offtherec

[damngoodbabysiitter]

Make me evil Then I'm an angel instead At least you'll sanctify me when I'm dead

[beautyinsteadofashes]

[buildarocketboys]

Some Team Castle shenanigans for @mygangtome day 2024. Written in an hour on my lunch break, unedited, Allan, Marian and Guy go out to the tavern, semi-crackish

"Allan," Marian hisses from the end of the corridor. "You need to help me sneak out of the castle."

Allan sighs and rolls his eyes. "You know I can't do that, Marian. Giz banned the Nightwatchman."

Marian huffs. "I wasn't going to sneak out to be the Nightwatchman."

Allan eyes her dubiously.

"Well, all right, maybe I was. But I just want to get out! Take me to a tavern or something, I don't care! I just need to get out of this damn castle."

Allan raises his eyebrows. He doesn't think he's ever heard Marian swear before. "All right," he says, hands on hips. "But I'll have to ask Giz for his permission. And you never know, he might want to come too."

"I don't care," says Marian. "I'll go to the tavern with the Sheriff if it'll get me out of here for five minutes!"

"Fine, I'll ask him," says Allan. "No promises, mind." He looks at her sceptically. "Have you even been to a tavern before?"

"I can hold my wine, thank you very much," Marian says, which means no.

Allan smirks. "We'll see," he says.

Gisborne is horrified at first.

"A tavern? Lady Marian?"

Allan pleads her case pretty well, especially since he's not quite sure he believes it himself. He's not convinced that Marian won't run off to the forest or start giving alms to the poor the minute Guy's back is turned.

He can see Guy starting to waver.

"Very well," he says eventually. "Under one condition."

"Yeah?" says Allan. "What's that?"

"I will accompany Lady Marian to the...tavern," he says, as if the word is an unpleasant bite of food.

"Yeah, great," says Allan. "I might head down too."

Guy looks strained. "Allan, you don't have to-"

"Yeah, but I want to. What, are you gonna ban me from going down the pub?"

Guy bears his teeth at him. "I should do." He sighs. "Fine. You may come."

"Didn't actually need your permission, but thanks Giz," Allan chirps, then leaves before Guy starts throwing things at him.

The company isn't exactly diverting to start with. Guy buys the first round of drinks, looking suspiciously over his shoulder at Marian and Allan the whole time. He sets them on the table and they sit in silence.

"So, Gisborne," Allan says. "How's the leather working out for you? Look still in?"

Marian hides an undignified snort of laughter in her hands. Guy looks at her sharply before turning to Allan. "It's comfortable," he says.

Marian raises her eyebrows. "Is it?"

"Yes, actually," Guy says, drawing himself up in a dignified manner. "And protective. Much less cumbersome than actual armour, but it does the job."

Marian looks surprised. "Well, I never knew that."

"Me neither," says Allan.

They lapse back into silence.

By the second round of drinks, however, everyone starts to loosen up. Allan plonks them on the table.

"Cheers, Giz, Maz," Allan says, raising his tankard, and neither of them tell him off for the nickname.

"What should we call you?" Marian says. "Al? Az?"

She lets out a snort and Guy joins her in laughter, to all of their surprises. 

"I'm gonna use that from now on," he says, gesturing towards Allan.

He sets his tankard down. "I shouldn't drink anymore, the Sheriff wants me up at the crack of dawn tomorrow."

"C'mon, live a little, Giz," Allan says.

"Yes, Guy, you need to loosen up," Marian says, bursting into giggles for no apparent reason. Allan had known she'd be a total lightweight.

Guy rolls his eyes and sighs, then drains half the tankard in one. Allan cheers while Marian laughs in delight, attempting to copy him and spilling half the pint down her dress.

"Oh drat!" she says.

Guy shakes his head fondly and offers her a handkerchief.

"Thanks Guy."

By the third round, both Marian and Guy are well and truly drunk, and Allan's well on his way to tipsy.

"Sure you don't wanna go home already?" Marian teases Guy.

"Nah," he says, taking a big gulp and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Fuck the Sheriff."

Marian howls with laughter and Allan can't help but join her. People are starting to look in their direction, but Guy and Marian don't seem to notice.

"Fuck the Sheriff!" says Marian, raising her tankard and clinking it against Guy's, then Allan's. 

"To drinking!" says Allan.

"To ale!" says Guy.

"To friends," says Marian, catching them both in her little smile. Allan feels pleasantly numb, happy in the company of two people who have been enemies, allies and superiors to him, but who right now are friends.

"To friends," he repeats.

"To friends," Guy says. He's wearing an odd look on his face, one Allan can't quite read.

"On that note, I need to visit the privy," Marian says. "Where is it?"

"Outside." Allan gestures vaguely, noting the distasteful look on Marian's face as she gets up.

Once she's left, Gisborne rests a hand on his shoulder. Allan turns to him and is surprised to see his eyes filled with tears.

"Guy?" Allan asks tentatively.

"Allan," Guy says miserably. "Allan, what can I do to make her love me?"

Allan takes a deep breath. He should have known Gisborne would be a weepy drunk. "Well, she's your friend. That's a start, right?"

And then Guy is weeping into his chest. "Why won't she love me, Allan? I just want her to love me."

Allan pats the back of Guy's head awkwardly. "There, there," he says. Guy continues sobbing into his shoulder, but luckily doesn't say anything else.

"Allan, I can't walk straight," Marian says, tottering back to their table. Allan's almost surprised that she's come back - he'd half expected her to run off. 

Then she notices Guy weeping into Allan's shoulder. "Guy? What's wrong?"

Guy lets out another wracking sob and doesn't answer, which Allan is secretly grateful for. He came out for a relaxing night of drinking - the last thing he needs is for Marian and Guy to have it out here and now.

"He's just a bit drunk," Allan says, answering for him. "C'mon, help me get him back to the castle. We don't want the Sheriff to see him like this."

Marian nods, trying to look more sober than she is, and helps Allan get Guy up.

"Not the Sheriff, no, no, nooo," he moans. "Allan, you can't let the Sheriff see me like this, OK?"

"On it, boss," Allan says. Marian sniggers.

"Or Marian," Guy says. "She can't see me like this."

"Um," says Marian, her arm already around his shoulders.

"ALLAN!" Guy yells, giving him an earful about letting Marian near him in this state as they wrangle him out of the tavern.

"Jeez, a little gratitude would be nice," he says as Guy lapses into tears again.

They manage to make it back to the castle without being spotted. Marian helps Allan lay Guy down on the bed.

"Well," she says, looking awkward (and a lot more sober than she was half an hour ago). "Goodnight Allan."

"G'night Marian," Allan says.

"Goodnight, Guy," she calls, but Guy doesn't respond.

"Don't worry," Allan says confidently. "He'll have forgotten this by the morning."

"I hope so," says Marian. She smiles. "Thank you for arranging tonight," she says. "I had a good time."

Then she's gone. Allan is astonished. She really did just want to go out and spend time with them.

Maybe that'll be a comfort to Guy later, he thinks, as he helps the man undress and get into bed.

"Stay," Guy begs as Allan is about to head for the door. He pauses.

"Are- are you sure?" he says. "I don't want you to wake up tomorrow morning screaming like a little girl about me being in your bed."

Guy snorts, the tears apparently over for now. "It'd take a lot more for you to make me scream, Allan."

Allan wonders if he realises how dirty that sounds.

Guy sighs. "I need you to wake me up in time to meet with the Sheriff," he says. "So I need you to stay. That's all."

"That's all," Allan repeats.

"Yes." Guy eyes him narrowly, then pulls back the covers. "Get in."

Trying not to smirk, Allan gets into bed next to Guy. "You had better not throw up on me, Giz, that's all I'm saying. Otherwise, you and me are through."

Allan expects some kind of response to that, an elbow in the ribs at the very least. He twists round to look at Guy and realises he's fallen asleep, gently snoring, pressed up against Allan.

Allan sighs and resigns himself for a restless night.

[zhoufeis]

get to know me for the 50th time but this time for real: [7/10] female characters → Lady Marian (Robin Hood)

He wanted me to have choices in the world, and I choose to help the poor. You are not about to stop me from doing that.

[goodbyewaffles]

this is the closest I will ever come to shipping marian and gisborne

I've been gradually making my way through the two seasons of BBC Robin Hood that exist, and last night we made it to 2x11, and I had the genuinely unnerving experience of thinking, for the first time: maybe it would be nice if Marian and Gisborne became friends

like

She brings him and Allan out to the forest one day and they declare that they’re all going to work with Robin now

It is immediately obvious to Guy that Marian has been hooking up with Robin this whole time and while this obviously upsets him, he’s been working on his anger and entitlement issues so he tamps it down and cries about it later, in private

They all go off together to get the king and bring him back, they all work together to defeat the sheriff

Marian finds him a nice dark-haired girl with a title and a low tolerance for bullshit, thereby giving Guy a wife and herself a female friend (imagine!). She finds a nice girl for Allan too of course, or honestly maybe he finds one on his own, he's more socially competent than Guy is

She's always giving him relationship advice; he always rolls his eyes and snaps at her about it but obviously he follows all of it very precisely, and they both know it

I know there’s some weird shit where Guy and Robin are secretly stepbrothers or something (please do not tell me what it actually is, I don’t care), so that can happen and actually they are delighted about it

Their kids grow up together with all the other outlaws’ families; Much and Guy fight over who gets to be godfather to Robin and Marian’s firstborn

When Guy dies, not from doing something stupid but from regular stuff at a ripe old age, he’s buried with one of those stupid Robin Hood dogtags. Maybe over his grave they say “We are Guy of Gisborne” and then the camera freeze frames?? idk that’s probably going too far. Marian gives some speech about how she always knew there was good in him and like, she totally did

Instead though he literally murders her 1.5 episodes from now, so that’s nice

[mightnotfeelrealbutitsok]

Robin Hood AU: Guy kills the Sheriff at the end of s2

(Guy x Marian)

I feel weird entering the realm of fanfiction and probably a maximum of 2 people will read this but ok. I'll write more if I can be bothered. Remnants of the dead Robin Hood fandom please rise up

2.3k words

(here's PT 2) (and PT 3)

‘Your last chance to be a good man.’

Guy closed the door quietly behind him. The room was silent, and the Sheriff sat at the table at the opposite end, his back to Guy. Still and poised.

‘How is our leper friend?’ the Sheriff asked slowly. His tone was mocking, but that did not alert Guy to the Sheriff’s knowledge. He didn’t know that the Sheriff had carefully listened to his and Marian’s conversation through the door. The Sheriff was taking no risks; he couldn’t trust Marian and he certainly couldn’t trust the power Marian had over Gisborne.

What Guy also didn’t know was that the Sheriff sat with his sword positioned on his lap, perfectly upright, held tightly in his hands, in a pose which was somehow reminiscent of prayer. It was entirely out of Guy’s view as he stood a few feet away.

‘Whining, as usual,’ Guy said with a sneer, after taking a moment to compose this pretended response. He was glad that the Sheriff faced the opposite way. The tension in Guy’s body and the anxiety in his face went unnoticed. As he silently pulled his sword from his belt and held it out in front of him, Guy believed the Sheriff had no idea.

He turned his hand back and forth slowly, feeling his sword as if he had not swung it many times before. This strike could not go wrong. It would not come naturally either. The rhythm, the instinctive swing and precision seemed to have drained directly from his arm, leaving him an amateur. His stance too was uneasy. He repositioned his feet as quietly as he could.

The Sheriff said no more and he didn’t turn his head. But close to his chest, his fingers adjusted their grip on the hilt of his sword. It was almost amusing, waiting to see if Guy had the courage to strike. The Sheriff sat in genuine anticipation. He listened carefully for every movement behind him.

When Guy suddenly lunged, the Sheriff spun and his sword came up to meet Guy’s with a loud clash. The two of them locked eyes.

‘So she managed to sweet-talk you, did she?’ the Sheriff mused. ‘You really will do anything that woman asks you to.’ Guy’s face was stern. Surprised, but not afraid. The two blades pressed against each other, testing for the next move. Guy opened his mouth as if to reply, but stopped himself. His glare was harsh. The Sheriff could tell that his tease had not got under Guy’s skin in the way it might have once.

The Sheriff felt the beginnings of fear. If he couldn’t talk Gisborne out of the betrayal, if shame and condescension weren’t enough, he was not his match as a swordsman. There were no guards. It would be a desperate struggle for life.

Guy saw the rare look of panic illuminating the Sheriff’s face. He almost pitied it, but then it gave him satisfaction. He mentally watched his next move playing out: a quick flick of the sword and then the Sheriff’s death smoothly delivered. The silent room waited for him to do it. Guy thought of Marian too, behind the door, depending on him, testing him. He thought of leading her out and showing her the dead Sheriff and his hand trembled.

A swift movement, and it was done. Guy whipped his sword free and drove it into the base of the Sheriff’s neck. The wan flesh parted and gave way to bubbling blood. Guy found himself wondering how the Sheriff had managed to survive so long unwounded. Cowardice, he thought. A squeaky huff of air exited the Sheriff’s body and he sunk against the back of his chair, his eyes no longer on Guy’s face. Guy wondered if he’d speak and deliver some accusatory dying words.

Guy stepped forward, roughly lifting the Sheriff’s head, reckless now that the blow was delivered. Blood was gathering at the corners of the man’s mouth and his eyes were wide with the choking pain. His hand swatted Guy’s arm, then closed around it. Guy felt a growing horror at the sudden invalidity of his boss. He seemed such a pathetic, small figure; he was dying so quickly. He fixed Guy with distracted, drained eyes, and wouldn’t even blame him with a single word. Guy drew his sword out of the body sharply. It convulsed and then finally collapsed into total stillness.

Guy’s breathing was quick and uneven. He instinctively feared the presence of someone else, someone to bring him to justice for this murder – a murder that he had been capable of committing for so long, if loyalty hadn’t got in the way. But he calmed himself as he reasoned that there was no one here to avenge the Sheriff. In fact, it had been Guy’s role to protect the Sheriff here. And that was no more.

Suddenly Guy moved away, pacing across the stone floor to fling open the door to the back room where Marian was imprisoned. His heart raced, his eyes were quick and eager as he beheld Marian in her white dress, her back to him. She spun around abruptly, guessing, hoping, having heard what she thought could have been a confrontation through the wall. The relieved, triumphant look on Guy’s face confirmed her guesses. Marian felt herself rooted to the spot, unsure what to think or feel, holding down her own surging sense of victory. With the victory came something else, something she’d forced herself so many times not to feel: gratitude, compassion… love.

Guy approached her, with something wary in his manner. He realised he was still holding the sword which was branded with the Sheriff’s blood. He let it clatter to the floor behind him so it wouldn’t come between them. He reached out to cautiously take Marian’s hand from her side and cradle it in his own.

Marian breathed deeply. Her thoughts flew to the emerald ring, and Robin. Dead. It still made her feel sick and empty. The Sheriff had caused Robin’s death. Guy had condoned Robin’s death. He was gone and had given her no goodbye. She wanted to marry Robin, she had thought, she loved him, she had thought – they had been sweathearts for years and she was used to the idea of him as her husband. But she was confused and ashamed, because her grief for Robin seemed to lack the vital, desperate element of a lover’s grief. She had accepted his emerald ring and honestly envisioned their marriage. But since then, she had been pulled back to the castle and caught up in the turbulence of Guy’s affection, and hatred, and betrayal, and mercy, and the surprising despair she felt when she thought Guy no longer cared for her. And her own care, her desire for him to be what she saw he could be.

‘Marian,’ Guy said quietly. He was sure they were both thinking of the dead Sheriff but he didn’t want to mention it. He almost wished that this hadn’t had to come down to a bargain. A dead Sheriff for Marian’s hand in marriage. He almost scorned the soft hand in his and the service it had demanded. But, looking into Marian’s perfectly blue eyes, he repressed his pride and lowered himself onto one knee.

‘Marian, will you marry me?’

They looked at each other silently. Marian realised that she had no sure proof that the Sheriff was killed, except the bloodied sword, but the earnestness in Guy’s face was enough. She trusted him. Her throat constricted because she was so glad to trust him, and have him trust her, and though she knew he had proposed to her twice before this time it felt most honest. Her previous responses ran through her mind: things along the lines of I need time to think, it’s not that simple. What could hold her back now? The memory of all the bad Guy had done. The memory of Robin’s emerald engagement ring and his death. But neither seemed to be able to compete with the overwhelming feeling that she loved Guy, and it was something completely different to loving Robin.

‘I will, Guy of Gisborne,’ Marian whispered. She couldn’t help smiling, and Guy couldn’t help his stomach leaping at the sight of her pretty eyes crinkling, her lips tightening and the little dimples in her cheeks showing. She was smiling and she was smiling at him, but Guy remained rigid because he didn’t want to let himself believe her.

Marian saw his brows lowering by a fraction and the unmoved scowl of his mouth. He wasn’t allowing himself to be pleased, and that softened her heart further. She disengaged her hand from Guy’s so she could rest both palms over the leather on his shoulders. Then she bent down, tilting her head to meet his upturned face, and kissed him softly on the lips.

He kissed her back, slowly, and Marian moved her hands so they held the sides of his face, where she felt the black stubble that had been grown longer since they’d left for the Holy Land, and the soft hair that fell over his neck. When she pulled her mouth away she saw for a second the serenity on Guy’s face: his dark eyelashes lowered and the creases around his brown ironed out. He opened his eyes and the look of pure adoration made her skin burn.

Guy felt he could hardly compose himself, having been kissed so tenderly by Marian – could it really be her, the one who had spited him so? But he remembered when she had kissed him before in the castle, so hungrily, and he realised that since then he had always treasured some conviction that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

‘Marian – we have to –,’ Guy rose hurriedly, firmly enclosing both of Marian’s hands in his again, and spoke in a rush, ‘We must leave – the Sheriff is dead – he has some allies – and we must return to England – we must – we can be married there.’

Marian nodded solemnly.

‘You know, Guy,’ she said, ‘that with Robin dead–,’ she had to pause after voicing it, ‘– we have to make amends. You killed the Sheriff for a reason. We need to protect England… And there’s Prince John. Guy, I need to trust that you will work with me to do right.’

‘I will do anything for you, Marian,’ Guy replied, struggling to keep his voice steady.

‘Thank you,’ she said quietly.

Together they left the room to confront the Sheriff’s body. Blood had begun to settle on the tiled floor and his hands were turning an alarming bluish colour.

‘I think we must leave him as he is,’ Guy said carefully. ‘It’s likely no one will question where he is for a while. And no one should question us leaving. That’s the good thing about being here in such secrecy.’

But, to Guy’s surprise, Marian had drawn close to the body and was touching the Sheriff’s arms. She held them up, and then bore the weight of the body, dragging it from the chair and lying the Sheriff out on his back. Guy was too repulsed to stop her. He watched her crouch down, her feet almost encroaching into the pool of blood, and gently cross the Sheriff’s arms over his chest. There was a look of sorrow on her face.

‘You pity him?’ Guy managed to croak out. He slowly came closer, and was relieved to see that the eyes were shut; he wouldn’t have been able to look upon the Sheriff’s face if he had felt he was being looked at in return.

‘Yes.’ Marian turned her face up to Guy’s. ‘Like him: no; respect him: no; but I can’t help but pity him.’ She paused. She was feeling the tendrils of guilt rising within her. She had commissioned the death of a man.

‘You did right,’ Guy said. He noticed blood being absorbed by the hem of Marian’s dress. White stained red. He wondered if his assertion of what was right had any meaning at all, considering how he had wandered the line between right and wrong.

‘You did right too. And I’m sure you feel pity too.’ Marian was studying Guy’s face carefully.

He was mortified by it but, as Marian’s gentle words registered, Guy felt tears gathering in his eyes.

‘I do,’ he murmured. It felt raw and humiliating to admit his weakness: the love he felt for the Sheriff, along with his resentment, and the regret and anger and guilt and frustration which tormented him. He turned away. He noticed the Sheriff’s sword on the floor and picked it up, then went to retrieve his sword too, while Marian held a moment of reflection over the body. When she stood, Guy offered her the Sheriff’s sword. Thinking of her skills with a sword both distressed him – with memories of spars with the Nightwatchman and the dagger he had plunged into her stomach – and made him pleasantly proud.

Marian took it, feeling somewhat privileged. As Guy sheathed his sword he noticed that she had nowhere to put hers, and felt guilty that she had been stripped of possessions and dignity while she had been held prisoner. He led her to the Sheriff’s room and let her in.

‘Equip yourself,’ he told her, ‘and I will arrange a carriage.’ He felt a strange, sharp pain on leaving her, now that he had really secured her to be his, but they parted to prepare for their escape.

[threespacemonkeys]

FIC REC TIME! This whopper has be living in my headspace for the last month. Gotta check it out!

[theladyofspaceandtime]

BBC Robin Hood - Lady Marian of Knighton/Nightwatchman (Lucy Griffiths)

Aesthetic made by TimeLadyJamie. Please do not repost. 

[bloodraven55]

this is what i'm imagining would happen if miorine was forced to marry anyone who isn’t suletta

[roadsterguysblog]

Robin Hood, BBC 2006, Season 2, Episode 10, Walkabout.  Part 5

[damngoodbabysiitter]

I’m on my vigilante shit again...

[medievalandfantasymelee]

👑🌹The Queen of Love and Beauty🌹👑

Round 1 (4 of 6)

The Queen of Love and Beauty shall hold the honour of presenting unto the winner of the Tournament his Champion's Coronet.

Vote for the lady who, to you, best exemplifies feminine dignity, grace and loveliness

The six contenders with the most votes will advance.

Row 1 - Lady Marian Fitzwalter [Olivia de Havilland], The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) - Lady Marion of Leaford [Judi Trott], Robin of Sherwood (1984-1986) - Lady Marian [Audrey Hepburn], Robin & Marian (1976)

Row 2 - Guinevere [Angel Coulby], BBC’s Merlin (2008-2012) - Morgana Pendragon [Katie McGrath], BBC’s Merlin (2008-2012) - Morgana Pendragon [Eva Green], Camelot (2011)

Row 3 - Aliena [Hayley Atwell], The Pillars of the Earth (2010) - Æthelflæd of Mercia [Millie Brady], The Last Kingdom (2015-2022) - Marian of Knighton [Lucy Griffiths], BBC’s Robin Hood (2006-2009)

Row 4 - Catherine of Aragon [Maria Doyle Kennedy], The Tudors (2007-2010) - Djaq [Anjali Jay], BBC’s Robin Hood (2006-2009) [1] - Roberta Steingas [Clare Foster], Galavant (2015-2016) [1]

[happilyobsessing]

✮make a poll of your favorite female characters (no limits - as many or as little as you want) and see which your followers like the most!

✮thank you to @beresaad and @pavus for the tag!

✮I am tagging @aroserinosman, @ghostwith, @jad3w1ngs, @thedeadthree, @terendelev, @gortash, @greenecreek

[mightnotfeelrealbutitsok]

Robin Hood AU: Guy kills the Sheriff PT 2

This has loosened me up to do more writing than I have in ages and for that reason I'm going with it

2.2k words. Guy of Gisborne and Guy x Marian orientated. Allan A Dale shows up. Lots of fun.

(this is PT 1) (and PT 3) (wow it was cool finding out how to do that)

Guy could move about the settlement unstopped by the Saracen guards. He was headed towards the house of the Sheriff’s accomplice, a Saracen man who had been preparing to pose as Salah al-Din’s messenger, with the intention of regaining the Sheriff’s carriage and horses which were stowed there. He strode through the sandy streets, a tall black figure contrasting with the square white buildings. Leather was certainly too hot to be wearing in the Holy Land.

Guy slowed his pace as he noticed an agitated group of Saracens blocking the road ahead. He could vaguely hear them talking in their own language and considered slipping into a side alley to pass them by, but his interest was drawn by the atmosphere of impending conflict. His steps quietened on the gravelly road surface so his approach was unnoticed.

Within a second the group of Saracens became hectically dispersed and Guy could see the thrashing of swords and arms as some violence broke out. It seemed a group of men had ambushed and were fighting their way through. There were a fair few of them, all causing men to fly outwards and collapse in states of injury.

Guy was preparing to duck into a side alley when he saw a fast-flying arrow knock down the nearmost Saracen. That was when his suspicion grew that he had been right when he thought the cries he heard were English-sounding. Many men were good with a bow and arrow but there was still one who especially sprung to mind. This only further encouraged Guy to slip into hiding.

Robin Hood and the outlaws, having beaten down that group of Saracens, were progressing along the street, walled in by white, their weapons readied. Robin led them; Much, Little John, Will, Djaq and Allan were rallied behind, and they were all determined to pass through this Saracen settlement and reach the King’s camp. Before the Sheriff did, they hoped.

Robin observed men ahead and sent John and Allan to check for alternate routes out through clearer alleys while the rest of the group assessed if they could pass on the central road. Allan slipped between two high walls, listening carefully for movement. He ran as quickly as he could, trying to note the labyrinthine winding of the alleys and find a break onto the open desert landscape.

With unexpected speed a man shot out from the shaded arch of a doorway. Allan felt himself thrown roughly back against a wall, his feet scuffing in the sand, and his head thrown back to observe the bright, close sky as a sword touched his neck. In the second afterwards, Allan became aware of the identity of his attacker.

‘Sir Guy,’ he said, his voice shaking slightly despite his efforts to adopt a light tone.

‘You’re a bit late,’ Guy snarled, his sword firmly retaining its position. He had been surprised to think Robin Hood might be here – Robin Hood, supposedly dead – but once he had accustomed himself to such a possibility Guy wasn’t so surprised that Allan A Dale would be with him. Where else would Allan have gone, when he ducked out of the quest to kill the King? But Guy had assumed that Allan was killed as soon as he reached Nottingham.

‘Look,’ Allan said, ‘I’m not on your side anymore, Guy. But please let me go. Robin will come after me, I can tell you.’

‘Robin Hood is here,’ Guy said flatly. ‘And alive. How?’

‘Well, not to take the credit, but I did help him out of his tight spot in Nottingham.’

‘By betraying me,’ replied Guy contemptuously.

‘I’m not being funny, but, you could hardly have not expected it.’ Allan swallowed uncertainly, feeling the sword’s pressure on his throat. ‘I mean, I betrayed Robin in the first place, so what was stopping me betraying you as well–’ As Guy’s face became angered, he stopped.

‘I don’t care that you betrayed me,’ Guy said evenly, after an exhalation, ‘I only care that you, and Robin Hood, leave me alone now.’

Allan shifted uncomfortably, his back straining against the wall. He wondered how long it would take for the others to turn up and find him.

‘Well, it’s alright you saying that, but Robin’s here to save the King, and so are we, and if you and that Sheriff are after him­–’

‘We’re not. The King is safe, and for once Robin Hood played no part in that.’ Guy smiled at his own mocking. ‘You can go along to Hood and tell him if you like, and he’ll disbelieve you, but tell him this: the Sheriff of Nottingham is dead.’

‘What?’ Guy lowered his sword and let Allan stand up straight now. ‘How’s the Sheriff dead?’ Allan demanded incredulously.

‘I killed him,’ Guy smiled, with a tilt of his head. Allan wasn’t sure he could believe that, but he didn’t want to challenge Guy, even with his own sword at his side.

‘And the King?’ Allan questioned.

‘I don’t want to kill him.’

Allan struggled to comprehend this reversal in plan, but kept his mouth shut. He weighed his options; taking his leave politely, making a dash for it, striking Guy with his sword. Then a thought suddenly came to mind:

‘Where’s Marian?’

A change came over Guy’s posture then; he stiffened, and his sword lifted slightly. Allan misinterpreted this and became fearful that Marian too had been unexpectedly done away with, and he almost cried out.

‘She is safe,’ Guy said, before Allan could become excessively panicked, though his tone showed irritation. ‘She’s with me.’ With me did not make it clear that Marian was his wife-to-be rather than his prisoner.

‘And,’ Allan suggested carefully, ‘you won’t part with her?’

‘She won’t part with me, I don’t think,’ Guy said indignantly. He didn’t want to have to share what had passed between him and Marian and he didn’t like remembering that Allan had been somewhat in league with her. More significantly, he had misgivings about Robin Hood seeking Marian. He would not like Marian to discover that Robin was in fact alive; Guy feared her enthusiasm for him may wane. He feared he was only second best.

‘Guy, listen,’ Allan said, falling into a friendly, confidential manner of speaking. ‘If everything you say about the Sheriff and the King is true, then still, Robin loves Marian – he’d die for her – he came here to save her too – and he won’t leave without her.’

It was as Guy feared. Would he have to kill Robin Hood too, to have Marian? He had tried before. He had tried many times. But this time it scared him, because he knew Marian would not want him to.

Guy discarded these thoughts and quickly pointed his sword at Allan’s chest again. Allan raised his eyebrows and jumped back, putting his palms up.

‘Stay away from Marian. Stay away from me.’ Guy spoke menacingly. Then he shrugged theatrically: ‘Or I might just have to kill the lot of you. So go to the King, stay until you’re sure he’s safe, if that pleases you. And I will have no further quarrel with Robin Hood.’

Decided, Guy shoved Allan back in the direction he’d come, and Allan complied, taking off at a run with his hand on his sword hilt. He was confused, fearful and desperate to join Robin and the others. What would Robin think about the Sheriff being dead? They would have to make sure. And what about Marian? It was clear they couldn’t leave her in Gisborne’s possessive clutches, and they would have to risk their lives to take her by force.

Guy was shaken but continued on his initial mission. He needed to leave for England as soon as possible – ahead of Robin Hood. When he came to the right Saracen house, he barged in without announcing himself and made his orders for the carriage to be returned. The Saracen man asked if they were going out to meet the King already.

‘The Sheriff has no more business with the King, or with you,’ Guy said sharply. ‘You are no longer needed. Bring the carriage round to our lodgings, employ a driver, and you will be paid generously.’

‘But, Salah al-Din’s messenger, the insignia – it is all unneeded?’

Guy reassured him that it was so, on the Sheriff’s orders. There was to be no assassination.

Guy went outside to watch the horses being brought out of their stables and prepared. He was almost amused by his power. All the things he had controlled as the Sheriff’s right-hand man, he could continue to control without anyone knowing the Sheriff was gone. He had some apprehensions about returning to England. He could become Sheriff of Nottingham. But the Black Knights would still stand and Marian would not allow it. How could she expect Guy to overthrow Prince John?

Meanwhile, Robin Hood was planning on meeting the King, putting him on his guard, then seeking out Gisborne and Marian.

‘But what would make Gisborne kill the Sheriff?’ Much said as he walked beside Robin. The desert was open around them, but in the distance the white and red canvas of the King’s camp was visible.

‘Power, I suppose,’ Allan interjected. ‘He’s desperate for it. Wants to be the new Sheriff of Nottingham, I reckon.’

‘But Gisborne could have killed the Sheriff any time,’ Much said.

‘Not so easily,’ Robin replied, ‘among the guards of Nottingham. What I can’t make out is why Gisborne wouldn’t choose to kill the King too.’

‘Maybe Gisborne’s joined our fight,’ Djaq offered brightly, only half serious. ‘He’s started protecting the King and England.’

‘After trying to kill the King once before,’ Robin said, ‘that would be a change of heart.’

That night Marian came across Guy tearing through the Sheriff’s room on his knees, emptying chests, strewing gowns and clashing metals. She stood in the doorway for a second unnoticed, silently admiring his body in his suit of leather. Then he lifted his head without turning it, froze, before leaping up and brandishing his sword. Marian was taken aback, and seeing the unfeeling, ferocious look in his eye she felt her stomach drop.

‘It’s only me, Guy.’

His dark hair swept over his eyes and he blinked at her through it.

‘You shouldn’t be out of your room unattended, Marian,’ he said to her, sounding like his teeth were gritted. Marian felt sickened, disorientated; it was like he was looking at her as a prisoner again. There was no affection in his demeanour and the fond longing which had encouraged her to seek out his company faded within her.

‘I’m not a prisoner,’ she said coldly, ‘and I can look after myself.’

‘No.’ Guy sheathed his sword. His voice rose, became almost condescending, as he said, ‘There are dangerous men – criminals – around, and you are in an unfamiliar land, and you are still a vulnerable, beautiful woman. You don’t know how many men would take you and use you if they could.’

Marian did not like having her femininity used against her.

‘I’m not so defenceless, and you should know that, Guy.’

Guy sighed and came towards her. He gently put one arm around her waist, resting his gloveless hand on her lower back.

‘Allow me to protect you. For my sake at least.’ He glanced back over his shoulder at the mess of the room. He had been trying to gather anything to defend himself against Robin Hood; whether it be a weapon, or a valuable to bargain with. He couldn’t tell Marian how on edge he was with Hood at large. When she had appeared behind him he had feared she was some outlaw intruder.

Marian was surprised by the attraction she felt as Guy held her. Although she found his coddling irritating she was willing to forget it if he would pull her closer. But he seemed distracted and would not even look into her face. She lifted one hand so she could touch the hair which was fallen across his forehead. She carefully pushed it back and aside, stroking his brow with her fingertips. This was enough to make his eyes meet hers and their mildly aggressive look appeared to be directed towards her. It was a familiar situation. He had tried to kiss her from this position of fierce possessiveness before, though his lips themselves were always tentative. Marian watched his lips now.

Guy stepped back, breaking the stillness and shifting his hand to enclose Marian’s forearm.

‘I will take you back to your room. And you can stay there until I fetch you in the morning.’

He escorted her out with his hold on her arm. In her room, he loosened his hold, but then impulsively lifted her arm and bent to kiss the inside of her bare wrist. Guy did not anticipate the flame of longing which would be ignited just by indulging this impulse. He let his mouth linger on Marian’s skin, his head ducked. Rushed ideas of undressing her and staying the night crossed his mind. But the image of Robin Hood’s arrow piercing the Saracen’s body earlier that day pervaded. He would eliminate the threat of Robin’s proximity first, to make his victory greater.

Marian’s disappointment was strong as Guy gave her a strange lustful look and slipped out of the room. He locked the door behind him.

[randomfoggytiger]

Thank you for the tag, @welsharcher! :DDDDD

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