"I would rather die than be with you, Guy of Gisborne."

A cold blade seemed to be twisting in his heart, the steady beat quickening in denial. Ringing had filled his ears, and his mind was blank, unable to believe those cruel words that fell on him with such pain. He felt a sudden urge to slide the blade he gripped so tightly into his thundering heart, and end the agony.

She had to be lying. This had to be a trick, she was trying to stop him, distract him, from the task that was at hand.

A large part of him wanted to believe that there was another side to her words, but common sense told him that she spoke the truth. It was too late for them, and the blame fell heavy on his shoulders.

Your last chance.

He doubted his decision now, and couldn't help but wonder what things would be like if he had listened. Would she still have uttered those icy words? Or would she have thought better of him, and have kept her promise, and married him?

"Is it such a difficult choice, between death and being my wife?"

She had not denied it, and what he had been so oblivious to before now was as clear as anything.

It was Hood, It always was. Everything she said and did was to his favour, she had justified her actions, leading him to believe that he was wrong. But if he used his eyes and really looked, then perhaps he would have known how she felt. She despised him.

She laughed, her lips forming those hated words.

"I love Robin Hood."

Nothing could have lessened the blow just then, nothing could have dulled the pain, but he didn't falter, just spoke the only words he could muster.

'I know."

Their eyes met for a moment, and he saw a fleeting shocked look in her eyes. She expected something else of him, wanted something else.

He looked down, his knuckles were white from the grip he held his sword. Painfully, forced his hand to open, and saw the metal flash white in the sunlight as it fell.

Without looking at her, he turned and walked away, feeling her eyes on his back far after he had left her line of sight.