Vengeance is sweet 27

Robin didn't believe his eyes or his ears. Guy of Gisborne was here and….father? Before he could react, Guy said, never taking his eyes from Robin and his lips curling in disgust, "When we got the message that you were killed in the Holy Land, mother sent to Locksley, asking for the back payment. But allegedly he couldn't remember that money, father had given him. Mother was not able to pay the knights protecting Gisborne and this is the reason why we were raided, the reason why the castle was burned down, the reason why mother and Josiane were killed. I only survived because I wasn't there, because I was hunting. Their blood is on Walter of Locksley's hands and this is his son."

Standing tall and proud, Guy faced Robin, his eyes flashing and all his hatred in his eyes. He had not raised his voice, but had spoken lowly; this was worse for Robin as if he had shouted. Julian was just standing there as if lightning had struck him and Robin stood rooted to the spot. Like from a distance he heard Guy adding, "Now you know why I hate the Locksleys and why I would have done anything to crush him."

No, that can't be! Father, he'd never….Robin was staring at Julian of Gisborne and recognised the truth in his glance.

Julian had lowered his arm and turned pale. "Walter betrayed me?" he whispered. „This is the reason why Jeanne and Josiane are dead?"

It couldn't be! Why should father have borrowed money? But then Robin remembered some years in his youth when he had seen his father full of sorrow; and suddenly somehow everything had been all right and he had not thought of it until now. Robin had never got along well with his father, but this was something he had not thought possible. His father a fraud, a thief, guilty of the murder of the wife and daughter of a friend….and everything because of money… Robin felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach, as if someone had pulled the rug out from under him. And Gisborne didn't even know what he, Robin, had done to him and why. It was his doing that Marian had broken the engagement with Guy and Robin knew that Guy would be dead by now, if Hyld of Bramby would not have rescued him. What a hypocrite I am! Robin thought, horrified of himself.

Frozen, he gazed at father and son and then his feet seemed to move by themselves, carrying him towards the exit. Out, he had to get out! Robin staggered out and, with effort, mounted his horse. He heard Marian shouting behind him, but he didn't even look back. Marian was bewildered; she'd never seen him like that.

Julian had never been able to find out what had happened. The villagers only knew that a raid had happened and that everybody, save an old servant, who was dead now, and the young master, had been murdered. His brother-in-law André hat told him that he had taken the boy in and that Guy had been knighted several years after. All over sudden he had disappeared without leaving a note or a trace and nobody had ever heard anything about him, not that André had cared. Julian's efforts to find out Guy's whereabouts had been futile.

Without his castle and his fortune, the only way for Julian had been to go into service, not an easy task for a knight of his age. He had realised at once that he had no future at Price John's court. His friendship with King Richard had always been a thorn in John's side. When King Richard had returned to England, Julian had set off to see him at once and Richard had welcomed him with open arms. This had not made his bitterness disappear, but he had seen sense in life again. The pain caused by his family's death was buried deep inside.

Getting to know that the betrayal of a friend had led to the death of wife and daughter and the loss of Gisborne and that his trust in the honour of Walter of Locksley had indirectly caused all this affected him deeply. His gullibility had cost his family's life. Groaning, Julian brought his hands to his forehead and was led towards his chair by his son without resistance.

Only a short time later, King Richard entered the room. "What happened?" he asked at the sight of Julian huddled in his chair. He had known at once that something was not in order when a servant had notified him that Robin of Locksley had arrived, only to tell the king a few minutes later that Locksley had left in a hurry. At King Richard's narrowed eyes Guy explained what had happened and added scornfully. "The coward cut and ran. I didn't expect anything else."

The King looked at him, bemused. "He will come back, Sir Guy, and will answer to the accusations; he's no coward."

Guy didn't say anything, but his facial expression showed that the King's words had not convinced him.