Nocturne, Chapter 3
Title, Chapter: Nocturne, Chapter 3
Author: railise
Summary: Conversations are had.
Characters/Pairings: The Outlaws; Robin/Marian
Rating: PG
Spoilers/Warnings: Starts the morning after 1x13 ends; AU from there. Serious connecting and commisserating within this chapter.
Disclaimer: Not my world, just my playground; please don't take my lunch money, because I don't have any, and I sure didn't get any from this.
Notes: I've debated with people whether Djaq and Marian might have become friends, and have wavered on the issue, myself. To be honest, exploring that was a large part of the reason I wrote that section of this chapter-- I wasn't even sure which way it'd go when I started it, but I think I've finally reached a personal conclusion, at any rate. ;)
Artwork by shinysparks
Previous Chapter
~3~
Robin and John had gone out to see about arranging a ride for the pair bound for Cornwall, and Marian found the atmosphere in the cave odd without the outlaws' leader. Her father was not speaking with her. She had once considered Much a friend of sorts, although that had been many years ago. As for the others, she was familiar with them now, but not well; and she was not confident about how welcome she truly was.
Spotting a bit of light at the back of the cave, she walked toward it, and realized that there was a second "room." It had an overhead opening, which was letting in some of the weak sunlight, and she stepped through the slit in the rock wall to take a better look. As she was about halfway across the area, thinking to herself that it was just like the area she had just left, she heard someone enter behind her.
Turning, she saw Djaq standing there. Holding out a hand, the Saracen woman said, "I am sorry; I hope I did not startle you."
"No, it's fine," Marian replied. Stepping around a shallow pool that had formed beneath the hole in the roof, she glanced back. "Was there something you wanted?" She was not being rude; she was legitimately curious. When Djaq had apologized to her for underestimating her bravery after operating on her, Marian wondered if they might have something in common. Before, she would have doubted it; their lives seemed too different to allow for much mutual ground. Perhaps she had been mistaken; she hoped that she had.
Stepping further into the room, Djaq approached her. "I think it is wise, that you are leaving."
That was not precisely what Marian had expected. "Oh?"
"Really, I am surprised you did not go years ago."
Marian shook her head at that, brushing the words away. "My father would not leave. Besides, we could accomplish more by staying."
"And, any word from Robin would have been delayed in reaching you."
Startled, Marian stared at her. She had never admitted that to anyone, and never would. "That is true," she stiffly acknowledged.
Djaq shrugged. "That is not what I wished to speak with you about, though."
Warily, Marian asked, "What was your intended topic?"
"It is quite personal," the smaller woman warned. "That is why I thought it might be best coming from me, although I am not the only one wondering."
Marian sincerely did not wish to discuss anything more personal than what had already been broached, but her curiosity was also growing. "Very well."
Satisfied that she meant it, Djaq said, "Your wound. How did you intend to explain it to Gisborne, had you gone through with the marriage?"
That was personal, and Marian could feel a flush staining her cheeks, despite herself. "I beg your pardon?"
That might have deterred most people, but not Djaq. "He is a fool, but he is not stupid."
Marian studied her for a moment, and finally reached a decision. "Neither am I."
"I did not think you were," Djaq said, taken aback.
Shaking her head, Marian said, "That is not what I meant."
Realization suddenly dawned. "You were not intending that he should ever see it."
"I thought my father would be speaking with the king. Guy was so closely associated with the sheriff, that even without Robin's claims of treason, he would surely be severely punished. And, when Robin did present his story, he would face more dire consequences."
"Why did you not tell anyone of this?" Djaq asked. "You made Robin believe you gave up on him."
Marian glanced down. "I had my reasons." Looking back to the other woman, she explained, "There was always the possibility that something could go wrong-- as it would have done, without Much's intervention. I did not want to give false hope to Robin, or to myself; saying things aloud always makes them seem more real." Djaq nodded in agreement, and Marian continued, "And also, I wanted to try to convince the king to spare Guy's life. I would have sought an annulment, which I'm certain would be granted, but I did not wish to see him hanged.
"You can see why I would not wish to admit that to Robin, as he would not understand." Nor would she admit to anyone that there had been just a touch of selfish vindication behind her actions, as well. Six years earlier, Robin had ended their betrothal in order to follow this king's father to the Holy Land. His search for glory had destroyed her younger self, plunging her into a sadness so consuming that she had become physically ill. While she would not wish that upon him, she could not feel entirely badly about allowing him to taste what it was like to be jilted, even though they were not at any real understanding this time around. But, that was too dark a glimpse into her mind to share with anyone. "Nor do I need to tell him of that; it's enough that I wished to protect us both from potential disappointment."
"I do not understand, either, but I suppose you have your reasons. And, he will likely figure it out on his own."
"Perhaps." He always was far too insightful.
Djaq suddenly smiled at her. "You are much more interesting than I once thought."
That sounded like a backhanded compliment, but Marian suspected there was no insult intended. Smiling back, she replied, "You are much more normal than I once thought."
With a short laugh, Djaq turned and began to walk back toward the main area of the cave. When she was about halfway there, she paused and turned back. "I hope that we have an opportunity to speak more someday."
"Me, too."
* * *
A wagon was easier to secure than Robin had anticipated, for so long a journey. While he had expected to arrange a conveyance for a portion of the way and hope for the best for the rest of the trip, he and John managed to find a merchant who was traveling nearly the entire way to Truro.
Robin could not help but feel that Providence was being just a bit too kind.
As they began the walk back to the cave, so used to being out in drizzle by now that they barely noticed it, John glanced over at him. "Sorry."
Nodding tersely, Robin continued to watch the path ahead.
They walked along in silence for a few minutes more, Robin's irritation growing by the second. He was not losing her permanently; and of all people, he had no right to complain about the distance that would be between them, after how far he had traveled. But, the timing could have been better. They finally had a chance to be together again, and she was leaving as soon as it began.
Oh, what was he thinking; there could not be a better time. There could never be a good time for it.
Just as Robin was beginning to curse whatever stroke of fate was behind the situation, John noted, "It does get better."
Tempted to come to a stop, Robin knew it was better to keep going; the movement gave them something to consider other than what they were discussing. Not that he could think of much to say to that; he was upset over Marian leaving for a time, but John had watched Alice ride away permanently-- with another man, and with their son. Finally, Robin replied, "I hope you're right." The statement was actually meant more for his companion than himself, and John seemed to understand that.
"I hope so, too," the big man said quietly.
The two were silent the rest of the way back, but at least with that common understanding, it was no longer a tense silence.
The same could not be said when they returned to the current camp, in the cave. Upon arriving, John shed his long coat and Robin his hooded shirt, leaving the clothes to dry by the fire as they joined the others. Edward was laying on the makeshift pallet that had been arranged for him, apparently asleep. Allan and Will were sitting somewhat near one another, although they were not conversing; Will was sharpening one of his axes while Allan watched, his sword laying nearby, apparently having been cleaned. Djaq was whittling arrow shafts, and Marian was helping Much sort things that had been hastily shoved into packs at the last camp. Still, despite the seeming normalcy of the scene, the atmosphere was not an easy one.
Noticing their arrival, Marian got to her feet and came over. "Any luck?"
Still fighting his aversion to the entire situation, Robin replied, "More than we expected. You leave at dawn, and the merchant who's taking you-- he's called Brian-- is traveling almost the entire distance. So, you will only need to find a short ride to Sir Godfrey's manor when Brian reaches his destination."
She appeared stunned at that, before giving him a grateful smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "That's wonderful news, thank you."
His own eyes dropped as he nodded, unable to maintain contact with hers. He could not be happy about this, even if the result was better than they had hoped for.
"Will we be able to retrieve our belongings?" Edward asked, surprising everyone, since no one had noticed that he was awake.
Robin knew neither of them would like his answer. "I doubt it," he said, as kindly as possible. "They will be expecting that."
Frowning, Marian argued, "If you manage to sneak in and out of the castle as much as you do, surely a house should not be such a challenge. It's not as though we want to pack up all the furniture; just some clothes, and a few small possessions."
"We would be walking into a trap, and not even a clever one," he informed her, in his opinion an unnecessary thing to point out. "It's too dangerous."
"Robin," she ground out irritably. Then, she took a step closer, leaning her head in so they could have a brief exchange in confidence. When he did the same, she quietly said, "My mother's jewelry box."
As he met her gaze, his stomach sank; he knew he could not say no. Years ago, she had told him about it, how it held not only trinkets, but also letters Kate had written Edward, and a few other sentimental pieces. Edward treasured it as the only thing he had left of his wife; Marian treasured it as the only connection she had with a mother she did not remember. With a quick look at her father, Robin finally gave her a single nod. "Very well. I'll see what I can do."
Next Chapter
Author: railise
Summary: Conversations are had.
Characters/Pairings: The Outlaws; Robin/Marian
Rating: PG
Spoilers/Warnings: Starts the morning after 1x13 ends; AU from there. Serious connecting and commisserating within this chapter.
Disclaimer: Not my world, just my playground; please don't take my lunch money, because I don't have any, and I sure didn't get any from this.
Notes: I've debated with people whether Djaq and Marian might have become friends, and have wavered on the issue, myself. To be honest, exploring that was a large part of the reason I wrote that section of this chapter-- I wasn't even sure which way it'd go when I started it, but I think I've finally reached a personal conclusion, at any rate. ;)
Artwork by shinysparks
Previous Chapter
~3~
Robin and John had gone out to see about arranging a ride for the pair bound for Cornwall, and Marian found the atmosphere in the cave odd without the outlaws' leader. Her father was not speaking with her. She had once considered Much a friend of sorts, although that had been many years ago. As for the others, she was familiar with them now, but not well; and she was not confident about how welcome she truly was.
Spotting a bit of light at the back of the cave, she walked toward it, and realized that there was a second "room." It had an overhead opening, which was letting in some of the weak sunlight, and she stepped through the slit in the rock wall to take a better look. As she was about halfway across the area, thinking to herself that it was just like the area she had just left, she heard someone enter behind her.
Turning, she saw Djaq standing there. Holding out a hand, the Saracen woman said, "I am sorry; I hope I did not startle you."
"No, it's fine," Marian replied. Stepping around a shallow pool that had formed beneath the hole in the roof, she glanced back. "Was there something you wanted?" She was not being rude; she was legitimately curious. When Djaq had apologized to her for underestimating her bravery after operating on her, Marian wondered if they might have something in common. Before, she would have doubted it; their lives seemed too different to allow for much mutual ground. Perhaps she had been mistaken; she hoped that she had.
Stepping further into the room, Djaq approached her. "I think it is wise, that you are leaving."
That was not precisely what Marian had expected. "Oh?"
"Really, I am surprised you did not go years ago."
Marian shook her head at that, brushing the words away. "My father would not leave. Besides, we could accomplish more by staying."
"And, any word from Robin would have been delayed in reaching you."
Startled, Marian stared at her. She had never admitted that to anyone, and never would. "That is true," she stiffly acknowledged.
Djaq shrugged. "That is not what I wished to speak with you about, though."
Warily, Marian asked, "What was your intended topic?"
"It is quite personal," the smaller woman warned. "That is why I thought it might be best coming from me, although I am not the only one wondering."
Marian sincerely did not wish to discuss anything more personal than what had already been broached, but her curiosity was also growing. "Very well."
Satisfied that she meant it, Djaq said, "Your wound. How did you intend to explain it to Gisborne, had you gone through with the marriage?"
That was personal, and Marian could feel a flush staining her cheeks, despite herself. "I beg your pardon?"
That might have deterred most people, but not Djaq. "He is a fool, but he is not stupid."
Marian studied her for a moment, and finally reached a decision. "Neither am I."
"I did not think you were," Djaq said, taken aback.
Shaking her head, Marian said, "That is not what I meant."
Realization suddenly dawned. "You were not intending that he should ever see it."
"I thought my father would be speaking with the king. Guy was so closely associated with the sheriff, that even without Robin's claims of treason, he would surely be severely punished. And, when Robin did present his story, he would face more dire consequences."
"Why did you not tell anyone of this?" Djaq asked. "You made Robin believe you gave up on him."
Marian glanced down. "I had my reasons." Looking back to the other woman, she explained, "There was always the possibility that something could go wrong-- as it would have done, without Much's intervention. I did not want to give false hope to Robin, or to myself; saying things aloud always makes them seem more real." Djaq nodded in agreement, and Marian continued, "And also, I wanted to try to convince the king to spare Guy's life. I would have sought an annulment, which I'm certain would be granted, but I did not wish to see him hanged.
"You can see why I would not wish to admit that to Robin, as he would not understand." Nor would she admit to anyone that there had been just a touch of selfish vindication behind her actions, as well. Six years earlier, Robin had ended their betrothal in order to follow this king's father to the Holy Land. His search for glory had destroyed her younger self, plunging her into a sadness so consuming that she had become physically ill. While she would not wish that upon him, she could not feel entirely badly about allowing him to taste what it was like to be jilted, even though they were not at any real understanding this time around. But, that was too dark a glimpse into her mind to share with anyone. "Nor do I need to tell him of that; it's enough that I wished to protect us both from potential disappointment."
"I do not understand, either, but I suppose you have your reasons. And, he will likely figure it out on his own."
"Perhaps." He always was far too insightful.
Djaq suddenly smiled at her. "You are much more interesting than I once thought."
That sounded like a backhanded compliment, but Marian suspected there was no insult intended. Smiling back, she replied, "You are much more normal than I once thought."
With a short laugh, Djaq turned and began to walk back toward the main area of the cave. When she was about halfway there, she paused and turned back. "I hope that we have an opportunity to speak more someday."
"Me, too."
* * *
A wagon was easier to secure than Robin had anticipated, for so long a journey. While he had expected to arrange a conveyance for a portion of the way and hope for the best for the rest of the trip, he and John managed to find a merchant who was traveling nearly the entire way to Truro.
Robin could not help but feel that Providence was being just a bit too kind.
As they began the walk back to the cave, so used to being out in drizzle by now that they barely noticed it, John glanced over at him. "Sorry."
Nodding tersely, Robin continued to watch the path ahead.
They walked along in silence for a few minutes more, Robin's irritation growing by the second. He was not losing her permanently; and of all people, he had no right to complain about the distance that would be between them, after how far he had traveled. But, the timing could have been better. They finally had a chance to be together again, and she was leaving as soon as it began.
Oh, what was he thinking; there could not be a better time. There could never be a good time for it.
Just as Robin was beginning to curse whatever stroke of fate was behind the situation, John noted, "It does get better."
Tempted to come to a stop, Robin knew it was better to keep going; the movement gave them something to consider other than what they were discussing. Not that he could think of much to say to that; he was upset over Marian leaving for a time, but John had watched Alice ride away permanently-- with another man, and with their son. Finally, Robin replied, "I hope you're right." The statement was actually meant more for his companion than himself, and John seemed to understand that.
"I hope so, too," the big man said quietly.
The two were silent the rest of the way back, but at least with that common understanding, it was no longer a tense silence.
The same could not be said when they returned to the current camp, in the cave. Upon arriving, John shed his long coat and Robin his hooded shirt, leaving the clothes to dry by the fire as they joined the others. Edward was laying on the makeshift pallet that had been arranged for him, apparently asleep. Allan and Will were sitting somewhat near one another, although they were not conversing; Will was sharpening one of his axes while Allan watched, his sword laying nearby, apparently having been cleaned. Djaq was whittling arrow shafts, and Marian was helping Much sort things that had been hastily shoved into packs at the last camp. Still, despite the seeming normalcy of the scene, the atmosphere was not an easy one.
Noticing their arrival, Marian got to her feet and came over. "Any luck?"
Still fighting his aversion to the entire situation, Robin replied, "More than we expected. You leave at dawn, and the merchant who's taking you-- he's called Brian-- is traveling almost the entire distance. So, you will only need to find a short ride to Sir Godfrey's manor when Brian reaches his destination."
She appeared stunned at that, before giving him a grateful smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "That's wonderful news, thank you."
His own eyes dropped as he nodded, unable to maintain contact with hers. He could not be happy about this, even if the result was better than they had hoped for.
"Will we be able to retrieve our belongings?" Edward asked, surprising everyone, since no one had noticed that he was awake.
Robin knew neither of them would like his answer. "I doubt it," he said, as kindly as possible. "They will be expecting that."
Frowning, Marian argued, "If you manage to sneak in and out of the castle as much as you do, surely a house should not be such a challenge. It's not as though we want to pack up all the furniture; just some clothes, and a few small possessions."
"We would be walking into a trap, and not even a clever one," he informed her, in his opinion an unnecessary thing to point out. "It's too dangerous."
"Robin," she ground out irritably. Then, she took a step closer, leaning her head in so they could have a brief exchange in confidence. When he did the same, she quietly said, "My mother's jewelry box."
As he met her gaze, his stomach sank; he knew he could not say no. Years ago, she had told him about it, how it held not only trinkets, but also letters Kate had written Edward, and a few other sentimental pieces. Edward treasured it as the only thing he had left of his wife; Marian treasured it as the only connection she had with a mother she did not remember. With a quick look at her father, Robin finally gave her a single nod. "Very well. I'll see what I can do."
Next Chapter