[Episode OOM -- "Childhood" 2.03 (6)]
Part I - Part II - Part III - Part IV - Part V - Part VI
~*~
Marian followed after where Guy had gone, into the courtyard of Locksley Manor. Where he was soaked and throwing the armor he could get off himself, as quickly as possible, roughly at the servants who attended him, ordering them to take it inside. She waited to one side, an uncertain expression when he looked to his side and spotted her waiting there and sighed.
"You saved my life. I am grateful."
Her balance cantered a little, as she felt the truth of her words form in her head and her mouth at the same time. "Well, I could not watch you die and do nothing."
As little as it had been the reason for her actions, she felt the painful truth of that, by itself, too. She could not be asked to stand by and be grateful in his murder at Robin or The Sheriff's hands. Not even now, on this side of everything.
Not even his recent actions could break her of that truth.
He was soaking wet, hair plastered all across his face and eyes, as he stared into her. His mouth catching, he looked away, before he looked back. That gaze become far more narrowed, insinuating. "You saved Robin, too."
Marian nodded, the very smallest bit. "That was incidental."
"Was it?"
Marian frowned, at a loss for words in the accusation.
As though it was not the life before her that was incidental. That was supposed to have been. That he was not the domino the kept Robin alive. They could have all died. Robin would have died as Vasey sacrificed Guy on the altar of having both the Black Diamonds and Robin Hood. If she hadn't spoken up. Acted. Saved him. Saved them.
Guy folded his arms, watching her. Making no move to even brush the hair from his face. "Marian, I’ve been assuming that since Hood became an outlaw, that you have had nothing further to do with him. Was I wrong to assume that?"
"No," she denied, easily.
"Because if you were associating with an outlaw, the punishment would be more severe than house arrest." Marian scoffed, at this newest wave of threats, right after he had come so close to dying. "The punishment... would be death."
She couldn't believe it. This? This was gratitude for living. The insulted spite stood out her in voice, "Well, would you prefer me to have let you die?"
He turned away from her, and she shook her head, heading back down the walkway into the courtyard. The Sheriff entering calling Gisborne's name only to suddenly call out: "Stay There!" Causing her to look over her shoulder to where the Sheriff was glaring malevolently and pointing at her. She had no recourse but to do that. Stand there. Waiting.
The Smith headed out past both of them, and The Sheriff went after him. They had a short discussion, she and Guy both stood silent through. The man was leaving. Even with the promise of doubling or tripling everything the Sheriff was giving him, he was leaving. Apparently to France. Where people knew how to treat artists.
Marian been standing, looking in the opposite direction, listening more than watching, so she hadn't quite prepared for the sudden steps Vasey took back or how he roughly grabbed her arm, pulling her around. The surprise and assumption of it causing her to fight back, to free her hand, even as he was in her face. "What were you thinking?"
"Guy is your faithful servant." She defended again, trying to ward off the urge to fight him anymore than she just had in getting her arm free. "I was preventing you from making a mistake."
It was a step too far, and she knew it as soon as the last word left her mouth, as he came closer, shouting suddenly right into her face. "You Do Not Prevent Me From Making a Mistake! You must be punished," he swore, turning to leave her.
His shouting she could deal with, even as it made her spine straight and her shoulder level. His temper tantrums since Robin had come were common. She had still won, she had still saved Daniel, and Robin, and...no one else had died. She raised her chin, talking to his retreating back, "Well, I am ready for your punishment."
The Sheriff turned back, visage cooler, darker, eyes narrowing on her. The steps he took back to her were slow and measured and so very specific. So that he could be right in front of her again, when he said, so cool and softly, "Yes, but is your father?
Marian's eyes widen, as her words came through her teeth, "You leave him out of this."
"Oh, I will leave him, alright," Vasey said delighted. Saying every single word of his sentence slowly, and taking delight in them. "Alone. To rot. In a dungeon. Until you learn to behave yourself!"
He turned again, dismissing her, leaving her even trying to grasp those words.
Her breath coming faster, as a shuddering "No," slipped from her mouth. Watching his quickly retreating back. And then even turning, her breath shaking, to find any assistance, even in Guy, who was watching her from behind. To meet his eyes before he simply shook his head, looking away from her, and abandoned her, as well, for Locksley Manor.