This Tuesday afternoon was crisp with a chilled air of autumn as breezes flowed around Nottingham. Leaves had been changing for a few weeks now around the county and the local people had begun stepping out with shawls and coats for their activities. Guy, of course, was not worried about the weather. He made sure his leather jacket made him immune to the most poisonous blows from foes and females alike; a wind was not likely to faze him. Ever since the weekend he had bubbled with the joy of Marian's sourness at seeing the bartender by his side. Perhaps it was not the most righteous thing to be proud of, but he wasn't a man of morals. Gisborne slipped between families and groups of friends, beggars and workers, and eventually arrived at the east side of town to find the tavern he was hunting for.

Guy drug his heavy black boots into the doorway of The Maiden's Room to be greeted by the most useless folk in town. On a Tuesday afternoon, most people were toiling away to earn enough pence to drink. These men, though, were the ones who were too old to do much more than drink and get rowdy. He was greeted by a girl with raven hair behind the bar but did not bother answering her; he ignored everything in the pursuit of blonde headed Lucy. Eventually Gisborne found her towards the end of the tavern serving a table of burly men who clearly had no intention of slowing down their alcohol intake. Mug after mug must have gone down based on the smell alone, but also their snarky attitudes. He sneered as he approached and overheard their conversation.

"Baby, you are a life saver." One guy laughed as he took a cup from her hand and shoved his empty one towards here, skittering it across the wood table.

"Anything for you guys." Lucy stated with transparency; within seconds anyone could tell she was fatigued and disinterested in all the male attention.

"Well, you know what I could use with my drink," another disruptive party member chipped in as he wrapped his arm around her waist. She added a false smile then turned to leave, but he was not ready to let her go. The man pulled her in tight next to him and slid his hand down to where he had a firm grip of her bottom. In this moment Gisborne pounced. He slipped on his trademark scowl and stormed up, holding Lucy by the shoulders and tugging her away from the groping customer.

"The lady isn't interested." he bitterly spat. Order was restored as the glint of Gisborne's dagger reflected on his frown. Knowing the man in leather was around would put anyone on their best behavior – even brawlers. It was not unheard of to lose tongues in the dungeons, after all. Each heart skipped a beat at the thought of offending Gisborne or his property. Guy followed Lucy to an empty table and instantly flipped a switch inside his brain, turning on charm, shooting out endorphins. Instantly he transformed into the sly man from Saturday evening.

"Thank you." She sincerely said as she looked up into his eyes. Guy shook his head as if it was nothing and leaned onto the table so that he was over her by a hair, bringing up nerves in Lucy's stomach that went wild with his charisma.

"I thought you may like to accompany me on a walk." Gisborne grinned. She darted her look to the boss behind the counter who was frozen. Naturally she was petrified to let Lucy go with Gisborne, after all Nottingham castle is not known for hospitality. Yet an itching reminder crawled up the bar owner's back that she could not risk trouble herself. In moments Lucy was wrapped up in her ruby shawl and out the door, filling her lungs with coolness and brushing wind tossed hair back behind her ears. Golden waves reached halfway down her back and constantly swept into her eyes as she followed Guy along dusty streets. After several minutes of small talk they arrived back at the castle where Gisborne planned to display her. The guards instantly recognized his face and drew open the gate for their leader; of course they also neglected to ask questions about his guest. Guy made sure to gently lay his hand on Lucy's back as he led her down the stone hallways towards the gardens.

"I have heard they're just exquisite," Lucy beamed as she looked up to the man in black, "lots of lavender. I love lavender… it's how I imagine France looking. I know that sounds odd."

"The fields smell of lavender and chamomile up north," Guy fondly recalled, "my family was from there originally."

"So Gisborne is French?

"'Tis."

"Here and all I can discuss is boring old Kent."

"Oh, I don't know, I imagine you have a few stories about… cows." Guy chuckled as she swatted his forearm lightly. They approached the garden in the rear of the castle where hedges lined ornate shapes and flowers of every color burst in the sunlight. Birds swooped through and made homes while butterflies fluttered to and fro. Tall lavender swayed beside lilies and fluffy English roses along the wall. Lucy filled her lungs with the sweet air and mentally drew the image of peace into her memory. She took a step ahead of Guy and watched in awe how each stalk moved in the wind. At the end of the path lie a nectarine tree who drooped with long deep leaves, holding its branches over a metalwork bench as its final fruit of the year hung low. Gisborne motioned to it.

"Would you like to sit?"

"Thank you," She grinned and daintily perched on the bench, "Excuse my being forward, but I always imagined tax collectors as boring. Or at least with awful moustaches."

"Well I hope you can find a way to think more of me than that," Guy flirted as he moved his knee to touch hers.

"It helps that you don't have a moustache." Lucy giggled. Her emerald eyes were filled with joy but her lips pursed as if she was too shy to laugh; Guy was impressed. He had grown so accustomed to Marian's fire and independence that he forgot how beautiful he found a submissive woman. Marian could never be a housewife, but perhaps Lucy… He caught himself smiling at her for no reason before wrapping himself up in the moment again.

"So, Sir Guy, to what do I owe the pleasure of getting to know you?"

"Every man could use the company of a gorgeous woman." He admitted before noticing movement in the corner of his eye. Nonchalantly he glanced up to the outdoor hallways and noticed none other but Marian. He was momentarily startled to see her, then a wave of embarrassment met his nerves. She was going to see him with Lucy. But wait – wasn't that the point? Pride crept in and took hold of his heart as he shot a sly smile towards the brunette onlooker. Guy took the opportunity to place his arm around his date's shoulders and lean in to speak with her, almost as if the garden were their own enchanted forest, one that could never include his former flame.

"Thank you, I – I'm sorry," Lucy bashfully glanced down to her hands that lay intertwined on her lap, "I don't quite know what to say. I'm a bit humiliated to have such a schoolgirl crush." She heard herself nervously laugh as the words kept coming out unfiltered. Why could she not stop talking? No man has a hunger to marry a woman with such childish behavior. Gisborne noticed her smooth alabaster skin become dotted with blush rose that tinted her nose and cheeks as autumn streamed over the grounds and grabbed at her flesh. He cupped her youthful hands into his and blew a warm breath onto them to keep her comfortable.

In this instant, Maid Marian did not exist. Her name had never happened in this realm of time to Sir Guy. Her round face was but a memory that had faded with the seasons, drifted off into the ocean perhaps, but she certainly was not only yards away. As his firm hands held onto Lucy's he had no concern who did or did not see them in their garden of Eden. Lucy allowed herself to slide closer into Gisborne as he kissed the tops of both of her hands, never taking his gaze off of her young visage.

Marian did not feel the cold. Hot blood clawed its way through her arteries and scratched all through her body, bombarding her flesh with endorphins and hatred. She popped her knuckles and hurriedly hit her fist into her palm, steaming her way into her chambers and away from the humiliation of the outdoors. Once inside, emotions abducted her body and threw a pillow to the ground before Marian curled onto the bed and cried hot, sudden tears. She was so confused but too shattered to even figure out why the cavity in her chest burned with pain. She needed to see Robin, that much was certain.