Chapter twenty-five: Open heartbreak

"Do not….cry out for Gisbourne." He said as he slowly removed his hand from her mouth.

Meg nodded shakily. "I won't. He'd kill you if he found you in my bedroom. What…are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you." He removes his hood from his head. "You know Marian. What's wrong with her? I just saw her and Guy," he groaned and sat down on the bed. "well, it's obvious that she wants a reconciliation."

Meg shrugged. "I don't see what you're worried about."

He started at her. "Aren't you concerned?"

"No. did you stay for the whole conversation?"

"I stopped watching when she put her hands on his….chest. She was clearly attracted to him!"

"He had his shirt off and he is…very well built. She wouldn't have been a woman if she weren't attracted to him for just a moment." Meg shook her head. "You should have listened and watched them further. He rejected her Robin." His head shot up and he stared at her in amazement. "He told her he didn't love her, he didn't want her and told her that nothing would ever happen between them."

Robin exhaled. "I-I don't know what's happened to her. She's just…changed."

"I do recall her mentioning once that…you failed to comment on how the sheriff was making her…prostitute herself."

"That doesn't mean that I didn't care!" exasperation was in his voice. "I've got the whole of England on my shoulders."

"I know. It's just….that happened at a time when Guy was fighting to keep an unwanted suitor away from me. She just…witnessed how he was willing to start a fight to keep me away from another's advances. I believe, she wished that she had someone for her in that manner."

"I cannot offer her that kind of protection yet."

"I know that and so does she. But that still doesn't stop a person from wanting that feeling of pride and admiration that they feel towards a person. You and her rarely have any time together, especially now that she's in the castle. I'm sure if her father weren't ill, she'd been in the woods with you."

He exhaled. "If she weren't so hung up on Gisbourne. Probably."

Meg exhaled. "It's my fault Robin," he shook his head in protest. "I believe it is. You see, when she broke up with Guy, I attempted to make her feel guilty. And I believe I succeeded in doing that." He frowned at her. "I believe, that guilt has been toying with her emotions and distorting them. She's been watching Guy and me every day, seeing us fall in love and that love is making him change. I believe, it's a type of painful envy that she feels when she sees us and realizes that she could have had that. I'm explaining myself badly, I know what I want to say, but I cannot make them come out properly. My head is beginning to hurt and I believe that is prohibiting me from saying things correctly. But you may relax tonight knowing that he's not hers to have."

Robin studied her. "And I suppose you're going to say that he's yours?"

"I believe I am." Meg nodded. "He's admitted to me that he loves me."

Robin shook his head. "He doesn't love anyone. He's incapable of loving!"

"Considering it was me in his arms moments ago, not you, I suggest you keep your mouth shut."

"Meg listen-

"We are discussing you and Marian, not Guy and I. if you want my help, you'll stick to the subject of Marian. If you don't, I shall scream and Guy will come in here!"

Robin exhaled. "Fine, but we will discuss this at a later date because you don't know what you've gotten into. What….do I do now?"

Meg squeezed his hand. "Don't give up. She is hurting, now realizing what a fool she's made of herself in looking for a love that never existed. She probably hates herself for treating you so dreadfully. I suggest you pay her a visit, tonight. If possible, spend the night with her." Robin's brow arched. "I mean, Guy and I've spent a night together without doing anything. Just, hold her, let her…feel what you cannot say."

He smirked slightly at her. "You're a very bold woman."

"I'm part Irish and Spanish, it's in my blood. As long as nothing happens, you'll have nothing to reproach yourself for." Meg patted his shoulder. "Go on and do not come to my quarters again or I will tell Guy. We have a very, open relationship and I intend to keep it that way."

"Ok, but, you can't trust him. He's dangerous."

Meg pointed to the window. "There's your exit, get out now."

"I'm serious." Meg inhaled and opened her mouth. "All right, I'm going!" He shook his head. "Hope Gisbourne knows what trouble he's gotten himself into by getting involved with you."

"I assure you he does and he likes it. Leave!"

The following morning,

Guy came down the stairs to the smell of slightly burnt food and to the sounds of laughter. He followed the sounds and the scent to the kitchen. There, he found Meg with an apron on at the stove with the Henrietta, the cook, laughing over something in the pan. She was wearing a sunny yellow dress and it was very becoming on her.

"And it only took….eight eggs to get it right!"

"What, took only eight eggs to get it right?" he asked.

Meg spun around, her hair flying, flour on her face and a sticky mess on her hands. She handed over her wooden utensil to Henrietta before walking up to him. "My aunt sent me a new recipes for toast. It is currently the rage for breakfast. Henrietta got hers perfect, mine…well, it took a few tries. They were too brown for my tastes though. The guards ate them without any qualms." Her laughter was as contagious as her smile. She didn't care that she was in front of a servant as she put her arms around his neck. "Good morning."

He smirked down at her. "Good morning to you as well." He kissed her lightly on the lips, tightening his grip around her waist. He felt her smile the moment his lips touched hers. God, that mouth of hers had him hypnotized. He could get used to this, having her waiting for him every morning. He pulled way and touched her chin lightly with his fingers. "How do you feel?"

"Better."

A banging on his door caused him to groan. "I better get that."

Meg nodded. "I'll have your breakfast at the table by then." He smirks and moves to open the door. Honestly, it was as if he was living a sample of what his life would be like if he married Meg.

He opened the door to find a messenger there. He took the letter and glances at it, it's addressed to Meg. The messenger must have been sent down here from the castle with the letter. Meg places a plate of food on the table at his place and hers. She then began to remove her apron as she hummed merrily.

"That was a messenger deliver a letter for you."

"Thank you." Meg smiled as she looked at the letter. "It is from my uncle. I shall open it after we say grace."

Guy stared at her as he sat down in his seat. "Grace?"

"Yes." Meg glanced hesitantly at him. "You do pray Guy, right?"

"Yes but….not aloud in years." Moreover, he couldn't admit that it had been a while since he'd prayed to God. He did pray on occasion, not recently, but he didn't think the Lord would hold it against him.

Meg nodded as she propped her elbows on the table before taking his hands. "Then I shall do the honors this time, and you shall the next." He nodded and closed his eyes as Meg prayed. "Be present at our table, Lord; be here and everywhere adored. These mercies bless, and grant that we May feast in fellowship with thee. In your Holy name, amen." He opened his eyes and Meg withdrew her hands from his.

She picked up her letter as he picked up his fork and lifted up a forkful of eggs. He eyed them carefully before putting the forkful in his mouth. The eggs tasted good, he was expecting something to be off, but he was glad to see that Meg couldn't ruin eggs. However, there was a bit of shell in that forkful, but that happened all the time.

"These are good." Meg gasped and covered her mouth. He frowned as he looked at her. Her face had gone pale and she was gripping the letter tight in her fingers. "Meg, what is it?"

"It's from my uncle."

Guy reached for her hand. "Is he well?"

Meg nodded. "Very."

"What is it darling?" For the second time, 'darling' had slipped out of his mouth in a twelve-hour period. "Tell me…what has upset you?"

She inhaled and shook her head as she wiped her eyes. "It's….Alejandro. He….informed my uncle of your past and you actions against him. And….my uncle is demanding that I return to Ireland at once." Meg looked at him as tears streamed down her cheeks. Guy felt his heart and soul slowly get sucked out of his body. "The letter, is accompanied by…several men who will ensure that….I arrive in accordance to his orders. In addition,….he demands I leave the next day after I receive this letter. In fact…he's stated that I am not to have anything to do with you….ever."