"To the Victor go the Spoils"
Title: “To the Victor go the Spoils”
Author: ladyarcherfan3
Word Count: 1,523
Rating: PG
Characters: Robin, Marian, Much (and their horses ;D)
Genre: pre-series, general, with a touch of fluff
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: I do not own or claim Robin Hood, just my imagination.
A/N: I know the phrase “to the victor belong the spoils” was coined long after Robin Hood is set, but just roll with it. ;) Thanks to auroracat65
Intercomm entry: yes
Summary: Robin and Marian had always been competitive, and this time Marian wins an interesting prize. Set a few years before Robin goes to the Holy Land.
Through a gap in the trees, Robin spotted Marian trotting a dapple grey stallion along the road. While she appeared at ease with the horse itself, she was keeping a close eye on her surrounding, as if looking for possible trouble. Robin smirked, and poked Much’s shoulder to get his attention.
“Come on, let’s say hello to Marian.” With those words and a dangerous smile, Robin kicked his own horse into a canter and burst from the trees directly in front of Marian. Much followed more sedately with a long suffering sigh.
The grey stallion snorted and gave a half rear in surprise as the chestnut colored blur solidified into a horse and rider. Marian grabbed for a handful of mane to steady herself, even while she soothed the horse. She gave Robin such an icy glare that should have caused him to worry for his safety, but he didn’t care; he had other things on his mind.
Robin returned Marian’s glare with a taunting smile of his own as his own horse danced and chomped at the bit, displaying the nerves that Robin kept hidden. “Does your father know you’re out here on his horse?” he asked lightly, “and in his old trousers?” he added after noting her apparel.
“I’m more than capable of handling Owl, and they’re not my father’s old trousers,” Marian replied evasively.
“The stable master’s, then? Anyway,” he continued, looking up at the sky as Marian opened her mouth to retort, “it’s a lovely day for a race, and Owl does look like he’s spoiling for one. What do you say?”
Marian frowned for a moment, but finally nodded. “All right. But only if Much judges - I won’t have you attempting to cheat at the finish line.”
They both glanced at Much questioningly; Robin raised his eyebrows meaningfully and mouthed something that could have been “Agree!”
The manservant simply nodded, uncharacteristically mute.
Robin grinned, relieved. “Good.”
In a few minutes, they were poised to start. There was an old trail that left the road and then rejoined it again after making a rough half circle; Robin and Marian had often raced on the mile long course, the start and finish marked by a large bolder. As they stood at the start, Robin’s leggy chestnut stallion danced sideways and fought the bit. Robin gritted his teeth in frustration and gave the reins a sharp jerk; the horse tossed his head but stilled after a moment.
“Easy, Neptune, relax,” he muttered to the horse, giving him an apologetic pat.
Marian raised her eyebrows as she looked over at her competition. “It looks like Neptune is more eager for the race than Owl,” she observed. Her horse pranced a little, his body coiled for an explosive start; one ear was tipped back at Marian, the other towards the path.
“He’s just eager to get the title of winner back,” Robin said. The last time they had raced, Marian had won, as she normally did, and it irked Robin that she should beat him so often.
“Don’t count on it,” Marian muttered.
“Master, when do you want me to call the start?” Much called from his position on the side of the road.
“Any time now, Much!”
Much nodded and lifted his hand into the air. “On your marks!” Marian leaned forward, whispering into Owl’s ear and Robin gathered in another inch of rein to keep Neptune from breaking away. “Get set - Go!”
Much’s hand fell with his shout, and the horses sprang into a gallop. Marian and Owl leapt away smoothly, the big grey’s strides eating up the ground. Neptune reared against Robin’s hold on the reins and made an undignified leap to catch up with Owl. Within moments, the racers had disappeared from Much’s sight and into the forest.
“He’s up to something, and that’s a fact,” Much told his horse. “He just didn’t tell me what. Well, I know how long it takes to ride that loop, so they better not get up to anything . . . you know . . .” His brown gelding ignored him and snatched at a clump of leaves. “No, you probably don’t know.” Much sighed and turned to keep an eye on the road.
As they galloped into the trees, Robin let Neptune have his head and they galloped past Marian and Owl. Neptune was always faster at the start, but Owl had more staying power - that, along with Marian’s lighter weight was a large factor in her many victories. Robin knew this, but urged Neptune just a bit faster; he had no plans to win this particular race.
After about a quarter mile, Robin slowly eased Neptune into a more controlled gallop. Marian drew alongside, and Robin grinned at her. She grinned back, lips parting in a competitive smirk, but laughed and called encouragement to her horse.
It took something to keep looking to one side while galloping on a narrow path, but Robin managed it without realizing it. The wind of her speed had teased Marian’s hair out of the braid it had been in and it streamed behind her in tangled waves. Her cheeks were flushed light pink, and her eyes glittered with excitement. Robin was certain she hadn’t been nearly as beautiful the last time they had raced, only a few weeks earlier.
“Robin! Watch the road!”
With a blink, Robin snapped his head forward and spotted the tree that had toppled across the path. Marian and Owl had pulled ahead and neatly cleared the fallen trunk; Robin, however, because of his earlier distraction, was charging straight for a tangle of branches, which made for a leap that was several feet higher and wider than Marian’s had been. With a muttered curse, he quickly stood slightly in his stirrups, grabbed fistfuls of mane, and let Neptune go. The chestnut sprang into the air easily, but stumbled as he landed, hooves catching on fallen branches. Robin’s death grip on Neptune’s mane just saved him from a fall. He sat up and pulled Neptune back into control.
Marian had slowed down to look back at Robin and Neptune, but urged Owl on again when she saw they had cleared the jump and were still moving. The two horses drew even and stayed that way as they neared the junction with the main road. Marian’s smile had faded to a frown of concentration, and as they cleared the edge of the trees, she slowed Owl slightly; sitting deep in the saddle, she pulled the left rein and pressed her right leg into Owl’s flank. The stallion rocked his weight back onto his haunches, pivoted a half circle and executed a sharp turn onto the road before galloping off on the inside of the curve.
Robin grinned even as he swung Neptune in a larger arc and attempted to make up ground. Marian had been practicing.
The race was decided from that moment. Neptune had spent his speed early on, and Owl easily kept the lead. Much whooped as Marian galloped by the bolder first, her face light with exultation. Robin was only a few strides behind, but had slowed to a canter by the time he crossed the finish line.
“Robin, what were you doing out there?” Marian demanded. “You’ve never been as controlled a rider as me, but you looked like your head was a hundred miles away. You very well could have killed yourself or your horse.”
“But I didn’t, did I?” he retorted. “And you beat me again. So I think you deserve a prize, my lady.”
“Unsurprisingly, especially considering how you were riding.” She stopped and tilted her head quizzically; there never had been any rewards beyond bragging rights. “What are you talking about?”
Robin maneuvered Neptune to stand next to Owl. “Well, there is a condition. You have to answer a question first.”
“What question?” Marian demanded warily.
Robin reached over and gently grasped Marian’s left wrist and pressed something into her palm, keeping it covered with his own hand for a moment. Looking up at her, he pulled his had away to reveal a silver band set with a small emerald. “Will you marry me?”
Marian gaped, rendered speechless for a moment. Robin experienced a sudden terror that she would refuse. Though they had technically been engaged since their childhood, Edward and Robin had recently agreed that Marian would be allowed the choice to say yes or no. While Robin had been confidant until that moment, Edward hadn’t been so sure.
A few more moments passed, and Robin asked in a strangled voice, “Well, do I get an answer?”
With a few rapid blinks, Marian looked up from the ring and at Robin. Then she slipped the ring on her finger and leaned forward to kiss Robin so suddenly he was taken by surprise. Their lips met briefly, but their horses started at the sudden movement and Robin and Marian had to break apart to avoid toppling to the ground.
“How does that saying go?” Marian asked breathlessly. “To the victor go the spoils?”
"Yeah, something like that,” Robin agreed, as he leaned over for another kiss.
Fin.