The Darkest Hour chapter 21
One of the guards pushed open the door to the audience chamber and Guy stepped in -
To find Richard alone, a tall, imposing figure in the sparsely furnished room.
He had expected to see a room full of people, likely with more guards inside.
He certainly had not expected this.
He stopped just past the doorway, not knowing what to do. Should he kneel or should he bow? Right there, or should he walk up to Richard first? He was rather unschooled in the subtleties of royal etiquette.
And where Richard was concerned, his track record had been pretty dismal.
- Gisborne.
He had never actually heard Richard speak, and was impressed with the commanding voice.
- Your Highness.
- Come here.
Guy stepped across the room to where Richard stood by the window and knelt before him, kissing the proffered hand. Who would have thought he would be doing this?
- Do you still wish to kill me?
- I do not, Your Highness. - This was the last question Guy had expected to answer.
- Too bad... I would have enjoyed fighting you. Why are you here, then?
- I have come to surrender to your mercy, Your Highness. – The words were sticking to his throat but he had to do it, for Meg. – My life is yours to dispose of as you please. But I would not attack my king again.
- Your king... so you accept it now?
- Yes, Highness.
- Get up, Gisborne... I heard you were in my rebellious brother's retinue for a while.
- I was.
- And then you turned against him and stopped his coronation.
- Yes, Highness.
- My dear brother has misbehaved in my absence, and I am glad he was stopped before he had done something... unforgivable.
- But it was not only me. Robin of Locksley was the real hero on that day.
Who would have imagined that I would feel compelled to risk my best chance of pardon to give Robin his due?
- Yes, I know... I have been told... –Richard had not expected to hear it from Gisborne, however. – You and Robin fought against each other most of the time, though, did you not?
- Yes, Your Highness.
- And you had a grudge against him. Why?
Because he betrayed my father. Because he took my land and made me destitute. Because he was a pesky brat.
- We... had our disagreements, Your Highness.... There was... a terrible accident in our childhood but... I cannot blame Robin for it. Not anymore. He was a brave man.
- So are you, I hear.
- I am honoured to hear it, Highness.
- And yet you stole into my camp in the middle of the night to kill me, and tried to finish me off when I lay wounded.
- I make no excuses, Highness. - Oh, what the – might as well tell the whole truth. - I was convinced at the time that it was for the good of England... and I believed that it would bring me personal gain.
- Bravely spoken, Gisborne. - Anyone else in his place would have wallowed on the floor begging for their lives. A man like this could be more use as an ally than a carcass.
- I do not forget treason, Gisborne, but I do reward courage and I would not deny that you have plenty of it. From what I hear, you have acquitted yourself well in the siege of Nottingham, and had earlier turned against your superior, Sheriff Vasey, who was the mastermind of the Black Knight plot – and as recently as two weeks ago, killed the viper Mowbray when he showed up here. And I hear that my dear Robin came to trust you with his life eventually... and I would take his word against that of many. And on the weight of this, I pardon you for your crimes against me. - At least the man has the good sense to kneel when granted royal favours. – I heard about what happened to your family, - He waved Guy's gasp away, - and I know that you had legitimate claims to part of the Locksley estate. Well, you cannot have it. I am giving it to Lord Locksley's surviving son, Archer. But now that your sister is dead, there is the matter of her and her husband's estate; it would have been attainted anyway. I am giving it to you, Gisborne, and I am creating you First Baron of Thornton, in the hope that you continue to be a loyal servant to the crown. You may rise. What is it? – Richard asked tersely as he noticed the perplexed expression on Guy's face.
- Your Highness... I was hoping, if I lived, to retain the name of Gisborne... and if I lived as a free man, I was hoping to restore the respect due to my father.
- You can keep your name. And you can call the seat Gisborne Castle, if you wish. But you cannot expect to rename the entire estate of Thornton, and I doubt that you would want to add your name to the villages of Lesser Thornton and Thornton-upon-Pike, - Richard added with a glint of amusement in his eye.
Guy chuckled despite himself, trying his best to hide it. Richard was a most unexpected king.
- You may go now. But if you cross me again, Gisborne - Richard added as Guy backed towards the door, - you are dead.
– I understand, Your Highness, and I swear upon... - my honour, I should say but it has not been spotless as far as Richard is concerned, – upon my lady's love that I shall not betray you.
The man is gorgeous, thought Richard observing the utterly disarming smile that lit up Gisborne's chiselled face at the mention of his beloved, before he walked out of the chamber.
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Guy walked out of the castle on trembling knees, his head spinning, unable to believe what had just happened. He had come to Nottingham castle that morning a condemned man, hoping only for a modicum of mercy, maybe for his life. He had walked out with a royal pardon, and a title, and once again with land to his name. And he had not even asked for it.
- Guy? – he missed a step and would have tumbled down most ungracefully if Meg had not jumped up to steady him. She had been sitting on the stairs just outside the entryway, having successfully bargained with the guard to yield her a temporary perch there.
- Meg! What are you doing here? - What a stupid question. I am losing my mind from happiness.
.- Waiting for you, of course, - Meg was too relieved to have qualms about stating the obvious, or about having disregarded Guy's request. In fact, she had been so worried about her betrothed as to briefly consider begging and whining her way past the guards as close to the audience chamber as they would let her – and into it if possible. – Are you safe?
Guy regarded her with a smirk that was nothing short of satisfied.
- He granted me a pardon. Not only that, we have land, Meg! He has given me my brother-in-law's estate. And you, my lady, will be the Baroness of Thornton in a month's time. Meg? – he asked as she looked as if she were about to swoon, - what is the matter?
- Pinch me, Guy, or slap me, so that I stop thinking this is all a dream!
- I have a better idea, - he said as he gave her a long, loving kiss.
Between Friedrich of Bavaria, Prince John, and lately King Richard himself, the townsfolk of Nottingham had seen their share of wondrous characters and had learned to take it all in stride. But they could not help stopping to gawk in wordless amazement at the once formidable and fearsome Sir Guy of Gisborne steering his horse absent-mindedly through the streets as he smiled in a fond reverie at the lovely lady in his lap.
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- Vous avez de beaux seins, ma chère, - Guy murmured to Meg as she lay with her back against his chest, his arms around her, his hands idly stroking her body.
- What are you saying? – She knew by then that Guy's bedside vocabulary was almost exclusively Norman French, and scolded herself for her lack of attention at the French tutor's lessons that Eleanor had invited her to share.
- You are beautiful, - he whispered.
- No, that's not it; that would be vous etes belle, I know that, - she said teasingly, - you will need to teach me more French, Guy.
- With great pleasure, ma chère, he said in a low, seductive voice. – Especially as I can teach you by showing, - he ran his tongue along the length of her neck, - what I mean.
- In that case, - she sighed contentedly, - the pleasure will be all mine.
They had practically run to the bedchamber the moment they had returned to the inn, giddy with happiness, and freedom, and the promise of a trouble-free life, and the knowledge that the looming mortal danger was past. But their attitude had been very different from the frantic, frenzied passion of the night before; now they savoured every moment, every touch, every glance, taking pleasure in each other's presence without the pain of imminent loss, watching closely for the other's reaction, relishing the control each had over their partner – and the loss of it as they happily gave in to uninhibited bliss, delighting equally in giving pleasure and in being desired.
- You will drive me insane, - Guy moaned to her as she gazed at him with an alluring smile.
- In that case, my lord, - Meg whispered, - I shall go to the asylum with you.
- We'll never make it there, - he tried his best to sound matter-of-fact. – We'll be at it in the lunatic wagon until the axles snap.
- Who would have thought you had a gift for telling jokes! – managed Meg when she was able to stop laughing.
- Never had anyone to tell them to, - he replied quietly, and she had to start kissing him again to stop her heart from breaking.
The church bells had rung for vespers and the air was filling with evening birdsong when they had finally seemingly exhausted their lust.
- We probably should get dressed for supper, Guy, - Meg murmured lazily as she flipped onto her back. – We cannot stay in bed all day, can we?
- You make it sound like a challenge, - purred Guy as he pulled her back toward him.
end Chapter 21