Some things must just be accepted. There are lots in life, and this must be mine.

[rebellious_lady]

It had been a very trying few days in this place. Marian had slept for much of it, her body needing the rest both to remove the rest of the hemlock, and to help heal her wound

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[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica was passing through the clinic on her way to the IPD office, actually, with the intent of kidnapping Sam from his duties if he was around. The woman she saw on her way through was interesting, though - new, really, which was almost the same thing in her book. It wasn't that Veronica was so much good with new people as it was that she couldn't help herself. Besides, being on the council had drummed up enough of a sense of civic duty to last her a lifetime. "Who've you got for a doctor?" she asked, grinning a little. "Wilson, House, Grey, Chase? 'cause if it's Chase, give him a hard time for me."

[rebellious_lady]

Marian turned at the sound of someone coming into the clinic, looking at the strangely dressed blonde girl who enetered. The accent was so odd, yet so many here had it. "Doctor Chase I believe, and I am greatful for all that he has done for me. He may have saved my life."

Why she would 'give him a hard time' as this girl had put it confused her.

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica's grin softened to a smile and she nodded. "Sounds like Chase," she quipped with a wave of her hand. Crossing toward the woman, she said, "I'm Veronica. And you, I'm guessing, are new."

[rebellious_lady]

"Why would I give the one who saved my life a hard time?" Marian found herself off-kilter, "New? Yes, I am. I am Marian. Lady Marian." The use of her title helped her feel less unsure.

[neptune_sleuth]

"It was a joke," Veronica assured her wryly. The title left her arching an eyebrow just so. "Chase is a friend." He was probably one of her best friends, if it came down to it, but she hadn't ever said so and she wasn't going to start. "Nice meeting you, Lady Marian."

[rebellious_lady]

It was a tone that Marian knew well. She used it herself. "I am sorry I seemed to have missed that then. I suppose I am more used to jokes that amuse all parties." Other than the ones at Robin's expense. Or Much's. Or...

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the sad feeling rising within her. "A pleasure to meet you as well Veronica. I am sorry. I seem out of sorts since arriving in this place."

[neptune_sleuth]

"Arriving here'll do that - especially when your life needs saving." Veronica shrugged. Her sense of humor hadn't ever been a hit with the crowd at large, but that had been half or more of the fun. "Looks like he patched you up alright, though."

[rebellious_lady]

"Well enough, yes. The equipment is like nothing I'd ever seen. I imagine even Djaq would be in awe of this." Marian looked around them in wonder, not for the first time, possibly not even for the fiftieth that day.

Ducking her head for a moment, she looked back at Veronica with a conspiratorial smile, "In truth, I grow bored of this clinic. I have never done well at being kept in cages, no matter how gilded, or if they were for my own good."

[neptune_sleuth]

A lady tired of gilded cages? It's almost too good to be true. Somehow I don't exactly expect this one to burst into song, but if she does, I won't be all that surprised.

"If Chase is keeping you here, it's probably for a good reason," Veronica said, shrugging. She grinned then, wicked, rocking back on her heels and leaning slightly forward. "So if I were you, I'd be out the door as soon as his back was turned. What happened to you?"

[rebellious_lady]

Something about this girl and the look she gave Marian made her want to tell her the truth. "I am not sure completely. I was stabbed, it was silly, I was practically dared by Robin. I never should have taken his dare. It was silly, to have attempted to steal Guy's wealth from him. Robin was right though, the poor needed it more." Some things could not be resisted. "The would was worse than it seemed, and in escaping into Sherwood I collapsed. I remember Djaq tending me, sewing me closed. Knowing I was about to die."

She looked down at her feet for a moment, remembering the things Robin had said to her, that she had said to him. "Apparently Arthur found me on a table in your kitchen. He thought I was dead and brought me here."

[neptune_sleuth]

What surprised Veronica, more than the story itself or the wound or the fact that she recognized all of a sudden who the hell she was talking to, was that, after a year and a half in this place, she was still getting surprised. Lady Marian. Robin. Sherwood. She was talking to Maid Marian of all people. It was almost as weird as meeting Nancy Drew.

"See this?" she said, and her voice was almost gentle beneath the teasing. "This is why we don't take dares from boys. They're all idiots anyway." She hesitated. These kinds of things still didn't come easily. "You'll be alright here. The doctors aren't too keen on people dying on their watch."

[rebellious_lady]

"You are right, it was ill advised. At the time though... It is hard when they call what you do silly games, and even though they respect you, they simply want for you to settle down, and get married. I was never very good at doing what I was supposed to."

Only she knew now what Robin really thought of her, what he thought and he was taken. Or se was taken. She was here. "They are very skilled, the doctors here."

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica snorted at that, hardly a picture of ladylike behavior, and shook her head. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that," she said. "Most of the people here are... from a very different time and place. Actually, you try bringing up marriage and most men'll bolt."

Not Sam, though. Veronica had a pretty solid and pretty terrifying feeling about that. Not that she thought he was thinking about it, but still.

"Equality is the order of the day. Or, I mean, that's what guys like to say, but it's... mostly because they know we actually run things."

[rebellious_lady]

"I did not want to wed Guy. My hand was forced into it, to protect my father." Luckily she had not married him. Of course, she did not know what she had done, if she had died, or simply disappeared.

"You must jest. I am not saying I disagree, I know many good women who exert great influence and do good things, but until the church stops teaching that women are lesser, we will never have the true power of men, and in the end, must submit to their wills if we cannot influence them otherwise."

[neptune_sleuth]

There were names cropping up in her tale that Veronica didn't know, circumstances she didn't recognize, but that wasn't really surprising either. Hundreds of different versions of the story - a few of them were bound to be more than a little wrong. And she'd never really believed Sherwood Forest was populated by singing foxes anyway, whatever Disney had tried to teach her.

"I jest a lot," she assured Marian, "but not about this. I... don't know exactly how long it's been, but hundreds of years between us. Easily. The church got a little more liberal and a lot less listened to."

[rebellious_lady]

"Surely you cannot be serious?" Marian looked at her, disbelief on her face, "This place is wondrous, even odd, but... It is not the year of our lord 1192? Then how am I here, and alive? How am I not dead?"

Honestly, hearing that people listened less to the church bothered her not at all. She felt it was past time that people paid such attention to such a group of overly wealthy un-pious men.