The point penetrated the end of the arrow, severing the winding of the shaft, and with a loud crack, Marian's arrow burst beneath the threshold, splitting it. Splinters and straw scattered to the ground while Robin's eyes still rested on the nobles, unchanged on Marian. He knew what would follow now: cheers, amazement, and breathless bewilderment! After all, he had once been unable to believe such a shot was even possible!

With a broad grin from ear to ear, he performed a sweeping bow for his spectators. He was ready to receive homage for his outstanding shot. Staring disbelief and open mouths marked many of the faces. Exactly what Robin had expected and hoped for. Nothing like this had ever been seen before.

But then suddenly a woman screamed shrilly. Many more people followed the first shriek, and within seconds, unholy chaos broke out over the castle courtyard. Robin Hood did not understand what was happening until he followed the pointing finger of a lady with her face contorted in terror and turned his head.

A fire had broken out in a corner of the castle. Blazing flames immediately took hold of everything around them. A stall not far away began to burn as the sparks spread to the colorful fabrics. The wind only made it worse as it further fanned even small pockets of fire. These resumed on straw on the ground, and quickly, the raging flames reached the stables.

Shouts of jubilation receded into the distance as screams rose to the confusion of fear and panic. People scattered like drops of water, dashing away in all directions, over boundaries and other people. Some without regard for casualties. Blind with mortal fear, they pushed each other out of the way or to the ground, stumbling and dragging others with them. A man crashed into one of the stalls; ceramic ware and vases clanged and scattered in a sea of shards across the lawn. Immediately servants and soldiers rushed toward the stalls to try to stop the fire quickly before it spread to buildings. Shrill whinnies of horses and the crash of hooves against wood resounded like thunder across the courtyard.

"Get the lords and ladies to safety!" the voice of Lord De Burgh echoed loudly across the courtyard, followed by the roar of the Sheriff of Nottingham and his commander.

Soldiers of many houses rushed to their masters, pushing others aside in their reckless flight, forgetting their oh-so-fine upbringing. In fear of death, commoners and nobles were the same in the end.

A soldier in the tabard of the De Burgh family also pushed his way through the people towards Lady Marian. "This way, my lady! I'll take you to safety!" At this, he reached for her upper arm and grasped it so roughly that Marian contorted her face in pain.

"Let go! You're hurting me!" she indignantly said, but the man did not loosen his grip. "Didn't you hear me?" she hissed more firmly, reaching for the fingers that had closed around her arm like a vice.

"Come on! It's for your own good, my lady!" he said instead. Was Marian mistaken, or did he sound rushed? At that moment, a man briskly bumped into the soldier, and with a metallic clang, the iron helmet fell to the ground. Dirty brown hair and restless, rushed eyes came to light, and at that moment, Marian recognized the fellow from the forest: he was one of Scarlet's gang!

🏹

"Is this your dirty plan, Locksley? To steal my fiancée from under my nose on her cradle day? Or do you want to expose me?" hissed Guy of Gisborne, icy fury in his eyes. With long strides, he came running towards Robin, his blade humming as he drew it from its scabbard - ready to strike down the thief. "I should have killed you at once!"

"What nonsense are you talking!" retorted Robin with a half laugh in his voice that mocked Guy's idiotic accusation. How could this man be so jealous and deluded? "It's not my doing, Gisborne!" groaned Robin, but the sheriff's dog obviously didn't believe his words.

Instead, he took a threatening step toward Robin. Robin raised the bow he was still holding. Guy immediately screwed up his face and curled his lips. "Put the bow down, you coward! Draw your sword and defend your worthless life!"

"First, why should I give up my advantage over you? Secondly, shouldn't we take care of other things first?" To which Robin hastily pointed at Marian, who was being dragged away by a soldier and clearly struggling.

Guy's gaze slid past Robin for a split second, finding the copper-red hair in the crowd like a magnet. But Guy saw something different from Robin. He saw a soldier, concerned for the safety of his fiancée. Marian was stubborn, probably wanting to help or stay - but it was too dangerous. All that mattered to him was that she was taken away. So his gaze turned ironically to Robin, and his blade did the same.

"I'm not falling for your feints anymore, Hood!"

"But that's not a-"

The sword whizzed close to Robin's face, and he jumped as fast as he could to within an arm's length of it. 'Incompetent as ever!' thought Robin, deftly dodging the next blow while simultaneously disposing of parts of his disguise. Quickly Robin threw the bow over his shoulder before the blade could even reach him. Guy did not hesitate and went straight for the next blow. It was close, and the sword cut a tear in the fabric of his cloak on his arm.

Robin uttered a curse. "I don't have time for this now!" the thief announced to his adversary, just as he lashed out the next time, and the blade shot towards him. His fingers twitched erratically. Robin pulled a dagger from his belt in a flash. The metal clashed, and Robin quickly deflected the blow to the side.

"You're a thief and a fucking murderer! What is supposed to be more important?" rumbled Guy, feeling as if all the anger he had pent up over the years was about to sweep over his reason like a hurricane. "You've always been like this! Thinking only of adventure and being able to tell stories afterward and having women hanging on your every word! You always think only of yourself and never of the consequences - or of others!"

"Be careful who you call a murderer, Gisborne!" returned Robin, no less irritated, and used a sweeping blow to slam his fist into Guy's face. Crunching, his knuckles bounced against Guy's jaw, sending the enraged man staggering back.

"What kind of friend is this to ask for my fiancée's hand in marriage barely a year after my avoidable death!" Robin leaped forward in a flash and thrust his dagger at Guy's hand to disarm him. The blade penetrated the firm leather and sliced across the back of his hand, and Guy cried out. Reflex forced him to release his fingers, and the sword fell to the floor with a clang.

Robin dropped the dagger, then his hands shot forward and grabbed Guy by the collar. Guy reached back, grabbed Robin's coat by the shoulder, and clenched his fist around the flowing fabric.

"What do you know!"

Both men tugged and pulled at each other. Guy lashed out and punched Robin in the face with force. Once. Twice. Then Robin pulled his head back and let it crash into Guy's skull. They both staggered apart.

"A great fiancé you were! You shunned her. Despised! Just like you despised me!"

Robin wiped his chin with the back of his hand, smearing the blood, and laughed bitterly. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing?"

"You always think of yourself and never of others! You only caused me trouble, always stood in my way, and messed everything up! If I was good at something, you always had to overthrow me! When I wanted something, you took it away from me. Everything has always been given to you and made easy! Now I have earned all this, and you show up and want to destroy everything because YOU don't like the way things are now! And now you're dragging Marian into it too!"

Guy's eyes took on a darker tone. A veil of frosty coldness settled over seething anger, making it more dangerous. "And I won't let that happen."