NOTTINGHAM CASTLE
"Ah, Lord Thornton!" Vaisey clapped his hands together as he walked down the stairs from the front of Nottingham castle towards the courtyard.
Thornton flung the carriage door open and stepped out.
He too was angular, jagged and cold, like stone.
Vaisey liked him for it.
Here, in his eyes, was what Guisborne could be once that tiny amount of compassion was extinguished.
And Vaisey would destroy it.
"My Lord Sheriff." Thornton bowed lowly and flashed the ring on his finger.
Before him Vaisey saw a fellow black knight; and one with passion for the cause no less.
"Your rooms have been set up just as I promised, but I imagine that you will want to see your new accommodation, as also promised."
Thornton grinned, "You are to kind, I plan to host a get together tonight, to cover up our little meeting with the other members." He walked forwards to stand in front of Vaisey.
Vaisey chuckled, "behind the shroud of festivity… I like it."
Thornton chuckled, "I knew you would, and what I have to tell you, the fortune I bring, I think you will like even more."
Vaisey grinned, "Good…"
The two turned and set off towards the castle.
Vaisey looked back over his shoulder briefly.
"Did your wife not make the journey, I am sure Guisborne would love to see her when he returns."
Thornton kept his eyes forward and his voice was low when he offered reply.
"I will get her back."
SHERWOOD FOREST
"Look I am just saying that now that we have caught the food…"
"We?"
"Now that Marian caught the food, that someone else should offer to cook it." Much said as they all walked back to camp.
Marian scoffed as they all looked to her.
"They all know I cannot cook." Djac defended.
Marian rolled her eyes, "Just because I am a woman."
"Well we all know Much is the girl around here…" Alan laughed.
Much bristled and got flustered, "I am a man, in mind and body…"
Alan laughed harder.
Suddenly there was the sound of thundering hooves nearby and figures on horseback, all clad in black, loomed through the trees towards them.
"GET THEM!"
Guisborne's voice rang through the trees.
"How did they sneak up on us?" Much cried as they all drew swords, moving to stand in a circle, back to back.
Marian counted the approaching guards.
There was around three of them to everyone in the gang, not the best odds…
"NOW!" Guys command from atop his horse was almost lost by the shouts of the guard closest to Marian, who fell to the floor with an arrow in his chest.
"HOOD!"
The fight broke out.
Marian let out an angry cry as Djac did, when she swung her sword across her body, sending another guard to the floor.
The gangs circle expanded, and Robin dove with them to join their fight.
He seemed to dance when he fought.
And not for the first time, Marian found that she was slightly distracted by his cat-like grace when he held a weapon.
She concentrated on her own opponent.
His blade found Guisborne's, and both let out a cry of rage and blood lust upon seeing one another.
Robin drove Guy back two paces with one swing of his blade.
"Looking well Guisborne." He snapped, "For a dead man."
Guy roared in rage and Isabella, from her place at the edge of battle, peering from near a tree, felt her heart flake at the mention of the man's title.
"Guy…" She whispered.
She watched as Robin swung his sword again.
Guisborne pushed back hard against it, and both of them snarled balefully at one another,
"Be sure that your death," Guy snapped, "Will be real, not rumoured…"
"Argh…"
Robin pushed him fully away from him, and his blade skimmed another guard, sending him to the floor.
Marian spun away from her own opponent and watched as Guy's eyes turned dark and cold, locked on her husband.
"Robin!"
He spun just in time to block Guys blade, but the force of it sent him backwards to the floor.
His sword spun from his grip.
The gang all froze in fear, but could not leave their own battles.
Marian forgot hers.
"Robin…"
She rushed forward, and Guisborne lifted his sword, snarling and roaring in rage and her revenge.
Isabella moved as well, and picked up Robins fallen blade, and held it across the outlaw's body to crash against Guys.
The blade stopped an inch from Robin's face.
Marian, who had never seen Isabella before in her life, stopped moving.
"What…" Her voice was barely audible as she stared at the woman shielding her husband.
Guy moved his face to glare at the offender.
He knew she was female by her hands.
He snarled and whipped his head up, but when he did not see Marian, he froze.
"Isabella?" He demanded.
Their eyes were locked on each other's, identical hair and skin and eyes.
The gang were frozen, staring as Robin did at the two of them.
Guards squirmed on the floor, regaining consciousness, full of fight and anger.
Robin saw this and slammed his foot against Guisborne's abdomen.
The man shouted out in pain and Robin rolled away.
Isabella pulled him to his feet and he stared at her, eyes demanding explanation.
She swallowed, "He is my brother."
Marian's eyes widened impossibly and Much looked faint.
Robin said nothing but Guisborne pushed himself upright, searching for his sword.
"Hood…"
"Robin!"
Marian shot forward with her blade and grabbed Robin's arm, running and towing him with the rest of the gang away into the trees.
"Get after them!" Guy screamed, "Bring them both to me… NOW!"
"Guy…" Isabella moved towards.
"And tie her up!" He snapped, "Take her to Nottingham, take her to her husband."
Isabella, who had not struggled as the guards took her arms, started to shake and kick and scream.
"No… no Guy please…."
"Do it!"
Guisborne stormed away.
THE CAMP
"Guisborne's sister?" Marian demanded from her place as she and Robin all but circled one another in camp. They glared at one another, him feeling ridiculous for being led by such an obvious lie…
A maid… really...
Marian was furious with him.
She felt hurt also.
He had been away from her five minutes and had already managed to find another woman with dark hair and blue eyes.
The rest of the gang wore similar expression… mixed with surprise, worry and anger.
"Just concentrate on thinking of a plan." Robin snapped at her, "please."
"I cannot believe you fell for it." Marian shouted at him.
Robin leant against the strut in camp, feeling foolish and angry.
"Marian." John warned quietly as she made to shout another insult at her husband.
Robin sighed and secured his belt around his waist.
"When I met Isabella she was being chased by Thornton's men, they rode back towards Nottingham which mean that is where he will be… we need to find out what he wants."
Will looked at Robin, "Is he a black knight?"
Robin looked up from securing his belt to nod.
"She was hiding something in a log… I am going to find out what it is before she or any of Guisborne's men come back for it." He put his hands on his hips to glare almost at Marian.
"Are you coming or staying here?"
hey glared at one another.
"Come on." She stepped around him.
He nodded and ground his teeth together.
They walked out of camp in silence.
After a couple of steps both of them sighed.
They had previously vowed to each other not to let their arguments over take them.
He sighed too, knowing that they should not argue incessantly every time they disagreed.
Robin took her hand, both their eyes remained forwards.
The conversation of Isabella was closed.
SHERWOOD FOREST
Robin crouched down beside the log and reached inside. He drew out a bag of money and another sealed document, or it had been sealed. The seal, stamped by Vaisey and another was broken.
"It is from Prince John." Robin read and Marian walked closer to him.
He scanned it before reading.
"My Lord Sheriff, I hear your request and accept, in exchange for the money you promised, I allow you to sell the newly refurbished lands and estate at Knighton to Lord Thornton of Shrewsbury, and his wife Isabella."
Robin looked up at Marian, who felt her stomach roll, before finishing.
"Knighton is theirs."