Loved in the darkness part 11
By Leah
Summary
Merton has handed over his fortune and property to Allan A Dale, I am so sorry I did not realise that Merton's first name was Walter, I've become so comfy with calling him Merton, but I have started fixing my wee whoopsie!
Any way.
Marian and Guy are still enjoying their perfect life together. How long can this last?
This chappie is dedicated to Angie and her mum. My BETAS, The girls on Stirred and my dearest Angelique.
Disclaimer
People … My dear people …. I do not own a sodding thing.
If I did, Guy, Allan and Marian would get completely shickered then married by a priest who looked like Matthew Lucas from Little Britain.
Shickered means getting drunk in New Zealand slang.
Also Nicholas Bishop would be playing prince John, I say this about Prince John even though I am stoked Toby is playing him, I just would have loved to have seen Nick as a royal and working with Richard and Keith.
Rated a big M for nudity and sexy stuff.
Merton Estate
Morag's body was cold to the touch and disturbingly pale.
Marian shuddered, suppressing the urge to turn on her heel and run.
Judith, she recalled, had been cold like Morag.
The memory of seeing her daughter's dead body for the first time flashed dramatically before her eyes. It was so clear Marian gasped and staggered backwards. Gripping the table for support, she took a deep breath, hoping no one had witnessed her moment of weakness.
"Milady, would ye be wantin ta come with me to another room?" A servant woman asked gently. "Tain't right for ee ta be ere."
'Oh lord, now they must think I am delicate and beyond repair,' Marian thought with annoyance.
She felt very much tempted to tell the kindly woman that she would prefer to stay with the bodies and wait for the priest's arrival …. However, truth be told, Marian did not want to remain at all. She wanted to get away from these corpses. Corpses she had once considered good friends to her and her father. Corpses that reminded her of the daughter she had lost.
"Yes," she told the woman, her voice sounding quite strained in her ears. "Yes, I would like to go to the main room, but I can find it on my own. Please tell my husband where I am, will you?"
"Aye, milady."
"My lord sheriff, do you object to my decision?"
Guy looked to Allan, who seemed to be more interested in the toes of his boots, then Sir Walter of Merton.
He ran his tongue over his lips, hesitated a little, then spoke.
"Allan is a young man. He has not long been my squire or my master at arms."
"Then you object?"
"I am merely saying I believe Allan to be coltish," Gisborne returned a little defensively. "Fortune and lands do not simply fall out of the sky into one's lap, Lord Merton. Is it wise to give them to him when he has so little experience with responsibility?"
Walter considered this, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
"What you say is justifiable, sheriff. However, my wealth and lands would have gone to your man after my death. Also, and with profound respect, you did make Sir Allan your master at arms the moment you yourself took up the position of sheriff."
"True," Gisborne agreed warily.
"After losing my wife and daughter I feel as if I am a dead man walking," Merton continued with an air of melancholy. "I fancy it will not be long till I join Morag and her mother in heaven."
Merton turned to Allan.
"This walking, talking dead man is giving you every thing that is his," he told Allan solemnly. "Will you take it, Allan A Dale?"
"I will," Allan said giving himself little time to think. "I'm ready," he told the sheriff almost earnestly. "I really am ready."
Gisborne nodded.
"If you say you are, Allan …. Then you are."
"I ask the sheriff of Nottingham to grant me this final boon," Sir Walter of Merton declared wearily.
"What do you want of me?" Gisborne asked, folding his arms across his chest.
"Guide Allan. Guide him until you feel he can manage running the estate on his own. If appears he cannot, then it is my wish that this building becomes an orphanage rather then go to the crown."
Gisborne left Merton's study to see how the funeral arrangements were going. After learning of his wife's whereabouts, he bid a servant to take some refreshments up to the study then made his way to the main room.
Marian was sitting on the chaise longue, staring at her hands. Her dark hair loose and hanging about her face as if she were a young virgin.
"Marian," he addressed.
She raised her head, offering him a face full of shame.
"I could not linger," she told him weakly. "I stayed with them for as long as I could but … Jesu! Their bodies! They were so cold!"
She put a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle a sob.
Gisborne marched over to her and pulled her to feet then to his chest where he kissed and stroked her hair.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Guy said nothing.
Marian clenched her teeth and groaned, desperate to regain her composure. "I was such a coward," she panted. "I should have stayed with them but I couldn't. I saw Judith in Morag's place! I saw-"
"Shh."
Marian allowed Guy to hold her for a few moments, enjoying the warmth of his body against her own.
"I have to go," she mumbled withdrawing, trying to regain some of her composure. "I need to freshen up for the funeral."
"You don't have to do anything," he told her. "Wait there." He left her alone for a short while. When he returned, he had a servant boy by his side. Without a word of explanation, he took her hand, guiding her out of the room then along a lengthy passageway.
"Where are we going?" Marian asked, brow furrowed with confusion.
"The funeral will be held on the morrow," Guy told her calmly. "We are to stay here as Merton's guests."
"The twins?"
"Allan is riding to the castle to retrieve them and the wet nurse now as we speak."
Marian bit her lip, not wanting to vex Guy by complaining about the wet nurse. She knew he was having the twins brought to the estate only make her happy and that he would have them not here at all.
"Thank you," she told him, adding. "What did Sir Walter want?"
"I will tell you later," he replied as they followed the boy into a spacious chamber. "Right now I want you to rest."
"Stay with me?"
"Of course."
Marian pulled off her shoes and stockings then lay down upon the bed, curling into a ball whilst Guy removed his boots, doublet, and tunic before taking his took his place behind her, spooning himself snugly around her body.
She nestled closer to him. Her back welcoming the smooth hardness of his chest and stomach.
Marian was feeling somewhat better when Guy woke her so they could freshen up before dining with Merton. For the dinner, she chose to wear a baby blue silk dress accompanied by a snug fitting royal blue velvet vest and pale gold silk slippers. Once she had finished dressing, she had a servant comb the tangles from her hair then place it under a dove grey silk scarf. Guy had changed as well, opting to wear a long sleeved silk maroon tunic accompanied by a black velvet vest with fine gold embroidery. His thick black mane had been combed and oiled, his stubble neatly trimmed.
"I love you in colour," Marian told him with a smile, taking his arm. "Maroon suits you." She noted the Criss-crossed lacings in front of his shirt and thought they made him look somewhat nicely roguish.
"I think we both know what shade suits you," Guy replied, a sultry smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Marian felt her face colour and gave him a stern look of warning.
"You are a mad fool!" she told him through clenched teeth, yanking her arm away. "We are supposed to be solemn!"
"Thought you might enjoy a bit of gaiety," Guy retorted, his hand wandering lazily downwards to caress her arse.
"Be gay in the privacy of a bedchamber or our own home!" Marian hissed, moving a little faster till Guy's hand fell away to drop at his side. "Right now we must show our support to Sir Walter."
In Merton's hall, Guy, Marian, and Allan ate their meal in silence whilst Merton brooded and ate little.
"Any news from the holy land, my lord sheriff?" he asked eventually.
Gisborne set down the spoon for his broth.
"Hood and his companions reached Acre not three days ago. They should be travelling to King Richard's camp soon."
"Good, good. And what of Vasey?"
"He enjoys London," Guy replied with distain. "He serves his prince and basks in the riches the prince showers upon him."
"Does he tell you all this? I thought he would not bother contacting you again."
"Yes. He enjoys gloating," Guy returned with a faint trace of sarcasm. He did not feel insulted by Walter's remark about Vasey contacting him. The old fool gloated to him, what of it? Soon Vasey would gloat no more.
"Perhaps when he dies he will even gloat to the devil when he goes to the blackest pit in hell," Marian quipped earning a startled and amused look from Guy and Allan.
Merton chuckled softly.
"Fine choice of words, lady Gisborne, fine choice of words. I do hope the foul beast meets his maker soon. You know … I still remember that black day when Vasey became sheriff. My blood turned into ice."
"As did mine," Marian concurred softly. "And father's."
"Well, there is no point in looking at the past anymore," Merton added dryly. He pushed his chair back and rose to his feet.
The other rose with him.
"To Vasey's downfall!" he declared raising his goblet.
"To Vasey's downfall," the others echoed.
Merton estate, graveyard
The day of Morag and her mother's funeral was cold and dreary. Marian and Allan wore black, thick ermine trimmed cloaks whilst Guy opted for his black leather surcoat and doublet.
The priest, ignorant of the weather, droned on about heaven and earth till finishing at least with a solemn "Amen" which everyone except Sir Walter, who had been quiet and still throughout the service, echoed in a rather relieved fashion.
When the funeral was officially over, the shivering guests were invited to remain so they could feast in Merton's hall before bidding farewell to Sir Walter who would be making his journey to his sister's home in London in the afternoon.
Marian had been tempted to try to change his mind for the weather was unpredictable and its inconsistency troubled her to no end.
"Maz, he'll be fine," Allan assured her after Sir Walter had refused her for the third time. "Look, Giz is sending some of the castle guards with him. There's nothing for you to worry about."
Marian huffed her displeasure, folding her arms across her chest.
"I'm going to see how the twins are," she murmured, needing something to do. "Will you be-"
Allan waved her off, smiling gently.
"See you back at Locksley," he replied.
Gisborne had bid farewell to Marian and the twins and was making his way for the stables when something caught his eye.
It was enough to make him stop in his tracks.
Allan was standing beside the freshly dug grave of Morag, staring at the dark brown dirt.
Wondering what was going through his head, Guy quietly walked over to stand beside him.
Allan jumped when he saw Gisborne.
"I'm on my way," he assured, raking a hand through his light hair. "I just wanted to-"
"I am not Vasey," Guy rumbled. "Take your time, Allan."
Allan licked his lips. He seemed troubled.
"What is it?"
"I'm sort of glad I never had to marry her," Allan admitted in a strained voice. "Even with you, Maz and Merton breathing down my neck I would have been the worst husband in England."
"Morag," he added. "Was a great girl. I did like her. I liked her a lot. She was well spunky. But the idea of marrying her made me sick in the stomach." He sucked in a deep breath, pinching his nose. "Jesu Giz … I'm-I'm almost glad she died." He blinked and swallowed hard, fat tears streaking his pale cheeks. "Does make me as evil as Vasey?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?" Allan cried, staring bewilderedly at his superior. "You've lived with the sodding bastard nearly all your life and you tell me you don't know! You of all people should be able to tell me!"
"I can only tell you that it doesn't matter anymore," Guy said to Allan with firmness in his deep voice. "There is only one way to move now, Allan. Forward. You have lands and wealth. In time you will be able to marry a woman of your own choosing."
"I'm done with the whole marriage thing," Allan mumbled. "I'll stick to tumbling."
"You will need an heir or heiress," Guy reminded gently. "Someone will have to inherit this place. A bastard-"
"I'll give it to Tristan and Clowance!" Allan snapped. "Guy I don't deserve this place! I'm not good enough for it!"
"I have Marian, I am the sheriff," Guy shot back. "Do you really think I am good enough for Marian? Allan, we both know we are not capable of the good temperaments most men and women are blessed with. But we strive to better what we do have. We've succeeded, Allan. And when all this madness is over we will be able to sit back and enjoy what we've been fighting so hard to obtain."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Allan asked, wrapping his cloak tighter around his body.
"It means focus on the task at hand and apologise to Morag for your lack of wanting her later."
Having said that, Gisborne clapped Allan on the back.
"I'll ride with you to Locksley. Meet me at the stables when you are ready."
"Ta," Allan said. His thank you barely audible.
Locksley Pond
Weeks turned into months and summer arrived to Locksley making everything terribly hot, so the occupants of the manor decided to cool themselves by riding out to Locksley Pond to bathe.
The men rode their horses into the bed of water, wearing only braes whilst Marian and Hannah paddled with baby Tristan wearing white shifts made out of cheesecloth.
"Don't go too deep, Guy!" Marian called out to Guy who was holding Clowance.
"She's fine!" Allan told her. "Come in, Maz!"
"Go on," Hannah told her. "I'll hold onto Tristan."
"Are you sure?" Marian asked
"Go, Marian!" Hannah insisted, giving her friend a little shove.
Marian kissed her son's curly forehead then made her way to the water's edge.
"What have we here?" Guy asked his little girl. "A pond witch?"
Marian scowled at him then waded into the pond, sighing as the pleasant warm water covered her body.
"I'm not a witch!" she retorted, doggy paddling toward her husband and daughter. "I'm a mermaid."
Gisborne patted Glory's rump. The stallion nickered.
"Up ya come, witch!"
Marian raised her dark eye brows then smirked.
"You will pay for that, Guy of Gisborne," she vowed saucily.
"My lord sheriff," Guy corrected playfully. Clowance squawked with delight.
Marian swam over till she was floating beside Glory. Carefully avoiding the rouncys thrashing legs, she heaved herself onto his back, hugging Guy from behind.
"Why don't we ask Allan and Hannah to take the twins home?" she asked, resting her cheek against Guy's damp back.
"That's a very good idea," Guy agreed huskily.
He guided the stallion up the bank then dismounted.
"Take the twins back to the Manor," he told Hannah and Allan. "We'll be awhile longer."
Allan winked at Guy then took Clowance off his hands.
"Put them straight to bed, Hannah," Marian said, wringing the water out of her hair. "I'll feed them later tonight."
"Yes, Marian," the young woman replied and followed Allan's lead.
Marian and Guy lay beneath a tree with ample shade kissing and fondling each other. They continued their slow and gentle lovemaking till feeling tired and deciding to sleep under their tree for a while, savouring the precious time away from the world that seemed to need them constantly.
Marian lay sprawled over Guy, cheek pressed against his rock hard chest, nearly purring her contentment as he lazily stroked up and down her back with the pads of his fingers.
"How do you feel about leaving Locksley?" he asked her after a long bout of silence.
"I have mixed feelings," she told him, choosing her words carefully. "It is Robin's rightful home and moving to Knighton is the right thing to do … But I have had a lot of happy memories here. You have good memories as well. It will be hard to walk away, but this is what we must do."
Gisborne grunted.
"Knighton is much grander then Locksley anyway," Marian added cheerfully.
"You are being biased!" Guy accused.
"Of course I am! I was born there!" she cried with good humour.
Gisborne rolled his eyes whilst Marian laughed gaily.
"No one is here," she told Guy looking about.
"So?"
"I'd like to go for another swim."
"Then go."
"You can come to."
"Why?"
"Oh must I spell it out?" Marian exclaimed. "Guy …. I want to swim with you …" she finished the sentence with her face blushing ruby red.
Guy frowned at her not understanding what all this was about.
Marian sighed, got up, and walked over to the pond.
"Watch me!" she commanded.
"No need to tell me twice," Guy answered, earning a sarcastic snort from Marian.
To his shock then absolute pleasure, Marian stripped off her shift, leaving it in the grass. She stood near the waters edge, naked as a babe, beautiful skin gleaming in the summer sunshine.
Gisborne felt himself grow stiff and heaved himself to his feet as quickly as he could.
"Wait for me!" he called, pulling franticly at his braes.
"No, come and catch me!" Marian called, breaking into a run, dark hair blowing in the breeze like a scarf behind her fleeing form.
Finally his insufferable braes were off! with a growl, Gisborne tore after his mischievous wife.
Marian, upon seeing him, gave a shriek and dived into the pond, determined not to let him catch her.
"I'm going to get you!" Guy shouted.
"Like Hell you are!" Marian gasped over her shoulder.
She pushed herself as far as she could, kicking her legs in a mad effort to blind Guy who was already right behind her.
Suddenly, Gisborne burst out of the water in front of her, gasping hard eyes shining with predatory excitement.
Marian swore and swung around, not bothering to entertain the idea of how her husband could have managed to have blocked her escape so easily.
Guy, however, was too quick. He gathered himself, lunged forward, and grabbed her.
Marian gasped and bucked against his hold, but he held on, refusing to let her go.
Defeated, she sagged in his arms, body shuddering with weariness.
Gisborne dragged her to the muddy bank. Pinning her beneath him, he kissed her hard on the mouth till she was close to the point of suffocating then buried his face into her wet neck, panting hard.
Marian squirmed beneath his soaking body, feeling somewhat revived and renewed arousal whilst Guy playfully kissed and nipped his way to her breasts.
Taking her left nipple into his mouth, Gisborne sucked leisurely upon it, keenly listening to her moan and whine.
"Wait!" he snarled roughly when she struggled against him.
He grabbed her right breast in his large hand, squeezing it hard till she shrieked then bit even harder into the breast he had re-covered with his mouth.
"My lord."
Gisborne's eyes flew upwards.
Standing on the upper bank was a horsemen dressed in the uniform of Prince John's men.
"Shit!" Guy cursed as soon as Marian's breast had fallen out of his mouth. He sprung upwards, taking Marian with him, hands covering her bottom to shield her from the intruder's eyes.
"Why couldn't you wait at the Manor?" Guy thundered, praying to god that there weren't more men on the other side of the pond.
Marian buried her head against Guy's chest in embarrassment, wishing that this were a bad dream.
"Forgive me, my lord," the young man stuttered. "But I have been instructed by Prince John to give you this message as soon as possible. He is most distressed!"
"Well? Out with it man!"
"Can we not put our clothes on first?" Marian pleaded.
Gisborne sighed then held out a hand to the messenger.
"Your cloak, give it here," he ordered.
The man immediately unfastened his cloak and tossed it to Guy who swiftly covered Marian and himself with it before giving the ill received messenger a look that would have been capable of killing him right there and then.
"Out …. With …. It," Gisborne growled through clenched teeth.
"My lord, by order of His majesty, King Richard, and His Royal Highness, Prince John, Sir Vasey Keith, member of the royal court, Lord of York, Sussex, Surrey, Dibley, Derby and-"
"GET ON WITH IT!" Guy bellowed nearly dropping the cloak.
"F-forgive, my lord! Vasey … He has-He has been arrested for plotting to kill the king and the prince! He has been tried and will travel to Nottingham Castle to await execution!"
Guy turned to Marian; his face was a mixture of pain, fear, and doubt.
Marian smiled for him then grasped his face, pulling it downward so she could kiss him soundly on the lips.
"It's over," she whispered tearfully and tenderly against his mouth, "It's all over."
Crying, Guy hugged her to him, ignoring the bamboozled look on the messengers face.
Allan A Dale rode up on Stiorra. He looked at the crying Guy and Marian then to the messenger.
"I guess you gave them the message?" he asked.
"Yes … but I cannot decipher if the sheriff is incredibly happy, miserable or if he has lost the plot all together!"
Splash!
The sheriff of Nottingham and his wife were back in the pond, frolicking like children. This explosion of happiness bamboozled the messenger even more so. He looked to the master at arms for an explanation but
Allan, however, had dismounted his mare and was hurriedly ridding himself of his clothes.
"My lord?" the prince's man cried.
"Ride back to the house, mate!" Allan called, tossing his doublet over his shoulder. "Tell Thornton to get a feast ready for everyone and I am not being funny, I mean everyone!"
Locksley Manor
Locksley manor became alive with joy that evening. Women, children, and men danced, ate and drank in the manors hall, celebrating the end of Vasey's reign.
Marian, Allan, and Guy sat by a corner fire, holding the twins and relaxing.
"So when is he due to arrive?" Allan asked, balancing Tristan on his lap.
"Next week if you're talking about Vasey," Guy confirmed. "It's a shame we can't slaughter the bastard the moment he arrives but the king wished Robin to be present at the execution."
"Well … We could torture him a little," Allan mused.
Guy smirked. A sadistic lopsided smirk
"True," he agreed then raised his goblet to his lips.
"There are children present," Marian reprimanded dryly, covering her daughters ears,
"Where's Hannah?" Guy asked.
"Your sergeant wanted a word with her," Marian replied, adding with girlish excitement. "I think he may want to court her!"
Before Gisborne could kick up a stink about a sergeant courting the companion of his wife, Allan swiftly cut him off.
"How are we going to keep the mob away from him? They'll be sure to want blood."
"Djaq and Little John will be guarding him at all times," Marian contributed. "In addition Guys men and the castle guard."
"What about Vasey's other supporters?"
"We start the round up tomorrow," Guy revealed casually. "It'll be hard. The news of Vasey's arrest should have spread over England by now. We cannot expect to catch them all, but we can expect to catch the ones that matter."
Allan, satisfied with the response, ruffled Tristan's black curls then passed the child over to Guy.
"I see a wench fit for tumbling," the master at arms told his group of friends. "Can we start the round up the day after tomorrow, Giz?"
"No!" Guy growled.
"Aw come on! You know I can't function with a hang over!"
"You don't seem to function all that well with one either," Marian told Guy with a giggle.
Gisborne rolled his eyes.
"They're all plotting against me," he told his boy who stared solemnly back at him.
"I don't think he cares," Marian told him taking a sip of mead.
Tristan gurgled, reached out to grip his father's nose,
"Ow!" Gisborne exclaimed. "Fine, early afternoon!"
"Ta, Giz."
Tristan let go of his father's nose with a somewhat wicked grin spreading across his cherubic face.
"He gets that cheek from you," Guy declared, rubbing his sore nose.
"He gets his grip from you," Marian added.
Both of their children were identical in looks. Black hair, blue eyes, pale skin. Inheriting, to Guy's relief, Marian's nose. Tristan was quieter then his sister and very good at hiding, whilst Clowance was strangely akin to a miniature banshee. Driving everyone to the point of exhaustion with her loud wails. She loved to be noticed and was prone to greediness. She also thrived on being cuddled. Cuddles to her, were the stuff of life. And she got them. She got them nearly every minute because no one could resist her charming face when she was not screaming her little head off.
Her behaviour bothered Marian who was determined to make sure her daughter did not grow up to be a spoilt, pampered brat.
Guy, on the other hand, was not so bothered. He saw himself in the little girl. Her loudness, her greed. That was him through and through.
In time, she would change. He had no doubt that his Clowance would grow up to be just as gracious and tender hearted as her mother.
"Prince John's messenger also told me something rather interesting before heading back to London," Guy told Marian.
"What?" Marian asked intrigued.
"He told me that the king would like to see me as soon as he is back and settled in England. He wishes to talk about my family. Our lands."
"Well … He has not asked for your execution," Marian offered. "Perhaps he wishes for you to have your home back?"
Guy ran his tongue over his lips.
"Perhaps," he agreed.
Guy & Marian's bed chambers
He woke to the sound of her screaming. Horrible, pleading cries he had never dared believe could pass through a woman's mouth.
Rolling onto his right side, Guy found Marian caught within a nightmare.
Her eyes were closed. Her face was soaked with sweat and tears.
"I want to stay!" she babbled madly. "I want to stay! Oh god, why can't I stay?"
"Marian," he murmured grasping her flailing wrists before she could hit him. "Marian."
"Don't take me," she moaned. "Please, don't take me! Not me! Not me!"
"You are not going anywhere," said Guy, urgency rising in his voice, "Marian, you've got to wake up!"
"Guy!" came Allan's voice from the other side of the door. "You alright in there?"
The sheriff was about to say no when Marian suddenly became coherent. Scared out of her mind, but thanks be to god, coherent.
The door burst open. Allan and Hannah barged into the chamber.
"Piss off!" Guy hollered, thus making Hannah jump with freight.
"Ah, Looks like they've got everything under control, Hans," Allan said, quickly backing out of the chamber, dragging a pale and gaping Hannah with him. "Let's go and make sure the twins are still asleep, eh?"
"And close the door behind ya, ya pack of earslings!" Gisborne snapped, watching the pair leave.
As soon as the door had slammed shut, he returned his attention to Marian.
"It was a bad dream," he told her softly. "You were screaming."
"I was slipping," she murmured. "I was slipping down a well … Or-or a hole?" she frowned, sniffing. "Someone … Something was telling me-" She stopped and nuzzled her pillow. "It doesn't matter."
"It scared you into screaming. Tell me, Marian."
Marian sighed and looked up at him.
"A voice told me I had to leave. It told me that I couldn't stay." She bit her lip. "Is this the price I have to pay for our safety, Guy? Death? How is that fair?
Lovingly, Gisborne cupped her face in his hands, rubbing her cheeks with the pads of his fingers.
"You are not going anywhere," he told her calmly. "It was a nightmare brought on by over exciting yourself and too much mead."
"But I-"
"Shh, hush now, little mare. Go to sleep. Tomorrow is when everything changes and we need to be ready."
Whilst Marian slept in his arms Guy could not find it within himself to join her. Instead he rested his chin on top of her head, rubbing his hand along her arm as she slept.
Her dream had unnerved him. The idea of his woman being taken away from him just when the sun had just begun to shine down on him scared him very, very much.
What could take her from him though? Hood? Vasey? Surely not.
Hood was betrothed to Ana and Vasey would be under constant guard till the day he joined the devil in the realm of Hell.
Marian moaned softly in her sleep, fingers curling into her palm.
Gisborne kissed the side of her head then sighed heavily.
"Whoever it is that would dare attempt to take you from me had better be prepared to feel my wrath,' he thought darkly. ' For I will not suffer he or she to live,'
End of part 11
Authors note
Well this is good news isn't it? MAG are free of Vasey once and for all and boy are they going to have one thumping hangover in the morning!
So what do you think will happen in the next few chappies? What does Marian's dream mean?
Ohhh, tis a bit of a mystery isn't it? Let's just say … Cliffhanger ahoy!