By Jenneth Leed
Ever since a wolf devoured Marian’s grandmother, the Sheriff of Nottingham had set a permanent watch on his daughter, which made it rather difficult to sneak into the forest, but not impossible.
Marian huffed and pulled her red riding cloak tighter to ward off the morning chill. Her father hadn’t been particularly fond of Grandmother Nottingham—he’d grind his teeth every time she criticized the way he twisted his mustache at the ends. She thought it made him look devilish, like those “ruffian thieves” in the wood.
Father did not appreciate being compared to ruffian thieves.
But the tragedy of Grandmother’s death lit a fire under Father, and he feared that one day such a creature might come for her if she ever entered the wood alone.
“He’s right, you know. The forest can be a dangerous place.” Robin leaned casually on his longbow, a fox-like smirk playing on his lips. “I hear there are outlaws about.”
The legendary Hood wore a simple green jerkin, stockings torn from the thistles, and a quiver over his shoulder. It was the way he always appeared, unless he was donning one of those ridiculous disguises he so loved.
Marian dredged up a half-baked smile and pressed her fingers into the fallen log beneath her. “Father’s solution is to marry me off to some silly nobleman in the east, away from wolves and outlaws and adventure. Away from Sherwood.” She frowned to keep the sudden tears at bay. “Away from you.”
Robin twirled the longbow, one end digging a hole in the forest floor. “You can’t be rid of me that easily, Mari.”
“He’s already found a suitor.”
The longbow stopped mid-twirl, and Robin’s face tightened. Though his words remained light, a stiffness pervaded his voice. “A stuffy nobleman worthy of Marian Nottingham? I find that unlikely.”
Marian’s fingers twisted in her cloak until she feared that the wool would tear. “He claims the title of best huntsman in the country and boasts that his bow skills are akin to none.”
Robin sniffed. “Again, I find that unlikely.”
Marian rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Robin, he sounds as self-centered as you.”
Robin recoiled, glaring. “Highly unlike—” He cleared his throat. “Who is this nobleman anyway? I should like to know the name of the man who claims to best me in my greatest attributes.”
“We’ve not met him.” Marian’s shoulders slumped a little. “But my father’s written to him many times… a ‘Lord Goldfinch.’ What an utterly ridiculous name for a nobleman.”
Robin leaned his longbow against a tree and came to sit beside her. “I’m rather fond of it, actually.”
Marian gave him a shove, nearly causing him to topple into the brook behind them. “My wretched Hood, you are not helping!” She denied the smile tugging at her lips. “I don’t want to be a Lady Goldfinch. I want to be a Lady Hood.”
“Then Lady Hood you shall be,” he declared, righting himself. “I ought only to win the approval of the sheriff.”
Marian eyed him. “You would have to relinquish thievery.”
“Done.”
“And kill a wolf.”
“I slay wolves before breakfast.”
Marian groaned. “Robin, please…” He was always going on about impossible feats, pretending to be someone he was not… Just once she wished he’d—
Robin took her hands in his calloused grip, a glimmer of something sober and determined ghosting his usually merry eyes. “Marian, I swear to you, I will win your father’s favor. We will be together one day.”
She tightened her fingers around his, wishing for his words to be true, but unsure how it could be possible. “But Goldfinch… He’s already given a date for the wedding, and my father’s favor lies solely with him.”
“And you have no idea who he is?”
Marian shook her head.
Robin dropped her hands and stood, taking up his bow like he’d just accepted a quest. “Right, then. I’m looking for a huntsman with uncontested archery skills and an ego as large as a longbow. Considering I’m the only one who currently fits that description, this may prove difficult.” He winked at her before vanishing into the forest. “I give you my word, Mari. You shall never suffer such a dismal name as Goldfinch as long as I live.”
Robin Hood was an outlaw. A liar. A thief. But when Robin gave his word, Marian knew he would keep it on pain of death. She knew that somehow he would stop the wedding, and so she waited, plastering blithe smiles in view of her father, feigning excitement for the coming day.
Until her father brought home a broken longbow, mauled apart by a wild beast.
“I’m sorry, my dear,” he murmured, and Marian believed a very small part of him might have been telling the truth.
She cried herself to sleep as wolves howled from the forest.
Marian stood at the altar as the priest recited holy rites between her and… Lord Goldfinch. Marian repressed a shudder. The nobleman appeared even more absurd in person than she’d imagined: a twisted mustache that appeared to be deliberate mockery of her father’s, caterpillar eyebrows, and he even had the nerve to cloak himself in a thick wolfskin—a trophy from his recent hunt.
Robin would have snapped an arrow at the sight.
“Do you take this woman to be your wife?” asked the priest.
“I do.” Goldfinch gathered her hands in his oddly calloused grip, and she loathed how they reminded her of a certain foolhardy outlaw.
Wait… Marian squinted at the nobleman. Had she caught something fox-like in his eyes, just now?
He leaned forward, voice just a breath of a whisper. “Now that I think of it,” he said, “‘Goldfinch’ really is an utterly ridiculous name.” His caterpillar brows waggled. “Don’t you agree… Mari?”
The priest was speaking, but Marian didn’t hear a word. She stared into the man’s eyes, past the facades, her heart rushing and bringing life into her bones.
“I do,” she breathed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
“a twisted mustache that appeared to be deliberate mockery of her father’s…”
That’s when I knew it had to be him. Far be it from Robin to let an opportunity like that pass him by! 😁
I enjoyed dropping in foreshadowing waaay too much. And yes—there’s no way Robin wouldn’t have taken advantage of that disguise!
bravo! william langland and sir Walter Scott are applauding from the stands!
That’s some high praise! I’ll cherish it. ^-^ Thank you!
Such a fun story! Disney could have taken a few hints for their animated rendition!
Maybe for their inevitable remake. Haha! Thanks so much!
Fun story! I love the descriptive language and thinking of Marian as the daughter of the Sheriff.
Thank you! In some initial research, I realized that the BBC did a version where she was the Sheriff’s daughter, though he had retired. Other than that, it seems to be an untapped spin on things, and I thought it would help tie some iconic characters into such a short story!
Bless this story! This is such a fun twist!
Thank you! I’m a big fan of twisty short stories!
Enjoyed this! :D Also, I’m hoping that you consider sharing the story of the secret door you found in the haunted tavern as a tale in the upcoming “Remember When” season :D Thank you for sharing your work, and happy writing!
Haha thank you! If I insisted the secret door and connected secret room were both inside of a TARDIS at the top of the haunted staircase, would you believe me?
Awwww I love this! The ending is perfect.
Clever ending!
Enjoyable twist!
Clever mixing of legends, and a nice twist at the end. Superb.
Jenneth, I absolutely LOVE this tale! The story of Robin Hood has always been one of my favorites and your twist is perfect. Excellent last line!