Part 1: Chained like Animals, Punished like Criminals
I am so sorry that I had to delete this story from the fandom. I realized that there were a lot of things that I found that I didn't like, so I decided to do a revision. Rest assured, I have the story, but under major editing. I will add new chapters, add more things, and get rid of some things, but the plot is still the same-Guy finding redemption. Again, apologies. I hope you all understand!
A throng of people, mostly women, gathered together on the front castle steps at Isabella's request for an assemblage. When Isabella entered the platform through the doors and looked at the multitude, she placed her hands on her hips and sighed happily to herself. This was the perfect day and opportunity to prove to the unconvinced crowd that she, a female, could display exceptional qualities as leader and ruler of Nottingham. She addressed them thus:
"Our former sheriff governed Nottingham most sadistically. Therefore, if you elect me sheriff of this city, I will decrease the number of taxes, reduce the amount of deaths, and, most importantly, improve the lives of women. To authenticate my assurances, I will demonstrate my qualities fit for a sheriff right now."
The people made way for two soldiers, who dragged a young woman on the steps. She wore an indigo-colored dress, the length of which reached her feet. Her dark brown curls, flowing like ocean waves, reached the middle of her back. Her hands were tightly rope-bound behind her. She pursed her rosy lips as she tried to free herself from the itchiness which the rope produced. Seeing that this was useless, she held her chin and broad shoulders high, like she was empress of the world and everyone had to bow down before her and offer her their allegiance. Her bright olive-green eyes shot deathly glares at a man, who stood at the top of the stairs near Isabella. He wore a crimson tunic, over which hung a golden surcoat with black fur edging the sides. Covering his honey-gold stockings were high, black leather boots. His curly hair was the color of sand and his eyes the color of cinnamon. He had his arms crossed while gazing lazily at the surroundings about him until Isabella spoke again.
"Meg Bennet, you have been accused of refusing any of the suitors your father offered you. What have you to say for these heinous acts?"
"My lady, one was a drunken sod, the other the brains of a donkey, and the next one a mummy's boy!" the woman protested. Some people in the crowd snickered at the woman's words, but Isabella raised her hand to silence them.
"And, recently, you bribed another suitor with money which you stole from your father so he could go to York and leave you alone. That suitor is standing next to me right now, quite unhappy."
"Lord Reginald is nothing but a bastard!" the woman exclaimed. The people gasped at her language, but she stood firm. The nobleman curled his hands into fists and breathed heavily to prevent himself from saying something nastier than the woman's comment. "I don't want to marry," the woman continued. "I don't want any man telling me how I should live my life!" Cheers arose from the crowd. "Men are so…stupid! I think England would be a better place if women took charge."
"He arrested, charging you with breaking your promise of marrying him. How can you defend yourself against such a serious accusation?" Isabella questioned further.
"Not one iota of truth is in Reginald's allegation! My father arranged the marriage but called it off later on. I hate him. That is a good enough reason to reject his hand."
"Lady Isabella," Lord Reginald interrupted, "her father, Lord Thomas Bennet, an honorable man, betrothed his daughter to me for the unity of the two noble families of Gren and of Bennet. It gladdened me that both houses could merge into one, but Meg ceaselessly complained about me. She manipulated her father to break the engagement. Therefore, I demand that she be punished until she learned her lesson."
"Before I announce the verdict, I must consider both sides. I have to hear the story from the other perspective to see if the tale is more convincing than the other. After all, one of you has to be incorrect. Fairness is a quality that a good sheriff possesses. Meg, in your words, what happened?"
"Everything was torture during our engagement," said Meg. She noticed that Reginald also shot deathly glares at her and she hesitated before she spoke further. "You would not believe what a violent, controlling man Reginald is. Every time I said something contrary to his opinions, he cursed me with the worse curses, insulted me with the worse insults, and threatened me with the worse threats, telling me I would only be safe if I obeyed his every whim. I daren't say what he said to me, because his words were so obscene that the devil would have to cover his ears. He shows no respect towards me, and how am I to wed a man like that? I'm a woman. And because I'm a woman, he can treat me the way he wants to treat me. That is ludicrous.
"'I'd rather be a beggar than the wife of Lord Reginald.' Never for a moment did I regret saying that to him, because he deserved a piece of my mind. That rogue should have left me alone, but he beat me in his anger, threw me across a table with objects until my body was filled with scars and shards of glass, and threw me onto a bed, where, were it not for my father, who saved me, I would have lost my virtue. I am glad to be free once more. I am not incorrect, for I will show proof of his brutality." Meg was mortified as she unrolled the sleeves of her blue dress, revealing from shoulders to wrists dark purple spots. She held her head up to stop tears from falling. Her voice slowly broke as she concluded: "This was his doing, all of it. If this was an unfortunate accident, I would not have unrolled my sleeves for all to see. He was sent to court. And do you want to know what they did? They freed him, because I 'should have learned my place.' What do you call that? I call it injustice! And I can't do anything about it, because he was acquitted, so he can never be tried for the case ever again!"
A long pause ensued. The woman's story shocked the people. They knew Reginald was aggressive and controlling, but they hadn't expected him to reach such lengths as to assault a woman. What she underwent would certainly have been a recipe for the worst type of gossip and ridicule, so they did not blame her for concealing her injuries.
Isabella broke the silence. "A much stronger and more convincing story than his, that's for sure."
"So?" said Meg, her eyes bulging with hope. "Will you release me?"
"Lady Isabella," said Reginald, "she is lying."
"Have you any proof that she is untruthful?" Isabella asked.
"I have just told you! What more is there to say? She must learn her place."
"I don't want to hear any more of your absurd talking. You've no jurisdiction over her. Release her."
The two soldiers unbound her hands. "Thank you," replied Meg, breathing a sigh of relief and approaching Isabella. She was no longer a bird stuck in a cage.
"I could use someone like you," said Isabella, smiling that this trial went well. "Your spirit is like no other." She turned to the people and announced: "Our last regime was brutal and corrupt. In reparation of crimes committed against the people, my brother, Guy of Gisbourne, shall be executed here on Thursday, midday. Perhaps you all can see the type of sheriff that I am. England shall be liberated from the greed, the corruption, and the tyranny of Vaisey!"
The people cheered and applauded at her words, but their rejoicing was short-lived when a man, clapping his hands, came up the stairs with a smirk on his face. Judging from his choice of attire, he was a wealthy man, probably a lord of some sort. Isabella realized with horror who that man was.
"My beautiful wife," he said, kissing her passionately and then looking at the people. He bowed. "I am your new sheriff, Thornton, at your service. My wife here ruled in my absence. Now you have me to care for you. Rest assured you are in firm and capable hands. Now, if you'll excuse me, my wife and I have some little catching up to do." Isabella paled at her husband's last words. They surely meant another moment of agony.
00000000000000
Meg followed Thornton and Isabella into the castle, where she found them in Isabella's bedchambers. She heard some objects falling to the ground and, most noticeably, Thornton's yelling.
"How could you?! You abandoned me, broke man's law and God's! I cared for you, provided for you."
"All you did was give me pain and misery," Isabella countered, frowning as terrible memories returned to her.
Meg tried to stop Thornton from hurting Isabella, but he turned and caught Meg by her wrists. Then he called for some guards. When some men entered the room, he threw Meg to them, where they tightly shackled her hands. She muttered something under her breath. It was something unpleasant, for one of the men who held her kicked her in the leg.
"Wait!" Meg said. "I know a place where you could get rich. A place with lots of gold."
Thornton approached her and placed her chin between two of his fingers. "If you're lying…" he began in a deep voice.
"No, I'm serious. Dead Man's Crossing. You'll find it there."
"Guards, take her to the dungeons." Meg gasped at his command. He turned to Isabella. "You're coming with me to find this gold. If she's lying, both you and she will die!"
"I will get you out of this," Isabella said to Meg as Thornton dragged her away.
00000000000000000000
"Let go of me!" Meg shrieked as the soldiers threw her into one of the cold, dark cells of Nottingham. "Ah! You'll pay for this, you bumbling brutes!"
"Maybe with your head," sneered one of the soldiers as he locked her cell. Meg scowled as he and his companion left the dungeons, laughing. With a grunt, Meg groped on the cell bars.
"Ugh! Men! If I had my way, they'd all be gone like a puff of smoke, and the world would be a happier place." She turned her head and saw a man next to her cell, resting on the ground. He was looking at her with a blank expression for some time. She immediately covered her arms with her dress-sleeves. She wondered how he could rest on the floor without complaining about its coldness and hardness. "What are you staring at?" she asked. Not receiving an answer, she shuffled towards the cell bars that separated her from the man and pressed further. "I know you. You're him, aren't you? Isabella's brother? She's a friend of mine."
Finally the man spoke. It was a deep and resentful voice. "Not that close, obviously."
She sensed an aura of darkness from the man, but that didn't' scare her. "Her nasty husband did this to me, clever," she barked.
"Thornton? Is he here?" Guy chuckled darkly, as if amused that Thornton was actually in Nottingham.
"She's terrified of him," she said in a voice that sounded like she was terrified of him, too.
"Well, she shouldn't have run off and left him now, should she?"
"You were always the 'bit pleased with yourself'. I saw you once: the man in black on his black horse. The big 'I am.' Now look at you: dirty, miserable, and small, and now you're going to be executed."
Guy had enough. He shot a venomous look at her. "By the look of it, you are not too far off," he retorted.
"I hope you go to Hell!" she countered as she proceeded to sit on the cold wet floor.
"I'm already there," Guy replied softly, sounding completely different from what he sounded like ten seconds ago. It was as if he was talking to himself.
Meg was uncomfortable in her position, like any enchained prisoner would be. She moved around like someone with sand in their clothes and tried removing her manacles. For five minutes she attempted to remove the restraints that squeezed her wrists. The man at first ignored the jingling sounds, but he soon lost his patience. He sat up, ran his fingers through his unkempt, long black hair, and sighed in frustration.
"Just leave it, will you?" His voice was tight and slightly raised, like he was forcing himself to stay calm and not yell at her.
"Well, they hurt!"
"That's why they do it. Deal with it."
Meg stopped fiddling with her chains. "I'm thirsty," she then said, licking her lips.
"Well, then, save your breath and stop whining!"
"Nasty piece of work, you are, aren't you? No wonder Isabella wants you dead. What did you do to her anyway?"
"Give me strength." Guy looked up. "It's almost worth dying to be spared your endless chatter." He then frowned at her and arched his eyebrows. He was seriously getting frustrated.
"Oh, come on. You're here. I'm here. What else are we going to do?" Meg looked at her hands.
As much as he hated admitting it, she was right. "I found her a husband. That's what I did. And for a good price, too."
"You sold her? Your own sister?" Meg looked at him with shock.
"It was her best chance in life. It's not my fault that she went and made a mess of it."
"Of course it is, all of it. You sold her to a monster!" she said, raising her voice to reprimand the man for condemning his sister to a life of misery.
"You stupid girl!" he said sharply. "You know nothing about it."
"I'm not 'stupid girl.' I'm Meg. And I'm still thirsty." She licked her lips again.
"That stone around your neck. Suck it. It'll make your mouth water."
Meg loathed taking orders from a man, but she realized that he was right. When she sucked on the stone on her necklace, it hydrated her. Maybe some men do have sense, she thought to herself. She calmed herself down and studied the man carefully to see what his thoughts were. By looking at him, she guessed that he was exasperated that Isabella had sent him to prison and ordered his execution. He deserved that punishment; it was to be his payment for his transgressions, yet Meg sensed that there was more than meets the eye. But what, possibly? She constantly heard of his cruel deeds during the Vaisey's cruel regime: murdering innocent people and oppressing the poor, to name a few. So his existence was nothing new to her. Yet she saw traces of sadness in the man, especially in his frown and most strikingly in his unblinking lake-blue eyes. She saw in them a twinkling sparkle, however dim. They were a rather pleasing sight, because she had heard that blue-eyed people tend to be some of the kindest and most selfless people. She mentally scoffed to herself. Guy was obviously an exception, if what people said about blue-eyes people was true. She was surprised that he didn't express more moroseness, because he was about to executed and taken into Hell, as she had so wished. What also made her curious was that his callous and menacing behavior towards her disappeared. Only that gloom remained.
"Are you scared?" Those words exuded from her mouth like blood from a fresh wound. She hadn't meant to ask, but something in her mind-or perhaps her heart-told her to.
"What of?" He sounded more irritated than angry.
"What of? Your date with the execution."
"Do I look scared?"
"Actually, no. Terrible, yeah. One out of ten for personal appearances, but not frightened. I'm almost impressed. It's as if you've got a clear conscience."
Her words increasing his curiosity, Guy moved closer to the end of his cell to be nearer Meg so he could hear what she had to say next. "Well, why shouldn't I have?"
"Because of all the awful things you've done in your life. I mean, no one actually seems sorry that you're on the way out, do they? Does that not make you sad?"
"I can't help what people think of me. What's done is done. And if I am to die, so be it." He ended that sentence with resignation and despair that there was nothing else he could do with his life.
"Is your life really that empty that you do not care whether you live or die?"
At that, Guy remained silent. Seeing that he was not in the mood to answer any more questions, Meg grabbed a piece of bread that was given to her. Her stomach turned and churned. The food was filled with maggots. Eww!" she shrieked, throwing the bread aside. She crossed her arms and whispered sharply to herself: "I'm starving."
Then, she looked at Guy and wondered what he was doing. He took her bread and removed as many maggots as he could from the bread. He gave it to her and said: "Here. Keep your strength up."
As she took the bread from him, the warmth of his touch grazed her fingers. She offered him a small smile. "There must be some goodness in you yet."
"You don't know me," said Guy. "Besides, I thought you hated men."
"I do," Meg replied, popping a piece of the food into her mouth and nodding in agreement. "I do." When she was not looking, Guy offered her a small smile himself.
Suddenly, the doors to the dungeon flung open. Guy and Meg felt their hearts skip a beat. A woman with two soldiers entered the miserable place, where the devil says goodnight. "Release her!" Isabella exclaimed. After the soldiers opened the door to Meg's cell, Isabella unlocked the fetters that encircled her wrists.
"Isabella?" Meg asked. "You're back, thank goodness!"
"You're free now. I'm not sure my brother will feel the same. Come on! Let's go." Isabella gently grabbed Meg's arm.
"Won't you release Guy, too?" At those words, Guy looked at Meg with pure incredulity. Did she actually say that? Or was he hearing things? Did she actually plead for his release? Or was he going crazy? He looked at her, expecting an explanation for her words.
"What? Are you mad? He's our enemy," Isabella chided.
"But-"
"You see? Do you see how they manipulate us? A few hours in a cell with a cold-hearted killer and even you lose your wits. That's the poison of men, Meg. None of them can be trusted. My brother will get exactly what he deserves. Now, come on!"
Meg opened her mouth in protest, but Isabella took her out of the cell before she could say anything else. Guy knew he was not going crazy. He heard it. Isabella heard it. The soldiers heard it. But he was a criminal. That stupid girl should know better, Guy thought to himself. He resumed to his brooding, which he had been doing long before Meg came into the picture.
A day had passed. Guy was in his own world, thinking his dark thoughts. However, his stomach could not stop nagging him. He regretted refusing the plates of food that servants offered him. Since they thought he would refuse again, they stopped coming to him. Now Guy hoped another servant would be so kind as to give him even a morsel of bread.
The doors opening caught Guy's attention. To his surprise, he saw Meg carrying a tray of food in her hands. He started speculating as to why she was there. It can't have been only for the victuals. The servants probably told the other servants to stop delivering him food.
She knelt before his prison cell and held out the platter.
"Thank you," Guy replied, "but no." In the blink of an eye, his appetite slowly receded.
"You must eat…for me. It's the least I can do," Meg pleaded, unwanted tears filling her eyes.
"You've done more than enough," he assured her.
"I've done nothing."
"No. You have."
"What have I done?" she asked in disbelief. Her voice was breaking, but she tried hard to keep it from worsening.
"You've made me think."
"About what?"
"About someone I used to know. She saw good where there was none. She made me a better man."
"What happened?" Meg's grip on the cell bars tightened.
"I destroyed her. I destroy everything." This time, Guy's voice was starting to break, but he forced himself to keep it levelheaded. "Go." Guy looked at her as she left, expecting this to be the last meeting he will ever have with her. It was Thursday midday, indeed.
00000000000000000000
The doors swung open. "Meg?" Guy asked, as Meg darted into the dungeons carrying a bunch of keys. "What are you doing?"
The woman unlocked his cell door and his shackles. "I can't let her kill you. I just can't."
"You'd do that for me?" Guy asked with as much gratitude as he could conjure. Meg grabbed his arm tightly and led him quickly out of the cell. Guy stopped, however, faced her, and gently stroked her cheek. "Thank you," he said, smiling at her. She smiled back at him.
"Well, this is touching." Guy silently cursed to himself when he heard his sister's voice. She stood at the doorway with a couple of soldiers.
"Run!" Guy told Meg, but it was too late. The soldiers grabbed them. They struggled to free themselves, but to no avail. "She didn't know what she was doing!"
"Of course she did. How could you? I set you free, and this is how you repay me?" Isabella demanded.
"We're not the same. I try to do things out of love, but you're doing this out of hate!" Meg objected.
"How dare you? I suppose I should be grateful. Now I know that the only person I can trust is myself. I'm all alone now."
"You put yourself there, Isabella!"
"I could say the same for you. And if you lovebirds want to be together, fine, you shall."
Later that day
Isabella stood on the stairs with her nobles as the townspeople gathered around a raised wooden platform. Two logs and baskets were situated on them. It was not long before the soldiers brought Guy and Meg, with bind hands, onto the dais. The people were booing at the two, especially at Guy.
"I'm scared," said Meg, looking at Guy for a word of reassurance.
For the first time, she sounded genuinely scared. What could he say to alleviate that fear? "When it comes, it'll be very quick." Meg said no more on the matter. Guy hope it somehow consoled her, but he doubted it.
When they stood on the dais, Isabella, with rage in her eyes, proclaimed: "As you all know from bitter experience, Guy of Gisbourne is an enemy to the people. He must pay the ultimate penalty. This woman tried to help him escape justice. Therefore she must share his fate. In the future, if anyone challenges my authority, they shall suffer the same punishment. Have the condemned any last words?"
Guy raised his head to look at his sister. Plea filled his eyes. "Very well, Isabella, you win," he said. "Kill me if you must, but not her. I'll do whatever you want, but do not take her life."
Isabella thought for a moment. Then: "Proceed with the execution!"
"She's just an innocent girl!" Guy shouted. Their heads were laid on the two wooden blocks. Meg whimpered as the soldiers brushed her brown curls away from the back of her neck.
"How he cares for her is moving," said Isabella. "Where are the axes? Chop, chop! I'm not waiting here all day."
Two soldiers held up their axes while the people turned their heads away. Guy and Meg closed their eyes, expecting at any moment to have decapitated heads. However, nothing touched their necks. They opened their eyes and saw two arrows piercing their executioners. They stumbled lifeless onto the floor. The people trembled and gasped.
"Robin Hood," said Isabella, enunciating every syllable of that name. "Get him!" Robin Hood and his gang brandished their weapons and fought with the soldiers. The townspeople screamed and struggled to seek refuge from the skirmish. Around that time, Thornton reappeared, so Isabella fled into the castle.
In the meantime, Guy cut his bonds with his dead executioner's ax. Then, he used it to cut Meg's bonds. She was exuberant when Guy carried her down the platform. The next thing to do was to escape the commotion Robin Hood and his friends caused.
A soldier wielding a halberd was running towards Guy, intending to stab him. He didn't notice the man until Meg cried out:
"Guy! No! Look out!" She shoved Guy aside when a soldier stabbed her in her side with the halberd. She flinched and tumbled onto the ground. At once Guy punched the solider unconscious.
He looked at Meg, panic filling his mind. "Are you all right?" He asked, even though it was evident that she wasn't. He carried her in his arms. "Come on. Place your hand over the wound. Can you do that? It may slow the bleeding." Meg was too much in agony to speak, but she nodded and did as he requested. Then, he left the courtyard.
Fortunately, no one significant noticed Guy's departure. Unfortunately, the life was departing from Meg. She could not speak. The only sound she made was soft cries of anguish. The sight of her in pain infuriated Guy. He did not go where to go. He lost track of time and direction. When he did return to his senses, it was nighttime, and he was still going on, wandering in the middle of Sherwood Forest. Finally, he decided to lay Meg down by a tree next to a river. It was deathly silent. Not even crickets sang their nocturnal tunes.
"We're just going to rest here," he said to her, laying her on his lap. "Shh." He wrapped his arm around her waist and stroked her brown curls. She was writhing in pain, but seeing Guy somewhat relieved and calmed her.
"Kiss me…please" she said in a barely audible tone, but Guy heard her. He looked at her with disbelief. The woman who claimed to hate men wanted him to kiss her. But, nevertheless, he lightly kissed her on the lips. When he did so, she smiled despite her pain. "I always quite liked you."
She raised her hand to caress Guy's face, but it wasn't able to touch it in time. Her hand fell and Meg went lifeless. Guy immediately closed her eyes. His lip quivered and tears were ready to fall from his eyes. He buried his face on her shoulders, brought her up to him, and wept, rocking back and forth like an armchair.
He pressed his forehead against hers, which had become cold, and kissed her brow. He didn't know what else to do next, so he gently laid her on the ground. He caressed her stiff and cool face before he got up and walked away. He went deeper into Sherwood Forest, where he met Robin Hood and an old stranger, who claimed to know the true story of Guy's past, and how it shaped him into the man he was.