Hello, new story. I dunno what you peeps will think about it but please give me your opinion good or bad in a review! I will be very happy! Robin Hood tonight. yay!
Gisborne glowered to himself as he sat brooding in Locksley Manor. He hated Hood. So much that every time he heard the name he wanted to kill the person nearest to him by slashing through their chest and yanking their heart out. That was the depth and fierceness of his hate towards Robin Hood.
He always thwarted the Sheriff's plans to gain more money or kill someone important and therefore the blame was always shifted onto the Man of Arms. It was always his fault the wretched man escaped or his fault that the box of silver was stolen from beneath their very noses.
But at least he had one up on Hood in this moment in time because he had Marian under house arrest and completely in his power. She could not leave the castle without him knowing. Robin would not like that.
Suddenly there was a sharp rap on the door. Gisborne frowned, who would be here at this hour? As none of the servants were about he sighed and rose to his feet, lumbering slowly to the door.
"Gisborne! If you don't get your snivelling self to this door in the next two seconds I will get my guards to knock it down!" came the loud bellow of the Sheriff of Nottingham on the other side of the wood.
Gisborne cursed, wondering what the Sheriff wanted, no doubt something to do with Hood and wrenched open the door.
"Took your time, Gisborne. I had an axe ready and everything," the Sheriff said.
"Sorry, my Lord, but pardon my asking what are you doing here at this hour?" Guy questioned wearily.
"You only have yourself to blame for that, Gisborne. What did I tell you about women being lepers?"
"What?" the Man of Arms frowned, not in the mood to be part of Vaisey's mind games.
"Well, a package was left for you at the door of Nottingham castle not two hours ago."
"A package?"
"Yes, Gisborne, my god, you are slow tonight. A package which I have no intention in keeping with me thank you very much." Vaisey shook his head. Gisborne's curiosity was peaked. What package could be important enough that the Sheriff would bring it to his home in the middle of the night?
"Would you like to see it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good," the Sheriff clicked his fingers and one of the guards stepped out of the shadows and Guy's eyes widened in horror.
"No, my Lord, that cannot be mine!"
"I assure you it is Gisborne. There is even a letter stating so. Would you like to see?" the Sheriff asked and his second in command nodded his eyes meekly not taking his eyes of his 'package'. "Here."
The Sheriff handed the stunned man a letter that he'd gotten from the depths of his black robes. Guy took hit and pulled his eyes down to read it.
Dearest Guy,
I never told you but that night we spent together after you wooed me at the Great Feast had slight repercussions of which I am not willing to take responsibility for and therefore have handed over to you to deal with.
When I discovered I was pregnant I was mortified, I knew you did not care for me at all and it had just been one night so marriage was out of the question but I could not give birth to a bastard. I attempted to get rid of it with herbs and potions but I remained with babe.
I knew my father would disown me if he discovered what I had done. To him I would be no more than a common whore rather than a fine daughter with great integrity and pride. I went to the sickbed before I began showing, claiming I had a severely contagious fever. The doctor was in on my plan the whole way but that was because I bribed him.
When I birthed the child I did not know what to do, obviously I could not keep him. I gave him to my nursemaid and she cared for him in her own home. I visited occasionally but it was difficult.
Then came the day when she could not handle the boy along with her seven other children. She handed him back to me. At this point I was married and had my own child with Oliver of Lancashire. I definitely could not take the child into my own home so here he is.
His name is Milo and he is four years old. His birth date is the 13th June 1188 which is nine months after we were together if you don't believe me. Look after him, please, Guy. I am trusting you with our son.
Yours truly, Susanna of Lancashire
Gisborne stared numbly at the letter. Susanna? He remembered her. A beautiful young woman with a luscious chestnut brown curls and full red lips. Her eyes were the colour of the leaves in the trees, deep pools of emerald green flecked with gold. They had spent a wonderful night together but now that had backfired on him and he was left with a child! She was the mother; she was supposed to care for her baby. Well, he would have to get rid of it.
"Ow! No, get off me you little…" Guy was brought out of his thoughts by the yelps of the Sheriff of Nottingham fighting with the small child who had leant over from the arms of the soldier and grabbed his ear, pulling hard, "Gisborne! Remove your offspring from me!"
"Sorry, my Lord!" Guy apologised and leapt forward carefully extricating the tiny hand from his senior's anatomy and taking the child into his own arms.
The tiny boy looked up at him and Gisborne was shocked by the brightness of his eyes. They were bottle green and huge much like his mother's. But the boy had had shock of black, tufty hair which he must have inherited from his father and a toothy grin.
"Ah, it seems he likes you Gisborne. Good, good. I'll leave you to him," the Sheriff started to turn but halted, "And don't dispose of the child like you did the last one. This one could be of some use. For lures and traps. Keep him safe but make sure he learns our evil ways. Take a personal interest in his upbringing. Then he will be my perfect replacement when the time comes."
"But…if you want him why don't you care for him?!" the Man of Arms burst out, terrified at the prospect of caring for this bundle in the future.
"Because he is your son and I am the Sheriff of Nottingham so what I say goes!" with that Vaisey turned, mounted his horse and left.
Once the Sheriff had gone, Gisborne slowly closed the door, still holding the infant and went and slumped in a chair by the fire. He just stared at the boy who stared back innocently. What was he meant to do? He could hand the toddler to one of his maids to look after but the Sheriff had said specifically that it was his job to raise the child to be evil and scheming. This wasn't fair; he didn't know the first thing about caring for a child. He'd never had siblings.
"Where's Mama?" the little boy suddenly said uncertainly causing the man to jump.
"No, I am Guy of Gisborne and you are a nuisance. How am I supposed to woo women with a child in tow?"
"Woo women," the child repeated.
"Yes…Milo, woo women. Something you will understand when you are older." The leather clad man groaned and leant back in the chair. Why did this have to happen to him?
So, review!
