Title: The Night Watch.
Rating: 12
Pairing: Guy/Marian
Summary: What if Robin had not returned from the Crusades when he did? Guy's courtship of Marian went unhindered by love rivals and Marian never had reason to doubt his loyalty or mistrust him in any way.
Warnings: None so far.
Status of Fic: W.I.P
Author's Note: This plot bunny bit me and it's kinda rabbid! XD
Disclaimer: Robin Hood, Robin Hood belongs in Sherwood! Not with me...unfortunately.
The Night Watch Prologue: The Courtship of Lady Marian
The very first time that they had encountered him, he had been charming, if a little distant.
It had been when he, Edward Fitzwalter, had come to the end of his term as the Sheriff of Nottingham due to old age and the beginnings of an illness that had taken up residences as a particularly bothersome tickle in his lungs, and more importantly his own desire to participate more thoroughly in his only child's life.
He believed it his own fault that she was not yet wed, nor in fact even courting and he wanted to rectify that fact as swiftly as possible. He was not, after all, a young man anymore and she needed security, someone who would be able to provide for her when the inevitable happened and God saw fit take him from that world to be reunited with his dearly departed wife.
There had, of course, been young Robin of Locksley, what? A good three years previously, and to all eyes, even his own, it had seemed a certainty that a good match had been made and a wedding would shortly follow. But Robin of Locksley had decided to chase war and glory across far away domains instead of staying and chasing happiness across his homeland, leaving Marian heartbroken and reluctant to receive anyone, let alone new suitors. And he, Edward, had not pushed the matter hoping that it would either rectify itself or the blasted boy would return to England's shores with a swagger in his step, a grin upon his lips and a little more sense between his ears.
But it hadn't and Robin hadn't.
Edward's successor as Sheriff, Vasey, had paraded around Nottingham Castle's grand banquet hall upon the evening that they met him, like the pompous idiot that the rumours had made him out to be. Shouting orders and making demands and sneering sarcastic comments about the castle's dated décor, but Edward had tolerated him, with Marian gripping his elbow and forearm comfortingly a silent support, knowing that soon he would be home before a roaring fire in his summer abode, Knighton Hall, his mind occupied with more important notions than Vasey's egotistical blathering…like a potential husband for Marian.
"Aha! Gisbourne! That's where you've been skulking." the new Sheriff of Nottingham had bawled suddenly, startling both Edward and his daughter as they trailed behind him (though they were supposed to be the ones leading Vasey upon the tour of his new home). He waved a ring covered hand in the air almost comically, beckoning a tall, dark figure who Edward had noticed keeping vigil at the hall's entrance. "Do come here and meet my predecessor. That's it, come along, Gisbourne, we don't have all day." sneered through his silver flecked stubble and flashing, mockingly white teeth. He swung his head back to Edward and Marian briefly. "You know my Captain of the Guards? Hmmm? Sir Edward?" an eyebrow was arched as him and then his daughter, who's arm suddenly tightened it's grip about his.
It seemed she disliked this new Sheriff as much as he did himself.
"Why, no, My Lord," she responded cordially, her mother's counterfeit smile upon her lips. "I don't believe we've had that pleasure."
Vasey snorted something that sounded remarkably like 'pleasure my foot, Missy' and swung his body theatrically back around to face his Captain who was striding with long, purposeful paces across the chamber to stand in front of them, cool blue eyes moving from face to face, lingering a little longer upon that of Marian's, before he looked to Vasey and dipped his head in a shallow but respectful bow.
"My Lord?"
Edward had been surprised to say the very least. He had heard that the new Sheriff's Captain of the Guards was a force to be reckoned with and his mind had immediately conjured up images of a stocky, grizzled and scarred older man, a scrapper rather than a knight and yet there he was, Sir Guy of Gisbourne, stood before him all politeness and grave-faced interest in the introductions and conversations that followed. His voice was deep and sure with a certain lilt that betrayed his Northern heritage immediately and his brow was strong and handsome.
Yes, Edwards had thought at that moment with a secret smile as Vasey disappeared to tend to other more important guest and his daughter's interest in the dark haired man before her increased, perhaps his new crusade in life to find Marian a suitor would not cause him to venture very far from home at all.
-oOo-
The Sheriff of Nottingham obviously seconded Edward's view that Marian and Sir Guy of Gisbourne were a good match, or more likely he thought that it would be prudent to keep a close eye upon his precursor as Edward was known to show far too much compassion to the poor and support far too liberal political notions to be left utterly alone, as not a fortnight since their first acquaintance the Captain of the Guards announced himself to Edward's long suffering manservant, Nathan, and was shown into the reception chamber of Knighton Hall.
"Sir Guy, what a surprise!" Edward had exclaimed, forcing a smile onto his lips past the shock that he felt at the younger man's unannounced presence.
"Not entirely unpleasant, I hope." Guy had countered almost warily, his brown darkening slightly as he waited for Edward's reply.
"Not at all. Not at all." Edward had responded, hasty to keep their conversation light and amiable as he beckoned for Gisbourne to occupy the seat before him and take some early afternoon refreshments.
Their conversation was cordial at best.
Edward and Guy both had struggled to keep their rapport flowing, still a stilted despite their best efforts. They touched the subjects of the unseasonably warm weather for the time of year, and the fine standard of horses that the local breeder was boasting of producing that spring. They even ventured tentatively onto the quagmire-ish subject of the new Sheriff's policy of coercion and repression, even though Edward was wary of speaking too freely and Guy regarded him closely with a critical blue-eyed gaze.
Only after much skirting around the true reason for the Captain's unexpected and unannounced visit (a good three hours of the afternoon) did a long enough pause fall between them, their choice of topics finally exacerbated and exhausted.
Guy had cleared his throat, contemplated the fine silver goblet of wine held carefully in a large, black leather clad hand, and queried with an air of feigned nonchalance…
"And where, Sir Edward, upon this fine noontime, is your lovely daughter, Marian?" his eyes lanced sideways from the chalice and up to meet his host's, who's had suddenly widened with a dawning comprehension. "She kept me very thoroughly entertained upon our introduction and I had hoped to speak with her again this day?"
Marian had, in fact, been visiting with distant relatives (her mother's cousin and her husband who had recently celebrated the birth of their third child and were in need of an extra pair of hands around the nursery in their manor house in Speke) and so Sir Edward had turned Guy of Gisbourne away from Knighton Hall without that which he had come seeking.
But if he had ever thought the younger man un-persistent, he had been very much mistaken. His next visit paid to Knighton, not a month later, was announced by his young page boy, most likely to insure that the true person that he intended on spending an afternoon conversing with was not, this time, absent.
"Lady Marian," he had said simply by way of greeting and he had been unable to keep the surprise from tainting his face at her sudden presence that the great oak door revealed when it was opened(even though he had been informed in advance that she had returned from Speke).
Spots of colour formed high upon his cheeks, smoothing the darkness and seriousness from his brow. His visage clear and unguarded and, to Marian's father at least, suddenly an open book easily read.
Guy already, even after only one meeting, held Marian in high regard.
He had not arrived empty handed this time either. Even though it was only his second introduction to the dark hair young woman and the third to her father, he had seen fit to arrive with a gift for her of a beautifully crafted and expertly formed jewellery box that was made from the sweetest smelling cedar and engraved with a striking design of a running horse upon it's lid that was inlaid with gold.
She had been breathless, if a little puzzled by the seemingly unwarranted present but the sharp look that Edward had aimed at her had warned her not to refuse the Captain's generosity, even if her pride and propriety was bristling within her chest.
He knew exactly what thoughts would be flying through his daughter's mind at that very second 'How could she accept something so expensive from a man she barely knew when the recent increase in taxes had left some of the poorer families of Nottinghamshire struggling to scrape by that month?' as she smiled hesitantly up at Guy and thanked him (although only after she had jovially scolded him for bestowing something so lavish upon her. What was the saying? Many a true thing spake in jest.)
Guy had smiled as she accepted his gift, perhaps mistaking her silent inner dilemma for speechless awe and Edward saw, in that moment, that Gisbourne still had a great deal to learn about is darling daughter before he would even consider him as a suitor.
-oOo-
It was not until the summer month of June that Sir Guy, now formerly residing in Locksley, first expressed an interest in courting Marian to him and while it had been something that Edward had strove and planned for, it still made the illness in his chest flare up until he was wheezing and coughing and Sir Guy had to call the serving girl for a pitcher of water and goblet.
"And what makes you worthy of my daughter, Sir Guy?" Edward has queried shrewdly once the rasping in his chest had calmed and he had seated himself comfortably beside the open fire (even in the summer months he requested that it be kept lit as he was prone to the chill of the evenings).
Confusion and a hint of an indignant frown had flashed swift and unbridled across Guy's face and for a split second Edward questioned whether the man was indeed worthy of Marian's hand. The arrogance, he had never considered that he may not be good enough in her father's eyes. Never even contemplated that he may be up against another suitor, a number of other suitors, in his quest for a wife. He was wealthy and powerful and offered her security, but could he offer her the one thing that she craved for, the one thing that Edward had so fortunately found in his arranged marriage to his dear, beloved wife - love?
"I can provide for Marian, My lord," he began slowly, confidently and Edward was about to stand abruptly and inform Sir Guy that he had reconsidered this match and did not find it so pleasing anymore…until the younger man spoke again, shaking away the last remains of pride and overconfidence that lingered upon his visage. "I have grown very fond of your daughter, Sir Edward," his blue eyes were full of sincerity as he turned them, finally, to meet the older man's. "I would like to keep her safe."
Edward had allowed the moments of silence to slip by as he sat, holding Guy's gaze, until the sun sank lower towards the horizon and a great fiery light filled the old wooden hall with it's blaze.
It was only the sound of hooves drawing to a halt outside as Marian returned from her afternoon's ride that stirred him from his silent thoughts and finally, standing from his seat with an effort that left him snatching the air back into his lungs, Edward nodded at the Sheriff's Captain once.
"You have my permission to court her."
-oOo-
Please let me know what you think of the beginning. :)