Some Innocent Fun At The Fair

[marian]

“Robin...” Marian had begun one sunny Friday morning as the two of them were walking back to camp after completing a drop off, her voice high and seemingly innocent as she had a question to ask, she had grabbed his hands and stood looking up into his eyes, hoping he could see how important her request was to her. She didn’t want him to turn over protective on her this time, because really she wasn’t asking for much, so she gave him a reassuring smile before continuing; “I recently heard word of a new noble taking over Knighton.” She tried to say the words as casually as she could, hoping to mask the immense feeling of loss that had been haunting her ever since she had overheard the two peasant girls gossiping a day earlier. She did not regret her decision to join the gang for one second, but loosing Knighton officially was one of the hardest things she had to bring herself to realise. She knew it would not stay un-ruled for long, but she feared for the safety of her people, for surely they were to suffer most, what with being so closely connected to Marian and she wanted to see what the Sheriff had let loose on the people she cared so much about.

“Mannering, his name is, and I need to know those villagers are in no immediate danger from him, and then of course, if I have safely received some reassurance, perhaps we can have a little innocent fun at the fair...?” Marian’s eyes glistened just as they had the last time her and Robin had attended a fair, quite a few years ago now, but she remembered it as if it were yesterday, and she had not had some good old fashioned fun with her best friend in a long time. “It just so happens Mannering is giving a welcoming speech, and it’s a masquerade party, so the chances of us being spotted will be extremely low.” She waited. Willing Robin to give her that excited look, that cheeky smile, and to realise that while Marian did genuinely have great concern for her peasants, that she also just wanted to spend some time with him, away from the forest like they used to when they were children, before the war, before the Sheriff, and before the fear.

[robin]

Robin was in his own thoughts before he heard a soft voice saying his name. Turning his head he caught eyes with Marian"What is it?" he said looking at her with confused look. “I recently heard word of a new noble taking over Knighton""I...uhh already know" he said scratching the back of his head a little. "There has been news of it through the shires" though it wouldn't very hard for him to hear it of something like that. He had more eyes and ears in all of Nottinghamshire.

“It just so happens Mannering is giving a welcoming speech, and it’s a masquerade party, so the chances of us being spotted will be extremely low.” "Well, I think we should attend" he said with his cheeky smile forming. "I'm sure the others would want to come also. Will is doing much better thanks to Djaq" Robin was very thankful for that. Having the younger carpenter not up and about to to help the gang with deliveries and what have you felt wrong. Plus last time he had checked Will didn't like being fussed over so it would probably be a good thing for him to be able to finally do something without having to be watched.

[marian]

Marian gave him a grateful kiss, lately she had thought that these kisses had been contained for too long, and so as their lips met she tried to make it as meaningful as possible. There he was. Her Robin back again, that cheeky smile, no serious expressions. She had found while living in the forest that there had been a shortage of merryment, largley because of Will predicament, but he had certainly been looking more and more cheerful, the colour returning to face as each day passed.

"I expect they will enjoy the fair, Will especially, it will be nice for him to get out of the camp."
Marian couldn't surpress a feeling of excitement as they walked hand in hand back to camp, she tried not to let the prospect of this new noble ruin how she was feeling. As soon as the King comes home... she told herself Knighton will be mine again. And so it was this thought that kept her smiling all the way back to camp... that, and being in Robin's company of course.

[Much]

Much had been wondering up the path behind them. Kate had told Allan, who had heard it from the washer women, who had an excellent source of the unknown variety - that Mannering was taking over at Knighton. In his dubious take over, he saw fit to hold a Silver Arrow Contest. And no matter how much Marian wanted to go, Munch could tell that Robin was itching to go and show up the Sheriff like he had last time.

He knew they would end up going, Masquerade Ball? That was just begging for Robin to come. It was going to be laden with guards and villagers, and the Sheriff would be there, Gisborne in tow, ready for the snatch of seven outlaws. It wouldn’t take much to spot them, unless they had seriously good mingling skills. Which much to Much’s surprise, they seemed to have even in the most ridiculous costumes.

Marian was currently begging Robin to take them all to it. Not that she would really go by what it was he said anyway. IF she saw fit to go she would. It was her village after all. Robin however had agreed, which didn’t surprise Much. Any chance to show off, and he’d be there.

Much caught up with them, humming a simple tune to himself, ”So we’re going to this ball then?” he asked. Dancing? He did not do. Archery? He did not win. Food? He would eat. Yes. Much was for once rather happy to be going on a certain death ‘mission’.

[robin]

"I expect they will enjoy the fair, Will especially, it will be nice for him to get out of the camp.""I'm sure Will would enjoy being any where besides camp" Robin said with a tiny smile before enclosing his hand around Marian's hand. "Marian you will have Knighton" he said looking at her. "When King Richard returns I will get Locksley its only fair that you'll get Knighton back also" Robin paused for second before turning his head.

"And Lord Much will have his Bonchurch like he was promised" the outlaw leader said with a smirk as he looked at his boyfriend.”So we’re going to this ball then?”" "Yes I think we are in need of it, when was the last time we actually had fun?" the outlaw said with a raised brows.

(ooc: my posts are getting shorter NOT GOOD)

[marian]

Marian gave a hopeful smile as Robin gave his words of comfort. She appriciated them dearly and was now looking forward to spending some quality time with her friends.

"You'll enjoy the ball, Much!" She turned looking over her shoulder, "Food! Wine! Dancing! Oh Robin it seems like it's been a lifetime since I last danced!" She was hoping he would pick up on the hint, biting her bottom lip in nostalgia as she tried to remember the steps to all the dances she had been taught as a child. She gloried in the flow of the dresses, the bowing of the men and the smiles and laughter that came with it.
Yes She thought Tomorrow is going to be a good day

[Much]

Much laughed at the memory. Marian had wanted to dance, Robin however had point blank refused to dance with anybody. It was oddly a fond memory. They fought about it and at the end of the day Robin danced with her to make her happy. That’s all he ever seemed to do things for. To Make Marian happy. He’d only agreed to returning home due to the fact he could see her again. It hadn’t made her happy to start with though, that had gotten to Robin. But he’d soon gotten over it when he saw hints of their past coming through. He knew that she loved him.

Much grinned. The Contest would be an excuse to drink ale, and eat as much food as humanly, or Much-ly possible before having to return to the forest. He had a bigger appetite than most so he was certain to be at the food table all night. Much like Robin, didn’t dance. He rang, and he ate, and he shot arrows, but he didn’t dance.

”If you get him to dance, my lady, I shall eat my hat!” Much jested, smiling at Robin, and walking off slightly in front of them at a fast march. Yes. Much would enjoy himself at the fair. Whether his master did or not. He was after all a free man.