This looked a lot longeron my computer - oh well - this is a Guy/OC story based after the burning down of knighton and the imprisonment of Marion's father- I hope you enjoy the first chapter- please R and R NO FLAMES

DISCLAIMER - I only the plot and my characters the rest is property of the BBC

CHAPTER ONE- HOME

Finally she was home. As she dismounted down onto the familiar soil of her village she knew something was wrong it was quite for a start on a Saturday when it should have been busy with children playing and the people of the village working. Secondly her house was not where it used to stand. Just a charred mass of burnt mood and twisted bits of metal lay there running over to it she would have knelt down and cried had it not been so shocking. Neither her father nor her sister was anywhere to be seen and where they could have gone was a mystery to her. As she stood there a man looking haggard and ill approached her slowly, she did not notice him until he reached a position by her left shoulder. "Richard!" she cried "what has happened here?" the man looked mournfully at her and then at the ruins "the Sheriff my lady that's what has happened here. Your sister spoke out against him once too often and he accused your father of conspiring with the outlaw Robin of Loxley. He claimed back the village for the crown burnt their house to the ground and has them under constant surveillance up at the castle". For a moment she stood reeling from all this information and revelation, finally she spoke "Robin of Loxley, but he is a noble man has fought for our king in the holy land, he may have had a strong personality but he was true and loyal how come he is an outlaw now?" The old man explained the story of Robin and his falling out with the Sherriff and how now he resided in Sherwood with a gang of fellow outlaws, explaining how to the locals they were heroes. "I must ride for Nottingham it seems, while we are gone you Robert are in charge of running our land even if you have to appear to have to bow to someone else's will you are truly in charge". The man smiled as the lady rode away he was proud that she put so much faith in him; proud that she had turned out so much like the woman who had borne her quietly strong, beautiful and patient, but with the will of a tiger just like her sister, a fault that ran through all the women of her line.

Hours later she reached the gates of Nottingham and rode through its streets even though she recognised the town she didn't truly recognise it at all. The walls that had once been beautiful clean stone were now grey and green with lichen looking unkempt cold and oppressive. The air felt heavy and the market square did not bustle with peasants as normally it should have but those who did cross it went quickly and crossed without stopping, going only where they needed to and not stopping to linger. The presence of the castle guard was heavier too than ever she remembered it she felt as though always she was being watched she dared not even speak out loud to herself as otherwise she might have done to express the phrase -God almighty only knows what has happened here. It was like a town isolated because of disease, slowly decaying into dust and darkness as nothing and no one new passed through it. Reaching the portcullis at the front of the castle yard she waited for it to be open and then rode through dismounting and tying her horse to one of the rings in the yard "wait quietly here Ethlea do not make any trouble I don't think this place is as friendly as it should be to strangers or even to those who are known." With this she walked up the stone steps and into the front door which was opened before her yawning like a dragon about to take in its pray. After a long wait a guard signalled to her that she should follow him and she did so without delay covering her head with the hood of her cloak so that her face could not be seen.

Vasey sat slumped in his chair after his daily shouting match with the council, they weren't raising enough money, they didn't have enough supplies and those who were helping the poor were becoming more popular than ever. How was he supposed to keep control of the plebs if they could be self sufficient he needed them to rely on their lords and in turn for their lords to rely on him or the feudal system would collapse before his very eyes. He was not amused when a liveried servant appeared in the door to the great hall "what do you want?" he roared. The servant reeling from shock stammered "there is a lady here who wished to see you my lord", "a lady?" asked Vasey raising his eyebrows, the servant nodded "is she pretty?" he asked. "I could not say my lord for she keeps her head hidden beneath the hood of her cloak and will not take it off", "send her in me suppose". With this instruction the servant left and in walked the cloaked figure of a woman who walked down the steps and came to rest in front of the table behind which Vasey sat. "Who are you, and what do you want?" enquired the Sherriff in an irritated manner. "I am the Lady Katrina" she replied, "well let me see your face then how do we (he signalled to his guards and Guy who was standing close ) know you are not Robin Hood come to trick me by putting on a girly voice. "Very well" said Katrina letting the hood fall back over her head. Vasey was shocked as standing before him was a truly beautiful woman her copper hair bound up into plaits around her ears held with a crispinette her complexion a healthy pink and her cheeks rosy from the cold, but it was her eyes that caught him they were so piercing the grey colour so unusual all highlighted by the small imperfection of a butterfly shaped purple birth mark on the skin by the corner of her left one. "I am Lady Katrina Fitzwalter and I have only today returned form 14 years in a convent in France. I have come back to find my home burnt to the ground and came to you knowing that such great a Sherriff must be able to help me to find where my Father and Sister have now gone after such great a tragedy." This woman was good enough to play the Sherriff at his own game thought the man standing beside him although the Sherriff took the flattery as genuine. "My dear I am sorry to tell you your house was ordered to be burnt down as your father and sister conspired with outlaws and are now under close surveillance in this very castle". "My lord you must have them mistaken for although my sister is outspoken and opens her mouth when she should not she often does not mean what she say and my father must by now be far too frail for any kind of conspiracy. Let me, my lord be their assurance". Vasey smirked in her direction "I must keep them under my roof for their own saftey but you shall be able to see them and under your assurance your father let out of his cell". Guy stared at his master this kindness was unlike him but maybe a pretty face could still influence him. The Lady Katrina dropped him a curt yet polite reverence and turning her back left the hall.

Vasey turned to Guy "well quickly man follow her! You need to show her to her quarters in the first place, give her the tower suite. Make sure she has access to all four of the rooms. Only give her the keys to lock the solar though." Guy didn't need telling twice and left the hall following the disappearing figure of the woman in front of him.

Unsure of what was going to happen now Katrina took a right hand turn she hoped would lead her down toward the dungeons. She wanted to make sure personally that her father was released from the cell in which he was kept, partly because she didn't trust the Sheriff and partly because she wanted him to know she was home. She reached a heavy door and was just about to open it when she heard a voice like velvet mixed with sandpaper behind her. "Lady Katrina?" She turned her head to look in the direction of it to see the dark haired man who had been on Sheriff's right hand standing behind her. She made her assessment fast thinking he was not a man to trifle with; she answered him "yes sir..?" "Sir Guy of Gisborne, that's not the way to your chambers." "I know sir I wish to see to the release of my father personally I'm sure you will not deny me the chance?" This was more a statement than a question and both of them knew it; Gisborne simply nodded to her and held open the door for her.

A few hours later she was sat in her father's inner room talking to him. She had heard now about all that had happened, the attack, the fire the accusation – the truth behind it. She knew there was nothing she could do about what had passed but she vowed that she would get revenge on those who had hurt her family. As her father and her sat in front of the fire in a happy silence there was a gentle knock three times on the door and in the doorway was a woman Katrina had not seen for a long time. "Marian! My sister" she cried walking towards her and wrapping her arms around her, Marian responded in like and both were in tears. Katrina looked her up and down, the young woman she had known as a five year old child was now a young beauty. From the moment they began to talk Katrina knew she had picked up the family trait of being strong willed and a fighter but she had a more outspoken and confrontational nature than herself. Katrina had always managed to be strong willed but silent like her mother and she could see instantly why the impatient and occasionally impertinent nature of her sister had allowed the family to sink into the trouble it now found itself in. As they began to talk of their future plans a knock came at the door, the kind that was solid and commanding, not to be ignored. "Enter" their father called and Guy's head appeared in the doorway, "there is to be a feast tonight in honour of the arrival of the Lord of Richmond you are to be their Lady Katrina, be in the great hall as soon as you can." With this he turned and exited.

After much argument between them as to why only Katrina should go to the feast there was only a small time to change before her long absence was noticed and someone might be sent to fetch her whether she willed or not. So she having hurried back to her chamber Katrina removed from her chest the only fine dress she possessed that still fitted her, a close fitting bilaut of dark red silk with gold trimming and a jewelled belt for the evening she put her hair in a net and attached a thin metal circlet. Finished she exited her rooms and started towards the great hall. "Lady Katrina" called a voice, she stopped and turned around, there was Gisborne holding an arm out for her to take. She took it without a moment's hesitation "We had best be quick the sheriff thought you had got lost or were being stubborn about coming, he will be pleased to find you were only delayed".