Chapter 10
I couldn't believe Kate had just rescued me from Isabella, from myself. How I had wanted to kill her and slay all the bitterness inside me. I never thought I would feel such a need for vengeance; Isabella had stripped away the promise of a new life for me. Kate's hand on my arm steadies me, as she bursts open the door into the Sheriff's chambers.
My feet nearly give way at the sight. There is my husband collapsed on the ground, his hand covered in his own blood, Allan by his side. He had been stabbed, but he was alive! Not far from him was Robin kneeling beside a dying Sheriff, a spilled goblet next to his hand. He had been poisoned! Robin is beside himself; how can he possibly aid both men at once?
Kate, he begs her, ride out with Allan to the camp. Fetch Djaq for me. Hurry!
Allan is surprised to be receiving orders from his old master; nevertheless, he doesn't hesitate in leaving with Kate. As they depart, I kneel down by Guy's side. His eyes flutter, feeling the touch of my hand wiping away his blood with my handkerchief.
Marian…you didn't keep your promise to wait for me, Guy murmurs. I'm glad you didn't.
No, I shake my head, tears flooding my vision. I won't let you die!
Guy plunges again into unconsciousness. Supporting his head on my lap, I listen in on Robin's words with the Sheriff.
Answer me this, Vaisey: did you hire someone as the night watchman to set fire to Gisborne's wedding?, he orders him. I need to know!
Of course I did! The Sheriff sputters, barely clinging to life. Gisborne would have done anything for Marian, even kill me! It was easy to bribe one of his guards to play night watchman…I knew I could trust their work. A clue, no.
The Sheriff smiles in the same menacing way he always has. That's all Robin is able to get out of him before he breathes his last. Robin hangs his head, aghast that the Sheriff is now lost.
We're all damned, he murmurs. I know he fears more than anything for Nottingham.
Robin, no one must know, I remind him. I need you to get Isabella. Kate left her unconscious in the Sheriff's study.
Robin doesn't waste a moment, hurrying out of the room to fetch her. For a moment I'm left alone, praying Kate and Allan can get Djaq here safely. She's my only hope of Providence's intervention in this cruel twist of fate. Gently I stroke Guy's face; I feel as I'm watching my own suffering, the amount I went through after he stabbed me. Robin re-enters the room, carrying Isabella's unconscious body and relieving me of my lonely agony. Setting her down against the bedpost, Robin wastes no time in tying her up. Once she is secure from harming anyone, Robin turns to me.
We'll have to wait until she wakes up for answers, he informs me. I'm sorry, Marian.
I barely form any words from my crying. Hold me.
Robin gently takes me in his arms, the same way he once did when my father died. I feel him kiss my head, unwilling to let go. There is nothing I feel, but love from him, the hope of seeing me happy shattered. He is all I have now. He may know me in many ways better than Guy ever did, but I will never marry again. Not after watching a life I had tried to build with Guy collapse. The sound of Isabella awakening is the one thing that finally ends our embrace.
She surveys her surroundings, a twisted smile on her face at the sight of the dead Sheriff and Guy barely hanging on. I lean on Robin for support, trying to keep in check my fury at her actions. I leave the talking to Robin.
Do you have any idea of the damage you've caused?, he asks, trying to keep his composure. I promised I would help you and you chose the easy way out, by taking revenge on your brother. But why, the Sheriff? You're not that different from him.
Isabella narrows her eyes at Robin. Now that she's achieved what she had set out to do, there's nothing left for her to hide. She breathes a weary sigh before feeling safe enough to confess to Robin. I had heard once of someone called the night watchman. Word reached me of their great deeds, similar to those of you, Robin Hood. Every day when I was beaten and abused by my husband, I dreamed that the night watchman would somehow come, whoever he was, and save me from that hell: that was my only source of hope. But he never came. One night I drugged my husband and bribed his servants with his money I had stolen not to tell him of my whereabouts. I made my escape, seeking refuge in Nottingham, still fearing that my husband would come looking for me. It was there I found out my brother was working for the Sheriff. I knew if I gained Sheriff Vaisey's trust, my brother could never send me back; I would secure my own safety. When I secretly watched Gisborne ride out of Nottingham on business, I took my chances to request an audience with the Sheriff. After explaining to him my situation, he offered me a compromise: if I wanted him to secure my safety, I must kill someone for him. You see, he was wary of his henchman, Gisborne's attentions to a certain woman. Her father had been the old Sheriff who was loyal to Robin Hood. He suspected she secretly was too. He had tried imprisoning her, but she had escaped with Hood's help; that confirmed his suspicions. As I worked to hunt her down elsewhere, the Sheriff did his work through using Gisborne's guards as spies. You can imagine the elation I had felt when I got the Sheriff's message he had put a stop to Gisborne's wedding to her; now I could finally relax and find you, Robin Hood. I tried to see if you were at Locksley Manor, having heard earlier from my husband you had returned recently from the Holy Land. I didn't expect to encounter my brother at Locksley alive and married to the woman I had been hired to kill. Guy got in the way of my plans; my only safety now was Sherwood, and your unconditional help, Robin. I found refuge with you; Vaisey was of no more use to me; he had failed to rid Guy from me. Now I wanted to see my brother beg for mercy; I was fortunate that I carried Vaisey's insignia to get freely in and out of the castle. Without anyone to stop me this time, I carried out my desire to put an end to Nottingham's oppression and my own. Now it is done.
You're wrong! I snap at her. You had no idea that by killing me, you would destroy the night watchman!
All the color drains from Isabella's face. It can't have been you! You're just a woman!
I thought you were just that too, I admit, but we were both wrong, weren't we?
Isabella stares at me speechless. Silence falls on the room before it's broken by the arrival of Allan, Kate, and Djaq. Bolting the door shut behind them, Djaq begins issuing orders to them. God, I hope I'm not too late! Allan, help me lift Guy on the Sheriff's bed. Kate, fetch me blankets and water.
I leave Robin beside Isabella, hurrying to Djaq's side. Is it too late for you to save him?
I have one chance, Djaq tries to reassure me as she sets about mending Guy's wound. Give me room, Marian.
I have no choice, but to allow Djaq her work space. Isabella's confession saddens me; what horrors she must have gone through to allow herself to become this way. I realize only a moment ago having my sword near her neck, I could have been her. Kate and Guy were right; we were very similar women, and yet so very different.