Shorts and Such

Before the Golden Arrow- Extra

(Marion's point of view)

The smiling brunette laughed as her lady in waiting nearly tripped over her skirts trying to return the birdie, a clumsy forehand that nearly missed the cork base. As the feathered end of it spun out of control towards her, she caught it easily, the birdie resting on her racquet. "Rena," she chuckled, "you must have a softer touch of hand." She showed her by serving the birdie once again. Rena was much lighter than her sword swings that she'd been returning with earlier, but it had such great distance that it went over Marion's head and into the gardens.

She smiled at Rena. There was still much for the woman to learn of badminton. As she wandered into the garden, she found a young, dirty boy picking up an arrow.

His eyes widened in fear as he backed up. "S-so sorry, m-miss," he stuttered, trying to crawl away. She observed his fear with curiosity. The boy hid dark blond hair in a largely oversized hat that matched his stunning green eyes. Green eyes that were so much like....

There were collective gasps and Marion turned to find 3 other boys, the youngest ones looking to be only toddlers. One of the dark haired boys with blue sapphires laughed. "It's the maid!" he cried, teetering over to her, tripping and falling into the plush grass.

"Love of God, Adrian!" the fire-headed boy said, running to the first toddler and picking him up. "Didn't I tell you and Tucker to stay close to me at all times?"

There must've been children everywhere. "Goodness," she laughed, turning to Rena, "it seems that we've been surrounded."

A second toddler, a duplicate to the other, stumbled in, tripping on the red head's legs. "Fear us!" he yelled at her. "We will have no mercy on your blasted king!"

The redhead slapped the other toddler in the head. "Mind your manners, Tuck. We are in the presence of a lady."

"Yeah," the first toddler sneered, "mind your manners."

Marion couldn't help but laugh. When the boys gave her confused glances, she gasped. "I'm so sorry, I can understand where you would be feared, but you are all so adorable."

"Only Robin calls me adorable," Tucker grimaced, crossing his arms and starting back to the gate that they'd most likely come from, the blond following him.

Marion's heart pounded as she turned to the redhead. "Is-is Robin his father?"

The other boy, Adrian, giggled. "He don't have a father, so Robin Hood claimed him!"

Robin Hood? "Wherever do you hail from?" she asked worriedly.

The redhead scowled at Adrian, turned back to the queen and offered a waist-low bow. "So sorry to disturb lady, we'll be on our way home." He then grabbed Adrian's hand, dragging him away from Marion and Rena. 

The little squirt was fast, scrambling out of his arm and rushed back over to her. "Father says you're gonna marry Robin Hood. Is that true?"

The redhead heaved the boy up on his shoulders, wishing the women a good day. "You can't ask her questions like that, boy. It's insensitive."

Sadness refroze in her heart as she felt her kicking stomach. "I wish I could."