The floor of the little chapel was hard and cold under his knees, but Guy didn't even notice it. He was nervous, more than the first time he had tried to marry Marian.
This time, at least, he knew that he had to wait for her inside the chapel, at the altar.
He hoped that she would come soon.
He hoped that she would come.
A light step made him turn to look: Marian was there, on the threshold.
She wasn't wearing a rich dress like the first time, but she had taken some time to change into clean clothes and to comb her hair in a simple braid. She was wearing comfortable clothes, good for traveling and riding a horse, but Guy thought that she was even more beautiful than the first time.
In her wedding dress she had looked sad, uneasy, like a little bird trapped in a golden cage, but now she was just herself: the proud, brave girl, always ready to fight to help people in need.
How could I never notice that she was the Nightwatchman?
She wasn't smiling, and Guy thought sadly that he had dreamt to see her happy to marry him someday. He rebuked himself: in a situation like that, who could ever smile?
She had come, it had to be enough.
Marian walked to reach the altar, unaware that her father was at her side, walking her down the aisle to give her away, as he should have done the first time.
Guy stood up to meet her, taking her hand, then they both knelt in front of the priest.
The ceremony was quick, with only Allan in attendance, and Guy thought that his dream was coming true in a totally unexpected way.
In a wrong way.
It should have been a day of joy, a feast for everyone, and the bride should have been joyful, happy to start her new life with him.
Still, when the priest asked him if he wanted to take Marian as his bride, his voice trembled with emotion when he answered that he did.
Then, the priest asked Marian if she wanted Guy as her husband, and Guy looked at her, in fear that she could say no.
He met Marian's gaze, and the girl took his hand and held it in hers, with a short, sad smile.
"I do," she said, and she stood still, waiting for Guy to put the ring on her finger.
She gave a quick, guilty glance at the little scar under his eye. She knew that Guy was afraid that she could run away again, that she could refuse his love for a second time.
She didn't move while he fumbled to slip the ring on her finger, and she just glanced at it.
It wasn't the same ring, she noticed: this time it was smaller and simpler, a thin silver band with a blue stone. It was more comfortable than the other one, and she liked it better.
Guy seemed to be petrified, holding his breath in fear, and her heart softened to see him so nervous.
When the priest proclaimed them man and wife, she smiled at Guy before brushing his lips with a light, reassuring kiss.
Guy hugged her, holding her tight, seeking comfort in her warmth, and the girl hugged him back.
The priest went away in a hurry, without saying goodbye, hoping that the soldiers would let him run away from the town before it was too late.
Allan stood up and cleared his voice.
"Sorry to interrupt you, but I think it's time to go."
Guy and Marian looked at the window: the sky was turning golden.

Jasper grinned, looking at the gate that was being opened.
Three horses came out of it: Guy of Gisborne on his black stallion, his boy, Allan, on a brown mare, and lady Marian, mounting the white horse that had belonged to the sheriff.
"Sir Guy, and his family. So in the end she married you, didn't she?"
Guy glowered at him.
"She did."
"I had no doubts. She would have been an imbecile to do otherwise."
Marian bit her lip to refrain herself from answering.
Guy kicked the sides of his horse, and he went away without looking at Jasper and at the army.
Once again he had to run away from his home, humiliated by someone more powerful than him.
They galloped away, headed to London, trying to ride at least some distance before nightfall.
They followed the road even when there was no light at all, riding in the dark, but, when they arrived at a inn, they had to decide if they should stop.
Marian wanted to keep riding, even if it was too dark to see, but Allan disagreed.
"It has been a terrible day, we are all tired."
"But we must hurry to reach London! We can't stop!"
They both turned to Guy, waiting to hear his opinion. Gisborne hesitated, trying to think about his options.
"We will have to stop anyways, sooner or later," he said after a while, "If we travel during the day, it will be safer and we can go faster. I think we should rest now and travel all day tomorrow."
Marian was about to reply, but she stopped, reflecting on his words, and she nodded.
"You are right, I guess," she sighed, dismounting.
When they entered the inn, she glanced at Guy, suddenly nervous. She couldn't almost believe that they were married, now! She wondered what he was expecting from her now. Had he been sincere when he had said that he'd let her choose if they should nullify the marriage? Or maybe he was going to ask what it was now his right to get from her?
He had respected her till now, she thought, but now he had power over her, the power of a husband.
Could she still trust him?
Guy was talking to the host and she heard that he was asking for a single room with three beds.
They sat at a table to eat something, and Guy looked at her, worried.
"I hope you don't mind. I couldn't sleep knowing that you were alone in a room. This inn doesn't look very safe for a woman."
Allan looked around.
"It doesn't look safe for anyone, look at those faces. I guess that choosing to not take the gold with us was wise, Giz. If Prince John agrees, we'll organize a safe delivery."
Marian was about to berate Guy for thinking that she was helpless just because she was a girl, but the knight looked so dispirited, that she decided to keep silent.
A little, shallow part of her mind kept suggesting that Guy should look happier after marrying her, but Marian kept those unwanted thoughts at bay: who could feel happy when Nottingham was in such a serious danger? If Guy should express joy for their marriage, she would be mad at him, she knew.
"We already slept all together in the same room at the Flaming Turnip when you were ill, it's not a problem for me," she said instead, stifling a yawn. She was tired, and Guy and Allan looked exhausted too.

Guy was stretched on the bed, and he stared at the ceiling. Marian was in the bed nearest to him, and she was sleeping, curled on her side, while Allan was snoring in the third bed.
Gisborne was tired, but he couldn't sleep. Every time that he tried to close his eyes, he saw Robin, his strange, sad expression and he heard his hopeless words.
"Sir Edward?" He whispered, and the ghost appeared. "What's happening in Nottingham? Are they still holding the town?"
Sir Edward disappeared for a moment, then he came back.
"They are standing the siege, for now. Some houses are burning, others have been destroyed. The army had trebuchets, but Robin and Much managed to sabotage them. But they still have battering rams. They can't hold out for a very long time."
"The castle should be fitted to stand a siege..."
"It was, when I was sheriff. Vaisey neglected it. The gates aren't as strong as they should be, and nobody cared to repair them when they were damaged, the portcullis is rusty, and the guards weren't properly trained to fight."
"The guards aren't there now, and I can't blame them. They weren't properly paid. Who would be willing to fight and risk their lives for such scanty wages?"
"I should have opposed him when Vaisey came to took my position," Sir Edward said, bitterly, "I have been a coward, and now so many people pay the consequences of my weakness."
"He'd have ordered me to kill or arrest you, if you had tried to hinder his plans." Guy was quiet for a moment. "I wish that there were more persons like Robin, people who won't accept the unacceptable." He let out a low laugh. "Funny to hear those words from my lips, isn't it?"
"I am glad that you could get rid of the bad blood that there was between you. You and Robin are both good men."
"Be honest with me. Do they have any hope to keep the castle until we are back?"
"I don't know, Sir Guy."
"Can you go and see what Prince John is doing? Maybe we'll find out a way to take him in a good mood."
"I can check," the ghost said, disappearing for a moment. When he came back, his face was grim.
"He is traveling south, to the coast."
"No!" Guy cried, and Marian opened her eyes to look at him.
"What's up, Guy? Are you alright?"
Gisborne stared at her for a moment, then he shook his head.
"Nothing. Just a nightmare. Don't worry, go back to sleep."
Marian mumbled something, sleepily, and she fell asleep again.
Guy looked at her, and a tender smile creased his lips, then he turned to Sir Edward again, serious.
"We won't reach Prince John in time if he's traveling south. Nottingham is doomed, and Robin too."
Gisborne got up from bed, stopped to look at Marian for a long while, his expression longing and sad, then he took his boots, his sword and his leather jacket, and walked out of the room, barefoot.
He put his boots on only when he was downstairs, and he headed to the stables.
"Where are you going, Sir Guy?" The ghost asked, worried, already knowing what he was going to answer.
"To Nottingham."
"You can't!"
"I have to. Listen, I did what you asked me, Marian is safe and Allan will protect her. Now let me do the right thing."
"I could stop you. A little touch and you'd be too sick to go and throw away your life."
Guy looked at him, saddling his horse.
"You could, but you won't. I can't abandon Robin. We can't let him die alone. You can try to stop me, or you could help. I'm tired to be a coward… What about you?"
Edward kept silent while Guy finished saddling the horse and mounted, then he floated in front of the horse. The ghost opened his arms, holding a ghastly flame in each of his hands, but Guy wasn't frightened, and led the horse out of the stable.
Sir Edward smiled at him, and the flames burned brighter.
"Come, I'll lighten your road."

Much looked at the fires: the camp of the army was well organized and the soldiers could siege the town for a very long time. Groups of soldiers surrounded the town, not allowing anyone to escape, while fresh men were resting and eating around the fires, ready to begin their shift.
Much was hungry, but he didn't even try to go and search for food, there was no time for it.
Robin reached him on the walls.
"What are they doing?"
"Waiting. Beating on their drums just to let us know that they are there, waiting to destroy us. Look there, Robin! The battering rams are ready..."
"They will attack after dawn, I think. They'll keep us on alert all night, just to make us tired, easier to defeat when they will actually attack."
"Are there no hopes at all, Master? Are we really going to die?"
Robin sighed, looking at his friends.
"I'm afraid we are. When they use the battering rams, the portcullis won't hold for a very long time. I'm sorry Much."
"I guess that I'll never see Eve again, then."
"Who?"
"The woman who helped us when the sheriff gave me Bonchurch. I told her that I would search for her when there was more justice in this world." Much passed the sleeve of his tunic on his face quickly, to dry his tears. "But there is never justice in the world."
Robin closed his eyes, downhearted. He wasn't going to give up, but he knew that their resistance was hopeless, and he had no ideas.
The people of Nottingham relied on him, still believing that he could save them, and that was the only reason why they were still trying to defend the castle, even if they were just common people with no fighting skills. And that was the only thing that Robin could do for them: giving them hope so they could die a heroic death, believing to make a difference instead of being slaughtered in fear, like helpless cattle.
He thought of Marian, and that was the only light in the darkness of his mind: at least she was safe and she would have a chance to have a good life.
With Gisborne.
Robin shut that jealousy out of his mind. It was useless now, and he he knew that it wasn't Guy's fault if he loved Marian too. It was a good thing, instead: Guy's feelings would guarantee that Marian would be safe and loved.
"Master!" Much called him, his voice pitched in surprise. "Look!"
Robin stared at the enemy's camp, and his eyes widened in surprise: the battering rams were on fire, burning fiercely, and there was a commotion in the camp, with many of the soldiers trying to douse the fire, and others running around the camp with unsheathed swords, searching for something or somebody.
"The battering rams are burning!" Robin exclaimed, a little hope growing in his heart. If they were completely destroyed, they would have to replace them before entering the town, and Nottingham would gain some more time.
"When did you do that, Master? You're a fool! Going there on your own!"
"I didn't, Much. It's a surprise for me as well."
"What? Who did it, then? It looks like one of your crazy plans!"
Robin was about to answer that he didn't know, when he saw Sir Edward's ghost approaching.
"Was it you?! Did you set their camp on fire?!" Robin asked to the ghost, and Much looked at him, worried.
"Robin? Who are you talking to? There's no one there..."
"No, I didn't do it," Edward answered, "I can't interfere with material things. He did." The ghost pointed to a figure covered by a dark cloak who was crossing the courtyard, running towards them.
Robin grabbed his bow, but the man lifted his hands to push the hood of the cloak away from his face.
"Don't shoot, Hood, it's me!"
"Gisborne?!"
Robin and Much hurried to reach him into the courtyard.
"What are you doing here?! You should be miles away, with Marian!"
Guy smirked at him.
"She and Allan are miles away, I came back. It seems that you could need a hand, don't you?"
"Did you set the battering rams on fire?! How?"
"I threw pitch on them. Sir Edward helped me to reach them unseen, telling me when the path was clear, so I could throw a lot of pitch on them, and on some of their tents too. Then I walked away, and I threw flaming arrows at them from a safe distance." Guy grinned. "Like my plan, Hood? I bet that it sounds familiar, doesn't it? But I have to concede that it's funnier when I'm not the one who's covered in pitch and burning."
Robin stared at him, impressed.
"How did you enter the castle?"
"I got the idea from your memories too: the garbage chute." Guy wrinkled his nose. "It's disgusting, though, now I understand why you outlaws stink so much. Now I smell like one of you."
Robin burst out into a laugh, and he unexpectedly hugged Guy.
"Well, I don't care if you stink or not, I've never been so happy to see your face! And now you are one of us."
"Get off me, Hood!" Guy said, pushing him away, but he was smiling too. "Close that chute before anyone else has my same idea. And let's get to work, we have a town to defend."
Much hurried to take care of the garbage chute, and Robin turned to Guy.
"Without the battering rams, maybe we can hold out until Marian and Allan come back."
"I don't think so, Robin. Prince John is not in London, Sir Edward saw him traveling south."
Robin looked at him, worried.
"Why? He must be plotting against the King. Maybe he got knowledge of the port where he is going to land when he comes back to England, and he is setting a trap! We must stop him!"
"I guess we have a more urgent problem," Guy said. "Probably the town will fall anyways, but we must do everything we can to slow them down and to damage that army. Sir Edward has a couple of suggestions for us."
Robin nodded, then he looked at Guy, grave.
"Are you aware that we are all going to die? You've been a fool to come back."
"And you've been a fool to stay, we're even."
Robin grinned.
"We're both fools, then."
Guy patted his shoulder.
"Come on, let's find out a crazy plan to defend this town."