Summary: Sequel to (and set immediately after) Till Death Do Us Part. Centred on Marian, with whole gang featuring, as well as the Sheriff and Gisborne. Contains spoilers.
Pairings: Robin & Marian, Will & Djaq (I'm only mentioning these two or I'll spoil it for you).
DISCLAIMER: As always, I do not own Robin Hood or anything linked to it; that belongs to the BBC (the dear old Beeb who killed off Marian *curses at them loudly*), much as I hate to admit it. I do however, own Nicholas and any other characters I decide to introduce, so please do not steal.
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Chapter 6 – Turn Back Time
"We get Marian ready for a trip to the castle," replied Robin.
***
"Gisborne!" The Sheriff's commandeering tone echoed through the dark corridors of Mansfield Friary, jolting the former out of his reverie. He hastily stuffed something under the measly excuse of a pillow that adorned the simple wooden bed, then sat up sharply and wiped his damp eyes, managing to do so just moments before the door to his tiny chamber crashed open to reveal the vindictive Vaisey. "Ah, there you are." The Sheriff was quite to notice his lieutenant's misty eyes and dejected stature. "Not still pining over our little leper friend, are we?"
"Don't call her that," muttered Gisborne under his breath. "No, my lord – it's simply that the stench of straw and poverty repulses me."
"Well, I have good news in that case."
"What kind of news?" asked Gisborne warily.
"We shall be departing from this dank and depressing dwelling," replied the Sheriff, clasping his hands together, "and will be returning to Nottingham."
"But why?"
"Why!? Think, Gisborne! To get back my shire from the idiotic buffoon there now! Why did Prince John insist on putting Thomas of Worcester on my seat of power? Hmm? The man's more thick than these half-brained monks who actually believe that they are sheltering two friends of their King."
"Well the forged Royal Seal on a forged letter was pretty convincing to a half-illiterate Abbot."
"Stop defending these imbeciles, Gisborne. You're starting to get pious, and what with all the time you've been spending in the chapel or in confession, you'll soon be taking the cloth yourself!"
"I'm just living up to our cover," replied the lieutenant The Sheriff wasn't to know this was a lie. In the chapel he could find peace, and sanctuary; it was his glimmer of light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. He could – even if just for a moment – believe that his begs for forgiveness could be heard in heaven by Marian, and even if she could not forgive him, unburdening his regrets brought a huge sense of relief. Though this relief did scarcely anything to stop the crushing guilt and lament and torture he felt over Marian's death, it gave him a tiny flicker of hope to keep him going. "And I thought we were here for our safety, anyway."
"Hmm, yes, safety. Brilliant of Prince John to think of hiding us in the least likely place we would be; a house of God. Although, they are so very dedicated to their work, aren't they? Maybe I should outlaw holy orders, and force them all to work for me! Anyway, you can stop your pious act now," said the Sheriff. If he had noticed the change in Guy's mood, he did not mention it. "We're leaving. We are going to another unlikely place we will be found; the most obvious place!" With that final announcement, and a short laugh at his own wit, he swept back out the room, the furs of his long robe swirling around his ankles.
Once the door was closed – and this time firmly locked – Gisborne sat down and put his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands. He breathed heavily, his hands clenching into tight fists over his unwashed hair as he tried to control his anger. Why did the Sheriff have to taunt him all the time, and bring to mind everything he just wanted to omit? Why did he still have to insult Marian; why couldn't he just leave her in peace? It was this last thought that caused his breath to come out shakily, and his anger turn to distress. He hadn't meant to kill her – only the words coming out of her mouth. When she said she loved Hood… No, he mustn't think of her like that – it only made the pain in his chest worse. Remember her as the beautiful , compassionate, brilliant woman she was – the woman he had loved. No – the woman he still loved, despite everything.
He slid his hand under the pillow again, and brought out the small leather pouch he had hurriedly stowed there. He pulled open the drawstrings, and tipped out the contents; two rings. The first, an engagement ring. The pink jewelled flowers and sparkling green leaves glinted up at him in the light, just as they had done when he had first sprung the ring on Marian at the Locksley celebration for the 'King's birthday' a year and a half ago. Though she had not been thrilled to wear it, Marian had done so dutifully, and he had presented her hand to the gathered nobles in pride.
It was ironic, then, that the other ring had done such a good job of wounding his pride, when Marian had removed it from her ring finger and slid onto her other hand, before punching him to the ground and fleeing the church with that outlaw. Passionate anger threatened to burst out like the fiery colour of the gems in the ring which, now he came to think of it, was an ugly item in itself, without the unpleasant memories it held. He had only decided to use it because it was a family heirloom, which was pointless in itself as his past was something he would rather not dwell on.
He exhaled deeply, before stowing the rings back into the purse, and placing it carefully into the wooden chest at the end of his bed, where it nestled amongst the cold black leather he had not worn since arriving back from the Holy Land, instead sporting looser shirts or tunics over breeches. He was no longer the cold-hearted man he had been before he had met Marian, and he had vowed never to be again, for that man had been irreversibly changed – by her – from Sir Guy of Gisborne, the callous and vindictive Master at Arms to the sadistic Sheriff of Nottingham, into a man capable of compassion, and forgiveness… and love. Love of a woman he could only wish to have one last change with; a wish to change time and stop his actions. But he'd had his chances with her, and no miracle could turn back time…
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I've decided to go for the approach that Guy didn't intend to kill Marian – that when she blurted out that she loved Robin it sort of made his primal instinct of revenge take over, and in order to stop her saying what she was saying, and because he can't have Marian (and so he thinks – irrationally, in my opinion – that no-one can) he impulsively tries to stop the words coming out of her mouth and in doing so runs her through (or so he thinks). This interpretation is mostly based on the interview with Richard Armitage on the Series 2 box set feature called 'Farewell to Marian' (which I totally agree with and think is just the right mix of emotions going through Guy's head) and so technically isn't my idea, but I think the point still stands.
Response to reviews:
thepiemaker – No problems, I kind of guessed that you hadn't seen it =D
Genevieve05 – Yeah, about the whole not updating thing… *points upwards*
SpookyMonkey – That's a brilliant description of the Sheriff! I completely agree – I think Keith Allen does a fantastic job playing him (though I absolutely HATE his daughter). But I do think that Alan Rickman was just as amazing – if not more – as the Sheriff in Prince of Thieves; I love the 'Keep the stitches small!' bit and the 'Cancel the kitchen scraps for orphans and lepers, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas!' bit. Genius!
Blimey those were long notes – I really need to stop doing that… Please review
xxx Nia
P.S Please point out any spelling or grammar mistakes to me. Remember I use proper English – i.e. England English – not Australian or American English (I have nothing against American of Australian English by the way, but I see England English as proper original English).