Again, I had a lot of trouble with this chapter, and the hot weather meant I was outside a lot, not to mention I couldn't really get at the computer much. And then the season finale of Robin Hood was so good I started to feel a bit downhearted because this can't be as good. Still. Got there in the end. Lot's of Guy angst in this one.
Both Guy and Much were getting very irritated about the lack of light. Both wished that they had thought to bring a torch, but there was no way of starting any kind of fire down here. It was damp, the walls jagged and slimy. Something was crunching beneath their feet, and Guy had a fairly good idea of what it was, though he didn't mention this to Much. Somehow, he didn't think that he would be too keen on trampling on the corpses of the workers, or that it was because of the man beside him that they were there. Guy knew he deserved all the hatred he received, but he didn't want another person pointing out what a monster he was. The only person that could see any good in him was Meg, and before her Marian, of course. He closed his eyes, remembering her last words before he had murdered her. I'd rather die than be with you, Guy of Gisborne. It still stung. One day, Meg would come to her senses, as Marian did. He just hoped that this time he would let her live.
"We nearly there?" Much's voice echoed oddly down the tunnel, and Guy jumped, nearly colliding with the filthy walls. He'd all but forgotten that he was there.
"Yeah."
They trudged on, feeling their way blindly through the dark, stumbling over the bodies of the workers. Every time he did this, Guy gritted his teeth together. He was a monster. He had murdered, again and again. He deserved to die, a tiny repayment for the hundreds and hundreds of lives that he had taken. Every so often his mind would wander back to Meg. She would be in the castle now, trying to get justice for the people. When they met again, he had to break this off. The last few days with her had been amazing, but he didn't deserve her. She was good, and she didn't need this goodness tarnished by him. She could stay with Hood. He'd look after her, and she could help. The thought brought tears to his eyes, but he gritted his teeth again, and stopped abruptly. Much walked into the back of him.
"Here we are."
After about a quarter of an hour searching, Meg, John, Allan and Kate had managed to find each other. They were currently huddled outside a stall selling a variety of brightly coloured vegetables. It was extremely popular, and noisy, so they were currently unnoticed.
"Where's Isabella going to be now?" John muttered, looking at the others, keeping an eye on the stall holder, who was looking at Allan and him rather suspiciously.
"She'll be in that room with the chair, lording over everyone, won't she?" Kate answered, wearing a rather ugly expression at the mention of Isabella's name.
They set off, hoods still pulled over their faces. It struck all of them as very suspicious that there were no guards at the doors leading into the castle. Looking around furtively, they continued. Had Isabella discovered they were coming so soon? Suddenly, their footsteps seemed thundering, echoing as they crept down the corridor. The stone walls looked like sentries, tall and proud, off to tell the sheriff what they were doing. The lack of security was unnerving. Nonetheless, they followed Meg's lead, who had been there before, when Isabella had freed her. All of them were beginning to feel nervous about the others, and wondering if they had made it.
"Do you think Guy and Much are ok?" Meg asked anxiously, looking nervously behind her. "They should have managed to get here by now."
The words were barely out of her mouth, when they heard footsteps coming along the corridor. All of them drew their weapons, poised ready, but it soon became apparent that it was some of their fellow outlaws. Guy and Much came into view, both filthy. Their hair was soaking, and Guy had dark slime up his boots and arms. Much was looking marginally cleaner, but he had a smudge across his face, and his clothes were stained with muck.
"It's a very clean tunnel, then?" Meg asked sarcastically "Honestly, you two are gonna leave a trail of dirt for Isabella to follow."
Guy didn't smile at her remark, which was unusual. He was wearing a somewhat tortured expression; his eyebrows pulled together, his eyes slightly more shiny than normal, mouth mashed together in a straight line.
"Guy?" Meg said, stepping towards him. The others had started towards the end of the corridor, but he was standing still, not following. John and Kate looked at her quizzically, but Meg smiled, and they followed Allan and Much, their footsteps fading. "Guy, what's wrong?"
He stood absolutely still, not answering.
"Guy, please tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing." He smiled suddenly, although it didn't look absolutely genuine "Let's go. We need to help the others."
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Shoes hit the wooden floor with aggressive force, each step echoing off the walls, back and forth around the large room. Isabella was pacing up and down, waiting, her impatience hanging in the air like an invisible mist.
A few guards were crouched behind the chair, completely hidden. If any of Hood's men tried to take her down, the guards could hold them off so she could escape. She knew that they would be massacred, but it should give her some time. Their nervousness could be tasted in the air too, but a thin, insignificant cloud compared with her billowing power and impatience.
Silence.
The smallest of creaks had Isabella's senses tingling, completely alert. She narrowed her eyes until they were slits, and waited. Another creak, closer this time, and a tiny puff of dust lifted from the floor. Someone hissing something. She grabbed the knife at her thigh, her fingers tightening around it, so that her fingernails made deep pink imprints on her palms. One dead beat of nothingness.
Allan and John charged forward, straight at Isabella, pinning her to the nearest wall. She snarled, managing to plunge the knife into someone's arm, and they yelled, stepping back. There was a scrum of bodies, the guards, Robin Hood's men, Guy and Meg, all fighting and yelling. Two people fell with a dull thud, but nobody looked to see who they were, so immersed in the fight. Isabella slashed her was through the chaos, not caring who she hurt, trying to get away. She was nearly at the door when an arm seized her round the neck.
"Not so fast, Isabella."
"Guy."
They stood there, in the doorway, Guy's sword across her throat, neither moving. The fight behind them was furious, but it seemed detached somehow, as if they were in their own little world.
"Kill me then." Isabella looked up at him, her eyes unafraid, taunting, almost. "You want to, don't you? To kill the sister who has betrayed you so many times…"
"I do."
Isabella smirked at him, eyes glinting now.
"You won't though, will you?"
"That is why we came. But there are others here that would be only too happy to see you dead, and I don't want to be the one to kill my sister."
"This hasn't got anything to do with me." Isabella snarled back at him "This is to do with Meg, and trying to redeem yourself! And don't think of trying to change, Gisborne." She pushed the sword deftly away from her throat, and faced him, her expression one of hatred "Because you can't. No matter what anyone tells you, you are a monster. You sold me; you killed hundreds, including the woman you used to love. One day, Meg is going to see that."
"I know." he pushed Isabella away in disgust, although his face was tortured again, he was seeing all his crimes replayed in his mind, over and over "I know she is."
The double doors burst open again, and Robin and Tuck burst in, weapons out. There wasn't any need. In the corner, Kate, Allan, John, Meg and Much were standing over the remains of Isabella's guard. The only person left was Isabella, trapped by a circle of outlaws, backed into the centre of the room. Her only defence was a small knife, red with blood already. It was Robin who stepped forwards towards her this time, as Guy had shrunk into the shadows. Meg was beside him as she always was, but he wasn't talking to her. His eyes seemed darker and more guarded than usual.
Robin walked forward, each step another beat of Isabella's life, which was draining away like the sand of an hourglass.
There we go! End of chapter ten! Double figures :)
Review and let me know what you think, and thankyou for all the lovely comments so far :D x