Chapter Three

Good deeds

Meg gripped the tray of food and fresh water as she carefully made her way down the stair ignoring the vile words from the guards. In a short hour, rumors of her and Guy's 'affair' had already started circulating throughout the castle. Show a little compassion and the world attempted to twist it into something dark and ugly.

She approached Guy's cell; he was sitting where she'd last seen him. His hands were between the bars folded as if he were in prayer. She hesitated and waited for him to finish. As if sensing her presence, he looked up at her with a frown. "What are you doing here? I thought you hated this place."

She nodded. "I do. I hate it very much." She knelt on the dirty floor and began handing him some of the fresh fruit, cheese and bread she'd gotten a few minutes ago. "But I brought you something."

He smiled faintly. "Thank you, but no."

"You must eat." He shook his head. "For me. Please." She handed him the tankard of water. "'It's the least I can do."

He pushed the water away with a shake of his head. "You've done more than enough."

She blinked at him, as unwanted tears she didn't even know she was holding back began to fill her eyes. "I've done nothing."

"You have." He assured her. "You've made me think."

"About what?" She asked, clearing her throat.

"About someone I used to know." He said quietly. "She saw good where there was none. She made me a better man."

"What happened?" She asked gently. She knew the story, but she wanted Guy to tell her to. "Did she die?"

He shook his head. "No. She married another. I almost killed her."

"Why?" Her tone was softer and more understanding than her mind was at the moment. She couldn't see Guy killing any woman, even one he was supposedly in love with.

He exhaled and looked away. "Don't know the answer to that yet. Anger at her for playing me for the fool for almost a year. Maybe I wanted…no one to have her. Know that she'd be mine always. But now…there's no one." He reached up and swiped at a tear running down under her chin. She shivered a little at the touch of his warm hand against her skin. Suddenly, he drew back and shook his head. "I destroy everything I touch." She sniffled and tried to regain her composure but words wouldn't come. He nodded. "Go on."

Meg stood up, forgetting the tray and hurried back up the stairs. Sir Guy of Gisbourne was a puzzle indeed. She didn't want to feel sympathy for him. She passed by a mirror and stopped to look in for a moment. She dried her eyes and paused as she brushed her hair back from her eyes. She studied her face for a moment. She could see her own reflection, to the eye, she looked like a calm, quiet, average woman. But she wasn't. There was another side of her that the mirror didn't show. The woman underneath.

Her mind filtered back to Guy and she remembered the two sides of him she'd seen. One side; dark, cold, cruel, unfeeling and bloodthirsty. The second side, quiet, kind, sympathetic and there was a loving side to him as well. She could see it in his eyes when he spoke of Maid Marian. Everyone had a scrap of human decency in them; even men like Guy had hearts. She wondered what he'd be like if given a little kindness. Could Guy honestly change his wicked ways?

She glanced toward the main hall where Isabella was planning a surprise attack for Robin Hood. Then back down to the direction of the cells where Guy was sitting all alone. At that moment, she made her choice. If anyone deserved a second chance, it was him.


The sound of clattering keys made Guy look up just as Meg flung his cell door open. "Meg." Her fingers worked rapidly to remove the shackles on his hands and feet. "What are you doing?" He couldn't believe what she was doing. Didn't this girl have any sense in her head at all?

"I can't let her kill you." She said without looking at him. "I can't. "

"You'd do this for me?" He asked as he stood up.

"Yes." She shook her head and handed him the food he hadn't touched and he began to put it in his pockets. "She's wrong!"

"You're breaking the law." He warned her.

"The law gets broken everyday." She stated as she brushed off her skirts, glancing around. "I believe I'm doing this for the better."

Guy grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. Her eyes, green, widened just a little. A faint smile crept upon his lips as he gently touched her cheek. "Thank you." He was surprised when she'd opened the door, but when she leaned into his touch, he was stunned.

"You've changed," she said quietly. "you deserve another chance. Don't waste this opportunity Guy. Go."

"Oh," he jerked his head to see his sister standing there glaring at them with an ice-cold look on her face. "This is touching."

"Go!" He shouted giving Meg a shove forward and they both bolted towards the door.

"No! Ahh!" Guy looked behind him to see that Isabella grabbed Meg by the hair and was pulling hard.

"Meg!" He stopped.

"Guy! Go!" Meg screamed. "Ouch!"

For the first time in a long time, Guy didn't think of himself. He thought of Meg. He glanced up the stairs, no soldiers yet; he could still run for it. At that moment, Meg wrenched free and he grabbed her arm and moved towards the stairs. To be stopped by that guards that decided to make their appearance. He held his hands up and shouted as they pointed their swords at his throat. "She didn't know what she was doing!"

"Oh yes she did!" Isabella shouted. She frowned at Meg who was being constrained as well. "How could you?" she shouted. "I set you free and this is how you repay me? I saved you from what would have been a Hell hole of a marriage, and you turn against me!"

"We're not the same!" Meg shouted back. "I try to do things out of love, but you're doing this out of hate! You're executing your own brother!"

"How dare you!" She shrieked slapping Meg's face.

"Don't hurt her!" Guy shouted.

"I suppose I should be grateful." She straightened. "The only person I can trust is myself."

"You put yourself there Isabella!" Meg said.

"I could say the same for you. Fine," Isabella eyed them and a sick feeling washed over him at the evil look in her eye. "if you two lovebirds want to be together, that's fine."

"I don't love him!" Meg shouted.

Guy tacked on for good measure. "I don't love her! Just let her go!"

"You'll both die." She shook her head. "Together." Meg gasped and clutched her throat. "Take them away to the tower!"

"Isabella please!" He shouted as he was dragged away. "Let her go!"

"Away!" Isabella shouted.

Meg marched along her head held high. He didn't hear a cry from her until the soldiers threw her to the ground. He landed right beside and he helped her sit up as the door slammed shut. "Are you all right?"

"Does it matter?" She asked. He peered closer and realized she was crying. She frowned and turned on her side. "All right! I'm crying."

Guy rubbed her shoulder. "It's ok to cry. It's what all females in your position would do."

She groaned. "It's a sign of weakness. It's pathetic."

Guy shook his head. "No, it's not. I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

She stood up and rubbed her arms. "I knew what I was doing. It's not like you seduced me or anything."

"Why did you let me go? Why?"

She shifted. "I-it's hard to explain. But, I feel…you need another chance." She turned to face him. "There is good in you Sir Guy, you need the chance to find the goodness inside you."

He shook his head. "I'm too far gone." He pulled out the bread and cheese and handed it to her. "Here. Eat."

She shook her head. "No. I ate already." She shivered. "It's cold up here."

Guy nodded. "We're in a tower." He pointed out. "It's known for being drafty."

She groaned. "I know that! I'm still cold."

"First the chains hurt, then you're hungry, then you're thirsty, then you're cold!" Guy sat down. "Honestly! Don't you do anything else but complain?"

"Do you do anything but sulk?" She demanded. "You're-"

"I know!" He said cutting her off. "A nasty piece of work. I know that!" He patted the spot beside him. "Now sit down."

"No thank you!" She snapped.

"Sit down!" He thundered. "Before I make you sit down!"

"You wouldn't dare!" She said crossing her arms, her green eyes blazing.

Guy set down the bread and cheese and stomped up to her. Her eyes screamed with defiance and she had her hands planted firmly in tight fists on her hips. He grabbed her around the waist and forced her to sit down on the spot he'd just vacated. She tried to get up and he pulled her back down beside him. She cried out and rolled with him. He pinned her underneath him and she struggled to get free.

Guy exhaled and rolled his eyes waiting for her to stop struggling. She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes and shot a snarl at him. She finally ceased struggling and glowered up at him, panting heavily.

"Now," he said rolling off her and pulling her to his side. "I'm going to get you warm."

"Get off me!"

Guy groaned. "I told you before, you're not my type."

"Aye! And soon after that you said you'd break in me wild ways!"

Guy groaned and kept his hand around her waist. "We're using each other's heat to generate more. We'll be cold enough tomorrow."

"We'll be dead." She said actually drawing closer and gripping his arm tighter.

"That's what I meant." He turned his head away from her hair; a faint fruity flavor clung to her hair. "Getting warmer?"

"A little." She exhaled. "Probably the last warmth I'll ever feel."

"This…is the first warmth…I've felt in years. Thank you."

And for once, Meg didn't spoil the moment by speaking. She smiled and closed her eyes. Guy closed his eyes and began to make up speeches in his head to convince Isabella to free Meg. It would be the one good deed he'd be able to do before he died tomorrow.