wing."

"Excellent! Who is in residence?"

"Her majesty, Eleanor, arrived nigh on 3 days ago. Princess Joan arrived with her mother. Your father, Prince William, arrived with the little ones only yesterday."

"Tell my father I have arrived…"

"Tante!" a voice shouted out. Marguerite turned in time to catch the seven year old boy who launched himself at her. Marguerite laughed as she climbed the steps with him. As soon as she entered the parlor she was under attack from her affectionate nieces and nephews.

"Papa," Marguerite said happily as she hugged her dad.

"Your entourage has grown considerably," William smirked. "You made good time. We expect the money in two days. How was your journey?"

"Eventful."

"You may want to sit when you hear this," William cautioned as Prince John walked in.

"Have you told her?" Prince John asked.

"What?" Marguerite asked confused. Even more confused when her father and Prince John waited for the outlaws to join them. "

"It concerns them, too," Prince John explained. "My brother is here."

"Which one?" Marguerite wondered. "The butler didn't say anything about Geoffrey… you mean Richard? When?" Realization hit her. "Where is he?"

"En route," Prince John admitted. "He should be here this evening."

"You don't have our ransom money," Robin asked confused.

"I thought it best to send the ransom on to Henry. I emptied out the coffers, the tax money coming in is to refill the treasury. I had a feeling my mother was planning something behind all of our backs, I thought it best to get it done quickly."

Just then, Queen Eleanor entered. "Ah, ma fae," she greeted, all smiles.

"Aunt," Marguerite greeted as they kissed cheeks. "You must be relieved that Richard is safe."

"Of course. Even if I am surprised he is coming to England, of all places."

"We all are," Prince John frowned. "He never cared for England before, it was only a means of funding his wars."

"John, watch your tone," Queen Eleanor chided.

"Aunt, father, I will see you at dinner," Marguerite excused herself and pushed John out of the room with her before he could explode at his mother. "Some things never change," she sighed.

"She has been here three days and I am already going mad," John's frustration laced his voice. "Did you know she was going to barter you off to Henry to marry his daft younger brother?" John demanded.

"I heard something about that," Marguerite laughed. "Walk me to my suite, John. I want to visit with my babes before dinner." They walked arm in arm down the hall, catching up on the past several months, till they reached the family wing and the nursery. Inside were all of her babes; the cousins lingering in the doorway watching the array of children of various ages playing. Marguerite happily spent the next several hours with them till she had to dress for dinner.

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Eleanor sat before the crackling fire. Tom was sleeping in the nursery with an army of nurses and Marguerite's youngest nieces and nephews. The rest of the gang was sleeping in their rooms scattered throughout the hall.

What would Allan do?

The whole evening was surreal. She was in the palace in London. She had dined with the royal family. Being in the same room as Prince John and Queen Eleanor had unnerved her. She didn't even think she could serve them, let alone eat at the same table with them. She was thankful Richard hadn't returned yet, she wasn't sure she could handle that, ever.

Allan leaned against the door watching her. "I'm not being funny, but I thought for sure Guy would strangle the queen mother at dinner."

Eleanor snorted. "I saw that, too," she laughed, relaxing. "I think if Prince John knew what she had attempted, he might let Guy." Allan sat behind her, taking her in his arms. He nuzzled his head in her hair. "Allan?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't want to think about the future, not tonight," Eleanor decided. "I don't want to worry about what is going to happen next, where Tom and I will go, do… I just want to enjoy this experience while I can."

"Talking wasn't what I was planning on," Allan smirked and Eleanor rolled her eyes. He placed open mouth kisses down her neck as he untied her dressing gown. She tensed for a moment as her back was revealed but Allan always made her feel beautiful despite her scars.

"You are beautiful," Allan whispered, as if reading her thoughts, before capturing her lips in a searing kiss.

She broke the kiss long enough to tug his shirt over his head. "Funny, I think you are beautiful," she grinned as she traced her fingers over his chest.

"Lucky Tom, not going to be able to keep the girls away then, ey?" Allan teased, smiling when Eleanor laughed.

"I'm the lucky one, I think," Eleanor decided as Allan lifted her up to carry her to bed.

Marguerite knocked softly as she entered Gretchen's room. "Greta? Are you comfortable?"

"Comfortable? This is a beautiful room," Gretchen sighed as she stretched out before her fire. "I haven't even cleaned rooms this beautiful before. I might never move out," she laughed sleepily. She was already so close to falling asleep as she watched the fire dance.

Marguerite laughed as she sat at the top of Gretchen's head. It was so nice to see Gretchen relax for once. "I wanted to check on you. Allan just slipped into Elle's room, and everyone else is in their rooms. Ygrainne was so great with Genevieve," Marguerite smiled. "And you will always be welcomed wherever I am," she told Gretchen.

"Thanks," Gretchen yawned, proudly.

"Can I ask you something? Your family lived in Locksley, yet you didn't know Robin, Much, anyone before. Why?" Marguerite pondered. She had never understood that.

"I was sent away," Gretchen explained. "My brothers—I had 2 growing up—were enough to help with the farming, and my parents sent me to work in the home of a lord some ways off. When I turned 16, they gave me the option of marrying one of their other servants. I had no interest in marriage, not then. It seemed like trading one type of servitude for another. I asked if they would release me to work in Nottingham, and got a job at the castle. It was closer to home, and made more money even if Griswald and the sheriff were the devil's own. I worked there ever since, until my brother died and I took Ygrainne."

Marguerite continued stroking Gretchen's hair for a moment before getting to her feet. She had seen Much in the doorway out of the corner of her eye and left to give them a moment.

She walked back to the family wing, took a peak in the nursery at her four youngest nieces and nephews, Tom and Ygrainne.

She stopped at what had been Jacqueline's door, she had taken it as her own after Michelle died; hand on the handle, she took a deep breath before stepping away and heading further down the hall.

Much walked inside and thought perhaps Greta had already fallen asleep. He didn't want to disturb her, he just wanted a moment to talk with Gretchen. With the chaos of the last few days, he didn't have time to talk with her. Not since the dungeon, and he had many things running through is head he wanted to talk to her about.

He crouched down where Marguerite had been sitting. Unable to resist, he lightly ran his hand through her hair, enjoying the softness of it. "Greta?"

"Much?" Gretchen sat up quickly.

"Nothing's wrong," he said quickly. "Ygrainne is sleeping, she's fine."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm sorry," Much apologized. "I'll let you go to sleep," he motioned back to the floor.

"This is all so strange," Gretchen murmured. "And tomorrow we meet the king. What is he like?" she asked him as she lay down.

"Last time we saw him, he did try to kill us," Much grinned.

"What about after that? What did you think of him?" Gretchen yawned. "Does he have a sense of humor? Is he like Marguerite? Or more like his mother?"

Much was surprised she wanted his opinion. He braced himself and began stroking her hair again. It was the first contact they had had, it was the closest they had been. When he was conscious, that is. "I remember back during the war, before Christophe—Marguerite's brother— died, Richard would often laugh. Then the war changed for him, and Philip. He became much more sullen. You can tell he is related to Marguerite, though. And John. He has that same air about him."

Gretchen sighed, sleepily. "I'm not sure I like him, not that I'll let him know that."

"Best to keep that to yourself," Much grinned. He looked down to see she had fallen asleep and something about the fact she felt comfortable and safe enough around him to let her guard down sent his heart fluttering. He thought of moving her to the bed but when he bent to pick her up she clasped his hand. Content, he sat beside her, his thoughts swarming, as he watched Gretchen sleep.

Gretchen had the most marvelous dream. It didn't all make sense, she couldn't tell where she was, but she felt warm, happy. Euphoric. She certainly didn't want to wake up. And it reminded her of Much.

Just a few more minutes of this dream, she thought as she snuggled more and burrowed herself deeper into her bed.

Her bed was solid. Wait, what?

Gretchen peered through her half open eyes and saw technically, she wasn't in a bed. She was on the floor. That she remembered.

She was also trying to snuggle closer to Much.

Embarrassment flushed her cheeks. Mortification was next since she wanted to keep snuggling closer.

Gretchen slowly sat up and was thankful that at least she could quietly sneak away and maybe get into Willa's room to comb her hair and make herself presentable. Maybe Much didn't realize she was trying to make him her bed.

He was waking up! Gretchen scurried to grab a dress when suddenly yells and fighting could be heard from the hallway. Much was up and at the door before she could blink. "Stay here," he told her.

This chapter is dedicated to Aloha94 for the PM she sent me, letting me know that there is still interest. THANK YOU!