Louise and Marian were visiting the Scarlett's later that afternoon when the sound of horses reached to ears of the Ladies and the villagers alike. The Sheriff, Sir Guy, Nottingham guards and a few of Gisborne's men rode into Locksley. Guards then started ordering the villagers to stand by the well some grabbing and forcing people to move somehow Marian and Louise avoided the mad panic as people were dragged out of their homes and thrown to the ground. They also managed not to interfere, which went against both of their natures.

"What's going on?" Lousie whispered to Marian as they walked over to the well

"I don't know" Marian whispered back "the taxes were collected last week" The Sheriff dismounted his horse holding his reigns out impatiently to one of the guards before pacing in front of the populace of Locksley.

"Hello" the Sheriff then greeted sarcastically, clapping his hand together before he continued talking "Now many of you know our residential heros." There were a few murmurings "Well they're not heros, they flaunt they law and everything we try to up hold" The Sheriff spoke in, what seemed to be, a soothing voice but Marian and Louise, who were standing off to the side of the villagers who were forced to their knees in front of the Sheriff, took great pleasure in the disbelieving looks of the people. They obviously didn't belive or share the Sheriff's views on the Shadow and the Nightwatchman.

"And in doing so " the Sheriff continued "they flaunt any respect for authority with no respect for you as the people of Nottingham". Now everyone there knew the Sheriff was spouting rubbish, although no one would say it, as the Nightwatchman and the Shadow obviously respected and cared for the people of Nottingham as they risk their lives in order to give them food and money. Louise felt an odd feeling of being watched, she looked in the direction that her instincts told her to look and met the eyes of Guy of Gisborne. He smirked at her softly, smugly and his eyes were looking at her with such power and passion that Louise felt uncomfortable holding his gaze for more than a few seconds. She looked away after this time only to meet Marian's questioning eyes before tuning back into what the Sheriff was saying.

"New security measures means that there will be a curfew in place" The sheriff was practically bouncing on his feet "and ANYONE found out after that time without permission will be punished" he went very loud and threatening before going softer again as he continued "is that understood?" No one said anything as the Sheriff mounted his horse. "Come on Gisborne" Louise looked over at Gisborne who rolled his eyes which then, upon realising that she was watching her, met hers. Louise looked away again causing the temporary Lord to smirk as he mounted his black battle horse and rode off after the Sheriff.

Guy of Gisborne watched with, what could be called satisfaction, as the people of Locksley were forced to their knees in front of the Sheriff. It was then that he noticed Louise and Marian who were following the people towards the well but ended up stopping just off to the side. His eyes raked over Louise taking in the curves if her body. The deep purple of her top contrasting with the navy blue of the corset like over-top, her legs which although wrapped in lose black riding trousers still looked long and her wavy blond hair that fell down her back and over the hood of her cloak. He also noticed the sword on her hip and the strangely bent bow in her hand which went with the leather quiver on her back.

Guy felt an aching need for her but this wasn't just in a physical way, he mentally yearned for her to care for him as much as he cared for her, this last realisation he had only come to when he found out she was unconscious with a fever and he felt worried for her well being. He couldn't banish the sense of relief he felt seeing her awake and healthy like this. Suddenly her bright blue eyes looked up and met his, Guy felt himself smirk at the innocent look in her eyes. She will be my wife he promised himself as his eyes locked with hers. Even if keeps refusing me. She will be MINE! A surge of possessiveness raced through his body and Louise looked away now focusing on the Sheriff. Why does the fool believe that adding a curfew will stop the Shadow and the Nightwatchman he thought disbelievingly None of the peasants walk about at night anyway. DeFortnoy's an idiot he thought real action needs to happen in order to catch them not precautions. He was broken out of his thoughts by the Sheriff's sneering voice.

"Come on Gisborne" Vasiey sneered, Guy rolled his eyes. He the realised that he was being watched, he looked over and smirked again as he met the eyes of Louise of Locksley who would be, and if Guy had his way, Lady Louise of Gisborne. She turned away to face Marian causing Guy's smirk to broaden as he mounted his black battle horse. Until tonight my dear he thought. Until tonight.

Later that evening Louise entered the coach send for her by Sir Guy, arriving at Locksley at around 8 o'clock. Louise didn't wear a dress, despite Marian's begging, she wore instead a long sleeve brown, v-neck shirt with a green flowing skirt. The sleeves were long enough and loose enough to cover her arm guards, which were currently deactivated to avoid any accidents but could be activated with a flick of switch. She also wore her green and brown mottled cloak which, to Marian's surprise, seemed to go with everything Louise ever wore.

The door to the carriage was opened by Thornton and Sir Guy, who was standing just in front of the carriage, held out his hand to offer Louise down from said carriage.

"Lady Louise" Guy greeted

"Sir Guy" Louise greeted back taking his hand and, with a small smile, climbing out of the carriage. Guy moved his arm so Louise was now holding his arm instead of his hand and lead her into Locksley Manor.

"Let me take that" Guy offered walking behind Louise who reached up around her neck to untie the cloak. A suppressed shiver ran down Louise's spine as Guy's fingers brushed her neck as he slipped the material off of her shoulders handing it one of the servants who hanged it up by the door of the manor before disappearing into the depths of the house.

"Here" Guy offered her a goblet of wine which Louise took with a small smile

"Thank you Sir Guy" Louise asked the Lord "How are you feeling?"

"I told you." Guy growled "Do you not believe me?"

"Of course I do." Louise confirmed "It's just from personal experiance" Guy looked at her slightly confused at where she was going with this. "I found that sometime people hide how they really feel in order to look stronger." Guy didn't meet Louise's eyes as she stepped closer and hesitantly placed her hand on his leather clad shoulder. "What was wrong with you? You can tell me Guy."

"It was just a headache, slight fever, nothing more." Guy told her looking down at her hand on his shoulder. "Shouldn't I be asking you how you are feeling. You were unconscious with a fever for two days whereas I caught a cold" Guy looked into Louise's eyes with such a sincere look of worry that Louise again felt that both she and Marian had underestimated Sir Guy. Shocked by the worry and unsure how to react Louise awkwardly removed her hand from Guy's shoulder.

"And I can assure you Sir Guy that I am also perfectly healthy" Louise stepped back from the Lord. When Thornton appeared.

"My Lord, My Lady" Thornton bowed his head respectfully "Dinner is ready to be served."

"Shall we?" Guy took Louise's goblet from her handing it to Thornton and gestured to the table. Louise smiled again and moved to take her seat to the left of the table head, Sir Guy was seated at the head. The meal was chicken with numerous different vegetables and potatoes.

"How is Locksley?" Louise asked.

"I do not wish to bore you with such details" Guy dismissed she chuckling slightly as he drank from his goblet.

"I would not consider it a bore. Sir Guy" Louise told him slightly annoyed that Guy would assume what she was feeling. "I grew up with these people, they're my friends"

"Your people cannot be your friends" Guy told her "They're one or the other."

"Why not?" Louise asked "You care for your friends surely?" Guy nodded "And you also care for your people"

"It is not the same. You care for your people out of duty but your friends out of loyalty and things that may of occurred in the past to have such loyalty to them."

"Its your duty to be loyal to your friends" Louise argued back with a smile. Guy smiled back.

"You are going off track." Guy warned her "Sometimes you have to be harsh to your people, if they do not pay their taxes for example. On these occasions sometimes doing things which you would not do to a friend whom you are loyal to." Louise sighed, in what Guy assumed to be defeat, which in a sense it was defeat of the fact that Sir Guy wasn't going to understand. "But in answer to your question Locksley is faring well"

"That is good news." Louise agreed as they continued eating. The plates had just finished being cleared away when one of Gisborne's men burst through the door of the manor.

"My Lord." The guard started before noticing that Louise was there as well, "Sorry My Lady."

"What do you want." Guy growled out both he and Louise stood up when the guard had entered.

"I'm sorry to interrupt My Lord but the Shadow was spotted in Nottingham and the Sheriff requested your immediate presence." The guard told the Lord.

"I'll be right there, wait outside." Guy told the the guard before grabbing his sword "I'm sorry but I am needed in Nottingham the carriage will take you back to Knighton Hall"." He told her as he fixed his sword around his waist Louise watching him as he moved to stand in front of her.

"Thank you" Louise told him looking up at the man who spiked so many different emotions within her.

"Good evening Louise" Guy murmured bringing her hand up to his lips.

"Good Evening Guy" Louise murmured back. She watched as Guy strode out of the manor it was only then that she realised that he called her 'Louise' and not 'Milady' or any form of formal name. Not knowing what to think about it she pushed the thought to the back of her mind but couldn't banish the happy feeling that coursed through her veins.

When she returned to Knighton she found Marian in her room obviously planning to do her rounds, Sir Edward and most of the staff had already retired.

"You really should hide this stuff better" Louise commented holding the mask which was resting on her bed.

"Everyone else in the household knocks" Marian said taking the mask off her friend. "How was dinner?"

"Cut short" Louise told her, doing that annoying Locksley thing of rummaging through other people's stuff meaning that you couldn't take your eyes off them when they were in this mood.

"Why?" Marian asked taking the bread off of Louise and placing it back into the sacks, and brushing the crumbs off of her bed

"Apparently the Shadow was spotted in Nottingham and the Sheriff demanded that Guy went to give his assistance." She looked at Marian who was giving her a strange look. "What?"

"Guy went to Nottingham did he?" Marian asked Louise just gave her a strange look "Guy...not Gisborne"

"Oh shut up" Louise growled "Give me five minutes and I'll meet you in the stables. The Shadow is going to be in Nottingham."

"Is that wise?" Marian asked, but her question was just heard by the empty room as Louise had already left.

Louise was obviously angry as they rode silently towards Nottingham. Marian reckoned that she was angry because she was realising that despite her greatest efforts she cared for Guy of Gisborne, or at least had started to care. They entered Nottingham town, Jack and Falcon tethered in the forest
as usual. Louise quickly separated from Marian and they started delivering, once she had done the inner towns Marian went to the meeting point under a ledge by the eastern wall. Louise, however, was making her way there but her anger made her slightly careless.

"You there!" A voice called out "Stop!" Louise turned round to see three guards advancing towards her. Bugger Louise thought looking around for an escape. She soon realised that she could make it onto the roofs of the houses which would help her dissapered into the maze of back alleyways, the only problem being that the only way to do so would mean that she would have to get pass the guards in order to gain access to the roofs.

"The Sheriff ordered a curfew" one of the guards called out "come out now and your sentence will be reduced" Louise very much doubted that as her plan fell into place. Two audible clicks could be heard by Louise but not by the guards because of their clinking chain mail, her arm guards were now activated. Quickly Louise grabbed the lid of one of the barrels and running forward rammed it into the advancing guards forcibly clearing a path.

The thing was Louise's arm guards had spring loaded knives in them which, once activated, shot out at a flick of her fists and retracted when she relaxed her wrist again. One of the knives was just a knife but the one on her left wrist had a hook on it, the hook retracted down the blade if she used it to stab at something but it could also support her body weight if she needed to hang by it, she used this now. Louise ran towards a building and ran up the wall slightly before pushing off onto the wall opposite and hooking into the brickwork and nimbly swinging up onto the roofs. She could still hear the guards below her.

"Go fetch Sir Guy" one shouted as the others started to raise the alarm. Realising that she was an open target here she quickly and silently ran along the roof, jumped onto an other one and dropped silently to the ground. She then quickly pressed her back against the wall as a load of guards ran passed the alley carrying flaming torches, once they had passed Louise ran down the alleyway hopefully away from the guards thankful for her knowledge on the back streets of Nottingham.

Louise crouched low to the ground by the corner of one building, from here she could clearly see the northern gate but that didn't mean that she liked what she saw. The whole place was brilliantly lit, like day, leaving no shadows, there was no time to get to one of the other exits and probably no point as they would be the same. Louise knew that she had to act now before more guards appeared so taking a deep breath she ran forward and got about halfway before she was spotted there was cries by the guards as they ran towards her. Louise knocked them out as she went along thankful for her training there was a loud bellow as she neared the gate.

"HE'S MINE" the man roared as the guards stopped and Louise turned to see Sir Guy stalking towards her his sword drawn. Louise then unsheathed her own sword, not wanting to fight Guy but she was aware of the fact that she couldn't out run them or beat them to the forest so fighting it was. As Guy advanced closer she spun her sword in her hand, something she had always done before a fight to centre herself.

They circled slightly before Guy lunged, Louise blocking and the crash of steel echoed around the silent Nottingham, Guy lunged again but he was again blocked this happened again and Louise eventually grew tired of the pattern and so launched an attack of her own taking Sir Guy by surprise as she used a variety of complex combinations which he managed to block before again forcing her back. As they fought, the crash of metal on metal echoing around the town, Louise became increasingly aware of the time and that the longer she fought Guy the more likely it was that one of his men would also attack her. So she faked a left and jumped spinning round in the air causing her foot to smack into the side of Guy's head stunning him. Louise used his, and his men's, confusion to her advantage re-sheathing her sword and ran to the other side of the portcullis where she then sent two arrows in quick succession, into the ropes supporting it. Guy ran trying to make it in time but was stopped by the heavy metal crashing down. He grabbed the metal bars roaring in anger at the rapidly disappearing figure.

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