Chapter 2- Blood Loyalty

Falon set her sword behind a tapestry near her bed. She had been given a large suite of rooms according to her cover of being a visiting lady in the castle. The tapestry was an ugly thing now that she looked at it. It depicted the star covered heavens looking down on a river flowing through a dingy wasteland of a valley. A man and a woman were lying by the river. At first glance it appeared to be a romantic scene, but closer, Falon could see two knives piercing the lovers' chests and the red that she thought was the lady's gown was blood running into the river. Yes, a very ugly thing. But, Falon smirked, a very appropriate thing to be in her rooms.

The maid came in again directing a guard who carried a small chest of her weapons. Falon pointed to a corner, and the guard set it down, "Is that all, ma'am?" Falon nodded and the guard hurried out of the room.

The maid reached to open to box, but Falon rushed and grabbed her arm, "No! I'll take care of it." The maid eyed her dubiously but curtseyed and went to arrange Falon's new dresses in a wardrobe.

"Leave us."

Falon turned. Sir Guy was leaning against the open doorway looking in. Guy waved off her maid and came into the room. He was dark and imposing in her half-unpacked room. "Do you often wait outside a lady's open chambers, Sir Guy?"

Guy ignored her question and walked around her room, examining her things. "The Sheriff wanted to make sure you are comfortable," he picked up a dagger disguised in a necklace. "Are you?"

Falon was in front of him before he realized it. She snatched her dagger from his hand, and he caught her wrist; the blade cut her palm. "Do not touch my things, Sir Guy," she seethed softly and set down the necklace out of his reach with her other hand.

Falon met his angry glare with a cool one of her own. This man was intimidating yes, but Falon knew her worth. Guy released her hand and tossed his head, "The Sheriff has also invited you to dine with him tonight." He glanced down at the blood making drops on the stone floor under her hand. "Clean this up!" he barked at the maid and turned to leave.

Guy was almost out the door when Falon spoke, "Sir Guy. I need access to your armories and potions equipment."

"I will tell the guards you are to be allowed in."

"Sir Guy!"

Guy turned around and sighed deeply, his eyebrows raised awaiting her next request. Falon blanched momentarily at this man. She had come all this way to fulfill a contract only to be treated like a nagging, demanding child. She was not a demanding child; she was the best assassin north of France. She smirked, held his gaze, and dropped into a low curtsy, "Thank you, My Lord."

Guy's eyes widened in confusion, and he hurried from the room. Falon laughed.

The maid came back in carrying a small bucket of water and threw the water on the floor where the blood had dripped. Falon watched the water run red into the cracks of the stones.

Falon came into the great hall for dinner that evening. The Sheriff and Sir Guy were already eating. Falon took her seat and a servant brought out a plate of food for her.

"Falon," the Sheriff threw down his napkin and picked up his goblet of wine. "While at the castle, you will of course be masquerading as a lady visiting the castle. Why, I do not care. What I do care about is Hood. And his death."

Falon took a sip of her wine and almost spit it back out. "Of course, my Lord Sheriff," she handed the wine off to a servant. "Is there a particular way you wish him to be killed?"

Vaisey grinned, "Oh, Gisborne, I like this one," he pointed at Falon with glee. "Any way you want, my dear. Preferably in a way that gives me a head on a spike."

Falon plucked at the tines of her fork absently, "No fire, no total mutilation, understood."

Guy scoffed under his breath. The woman across from him was playing with her fork and plotting Hood's demise in one breath. She had changed into a white dress since their spar that morning. She looked more like the lady she was pretending to be and less like the assassin she truly was. Guy watched the way her fingers picked each tine before she finally put it down. The red cut on her palm was still there. She was so calm; it was almost as though she was not trying to do her job.

Falon looked up and met Guy's eyes. His blue eyes held untold amounts of suspicion and mistrust in them, too much for one person to handle. He looked briefly disgusted with her as he turned towards Vaisey, "My Lord-"

Falon cut him off, "Sheriff, perhaps Sir Guy can accompany me tomorrow. If I am to kill Robin Hood, I must know how he works."

The Sheriff was only half-listening as a tray was brought before him. "Yes, yes, have him for the day."

The next morning Falon was in her armor and poking around the potion rooms. The room smelled like herbs and the remnants of many burnt ones. Bottles of things were lying around everywhere, including basic and more complex supplies. She had even found a small box of venomous snakes, but Falon never liked poisoning her blades with snake venom- too sloppy. Falon picked up a mortar and pestle and peered at the contents. Whoever had been in there before her had been trying to make a sleeping potion. She flipped through a book of potions and found a particularly interesting one for poisoning fruit.

Falon enjoyed using poisons as much as the next assassin, especially when she had to kill an entire family or a well-guard lord who was not worth a large fight. But Robin Hood would be hard to poison since he lived out in the forest. No, face-to-face was the way to kill outlaw. Falon chuckled and tossed a deadly flower in the air. It was the way to kill an assassin too. Anything less was shameful.

Footsteps echoed down the halls and stopped at the door. Falon looked up, and Guy of Gisborne came in and leaned against the doorway. He looked down at her seemingly intrigued and disinterested in what she was doing. Falon smiled at him but saw no change in his face. This man was interesting. His eyes and face were murderous, dangerous, and he was looking at her rather curiously.

Guy moved into the room, "What does an assassin need potions for?"

Falon held up the contents of a bottle to the light. "Poison is the skill of a woman, Sir Guy." She sat the bottle down and rested her elbows on the center desk, "Do you dislike everyone you meet, or is there a special hostility just for me?"

Guy scoffed. This woman was bolder than any he had met and dared to accuse him of being hostile towards her. "Hostile? I have nothing against you, assassin."

Falon shrugged and moved around the table, "You have been distrusting of me since you saw me. If you and I are to work together, my Lord, we both must trust."

Guy crossed his arms over his chest. He had faith in the Sheriff's latest plan to kill Hood, but the means of execution left much to be desired. "What kind of woman kills for a living?" he sneered.

"What kind of man is a lap-dog?"

Guy drew his sword, and Falon palmed a hidden dagger. "You know nothing of what I do!"

"You know nothing of what I do," she countered.

Guy stood still with his sword pointing at the woman. She was staring at him boldly with a dagger in her hand. She had the weaker weapon, but she did not show it. She was confident of her skill. Guy lowered his sword, but Falon did not move. "I am no lap-dog," he growled.

"And I am still a woman." She sheathed her dagger and stood once again. They had both struck a nerve with the other. The silence between them was raw with an uneasy truce.

Falon broke it. "Tell me about Robin Hood." Focusing on work again would bring a momentary respite.

"He is an outlaw. A noble removed from his lands who thinks himself the hero of Nottinghamshire. He steals from the rich to help the poor. He fought during the crusades for King Richard and has opposed some of the Sheriff's plans…." Guy stopped short of telling her of the Black Knights. She was an assassin with no true loyalty to the Sheriff.

"I care nothing for politics, Sir Guy. I care for the contract; that is all." She smiled up at him seeing the way he relaxed briefly. She understood why he didn't trust her; she was a hired killer with no loyalties. He was the Sheriff's Master-at-Arms who appeared to value loyalty above all else.

Guy sheathed his sword and crossed his arms, "Hood recently killed the Sheriff's sister."

"So, this is vengeance?"

"He has stolen numerous amounts of gold from the tax collections and terrorizes the travelers on the roads. He is an outlaw who must be killed."

"And you've never managed to kill him?"

Guy glared at her, "He is clever with his escapes, assassin."

Falon toyed with a bottle, running her long fingers over the glass. "An escape-artist, I understand now. When does he appear?"

"Whenever the castle gains money, it seems. He has stopped quite a few public executions as well, especially if a member of his gang is to die."

Falon laughed softly. Public executions were ripe for the picking, especially if she had a good vantage point. Unfortunately, she was not a great shot with the bow. "How many men are in his gang?"

"We don't know, ten, maybe."

Falon nodded. Killing a man who lived in the forest, stole taxes, and saved his own people- what fun.