Vengeance is sweet 9
Hyld knew that it would be impossible for her to flee. She heard Sir Guy's voice, who ordered a guard to remain in front of the door and then his footfall departed. When he had entered the Great Hall some minutes before, Hyld had realised that Guy hadn't known anything about the Sheriff's scheme, but had seen the significance immediately. Hyld looked around. The furniture was simple, just as she had expected. There were no personal items and Hyld mused that she didn't know anything about Guy of Gisborne. He had seemed to appear from nowhere, and nobody knew anything about his family.
Shortly thereafter a servant entered the room and put cheese, bread and fruit on the table. Gradually Hyld calmed down; she'd felt dazed when the Sheriff's soldiers had appeared at Bramby to take her to Nottingham Castle, and somehow she realised that she had awoken from the numbness of the past few months. Although she was afraid of what might happen, she trusted Sir Guy – probably she was the only person in the whole castle.
Guy had pretended to be on duty, but in fact he needed time to think about what had happened. He felt sorry for Hyld, but it was not his task as the Master of Arms to take care of a girl, although one glance had shown him that she was a beautiful woman now. Her gaze in the Great Hall – Why had she looked at him so accusingly as if she expected him to protect her? Yes, this was it; she'd always looked at him like that, as if she had thought him a better man. Guy smiled for the first time in months. When had anybody expected anything positive from him?
Some weeks had passed and Hyld was trying to shorten the time by tending to the spice garden or working on a tapestry. After only two days the Sheriff had told her that he didn't set great store by her company; this woman being the personified good conscience, and the downright indecent righteousness was trapping on his nerves.
In the evenings she was sitting at the Sheriff's table, but adjourned to her rooms rather early. Of course she noticed the glances some of the knights flashed her. Hyld's gleaming blond hair fell down her back and her catlike green eyes made some of the men avert their eyes, embarrassed. Some glances were friendly, but others made her shudder in revulsion. More than once, Jean de Pont had often sought her company but luckily the place at her side was occupied today. Hyld suppressed a sigh of relief. De Pont was a good-looking man, but she always had the impression to deal with something slimy. With a lewd grin he raised his tankard. Today he seemed to have drunk too much which repulsed her even more. Hyld excused herself and looked over to Guy, who used to accompany her to her rooms, but right now Vaysey was talking to him and didn't notice her taking her leave. Hyld slipped out of the door and had nearly reached her chamber when she heard someone coming after her. She turned around and to her dread she saw Jean de Pont heading towards her. "Why, my beautifulare you retiring already and if so, it would be a pity if you did it alone." Up to now nobody had dared to offend her, but obviously the alcohol had loosened de Pont's inhibitions. He drew even nearer and reached for her. She felt his foul breath in her face and started to scream when he put his hand on her mouth. "Don't!" he hissed. With his other arm he embraced her roughly and untightened his grip. Frantic with fear, Hyld raised her knee and hit the astonished knight fully in his private parts. With a choked cry he fell down convulsed with pain. While Hyld was looking at him, still shaken, she heard heavy footfall.
When Guy turned around the corner, he barely believed his eyes, but the situation could not be mistaken. Beside himself with rage, he grabbed de Pont by the scruff of the neck and pulled him up. "You bastard!" he roared and planted a punch at his chin. His next hook landed on the man's nose and Guy heard it break. "That's for attacking a defenceless girl," he shouted and pushed de Pont to the ground. Frantic, he kicked him in his ribs. "Aaah! - Helpless?" De Pont shrieked." This bch…."
Guy kicked him again, even harder this time, his face contorted with rage. "Another word and you will rue the day you were born. - You'd better be off first thing in the morning or I'll make that there is more to complain about than a broken nose and some broken ribs," Guy added with a glance at de Pont's bloody nose. Then he turned to Hyld while the knight scrambled to his feet and left, limping and cursing.
Hyld was standing there, still unmoving and suddenly, she began to tremble. "Come on, girl," Guy said, opened the door to her chamber and led her to a chair. He shouldn't be alone with her; this could easily damage her reputation. Not that he would have cared for other women, but Hyld…"I'll fetch a servant," he said and turned to the door.
"Please stay," Hyld whispered." I don't want anybody to learn what happened." She was pale and still trembling. Guy frowned; he didn't know what to do. Water! Water was always good. He poured water from a jar and gave the cup to Hyld. Grateful, she looked at him. "I'd never thought that…Cook told me that if ever a man….I'm glad that it worked…that way." She swallowed and hesitated, then added. "I meant what I said. Please don't tell anybody. I don't want my parents to worry more than they already do." Hyld tried to rise, but suddenly her head was spinning and her knees buckled.
"Sit down, little one," Guy said. "Don't call me little one, "Hyld whispered before she collapsed in Guy's arms.
For too long a moment, Guy stood there with the sweet girl on his arms. She smelled faintly of lilacs and wisps of her hair tickled his nose. Quickly, he laid her down on the bed and called for a maid.