Chapter 9:

So sorry for the late update. School started, and I am looking at colleges now and writing applications, I barely had the time nor the motivation to write, but here I am now! I'll try to be consistent with uploading chapters.

Meg felt somebody's hands tightening around her neck.

She whimpered and moved around furiously, trying to wrench the person's hands from her neck, but, for some reason, she felt powerless. She couldn't open her eyes; there was complete darkness. Panic coursed through her body. Would she ever break herself free?

"Nie, nie," she cried out in a loud voice. Then, she started sobbing as much as she could. There was no escape. She would have to suffer a second time.

She screamed before she finally jerked up on her bed. A dim, pale light lingered in the dark room, suggesting that it was the moment before sunrise. Guy next to her woke up to her screaming and sat up with a start, searching for Meg.

Meg buried her face in her hands, this time sobbing quietly, so she would not wake up the entire house.

It had been another nightmare.

Meg calmed down a bit when Guy wrapped his arms around her. He planted a soft kiss on her check and then whispered gently in her ear that he was there to protect her. Despite her husband's consoling reassurance, Meg was still in agony. The hands around her neck felt so real. It was as if he had been right there!

Guy placed his hand over Meg's belly.

"Meg," he whispered. His voice contained no anger, despite being woken up early so abruptly.

Meg sniffled loudly, snuggling deeper into her husband's warm, strong embrace.

"I'm sorry," she said in a barely audible whisper.

"Do not apologize for something that you could not control," Guy said. "What was it?"

Meg swallowed. She hated telling what happened, but she knew that she trusted Guy wholeheartedly, and that she had to tell him, if only to get the pain off her chest.

"It was him! His hands were choking me. I could not see. I could not breathe. I thought I would die!"

Guy pulled Meg closer to him and allowed her to rest her head on his chest. He caressed her hair.

"It was only a dream, Meg. It was not real. If ever you are afraid, I'll always be there for you."

Meg looked up at Guy and smiled through her tears. He always said that to her, yet it never got old. Every time he said that, her love for him grew ever stronger and ever deeper.

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When Guy entered Nottingham Castle later that morning, he thought that all would go well…until he entered the Great Hall and saw none other than Lord Brian. He stopped conversing with some noblemen-his acquaintances, perhaps, judging by their lofty manner. He eyed Guy with an evil look, but nobody else save Guy seemed to have noticed that. Guy could have sworn that he saw the faint ghost of a smile-or a smirk-flash across his face like lighting through the sky, with a look that said: "I shall give you more proof that you have made an enemy out of me." Guy ignored him, however much he wanted to give him a good punch in the face.

Yet, Guy couldn't help but feel that Lord Brian had some trick up his sleeve…or worse. Whatever could be worse, Guy didn't dare think about it. He didn't want to. His mind constantly went back to his wife. Her nightmares, although now they hadn't occurred as frequently as before, were always terrible. His heart could not bear even the mere fact of his wife suffering like that. At least he was there to console her. His presence always consoled Meg, and he was glad that she had someone to go to.

Jasper emerged from one of the doors and greeted all the men in the room, giving them their assignments for the day.

"And you, Sir Guy, you have to go out training the new squires," he finally said.

Guy nodded and walked. Then, when Jasper turned to assign another nobleman some duty, Lord Brian sauntered towards Guy with that annoying smile on his face. In his eyes was something menacing. Guy was convinced that he was plotting something.

"I see you've controlled that temper of yours," he sneered.

"You can't hide from me, Lord Brian," Guy growled. "I know you are planning something, so just tell me this instance."

"Whatever seems to be the problem?" said Lord Brian, pretending to gasp in a surprised tone.

"You. Leave my family alone. Or you will pay, and dearly, at that!"

Lord Brian chuckled softly as he walked past Guy and left the room.

"Oh, the fool," were his last words before the door closed after him.

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Meg was glad that the shade offered her and baby much-needed relief from the sun.

She was seated in the orchards behind the Manor, with her four boys seated and gathered all around her, watching their mother as she was making something in her hands. It was something Meg had always done as a child: make flower wreaths. Her grandmother had taught her from an early age how to make a wianek. Meg remembered as her and her Babcia used to take strolls in the forest or meadow and pick up all sorts of flowers to make the crown. It was one of Meg's best childhood memories. Her mother oftentimes neglected her, as she was so caught up in the affairs of royal court, so, aside from Mietek, Meg had only her grandmother to be with.

The boys helped by bringing Meg dandelions and other small flowers generally found on the grass. They handed them to her eagerly, begging her to finish making the wreath.

"Why are you so determined that I make this wreath?" Meg asked, little Mirek sitting on her lap between her legs watching her nimble fingers produce the wreath.

"Well," Gwido said, "we want the baby to be a girl, so she can have it!"

The other boys eagerly nodded in agreement. Mirek clapped his hands together.

"Yeah! Yeah! Do it! Do it!" he exclaimed.

"All right, I'm almost done," Meg said, smiling, moved by Gwido's response.

"Yeah, I'm sick and tired of all these boys!" said Peregrine. "They all like to annoy me and throw mud at my face and hit me with sticks. A sister would never, ever do that!"

"Well," Gwido said, raising his chin at Peregrine, "I want a sister because I wouldn't want my next brother to be a wretch like you!" At that, he smirked at Peregrine and stuck his tongue out at him. Aidan and Mirek giggled, but Meg flashed a stern look at Gwido.

"Be nice to Perry, Gwido," she chided. "Being unkind never got you anywhere."

"Yeah, say that to Perry, mama!" Gwido whined. "He's always being a brat, no matter what he does!"

"Now, now!" Meg said. "Enough name-calling. Or otherwise I will not finish this wianek."

Both Gwido had a disappointed look on his face, but he listened to his mother, for he really wanted her to finish the crown.

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When Guy arrived home at Locksley later that afternoon, he was relieved. He had a shorter day than usual, meaning that he got to spend more time with his family.

Guy wondered where his family was until he heard a blood-curdling scream pierce the air. He stopped short with a look of terror on his face. That was Gwido screaming.

Guy quickly dismounted his horse when he saw his son run in his direction, face red and covered in tears. He was sobbing so loudly, it was as if he had been stabbed in the gut. He ran to Guy with his arms waving around as if calling for help, sobbing and blubbering incoherently.

"Gwido, what's wrong?" Guy exclaimed, bending down so he could embrace Gwido to console him.

But Gwido would not hug him. His speech was so incoherent.

"Gwido, I can't understand a word you're saying," Guy said. "What happened? Where are your mother and brothers?"

Still blubbering, eyes still bloodshot, Gwido pointed behind the Manor. Finally, he spoke, and the words were enough to turn Guy's world into ash.

"These men…they're attacking mama! They're beating her up, and she's bleeding!"