Dawn was just beginning to tinge the eastern sky with its soft pale light when Marian opened her eyes. Her outlaw husband slept soundly on the ground beside her, resting on his right side. She knew he would soon awaken, when the birdsong grew louder.

Marian sat up and brushed her hair back from her face, then combed her fingers through it. There were times she envied Djaq her shorn locks. Short hair would be so practical, living in the forest! But then she remembered the feel of Robin's fingers entwined through her hair when he'd kissed her last night, and she knew she could never cut it off.

Looking down, Marian smiled contentedly as she admired her husband's handsome face and form. She remembered calling him "beautiful" when she believed she was dying, and she'd meant it. He was beautiful, inside and out. So beautiful, it made her heart swell just looking at him. Beautiful, except of course for the hideous scar in his side.

With Robin asleep, Marian took time to look with pity and fascination at the wound Gisbourne had made. Sir Guy of Gisbourne had marked her with two ugly wounds of her own, but neither resembled the ghastly ragged flesh in Robin's side. His wound looked as if someone had hacked off bits of flesh, piece by piece, which was exactly what had happened. When his wound became infected, physicians had done just that, cutting off pieces of flesh as they began to rot. In spite of the warm morning, Marian shivered.

She knew that Gisbourne was still obsessed with her, even more so than before he learned she loved Robin. He'd vowed to find her, and make her pay for her "betrayal."

Beside her, Robin stirred, blinked open his eyes, then smiled lovingly up at her. "Good morning, Marian," he said, relishing her name on his lips. "My wife."

She didn't answer, but just settled back into his arms and nestled close. All worries of Gisbourne melted away.

"What plans have you made for today?" she asked, tracing her fingers over his cheek, down his scruffy throat, and back and forth lightly across his collar bone.

He moaned softly with pleasure, loving the feel of her touch. "More of the usual," he answered. "Steal more money to pay Richard's ransom, and get it into the hands of someone who can deliver it to Germany."

"I know that! I mean, specifically. Don't tell me that head of yours isn't bursting with plans."

Marian tousled his hair, and he responded by playfully grabbing her wrist and pinning it behind her. She struggled, thrilled with the game and the sensation of feeling his weight on top of her.

Her well placed knee kick gave Marian the upper hand, and she threw Robin off and and climbed on top of him.

"Nobody-can wrestle-like you, Marian," Robin panted, grinning with delight.

"Yes. Well, you need to remember that, the next time you-"

His finger in her spine made her collapse against him, and shortly, they were locked together, playfully rolling on the ground, kissing and mock fighting, but taking care not to hurt one another.

The sound of Much clearing his throat, just outside their private glade, made them freeze. "Are you up yet, Master?" the ever faithful servant called in to them. "It's time you were up! I've prepared a special breakfast!"

"In a minute, Much," Robin called back.

"Hurry!" Much warned. "You don't want it to get cold! I'll wait right here for you, Robin, alright?"

"Yes, Much," Robin replied, looking apologetically at his wife.

"Are you going to have a talk with him?" Marian quietly demanded.

"I have! He just misses me, is all."

"Tell him we're newlyweds, and would like to be alone."

"That's what I said. He thinks he is leaving us alone."

"He thinks he's your mother!"

Robin snickered as he finished getting dressed. "I'll tell him you said that."

"No, don't," Marian sighed. "Don't hurt his feelings." Marian shook out her hair and stepped into her boots. "We need to find him some nice girl, so he can pester her instead of you."

"Good luck. Much is as loyal to that woman he met at Bonchurch as he is to me. No one will replace her in his affections."

"That spy? How can he care for her?"

Robin kissed the tip of Marian's nose. "He and I have a thing for spies," he told her with a wink. "Now, let's go see what he cooked up for breakfast. I'm starving."