The shredded rabbit grew cold as the wood in the fireplace crackled with glowing hot embers. It was early in the evening, so the sun still allowed a glow through the windows of the Locksley cottage. Lucy watched intently out the window to a pair of cardinals that were enjoying the grass. It was the first day in weeks that there was no ice. Gisborne set down his fork to the silver plate and touched her arm, snapping the young girl from her loss of focus.

"Are you alright?"

"Perfect, my lord." She respectfully smiled before having another bite of leek. He sniffed and slid his supper across the table so that he could rest his elbows.

"I invited you here to spend time with you."

"And so I came."

"You're not speaking to me," Guy told her with a low baritone voice, "you're only answering questions."

"I'm sorry." Lucy set down the silverware and looked into his blue eyes.

"Are you not hungry?"

"Not particularly." She admitted. Gisborne waved a servant over who cleared the table in a flash, balancing all the dishes and leftovers into a jumble in her arms. Once they were alone he continued.

"Are you upset with me?" He sighed as Lucy's eyes fell to her lap, "What about?"

"Do you remember that party last week?" She eventually opened up. Luckily she did not look at him; Gisborne's eyes swelled with terror and his muscles solidified into bone. A burning hot sensation crept up in his throat as his heart raced against his chest. Crap, did she know about Marian? Guy had made it a top priority to avoid Lady Knighton at all costs imaginable. He had even abandoned overseeing her house arrest. He could not, however, take back the passionate kissing or the wandering hands from her body.

"Look… Lucy –"

"I know it's not a big deal. I'm sorry to burden you with it, it's unfair. I'm just being a stupid girl." She rolled her eyes.

"No, Lucy, you have every right to be angry. I cannot stop you from feeling betrayed by my foolish actions."

"Guy, really, it's ok." She said as she picked up on a waiver in his voice.

"I should not have done that to you," Gisborne tightened his fist on top of the table, "I hurt you. I never want to hurt you –"

"I know that. That's why I'm okay with it; I mean, it's my own fault, really."

"What?" Guy scrunched up his face in confusion. After a sip of wine Lucy nodded and held his hand in both of hers.

"I shouldn't just expect you to say you love me in front of everyone. You're an important man, you have an important image… I'm sorry I embarrassed you, Guy. You should be the one upset with me, not the other way round."

"What?" he repeated with an element of drama.

"When I told you I loved you… and you didn't say anything to me," Lucy explained. Her fingers fidgeted as she shook her head; hearing it all out loud made her seem immature and absurd, "It just made me a bit sad is all." She smiled at him as a grin of relief took over his face. Guy couldn't help but let out a chuckle. He had been so panicked that she saw his unfaithfulness when, in fact, she was being a petty woman. Guy swiped his palm through his hair and held Lucy's chin, feeling as though he could settle back down to the earth without fear of condemnation.

"Right, that. Yes. Look, I'm just not used to all this yet." Guy admitted. He felt free to share that information; in comparison to his other secrets locked away, that was no big deal to share.

"That's okay."

"I do love you, Lucy," He slid from his chair and placed himself before her on his knees, "I love you."

"I love you, too." She brushed her hand across his stubble, dragging a grin along his face with her fingers.

Crackles popped across the room as firewood crumbled and succumbed to the sheer heat. Although Lucy was blind to Marian's theft of his lips Guy felt crippling guilt swallow each cell of him as the night progressed. The touch of her hand reminded him how Marian led him down the hall, in the reflection of her eyes sat only Marian's kiss. Gisborne felt sick. He weaved a thin excuse from the air and shuttled his date back home to Nottingham before curling up in bed like a snail within his shell; heavy woolen sheets felt like silk on his chest as opposed to the horror of his crime. He had murdered, he had had affairs, he had stolen without prejudice or leniency, but this... this was hell. Sweat smeared his body even in the dead of winter. Guy could not remain still. He rolled and shifted like a nervous animal as the moon crawled up and eventually fell victim to the rising sun. Lucy did not feel jaded nor was she even aware, but he had to make it up to her. He had to repent for his deception but could not speak the words. Once the rays of the morning filtered in through sage colored windows Guy begin crafting a plan so complex, so expensive, so extravagant Lucy could never leave him.