All the Time in the World (English)

Chapter 35 - Back to the Future

It was almost dawn when Guy and Robin returned to the village, exhausted, sweaty and dirty with sand.
They crossed the threshold of the house with their hearts in their throats, fearing they wouldn't find anyone, but Marian was there, sitting on a straw mattress by the fire.
The girl stood up, joyously, and she ran towards the two men, hugging them both.
"It worked! Have you seen? It worked!"
The two men held her in their arms, moved, but while Robin's heart burst with joy at the thought of having back the love of his life, Guy's was filled with sadness.
He was glad that Marian was alive and relieved that he was no longer her murderer, but he knew it was a goodbye hug. A goodbye to Marian, but above all to Miriam.
Now that Marian was safe, Miriam would vanish from the future as if she had never existed.
God, please, let me remember her. At least that, leave me with the memory of Miriam.
Marian seemed to sense his mood, because she broke away from the embrace and she took a step back to look at him. She put her hand on his cheek, with a gentle gesture.
"To see you now, you don't look like the same person who tried to kill me yesterday."
"I'm not. Not anymore. Even if you aren't dead, I will never forget what I have done, I will never forgive myself."
Marian caressed his cheek.
"I forgive you. You could have fought to leave things as they were, but you gave me the chance to choose, and you gave up your happiness to save me. I'm proud of you Guy, I always thought you could become a better man and you did it. I'm sorry for what you lost."
Guy leaned to kiss her on the cheek.
"I loved you, Marian, and I love Miriam even more, I will miss her forever. Be happy and live a long life and I can console myself thinking that my sacrifice was not in vain. And above all, stop being reckless and endangering yourself."
Marian smiled.
"I'll try."
"The same goes for you, Hood. We didn't do all this just for you to get killed in some act of stupid heroism."
"Said the one who had almost been killed by the sheriff to save my life..." Robin replied, with a grin.
Marian let out a chuckle and the two men looked at her.
"What's up?"
"I'm not used to see you two getting along. It's really strange."
Robin sat by the fire and the other two imitated him.
"What will you do now? What's in the plan next?" Guy asked, looking at Marian.
"We'll have to hide, to stay here for a year. This is our sacrifice: a year of life for me and two for Robin."
"What do you mean with two for Robin?"
"The Robin who saw me die yesterday must continue to believe me dead, otherwise what has already happened in your past won't happen again. He and I - she pointed to Robin - we'll have to wait here for his past to happen. Only after the siege of the castle we can return to Nottingham and resume our lives."
Guy and Robin nodded.
"This makes sense. We will have to look for a place to live," Robin said, almost to himself.
Marian gave him a pleased smile.
"No need for that, I've already thought about it."
"How?"
"Djaq will stay here for a while. She told me that she wants to marry Will and she wants to introduce him to her people. Before she went back to reach the others we talked again and decided that we will stay with them during this year, then she and Will will decide whether to stay here or return to Nottingham with us."
"Robin, when you go back to Nottingham, tell Archer I'm glad I met him," Guy said.
"Who is Archer?" Marian asked, puzzled.
"Won't you stay with us?" Robin looked at him, saddened, already guessing his friend's answer.
"I have traveled through time three times, there must be other passages that can allow me to return to the future, and I intend to find them, even if I have to spend my whole life searching for them. As for Archer, he is our brother."
"Your brother? Of both of you?" Marian asked.
Guy smiled to Robin.
"You'll have a lot to tell her while you're waiting to go back to England."
"True. Can't you be persuaded to stay with us? Do you really want to go back to the twenty-first century, even if she won't be there anymore?"
Guy looked at the flames of the fire.
"When I met Miriam for the first time, I made a promise to Alicia: whatever could happen between me and Miriam, I wouldn't allow my feelings to destroy me. I promised Alicia that in any case, however things could go, I would try to build a full life, worthy of being lived, and I intend to keep my promise. In the twenty-first century I started to build my life and I want to continue doing it. Even without her."
"Well, I think we'll miss you, Gisborne, but I wish you to succeed. You deserve it, my brother."
Robin hugged him and Guy whispered something in his ear.
A moment later, Marian and Robin found themselves alone in the abandoned house.
The girl winced, scared.
"Where is he? He disappeared!"
Robin drew her to him and held her in his arms, while a smile spread across his face.
"No, he didn't disappear: he went home. His wish was granted."