Denial, chapter 62: Till Death Do Us Part
Title: Denial, Chapter 62: Till Death Do Us Part
Author: teamlavender
Characters/Pairings: Will, Robin/Marian, Legrand, Little John, Vaizey, Allan
Mentions: Djaq
Rating:PG-13
Genre: drama, angst
Words: 1983
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own; we just want to play in their universe
Notes: This continues the 'Round-Robin' fic 'Denial'. Beta'd by teamlavender . Takes place during 2x13.
Summary: Allan helps the Sheriff deliver Marian to the desert. The gang hang in the desert and wait for death.
Previous chapter summaries & info about writing for Denial are here...
>>>--------------->>
Till Death Do Us Part
by teamlavender
"How long?" Will asked.
"In this heat? Without water?" Robin shook his head.
"I'm sorry, my love," Will said softly, hanging his head.
"Will?" John called, concerned.
"Heat...getting to...him...already," Legrand said, his mouth so dry he had to force the words out.
Will blinked against the sunlight, his face furrowed in a frown. "If Djaq had stayed with Bassam, she'd..."
"You know she'd never leave you, Will," Robin said. "She wanted to go with us to the king's camp."
John nodded. He hated to think that Will might blame himself for Djaq's imprisonment. "If we can just get through 'til nightfall then--"
"Then what?" Will asked.
"Then it'll be cooler."
"Cooler?" Legrand choked. "It'll be freezing."
"I know," John replied. "But it won't be hot."
"In this heat, John," Robin said. "We don't have until nightfall."
They half-stood, half-hung silently for a time, each contemplating their own regrets.
"Look," Will said, a bit of urgency in his voice. "On that rise? Do you see it?"
Robin looked in the direction of Will's gaze, but he shook his head. "I see nothing, my friend. It is the heat playing with our minds."
Will blinked several more times and then hung his head in disappointment. He'd been sure there was something.
"No, Will's right. I see something, too," John said.
Everyone's heads jerked up and looked toward the distant rise.
"Help!" cried Will. "Over here!"
"Will," Robin called. "Save your breath and energy. They cannot hear you from this distance. But it appears as though they're moving this way. Let's just keep an eye on them and if it seems they change direction, then we can all shout out as one."
As a group, they watched the dark spot grow larger as it grew closer.
"Hey, there's more than one someone. Look," exclaimed Will. His arm jerked against the rope as he tried to point.
The dark spots separated into two and then disappeared.
"They're...gone," said Will so softly that Robin barely heard him.
"They've dropped into a small valley," said Robin. "If we're lucky, they'll reappear shortly."
They waited for quite some time and then, all of a sudden, a trio appeared at the top of the dune.
Robin stared hard at the three riders. Marian! He shook his head against the thought. The heat was playing tricks on him, now. There was no way Marian would be--should be--out here in the vastness of the desert.
"It's Allan," called Will.
"And Marian," added John.
Robin's heart leaped and then plunged like a stone to the bottom of a pond. No!
"And the sheriff!" cried Will.
Robin dropped his head and clenched his eyes shut. Oh, God, please no...
Several minutes later, the mismatched threesome came to a halt.
The sheriff chuckled. "Well, well, well...I heard there was to be roasted outlaws for dinner so I brought dessert. Allan, get the leper tied up, would you? Hmmm, now...where to put her?" Vaizey asked. "I know - let's take a pole, shall we?" He laughed at his own joke.
Allan slid from his horse and tugged Marian from hers. He caught her weight with a soft oof. With a whispered "I'm sorry" in her ear, he set her on her feet.
The sheriff did a double take as he spotted Legrand. "You? Didn't I kill you once already? Hmm... I'd do it again but Richard seems to have spared me the trouble.
With apparent effort, Legrand coldly returned Vaizey's evil stare.
Allan eyed the big blond, wondering who the hell he was anyway, before pushing Marian toward Robin. It was the least he could do. Tie them up together. If he couldn't get back in time, then, least ways, the one thing he could do was... Allan swallowed...let them die together.
Will glared at Allan as he tied Marian's wrists. "So betraying us once wasn't enough for you, was it? Now you're sacrificing Marian to, let me guess, save your own skin?"
"Hey, I'm not the only one. What 'appened to your old friends Much and Carter? Workin' for King Richard, and that's who tied you lot up, innit?" Allan chided them. "Can't very well blame that on me, can you?"
"You're the one working for Vaizey, Allan," Robin snarled. "You're the one who made this whole thing possible."
Allan shuffled his feet uncomfortably but ignored the comment, there was no use in arguing now, but then the rest of the gang started heaping abuse on, too.
"Traitor!" John spat.
"Scum! Don't care about anyone but yourself, do you, Allan?" Will shouted.
With every added voice, Allan hunched further into himself, wondered if maybe this was how Guy had always felt. He looked up and Marian caught his gaze, held his eyes steadily. He felt his tension leech out and she nodded; no, at least someone respected what kind of constraints he was operating under. Fuelled by the calm in her eyes, he stood straighter, finished tying her and walked confidently back to Vaizey's side. He hoped he would get a chance to make them all see and understand eventually.
Vaizey strutted back and forth in front of the posts as he pontificated, "...so you see, law and order, and by that I mean force and self-interest, by which I mean me, of course, always wins in the end, no matter how selfless or heroic or hopelessly committed to their precious ideals the rebels, meaning you, may be. And that is for the simple reason that good is stupid, meaning you again, of course. Ah, yes, lovely thought, isn't it? And so...goodbye. I will leave you here on this auspiciously bright day to contemplate your foolish errors, chief of which was ever crossing me. Pleasant deaths!" Vaizey swept a flourishing bow to the outlaws before jumping up on his horse, and barking, "Allan! NOW!"
Allan swung up onto his own horse and pulled Marian's behind him. "Well, I'll know where to find ya if I want ya!" he taunted, but when Vaizey turned away, he winked broadly, sowing confusion among his former friends. Encouraged by their consternation, he winked again before turning to follow the sheriff.
The sheriff's evil cackle floated back to them as he and Allan disappeared into the hot blinding light of the desert sun.
"Who's that?" Marian asked, eyeing the blond man hanging across from her.
"That is Legrand," Robin replied. "Private guard to the king and Queen Eleanor and the newest member of the gang."
"Nice to meet you, Legrand. Thank you for helping Robin."
Legrand struggled to hold his head up, sent Marian a weak smile. "Milady," he rasped.
Drawing in a deep breath he continued, "What was all that with that...Allan...character? Did he just wink? Twice?"
Still scowling, Will snorted, "He probably had sand in his eye, betraying coward!"
"Will, you know that's not true," Marian scolded. "I'm sure he will come back for us if he can get away from Vaizey."
"Well, no one else is sure," Little John growled. "That little cheat will do anything to save his own skin."
"No! You don't understand! Allan is a good man! He has done...he has protected me! I was there last night when Vaizey...when..." Unable to continue, she lapsed into silence as the rest of the gang shot her questioning looks.
Now it was Robin's turn to snort, "A good man, I'm sure, just like Gisborne."
Marian spluttered and then became quiet at the mention of Guy. Legrand took the opportunity to rasp in pained amusement, "Much, Carter, and now this Allan? What is it with this gang and betrayal?"
The silence returned for a few moments before Marian firmly stated, "No, I am right about Allan. He has done some bad things out of necessity, but he still cares about all of you. None of you know what you're talking about, and if you think that Much would ever betray you...well, that just proves that you don't know what you're talking about."
Robin said, "I hope you are right, Marian." He drew in his breath to continue but was interrupted by a low moan as Legrand slumped in his bonds. The exchange seemed to have completely exhausted any life remaining in the big man.
Will looked from the collapsed figure to the sun high above, beating down on them. "We're going to die out here, aren't we?"
John eyed Legrand with concern, and with a heavy sigh, hung his own head. "I want to die in England--in Sherwood." He glanced back at Legrand and then back at the sand. "I want to die in the arms of...my wife...and with my son...John...by my side..."
Will choked on a low sob.
Everyone who could looked at him. Legrand twitched.
"Will, what is it?" asked Marian.
"I'll never see my child." Will's voice cracked though it was more from that thought rather than from the harsh sun beating down on them.
"Child? What are you talking about?" John exclaimed.
Marian smiled wistfully. "Djaq is carrying your child?"
"Do you think he'd hurt a pregnant woman?" Will asked.
Robin shuddered to think what James might do when he discovered Djaq was with child. Perhaps Robin had been wrong to assume that living--even as a whore to that bastard--would be a better fate than dying here on the desert sands.
"Why didn't you say?" John asked, his heart aching for Will and for himself, knowing he might never see his own son again.
"I'm sorry, Will. I wish I'd known," Robin said. "Maybe it would've made a difference."
"It does no good to think about what we might have done - all we have is here and now," Marian said, pressing her head gently against Robin's shoulder. "I think we should make the most of it especially if this is to be our final day on this earth."
"Marian--"
"So say the words then, handsome."
"What words...?" Robin asked, his voice rough, whether from the heat or his distress, she didn't know.
"I, Robin, take you, Marian..."
"Now?"
She heard the doubt and disbelief. Imagined an eye roll, even, and smiled.
She glanced at John, Legrand, and Will. "Of course, now. We have the best witnesses England has to offer."
Legrand grunted.
"What was that?" Marian asked.
Legrand struggled to lift his head, but couldn't quite manage it.
"He's from Aquitaine," John said, looking sad.
"Ah," Marian said. "England and Aquitaine, then."
Legrand grunted again.
Will, too, looked sad, but gave her a wan smile. "Robin, I'd give anything to spend my last minutes with Djaq--not that I wish this on her, but don't waste your chance."
Robin nodded and took a deep breath. "I, Robin, take you, Marian, to be my lawful wedded wife..."
Marian smiled and sighed, love filling her.
"To have and to hold... For richer, for poorer... for better or for worse..."
Marian looked at her witnesses and watched a tear slip down John's face, evaporating before it reached his beard.
When Robin failed to speak, she sensed his distress, and prompted, "In sickness..."
"I-in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish, till dea--" His voice caught. "--till death do us part."
She heard his quiet sniff and her heart broke for him. But she couldn't be sorry that they would finally be man and wife, even if only for hours. She swallowed back her own tears. "I, Marian, take you, Robin of Locksley...master of the bow, champion of the poor, and lord of my heart, to be my lawful wedded husband. I promise to love and to cherish you, for better or for worse, from this day forward, as long as we both shall live."
There was silence for several long moments until Will finally said, "Kiss your bride, Robin."
Marian smiled despite the tears that now filled her own eyes. She turned her head toward Robin as far as she could. "Robin...?"
He pulled in the opposite direction, but she could nothing more than accept his kiss on her temple.
Then they lapsed into silence again and waited for death.
>>>------------------------>>
Will Djaq escape from James' clutches? Chapter 63 is this way...
Author: teamlavender
Characters/Pairings: Will, Robin/Marian, Legrand, Little John, Vaizey, Allan
Mentions: Djaq
Rating:PG-13
Genre: drama, angst
Words: 1983
Disclaimer: BBC & TA own; we just want to play in their universe
Notes: This continues the 'Round-Robin' fic 'Denial'. Beta'd by teamlavender . Takes place during 2x13.
Summary: Allan helps the Sheriff deliver Marian to the desert. The gang hang in the desert and wait for death.
Previous chapter summaries & info about writing for Denial are here...
>>>--------------->>
Till Death Do Us Part
by teamlavender
"How long?" Will asked.
"In this heat? Without water?" Robin shook his head.
"I'm sorry, my love," Will said softly, hanging his head.
"Will?" John called, concerned.
"Heat...getting to...him...already," Legrand said, his mouth so dry he had to force the words out.
Will blinked against the sunlight, his face furrowed in a frown. "If Djaq had stayed with Bassam, she'd..."
"You know she'd never leave you, Will," Robin said. "She wanted to go with us to the king's camp."
John nodded. He hated to think that Will might blame himself for Djaq's imprisonment. "If we can just get through 'til nightfall then--"
"Then what?" Will asked.
"Then it'll be cooler."
"Cooler?" Legrand choked. "It'll be freezing."
"I know," John replied. "But it won't be hot."
"In this heat, John," Robin said. "We don't have until nightfall."
They half-stood, half-hung silently for a time, each contemplating their own regrets.
"Look," Will said, a bit of urgency in his voice. "On that rise? Do you see it?"
Robin looked in the direction of Will's gaze, but he shook his head. "I see nothing, my friend. It is the heat playing with our minds."
Will blinked several more times and then hung his head in disappointment. He'd been sure there was something.
"No, Will's right. I see something, too," John said.
Everyone's heads jerked up and looked toward the distant rise.
"Help!" cried Will. "Over here!"
"Will," Robin called. "Save your breath and energy. They cannot hear you from this distance. But it appears as though they're moving this way. Let's just keep an eye on them and if it seems they change direction, then we can all shout out as one."
As a group, they watched the dark spot grow larger as it grew closer.
"Hey, there's more than one someone. Look," exclaimed Will. His arm jerked against the rope as he tried to point.
The dark spots separated into two and then disappeared.
"They're...gone," said Will so softly that Robin barely heard him.
"They've dropped into a small valley," said Robin. "If we're lucky, they'll reappear shortly."
They waited for quite some time and then, all of a sudden, a trio appeared at the top of the dune.
Robin stared hard at the three riders. Marian! He shook his head against the thought. The heat was playing tricks on him, now. There was no way Marian would be--should be--out here in the vastness of the desert.
"It's Allan," called Will.
"And Marian," added John.
Robin's heart leaped and then plunged like a stone to the bottom of a pond. No!
"And the sheriff!" cried Will.
Robin dropped his head and clenched his eyes shut. Oh, God, please no...
Several minutes later, the mismatched threesome came to a halt.
The sheriff chuckled. "Well, well, well...I heard there was to be roasted outlaws for dinner so I brought dessert. Allan, get the leper tied up, would you? Hmmm, now...where to put her?" Vaizey asked. "I know - let's take a pole, shall we?" He laughed at his own joke.
Allan slid from his horse and tugged Marian from hers. He caught her weight with a soft oof. With a whispered "I'm sorry" in her ear, he set her on her feet.
The sheriff did a double take as he spotted Legrand. "You? Didn't I kill you once already? Hmm... I'd do it again but Richard seems to have spared me the trouble.
With apparent effort, Legrand coldly returned Vaizey's evil stare.
Allan eyed the big blond, wondering who the hell he was anyway, before pushing Marian toward Robin. It was the least he could do. Tie them up together. If he couldn't get back in time, then, least ways, the one thing he could do was... Allan swallowed...let them die together.
Will glared at Allan as he tied Marian's wrists. "So betraying us once wasn't enough for you, was it? Now you're sacrificing Marian to, let me guess, save your own skin?"
"Hey, I'm not the only one. What 'appened to your old friends Much and Carter? Workin' for King Richard, and that's who tied you lot up, innit?" Allan chided them. "Can't very well blame that on me, can you?"
"You're the one working for Vaizey, Allan," Robin snarled. "You're the one who made this whole thing possible."
Allan shuffled his feet uncomfortably but ignored the comment, there was no use in arguing now, but then the rest of the gang started heaping abuse on, too.
"Traitor!" John spat.
"Scum! Don't care about anyone but yourself, do you, Allan?" Will shouted.
With every added voice, Allan hunched further into himself, wondered if maybe this was how Guy had always felt. He looked up and Marian caught his gaze, held his eyes steadily. He felt his tension leech out and she nodded; no, at least someone respected what kind of constraints he was operating under. Fuelled by the calm in her eyes, he stood straighter, finished tying her and walked confidently back to Vaizey's side. He hoped he would get a chance to make them all see and understand eventually.
Vaizey strutted back and forth in front of the posts as he pontificated, "...so you see, law and order, and by that I mean force and self-interest, by which I mean me, of course, always wins in the end, no matter how selfless or heroic or hopelessly committed to their precious ideals the rebels, meaning you, may be. And that is for the simple reason that good is stupid, meaning you again, of course. Ah, yes, lovely thought, isn't it? And so...goodbye. I will leave you here on this auspiciously bright day to contemplate your foolish errors, chief of which was ever crossing me. Pleasant deaths!" Vaizey swept a flourishing bow to the outlaws before jumping up on his horse, and barking, "Allan! NOW!"
Allan swung up onto his own horse and pulled Marian's behind him. "Well, I'll know where to find ya if I want ya!" he taunted, but when Vaizey turned away, he winked broadly, sowing confusion among his former friends. Encouraged by their consternation, he winked again before turning to follow the sheriff.
The sheriff's evil cackle floated back to them as he and Allan disappeared into the hot blinding light of the desert sun.
"Who's that?" Marian asked, eyeing the blond man hanging across from her.
"That is Legrand," Robin replied. "Private guard to the king and Queen Eleanor and the newest member of the gang."
"Nice to meet you, Legrand. Thank you for helping Robin."
Legrand struggled to hold his head up, sent Marian a weak smile. "Milady," he rasped.
Drawing in a deep breath he continued, "What was all that with that...Allan...character? Did he just wink? Twice?"
Still scowling, Will snorted, "He probably had sand in his eye, betraying coward!"
"Will, you know that's not true," Marian scolded. "I'm sure he will come back for us if he can get away from Vaizey."
"Well, no one else is sure," Little John growled. "That little cheat will do anything to save his own skin."
"No! You don't understand! Allan is a good man! He has done...he has protected me! I was there last night when Vaizey...when..." Unable to continue, she lapsed into silence as the rest of the gang shot her questioning looks.
Now it was Robin's turn to snort, "A good man, I'm sure, just like Gisborne."
Marian spluttered and then became quiet at the mention of Guy. Legrand took the opportunity to rasp in pained amusement, "Much, Carter, and now this Allan? What is it with this gang and betrayal?"
The silence returned for a few moments before Marian firmly stated, "No, I am right about Allan. He has done some bad things out of necessity, but he still cares about all of you. None of you know what you're talking about, and if you think that Much would ever betray you...well, that just proves that you don't know what you're talking about."
Robin said, "I hope you are right, Marian." He drew in his breath to continue but was interrupted by a low moan as Legrand slumped in his bonds. The exchange seemed to have completely exhausted any life remaining in the big man.
Will looked from the collapsed figure to the sun high above, beating down on them. "We're going to die out here, aren't we?"
John eyed Legrand with concern, and with a heavy sigh, hung his own head. "I want to die in England--in Sherwood." He glanced back at Legrand and then back at the sand. "I want to die in the arms of...my wife...and with my son...John...by my side..."
Will choked on a low sob.
Everyone who could looked at him. Legrand twitched.
"Will, what is it?" asked Marian.
"I'll never see my child." Will's voice cracked though it was more from that thought rather than from the harsh sun beating down on them.
"Child? What are you talking about?" John exclaimed.
Marian smiled wistfully. "Djaq is carrying your child?"
"Do you think he'd hurt a pregnant woman?" Will asked.
Robin shuddered to think what James might do when he discovered Djaq was with child. Perhaps Robin had been wrong to assume that living--even as a whore to that bastard--would be a better fate than dying here on the desert sands.
"Why didn't you say?" John asked, his heart aching for Will and for himself, knowing he might never see his own son again.
"I'm sorry, Will. I wish I'd known," Robin said. "Maybe it would've made a difference."
"It does no good to think about what we might have done - all we have is here and now," Marian said, pressing her head gently against Robin's shoulder. "I think we should make the most of it especially if this is to be our final day on this earth."
"Marian--"
"So say the words then, handsome."
"What words...?" Robin asked, his voice rough, whether from the heat or his distress, she didn't know.
"I, Robin, take you, Marian..."
"Now?"
She heard the doubt and disbelief. Imagined an eye roll, even, and smiled.
She glanced at John, Legrand, and Will. "Of course, now. We have the best witnesses England has to offer."
Legrand grunted.
"What was that?" Marian asked.
Legrand struggled to lift his head, but couldn't quite manage it.
"He's from Aquitaine," John said, looking sad.
"Ah," Marian said. "England and Aquitaine, then."
Legrand grunted again.
Will, too, looked sad, but gave her a wan smile. "Robin, I'd give anything to spend my last minutes with Djaq--not that I wish this on her, but don't waste your chance."
Robin nodded and took a deep breath. "I, Robin, take you, Marian, to be my lawful wedded wife..."
Marian smiled and sighed, love filling her.
"To have and to hold... For richer, for poorer... for better or for worse..."
Marian looked at her witnesses and watched a tear slip down John's face, evaporating before it reached his beard.
When Robin failed to speak, she sensed his distress, and prompted, "In sickness..."
"I-in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish, till dea--" His voice caught. "--till death do us part."
She heard his quiet sniff and her heart broke for him. But she couldn't be sorry that they would finally be man and wife, even if only for hours. She swallowed back her own tears. "I, Marian, take you, Robin of Locksley...master of the bow, champion of the poor, and lord of my heart, to be my lawful wedded husband. I promise to love and to cherish you, for better or for worse, from this day forward, as long as we both shall live."
There was silence for several long moments until Will finally said, "Kiss your bride, Robin."
Marian smiled despite the tears that now filled her own eyes. She turned her head toward Robin as far as she could. "Robin...?"
He pulled in the opposite direction, but she could nothing more than accept his kiss on her temple.
Then they lapsed into silence again and waited for death.
>>>------------------------>>
Will Djaq escape from James' clutches? Chapter 63 is this way...