Cruel Fate [Series 1 One Shot]
Title: Cruel Fate
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance/Angst
Status: Complete
Spoilers: Series 1. Set during 1x4
Pairing: Robin/Marian
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc etc
Summary: Robin visits Marian for help.
Authors Note: I'm aware this doesn't actually truly correspond to the episode, [which annoyingly I realised after writing it] but just imagine that Roy tells Robin about the Sheriff and then Robin visits Marian. Then it semi makes sense. :P
Cruel Fate
It was the sound of a baby whimpering that woke Marian from sleep and only then did she hear the soft, low whistle sounding through the still night. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up in the pitch black room, guiding herself to the window by the sliver of moonlight that had streamed through the tiny gap in her shutters.
It took her a moment to find the figure forbiddingly standing outside her window at god knows what hour. He was hiding in the shadows, but she could just make out the babe he’d had earlier in his arms. Obviously having called her for a while, Robin hadn’t thought she’d heard and so didn’t look up as he cradled the child as it continued to whimper.
Even though she couldn’t see him, she could feel the desperation coming off him in waves as he tried to stop the babe crying. And in those few second she took pity on him, but knew as she opened her mouth to call to him she’d regret it later.
“Robin,” she murmured. Her voice was thick with sleep and she couldn’t quite bite back the bitterness she felt towards him after their conversation earlier.
Robin looked up, relief flashing over his features as quick as lightening as he saw her standing at her window, hair hanging loose and adorning a white nightgown that he was rather certain he shouldn’t see her in, for even from this distance he could make out the creamy flesh that was usually hidden by her dresses.
“Marian,” he said, stepping into the moonlight and looking up at her. “I need your help.”
She raised an eyebrow at him in response, not only at his appearance but the fact he actually asked for her help without trying to dance around it.
“Please,” he said at her silence, jiggling the babe up and down as it started to cry louder. “He won’t stop crying, I don’t know what to do.”
She stared at him, her blue eyes standing out in the dark as he managed with difficulty to climb up to her bedroom window before she could open her mouth. The babe cried as it was jolted around; its wails ringing out into the quiet night and Marian thanked the heavens her father was away on business. As he reached the platform she wordlessly took the screaming child into her arms, avoiding Robin’s gaze as she felt his eyes settle on her.
“Thank you,” he said his voice full of gratitude. He hesitated slightly at the window before clambering through.
It had been ages since he’d been her room, he realised as he straightened up. Years in fact. When they were growing up he’d spent endless nights here, running away from his duties, to apologise for something he’d done, or more often just to talk. Memories of him scrambling through late at night with a bunch of freshly picked daisies sprung to mind and if not for a moment, he felt young again, until it slowly dissipated with Seth’s piercing cries.
“He’s cold.” Marian’s voice snapped Robin back to reality. She was sitting on the bed cradling the child closely. “There’s a blanket in that cupboard.” She nodded to a door in front of him and he opened it, fetching the thickest one he could find.
“I’m sorry for waking you,” he apologised, coming to sit beside her.
She didn’t look up from the babe and Robin watched as she offered him a finger. As the tiny fist grabbed it he watched the small upturn of her lips. She always looked so beautiful when she smiled and watching this rare scene now made his heart leap into his mouth. Oh he’d missed her. Missed the Marian that used to light up when she saw him, eyes sparkling in that way that often resulted in him pulling her body close and kissing her for all it was worth. But since he’d arrived back from the Holy Lands he could scarcely recall her smiling. Not properly. But now, in her room in the middle of the night, clutching a child to her chest that wasn’t even theirs, she looked positively radiant. And he knew it suited her, this picture, which just made it even worse, the fact that he should have given her everything he could but instead left her for his own selfish demands.
“I was up late anyway,” she replied softly in response, trying not to stir the bundle in her arms that had finally quietened down. “I had to deliver some food to Clun, there’s a quarantine again.”
She shifted her arm so Robin could wrap Seth in the blanket and the child whimpered softly at the disturbance. Robin however, didn’t move away once the child was settled back safely in Marian’s arms and feeling his close proximity Marian focused on the babe, smiling as a small fist enclosed around her nightgown. Robin chuckled.
“He likes you,” he told her.
Feeling his soft breath on her cheek, she looked up, finding his blue eyes staring at her with a kind of fondness that made her look away, unable to hold his gaze as a flood of sensations hit her. Robin noticing the action sighed gently, raising his eyes to the ceiling in anguish.
“You are still angry at me,” he said quietly. Sadly.
“I was never angry at you,” she said, but her eyes betrayed her.
“Marian,” he started, but she stood abruptly causing the child to whimper at the sudden movement. He sighed, giving up for now, knowing how stubborn she was. “We’re taking him back to his mother tomorrow.”
“Oh,” Marian said quietly.
“She works in the castle, which would explain why Gisborne wants nothing to do with her.”
Marian turned her head sharply. “Gisborne?!”
“Yes, Gisborne’s the father,” Robin replied, coming over to stand beside her, offering Seth his finger in replacement of Marian’s now she was supporting him with both arms.
“I didn’t know...” Marian trailed off, taken a back.
A stab of fear and dread hit Robin as he watched Marian’s reaction. Surely, she hadn’t believed this to be his child? But when she rose her eyes to his, they were guarded in a way that he’d only become accustomed to since his return, before flitting away.
“Well,” he said. “Let’s hope Seth doesn’t become anything like his father.” He met her eyes briefly again for a second and she watched a wide grin spread over his face. “Although,” he added cheekily, “That would explain why he’s so quiet when you hold him, tucked so closely to your-“
“Robin!” Marian interrupted aghast, but an amused smile graced the corners of her lips and this just made him grin even more. Even after all this time, he could still make her smile.
Robin laughed happily, head thrown back in pure delight at her reaction. “Well I don’t blame him!” He exclaimed, “I wouldn’t mind myself!”
She kicked him in response as her arms were somewhat occupied, but smiling all the same as he howled in pain through fits of laughter. Robin clutched at his shin, hopping around comically for a moment or two before the laughter subsided slightly.
“Marian, did you just find my joke funny?” He teased and she rolled her eyes, shaking her head at him in amusement as he nearly fell over, still rubbing his sore leg.
“You, Robin, are impossible,” she told him, laying the sleepy child down on the bed amongst the soft blankets.
“Oh, Marian, surely not?” He questioned in mock horror.
“Entirely,” she retaliated firmly. “Never satisfied, always looking for better.”
“That is not true,” he replied immediately, his playfulness dropping and objection evident in his voice.
“Oh?” She queried disbelievingly. “Forever taunting the Sheriff and Gisborne, always wanting more glory, leaving for the Holy Land-“
“Must you always bring that up!” Robin cried in despair. “That’s what this is really about, isn’t it? Me leaving.” He stepped towards her, his body coming so close to hers she could feel his hot breath on her cheek, but she didn’t look away, holding his gaze steadily as he continued. “You thinking I wasn’t happy with you when you know -“
His voice has risen dangerously and he let it drop, knowing that they needed to be quiet. “If I could turn back time I would not go Marian.”
She didn’t say anything, just stared at him. Finally, she looked away.
“It does not matter,” she said quietly.
“Oh but it does,” Robin insisted, gently picking Seth up and wrapping him into the makeshift sling he’d been using to carry the babe around. “Today we both realised what we could have by now. A child. Really, that’s what this is about.”
“No!” she insisted, but Robin shook his head and started to head towards the window. He was half way there when he stopped and stepped back towards her.
“I’m sorry I can’t give you what you want,” he murmured softly. His voice was so sad, so broken that Marian was for once lost for words. She’d never seen Robin like this before. “I want to Marian, I-“
He cast his eyes downwards before meeting her eyes again. He did look so, so tired, she realised as she studied his face. Dark rings hung under his eyes and all signs of his previous laughter was completely erased from his features.
He moved towards her and for a second she thought he was going to kiss her. But he surprised her, his hand gently brushing the back her palm, before his fingers searched for hers. His hand was rougher than she remembered but his touch soft and inviting and she knew that he needed some kind of reassurance. Some kind of action to comfort him because he just looked so lost. So she wrapped her fingers around his in return, seeing the silent gratitude in his eyes as she tightened her hold slightly.
It seemed like an age before he spoke.
“I should go,” he murmured. “Let you get some rest.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Good night,” he said, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.
And before she could even react he was out of the window and into the night.
The next morning Marian awoke reluctantly, sleep desperately trying to pull her back into its clutches. Her eyelids were incredibly heavy as her gaze swept around the room and apart from the cupboard door being slightly ajar, which held the blankets, there was no sign that Robin had even been in her bedroom.
[That was of course, until she found a bunch of freshly picked daisies on her desk and a note that simply said, “Thank you (and I’m sorry).”]