Page 77 of Robin and Marian
Not exactly.The children shouted up at Robin for money and he reached into his pockets. They came up empty. He treated them to a cheeky grin. Before he could fob them off with an excuse, Little John stomped over. He looked like he was going to scold Robin, but instead he growled out and picked Robin up in a bear hug. Marian jumped back as the giant swung him around. “This is going to work!” he shouted. “You did this. You!”
“Careful, careful!” Robin shouted out. “Careful. Save it for the ladies.”
John set him down and Robin fell back with a grin—he couldn’t hide his excitement with his usual air of indifference. Little John turned to the children and pulled out a few dollar bills. “I’ve got this.”
“Who are you paying off for Robin now?” Scarlett yelled over at them. She edged away from the root beer booth where she was helping and pulled off her apron from her flowered midi dress. “Are those kids your latest blackmailers?”
The sight of her sobered Little John, and he immediately turned, concerned. “How is your shoulder?”
Scarlett frowned and tried to brush it off. “Better than my brother’s wrist.”
Though she tried to look away, John’s eyes met hers, and they were probing, but he dropped the matter and circled to Robin, instead. “You doing the Maypole dancing?”
Robin smirked. “Well, we’re not exactly dressed like your dancers. Guess we didn’t get the memo.”
Little John barked out a laugh. “Are you kidding? We’ve got the Green Man and the May Queen right here! Look at you.”
Oh, he was right!Marian looked over at Robin just as his gaze went to his moss green t-shirt. After a dismayed perusal, his head popped up and he shook his head. “No, no, no!”
Scarlett let out a delighted laugh and covered her mouth quickly. Robin gave her a considering look. It had been so long since any of them had seen his sister in such good spirits. “Well, at least Scarlett finds you hilarious,” Robin said slowly. “We should keep you around more often, Little John.”
“Great!” His friend gave a decisive clap. “So, you’re in then.”
Robin jumped, startled. Of course, that set off Scarlett into another fit of giggles. John grinned broadly, obviously enjoying the fun at their expense.
Marian would’ve been fine with it if she wasn’t included in the teasing. “I’m not sure we’re the best choice.”
“Then you shouldn’t have dressed the part!” Then with a twinkle in Little John’s eye, he pulled one of the dancers aside and asked where they’d put the Green Man mask and the May Queen crown. Exclaiming that it was perfect, the group easily procured the costumes.
“Don’t fight me on this,” Little John said. “You were born for the role,Robin Hood.” He stuffed the mask into Robin’s hand.
Robin turned silent, his eyes watering slightly. The moment felt heavy with meaning, and Little John pressed his arm. “Okay, little buddy, catch you next time we’re not supposed to talk.” He left them so suddenly that Marian searched the crowd for the sheriff, but he wasn’t there.
“Well, that just happ…” Her words were cut off by one of the dancers who reached around her to arrange the May Day crown around her tiara of flowers. It was a monstrous headdress, though it didn’t tip when she moved her head, so somehow it would be secure enough for her to dance around the maypole.
She tested out that theory as soon as they filed into place to the beat of the drums and pipes. Scarlett happily escorted them to the float, fairly skipping in her enthusiasm to tease her brother. “Do me proud, May Queen and Green Man!”
Robin scowled at her as they clambered aboard the float, though Marian could tell he was also pleased that Little John had somehow gotten through Scarlett’s sad exterior. A lot of things there had. Besides the incident at the creek, the forest was good for his sister.
Marian and Robin were the last spectacle to be featured in the long parade. The dancers twirled around them, which threw Marian into uncontrollable giggles and Robin into embarrassed outbursts. They managed to hold it together as two horses pulled their float through the middle of the forest in full display for the crowds.
It was an amazing turnout and it was only growing. Parking started near the mouth of the forest near the sawmill, and a stream of people made their way to the festivities over a well-traveled pathway marked with twinkling lights that, even during the day, glittered under a dark canopy of pines and beeches. The forest made the Mayfair a truly magical experience. Tuck’s headline was perfect. They were making New England Olde again.
They reached the maypole and Marian and Robin were allowed to disembark. He held her hand and placed it on the ribbon meant for the May Queen before tugging on the one that he was supposed to take. After making multiple passes around the pole in the opposite direction, they would eventually end up together.
She’d never participated in the maypole before. Her parents had moved away before she’d been old enough to be a dancer, but it was easy enough to pick up. The drums signaled them to start and, feeling like she belonged to a Celtic tribe from hundreds of years ago, she moved to the beat, easily losing herself in the steps and music.
The dancers moved faster and faster. The ribbons above them braided into a weave of color until Robin finally returned to her. He pushed his Green Man mask off his face to rest on the top of his head and he caught her in his arms, reaching up to hold her crown in place while he pulled her in for a sweet kiss.
The ribbons flew around them. For all his efforts, the crown was slipping and with it, her tiara. She tugged it off one-handed, and then, in a fit of mischief, slid off Robin’s green mask and put her wreath of flowers over his curly hair. It was so adorable she could kiss him again… until the sound of the cheering crowds penetrated her ears. Her cheeks went hot after she realized this moment wasn’t theirs alone, though it seemed perfectly natural for the May Queen and the Green Man to get together, so she played it off with a laugh.
Robin grinned next to her. She could tell he was having the time of his life. She loved it here, too, and something inside her twisted when she realized that she never wanted to leave. She’d stay with Robin if he asked her. But it was too soon, too reckless. Had he rubbed off on her?
Waving like a crazed pageant queen, Marian spied Alan in the crowd. He stood next to Jana Prinz, and the two whispered together.Very close together.Her hand dropped to her side. “Robin?” She lifted her chin their way so that his attention riveted to them too.
His reaction was similar to hers. “What is that?” he asked in a hard voice.
She didn’t know, but the two seemed pretty chummy. Her heart caught in her throat and the joy of the moment drained from her. Still, she kept her game face and followed the rest of the dancers away from the maypole to get back on the float. Robin put his mask back on, his eyes never leaving his former best friend. Alan was deep in his discussion with Jana and hadn’t looked up once. Marian would have thought they were arguing, except Jana’s face said differently. She laughed and pressed her fingers into his arm, like she’d tried to do with Robin.
