The Forgotten Keepsake

Chapter 8

VIII

It was on the third day in the forest that Marian realised she wanted to go home. She knew that this was a dangerous move; the Sheriff and Guy would be able to find her at Knighton and after the stunt she had pulled at the wedding, there would be hell to pay. What worried her more however was her father, he could not come to the forest; his health would not permit it, he had remained at the house all alone and what if the Sheriff decided to pay him a visit? Or drag him off to the Castle dungeons? She would never be able to forgive herself if something happened to him whilst she was in Sherwood playing outlaws with Robin.

In those first few hours, it had seemed so exhilarating; to be free of Guy, to be able to think of a future that didn't involve being his wife, to be with Robin and her friends. But it had not taken long for clouds to form on the horizon.

The thought of what Guy might do alarmed her. He would not let her get away with jilting him - this much she knew. At some point, he would retaliate and although Robin had vowed to protect her, this did not make her feel better.

Guy was the most intense person she had ever met.

He was fire and ice - bewildering her, frustrating her, repulsing her but also (and she was loathe to admit it) fascinating her. He could be so cold, so closed off, so distant and unreadable, his whole body oozing disinterest or distaste one minute, and then positively radiating heat and desire for her the next; looking at her in a way that could not be mistaken for anything other than pure longing, eyes burning into her, voice vibrating through her, touch as soft upon her as only a lover's could be.

It was this intensity; in all that he did and all that he was, that frightened her.

How did you get like this?

She thought of him standing alone outside the church before their wedding waiting for her, he had never been to a wedding before and no one had told him what to do or where to be – there had been no family or friends, not even a best man...

"I hope this pleases you Marian... I hope I please you..."

How can it be that you have never been to a wedding before?

How can you not have anybody to stand up with you on your wedding day?

What must your life be like if you have nobody there for you on this most important of days? Not even that monster you work for...

"I have been dreaming of this day..."

And what would you or could you have been like, had you never met that monster?

Marian sighed and packed the last of her things. Robin wouldn't like it but it had to be done. There was no point wasting time on wondering about what would have or could have been - the Sheriff and Guy were coming and she couldn't do anything about it other than stand by her father and hope that it wouldn't be so bad.