Disclaimer: I do not own the Robin Hood series, it belongs to the BBC.
Set series 3
Prince John tired of reports from Nottingham. Outlaws running wild and the Sheriff's problems with them and his right hand man bored him rigid. He also had reason to believe that he was being lied to and needed a set of eyes that he could trust to report back to him.
He had a cousin. A Duchess who he could rely on who had practically turned a blind eye to how he ruled England while his brother was away. She never reported to Richard in her letters anything that would compromise the prince as despite growing up with them both she found John more easy going and easy to entertain.
Rose was called to the palace and made sure that she was dressed well infront of her cousin; she hoped it wasn't on the subject of marriage as she had turned down countless well to do men believing them all 'lacking substance', which the men of her family believed to mean 'muscle and good-looks.'
"Enter!" demanded Prince John.
The Duchess looked very little like her cousin; she was dark haired but shared the same eyes and slim figure. She favoured purple dresses and silver jewellery in her personal collection of belongings and she was a typical English-rose with her complexion.
"Sweet cousin of mine! How do you fancy a holiday?" asked Prince John.
The Duchess narrowed her eyes at her cousin. She had known him long enough to know that he didn't do random acts of kindness and was close to folding her arms if she had been more confident that he wouldn't take offence.
"A holiday?" she repeated.
Prince John had worked out all the details and passed her some papers to read. The Duchess raised an eyebrow at certain times and then lowered the papers to look at the Prince in disbelief.
"You want me to spy on Nottingham for you? You want me to watch over Vasey and the infamous Sir Guy of Gisborne?" she asked.
"I want details, plans, results of those plans," ordered Prince John.
"You mean the fact that the Sheriff can't round up a handful of outlaws?" added the Duchess.
Prince John nodded and The Duchess of London had little option but to travel to Nottingham under her cousin's orders. It was to look like a state visit that the Prince could not attend due to other engagements or rather it was too much of a headache for him to tolerate the incompetence of the Sheriff.
The Duchess didn't expect a huge reception at her arrival in Nottingham; she didn't expect a feast in her honour or trumpets sounding at her presence but she didn't expect to have to make her own way to the great hall of the castle unaccompanied and unattended. A guard tried to block her path with his arm but she slapped it down with surprising force as she entered the hall and found The Sheriff and Sir Guy bickering like an old married couple. It was a sight to behold and at the same time almost amusing to the Duchess if she hadn't been so insulted.
"For the love of all Gisborne! He was right infront of you!" snapped the Sheriff.
"I was outnumbered!" snapped Sir Guy.
Duchess Rose slammed the doors behind her and made both men jump slightly and turn to her in surprise.
"Did you forget something today Sheriff?" she asked, her voice forced with a calm tone that Vasey found unnerving.
The Sheriff knew who she was the moment he looked at her. He had a feeling of dread sweeping through his body that when word returned to Prince John about how his cousin was treated upon her arrival to his castle that he would be in hot water and quite literally.
"Your grace…" started the Sheriff.
A smirk graced Sir Guy's mouth and he was very tempted to let the Sheriff remain in stunned silence and lean back against a near-by wall in amusement but instead he saw an opportunity to make himself look good to visiting royalty. He bowed deeply to the Duchess but didn't take her hand as he had seen the force in which she had closed the double doors.
"My apologies on behalf of the town your grace; please allow me to make your stay more comfortable and arrange for your things to be taken to your room personally," he said.
The Duchess allowed Sir Guy to work his charm on her while Vasey was rooted to the spot in fear rather than sorting out the mess he was in. It wasn't long before he realized it was Gisborne's men taking the Duchess' things to her room.
"What the hell are you doing?" asked The Sheriff.
Sir Guy smirked at him and refused to answer as the Duchess turned quite coldly to the Sheriff and defended him.
"Sir Guy was kind enough to make me feel welcome. He has attended to my things and given me a brief tour of the castle so I know where to go in the morning. I trust you'll manage to see to it that there will be breakfast available in the morning?" she asked.
The Sheriff mouthed wordlessly for a while as Sir Guy bowed to the Duchess while she turned in for the evening and then continued to smile as he stood upright to see Vasey looking at him with anger.
"Are you trying to see me at the end of a rope?" he asked.
"Actually I was trying to prevent any fatalities; as long as one of us at hand to keep her happy I don't see what the problem is. Besides she won't stay long, this place has a reputation for women wanting to get out of here at quickly as possible," replied Sir Guy.
The Sheriff pulled a mocking expression but partly hoped that the Lord of Locksley was right and that the Duchess wasn't too offended by his lack of praise at her arrival. He had a lot of making up to do and he was damned if Sir Guy was going to be her favourite during her stay.
Dear Cousin,
I have arrived in Nottingham and had all of my needs catered for by Sir Guy of Gisborne. The Sheriff seemed dumb-struck by my arrival; however I do believe that his henchman did a superb job of playing host on his superior's behalf.
Duchess of London
The Sheriff put on a marvelous breakfast feast the next morning for the Duchess. He had the servants up at dawn preparing everything for her. He made a point of not inviting Sir Guy as he had already out-shone him once and he was determined to make sure he wasn't going to do it again.
The Duchess arrived early to find herself almost impressed by the Sheriff's hard work. He was again caught off guard and she sore him marching up and down the table, barking orders and terrifying his staff on her behalf. She was surprised and impressed by the turnaround of the previous day when he forgot to be present for her arrival at his gate.
"Is this for me Sheriff?" asked Rose.
Vasey grovelled at her feet and his staff all bowed to her as she announced that she had entered the room by questioning the Sheriff's motive for putting on such a feast so early in the day.
"Your grace; did you sleep well? Where you comfortable? How can I ever…?" he began.
"Get up for goodness sake man are you a man or not?" asked the Duchess.
She sat down to breakfast as the Sheriff was shocked over how his behaviour had somehow infuriated the Duchess rather than improved her mood towards him. How was it that his henchman had managed to succeed where he had failed?
"Is Sir Guy not joining us this morning?" added the Duchess.
The Sheriff forced a smile with his response.
"I'm sure the staff at Locksley are more than capable of feeding their master," he replied.
The Duchess glared at him over a piece of fruit and the Sheriff went silent. During the evening she had already decided to reward Sir Guy for stepping up to the plate at seeing her to her chambers as a wealthy woman in her own right.
"I wish to go to Locksley," commanded the Duchess.
"Your Grace…" started the Sheriff.
"Alone!" added the Duchess.
Duchess Rose was an excellent rider for a lady and in the lady like manner that was expected of her at her station. She was pleasantly surprised when none of the Sheriff's men followed her and enjoyed her freedom to the near-by village where she dismounted from her horse and walked the rest of the way towards the manor.
Two guards at the gate blocked her path almost threateningly and she raised her hands in surrender and cleared her throat.
"Inform your master that I am here…" she began.
Sir Guy did not need informing; he was just leaving his home when he caught sight of the lovely Duchess being threatened by his guards. He raised his voice impressively and even caused the Duchess to become a little startled.
"Lower your weapons you fools! The Duchess of London is never to be treated in such a manner do I make myself clear?" demanded Sir Guy, personally lowering the guards' weapons.
Sir Guy dismissed his disgraced men and bowed to his visitor.
"Forgive me my lady," he said.
"Not at all Sir Guy, your men do you justice by keeping you safe. Where you on your way out? I don't mean to hold you up," added Duchess Rose.
Sir Guy strained up and shook his head. He invited the Duchess into his home and she began to wish that the manor was where she was staying as it was somehow warmer than the castle. He pulled out a chair for her and she placed her reward on the table.
"I didn't have the chance to thank you for stepping up on my arrival. You did well considering your superior simply froze on you. I'm impressed Sir Guy, despite the rumours you certainly know how to treat a lady," complimented the Duchess.
Sir Guy gave her a warning look and the lady frowned in confusion. She thought that she had paid him a compliment but by his expression the Duchess knew that she had crossed a line with her former host.
"Forgive me; I hadn't intended to hurt you. I simply came to reward you and thank you for everything you did yesterday. I also wanted to tell you that I was mildly disappointed when you weren't at breakfast this morning; a grand affair no doubt the Sheriff trying to make up for his laziness. Don't be a stranger to me Sir Guy; you've made an excellent impression and Prince John will hear of my praise," she added.
The Duchess made to leave until Sir Guy contemplated what she had told him.
"Is that why you are here?" he asked.
The Duchess turned to him with a questioning look.
"Sir Guy?" she asked.
"You're here to spy on us; tell the Prince who is really to blame for Robin Hood remaining a thorn in my side," added Sir Guy with some anger in his voice.
The Duchess sighed and held up her hands in surrender.
"Sir Guy there is no fooling you; I am here on behalf of the Prince it is so. He will expect answers to his questions and those answers depend on my perception of how things are done around here. You have nothing to fear from me," she explained, softly.
"And the Sheriff?" asked Sir Guy.
The Duchess narrowed her eyes.
"Vasey seems a little out of his depth. Perhaps this is how he always reacts to visiting royalty? I am a reasonable lady and willing to give him the benefit of the doubt but the man lacks charm and heart if you understand my meaning?" she asked.
Sir Guy smirked slightly as the odds were in his favour of being the hero in the eyes of the Duchess and the Sheriff was tying his own rope as far as he could tell. He could also tell when a woman had a fondness for him and he finally turned to his gift. He picked up a long and heavy chain; it was silver and had what looked like black diamonds encrusted into it.
"This is your gift to me?" asked Sir Guy.
The Duchess smiled at him.
"Just a token Sir Guy; money is everywhere but that particular set never suited me but I could see you looking rather grand in such a piece as this," she replied gesturing to it.
Sir Guy admired her taste; she was quite right, it was perfect for him in every way; the colour and texture were to his liking and he had never owned anything like it before especially as a gift from a woman; a woman of royalty, who even assisted in placing the trinket upon his person before standing back to admire her own gift.
"Well, well Sir Guy, I'll make a noble man of you yet," she added.
