A Lonely Birthday

[Marian]

Marian did not want today to be her birthday - she was finding it hard enough to get through each day, without trying to be happy on a day she didn't even care about. Luckily, however, no-one in the castle seemed to know it was her birthday, which meant she did not have to pretend to be happy, to pretend to be enjoying herself.

She sat on her bed and a few tears began to roll down her cheeks. She didn't want to be reminded of how alone she really felt in the world. She turned as she heard a soft tapping on the window, a confused look upon her face.

[Robin Hood]

The soft tapping at the window was Robin, knocking to be let in. He had, of course, remembered it was her birthday, and come with a small handmade gift and birthday wishes from the whole gang. However, as she opened the wooden shutter and he hopped in, he noticed she was crying.

"Hey...hey what's the matter?" He asked, pulling her tight into a hug, and stroking her hair softly. "Why's the birthday girl crying?" He asked softly. He worried about Marian alot, and seeing her like this just made him even more anxious. "It's not Gisborne is it? he hasn't threatened you about anything? Or the Sheriff?" He questioned, worriedly.

He pulled the birthday gift he had made her from his pocket - a small wooden flute, with a small dagger secretly concealed inside. He'd stolen the idea from Will's instruments with concealed weapons, and thought it might be a useful thing for Marian to have. "I know it's not much, but I thought you might like it..." He knew that if someone like Gisborne knew it was her birthday, he would've spent a fortune on a present - and sometimes Robin felt bad because he couldn't do that.

Would he and Marian's lives have been better, if he'd not become an Outlaw? If he hadn't have felt the neccessity to do the right thing, and rebel against what the Sheriff was doing - he and Marian could have been married by now, and he could have provided for her. He had Locksley Manor - they could have been happy. But then Robin wouldn't have been the same man...

[Marian]

Opening the window, she couldn't help but allow a small smile to creep across her face as she realised it was Robin. As she buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around him, she wished she could stay there forever. In his arms, she truly felt safe - protected, loved.

"I just..." She murmered into his chest, "Everyone who's not here...my father..." She paused, for a moment letting go of her usually ubiquitous pride, "you not being here." She looked up into his eyes, and as she realised he'd remembered her birthday, she felt another smile on her face. "I'm being silly..." she shook her head, "They haven't done anything, don't worry." She pulled him tight again for a second, holding on to him for just a second too long.

She looked at it in confusion. A flute? She looked up at him, and he laughed, pulling out the small hidden dagger. She grinned, "Thank-you. I love it." For a moment, she was quite happy it was her birthday. Looking into his eyes, she stood on tiptoes until there lips met, and at that moment she was perfectly happy...

[Robin Hood]

He held her tight, and let her murmer all of her worries into his chest. he looked down into her eyes, and knew in that instant that she was missing him as much as he was missing her - the look in her eyes, the tight hug: perhaps she needed him more than she liked to admit, and he felt he was shirking his duty to look after her and protect her, by letting her live here, at the castle. There was no arguing with her though - she'd insisted this was what she wanted.

He laughed: "You do? I thought it might come in useful..." As their lips met, he felt a surge of electricity course through him, and he pulled her close, kissing her as though it was the last time he ever would, savouring every second.

"I miss you..." He whispered, as they pulled apart a few centimetres from each other.

[Marian]

The kiss wouldn't be their last, but it might be their last for a while - she never knew when they might get a stolen moment together, but it was those stolen moments that made this life she was living bearable.

She savoured the kiss, and when they finally pulled apart she was only a centimetre from him, their lips barely apart, her arms still wrapped around her neck. She felt tears coming once more, but held them back. "Me too." Was all she could reply, for fear that if she said anymore, the tears would flow and she might beg to return to camp - which she know would not help to save England. They stayed like that, holding each other and wishing it could last forever, for what seemed like a lifetime and just a few seconds in one: she wasn't sure how long it really was.

[Sir Guy]

Guy ran up the stairs in his new, clean black top and his shiny leather jacket and knocked on her door. the party had started but he wanted to surprise her. "Marian?!"

[Marian]

She looked worriedly at Robin: "Go...go!" She pushed him towards the window, where he climbed out, turning back to press his lips to hers once more for a second, before dissappearing into the night. Wiping a solitary tear away, she called out - "One moment - I'm just changing." She watched him run away for a second, and as he looked back, she smiled -before running to find a dress to wear.

Pulling a nice, relatively new dress on in a hurry - after she had told Guy she was coming to get ready over an hour ago - and di it up quickly before walking towards the door. "Come in..." She called, hoping you couldn't tell she had been crying.

[Sir Guy]

He pushed the door open and strolled in and leant against the door. "you look beautiful,"he said as he looked at her. He noticed her face was wet. "Have you been crying Marian?"

[Marian]

She smiled, "Why thank-you. Acceptable to accompany you to this ball then?" She asked, her mood definitley improved by seeing Robin - and realising she wasn't alone really, he was always there for her.

She shook her head, "No, Guy..." She answered, a quick lie. "Why? I got something in my eye earlier, perhaos my eyes are red..." She smiled softly, eager to remove his attention from whether she'd been crying. "Should we go down?" She asked.

[Sir Guy]

"Yes, of course," he put his hand on his shoulder and let her put her arm though. (if u know wot i mean)

Guy took her down the grand staircase, down to the main hall in which everyone turned around and started to clap. I smiled at her and continued to walk. It seemed like she thought he would forget her birthday. He would never forget it.

[Marian]

She linked arms with him, and the two mae their way down the grand staircase, where Marian expected to find the usual people attending the Sheriff's balls. When they began to applaud, she turned to face Guy, with a look of bewilderment and surprise on her face.

"What...?" She asked.

[Sir Guy]

He grinned at her, she had no clue what this was all about so he decided to tell her. "happy birthday Marian," he handed her a pendant. He smiled and looked into her twinkling eyes.

"and this time, accept it as a present on your birthday." People looked over at the table which was colourful. Presents of all sizes laid there, waiting to be opened.

[Marian]

She couldn't help but smile slightly. She was very surprised that Guy had remembered that it was her birthday - and organised this for her. Ok, so she didn't like or know many people here, but after the previous weeks scare, her and Guy were getting on alright. And this was quite a sweet gesture....

She didn't argue, but removed the pendant she was wearing - one he had previously given her - and allowed him to put on the new one. "I don't know what to say, Guy..." She smiled, "What have I done to deserve this?" She asked, as they made their way down into the main hall, and began to talk with well-wishers.

((Reply in Main Hall thread.))

[Sir Guy]

(k)