Chapter eight: Descending into confusion
Robin came out of the woods near Gisbourne's house. His temper had cooled down somewhat. He was still upset with Marian; he couldn't believe that she'd actually betrayed him. he thought he could trust Marian with her life.
His heart stopped in his chest. almost ten villagers were seated at various points in front of Guy's house. Were they honestly protecting Guy? None of this made any sense to him. he frowned as he stepped closer.
All heads whipped towards him. Jason, one of the workers held out a hand. "That's close enough Robin."
"Jason," he questioned. "what is this? What's going on?"
"Gisbourne is with his wife, you'll not go further."
Robin was now completely baffled. "I don't understand this, why are you prohibiting me from entering?"
"Because," another villager, Andrew spoke up. "we owe that girl our life." the men nodded in agreement. "Gisbourne was going to kill us because he found out that you knew about the strong room. she, convinced him to let us live."
"So," he questioned. "after all I've done for you, you take his side?"
"It's not a matter of taking sides, Robin," Alice said as she stepped out onto the porch. "it's not even a matter of right or wrong. It's a matter of you interfering in a matter that doesn't and shouldn't concern you."
"I care about all of you and unfortunately, Gisbourne's marriage, does concern me."
"But it shouldn't."
"Meg, is a princess, do you really think Gisbourne won't exploit her wealth?"
Alice chuckled. "Do you really think she'll allow him to put one penny of her fortune to something that she won't approve of?"
"And do you think he won't hurt her to get what he wants?"
"That man is so besotted with her that you could tell him the sky is green and he'd agree with you."
Thomas nodded. "She is good for him. Gisbourne, on their wedding as a token of good faith, gave everyone several crowns. Not much for him, but he handed out enough to pay our taxes for at least 4 months."
"We're now finally able to start making a profit since she turned up." Jack added. "That girl is an angel," everyone nodded. "she's changing his heart."
"You cannot stand between them Robin." Alice stated.
"He has an agenda, and thanks to you, whatever it is, will come on your heads."
"We all know the agenda," Simon, the oldest man present stated. "it's to take care of that lass. I know, my boy, you've seen a lot of darkness in your lifetime." Robin's heart turned cold for a moment. "You've grown accustomed to helping, but, just this once, you're wrong."
Robin exhaled. "So many people have told me that, I'd almost be inclined to believe you. but Guy is using her, to escape his crimes," Alice shook her head. "you all can deny it all you want, but it's the truth!"
"And deny it we will. That man," Alice declares. "loves her with every inch of his soul. I never thought I'd live to see the day where I was defending Guy of Gisbourne over you, but I am! I'm not unaware that he is a dark and cruel man," she stated. " I've suffered at his hands myself. He does have a heart that is tormented, but I do see that he has the potential to become a good man! I've seen it, but he cannot do it without the help of his wife! If you stop them, you will be damning us to a darker life of hell than we've ever seen before."
"You cannot believe that."
"I can. He found you, tonight, without any help from us." Alice said firmly. "Do not, underestimate his affection for her."
At that moment, Meg let out a soft scream, causing all eyes to look up towards the open window. Guy let out a shout of his own, causing Robin to push past everyone to get inside. Someone grabbed his bow from him, but he hurried into the room and up the stairs.
"Robin!" Alice hissed as she hurried up and grabbed his elbow, catching him halfway up the stairs. "You cannot-
"I need to know that she's alright."
"And she is, they're a passionate couple."
Robin rolled his eyes. "Gisbourne? Passionate? I doubt it."
Alice didn't say anything as he stood outside the door. the lock on the door was thrown from the inside, so, all he could do was listen. "Please," Meg begged. "make me yours again."
Robin almost puked in disgust. In spite of Meg's exhaustion and injuries, it was as he feared. They were now husband and wife.
"No," Guy said gently. "you're still tender, I did just," there was the sounds of sheets rustling and bodies rolling. Robin sighed and closed his eyes. "well, if you put it that way." Meg laughed merrily and more kisses were exchanged. Robin stepped away and moved to go carefully down the creaky stairs. "God, I love you, Meg." Guy proclaimed. The actual feelings in Guy's voice caused Robin to pause and stare at the door in amazement. "My darling wife."
"And I love you." Meg responded, her tone far more melodious and soft than he thought she was capable of. Her voice was so sweet in comparison to the screeching she'd been unleashing on him. "No matter what anyone says, you're the greatest man I've ever known. I can't love another man other than you, ever."
Robin sighed and stepped down the stairs. Alice stood at the foot of the stairs, her arms crossed, frying pan in one hand and the other on her hip. "Well? is it as I said?" Robin walked wearily past her without answering her. "You're a warrior Robin." She said as he moved to the door. "Do not expect to win every battle and that every battle should be rightly one."
He shut the door and turned to walk towards the woods again. not all of what she said made sense. This was a battle that he should have won, but he failed and for reasons that still managed to escape his mind. None of this, made sense.
The village men had started to go home, but they all watched him with a look akin to sympathy, but it was far deeper than that. he made a decision to protect everyone and it had ended with him losing everything. He'd lost the villages respect, he'd lost Marian's trust and worst, he began to doubt himself and his abilities to help anyone anymore.
Isabella crossed her arms as she stood at the edge of the river in disgust. Hood had failed and Meg was back with Guy. Now, Guy probably had Meg eagerly fulfilling her marriage duties to him, both were probably enjoying it. while hood had failed, it gave her a second chance to kill Meg, she had to be patient a while.
"Miss?" at the sound of a man's voice she spun around. It was that man again, the one she kept seeing everywhere. "It's not safe for you to be out and about so late."
She snorted as she bent over to pick up the lantern by her feet. "To my knowledge, you are not my keeper! Besides," she looked him up and down. "what's a boy like you doing out so late at night?"
He chuckled tightly, taking offense to her term. "A boy?"
She nods. "Indeed. I see your beard hasn't grown to full term like a man, so, you're therefore a boy."
"I wear it as I fancy."
"Just as I walk about at night as I fancy." She snapped. "So, there!"
He studied as he stepped closer to her. his gaze made her skin crawl, it was if he could see deep into her soul and read her heart.
"So tell me," he questioned as he stepped forward. "how much do you charge for your services?"
Her brow arched. "Excuse me?"
"Your services." He repeated with a smile. "Or, are you inclined to let a 'boy' like me, taste them for free?"
She glowered at him as understanding washed over her. "You think I'm a whore?"
"Aren't you?" he questioned. "After all, your clothes and red material attest to the fact that you are." She glanced down at her dress. It wasn't red, it was a rich shade of deep amber. However, in the night with a lantern lighting it, it could be mistaken for red. "Your tone and words, hold a hint of regret to something in your past. So, why wouldn't you be a whore?"
The lantern came flying at him so fast that the man scarcely had time to duck! It shattered against a tree behind him and landed on the ground. the flame instantly began licking at the dry grass. she made her escape as he quickly began stomping out the flames. What was it about this town that caused idiots to sprout up out of the woodwork?
The following morning,
"I still can't believe we're doing this." Meg's uncle sighed as he knocked on the door. "It should never have happened." Robin had to nod in agreement with her uncle. None of this should have ever happened, or made sense, but somehow, the Devil had made it happen.
"Well, it has," her aunt said. "so, we must make the best of it."
"Make the best of it? my niece is married to a murderer!" the door opened and there was Alice.
"Yes?" Alice questioned. "How may I help?"
"I'm here to see my niece."
Alice rolled her eyes. "I don't believe they're receiving people today."
"At her convenience, of course," Marian's voice caused him to whip around in shock. she demurely approached, some tension still in her body. "if, she can receive us."
"She'll receive us if she's ready or not." Her uncle barged in. "Go fetch her."
Alice shot him a look of annoyance. "I believe, milord, they're occupied."
Her uncle couldn't have cared less. "interrupt them, those two fools married and they'll have the rest of their lives for a toss in the sheets. I, however, don't have as long to discuss my business with them, so, go fetch them now else I'll go up myself!"
Alice arched a brow. "Fine." she turned to Robin. "Leave all of your weapons outside."
Robin sighed as be began removing his quiver and bow. "Alright Alice."
She nodded, watching as he removed everything. Marian nodded at Alice, letting her know he was weapon free. He closed the door behind him as she ascended the stairs.
"They need to find better staff." The uncle muttered.
"There was no need to speak to her like that." Robin said firmly. "Yelling at her won't change the situation."
"I'm aware of that." her uncle levied a sour look at Marian. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here, to help maintain the peace." She explained. "Things will not be so easy."
"Especially after what you did." Robin bit out.
Marian flinched. "I did what I had to do Robin. I am sorry, I didn't want to betray you, but, I knew I was wrong. I had to do what was right; God wouldn't allow my conscience to be clear."
Robin hadn't slept well that night. He was torn up by feelings of guilt and his mind had been spinning all night as he'd tried to absorb all that had just happened. The crazy woman throwing a lantern at his head hadn't helped matters any.
Alice came down the stairs, a slight smirk on her face. "Lady Gisbourne," those words were like a firebrand to his gut. "says they will be down presently, I'm to offer you all food and drink."
"That is-
"Wonderful of her to offer," Meg's aunt said smoothly. "thank you."
Alice nodded before hurrying off towards the kitchen. Meg let out a shriek form upstairs, causing everyone to look that way. Guy let out a laugh as Meg let out another sound, which was silenced. Well, that is aside from some furniture moving.
Marian shifted uncomfortably. "How, was the voyage over here?"
"As uncomfortable as it is knowing what my niece is doing up there." her uncle said blatantly. "It was full of noise and never ceasing storms."
"I've been on worse." The aunt added brightly, jerking her head towards the uncle. "He's always hated traveling." She cleared her throat. "I don't think we've introduced ourselves. My name is Maria and this surly man is Thomas."
The furniture upstairs stopped moving and everyone exhaled in relief. "Animals," the uncle muttered. "disgusting."
"They do love each other." Marian added gently. "Guy adores her very much."
"Just because he adores her," Robin states. "doesn't mean that they belong together anymore that a bird and a fish belong together."
The door opened and everyone looks up as Guy descended the stairs together with Meg demurely following behind him. in spite of their prim demeanor, their appearance, especially Meg's, tattled that they'd been engaged with each other intimately. Robin felt a spark of anger as he and Guy's eyes met. He didn't like being defeated by Gisbourne and he hoped that it would never happen again.
Meg tripped on her skirt and she fell forward. Everyone gasped and jumped to their feet as she fell forward. Guy spun around, dropping the sheet that was draped over his arm and catching her around her waist. Meg reached for him as he righted her. Guy brushed her hair out of her face as he murmured something in her ear. She smiled at him, as if forgetting there were others in the room as Guy took her hand, holding it firmly. She contentedly moved beside him as Guy picked up the sheet and carefully helped her down the stairs.
Once they were at the table, Guy set the sheet in front of him and her uncle. "If you need proof that our marriage is now binding, here it is." He placed his hand on Meg's shoulder. "She is my wife now."
Her aunt nodded. "I can tell by the way she's walking that you made good use of her womanly charms." Guy arched his brow but remained silent as Meg's aunt crossed her arms and leaned forward, her tone playfully casual. "I wager it was rather…enjoyable for both partners?"
Guy actually blushed somewhat as Meg cleared her throat and sat down opposite Marian. She actually offered her a smile. "Please, can we not discuss our nightly activities in front of friends and enemies? As we are husband and wife now, what we chose to do up in our room is of our business, not yours. And he'd never hurt me!" she shot Robin a dark look. "In spite of what he's told you, Guy hasn't hurt me once."
"Meg," Guy softly reminded her. "now you know that…I did hurt you once, your arm."
"It was an accident." She insisted. "I tripped."
"I pushed you."
Robin rolled his eyes in disbelief as Meg swatted Guy gently. "I was fine! Besides, you made it up for me."
"That is still no excuse." Guy stated.
"I agree there." Her uncle arched a disapproving brow. "Still, my niece is quite the stubborn girl and she'll never accept that anyone is pure evil. Only she could say that someone pushing another was an accident, even when the person insists it was deliberate."
Her aunt cleared her throat and asked. "How'd you two meet?"
Her uncle looked at her in shock. "Why are you asking that question? We are here to talk about this ridiculous situation!"
"And, I'm talking!" Her aunt said. "What do we have to talk about? They're married now! I thought we should at least enquire about how they met and all that! It's the proper thing to do since there is nothing to be done!"
"This is not a happy occasion," he snapped and Robin nodded in agreement. Something was going to change, he could feel it coming. "I've got questions to ask and I'm not going to be indulging this romantic fantasy."
"I am not indulging them, but I have a right to know!" the aunt stated. "You know Meg; she's a good girl, a wonderful girl. She's wise and gentle; she wouldn't just marry someone against your orders unless she loved him!"
"That is of little consequence to me!" her uncle said loudly.
Her aunt ignored him and asked. "How did you meet?"
"Robin robbed me, Guy was pursuing Robin, Guy scared my horse and we argued." Meg glanced up at Guy. "I'd say it was a dangerous attraction at first sight."
Marian actually spoke up and continued the conversation. "I was going to marry Guy, but, I couldn't. Meg was there to...well, be a friend to him."
Guy gently placed his hand on Meg's arm. "Meg and I were never friends, didn't have that much of an easy chance. It was as if we'd known each other for years."
Meg nodded. "However, thanks to Alejandro, he put Guy and I in a compromising situation and that's when we realized that we had feelings for each other."
"A sentimental, idiotic, love story that happened way too fast." Her uncle stated. "Why'd you do this Meg? You knew I wouldn't approve of him."
"You gave me no choice." She said as she reached for a bunch of grapes in the fruit bowl before them. Guy reached over her head and plucked a grape off her bunch as she popped one in her mouth. "You told me that I would never set foot on English soil again. I know you uncle, when you make a threat, you keep it."
Guy sat down beside her. "I went after her and asked her to marry me. Had you remained in Ireland, we wouldn't have felt the need to marry so quickly." Guy looked at the uncle, as if expecting something from him like sympathy or understanding. "Things could have been different between us."
"I doubt it." her uncle's face was red with fury. "How could I want my niece to marry someone who'd leave his own child to die in the woods?" Robin almost chortled as Gisbourne's face went white in a second and he turned towards Meg. "I don't even know what you did to cause her to overlook your actions. Or maybe she doesn't care that you'd abandon her child in the woods!"
Meg, however, her expression remained calm as she popped another grape in her mouth. "Marian told me, the day after you gave me the ring."
Everyone at the table, except for Marian, could only stare at her in amazement at her reaction to the news. "And you never asked me about it?" Guy managed to stammer out in shock at her reaction.
"Because….I knew you'd tell me yourself one day." Meg practically chirped.
"You have no way of knowing that."
Meg rolled her eyes and stuck a grape in Guy's mouth. "You can't keep anything a secret from me Guy of Gisbourne, for long at least."
Robin crossed his arms around his chest and spoke up. "I don't suppose you care about his connections with the black knights and Vaisey?" Guy glowered at him. "Also his attempt to assassinate the king in the Holy Land?"
Guy swallowed the grape as he leaned forward slightly and snarled. "You will be silent."
"Let me tackle one thing at a time." Meg said as she placed a hand on Guy's arm, temporarily defusing the fury rising in him. "For God's sake! Guy's been helping the people of Locksley at risk to the sheriff's anger. They're not suffering as much as they have been, in a while, they won't be needing your help."
Marian nodded as she placed a hand on his arm. "That is true Robin, you cannot deny that."
"I'm not going to deny it." Robin pointed out, not quite sure if the bitterness he felt towards Marian was evident in his voice. He shrugged, getting out of reach of her touch. "But you cannot deny that the sheriff is going to put up with this for long. He's going to have Gisbourne's head on a platter as soon as he catches up with him."
"Why?" Now, because her husband's welfare was threatened, Meg was worried. "Guy, is there-
"I'll be fine." Guy's face was calm, until he made eye contact with Robin and when he did, there was the monster Guy was struggling to keep hidden. "You, will not cause my wife to worry about my safety when it's not necessary."
"Why are we discussing this?" Her uncle said. "We've got to talk about the situation here! I've got to sign her inheritance over…to you!"
Guy shook his head. "No. I don't want it." that stunned Robin for a second. Guy was greedy for power and money. But, he was rejecting Meg's inheritance.
"If you're doing this to win my approval," her uncle said with disdain. "I'm warning you, I'm not giving her my blessing."
Guy nodded. "I can see why and I can understand why, but I wish for you to try to maintain a relationship with her." All eyes went to him in surprise. "Hate me all you want, but don't hate her."
Her uncle's eyes flared. "Me? Hate her?" he shouted. "I raised her alongside her parents and I raised her when they passed! Would you think so ill of me to accuse me of hating her?"
Meg spoke up quickly. "Guy doesn't have any family except for his sister uncle. Guy knows the value of family relations; he spoke only out of concern for my feelings."
"Neither of you showed concern for our feelings!" her uncle shouted.
"What would you have me do?" Emotions suddenly burst out of Meg as tears streamed down her cheeks. "What would you have us do? Tell me! We love each other; we want to spend the rest of our lives together! You were threatening that from even happening!" she inhaled sharply. "So tell me uncle, what should I have done? Die a virgin because I wouldn't have married anyone else! By all rights, I should have been married at least five years ago! I could have my choice of any man in Ireland or Spain, but I didn't! I chose him!"
"Meg," Guy pulled her against his chest and brushed her hair. "shh, easy, calm down. It's alright now." She made several loud sniffles and he reached for a cloth on the table. he shook his head as he as wiped her eyes. "Stupid girl, they're supposed to be the emotional ones remember?"
She laughed slightly as she took the cloth from him, nodding her head. "Stupid girl?" Her uncle asked, disdain in his voice. "You address her in such a manner?"
Guy answered as Meg wiped her nose. "It's a nickname. I don't know why she likes it though."
Her aunt cleared her throat. "What happened to your parents?"
Dead." Meg comfortingly reached for Guy's hand. "They perished in a fire."
Robin added the rest of the story that Guy clearly wanted to keep out. "His father was a leper." Guy glowered darkly at Hood. Marian sighed and shook her head. "We both lost our parents in the same fire."
"Robin," Meg inhaled and spoke calmly. "at this moment, you're a guest, I'd advise you to watch your tongue."
Marian nodded. "Please Robin; I know it's difficult for you, but," she placed a hand on his knee. "try to be calm."
Again, her touch burned him and pulled away from her. "Be calm…in my own house?"
"Guy's going to building me our own house," Meg said as she tightened her grip on Guy's hand. Guy was so close to losing his temper. "so, this house will be gathering dust until you can claim it again."
"And is that supposed to make me feel better?" he asked her. "The house is still," he made eye contact with Guy before saying slowly. "contaminated."
Guy lunged for Robin, who threw himself backwards to avoid being hit. Screams filled the room as Guy's hand circled around Robin's throat. The two of them wrestled around on the floor, Guy's rage was past the boiling point. Robin was now cursing his decision to surrender his weapons at the door as Guy pulled Robin up and punched him in the jaw, sending him across the table!
Robin would have usually had a chance, but not this time. The anger, hate Guy had been harboring towards him were combined with the love he'd felt for Meg, taking her, had definitely not been in Robin's best interest. Guy grabbed Robin's head and slammed it into the table. Robin let out a shout as stars danced before his eyes. He was barely aware of Guy throwing him to the ground, before kneeling and pressing his knee into Robin's chest.
Everyone let out a shriek as Guy pulled out a dagger from his boot and pointed it at his throat. Robin saw his whole life flash before his eyes as Guy hissed. "Any last words, Hood?"
