Were I to split this story into two sections, this would be the beginning of Part Two. Problems have come much closer to home for Guy and Robin.
I hope you all enjoy. This is one of the Chapters I have been looking forward to (and dreading) writing since the beginning!
***
It was mid-June. The greens had returned to the countryside, lacing the hedgerows and fields with emerald, moss and viridian after the dustings of blossom that had grown there before. The sky was the palest blue, clouds low on the horizon and the sun a low orb on the eastern sky. Wind rushed over the grasses and through the boughs of the trees, sending the leaves rustling and whispering, and the birds whistled and chimed from the woods. The stream wound its way over rocks and pebbles down to the lane, where it ran along beside, the trickle of its water pooling over the stones like swish of a ladies gown.
A rose crept up the side of the cottage, its stem twisting and tangling over itself in it's attempt to scale the wall. A first flower was beginning to open, it's dark red petals unfurling from the casing of the bud.
Alice stretched down and traced the line of the outer petal. She could reach the flower from her window, and somehow, the sight of the first bloom sent a little jolt of excitement through her.
It had been been a month and a half since their return from the Holy Land. A month and a half; six weeks; 42 days. Now the waiting was over.
Alice took a shaky breath inwards. Nothing to be nervous about- Oh God. I'm nervous! She pressed a hand over her mouth and ducked back into the room, the scene outside starting to sway.
Alice sat heavily down on the stool by the mirror, where her mother's combs and clips were arranged; each laid carefully out on the pale wood. She ran her fingers along the smooth metal of one of the slides, and then reached up a hand to her hair.
It was still short, and even when she pulled it out straight it didn't reach past her shoulders. She wrinkled her nose and put her head on one side, twisting one of the dark strands. Was Guy as nervous as she was? She sincerely hoped not.
The door opened behind her, and Brianna backed into the room, her arms full of material.
Alice stood quickly, her heart pounding.
'No need to look so nervous!' Brianna said laughingly. 'Anyone would have thought I'd made it.'
She laid the dress out on the bed and smoothed down the skirts.
Alice stood in awe. It was beautiful. Pale blue and plainly cut, just as she had asked; she didn't dare believe it was hers. As if it was someone else getting married that day. Someone else who would fit into the dress. She reached out a hand and touched the sleeve.
'Its real!' Her mother chuckled, and began to pick it up. 'Lets get it on you-'
'I- I can't-'
'You don't have to believe yet.' Brianna slid the dress over her daughters head, and patted her cheek. 'I was in a dream until a week later; this is your own fairy-tale.'
Alice wondered what Guy would think of being a fairy-tale knight. She had to stifle her laughter. She was pushed down onto the stool again, her mother's long fingers tugging at her hair and beginning to comb through it. It curled stubbornly at the ends, its waves refusing to be straightened and lengthened. Alice looked down at her lap and smoothed the blue cloth over her knees; it was not as heavy as she thought it might be, and it felt strangely smooth.
Her mother tutted as a lock of Alice's hair she had just pinned up fell out and dragged the clip with it. Three more clips were added, all of which fell out, the third nearly disappearing down the back of Alice's dress.
There was another knock on the door.
'What do you want young man? Shouldn't you be helping the groom?' Brianna glanced over her shoulder as Rupert sidestepped into the room.
He had a hand behind his back and Alice stared curiously at him in the mirror, as he edged closer.
'I just wanted to see how you were doing.' Rupert began, smiling beguilingly at Brianna, who had turned and stood, hands on hips. 'And to give you these-'
He withdrew the hand behind his back and held it out, a small leather pouch dangling from his fingers. Brianna took it and peered inside, frowning. She gave Rupert a quizzical look, and handed the pouch to Alice, who emptied some of its contents onto her palm.
'Oh!' She cried delightedly. 'Orange Blossom, from Acre!' She beamed up at Rupert, and tipped the flowers back into the pouch. 'Thank you!' She leapt up and threw her arms about him.
He blushed slightly, and looked at his feet, lips pressed together. 'It's nothing. I just thought- Well, I can see the pins weren't working.' He offered her a wonky smile as he caught site of the hair clips on the floor.
'Thank you, its very sweet of you to have thought of me.'
'It's my job isn't it?' He grinned. 'Guy's too busy wearing away the floorboards at the Manor to be thinking about Orange Blossoms.' He glanced towards the open window. 'In fact, I'd better be getting back- make sure he hasn't worn a hole in the floor.'
Alice nearly laughed, but her nerves had returned and it came out as a sharp breath.
'I shall see you both later,' Rupert exited the room with a slight bow and closed the door behind him.
Brianna held a blossom from the pouch up against her daughters dark curls; the sweet scent of the flowers hanging in the air.
'Very well,' she said with a small smile, and reached for a tiny pin on the table. 'Orange Blossoms it is.'
***
She had insisted on being allowed to walk, rather than driven in a carriage: Locksley church was barely ten minutes walk from the cottage, and a carriage seemed far too grand for her.
Luckily the bright morning air had soothed her nerves a little, and as she entered the ring of houses she felt only a little jolt of anxiety. The church had been garlanded with flowers and ribbons, and people milled around the market square which had been filled with benches and tables.
Marian flew across to meet her, her green dress swishing behind her, and stopped short of Alice; a smile appearing.
'You look-' Marian began.
Alice raised an eyebrow.
'Perfect.' Marian finished smiling.
'I can't breathe-' admitted Alice, pulling a wry smile.
'You'll be fine! It's not like he bites!' And both girls had to restrain their laughter.
'Stop- please!' Alice gasped. 'You know how sensitive Guy is about being teased.'
Marian tried to look penitent, but ended up smirking. 'When are you due in the church?' She asked, glancing round at the trestle tables and watching as some of Jacob's servants began to carry out goblets and jugs.
Alice chewed on her bottom lip. 'About two minutes-' She let out a shaky breath and clenched her hands, her fingers suddenly cold and slightly clammy. She felt jittery, an odd sort of nervous; excited and expectant, but terrified at the same time.
She looked up at the church doors across the square. They stood like the gates to some great fortress, one that threatened to swallow her up. But then she reprimanded herself - you agreed to this, you said yes! This is just your nerves talking.
***
Guy paced back and forth across the slate floor before the altar, footsteps ringing out through the church. He reached the pillar on the other side of the transept and promptly turned on his heel, jaw clenching and unclenching anxiously.
Rupert watched a wry smile on his lips. 'Stop your pacing man! Everything will be fine.' He said, amused and leant back against the column.
But Guy merely shot him a flashing glare, eyes dark and continued across the stones. He felt a flicker of doubt rise within him again. What if she didn't come? What if she never arrived? How could he face the shame? Closing his eyes momentarily, he tried to set his mind at ease. His forehead creased. Alice will come; of course she will. She had always come.
'My son-' Guy opened his eyes and turned towards the priest who had appeared from the alcove behind the altar.
'You will make God restless with your nerves.' He smiled benevolently, his pale robes swaying gently. 'Set your mind at rest- your bride is just outside.'
Guy turned quickly, tongue running over his lips as he looked towards the open doors. He swallowed and turned back to the priest.
'May we start the ceremony?' Guy's voice was slightly hoarse, and he grimaced, feeling weak.
The man inclined his head. 'Of course.'
Rupert had pushed himself away from the column, and was grinning. 'I'll go and get the bride.' And he strode off down the nave.
Guy could hear his heart pounding in his chest; taste the salt on his lips and feel the cold press of the stone and metal against his palm. He clenched the ring tighter in his hand and shut his eyes, willing his breathing to slow. It was ironic really. He thought bitterly. You can ride towards a line of flashing Saracen sabers and only feel a jolt of regret, and yet on your wedding day you're reduced to this! He scolded himself.
He could hear the congregation filing in behind him, voices quiet and expectant. But he chose to ignore them; there was only one set of footsteps he wanted to hear.
There was a sudden lull in the voices behind him, and Guy's heart gave an unexpected jolt.
He glanced quickly over his shoulder, and his eyes met another pair.
Guy's gaze held Alice's, and his eyes followed her up the aisle, drawn only to her until she stood at last, by his side.
Had it been any other time, Guy would have realised she looked beautiful, but the only thing he truly took in before the ceremony started, was the strange relief that she was just as scared as he was. Somehow, that gave him enough confidence to find his voice and steadily repeat the lines the priest dictated to him. It was as though his voice was somehow unconnected to the rest of him, the words spilling from his mouth and into the silent church; but he heard them as if someone else was speaking.
The priest finished, and turned to Alice, the same vows hanging in the air as she opened her mouth to reply.
Guy could see her shaking silently, and felt an urge to reach out and grasp her hand. He heard her finish the vows, her voice loosing its tremor as she finished with:
'Till death do us part.'
Guy felt his breath hitch.
That was it. She had said it! He unclenched his hand and felt the ring roll into his palm, the single stone gleaming slightly.
Guy turned towards her, long fingers reaching for her hand and lifting it gently up. He looked down at her fingers, and then glanced up at her, suddenly realising they were very close. Swallowing, he held the ring between his fingers, showing her the dark green stone.
Green Jasper - he had picked it specially, knowing its meaning. By the way she looked inquiringly up at him, Guy knew he had picked right.
He leant towards her.
'For when all others had lost faith in me-' He whispered in her ear, sliding the ring onto her finger as he did so. 'And you had not.'
He looked up. 'With this ring, I thee wed.'
She was smiling softly, and he watched as she slid a simple gold signet ring onto his finger; it felt strangely surreal, but the metal was cool against his skin and her fingers were soft and sure.
'With this ring I thee wed.' She said, and pressed her lips to his knuckles, before looking back up at him.
His lips brushed softly against hers, but he had stepped back quickly, before she had a chance to put a hand behind his head and hold him there.
Alice smiled knowingly, letting Guy take her hand and lead her down the nave towards the open doors. She knew better than to think he was unhappy - Guy was just guarded in public; even on their wedding day.
***
'Guy?'
He stood quickly and turned, a small smile lighting his face as Alice wound her way through the benches towards him.
'They can be a bit much can't they?' She laughed and glanced over her shoulder at the wedding crowd behind her.
Guy nodded wordlessly, noting with amusement Rupert's attempts to remove himself from a large group of excitable village girls. Alice perched herself on the bench, hands smoothing out her dress, and Guy sat down next to her, one arm moving cautiously round her until it rested on her waist and drew her to him. Her head found his shoulder, and they sat in silence for a few minutes, Alice content to listen to her husband's slow breathing. Her husband's-
She smiled, trying her new name in her head. Lady Alice of Gisborne… It sounded far too grand for her, and she glanced up at Guy.
He turned his eyes lazily on her, and smiled faintly, his dark eyelashes hiding his eyes from view. She reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. Guy caught her wrist with his hand and kissed her palm softly.
'Are you happy Lady Gisborne?' He smirked.
Alice laughed. 'Happy can barely begin to cover how I feel.'
She glanced over her shoulder and saw a man she did not recognise approaching Rupert. His face was serious, and his back turned to her as he began to talk. She frowned. Rupert glanced in their direction briefly, before nodding curtly to the man and following him; towards the road and away from the church. Alice looked up at Guy, to see if he had noticed, but he was looking the other way, eyes following the gentle curve of the river as it wound through the fields below the village. She shook herself. It was probably just a problem with the food, or the wine - the man was one of Jacob's servants she did not recognise.
***
Rupert followed the man down towards the dirt track which lead into the woods either side of Locksley, occasionally having to take an extra stride to keep up with the larger man's paces.
'I didn't catch your name-' He asked, as they rounded the bend and came out onto the first open stretch of road.
'Gerard, sir.' The man said roughly, eyes still on the ground ahead.
'And this was important you say-' Rupert glanced over his shoulder at where the village had disappeared over the slope of the hill. He could still hear the music from the wedding, and the quiet rumble of voices sat in the summer air. But soon the chatter began to sound like the low roll of thunder and the music a thin whine, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up as they entered under the shadows of the trees.
They had not gone a hundred yards or so when Gerard stopped, and cast about him as if searching for something he had dropped earlier. Rupert stood by his elbow, frowning. It was silent for a second, and then slowly, as his ears became accustomed to the quiet, Rupert became aware of a low whining. Not the earlier sound of the music as they had left the wedding behind, but an ominous buzzing.
Rupert swallowed.
He knew the sound. The sticky sweet, sickening sound of death.
Flies.
Now he looked for them, they buzzed about his ankles and shot past his head like small missiles; their facetted eyes unblinking.
He could smell it now too. The stench of blood and rot.
'What is it?' Rupert asked, trying not to open his mouth too wide, or to breathe too deeply.
But Gerard had found what he was looking for.
Face paled either by the shadows or the nausea, he pulled back the undergrowth to reveal what lay underneath.
'I hope you have a strong stomach, sir-' He said, turning his face away.
Rupert looked, and put a hand up to his mouth to stop himself from gagging.
It was Creod.
At least, it was part of him. The only part Rupert would have recognised had it been attached to his body.
His head.
It sat, staring blankly upwards through the undergrowth at him; pupils wide and dark. Sightless.
'You recognise him?' Gerard was looking curiously at Rupert, and avoiding looking down at the head.
Rupert nodded and looked away, suddenly feeling over powered by the heady smell and the horrific sight. 'I knew him- yes.' He swallowed thickly. 'How did you find him?'
'It was the dogs; came racing over the hill and towards the trees before I could stop them - so it can't have been here long. Else they'd have been down here before.' He shrugged. 'Beats me why the poor bugger was put here, he's not from round these parts.'
Rupert shook his head, thinking of Creod's tall house in Canterbury. 'No, no he's not.'
Gerard let the undergrowth fall back into place. 'I was going to tell Sir Jacob - but what with the wedding going on, I didn't want to disrupt the procedures.'
'No.'
'And what with you being a man of the law-' Rupert smiled. 'I thought you'd best be informed, sir.'
'Thank you-' He took a steadying breath. 'You did well to come to me - I would not like to destroy the happy couple's joy.'
***
The sun was setting over the low horizon, staining the trees yellow and red. Alice smiled, feeling the gentle rays on her skin; so different from the scorching sun of the Holy Land. Absently, she ran her finger over the smooth surface of the stone, set on a band around her finger. The jasper was cold and slipped like water past her fingers, the silver glinting like the scales of a trout.
She closed her eyes.
To be married, what a strange feeling.
She head the door open behind her, but did not have to look to know who it was. His steps were quiet across the wooden boards, and she sensed him stop behind her, watching.
'Hello.' Alice said, smiling, without turning round.
She almost heard him smile in greeting.
His chin came to rest on top of her head, and his hands slipped slowly about her waist.
'Still so guarded Guy?' She teased.
He growled softly in reply, but then pulled her closer. 'Just you wait.' His voice rumbled against her back.
She looked down at his arms circling her, and frowned.
His sleeves were rolled up to just under his elbows, the smooth skin of his forearms exposed, and on his right a dark curve of ink caught her eye. She caught his hand and turned it over, palm up; exposing his wrist. Guy tried to pull away slightly, his hold about her tightening as he tried to remove his arm from her grasp.
'Alice- let go.' He said levelly.
But she kept his hand tightly in her grasp, a little furrow appearing between her eyebrows.
He watched wordlessly as she traced her fingers over the inked symbol there; the black staining his skin ebony and alabaster white.
'What is it?'
'A reminder.' He said quietly.
Alice twisted in his arms. 'Who?'
He traced the line of her jaw and trailed his fingers across her neck. 'Mordred- so that I would never be able to forget what I had done.' He tugged his sleeve down, covering the tattoo from sight. 'So that I would wake up each morning and remember all the wrong I had done.'
Alice was silent for a moment, then she smiled softly.
'Well now, you can wake up each morning with me beside you, and remember all the right things you have done.'
***
I'm actually a little emotional about putting this chapter up! I hope you enjoyed my longest update so far, and I shall try and keep them coming.
Remember to review! Your thoughts and comments make me so happy!
And thanks particularly to Emma again this chapter - its so much easier when someone is as enthusiastic as she is. =)
V
xxx
A/N - Green Jasper, or bloodstone was believed to symbolise faith in medieval times, just in case anyone wondered =P