Chapter 4

After the small group of outlaws and the legendary three arrived at queen Eleanor’s castle, Marian was taken aside while the rest was led to their rooms. As Marian was led towards the throne room she asked Victoria what was going on.

"Nothing really, the queen wanted to talk to you in private."

"It seems odd, you really don’t know why she wants to talk to me?"

"No, the queen didn’t tell us Marian. She only said that as soon as you had arrived she wanted to see you. Now go through the door and ask her yourself."

Victoria closed the door as soon as Marian went through it and went to see if Marian’s companions needed anything. Marian slowly walked towards the throne in the middle of the room and bowed to the queen when she stood in front of the throne.

"Why did your majesty wanted to see me," asked Marian with a humble voice.

"I have something to tell you Marian, but first get up and have a seat."

After Marian sat down on a chair queen Eleanor started her story.

"You know that Richard and John are children from my second marriage, but Richard wasn’t my very first child. Before him I had already two children a boy and a girl. The girl was my first child and the only one from my first marriage. The second child was the first child from my second marriage. The boy was named Henry, but he died when he was ten years old. Well when my first husband died was it hard for Jean my daughter and when I got remarried she ran away, because she couldn’t stand her step father. After a couple of years I heard the rumor that she had married a Celtic lord, but I didn’t believe it until she showed up with a baby girl in her arms. That baby was you Marian."

"No, it can’t be, your lying, I can’t be related to you, I don’t want to be related," shouted Marian in shock.

"Marian listen to me," said queen Eleanor while she tried to reason with Marian.

"No, leave me alone," and with that Marian turned around and ran through the door and into the garden. Leaving a frustrated queen Eleanor behind.

"This wasn’t supposed to be like this," thought queen Eleanor and shouted for Victoria.

"Victoria, get Robin now!"

Victoria immediately ran towards Robin’s room to get him. After a couple of minutes she reappeared with Robin in her wake.

"Your highness, what’s going on," asked Robin concerned.

With a couple of sentences the queen told Robin what just had happened.

"Robin, I want you to go look for Marian in the garden and talk to her. She needs you now more than ever."

After Robin had bowed to the queen he went through the door and into the garden to search for his lady.

"Do you think he will get through to her," asked Victoria concerned as she watched Robin walking through the door.

"If someone can, than is it Robin," said Queen Eleanor," let’s just pray that he succeeds."

Robin found Marian on the spot where they first had met each other. Marian was sunken in thoughts and just stared blankly ahead. She didn’t notice him walking towards her.

"Hi, Great warrior, how are you doing?" asked Robin in an attempted to cheer her up.

"Not well, please Robin just leave me alone and ask the queen to do the same," said Marian softly.

"No Marian, I’m not gone leave you when you act like this, you scare me."

Well, right now I can’t be the always the happy Marian, I feel miserable when I think of what queen Eleanor said."

"I know, but it isn’t the end of the world."

"How would you feel when you find out that your fighting a distant uncle and the mentor that has trained you is your grandmother. It’s all so confusing. Maybe I should leave this entire mess behind and start a new life in a new country."

"Marian you can’t mean that. There are a lot of people her that need you and love you including Queen Eleanor."

"I wonder if she’s capable of loving," said Marian softly while her voice broke.

Robin hugged her close to him and let her calm down before he continued. "Come on Marian, you can’t just give up, besides there can be some good things come from this. For instance we can keep an eye on what John is doing with the queen as a contact person. Helping the poor would be more effective this way and you can spend time with queen Eleanor. Why don’t you go in and have a talk with her. At least give her a change to explain why she waited this long."

"Your right, if only for the sake of my dead mother I will go see her, but first I just want to sit here and enjoy the peace."

Robin nodded with his head and beckoned Marian to lay her head on his shoulder. Marian leaned softly against him while he stroke his long fingers through her hair. After sitting there for a while Marian got up and walked towards the same room where she earlier that evening ran from to talk with queen Eleanor.

Robin watched her walking towards the throne room and got up himself. He needed a little walk for himself to think about what had just happened. He walked towards the main gate that let to a private piece of Forrest where the amazons held their survival training's. As he walked he was thinking about his relationship with Marian. He had always known that Marian was more than a regular lady, but he never thought about her being related to Prince John. But it didn’t really matter to him, because as long as he had known her he had loved her. He decided that as long as he lived he would love Marian no matter what was going to happen.

Then everything became black and the last thing he heard was the voice of

Guy saying, "Now I finally got you Fitzsooth."

Marian awoke the next day with a smile on her face. The birds were singing and the sun shone brightly. She got up and dressed herself. After she was finished she walked towards Robin’s room and knocked on his door. When she heard no answer, she knocked again. There was still no sound coming from inside the room so she slowly opened the door and walked in to the room. The room was empty, Marian could tell by looking at the bed that Robin hadn’t slept in it and all of his stuff where still packed including his weapons. Marian became alarmed at this sight and walked down the stairs towards the dinning room to find Queen Eleanor. She found her having dinner with Roanda, Tuck and Little John.

"Good morning my queen, have you seen Robin this morning?"

"No, I haven’t seen him. Why do you ask?"

"I can’t find him anywhere."

"Maybe he went out riding this morning?"

"No I checked his room, his stuff are still there and according to me he hasn’t slept there last night."

Marian just finished her sentence when an amazon came running into the room.

"What is it Lexia?" asked Queen Eleanor.

"A soldier left this at the gate," said Lexia while she handed the piece of parchment to the queen.

Eleanor unrolled the parchment and began to read:

"Dear Marian,

I have captured Fitzsooth and intend to hand him over to Prince John. However I’m willing to trade him for your hand in marriage. If you accept meat me at the gate of Gisborne manor otherwise Robert shall die. You have until noon to decide.

Signed Guy of Gisborne."

"That pitiful excuse of a man," shouted Marian enraged.

"Calm down Marian, we can’t just attack Guy, he would murder Robin before we have a change of saving him," said Roanda wisely.

"You’re right," said queen Eleanor, "We need a plan."

"Then let’s think of one," said Marian who was still incredible angry and upset.

After more than an half hour of debating they finally got a workable plan. As they went towards the stables, Marian was called back by queen Eleanor.

"Marian I know that you want to rescue Robin, but please be careful."

Marian turned to face the queen and smiled while she said, "Of course, I’ll be fine, you trained me remember."

And with that she turned around and walked towards the stables to saddle her horse and rescue Robin, while Queen Eleanor watched her do so.

End of Chapter Four