The Storyteller

In Which We Hear of What Followed

The frost had come early to Nottingham. Already the ground had gone white under the layers of snow and the trees with their bare branches were dripping with ice instead of leaves. There was a quiet peace everywhere as the land prepared for winter.

Marian had risen early and was already standing outside of Locksley Manor breathing in the cold morning air. Blue eyes stood out against an unruly mane of mahogany curls. After taking in another lungful she made her way back inside. “Father? Mother?” She called.

Upstairs Robin turned over lazily in bed. “Your daughter is awake.” He muttered to the woman beside him.

Clorinda reached over and hit him with the pillow she had been clutching in one hand, “I realize. Go and break her little legs, won't you, darling?”

“I would only you forget she is sixteen and not so little.” Robin chortled, rising from the bed.

“Mother? Father? Are you ready yet?” Marian called again.

“In a moment.” Robin called back, stifling a yawn with one hand.

“Did she rise with the godforsaken sun?” Clorinda asked, sitting up.

“At least we know where her madness came from.” Robin laughed as he proceeded to dress himself.

“You once told me you found it charming.” Clorinda retorted.

“I was young and foolish.” Robin said wickedly, giving his wife a quick kiss on the cheek.

She shoved him aside easily. “Age hasn't made you any wiser, Robin. We had better hurry, or Marian will shout the roof down on us.”

The reason for Marian's excitement was no mystery. She was going off to Nottingham Castle with her parents. The Castle was warmer during the winter months and she loved going, but this winter was special. She fidgeted as she rode alongside her parents. Roderick was coming back to Nottingham. She had not seen him since last summer when he had gone off with Sir Garrett to London. Now he was coming back, perhaps for good. Was he at the Castle already? Or would she be greeting him?

Nottingham Town felt sleepy under the snow. The usually busy and crowded streets where nearly empty. The cold was keeping everyone inside. Marian shivered under her heavy cloak. As much as she loved winter, she had no fondness for the freezing weather.

As the Castle Gates were open to them Marian had to fight to contain her nervous excitement. Her mother smiled at her antics, “You'll spook your horse with that behavior. Calm down. You'll see him soon.” She winked and Marian blushed to the roots of her hair.

They were greeted by a familiar face; however, not the one Marian had been hoping to see, but an equally loved one. Four year old Fae came walking down the Castle steps and even at her young age she was the very image of her mother. She smiled at Robin and his family, looking at them with very calm green eyes. Fae was incurably shy, much more so then her mother, Lynna, had ever been. And all who met her knew her to be a bit touched in the head. She could wander aimlessly for hours on end, only to be found sitting alone in a room claiming she had been following faeries. Sometimes she would stare silently at an object or a person before declaring something odd about it. She saw colors where there were no colors, heard songs when no one was singing, and said she had ridden dragons and played with imps when everyone else was sleeping. There was no doubt, Fae was touched.

Marian opened her arms to the little girl, waiting for her to come to her like a frightened lamb. “Hello, Fae, remember me?” she asked.

Fae nodded inching over towards her, putting her little arms about her for a moment before skittering away from her again. “Roderick has not come yet.” She said softly.