A/N; Okay, so my first proper fanfic on . Hopefully it won't be that bad. Now some little warnings,

1) I have never done much about Medieval times in history at school at all. The only thing I remember ever doing is about the castles so some things might be a little historically inaccurate so I apologise beforehand for that. Anything in the story will just be memory from watching Robin Hood and coming on within the next few weeks is Merlin which is quite close to the late 12th century. I will do some research now and then to keep myself on the right track but if you think something needs pointing out, please don't be afraid to!

2) I am now in Year 10 at school, so GCSE year. Therefore I won't be able to update very often due to coarsework preperation, homework, researching, etc.

3) Now, my best subject at school is English, therefore I'm not overly bad at it! But I'm still learning and I will make mistakes, quite a lot probably seeing as I'm always making stupid little mistakes now and then. Please please PLEASE review with critcism. Obviously, I would love good reviews, but good critcism (and not random babble about how rubbish I may be!) will help me to get better.

Right, I talk too much xD Please enjoy. I don't quite know where I'm going with this story but hopefully it won't be boring and bad.

Here it goes then!

Chapter I

"We have a visiter!"

His eye's glistened ever so slightly in the frantic strike of lightening he stared out at in the dark, looming clouds staring down upon the whole shire. In those small, blue orbs as eyes though, it was clear the darkness, almost as haunting as the sky above, that swam in those pupils, bringing forth the real Guy of Gisborne that he tried to hide from the rest of the world. There was always something behind those eyes that he tried to keep hidden. But there would always be someone who came along and tried to look deep within, pulling out the 'goodness' that they thought were concealed inside. He scoffed at that thought. His soul was like the deepest, darkest pits of hell. How could there possibly be any good within that? 'But she'll always try, that's just Marian.' It seemed whenever he fell into this solemn mood, his thoughts, no matter how hard he tried, always came down to her. He supposed it always would in the end, even if the Sheriff continued to pester him with that one single word. The word he never wanted to hear again. Leper. No, Marian was not a leper. Even the word brought goosebumps onto his ashen skin. He never wanted that name to be associated with his life again. Not after what happened with his father. Who in their right mind would want to be reminded of such a day?

He wanted to push himself off the wooden stool that was making his limbs go numb. He wanted to go back to Locksley and back to his warm, almost comfortable, bed. He never slept that much but at least back at his manor he would be comfortable. He had been made to stay at the castle though. A special guest was arriving at any moment and the Sheriff wanted him to be there, to great this guest and make sure they were happy with their accommodation. He simply sighed and complied with his orders, silently cursing himself for agreeing. Why couldn't he have used Allan instead? It was what he was for after all. Someone to do the dirty work instead of Guy doing it all the time.
"I need someone I can, surprisingly, rely on. Until we know for sure that pretty boy isn't just twisting you around his little finger like the puppet you are, then can I really put all my trust in him after a couple of weeks? A clue: no!" The sheriff had replied when questioned about Allan taking his place, pronouncing the word 'no' over a long time to stress the answer, as though it was already obvious in the first place.

Guy clenched his right fist into a ball, unclenching it after a couple of seconds to flex the bones in his hand. He wasn't even looking out for this mysterious guest anymore. Simply staring out into the early morning sky as the lightening died away from Nottinghamshire and the first light of day was very slowly coming through. He let the right arm that was resting on the bedside table lift from the wood and lean his elbow on there instead, his now clenched fist fitting against the side of his head as he let out a sigh.

***
Her head rested against the side of the carriage, her eyes casting out along the forest path. She wished she had got here a little later. When the rain had died away and people would be starting to awaken for the start of a new day. After All, wouldn't that be when the infamous outlaw of Sherwood Forest was up and about on his daily ambushes? She was actually excited about meeting him, especially when he was, apparently, fighting so well for the cause of King Richard himself. Her driver was very insistent on letting both Her Majesty and the horses rest during some of the nights though, the journey to Nottingham shortening because of it, arriving in the very early hours of the morning instead of late afternoon that very day. She sighed deeply, raising her chest high to do so as the frosty chill of the air hit her lung icily as she inhaled once again. Her crystal, blue eyes swiftly moved to look straight ahead of her. Hers' resting upon the dark, hazel one's of her maidservant, Adelaide.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Her soft, angelic voice low in tone, not needing to raise it as there heads were a mere metre or so away in the small, cramped space between them.
"Of coarse not Your Highness." She replied, a petite smile carving her thin lips, the fake look of it only being given away when she looked down and away from her Mistress's face; the most obvious give-a-way.
"You know, Adelaide, after all these years you should know better," she started, leaning forward a little as she reached forward her left head, gently touching the tip of her friend's chin to lift upwards, their foreign-like eye's meeting once again, "You cannot lie to me."
A small flicker of fear crept into the eyes of the younger maid for a small second, leaving just as quick as it had made it's appearance, but not quick enough for the older woman to notice. "What is the matter?" She asked, concern straining her voice. Adelaide kept her eyes on her Mistress, almost in terror of being told off for looking away if she did.
"Nothing, milady. Honestly. It is cold, dark and we do not know of the people we are visiting. I am just a little wary that is all, milady. For your welfare of coarse, your Highness." She replied, a little too quickly for her Highness' liking. Still, giving up, she leaned back and away from the servant, sighing in slight annoyance. Why, after so many years of getting her to trust me so, does she still seem to fear me when I am putting her best interest's at heart? The twenty year old young woman thought to herself.
All thoughts of Adelaide subsided instantly as her eyes cast a glance outside of the coach, the bumps of the previously cobbled path smoothing for a moment as the wooden wheels rolled against the slosh pots of mud in the forest ground as the driver came to a halt.
"We're 'ere, you're 'ighness." The gruffly, thirty-odd year old man shouted from the front of the carriage to the guest inside. She stuck her head out of the small hole and towards the man, a look of slight impatience growing on her facial expression.
"What was your name kind sir?" She asked, her lips growing to a grin very quickly to hide the annoyance, making the older man swallow the lump in his throat, fear rising in him. She was a powerful woman that could send a man to the chopping block in a click of her finger's, anyone who had the smallest bit of common sense would be careful around her, and this man now feared for his life.
"Er.. W-Walter..." he straightened himself up on the seat, clearing his throat to seem a little more in control of himself, as if trying to show that he had nothing to fear.
"It's Walter Rolfe, your Highness." He ended with a small nod to the woman.
"Well, Walter Rolfe..." Her smile shrunk drastically, her eyes widening as she gritted her teeth in agitation, "Get a move on!" Her voice rose angrily as she stumped back into her feet, the sound of the shaken man whipping at his two horses to hurry on towards the entrance of the castle.
"He's just nervous." Adelaide's quiet, nearly silent voice rose above the small growls of the woman opposite her. Adelaide looked up to meet the woman with one eyebrow rose and a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lip, her other eyebrow slowly lifting as she gave a small nod swiftly as if to tell her to continue. "Forgive me, all I meant was that it's not every day that he gets to assist and take-" she was interrupted suddenly with a hand raised to stop her, a look of understanding on the older woman.
"Yes I understand. He must surely know though, that after just under a week of travelling here, I would like a nice hot bath, a warm room to sleep in and grand food to fill me up? I am only human after all." She replied rather gruffly, not meaning it to come out as half heartedly as it did. "I apologise." She muttered, averting her eyes outside once again as the carriage finally came to a stop once again.

The sudden banging of his chamber door unexpectedly brought him out of the daydream that was overtaking him. He growled, leaving his stool immediately to pace his three steps across the room and to the thick, wooden plank of a door. Swinging it roughly open, his gaze hardened at the sight of his manservant. Well that was the least expected from Allan A Dale anyway.
"Sheriff's sent me up 'ere to tell ya the guest's arrived." He said, stifling a yawn on the way. He already knew by now that by getting to the point, he didn't get a cuff round the ear for wasting Guy of Gisborne's time, even if he did try to annoy his master every now and then. This morning he couldn't do with it though. He just wanted to go back to bed and have the well earned rest he thought he deserved.
"Right, with me now. If I'm having to go through with this disturbance for the Sheriff, you are most definitely not going to get away with it." Guy groaned, grabbing the leather jacket that was tossed carelessly onto the end of his bed, quickly placing it on and buckling it up as he stepped out the room to shut the door behind him.
"But-"
"No but's Allan. You do as I say, understand?" The glare that was being shot from Guy was something Allan knew not to disagree with.
"Well I suppose.." He muttered, he wasn't going to give the direct answer of 'Yes Sir', not even to Guy.
"Good. Hurry up." He added quickly, taking long strides to get down the swirling staircase of the castle and onto the ground floor below, making Allan have to take extra quick strides, his slighter smaller legs not being able to keep up with the other mans' taller one's.

Walter hurriedly jumped down from the front of the carriage, not wanting to make the same mistake of angering the woman he had done so previously again. Opening the door of the carriage, the first woman who came out was wearing a plain, brown servant's dress. Her hair was practically tied up in a bun, a couple of strands of blond, almost white, hair cascading down the front of her face, the index finger of her right hand quickly reapplying them behind each ear.
She stepped down and to the opposite side of the door to Walter, shooting him a soft smile as if to show that the woman still inside was at least in a more pleasant mood than she was before. Walter gave a small smile of relief back to Adelaide, their heads turning suddenly to the sound of two, large, brown, oak doors opening to reveal a small, grey hair and beardy old man. Both their eye's cast to the tall, leather clad man that kept an emotionless look to his face, as if a look of emotion would shatter him in two. The other look was given to the man stood uncomfortably next him, his hands behind his back and his head held down ever so slightly. His eyes were cast upon the carriage though, intrigue and curiousness overshadowing the feeling of unbelonging.
All heads swung up to the carriage door instantly as the woman the Sheriff had impatiently, but excitedly, been waiting for finally made an appearance. Her chestnut brown curls were the first that caught the attention of the men standing on the platform at the top of the steps, her bright, ice blue eyes being the second. Her burnishing, red cloak hung elegantly over her shoulders, illuminating the leaf green, low cut dress, accentuating her curves, drawing eyes to her once again.
She stepped down, hands placed automatically on her hips at the looks of the men she was now facing. She turned to her right, nudging Adelaide in the ribs softly to get her attention. She nodded her head towards the three men at the castle, indicating for her to speak to them.
Clearing her throat, the eyes of the men now shot glares towards her, Adelaide's eyes quickly looking away as she spoke.
"Her Highness, Princess Joanna of England."