~xxi~
Love Thy Brother

Twisting on her heel, she narrowly dodged the knife that sought to sever her head at the base of her cheekbone; a smirk pulled at her lips as she sent three throwing knives in return at her opponent, watching him bob and weave around her thrown weapons before sending another of his knives at her.

He flexed his grip on the third knife as she ducked low to allow his second knife to fly over her head before he lunged when she hesitated.

With a grunt she swung her leg out and knocked his own legs from under him when he got within inches of her, sending him sprawling. Panting slightly as she stood, she watched him rub his head as he sat up before she approached his side to offer a hand of aid, looking at her opponent as blue met brown. "To be fair, this was by far the most interesting spar I've had in years. Thank you, Carter." She smiled.

Noting her smile held no snide edge or anything other than politeness, the ginger-haired assassin nodded and took her hand to let her help him up. "I had some doubt regarding a female marksman, at first, but I too found this to be interesting; you're welcome, Ella." He took her hand and lightly kissed her knuckles before she politely retrieved it from his grasp.

"I see you two are playing nice after all." Vaisey greeted the duo as he and Guy descended the steps to the great hall.

Ella nodded slightly before shuffling to Guy's side as he reflexively slung his arm around her shoulders. "As well as can be expected, milord." She said, distinctly feeling his squeeze on her shoulders before she gently nudged him as the Sheriff introduced Carter to Guy.

"I would hope you didn't leave my marksman too tired, then." Guy mused as he looked on the ginger-haired man.

Carter noted the possessive manner the nobleman had on said woman before shaking his head and huffing a little, "On the contrary, she did exceedingly well. She is worth however much you're paying her, milord." He replied.

"So! Back to the task at hand… Carter, you know what your objective is, then?" Vaisey put in, looking on the assassin.

Carter nodded and replied, "Retrieve the Pact of Nottingham and kill Robin Hood. Believe me, milord, nothing would give me greater pleasure… he's as good as dead."

"Good, good… Now come along then, it's time to let the fun begin." Vaisey nodded back and put on a seemingly-charming smile, turning to leave the hall with Carter shortly following with Guy and Ella leaving last.

"If you're jealous don't be because I don't fancy him much." Ella commented quietly as she looked at her lover.

Guy sniffed, "I am not jealous…" He pretended that she didn't giggle as his ears turned red.

"Darling, honestly…" Ella sighed, pausing as Vaisey and Carter left the hall before she tugged on his sleeve to lean up and press an assuring kiss to his lips and inhale as she felt him relax against her.

Guy curled his fingers in her black hair and reciprocated deeply, feeling her shiver against him which caused him to smile against her lips and squeeze her waist. "It's not jealousy, it's protection." He murmured as he drew away a smidge with his fingers tracing her jaw, noting her pink cheeks as her blue eyes lifted to meet his. He had never seen her break down before the day Sir Edward had died, so the least he could do was appreciate having her in his life.

Although five months ago he probably would've scoffed in disbelief towards the thought of ever being with Ella… Perhaps change sometimes was for the better.

"I am too used to you to even consider fancying another man." Ella chuckled with the slight smirk on her lips shifting to a fond smile.

"As much as I doubt any other man would willingly deal with you as I have." Guy smirked knowingly when she pursed her lips, before grumbling an 'ow' as she lightly smacked his arm.

"Oi." She flicked his forehead, watching the redhead snap open his once-closed green eyes as she folded her arms at her chest.

"What is it now…?" He rubbed his eyes with the side of his hand before slightly scowling at the woman.

"Come on, got a job for you to do." She urged patiently, nodding her chin in the direction of the courtyard.

Retaining the scowl, Alan followed the archer to the nearest stairwell that deposited into the courtyard and was rather surprised to see her chestnut mare saddled and waiting by the nearby tree. "What's this for?" He wondered as she strode past him.

"I'll explain once we leave here, now get on." Ella replied, lightly gripping the reins as the redhead slightly shook his head before hoisting himself onto the horse's back; urging Gem trot away to the gates, the odd pair broke into a canter as they soon left the bridge behind them and approaching the edges of the forest.

"So why the secrecy; surprised you asked me to tag along, knowing how close you are to Guy…"

"I can handle him better than you think, though I asked you to come because we're going to find Marian."

"Hang on, why?"

"I'm worried about her, and I have a feeling I know where she is… And that's where you come in."

"I'm not being funny, and I dunno if you noticed but I'm not a hunting dog."

"No but between the two of us, you'd have more of an idea of where Robin's camp is."

"Alright, let's say you're right, that she's with Robin… If she runs into Guy by chance, what's your plan then?" Alan slightly eased his grip on her belt as he looked at the archer.

Ella paused to answer before a thought came to her, and she beamed. "Ripley Convent. Consumed by grief, Marian would choose the safest place away from Nottingham to mourn her father's passing and find God in the same instance… Brilliant." She said.

Well it wasn't like it wouldn't be something any maiden would do if she were left alone in this world, he'd admit that… "Here's hoping your plan works, then." Alan mused.

Dismounting Gem and tying her reins to a thin tree's low branch before both riders continued along the forest path on foot, it wasn't long before Ella was first to spot the trap wire that would sound the alarm; stopping Alan with a grab of his vest, she nodded at the wire and he nodded back before they quickly and quietly scaled the nearby incline.

Alan led the rest of the way as they walked past another alarm and when both began to faintly hear knives being thrown he ducked behind one tree as Ella did the same with the adjacent tree. Looking past the tree he hid behind, he spotted the light blue tunic and shortly recognized it was Marian, looking at the archer near him who had also recognized the girl and both shared a quick nod.

Ella watched Alan approach first and she smirked slightly in amusement when he flinched as Marian chucked another knife at the tree he stopped near. Too heavy-footed to be considered a spy, she thought as she approached the two.

"You've got some nerve, showing your face in the forest!" Marian said tartly as Alan stepped closer to her.

"And you've got some gall sticking so close to Nottingham." Ella stated as she stepped around the near tree, causing the younger woman to jump. While she was satisfied she had been correct in her assumptions, there was still the matter of how things would play out from here.

At seeing it was obviously the archer's thought to seek her out, Marian sighed slightly and frowned a little. "I didn't stay on purpose, I just didn't really have anywhere to go… though I take it the Sheriff didn't send you two to find me." She said.

"Neither did Guy as it was my idea. I had had a feeling you'd stick around with Hood, and lo and behold…" Ella explained. "I knew you loved him enough to eventually leave society even before you made your choice." She added with a cold glint that briefly shone in her eyes before it fled.

Marian briefly thought of the knives she had chucked at the tree only feet away from her as her green eyes looked on the archer when she noted the coldness in her blue stare. "Yes, I did, and I still do… Just as much as you love Guy. You know that I had no intention of hurting him, Ella…" She had always known it would come to something like this between the two of them.

"No I know you wouldn't, but that isn't why we've come. If worse comes to worse and you somehow return to the castle, I've come up with an alibi and as it concerns you, it's only fair to run it by you, isn't it?" Ella relaxed her stance a smidge as an odd twinkle shone in her eye.

Raising a brow even as she inwardly felt relief that the slight tension between them was gone, Marian shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "What is it that you propose?"

"And just where did you run off to?"

Brushing out the tangles from her mare's copper mane, she pretended she didn't flinch at the interrogative edge in his low voice as he had found her in the stables. By her calculations she had only been gone an hour from the castle, and when they returned she had let Alan run off while she had chosen to hide out in the stables.

"I had misplaced something and searched for it back at Locksley; Alan was such a dear and helped me find it." She lied with ease, seeing her mare flick her ears as she heard him lean onto the stable door from the opposite side. "Sorry we took so long." She added, slightly looking over her shoulder to meet his inquisitive blue stare.

At finding no lie in her gaze even as some part of him doubted it, he accepted it; she had never given him reason to doubt her, anyway… "Thought you went to keep an eye on your new friend, Carter." He mused, folding his arms at his chest.

Ella looked at him with a raised brow, "what's that for?" She asked.

"Between him and you, I trust that you won't falter. You've proven yourself to be better than that, anyway." Guy answered before noting the signs of a frown that began to show and he asked, "… Unless somehow I'm wrong?"

"You, I… For God's sake, I am not Marian!" Ella lowered the brush to turn on him, hurt in her eyes and a glare on her brow. "I couldn't fathom seeing you suffer again, Guy. Believe me… please." She watched his jaw muscles tense as he looked away when her words struck that chord in him, and she exhaled shakily as she turned her gaze to the side wall with her hands on her sides. "I am sorry, I shouldn't have said that…" She whispered.

"Ella, come here." He was looking at her with an unfamiliar light in his darker blue irises, and she lowered her hands to approach him as he unhooked the latch; before she could ask anything he tilted his head down to crush her lips in a hard kiss as his hand found her tunic and vest. She stiffened for a brief moment in his hold before he felt her lips moving with his and she was kissing back, her slender fingers reflexively knotting in his dark hair with fire in her reciprocating movement as he held her closer.

She drew away a little to inhale fresh air as just kissing him left her dizzy, slightly starting when his lips found her jawline and trailed down to her neck, as she squirmed against him and breathed vain protests while her fingers gripped the scruff of his coat collar. "G-Guy…"

Pausing at hearing her breathy voice which made his body tingle at hearing her use a tone he'd never heard come from her, Guy drew away a little to meet her blue eyes that were as hazy as his blue eyes were. "I am sorry for doubting you. We both have blood on our hands, but I believe we could purge our sins, together." He mused quietly, lifting an arm from her waist to brush locks of hair from her lovely face and tuck them behind her pierced ear.

Ella smiled and held his hand to her cheek, nodding as warmth for him began to show in her eyes. "Together." She amended softly.

With a simultaneous 'shink' as the guards' spears were parted for him, Guy descended the stairs with Ella at his heels and Alan at her left, looking at the small procession before them with an arched brow. "What's all this, then?" The nobleman asked, looking first and foremost to their hired assassin.

"Robin Hood, as requested, milord." Carter answered solemnly as he met the nobleman's inquisitive stare.

Guy huffed. "Really now… Did you check the body?" He looked at the guards near the assassin.

"We did, sir; he's dead." One of the guards nodded.

"It's only best to make sure, I suppose… Ella, if you will." Guy huffed before gesturing to his second.

Ella raised a brow before nodding slightly and descending the stairs to take a brief glance at the litter-carriers to see they kept their hoods up; she brushed away her mild curiosity and lowered a hand to check the supposed-dead outlaw's jugular to find there was no pulse, and then lifted his right wrist to find the same result. "Dead indeed." She amended, earning a nod from him.

"Job well done, Carter; come along, you'll be paid for your work." Guy nodded to the assassin as his archer returned to his side when they turned to head inside with Alan shortly following and the litter plus Carter at the rear.

"You could've severed his head, why didn't you?" Ella whispered as Carter continued speaking in Latin behind them.

Guy replied calmly, "You are my second, and as you've had your fair share of death it's only reasonable that I trust your judgement."

The archer quieted and smiled a little as her fingers reflexively wove with his, feeling him give a squeeze. "That was almost romantic of you." She quietly sang.

He smirked back and squeezed. "That was almost endearing." He returned as she pouted a smidge.

an: well this took a bit of a detour, didn't it? lol you're welcome. also if you guys think any of my other chapters need to be edited or whatnot for whatever reason, message me, at least while i'm still in the mood to edit this baby. anywho, you know the drill! :)