Fire and Ice

This is my first Robin Hood fic and I've been working on it for a while so enjoy!

I'll try and upload the next chapter in a week or two but I'm making no promises.

I still haven't decided whether it'll be GuyxOC or RobinxOC, maybe after later chapters you guys can suggest lol we'll have a vote

Eleanor sat in the carriage gazing out at the passing English countryside and bored. When Eleanor had turned twelve her father sent her to live with her aunt in Kent and then later moved to Dijon in France. It's not that he couldn't care for her she was just a nuisance, she had never been one to be quiet or ladylike this trait was possibly the only thing she had in common with her elder sister, Marian. They shared very few similarities infact, Marian had always thought before doing anything whereas Eleanor jumped into a situation without thinking of the consequences. Marian acted as society expected her but Eleanor did whatever she pleased.
Eleanor had always been against the idea of relocation, primarily because her aunt was dull enough to bore a nun but the fact that her oh-so-perfect sister was allowed to stay did annoy her somewhat.
However, her time away from Knighton had given her time to reflect, being subjected to mindless gossip and giggly-pitched friends had taught her to hide. She had learned to smile and act accordingly at dinner while underneath the table she stuck a fork into the back of her hand, and above all learnt the art of listening. Yes staying with auntie has changed her; she had grown from the naive girl reckless to the world into a young woman with a taste for scandal and far more dangerous then she could have ever hoped to be.

Finally after six long years of purposefully annoying and aggravating her aunt, Eleanor had been mysteriously called home. To say her aunt looked relieved as the carriage pulled away would be a mild understatement and Eleanor knew there would be some form of punishment for her treatment of her aunt. But she also knew her father, he would not be harsh, possibly a lecture she could tactfully ignore or a disappointed look she could forget.
The jostling of the carriage shook Eleanor from her daze, the surroundings began to look familiar and soon she would be home. Strangely no one had contacted her, no letters or visits, but Eleanor still found her mind wandering, has Robin returned from the Holy Lands yet? Has he married Marian yet or did Marian marry Guy?
Guy...Guy she thought. True he was older then she, true he was infatuated with her sister but that didn't stop Eleanor from liking him. He had been a favourite of hers and friend, even if it was a ploy to bring himself closer to Marian.
During her stay with auntie, Eleanor had let her thoughts wander over Guy many times. The images of him declaring his love for her by the lake, or taking her roughly in the stables had entertained her many a time when she had been subjected to sitting with her aunt practising embroidery or music.
'Ah yes, it's good to be home' her final thought as the carriage slowed.

Sir Guy of Gisborne stepped out of Knighton Hall as his men behind him emptied the contents of the home onto wagons. With both Sir Edward and Marian dead, Gisborne had a mind to claim Knighton as his own.

Marian he thought; she had haunted him since his return from the holy lands. Every night when he sought the comfort of sleep her wrought faced devastated his dreams, painful memories of her dying racked his mind for there was no escaping his conscience and the fact that he had killed her. Gisborne tightened his fist in frustration, hearing her final words "I love Robin Hood" replay in his head. Gisborne was quickly distracted from his torment by a black carriage swiftly approaching the house.
The carriage slowed and came to halt outside the house. The footman opened the carriage door, then from the darkness inside a young woman emerged. Her hair was long, hazelnut curls that reached between her shoulder blades and fell towards her face. Her ivory skin accentuated her dark chocolate eyes. If Gisborne hadn't seen Marian die he would have sworn it was she who stood before him.
"Sir Guy, why are men emptying my house?" Eleanor coolly asked as she descended the steps. Gisborne stood in awe of her, it took a moment before he recognized her as the girl he once knew; she seemed so much like Marian but couldn't be more different. She had the same square face but something made the cheeks bones more defined and her lips were plumped in a constant thoughtful pout. The final feature to separate the sisters was Eleanor's eyes, they were dark with a hint of devious and fire danced across them. She was almost more beautiful.
Gisborne waved his hand signalling for his men to stop and replace the items, but his eyes followed her as she walked past him and entered the house.
"Where is my father?"
"I..." he stuttered, his eyes still locked on her and taking time to measure how Eleanor had blossomed. His eyes wandered over her, from the soft curve of her hip to the swell of her bosom as she breathed. Suddenly Gisborne was all too aware of the angry stab coming from Eleanor's eyes.
"I'm afraid he's dead."
Eleanor raised her eyebrows in surprise but no real distress fell upon on her features.
"You are not upset?" He asked.
"No, not really. Then again after being banished for six years, you do tend to lose feeling for the people left behind." Eleanor's mouth curved into a cruel smirk, her remarked was aimed at Gisborne and how he had 'forgot' to reply to her letters.
Eleanor walked away to speak to a servant and soon trunks were being offloaded the carriage and taken into the house.
"Well at least that explains the unexplained recall." She sighed as she rejoined Gisborne outside.
"What about my sister then? Finally married her or did she run off with Locksley?" Eleanor giggled to herself; she couldn't help but tease Gisborne. Watching him squirm was more then entertaining.
"No I did not make her my wife. She too is regrettably dead...Now if you excuse me, I must return to Nottingham" The atmosphere between the two quickly grew heavy under tension and Eleanor could tell she had struck a nerve. Without saying another word Gisborne mounted his horse and led his men away from Knighton Hall.

Eleanor stood leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed and watched him, observing every of his movements and gestures. Gisborne and his men sped off into the distant unaware of Eleanor's eyes locked on him until he disappeared behind the trees.
Eleanor turned and wandered into her home. Not her fathers or her sisters, it was all hers. Her footsteps echoed as she climbed the stairs and the servants below were the only sound to be heard except the squealing of the un-oiled hinges on her bedroom door. As she surveyed her old room she couldn't help but notice how small it was compared to what she had been used to in France. Then a thought crossed her mind, she was no longer under her father's jurisdiction, now she was the lady of the house and therefore had right to the master room.
Eleanor walked into her father's room; it was still littered with his possessions. She quickly ordered that the bed be stripped, the room aired and cleaned, and that all the remainders of Sir Edwards's things be sold.

Servants hurried in and out of the room carrying bed sheets and clothes among other things back and fourth while Eleanor retreated to Marian's room. She had always loved the view from this room; it caught the sunset so beautifully so that the whole room would fill with a celestial pink glow. Strangely, Eleanor felt a twinge of grief at the loss of her sister. She paused for a moment sitting on the window ledge and silently paid her respects.
The scent of damp drifted in the air showing the first sign of rain.
'Ah yes, it's good to be home'

To be continued….


Feel free to tell me what you think

See you in a week!