Ch 1: Humanity is a weakness, Gisborne.
Long fingers drummed against the dark, expensive, wooden tabletop of the Sheriff of Nottingham's rooms. Each thud echoed around the spacious hall, bouncing from the cold stone walls as the equally cold, stony eyes of the Sheriff gazed at the man before him from under hooded lids.
There were few things in life that Vaisey hated more than boredom. Peasants, crying women and Hood were some of those few things. Gisborne's infrequent clothes changing was another. But boredom definitely rated highly on his list. Coupled with 'the incessant droning of this so-called scientist whom I am suspecting may just be a lunatic obsessed with poisons'. A rather long and specific item on his list of 'Things That Bore Vaisey', but one that was there nonetheless.
And one that was currently happening. His drumming fingers stopped, and the agitated Sheriff raised both his hands to shut up the man yammering on before him.
"Yes, yes, yes, all very interesting..." Vaisey drawled, voice dripping the sarcasm so thick it could have choked him, "But does it work?"
The scientist, (Vaisey couldn't recall his name...he didn't care, really. He wanted to say Joe...Moe...Seth...Joseph? Yes, maybe that was it, he thought), paused for a moment, then streamed off again in a rambling answer that caused the Sheriff to roll his eyes and slump forward, his forehead hitting the table with an audible thud.
"Yes or no, does it work? So help me, if you utter one extra syllable in your answer, I will have your tongue fed to you."
Joseph froze mid-sentence, then paused for a long while - he was obviously struggling not to respond with something that began "Yes, but..." Eventually, he settled on an answer that would not end in him dining on his own tongue.
"...Yes."
The effect was immediate. The boredom that clouded Vaisey's eyes instantly lifted; He stood up, hands slamming down on the table and a broad grin splitting his face.
"We got there in the end! Well done!" He exclaimed, "...Unless, of course, this concotion of yours doesn't work, in which case, you will still be feasting on your waggling tongue before sunrise."
The Sheriff, still smiling, walked around the table and strode towards Joseph, clapping a hand on his shoulder briefly. "So...let's see if it does work, hm? You really ought to be more eager to do so - honestly, I'd be quite happy if it didn't work. I'm curious to see how a man would chew and swallow food without a tongue..." Vaisey mused, leading them both out of the room and down the stone staircases, lower and lower into the basement of the castle.
The poison that Vaisey had asked Joseph to create was a peculiar one; It was to be one that would 'poison' the mind of any man who ingested it, causing a fever of the brain that would stall a man's own wants and ability to think for himself (or think at all). In essence, it would cause a fever of the mind so potent, it would leave its victim so utterly confused he would not question the orders given to him by someone else, and would follow them exactly, for he would have no other thoughts or ideas of his own to follow. In effect...it would make a man completely and unquestioningly loyal to the Sheriff.
A perfect weapon.
Because, if truth be told, Vaisey was pretty certain that all of his thwarted plans would have succeeded had he men who followed exactly what he said. All their failures happened when they didn't follow every order exactly (or so he told himself). If you want a job doing and all that la-di-da-di-da... but sadly, he could not do everything himself, but he could not succeed when surrounded by idiots. Or traitors. He did so hate traitorous minions. With this poison, Joseph claimed any man would be as "obedient and loyal as a dog."
Finally, the two men reached their destination; The prisoner cells below the castle. For in these cages, Vaisey had the perfect test subject lined up for Joseph's latest concoction.
Vaisey did so hate traitorous minions.
And this particular minion had been so loyal for so long, that, had Vaisey a heart, it would have pained him when he discovered this man had slowly become disloyal and was betraying him quietly. His once obedient lapdog and protegé had allowed his humanity to take grip on him, making him become very slowly disillusioned with Vaisey's way of doing things. True, it was a slow and gradual process, but one the Sheriff had noted. How else could Hood and his merry band of fools manage to breach the guards and infiltrate his castle so damn frequently. Every time Vaisey upped the guards and watch...this so-called loyal servant was secretly calling the guards off duty, deliberately lowering their numbers to let Hood in. Not that either Hood nor Vaisey had been aware of this...until now.
Vaisey squatted down to peer in through the bars at the chained and beaten man, a look of mock disappointment on his face.
"I'm going to assume you've not been stabbing me in the back out of some newfound love for Robin Hood?" He smirked, watching the man glare back at him through curtains of matted black hair. "No...I didn't think so. Honestly, it's rather pathetic, you know...changing your tune to dance for your pretty lady. Because, that's what this was all about, wasn't it? You're trying to win her over, and she doesn't like me, so..." Vaisey shrugged, laughing as if this were no more a bother than poor weather, "...But...you are not a good man, are you? Too little, too late, I feel. You've killed, you've stolen, you've betrayed, you've abandoned...and suddenly, now, you've decided to grow a conscience?"
The man behind the bars finally spoke:
"...I had nothing. I was mocked...so I wanted power. I admired you...you gained power quickly and efficiently. I wanted that. I thought it would gain me respect...but I've seen over the years that no matter how much power I gain...I gain no respect. Just fear...it took me too long to realise because I did not want to believe I had followed the wrong man..."
Vaisey sighed, straightening up to stand up again, shrugging and letting his arms fall to his sides dramatically in a sign of defeat.
"Well...I would say there is nothing I can do about that...oh! But there is!" He said excitedly, turning to Joseph as if he had only just realised the scientist was in the room with them. "You'll make a lovely test subject, Gisborne...I would so hate to lose your loyalty. Worry not! Joseph here has kindly created a little serum to...restore your loyalty to me. It's very costly to train a man to fight like you, you see."
He turned and nodded to the guards by the cell, who marched briskly into Guy's cell, dragging the confused looking man out. Vaisey's grin broadened at the look of confusion of Guy's face - he had no idea about Joseph's poison, and so he seemed resolute that he would never follow Vaisey's orders again.
"Take him outside. Make an example of him." He ordered the guards, following behind them as they dragged Guy out into the courtyard.