Part 7
By Laura

 Sir Guy sat with Marion in the glen, feeding her sweets and honeyed wine, enjoying at last the fantasy he’d harbored for so long.  The glen had turned into the garden at his castle, where he’d kissed Marion long ago amongst the flowers.  Winter was far away; Mortiana’s magic had recreated a little piece of springtime for them.

 Marion sat by his side, drank in every word that he said and gazed at him adoringly.  She was all his and Robin could never take Marion from him again.  He reveled in his triumph.

 Guy offered her another cup of drink and she shook her head.  “You spoil me, Guy.  I don’t deserve it.”

 Guy stood above her, gesturing to the blooming garden and the feast that lay before them.  “All you have to do is ask, my love, and it’s yours.  If I could, I would give you the very stars in the heavens.”

 Marion looked up at Guy, seeing the clouds that threatened the sunny day, and the star that shone overhead.  The sight brought her a flash of memory, of standing under a dark sky with a man, looking up at the stars and dreaming.  Or was it all a dream?

 Clouds further obscured the light as she realized the man in her dream was not Sir Guy.  If Guy had not been there, who had she been dreaming on stars with?

~~~~~~~~~~

 Robin and Little John tried to calm their horses as Olwyn raised power and directed it toward the sky.  The storm clouds did not halt in their progress, but a chill wind blew through the trees.

 “If I can’t stop it, at the very least I can alter Mortiana’s plans some.” Olwyn flicked an eyebrow and the cold intensified.
 “What are you doing?” Robin asked.

 “What do you think?  I can’t throw a wet blanket on Mortiana’s scheme, but I can always throw a white blanket on it.  It is Christmastime after all.”  And with those words a light snow began to fall.

 “As if we didn’t have enough of a challenge already.”  Robin yanked on his horse’s reins.  They’d have to ride more slowly to prevent the horses from sliding in the snow.

 Olwyn looked back at his young friend.  “This helps more than you know, Robin.”

~~~~~~~~~~

 Tuck, MacGregor and Gweneth were sitting around the fire when the snow began to fall.  Everyone looked up to watch fat white flakes of snow fall and cover the ground like chicken feathers.

 “This looks like a hopeful sign.”  Tuck sighed, helping himself to another cup of cider.

 “Sign or no, it could mean trouble.  Many dangers can hide in weather like this.”  MacGregor intoned.  He watched the darkening woods warily.  “I don’t like the looks of this.”

 “And you’d be right!”  a sharp voice came from out of thin air.  Presently the rest of Mortiana also materialized.  Before anyone could move, Mortiana had grabbed Gweneth’s arm and waved her hand before the two of them.  In an instant both women were gone.

 “Where did they go?”  MacGregor exclaimed.

 “Only one place I know of.”  said Tuck.  “Prince John’s Castle would be my guess.”

 “Well, I hope the Prince has his table set.  He’s about to get some unexpected company.”

 MacGregor and Tuck drew on their cloaks, mounted their horses, and rode off toward the Castle.

~~~~~~~~~~

 In the glen Sir Guy took no notice of the clouds that blocked the light.  As far as he was concerned all the light he needed was in Marion’s adoring blue eyes.

 Then the snow began to fall.  The light in Marion’s eyes faded into confusion.  How could she be sitting in a garden of spring flowers if snow was falling?  Something wasn’t right.  Marion turned to Guy for an explanation.

 Guy was seething angry.  “YOU WITCH!!!!” he screamed to the sky.

“You should have made the spell weatherproof!”

End of Part 7