The Nightwatchman (English)(From Ashes Vol.2)

Chapter 20 - A Wedding in the Forest (Epilogue)

Robin led the way, advancing into the forest and the other three followed him.
Djaq and Marian wondered where Robin was leading them, while Guy smiled to himself, imagining Djaq's surprise when they would arrive at the place of the ceremony.
"Where are you taking us, Hood?" He asked, pretending he didn't know where they were going, and Robin looked at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Are you tired already, Gisborne? Or is it the forest that scares you?"
Marian cast a worried glance at the two men, fearing that Robin provocations could cause a reaction in Guy, but Gisborne just limited himself to roll his eyes in exasperation without answering.
Then Robin stopped in front of a row of bushes and he told Marian to keep going.
"Join the others and sit with them," he told her, then turned to Guy and Djaq. "You two, instead, wait here for a few moments. Give me time to reach the groom and then come forward."
Guy looked at Marian and Robin disappearing into the bushes, then he turned to Djaq.
"Are you nervous?"
The girl shook her head.
"No, I'm just so happy. And you?"
"I'm not very accustomed to weddings and I have no idea of what I should do." Gisborne confessed, looking at her. "I don't want to spoil your day..."
Djaq put a hand on his arm.
"You only have to walk next to me until we get in front of Robin, that's all. And relax, you're not the one who is getting married."
Guy sighed and Djaq smiled at him.
"But it is very likely that you and Marian will be the next ones."
"I hope so. Sometimes I fear that I will never be able to offer her the life she deserves..."
"Don't be silly. You are trying so hard that you definitely can do it. A few months ago you could barely hope to survive and look at you now."
Guy looked at her, grateful for those words.
"I think we've waited long enough, do you agree?" He asked, holding out his arm and she smiled, leaning to him. Guy bent towards her to whisper in her ear. "Close your eyes and let me guide you until I tell you that you can open them."
"Why?"
"Trust me," Guy whispered. Djaq looked at him, curious, and for a moment Gisborne thought she wouldn't listen. After all, why anyone in their right mind would trust him?
Instead she smiled and closed her eyes, relying on him.
Guy led her carefully through the bushes, pushing the overhanging branches so they didn't get entangled with the girl's dress, he stopped on the edge of the clearing, taking a moment to admire the work that he, Robin and Much had done during those last long nights and he pretended to be surprised by what he saw.
"Now you can watch," he told Djaq in a whisper, and the girl obeyed.
Djaq looked around wide-eyed: the ground had been covered with white sand and the trees that surrounded the clearing were hidden by panels decorated in Saracen style and by oriental fabrics, while the flames of dozens of lamps and torches placed anywhere around them trembled, giving an enchanted and exotic appearance to the clearing.
"It seems... it seems like we are in my homeland..." Djaq whispered, moved, as she and Gisborne approached Robin Hood and Will. The others were standing around them, waiting.
Robin smiled.
"You are far from your land, so Much and I decided to bring a little piece of it to you."
Djaq wiped a tear and smiled, bright with joy.
"It is a wonderful gift, thank you!" She said, looking at the two outlaws, but slightly squeezed Guy's arm to thank him too. Certainly he could not say it in front of Marian, but Djaq had understood that he had worked with Robin and Much to surprise her. And judging by the amount of sand that had to be used to cover all the ground of the clearing, it must have been quite a challenging job.
"Shall we to start?" Robin asked, smiling at the bride and groom.
Guy took Djaq's hand that was still resting on his arm and put it in Will's hand.
"Always take care of her," he said softly, then walked away from the couple and stood beside Marian.
She slid her fingers between his and leaned her face to Guy's shoulder while Robin began to perform the ceremony.

Marian smiled to see the joy on the faces of Djaq and Will when Robin pronounced them man and wife.
The newlyweds exchanged a kiss and Marian imagined to be in Djaq's place, with Guy beside her.
She gave him a look and saw that Gisborne was looking at her too. From the warm look she saw in his eyes, Marian guessed that Guy's thoughts shouldn't be too far away from hers.
But then why didn't he make a move? Why didn't he ask her to be his wife?
Perhaps he was afraid of being rejected again, but Marian thought she had been very clear in showing him how she felt about him.
Or maybe there was some other reason which Guy wouldn't or couldn't tell her. Perhaps the sheriff had imposed some condition or constraint that prevented him from marrying her.
Or maybe Guy simply doesn't want you as a wife anymore.
Marian dismissed that unpleasant thought. It couldn't be, he loved her, she could read it in his eyes, and she shouldn't doubt it.
As if he could sense their thoughts, Guy put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

Robin sat in the shadows, beyond the circle lit by torches and watched his friends while they couldn't see him.
Djaq and Will could not have been happier, and their every gesture was imbued with joy and love.
Robin was glad, life in the forest could be tough, and every moment of happiness had to be enjoyed and savored.
Something precious grew up between the two young outlaws and everyone was happy to celebrate their love, even if Robin suspected that much of that happiness was also due to the food and wine from the banquet.
Robin grinned: sometimes Gisborne proved himself resourceful and managed to amaze him. Much also he had to be impressed by the quality and quantity of the food because he had even gone so far to congratulate Guy patting him on the shoulder in an almost friendly gesture.
Gisborne had looked at him, puzzled, and even Much seemed surprised of his own gesture, but it was still a step forward.
After the ceremony, Robin made sure to whisper to Djaq that Gisborne had helped them to work on the decoration of the clearing and the girl had surprised him by telling him that she already knew.
"Did he tell you?"
"No, but you and Much are not the only ones who look tired, you can see that Guy is very tired too. I bet you have worked all night to make this surprise for me. I'm sorry I can't even thank him publicly."
Robin looked back at the others: Allan seemed to have regained some of the sympathies of the others and he talked happily with the outlaws and with Gisborne and Marian, perfectly at ease with both sides.
Whatever happened, Allan was one of those who always managed to survive, Robin thought, then he looked at Guy and Marian, sitting around the fire too, but more aloof than the others.
Robin had thought that it would hurt him to see them together, at least because of the wounded pride, but he found out that he didn't feel bad, apart from a strange, indefinable mixture of nostalgia and regret.
He had genuinely loved Marian and he would always think of her with affection, but to see the way she looked at Gisborne, definitely put peace in his soul. Things had changed for them, for all of them, and Robin knew that he didn't feel anymore for Marian those feelings that were so evident in Gisborne's eyes whenever his look rested on her.
Robin smiled wryly: maybe it was absurd, but probably he got closer to Guy as much as he instead had moved away from Marian.
Since they began collaborating, Robin had discovered to appreciate his company and he realized that between the gang members, Gisborne was perhaps the one most similar to him: a fighter and not just an outlaw. When Robin explained one of his half plans, Guy was able to give strategic advice or to raise sensible objections, but for some strange reason he was also the first to follow him in the most risky or improvised missions, blindly trusting of his decisions, even those that might seem absurd.
Gisborne trusted him, maybe that was the crucial point that had started their unlikely friendship, the one thing that had pushed Robin to know him better and to appreciate some sides of him that Guy usually didn't show to others.
When Barret had taken Gisborne as a hostage and Robin aimed at him with the bow, just before he shot the arrow, a dark voice in his mind had suggested that it would be better for everyone if Guy died too, but now Robin Hood was genuinely happy he didn't listen to that voice.
Someone called him and Robin stood up, coming out of the shadows and reaching the others by the fire.
Much put a cup of wine in his hand and Robin lifted it towards the newlyweds in a silent toast.