Enemy of My Enemy

Chapter Three - Stepping-stones

Marian examined the shackles about her wrist; this was happening far too often. These were heavier though, and more painful, than those placed on her when she'd been taken to Winchester. Whatsmore these ones were secured, by means of a bulky chain, to an iron ring set in the wall of the dungeon.

Guy, in the cell next to her, was also manacled and chained. He sat against the wall, his head bowed, sullen and brooding.

"I'm sure you two will have plenty to talk about," had been the sheriff's parting sally.

Guy was only in this situation because of her; confronted with her clandestine identity, he'd still tried to protect her. It made Marian uncomfortable, to realise that those same feelings which she'd always used to her advantage had been, for Guy, strong enough to compel him to defy the sheriff. Not once, but twice, in the last couple of days.

"Guy...." she began, intending to thank him.

"He was right, wasn't he?" Guy interrupted, before she could get the words out. "The sheriff once said to me that, all along, you've just been laughing at me."

"No, that isn't true," she protested.

"Isn't it? Then how do you explain coming to Locksley, to rob me, your husband-to-be, just two nights before we were to be married?"

"It wasn't like that. I can explain. It was my last chance to do something that meant a lot to me, something that being your wife would have meant giving up. It wasn't personal."

"Oh, you lie. I think it was, Marian, I think...."

"How could you?"

The accusation cut across Guy's bitter words. Both she and Guy swivelled towards the voice, which came from the cell next to his.

"You!" uttered Guy.

In the torchlight, Marian could see messy curls, wide-set eyes and a full, pouting mouth. Eyes which, at that moment, glittered with indignation.

"That's terrible!" The girl, furious with her, ignored Guy. "What sort of woman would do that?"

"This one, it would seem," Guy said dryly. "What are you doing here?"

"You two know each other?" Marian was curious.

"What? Yes....no.....not really," said the girl.

"She was at Locksley when I was testing the armour. She knocked Hood down, stopped him drowning me."

Well, I was doing trying to do the same thing. But, Marian acknowledged to herself, was that more about saving Guy, or helping Robin?

She wisely stayed silent. It wouldn't do, to draw Guy's attention to her possible collusion with Robin. He'd said nothing of it so far; better to keep it that way.

"I have a name," she heard the girl mutter.

"Which is?" Marian prompted.

"Meg," she said. "Meg Bennett."

"So why are you here?" Guy repeated. "What have you done?"

"Refused to marry, that's what I've done." Meg clunked her chain disconsolately. "Which you would hardly think deserved this punishment, but the sheriff seemed to think otherwise."

"He doesn't like to be crossed," observed Marian.

"No. And he said I'm to stay here, until I choose myself a husband from one of my suitors."

"He would," muttered Guy.

Despite his interest in the girl, Guy hadn't moved. He lapsed back into silence. Marian did also, trying to think what she might do. Robin would hear, soon enough, that she'd been caught. And come for her...with all the foolish risks which that entailed. If there was some way that she could engineer her own escape, something she could do...