Okay all you beautiful people, I suppose I have to start off with an apology. No, this story was not abandoned in a dumpster somewhere. I recently started a new job and wow does it cut into my free time! Here in the next couple of days I plan to push my stories ahead a few chapters, so go ahead and buckle your seats, keep all hands and feet inside the ride at all times, and hold on tight.

DAY SEVEN

The morning light was infused with haziness as it filtered through the windows into the newly inhabited ewerer's chambers. The sun had just recently caressed the sky of northern England and started the day, which was the signal for the working staff of Nottingham castle to get to their duties. Bubbles of giddiness popped and fizzled within her stomach as Ruby finished scraping the tartar from her teeth. She had dressed to the nines for her first day of work and was prepared for the best, and she had been careful to put on her most comfortable shoes – after all, she would have to run hot water all across the castle until supper time. That can be quite straining on a young and tender girl's feet. But Ruby was excited for the day and thankful for all the strings Guy must have pulled to help her get work. She was amazed at the thoughtfulness of such a strong man and orbited her fanciful considerations around him; in fact, she couldn't have pushed the black leather from her mind if she wanted to. The blonde scuffled over to the polished silver plate that hung from the wall to pick her curls into place one last time before setting out. Ruby was purely blind of her simple beauty. Where she saw a featureless and plain face, the world recognized her picturesque round visage and mild cheek bones. When she poked at her pale lips, everybody else saw a plump and warm mouth the shade of a spring rose. And as her piercing bright eyes looked into their own reflection they seemed to lose her astonishingly soft loveliness in translation. The trip to the door was spent thinking about what a false longshot it would be to make Sir Guy of Gisborne attracted to her. She placed a velvet grasp on the handle and tugged open the wooden exit.

Air was sucked into the chamber from the hall which made the hem of her dress dance a bit. The refreshing scent of lilies flew up into doorway and put her in shock as she looked down to see why. At her feet lay bundles of daphnes and hellebores tied up in twine, the lush purple hues contrasting the ice cold gray stone. Without hesitation she scooped up the flowers and planted her face onto the bale to absorb the gentle smell. Small red berries from the daphne nuzzled her cheek as she took in one last whiff. Ruby's fingers kept stroking the petals until she could barely feel the texture anymore; the pollen from the center tinting the tips of her nails as she laid them inside her room. She floated out to the kitchen area to begin the work of the day without any clue that the person responsible for the flora had been around the corner watching her reaction the entire time. Guy let a grin tug at the corners of his lips as he brushed aside a few stray strands from his eyes and walked away.

Ruby's entrance into the kitchen wasn't particularly welcome. Her politeness was met with bare indifference and tiny scoffs, which put her off rather quickly. As one of the cooks, Adeline, explain to her, "We see people coming in and out of here all the time. One foul move and you're plucked outta here like a feather from a goose." Each woman went about her own business while paying little mind to the others; she hoped that after time they may warm up to her. It would be great to have a bit of girl talk now and then. As the day passed, though, the only thing that seemed to change was the number of splinters that invaded her palms. As Ruby used the last of her arm strength to place a log under the boiling stew pot, a chambermaid popped into the room and called her name almost regretfully.

"Gisborne has requested his bath." It was so clear that this woman was broken up. Depression ruled her face as the words came out and didn't seize even when she saw the ewerer light up with joy. Instead, confusion was just added. The maid hesitated before going back around the corner to fold her pile of loose laundry – that poor girl had no idea what she was just sent to do. How did she not know the wickedness of Gisborne? The chambermaid paused and squeezed her eyes shut. She should have taken the bullet for the new kid, surely this child would make a mistake, and when she did….. Well, there's a reason there are open spots for the staff.

It took some grunting and the very strong urge to swear, but eventually Ruby got the pot of hot water raised up high enough to dump in the tub. Warm liquid sloshed back to front for a few moments, rocking up the tall end with the back rest then sliding to the shorter end and creeping towards the rim before settling down. She threw in three handfuls of rose petals that were reserved for baths and stood proud for a second. That wasn't so bad. Her clear eyes started to drift around the room; this is where her love interest lived. His quarters were minimal but nice, well-kept organization on his desk was apparent and everything lying about on the mantle was of functional use. Ruby couldn't help but notice it had no touch. Surely he had lived here for at least a few months yet there were no trinkets, knick-knacks, or even paintings of family or scenery. Her brain began to dissect this formal style until she got hit hard with a battering ram to the chest – the towels. She had been oblivious to getting any linens at all. The pace at which she pounded through the stone corridors was highly inappropriate and unbefitting of a lady at all; however, she could not let him down, she had to get the towels and hurry back before being marked a failure. If she was no good at being a servant, how would he think she could ever be a wife? Blindly she reached across a maid and pulled a group of cloths that had just been pressed dry and scurried to her post. Nobody had to know that she screwed up her first task. Ruby swung open the chamber door violently and closed it with slightly less fury before turning to pretend all was right. She had been caught, however.

Her widened eyes and heaving chest were met with a laugh. She had thought the chambers would still be vacant, but no. In the center of the room sat Sir Guy of Gisborne submerged in the bath water. His hands were fiddling with a fresh cut block of soap while his blue eyes glanced into hers. Both of them gave the gift of silence as she lowered her head and went to him to get this job over with before she collapsed on the floor, lips blue, and died from embarrassment.

"So your first day has been keeping you busy, has it?" his baritone voice rang with a chuckle as she picked a soap.

"I have been quite occupied, yes." Was her hushed response. The tone was clearly professional and glancing away from the joke. Ruby pushed her sleeves up just above her elbows to where the fabric would hold itself to her shape and dunked her hands, grasping the soap bar, into the relaxing water beside Gisborne. She cleared her throat and began to gently rub down the official's bare back, being sure to exfoliate the skin to give it a nice shine. Ruby moved to the shoulders just before he leaned back against the tub, raising his chin to smile at her soft face.

"I trust you had a good morning." He nearly whispered, as if it was a secret between them. Both of their memories flew back to the daphnes that had adorned her porch today. His voice had gone from childish banter to soothing romantic velvet, which easily made her blush. The heat in her nerves intensified as she avoided looking into his strong face and moved her hands down across the nude skin of his chest.

"It was lovely." Her bathing had gone down to the flesh of his belly as she hung over him, both of their bodies hard with tension. He would give anything to reach up and kiss her lips right now, to feel her face against his, and she would do the same.

"Ruby," he reached up a hand from the water, fingers dripping with rose scented bath, and placed it upon her cheek, "you are lovely." The bar of lye fell from her palm and sank to the wooden bottom but neither of them paid it any attention. She kept her hands on his ribs as he snaked his fingers to the back of her head, slipping them in between threads of her hair. Their hearts pounded in unison, blood pounded through the veins, and the door pounded open.

Ruby soared up straight and took a step back from the drum as Guy shot to standing, clenching a towel and feverishly hurrying to cover himself. The castle guard that had opened the door stepped aside and made way for Nottingham's other figure in black. The Sherriff pushed through the entrance as his robe dragged across the dusty floor, hanging from his small stature.

"Ah, Gisborne," he scanned the unclothed man up and down, "I see you're free. The maggots of Nettlestone have decided a revolt would be fun… Go teach them differently," Vesey looked to Ruby and gave her a kinky smile while staring at her small waist, "You can assert you manhood there." Guy pulled up the breath to speak but let the trace of words escape him. He kept his cool whilst his ewerer lost hers, for as the Sherriff just cleared to doorway she shoved past him and fled down the hall. The guards watched her scuttle down a winding staircase and out of sight. Gisborne tugged a pair of trousers up to his waist as he called out.

"You," he pointed to a guard and waggled his finger to command his entrance. The man of defense obliged and came to his side, trying to take his superior professionally as Gisborne toweled his chest dry. His face was sullen and brooding, "Under no circumstances is that ewerer to leave this castle, do you understand me? She stays here. I don't care what you do, but she will remain indoors." With that he folded himself into a black shirt and slipped his leather jacket over it. He tread off with gnarling steps and muttered to himself, "She will be mine."