PART FOURTEEN



First light the next morning saw everyone awake except the man who had made the bold claim that he never slept late.

"So much for always rising early," murmured Robin, studying the sleeping knight in amusement. He prodded Gisburne with his foot, but Guy only groaned and turned over on his side. After two rough nights, almost completely devoid of sleep, Guy was stubbornly adhering to a state of unconsciousness.

"Come on, wake up. We all agreed to leave at first light. Guy? Guy, wake up!" Gisburne didn't move an inch. Robin felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Will, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'll wake him up," offered Will helpfully. Robin knew the method Will was going to employ and felt that it was kinder than any of the tactics he had been devising himself.

"All right," agreed Robin, who was eager to find Loxley. He left the camp, carefully listening for the cold splash from Will's bucket and Gisburne's angry sputter as the water hit his face. He continued through the forest, chuckling to himself as he tried to picture the scene he had just missed. He was still thinking about it when he found Loxley and cheerfully hailed him.

"I need to speak with you," said Robin, approaching Loxley.

"Do you?" Loxley didn't look particularly pleased about it.

"Yes," replied Robin. "It's about Marion and Much. I think you should let them come with us."

"They're safer here."

"They don't seem to think so. Much thinks you're treating him like a child and acting unfairly. Marion...Marion can help us. She wants to help and...and she's frightened to be left here without us, even with Much to protect her." Loxley moved towards Robin and their faces were only inches apart. Loxley's eyes were burning.

"Much is my brother. He is my responsibility, not yours. And as for Lady Marion, I think we both know why she really wishes to go. She doesn't want to part from you."

"What?" Robin stepped back a few paces. "Last night by the pond...It was you!" he exclaimed, recalling the sound he and Marion had heard when they were together. Loxley flushed. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I only wished to speak with her, to explain why I thought she shouldn't come. However, since you seem to have convinced her and everyone else that you are really leader--"

"That's not true!" protested Robin.

"Isn't it?" questioned Robin heatedly. "Then why are my men now coming to you with questions? Why are they asking you what should or should not be done? And why are you telling them? If you think you aren't their leader, then why are you ordering them about, Huntington?" Robin stared at him, both stunned and hurt by his comments.

"I never tried to order anyone about, or take your place as leader. I was, and still am, just trying to act for the good of the group. Why should you think otherwise?"

"Maybe being an earl's son and a Norman lord with money, servants, serfs and acres of land is not enough," spoke Loxley impetuously. The callousness of his remark hit a very sensitive nerve.

"You're jealous," breathed Robin. "You're jealous because you actually believe that I might be a better leader than you and because you think that Marion is in love with me."

"I can't believe it! You're even more arrogant than your brother: something I didn't think was possible until now! Do you really think I'm jealous of you? You may be a better leader than me and Marion may love you, but I am not jealous!" yelled Loxley.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I don't know. I didn't want to get into any of this with you. I just wanted you to think about allowing Marion and Much to--"

"No!"

"Look, will you just listen to me? Why won't you ever listen, Loxley?"

"Because I don't trust you, Huntington. Ever since we met up with you and your brother we've had nothing but trouble. The Siver Arrow has been stolen because of you. My men will no longer listen to me because of you!"

"Much and Marion are the ones who don't want to listen you you! Am I to blame for that too?"

"They have nothing to do with this!"

"No, that's where you're wrong! They have everything to do with this, and so do you! You want them to stay here because you can't stand the thought of them having anything to do with me!"

"I don't want you to have anything to do with any of us!"

"Why? Because you think I'm going to steal your group from you, or because you think I'm going to steal Marion?"

"Leave her out of this!"

"You're in love with her, Loxley! Admit it!"

"I'll admit nothing! Stop telling me what to do!"

"I'm not telling you what to do! I only want the truth!"

"The truth? You wouldn't know the truth if it sat up and bit you!"

"I'm not the one telling lies," said Robin. Judging by the look on Loxley's face, the outlaw took this as a serious insult. He raised his fist just as a shout was heard behind them.

"All right, both of you, just quit it!" Robin and Loxley wheeled and faced Gisburne, who stood glaring at them, his arms folded across his chest. He was soaking wet from the shoulders up. As a drop of water rolled down his nose, he reached up a hand to plaster his hair back.

"Look at the pair of you!" he remonstrated. "You had might as well draw swords now and be done with it! You're not even going to make it to Clun Castle, let alone find a way into it! You fools have allowed that stupid woman to get the better of you! Oh, but she's not so stupid, is she? She has complete control over you and everything else in this camp!"

"Shut up, Gisburne! This doesn't concern you!" retorted Robin, his tongue accidentally slipping. Fortunately, Loxley didn't notice, but Gisburne did. However, he was content, for the moment, to slide back into his element.

"You're right. It doesn't," he answered sharply. "It doesn't matter to me what any of you do. I couldn't care less that because of you, Marion and that half-wit, Much, are plotting to leave for Clun Castle without you."

"What?" cried Loxley and Robin in unison.

"Oh, yes. While you two idiots stood here babbling about Marion, they started making plans to leave for Clun Castle!"

"I must speak with them," stated Loxley.

"Oh, well, there's a thought!" supplied Gisburne. "Although neither one of you has any command over me, I know that those men aren't going to follow either one of you if you keep acting like this. You can't expect them to. There can only be one leader and, unfortunately, that leader has to be one of you. I suggest you pick now before those cutthroats mutiny! As for me, I'm through with you! I've had enough!" Gisburne spun around and promptly marched away from them.

"Your brother may not be a well man, but if you wait long enough, he sometimes says something that actually makes sense," said Loxley in wonder. The sides of Robin's mouth began to twitch and they both broke into laughter. "He's certainly made us look like fools, hasn't he?"

"Only me. I'm the one who started all of this," spoke Robin. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to tell you what to do."

"No, you were only doing what you thought was best for the group." Loxley smiled and patted him on the back. "I've misjudged you."

"I think we misjudged each other. Should we talk to Much and Marion?"

"Yes, and then we'll all head to Clun Castle...together."

"All of us?"

"All of us. Marion and both of our brothers," Loxley reminded him. Robin grimaced.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm afraid so. I'll talk to Marion and Much. Can you handle Guy?"

"I'll do what I can." Robin began to walk away, then turned to face Loxley again.

"I think we both know who is leader here," said Robin. "I trust you to do whatever is right."

"We may both know who is leader here," mused Loxley, once Robin had left, "but is it the leader who is best?"







"If you think you're going to make me stay this time, Wolfshead, you're very much mistaken," stated Gisburne, untying his horse. "Where will you go?"

"I don't know." Nor do I care, he thought.

"You should be coming with us."

"Why? So I can listen to you and Loxley squabble over that woman from here to Clun Castle?"

"Loxley and I aren't fighting anymore. We've reached an agreement."

"Oh, have you? You mean a truce like the one between you and me?" questioned Guy cynically.

"There's a difference. Unlike you, Robin doesn't break his promises."

"I made a pact with an outlaw. How much promise can be found in that?"

"Oh, so because I'm an outlaw you have every right to break an agreement between us!"

"We're enemies! We should never had made a truce in the first place!"

"Then why were you willing to agree to it, Gisburne?"

"I told you. I wanted out of this...place."

"And you don't want out of it now?" Guy passed a hand across his face.

"You're going into this blind. You don't have a plan or anything."

"We have come up with enough ideas among ourselves to make one."

"When? You're leaving for Clun Castle now!" Robin grinned.

"It's a long journey to Clun Castle."

"Yes, but will it be long enough?"

"Well, if you came along it would certainly seem that way." Gisburne scowled. "Some of our best plans have been thought up at the last moment."

"A successful plan is a well thought plan," nagged Gisburne. "Not always. One way or another, we'll get into that castle. You'll see."

"And when we do?"

"You'll learn what it means to have a real adventure." 


 *    *    *    *






Chapter Nine




"You're causing quite an uproar, my dear. You're all that the King, your father and half the nobles of England have been able to talk about for days." A pair of angry, blue eyes gazed up at the Marcher lord, blinking back tears as they did so. Owen of Clun waited for his prisoner to give some response, but she simply bowed her head and tightened the clasp of the hands in her lap.

Clun did his best to hide his disappointment over her lack of interest in his news, which was something he didn't do well. He grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look up at him. She was still terrified of him, but her hatred made her fear seem insignificant in comparison.

She had quickly learned that lack of emotion over anything he did or said was her most effective weapon against him. She made her best effort to look back at him with passive, lifeless eyes. There were few things that vexed him more than a dispirited woman. He tore his hand away, raising it above his head as if to strike her. She flinched momentarily, but did not cower. Owen laughed.

"Perhaps there's hope for you after all." He sat down on the bed beside her. She tried to shrink away, but his arm locked around her shoulders. "Wouldn't you like to hear news of your father?" he rasped. She still would not answer.

"He's a brave man, your father. The man I sent to Newark says he challenged the King himself on your behalf. You see, the King is still on my side and he freely blesses a marriage between us. But your father seems to feel that it is a bad match and is strongly against it. He has threatened to send soldiers here himself, though King John has ordered him not to. Your father is speaking of treason itself." Owen looked into her eyes, searching for some sign of excitement or alarm, but she still gave none.

"Your father may be brave, Margaret, but he is also very foolish. If he thinks he can attack this castle, he is very much mistaken. Besides, I doubt if his constitution could bear it. He's an old man. His daughter has been taken from him and both his sons are gone. Oh, yes, it's true," he reassured her as her body suddenly stiffened. She provided Clun with her complete attention now. "Your younger brother Robert has gone missing. He's disappeared without a trace. No one seems to know where he went. Unless, perhaps, he joined your other brother. We both know where he went, your poor poor brother, Guy."

Margaret bit her lip fiercely, holding her grief in check. Her knuckles tightened so that they were white against the skin.

"No one is going to rescue you," he boasted. "You shall be my wife and bear my sons, the future heirs of the house of Clun. Think of the power we will share. Think of the power you shall yield as Lady Margaret of Clun and the title I shall inherit as the next Earl of Huntington, one of the most powerful men in England. Just think of it!" he cried. Margaret did think of it, slowly shaking her head as she did so.

"I pity you, Owen," she said at last.

"Pity me? Why?" he demanded.

"By forcing me to be your wife, you may have many of the things you desire, but you shall never have a woman who truly loves, or even admires you. Every day that passes will make me hate you more. I'll die before I ever love you, Owen," she stated. He pulled away from her, but then took her wrist tightly in his hand.

"If you think you can escape from me that way either, you are also mistaken. I won't give you the chance to kill yourself," he told her angrily. She looked back at him, her pale eyelids fluttering for an instant.

"I don't need to. You already have."







"Well, are we ready to be massacred?" asked Gisburne, feigning cheerfulness. Robin ignored his derisive comment and focused his energy on studying the sturdy stone walls of Clun Castle instead. Despite Gisburne's attitude towards the situation, Robin felt that the group had done very well so far. The journey had not taken as long as he had feared it might and tensions had been few. Loxley had spoken with Much and Marion. They had finally persuaded him to allow them to accompany the rest of the outlaws to the castle.

The first obstacle the outlaws had come across had been dealt with successfully. They had discreetly silenced the men on the hillside who had been responsible for lighting the castle's signal fire in case of attack. However, although the outlaws had gained this small victory, they were still debating a method to sneak into the castle, hence Gisburne's apparent apprehension about their quest.

Marion believed that by asking for Gulnar, she and her former servants, John and Nasir, could easily gain access into the castle. But that still left the rest of them. Gulnar might be suspicious if he saw anyone else but Marion's most trusted servants trying to escort her. Yet Marion, John and Nasir couldn't possibly find the Arrow and rescue Margaret alone.

Robin sat down on the grass beside Loxley and rested his chin on his hand, trying, like the others, to think of a suitable plan. He stared gloomily at the castle, as if waiting for it to reveal the secrets of its defenses. Robin remembered when he and his friends had crept into Clun Castle to rescue Marion from Owen's grasp. They had disguised themselves as merchants and managed to successfully pass through the gates. From there, everything had been quite simple. The whole castle had been occupied with the Feast of Arrianrhod, Owen's marriage ceremony and the blood games.

Escaping from the castle had been a more difficult task, requiring them to take Owen of Clun as their hostage. Robin grimaced as he was reminded of Clun's fate: killed under the spikes of his own portcullis as it hurtled down at him.

Gazing down at the same portcullis, Robin could still picture Clun and almost hear the agonized scream of his death. His death...

Suddenly, Robin had a flash of inspiration. He turned to the others as his mind worked wildly to devise a plan.

"I've got it. I know how to get into the castle," said Robin, looking directly at Gisburne. "And I know how we're going to get both the Arrow and Margaret back." 


  *    *    *    *




PART FIFTEEN