Disclaimer: I do not own Guy of Gisborne (thankfully) but Lizzy and Jack are my own creations.

Please review, as if this is any good I was hoping to write some more chapters...

Anyway, enjoy!!

The Lost Years Of Locksley

Lizzy Botham had started working in Locksley Manor two months before the master has left for the Holy Lands, to fight at King Richard's side. She had been 11 at the time and had been taken in by Robin of Locksley after her mother's tragic death. The child had been given to Alison, the old housemaid, to be cared for.

That had been over 4 years ago.

Lizzy was now almost 16 and had grown into a fine young woman. She was fairly tall for her age with a beautifully curved figure, as working had not let her become dainty or frail. Her face was framed by soft, hazelnut curls that reached down just below her shoulders. Lizzy had a number of light freckles that dusted her cheeks and her eyes were a deep emerald-green with a mischievous sparkle.

However, times had changed and rarely now did her eyes light up, as nothing seemed to make her smile anymore. Well, nearly nothing.

It had all started when the Sheriff of Nottingham had been forced to step down. He and his daughter, Marian, had moved into a house not far from Locksley Manor but not much was now heard of them. The new Sheriff had changed everything and had brought with him a temporary replacement for Robin while he was in the Holy Land.

Guy of Gisborne.

Lizzy shuddered as if the thought of his name dirtied her. She detested him, not least because he had replaced most of the staff, including Alison. Lizzy had grown to love the woman like she had loved her mother and had been inconsolable when the housemaid had to leave. She had tried to go with Alison but the old woman had forced her to stay, making her promise to stay there where there was a roof over her head and she was safe. She could feel tears welling in her eyes now, as she thought about the old housemaid. She missed her terribly and as many of the replacement staff had been brought in by the new master, Lizzy had had no desire to become acquaintances with any of them.

Lizzy stood up once she had finished cleaning the floors of the kitchen. As she stepped outside into the courtyard she could hear Jack, the stable boy, crashing about and shouting in the stables. The sound of his voice made Lizzy's eyes sparkle, all sorrow and hurt flowed freely out of her body as she walked across to the source of the commotion, a smile quickly spreading across her face. The sight of Jack stuck under a pile of hay bales with tack and barrels strewn across the floor was one that Lizzy had not been expecting. After calming down from her initial hysterics, she managed to help her friend up. Jack's face was flushed and he scowled at the horses, but he brightened up as he looked back towards Lizzy. Before long the stable was back to normal and the friends sat down together on a barrel to admire their work.

Jack was 17 and slightly taller than Lizzy with dark brown hair and eyes. His father was the horse groom at Locksley Manor but Jack had never quite mastered the knack of being a stable boy. They lived in Locksley town so Lizzy only saw Jack when he was at the Manor, but he was her first and best friend.

The clatter of hooves in the courtyard startled the friends and Lizzy's mood darkened as she realised it was Gisborne and his men returning from terrorising the villagers. Jack ran outside to take the horses from the men and Lizzy followed at a distance. Now that Gisborne was back even being near Jack could not lift her spirits. She detested her master and, as much as she pretended it didn't happen, she knew he often looked at her; looked at her body. She hated it and hated being near him. Lizzy stepped into the courtyard and tried to inconspicuously get into the house. It didn't work.

Gisborne was striding across the courtyard towards Lizzy. He had seen her leaving the stables and knew she had been with the stable boy. As he reached her side he grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn towards him.

"Why aren't you in the house?"

Lizzy shook with hatred and fear. Her answer was quiet and she could not look at him in the eyes, for fear of what she would see in their depths.

"I was helping Jack, master"

Lizzy spat this last word out, wrenched her arm free and ran into the house. Jack's eyes burned with loathing for Gisborne, for he had seen what had just happened. He cared deeply for Lizzy; more so then he let on, and could not stand the way Gisborne looked at her. Jack hurriedly led the horses into the sable, so as not to let on to Gisborne that what had happened had hurt him, but saw with disgust the smile on Gisborne's face: he knew.

Someday, thought Jack, Someday I will stop him.

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Helpful comments are muchly appreciated (like if I should carry it on etc!)