rise up and take the power back - [robin]
Marian had to admit; in all the times she had imagined Robin’s return to Nottingham, she’d never quite pictured it like this. The castle had descended into utter chaos since he had disappeared into the forest, Gisborne valiantly trying to order soldiers into Sherwood to find them. No doubt word would have filtered back to Selina’s clearing by now, and the Forestwife’s ‘familiars’ would be out in full force, keeping he Sheriff’s men distracted for long enough for the fugitives to be found and brought back to safety in the heart of the ancient forest. Sherwood protected its own, and after Robin’s actions this afternoon, there wouldn’t be a single person living in the forest who would shop him in to the Sheriff.
She and her father had taken advantage of the uproar in the castle to return home, but they had both known she wouldn’t be staying there for long. Fore the entire carriage ride back to their estate, Marian hadn’t been able to stop smiling, buzzing with excitement at the day’s turn of events. This was all she’d wanted and more since the day Robin had first left; a chance to take down the Sheriff’s regime before he destroyed Nottingham completely. As soon as they were safely in the manor, her father had sat her down in front of the fireplace, knowing what the answer to his question would be.
“Do you love him?”
“More than anything, Father”
“Then you need to go to him, darling. This is the first time in five years I’ve seen you properly smile, and it was Robin who brought it back. Go find him, take him to Selina, and do what you’ve wanted to do since the day he came back. You’re both far stronger together than you are apart.”
So she had packed up a few clothes and supplies, retrieved her bow from where she kept it hidden in her bedroom when she wasn’t practicing with it in the forest, and had saddled up her horse, heading off into Sherwood to track Robin down. She hadn’t felt this free in years, dressed in a dark green cloak and one of her riding dresses (her usual attire when heading out to visit Selina’s clearing). Knowing she wouldn’t have to wear the mask of loyal, demure Lady Fitzwalter any longer, or endure Sir Guy’s constant letching made her feel happier than she had in longer than she could remember.
It took her far less time than she’d initially anticipated to find where they had holed up for the night, a rag-tag group sitting around what small attempt at a fire they had been able to scrounge up with their stolen horses tied up nearby, not particularly well hidden at the bottom of a ridge. She couldn’t help rolling her eyes slightly; they’d be found tonight, and quickly, if they stayed there much longer. Dismounting her horse and pulling the hood of her cloak up against the light rain which had started, she slipped quietly down the hill to lean against one of the trees just outside their small circle, going completely unnoticed until she was practically right behind the group. If it was this easy for her to sneak up on them, lord only knew how quickly they’d have been caught off guard if the Sheriff’s men had found them first.
“You know, Robin; if you’d wanted somewhere to hide out in the forest where you’re not likely to be found by the Sheriff’s men any time soon, all you had to do was ask.”