Yes, surprise one-shot! DO NOT READ THE FOLLOWING UNLESS YOU HAVE ALREADY READ 'THE STORYTELLER' YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS!!!!
Disclaimers: I do not own Robin Hood, if I did this would be canon now wouldn't it? XD *Sobs* But alas, Guy is doomed to be miserable for the rest of his life. Hence why we have fanfic, and hence why we have OC's...one of which I DO own and is not to be replicated unless permitted.
Warning: Tissues? Maybe maybe not...
Faeries in the Garden
The spring rains had yet to cease and the dampness in the air was so much that it chilled even the warmest rooms in the Gisborne Manor. The rain fell steadily outside, drumming down on the roof and pattering down lightly on the leaves of the small rose bush in the little garden beyond and slightly away from the corner of the manor.
The difference between the rains of the spring and the rains from the winter were obvious. Birds were still singing in the gloomy evening and even though the sky was a dull, cloudy grey there seemed to be pockets of light piercing the clouds in the sun's feeble attempts to disperse the growing gloom.
The manor itself seemed to have fallen into a lethargic peace with the rain. The only sound to be heard was that of the servants attending to their daily chores, and even that was muffled and slow in comparison to the steady beat of the rain outside.
In a small room which seemed almost separate from the manor itself, Lynna sat in her little chair; needle and thread in hand. In her lap lay what appeared to be a little blue dress. Humming to herself, Lynna stitched the final hems of the tiny sleeves. There was a contented smile upon her face as she worked. She ticked the minutes by in her mind in time to the falling rain.
Eventually she set aside the little dress and turned to stare out the window. The light was only just beginning to fade. Absentmindedly she laid a hand across her belly. The baby was restless. She gave a gasp as she felt a feeble kick. She laughed quietly, why was it that whenever she was just beginning to settle down her baby decided it was time to move about?
And it was restless this evening. Roderick had not been so restless when she had been pregnant with him, but her previous child had been quite the fussy one....no; she would not think of that. That little one had been lost to her for a long time now. Lynna thought the pain of the miscarriage would have left her by now; but the grief only seemed to lessen, never truly leave her.
While never a very strong woman, Lynna's former vigor seemed to have been sapped from her after the miscarriage of her second child. She never fully regained her strength. She seemed much smaller now; more fragile. She was as pale as snow and her gentle green eyes seemed to have sunk slightly within her skull. She could get sick often, but thankfully the past few years had brought no serious illness with them.
No one could deny; however, that Lynna was as vibrant and active as ever. She still maintained that aura of innocence she had had all her life. It made her a loving and gentle mother to her son, and hopefully her daughter (she wished dearly for a little girl.) The corners of her lips curled into a slight smile. Her husband wanted another son, but he would; typical man.
The baby stirred within her and tapped out. "Oh hush now, hush." Lynna soothed, rocking back and forth in an effort to send her unborn child into a more peaceful rest. "You will knock me down with all that ruckus. Be still."
From outside there came a new sound in addition to the rain, horse hooves. Lynna sat up from her chair and quietly made her way out of her work room. Walking with her usual limp was difficult enough, but with the weight of the baby it was much harder for her.
She made her way into the entrance hall to the manor to find her husband, Guy of Gisborne standing there, he was already removing his cloak; and he was dripping wet.
Lynna smiled, "You are soaked." She pointed out.
"It wasn't raining that hard." Guy dismissed with a slight smirk. He tried to reach for her to pull her into a welcoming embrace.
Lynna yelped and tried to dodge out of his way. "Don't you dare, Guy! Not while you're still all wet!"
"Afraid of a little water, are we?" Guy asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I have no desire to get wet if that is what you mean." Lynna laughed at the slight puddle beginning to form around Guy. "Come upstairs, Guy; let's get you out of those wet clothes."
***
It took a fair deal of wheedling on Guy's part to convince Lynna to join him in the bath she had prepared for him. Lynna had flat out refused at first; laughing and shrugging him away, thinking him only joking and teasing her as always. Guy was not fooled, she may be dismissing him casually, but he knew she did this only because she was incurably shy. Even after fourteen years of marriage Lynna was still the same shy woman as she had been the day he had first met her.
He had always wondered why Lynna was still reluctant to show herself to him. He had shown her countless times that he adored every inch of her. Nothing he did mattered; Lynna always found her body unattractive, even more so now that she was slightly rounded with child. Guy thought she was beautiful, but he had given up telling her so; she never listened anyway.
Eventually he won her over, he always did. She seemed to crawl out of her shy little shell as she sunk into the warm water. Guy smirked as he saw a little color begin to flush upon her snow white skin. She was spending too much time alone these days and it wasn't doing her any good. He knew she was looking paler, sicker, and increasingly more fragile with every passing day. It worried him even if he didn't always allow himself to admit it.
Lynna had been quick to don her clothes after she emerged from the bath. She pushed down the folds of her simple white gown, tying off the laces of her dress with steady hands, and even though she wasn't looking she could tell Guy was watching her. She took up her brush and began to do battle with her unruly, mousy locks of hair, which were now slightly damp at the ends.
She felt her brush plucked effortlessly from her hands and before she could turn around to accost her husband she found herself brought into an unexpected embrace. "How are you feeling, Lynna?" Guy asked roughly, in an almost direct contrast with the gentleness of his actions.
Lynna sighed, placing a hand upon his chest, toying with the feel of the warm black tunic he had recently changed into. "How many times do I have to say that I am well before you are satisfied?"
"A husband can not ask how his wife is?" Guy growled innocently enough. In truth he needed to ask her every day, just to have her snap at him annoyance and reject his concerns. Lynna may look worse for ware, but her attitude had not weakened in the least.
However, try convincing Robin or Djaq of that. Both of them treated like she was a glass doll. Tip-toeing around certain issues with her, insisting on following her about like guard dogs whenever she came to the Castle. Lynna was not weak. Here she was proving it by saying so.
"Guy, will you let me go?" Lynna laughed lightly.
Guy hadn't realized he had been holding her all of this time, he released her immediately with a muttered apology. Smiling, Lynna kissed his cheek, "And my brush, Guy, you can give it back to me also."
Smirking, he held the brush just out of her reach. Stubbornly, Lynna tried to rise up to get it herself. Guy leaned down, kissing her properly, he could feel her laughter flutter through her. She snatched the brush away as soon as they parted with a triumphant snicker. He let her get back to her combing.
"I was thinking," Lynna announced, cutting through the comfortable silence, "about accompanying you back to Nottingham tomorrow. I thought I would see Djaq and..."
"So you are unwell?" Guy said immediately.
"No," Lynna sighed, "but I want to know if she can give me something to make...make the baby stronger...so that..."
"The baby will be fine." Guy said gruffly. He hated it when she alluded to her previous miscarriage. It had been nearly ten years ago and she spoke of it as if it happened yesterday. When would she learn to forgive herself? It had not been her fault.
"I...I know." Lynna said, giving him her best false smile. She shook her head slightly disappointed in herself for bringing up old wounds, "At any rate, I'd like to go back to Nottingham. I haven't been in two months and I'd dearly like to see Robin and Clorinda again. Oh, and little Marian...she's getting quite tall I hear." She laughed.
"Of course you can come with me." Guy said. It would be good for her to be among friends, perhaps it would bring back a little color into that pale face of hers. The excursion would do her a world of good.
"Thank you, love." Lynna said, putting her brush back down upon the little nightstand.
She stared out the window opposite her. "Look," She said, pointing, "It's stopped raining."
***
Once the clouds had dispersed again there was still quite a bit of light left outside. Lynna had wandered out to the little garden. She was fond of the little patch of land, she had tended it with two other maids and it had become an almost daily routine of Lynna's to go and check on the bunches of flowers she had growing in it.
Normally Guy wouldn't have objected to her going outside; but since it had just recently stopped raining it was still quite cold, and whether or not he cared to admit it Lynna had been looking ill and for some reason he had wanted to stop her from going out. He had restrained himself, he was worrying to much for her when she was perfectly fine.
Now as the last of evening's light faded into blanketing darkness, Lynna came dashing back inside. "Guy! Guy!" she hobbled towards him, shouting, "Come quick! Oh, hurry. You must see what's outside! Faeries! Oh, I told you they were real! I told you!"
"Slow down," Guy halted her, rushing over to meet her. "What exactly did you say is outside?"
"Come on! You have to see!" Lynna said eagerly, tugging his hand to lead him towards the door.
She was flushed and practically overflowing with excitement. Guy relented and allowed her to lead him back over towards the garden. All about the plants there were little dancing lights fluttering about. The strange yellow lights blinked on and off and in the steady glow the flapping shape of wings could be seen.
"See!" Lynna remarked, shaking him slightly. "Faeries! They're real!"
Guy had to stop himself from laughing outright at Lynna for that would not be fair. "You've never seen these before have you?"
"What do you mean?" Lynna asked, "Why? Have you seen faeries before?" She chuckled sarcastically.
"Fireflies, Lynna." He corrected.
"What?" Lynna asked.
"Fireflies. These are fireflies." Guy explained.
He reached out, catching one of the little insects. Cupping his hands he let Lynna peer over and see the glowing being. Lynna tilted her head to one side, examining the creature intently. "It's beautiful." She whispered, awed.
He let the firefly go, but Lynna tried to catch one of her own. She was never quick enough, but that didn't stop her from trying again and again. "Sorry," She apologized, in between bouts of laugher, "it's rather childish of me, isn't it?"
Guy was thoroughly amused at his wife antics, but he didn't say so. Instead he held out his hand for her; "It's late." He remarked brusquely, "We should go back inside."
Reluctant to leave the garden still relatively full of fireflies, Lynna grudgingly took Guy's hand. She turned to look back at the garden, "I still say they look awfully like faeries."
"They're just ordinary fireflies." Guy said, unaffectedly.
"Oh, well in that case I find them to be wondrously extraordinary." Lynna said purposely being contrary. She nudged Guy playfully, finally drawing a small smirk from him.
Suddenly Lynna's laughter stop. "Guy," she said breathlessly, "I think..." she staggered, "I can't breathe..." She collapsed.
"Lynna!" Guy caught her before she could fall. He lifted her up into his arms immediately, shaking her. "Lynna?!" But his panicked shouts elicited no response, for the woman had seemingly fainted.
He rushed her back into the manor; screaming to the servants to fetch warm blankets and water. He brought the unconscious woman up to their bedroom, there laying her down upon the bed. He proceeded to shake her, calling her name each time. Nothing like this had ever happened to Lynna before. Was she losing the baby again? She couldn't, another miscarriage would kill her! He was going to send for Djaq come the morning, she would know what to do.
"Wake up, Lynna." He hissed, "God damn you, Lynna, wake up!!"
Groaning Lynna's eyelids fluttered open. "What is it?" She whispered. "What happened?"
Guy breathed out a heavy sigh of relief upon hearing her voice again. "You fainted." He said, trying desperately hard to take the panic out of his tone.
"What?" Lynna said, trying to sit up. "Don't be ridiculous."
Guy pushed her back down gently, hushing her. "Don't move." he ordered darkly, "Rest now."
"But...I feel fine..." Lynna protested weakly sinking back down against the pillows. Already she seemed to be letting sleep overtake her, "Stop worrying over me so much." she said with a tired laugh to Guy, "I'm fine..." She said no more, for she was soon fast asleep.
Guy remained by her side for a few more minutes. He looked down, noticing for the first time that his hands were shaking. He fought to regain control over himself. He ran a hand through his hair, eyes wide in panic and fear. Was she sickening for something again? He remember how nearly two years ago Lynna had repeatedly taken ill over the slightest of things. No...no maybe he was worrying too much. Lynna had said she was fine. All evidence pointed to the contrary, but Guy denied it. Lynna was always much stronger than she appeared. He looked at her; she was so pale and she looked so very little against the quilts and pillows.
Quickly removing his gloves, Guy reached out and touched Lynna's face, only very lightly letting his fingers brush against her cheek. She was warm and somehow that brought a small amount of comfort to him. Lynna had been through worse then just a fainting spell, he reflected with confidence. She would be fine. She would have to be.
***
Lynna awoke some time later and she felt as if a veil was falling away from her eyes. She no longer felt so tired, nor did her limbs feel as if they were made of lead and water. That terrible sinking sensation had left her shaken, but otherwise none the worse for ware. She sat up, suddenly aware that she was in the dark. "Guy?!" She called.
"I'm here." A familiar husky voice replied.
He had been sitting in the chair closest to the bed. Lynna smiled in the darkness. "Are you keeping watch?" she commented.
"More or less." Guy replied, coming over to sit beside her on the bed. "Look what I have for you." And out from his cloak, Guy pulled out a small jar with three fireflies buzzing and flittering around inside.
All of a sudden the room was aglow with the soothing yellow-green light. Lynna gasped, fascinated by the faerie like creatures in the little jar. She took it from his hands. "They're lighting up the room!" She said with a laugh.
He let her amuse herself with the fireflies for a time. Eventually she decided to set them down upon the nightstand beside the bed. She folded her hands in her lap anxiously. "Did I frighten you very much?" She whispered nervously.
"Not at all." Guy lied effortlessly, pulling Lynna against him with one arm.
"I'm sorry." Lynna whispered, wrapping her arms about him. "I don't know what happened, but all of a sudden it felt as if all the air had gone and I was drowning."
Did she have to explain it to him? "You have nothing to apologize for." He said, silencing her. "Are you better now?"
"Yes." Lynna said confidently.
"Then that is all I need to hear." Guy kissed her, try as he might to make it seem as if he had been unaffected by Lynna's sudden collapse, his fear was obvious in the way he kissed her. He held her fast to him, desperately; as if she was bound to disappear at a moment's notice.
She brought Guy down upon the bed with her and she curled up beside him, resting against him. She reveled in the warmth of him, Guy had always proven her safe haven against her fear of the dark. She closed her eyes briefly, still able to see spots of the fireflies' glow against the undersides of her eyelids. "We will have to let them go in the morning." She said softly. "Faeries can't stay forever you know, even if they are only fireflies." She continued to mumble certain words under her breath for a time, as if she was jumbling the letters around.
"What are you muttering about?" Guy asked her.
"Faeries...faery....Fae..." Lynna paused, "Fae. What do you think of that name for the baby, if it should be a girl?" she looked up at Guy with a small smile of expectation."
"I think whatever name you choose for the baby will be perfect; be it girl....or boy." He added slyly.
Lynna laughed lightly, feeling Guy nuzzle against her shoulder and neck. She kissed his forehead softly. "I like the name." she said with a sigh.
She turned her head to look at the fireflies as they bounced about in their glass jar. The little night-light was a comfort in the usual darkness of the room. She could already feel Guy fade into sleep against her. He had one arm draped over her, possessively pulling her close. No matter what he had said, she knew she had scared him tonight. She let her fingers comb through his hair idly as she lay awake, waiting for sleep to come and reclaim her again.
The baby let out a feeble kick and Lynna smiled, placing her other hand over her belly. "It is much too late for you to still be up and about." She chided in a loving whisper. "Go to sleep, Fae." She said using the name she had recently decided upon. She yawned, blinking her eyes, "My beautiful Fae..."
The fireflies continued to shimmer and glow soft light upon the room long after Lynna had fallen asleep. Through out the night they continued to blink steadily, silently throughout the quite, dark room. While somewhere outside it began to rain again.
I'm sorry for the random fluff, but I just had to write it! There will probably be more little one shots later on, more then likely around Christmas time when tons of fluffy fics are abundant in the RH fandom (I love it, always give me the warm an' fuzzies.) But as it is, that's probably all the Lynna/Guy stories for a while.
Do review if you wish to! :)