Author's note: thank you for reading my story! Like so many of us, I first watched 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' as a child and really enjoyed it at the time.It was only years later, when I watched it again with a (hopefully!) mature point of view that I noticed its many flaws. According to me, the biggest one of all is the absurd direction that the character development of Marian takes in the movie... We first witness this brave and strong woman who takes on Robin Hood in a duel. We had the potential for a powerful female role model, and God knows why Reynolds decided to progressively destroy all of this! Marian's legitimacy as a true badass starts crumbling down when she appears powerless in the kidnapping scene... And there is nothing left when we are faced with a crying mess at the end of the movie. The woman who could fight the Prince of Thieves, and look good doing it is reduced to the all too famous damsel in distress trope... Why? I have decided to try to clean up some of Reynolds' mess by changing Marian's story, starting from the moment when she says goodbye to Robin at the lake. There will be plenty of drama, girl power and of course a LOT of romance. Because I'm a sucker for them :)
Please, please, please, review!

Prologue

'I have two favours to ask of you.'

Marian had always considered herself to be a strong woman when it came to the other sex. Years of experience with men displaying various degrees of gallantry had taught her how to delicately rebuff flirtation with a stern word and dissipate hopes of courtship with an icy gaze. Men were allowed to go around and be intimate with anyone they wanted, but in order to keep her honour and reputation intact a woman had to learn from a very young age to consider suitors with caution.

However, in that very moment, an infinite shift occurred that seemed to hold her willpower at bay. Perhaps it was the way his eyes were lowered on her. The raspy inflection in his voice. Marian had felt that feeling of powerlessness for the first-time last night, when she had brashly asked him if Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, was 'capable of love'. He had not answered the question but had simply raised his head to look at her. The distant fires lit by the merry men tinged his dark eyes with an ember glow. Despite the peals of laughter and the drunken bribes of broken conversation that reached her from afar, the whole world had seemed to vanish, leaving only the two of them. A sensation she could not describe had taken over, and she could feel it again now, creeping dangerously closer, suffocating her… Marian tried to hide her nervousness by tilting her head to the side and letting her lips part in a playful smile.

'One.'

'Take Duncan with you. I fear for his safety with what might be coming. Besides, I get tired of him bellyaching.'

Robin brought Duncan aside, and the two of them exchanged a few words. When he came back, their eyes met again, and neither of them spoke. She was first to break the silence.

'Two.'

'Yes… Two… You're the King's cousin. You can get word to him of Nottingham's plan. He would believe you.'

He was right, as much as it scared her to admit so. They could declare war on the Sheriff and the allies he was busy rallying, but what could a small group of ill-equipped, weather-beaten men do against trained soldiers? Someone had to gather the knights back to England. Marian had so often felt powerless against the corruption that was slowly eating up her land, and here was an opportunity for her to play a part in reestablishing peace. But what would happen if she failed…?

'If the Sheriff found out I could lose all that I have…'

'It is true… But will you do it for your King?'

The young woman quickly repressed a bitter chuckle. Her King? She tried to conjure up an image of the almighty ruler she was supposed to risk her lands for, but all she could see what a middle-aged man who had chosen to take part in a war no-one really understood anything about when the one conflict worth fighting for was happening right here, right now. A man who, long ago, had chosen to join forces with the French King against his own father. In her opinion, it was Richard's greed alone that had led to his joining the Crusades, leading to the death of her beloved brother and the slow downfall of a whole nation. Marian felt a pang of irritation at Robin's words. Who was he to call upon her patriotism, when she was the one who had been left behind to feed and console decimated families? Of course, women could not ride off to war with their male counterparts, but she had not regretted staying behind. Her birth right as a member of the royal family was also a duty, and with Peter gone she had been proud to get full responsibility of the caretaking of the land and its people. When so many of her female companions were given a choice between tapestry-making and harp-playing, Marian had been out to the fields everyday to listen to the farmers talk about the progress of the crops. She had overseen the management of the herds and kept track of a budget that was becoming increasingly delicate to balance. When it came to doing what was needed for England, Marian needed lessons from no one.

However, her annoyance did not last. Looking at the man who used to burn her hair as a child, she had to recognise that his youthful arrogance and his efforts to get his way in every possible situation had been channelled into a burning desire to do what was right. Even though he had only ever mentioned it briefly when he first visited her with Azeem, she had got the impression that his years in prison had deeply affected him. She suddenly wished that she could help him put the past behind and fully embrace the selfless, righteous and kind man he had become. The one who had been so proud to show her the oasis he had contributed to building against the violence of the world. The one who had accepted one of the very men he had fought against in the Crusades as his comrade. The one who had spoken of his conflict with his father with so much regret.

'No.'

Robin received her answer with a look of genuine surprise and disappointment, but before he could reply, Marian added:

'I will do it for the people…'

She had just agreed to take part in something much bigger than all of them, and the rush of fear and excitement made her breath short. But when she locked eyes with him again, her determination subdued, tamed by the conflicting emotions she had felt when they had just started speaking a moment ago. He was looking at her with an intensity that made her feel both extremely powerful and at the same time overwhelmingly vulnerable. How could one possibly feel this way? She was not sure how to deal with this.

In the silence that greeted her words, the charismatic leader disappeared and all she could see was last night's fires dance into his eyes again. She remembered the wave of butterflies that had risen in her stomach, and the way she had bitter her lips to try and hide her embarrassment. Now, these same butterflies were swarming in her stomach again, and they pushed the words out before she could do anything to stop them.

'… And I will do it for you.'

She had not possibly spoken those words. Had she? Marian immediately started running towards the small boat. Fortunately, one of the merry men started rowing towards the other side of the lake as soon as she sat next to Duncan. Her hands started shaking with confusion, and when the old man spoke it was as through a thick wall.

'He fancies you Milady. I might be blind, but there are some things I can still see.'

She raised her head, and her eyes immediately met with Robin's. He was still there, standing on the bank of the lake. As they sailed away, his silhouette disappeared in the mist, carrying with him all of last night's carefreeness, and suddenly she knew. There was no coming back.