Author's note: First, I apologize for the delay! I have spent the last few weeks finishing up a plethora of papers for my Master's degree. However, now it's finished, and I have my Master's in hand, so hopefully I'll not be delayed any more!

Plus, there's a bonus going on now... I recently took on the role of Marian in a stage production of Robin Hood! You know that'll be motivating!

Best! ~Grace

Chapter 4

Evasion, Chess, and Other Upsets

It had been some time since Guy had panicked about anything, but he was certainly on the verge of it now as he attempted to remain stealthy as he searched the remnants of the old Sherwood hideout belonging to Robin and his gang, and he hoped to God that Robin hadn't emptied it entirely. He knew that Djaq had kept the formulas for Greek fire somewhere—the stories of the mercenaries who had been paid to kill Robin just before Guy and the Sheriff had taken Marian to Acre had not escaped him. He actually found himself praying that the ledger was still here. If it wasn't, Malveillant would have no use for him, and Guy would have no way of stopping his cousin.

If he found the ledger, though…

Gaspard, who had been a great advocate of the Sheriff's, had been infuriated that King Richard had outlived Vasey. (It was a miracle that he'd not yet discovered who, exactly, had killed the Sheriff in the first place.) It was now his plan to take down the King on his own, and he liked the idea of the Greek fire—it kept him at a distance, and therefore reduced his chances of being killed himself in any kind of struggle. However, Guy had no doubt that his cousin would use one of his multiple alternate plans if the explosives failed for any reason. And to succeed with the Greek fire, he needed Guy—which gave Gisborne a great deal of power, ironically, now that he no longer wanted it.

If Guy found that ledger, he'd be able to track where Malveillant was keeping the explosives as the older man moved them stealthily across the country. With any luck, he'd also find a way to get rid of the stuff—and Gaspard and his band of remaining Black Knights, for that matter—before they reached the King or thought up something even more dangerous to England. On the other hand, if he didn't find the ledger…

Well, Guy was under no illusions. He had no doubt that Malveillant would kill him for knowing too much without so much as a second thought.

On his way back, Guy was so distracted that he barely even realized that anyone else was nearby until he and Robin had run into one another. However, it was more the sound of laughter—Rachel's and Daniel's, specifically—that pulled him out of his reverie.

Guy braced himself for Robin's – irritation—but the young man shrugged him off without a word and stalked off towards Sherwood. Guy watched him go, and by the time he'd turned back towards the village, Rachel and Daniel were beside him. He raised an eyebrow quizzically, jerking his head back at Robin in a wordless question. Rachel smirked and Daniel grinned smugly. "Turns out Rachel isn't the only one I can beat in chess in less than ten moves," the young man informed him arrogantly.

Despite the continued adrenaline high from his foray in Robin's camp, Guy actually laughed. "You beat Robin?" he asked admiringly. He looked back around, but Robin had disappeared already. "No one ever beats Robin at chess."

"They do now!" Rachel trilled gaily.

Guy couldn't help but smile at her amusement as she fell into step beside him. "Where have you been, Sir Guy? I haven't seen you all morning."

Gisborne's face smoothed over, going virtually blank in a matter of seconds. It was a trick he'd perfected with Vasey, this ability to sweep any kind of reaction or emotion from his face. He feigned nonchalance with practiced ease as he told Rachel he'd just gone out to practice with his knife and to clear his head. The fact that she accepted this tale without question made him feel even worse than he had when delivering his story—Rachel was someone he'd rather not lie to. He didn't like being underhanded with Marian, either, but with Rachel—well, he had a clean slate with her, and some part of him had wanted to keep it that way. Nothing could be done, though—he couldn't very well tell her the truth without putting her in danger.

They were nearly back to Locksley when they found Marian. As she waved at them, Daniel turned to his sister with a mischievous smile and gave her a shove. "Rach, I'll consider you redeemed for that last terrible chess match if you can take Marian down!"

Guy looked at him in startled disbelief as Marian laughed, calling "I heard that!" in Dan's direction. As the girls looked one another up and down—Guy couldn't believe they were taking Daniel seriously—the young man leaned in towards him without taking his eyes off of the women and whispered, "Don't look so shocked, Guy, they've done this for years—how do you think Marian polished that Nightwatchman bit she used to like so much?"

Once Daniel's attention was entirely refocused on Rachel and Marian—well, mostly Marian, to be fair—Guy used the opportunity to readjust the ledger beneath his coat, as his brush with Robin had dislodged it. Once his attention was back on the girls, though, he was once again thoroughly distracted from any thought remotely related to Malveillant or Greek fire.

Marian and Rachel were both wearing very slight smiles, and though they were both outwardly relaxed, Guy could tell that they were both ready to move at a second's notice—and good thing, too. It happened in an instant—Marian dropped to the ground like lightning and swept her foot out towards Rachel, trying to take the other girl's legs out from under her. She was partly successful—Rachel jumped to avoid her foot, but Marian's arm caught her behind the ankle and she fell to her knees, by which point Marian was already getting back up. Rachel was quick, too, though—just as Marian steadied herself in her newly upright position, Rachel turned her trick back on her, grabbing her behind her left knee and yanking upward hard. Marian landed equally hard, and then it was over—their encounter had only taken a few seconds. The girls, laughing, helped one another up, and Marian turned to Daniel. "You owe her now, Dan! No chess commentary this week!"

"No fair! She didn't beat you, Marian!"

"You only told me I had to take her down," Rachel pointed out. "If you recall, I wasn't the only one on the ground."

Dan grumbled to himself, and the girls giggled again, linked arms, and once again began their walk towards Locksley Manor, chatting merrily about Robin's chess loss that morning. Guy followed them—those two women never ceased to amaze him. He'd really have to remember to avoid irritating either of them. He shook his head in defeat—he'd never figure them out—and turned off in search of a place to hide that damned ledger.