PART TWELVE
Robin practically mounted the stairs two at a time. He knew that the situation with Gisburne wasn't going to be easy, but it hardly seemed to matter when he thought of Marion being free once more. However, when Robin entered the room he still regarded the knight with stony eyes. Guy stared back at the outlaw with the same lifeless glance.
"I want out," he stated quietly.
"I know. I've got the key," replied Robin, waving it in the air.
"No. I want out of this place...this...this time," spoke Guy. Robin moved closer, surprised.
"What are you saying, Gisburne?" The knight hung his head for a few moments, trying to find the words. Robin decided to be merciful. "Are you saying that
you finally believe me and that you're willing to help?" There was a long pause.
"Gisburne?"
"If it means getting out of this time I'll..." He swallowed, finding it impossible to say the actual word. "I'll do whatever it takes to get out of
here, Wolfshead. I don't care what." He looked up and Robin saw a distant flash of emotion behind his eyes before the two usual cold shields dropped down. Robin unlocked the chains, steadying the knight until Guy found the use of his legs again.
Gisburne paced around the room, attempting to release the pain from his cramped muscles. At least, that's what Robin thought at first.
"What must I do?" questioned Gisburne, taking a quick stride past the outlaw.
"Whatever it takes to get out of this time," was Robin's answer.
"And what is that?"
"We have to resolve the problems in this time and try to set things right."
"And how do we do that?" questioned Gisburne, pacing past Robin once more.
"We have to try and get Loxley's band back together again," spoke Robin.
"Yes, all right," agreed Gisburne, who wasn't really listening.
"And we must get the Silver Arrow back."
"Of course," answered Gisburne, though his tone was noncommittal. More than anything he just wanted to get out of Belleme Castle! He did another circuit of the room, which only seemed to make him more restless. Robin continued nevertheless.
"First, I think that we should start making plans to rescue Margaret." Guy stopped dead.
"Margaret?"
"Our sister, remember?" Gisburne looked confused. "She was taken by Owen of Clun on the night of the feast. I told you all about it."
"What? Oh...yes. I remember..." he muttered. Margaret was a common enough name. There were probably dozens of women named Margaret. The fact
that this so-called sister of his had the same name as his mother was purely a coincidence...wasn't it?
Robin thought he saw the same look pass beneath Gisburne's eyes before Guy quickly shoved the thought from his mind.
"So we rescue this woman," stated Guy at last.
"Margaret. And we find the Silver Arrow and try to get my friends back together again."
"And that will set things right?"
"I hope so. Yes."
"You hope? I thought you would know."
"We can't be certain about anything in this time. Hope is all we've got. We can only hope--"
"Hope?" Gisburne did not seem very pleased by this verdict. "What use has hope ever been to anyone? You either know something, or you don't."
"I know that I want out of this time, and if hope is the only thing I have, I'll go with it," said Robin earnestly. The knight gave no response. "Look, Gisburne, I don't like this anymore than you do. I hate it. Do you think I actually like the thought of working with you?"
"Working with me?" Gisburne exclaimed. "I have to work with you! I have to join sides with a wolfshead!"
"It's Robert of Huntington. I'm not a 'wolfshead' in this time."
"A wolfshead is a wolfshead no matter what!" Gisburne walked across the room again and regarded his enemy from its shadows. But it was Robin who had
the questions.
"You don't trust me, yet you're willing to help me. Why?"
"I don't seem to have much of a choice."
"You always have a choice."
"Not this time." Guy took a step from the shadows. "You don't trust me either, Wolfshead. Admit it."
"Why? What is there to admit. We both know it's true. It's so true that I'm not sure that we can possibly be on the same side without killing each other."
"You said you needed my help," Gisburne reminded him smugly.
"Perhaps I was wrong."
"And travel all the way to Nottingham to ask me? I don't think so, Wolfshead. You do need my help," spoke Gisburne, almost taking satisfaction in the fact.
"You're forgetting something, Guy. Something very important. You need my help too."
"Then we're even," admitted Gisburne grimly.
"No," replied Robin. "We'll never be that." There was a long, uneasy pause. "Are you really willing to help me?"
"No, I don't want to help you, but I already told you I don't have a choice."
"No choice that I can see, but..."
"What?"
"We have to settle some things before we do anything."
"What is there to settle?"
"A lot. First of all, you're Guy of Huntington now."
"No, I'm not. You can tell them who I really am. Tell them I'm Guy of Gisburne."
"I can't. Guy of Gisburne doesn't exist here."
"He does now."
"No, he doesn't. No one has ever heard of him. Everyone thinks you're Guy of Huntington and everyone thinks we're brothers. That means we have to get
along, or at least pretend that we don't hate each other, which is going to be hard."
"Very hard," grumbled Gisburne.
"Do you think we can do it?" Gisburne didn't answer, but since he didn't disagree either Robin continued.
"If we pretend to be brothers, I've got to stop calling you 'Gisburne' and you've got to stop calling me 'Wolfshead.' You can call me Robert, or...Robert. You can call me Robert."
"Yes, all right. I'm not an idiot. I understand that."
"Good."
"Is there anything else?"
"I don't know. Is there?"
"We have to pretend to be...We have to pretend not to hate one another and I can't call you 'Wolfshead.' What else can there be?"
"Well, you could try staying out of trouble and being good for once," suggested Robin. Gisburne raised an eyebrow.
"Good? What is that supposed to mean?" he exploded. Robin sighed.
"Perhaps I should have said 'good tempered'."
"What's wrong with my temper?" snarled Gisburne.
"Nothing. That's the trouble." Gisburne opened his mouth, then shut it, looking more confused than ever.
"I'll let you think about it for a bit," said Robin. "I have to get Marion." Robin had only taken one step towards the door when Gisburne's hand suddenly lashed out to grab him by the arm.
"Oh no, you're not," stated the knight in what sounded like a warning.
"Oh really, Gisburne. And why is that?" questioned Robin, carrying a veiled threat of his own on his breath.
"I...I don't want anything to do with her...She's-she's mad!" Robin narrowed his eyes shrewdly.
"Don't tell me that you're actually afraid of one woman, Guy," said Robin sweetly.
"I'm not afraid!"
"Good. Then she comes with us," spoke Robin cheerfully. Once again he made for the door and once again his arm was accosted by the knight's steely grip.
"Have you heard her? Have you actually listened to her? The woman's a sorceress...and a devil worshipper! She thinks she's the Baroness de Belleme."
"She is...or was. She's Marion of Sherwood now and she's coming with us whether you can accept it or not. If you can't, then you don't have to come
with us. You can stay here forever," suggested Robin. Gisburne detected a frighteningly serious note in his voice.
"How do you know you can trust her?" persisted Guy, though some of his previous confidence had disappeared.
"How do I know I can trust you?"
"I...I don't know," answered Guy. Robin shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know either, but at least you're telling the truth for once. That's something." Robin took a deep breath and extended his hand. "Let's call a truce."
"A what?" Gisburne looked alarmed.
"A truce. Peace. A promise to stop fighting. I know you've never made one, but you must have heard of it before."
"Yes, I know what a truce is!"
"Then let's form one. Just until we get out of this time, just until we're back where we belong again." Robin's hand remained extended. Gisburne stared at it a long time then, slowly and tentatively, held out his own hand. It wavered for
a moment and Robin grabbed it tightly before it had a chance to withdraw itself again. He shook it heartily and Gisburne fought to free himself from Robin's grasp. Robin grinned and thumped Guy's back, knowing that all of this had to
be driving him to his wit's end.
"I'll get Marion and you can find us some horses."
"What do I look like to you? A stable boy?" Robin put a finger to his chin and thought about it, tilting his head to one side.
"Hmmm...perhaps not. I've seen much better looking stable boys than you before," he answered. Gisburne looked venemous and Robin began to retreat from the room, a hail of insults hitting his back.
"Breaking our truce already?" he teased, turning at the doorway to face his new ally.
"Oh, shut up!" howled Gisburne miserably.
Robin met Marion at the foot of the stairs. She was waiting for him just as she had promised.
"We'll be leaving soon. I sent Guy to find us some horses."
"Did you tell him I would be coming with you?"
"Yes."
"And he agreed?"
"I managed to convince him."
"But he still hates me, doesn't he?"
"Well..."
"Oh, I shouldn't be coming!"
"But you are coming and it doesn't matter what Guy thinks or says."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! If anything, this is the one thing I've been sure about for days. You have to leave here and come with us. Promise me you will, Marion." She bit her bottom lip apprehensively, but agreed. Robin took her hand again. "Can you promise me something else, Marion?" he questioned.
"Yes. If I can."
"I need you to free John and Nasir. They can't be your slaves any longer."
"As you wish," she replied willingly. But then a shadow passed across her face. "I won't need servants anymore. Soon, I won't need anything..."
"Don't talk like that!" ordered Robin sharply. "They won't hurt you. I won't let anything hurt you." Marion stared at him in surprise.
"I still don't understand why you're helping me," she stated.
"Don't you?" Robin gently cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. "Maybe one day you will." He slowly released her.
"Come out when you're ready," he spoke, and Marion watched him walk away in wonder.
"Don't tell me she isn't coming!" exclaimed Guy, feigning disappointment as he saw Robin approach him alone.
"I would watch your tongue, brother dear, or Marion the sorceress might concoct a spell to take it out," mocked Robin. He inspected the horses as Gisburne tested to see if he could keep his mouth clamped shut.
"Are these the best horses you could find?" taunted Robin further.
"Yes. They were the only horses I could get," explained Gisburne with surprising
calmness. "They were the only horses left, you idiot!"
"Really?" queried Robin, though he had already figured that. They continued waiting for Marion in silence. They didn't have to wait long. She soon appeared outside the castle. Guy grumbled a series of curses under his breath.
Robin went forward to greet her, his eyes confronting John and Nasir walking directly behind her.
"I thought I asked you to--"
"I did," she answered, with a toss of her shoulders. "They say they're coming with us." Robin walked up to John and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"You're free, John. You and Nasir aren't slaves anymore. You can go where you wish."
"I have no where to go, my lord, and neither does Nasir. Do you, Nasir?" The Saracen shook his head.
"Nay, my lord," continued John. "Our place is with our lady." Marion smiled, touched by their kindness and loyalty. Robin was touched as well, but he still had their overall safety in mind.
"Are you sure about this? There could be danger. And if you join us you will be made outlaws. Sometimes there is little difference between the life of a slave and an outlaw, John."
"Outlaws are free," stated Marion.
"No one's free, my lady, but I'd rather be an outlaw all the same," replied John, and Nasir nodded his head in agreement.
"Then you are most welcome to come with us and join Robin Hood's band if you wish it."
"Aye," said John, but then he looked concerned.
"What is it?" questioned Robin. John looked at Nasir and lowered his voice.
"Do you think Robin Hood will want to take two old buggars like us?" He broke into a grin and Marion and Nasir actually laughed. Robin clapped him on the back.
"Don't worry, John. You and Nasir will be perfect."
Chapter Eight
It was a long and somewhat strained journey to Sherwood. Though Marion did her best to hide it, Robin could still see the fear that lay behind her eyes as she rode pale and tight-lipped beside him. She managed to give the wanest of smiles
at Robin's attempts at conversation, but was afraid to let her guard down for an instant, lest she fall victim to the power of Azael and the Lords of Darkness.
It had taken courage to leave Belleme Castle and venture into the realm of Herne and his son. Robin admired her for it. He kept a respectful distance from her, allowing her the space she needed to nurse the wounds of her past. He hoped
that, if the time came, she would come to him for comfort or help. That is, if she could learn to trust someone again and discover a way to share her emotions freely.
Gisburne, for all the protests he made about Marion, wasn't all that different from her. He too was wary and defensive. He did not speak a word to anyone as they travelled towards Sherwood. More than once, Robin thought he felt Gisburne's distrustful glare fall upon him. But after all, Robin reasoned, Gisburne was riding into his enemy's lair, a place where he had never received a warm welcome.
The greetings he had received had been from behind the points of swords and arrows notched in long-bows. Though the outlaws' form of hospitality could never compare to the wonderfully dark, cold pit of a dungeon that always remained at their disposal when they were invited to stay as guests at Nottingham Castle.
Robin really couldn't understand what Gisburne had to complain about. However, Gisburne apparently did.
At the first sound of a bush rustling, he halted his horse and looked carefully through the trees on either side of him. Robin marvelled at the sharpened senses Gisburne seemed to have acquired. The knight had almost heard the outlaws' approach before he had. Their party dismounted as Much and two other men met them on the road.
"We're back," stated Robin cheerfully, "and we've brought two new men to join your band." Robin drew Much's attention to John and Nasir, who Much
studied with a mixture of fear and astonishment.
"I'll take you to Robin," suggested Much, and he and his two companions led the way to the camp.
"So you've returned," said Loxley, eyeing the group who had just entered the camp.
"Yes. If you'll have us," answered Robin. "We've brought two new men to join you."
"If you'll have us," replied John, stepping forward with Nasir. Loxley studied them critically for a few moments. His eyes perused the two swords Nasir had strapped to his back and the quarterstaff John gripped comfortably in his hand.
"How well can you fight?" questioned Loxley. John took his turn to study the outlaw and the group of men who lounged around the fire, half dozing after the large meal they had just eaten.
"I reckon we fight well enough," spoke John.
"Then I shall have something to look forward to." Loxley smiled, accepting them both on the spot. Then, he turned to Marion. "What will you do without your servants, my lady?"
"They are not my servants anymore. They are free to do as they wish."
"And you, my lady? Are you free to do as you wish?" Marion swallowed painfully, but her gaze did not waver.
"Yes," she answered. She walked over to the group by the fire and sat down, looking up at Loxley defiantly. She seemed to issue him a silent challenge. Loxley was very tempted to agree to that challenge, but he wasn't willing to carry it out. He felt it wasn't right for a woman to be a member of his group, but his heart strings had been given a forceful tug and he knew he
didn't want to lose her. Marion would be staying too.
Now everyone's attention was focused on Gisburne, as if they already knew where Robin's loyalties lay. Some of the outlaws grinned and nudged each other. The knight stood aloof, looking back at them coldly. The picture of them
all leering at him, mocking everything he had chosen to believe in was almost unbearable. But what Gisburne couldn't stand was the look of conquest that seemed to linger in both Loxley and Huntington's laughing eyes. Gisburne turned
abruptly on his heel and strided out of the camp.
"Uh, Guy..." Robin called. But Guy wasn't going to have any of it. He disappeared deeper into the forest and out of sight.
"He's still not well," said Robin.
"Yes," commented Loxley, who didn't seem very surprised. They sat down and the group's merriment slowly began to fade. They sensed seriousness in Robert of Huntington's quiet manner. They started to settle down, waiting patiently for their new companion to speak.
"I have something to ask of all of you," stated Robin. "I need your help. Two nights ago, my sister was kidnapped at a feast held at Nottingham Castle. The man who took her is a Marcher lord named Owen of Clun. He hopes that
by marrying her he will form an alliance with my father and win more power over the king, who wants access through his lands in order to attack the Welsh. I must find a way to get into his castle and save Margaret. There is no one else
who can help me but you."
"And why should that matter to us?" asked one of the outlaws brashly.
"Because of the Arrow," answered Robin and Loxley together. They exchanged a surprised glance. This was something that Loxley hadn't realized until that very instant and they both seemed to know it.
"The Silver Arrow has been taken as well," reiterated Loxley. "We must get it back before its powers are used for evil."
"Yes," said Robin. "The man who took it...Gulnar...will only use its powers to harm others. He will feed its powers to the demons he worships...No good can ever come from a man like--" Robin stopped abruptly, turning quickly to Marion, whose recent predicament he had almost forgotten. "I'm sorry, Marion. I..." But she cut off his sentence graciously.
"No, there's nothing to be sorry about," she replied. "And you're right. Gulnar has learned the Arrow's powers. If he was able to steal it from Herne the Hunter, he'll certainly know how to use it."
"How can we fight a man like that?" questioned one of the outlaws.
"We've gone against the Sheriff and his men dozens of times," spoke Much, trying to sound confident.
"That's not enough. We have to discuss this some more and begin making plans," said Loxley. And, for the next few hours, that was what the outlaws of Sherwood did.
