we beseech thy blessing, lord, on all your people, but most especially on our noble lord nottingham. grant him the wisdom to guide and protect our glorious city. nottingham and gisborne sit piously among the congrega- tion of nobles and wealthy merchants.
grant him also the strength to bring to justice the lawless men who threaten its safety. help him to stamp out the curse of the dread druids who would seize from us our children, even as wolves steal the lambs from their mothers. the rear of the church. standing crushed together, the poor and afflicted. old and young. starving children. among them, robin. the sermon ends. as the nobles file out, the poor are galvanized. begging hands reach out.
i understand, my dear lady. this is my most trusted emissary. he hands the letter to a solemn courier.
my dear, i could not vouch for her safety. the journey is fraught with danger.
as you wish.
they are rebelling. we must escape.
is is madness to delay. mortianna screams and slashes her talons across the bishop's outstretched hands. blood flows.
your bodies to be bound in immortal wedlock. do you, marian dubois, take.  the chapel doors shatter inward. robin backs in, bloodied, fencing with four remaining soldiers. he smashes one by swinging the heavy door into him, hurtles a pew at another. he springs off another pew, taking down a third.
no, i swear it, in god's name.
i am sure you would not strike a man of the cloth.