Chapter 36: Awareness
At Nottingham Castle, at the Sheriff's bedchambers
Jasper sat down by his desk and pulled out a piece of paper, a feather, and an ink. He wasn't intending to compose a letter. His frustration was just so great that he attempted to distract himself. He sighed as he rubbed his face, stretching it out.
"I feel like a prisoner in my own castle," he said. "I mean, that's not normal! You better be telling the truth, Hood, about what you and your sweetheart overhead in the forest, because now I have difficulty believing that Destin plans to assassinate me."
"I swear to you, Sheriff, that Marian and I know what we heard," Robin said.
"Will I be safe here? I fear for my life now, you know."
"You're an intelligent man, Sheriff," Allan said. "You'll instinctively know when to be careful."
"Like that time I almost fell off the parapet after drinking myself drunk. You said you had a list." Jasper sighed despondently, lazily waving his feather around. "Maybe I was never cut out to be the Sheriff. I thought I had it in me, but now I'm not so sure. I placed my life in danger so many times. And all because of my stupidity. Sheriffs don't do those type of things; idiots do."
"Those were little things," Allan said.
"Like almost falling off the parapet and breaking my skull?" Jasper eyed Allan with a questioning look. "I just don't have it in me."
"My lord Sheriff," said Guy, "of all times, don't despair now. You call wallow in your depression some other day, but now would be most inconvenient."
"Bah!" Jasper exclaimed, curtly waving his hand to the men, indicating an order that they should leave. When the four exited the room, Jasper poured himself a cup of wine. Before he brought the brink of the goblet to his lips, he stopped, eyed it suspiciously, and placed it down. He grabbed the bottle of wine and examined it. It was the same brand of wine that he always drank from, but his conscience warned him that the wine may have been tampered with. Jasper did not want to take that risk.
In the Great Hall
"The Sheriff needs to get his act together," said Robin, and he and the other men assembled around the table. "There is a dangerous man skulking about like a hungry wolf. And not just a dangerous man. The son of Vaisey! Who would have believed?"
"Hearing about his parentage shocked me to the core," said Mietek. "Although I never met Vaisey, I knew from others that he was bad news. What do we do now?"
"I say we look for Destin's accomplice, that Hubert, who is nowhere to be seen presently, and pry information from him," Guy said.
"You know him?" Mietek asked.
"He's Jasper's advisor. He was there when I first started working for Vaisey. I would never have thought that he worked for Destin, as he disliked his father," Guy replied.
"Alas! Looks can be deceiving," said Mietek.
"Even if we encounter Hubert," said Robin, "what can we pry from him but things which we already know? And even if he is holding secrets, we wouldn't be able to pry them from him, as he has Destin's back. We couldn't attack him as well, for he'd smell something fishy and discover sooner or later that something is up. Killing him is not even an option."
"So what do we do if we cannot kill him?" said Mietek, sounding disappointed that killing Hubert wasn't even within the realm of possibilities. "We ought to finish him."
"And stir the pot?" Robin shook his hand. "No way. Although he and Destin deserve to die for their crimes, killing them may risk all the lives in Nottingham. We'll get them banished from England instead, ensure that they never return."
Guy slammed both of his fists on the table. That sudden act of uncontrolled rage made all the men jump. Robin looked at his archenemy with a quizzical look.
"No!" Guy said vehemently. "Destin needs to die. I'll kill him myself, and I don't care if his death will cost the lives of some puny, useless people. He's a rapist, in case you haven't heard, Hood! He deserves to die for what he did to Meg. I will not permit him to walk free, where he has the opportunity to harm Meg and possibly other women."
"I understand, Guy," Robin said, striving to keep his voice calm. It was difficult for him to remain placid when he was speaking with Guy, "but I care about those people."
"Oh, so you care naught for what happened to Meg? She didn't deserve it!" Guy exclaimed.
"Of course she didn't deserve it!" Robin said. "Who said I thought otherwise?"
"How would you feel if Destin did the same thing to Marian? You'd kill him, wouldn't you?"
"I'd made sure he'd die a slow and painful death," Robin said softly.
"You've not the faintest idea what Meg is going through. She's broken. Every night, she screams in her sleep. Every night, her nightmares torment her, keep her awake, and deprive her of that much-needed sleep. Sometimes, I cannot reach out to her. I'd ask her if she'd want to talk, she'd push me away, saying that she didn't want to talk with anyone. Sometimes talking with her is like talking to a brick wall. Many hours of the day, she'd distance herself from everyone, sometimes locks herself in her room."
"But I've always seen Meg so happy and open around you," said Allan.
"You're only seeing one side of the coin, Allan" said Guy. "Some days are good, but most days are agonizing. I'm at this point where I don't know how to confront her without being pushed away. I know she loves me, but many days she acts as if she doesn't. I fear she is reaching that point where she doesn't care about anything anymore."
"But weren't you guys just planning the wedding?" Allan said.
"Like I said, there are good and not-so-good days," said Guy. "Her emotions travel back and forth, to put it lightly. This is why I am persistent in punishing Destin. Meg cannot be traumatized any more than she is now. Let's make Destin suffer."
"Speaking of suffering," Jasper spoke up, "death would be too easy for Destin. Yes, let's make him suffer. But let's make him suffer in a way that will drive him mad. Strip him of his titles, his land, his fortune. Make the Black Knights turn against him. Turn him into a vagabond forced to wander the world without any home, any gold, any title. Make people despise him. You see? Mental suffering is the worst form of suffering."
"He's the leader of the Black Knights," Guy retorted. "Do you honestly think that his followers would turn against him? No matter what he does, they will continue serving him as if he were a great king. He's the leader of a dreadful cult. Even if he is found guilty of crime, his followers, blinded by their loyalty to him, will come up with excuses to justify his actions. I know how it all works; I've been there."
"But how would we strip him of everything he possesses?" Allan said. "He's so high up in the ranks of noblemen. It would be exceedingly difficult to bring him down."
"We could plant evidence against him," said Mietek. "I've got connections that'll help me execute the task without any sources leading back to us. I'll hire them to make an 'accident', announce that it was foul play, and point the evidence to Destin."
"Connections?" Jasper said, eyeing Mietek with a curious look.
Mietek straightened his jacket collar with a grin. "Now why would I, a high lord and a respected member of the gentility, be without connections? I've had to face things of…a disagreeable nature, let's just say, many times in my life. My 'connections' helped me accomplish many difficult tasks. Whenever I was overwhelmed with the task of ridding my country's borders of the barbarians, my 'connections' helped me. Whenever I had to get rid of a certain lord without causing too much alarm, my 'connections' created an 'accident'."
Jasper burst into laughter. "I cannot believe it! I just can't. The great Mieczysław, the man of such high morals, has a dark side to him. And we all thought you were an angel! Hah! Who would have believed that you, of all people, would be so shady?"
"Couldn't your 'connections' deal with Destin after what happened?" Guy asked.
"Unfortunately," Mietek said, frowning, "my connections couldn't carry out the task of killing Destin when he raped Meg. But you've no idea how much I wanted that bastard to die. I requested for my connections to create an 'accident', make Destin die of a 'heart attack' or something, but alas! I couldn't, because Destin always vanished at the crucial points in time. He was always present and not present at the same time, if you know what I mean.
"Now it will be different. Like the Sheriff, I think that my 'connections' should make an 'accident', make it seem like the evidence points to Destin, and convict him of a crime. Then, by law, he will be sent to prison or, better yet, beheaded."
As the men continued their conversation, discussing ways to deal with Destin, a man hid behind a door, listening in to what the men were saying. He smiled wickedly, for he would go and tell his master that he had brought him some important news.
A week later
"What do you mean that Destin is here?" Guy demanded with a loud voice.
"He just arrived in Nottingham today," Jasper replied. "I will go meet him and act cordial towards him, so he won't suspect anything. You will accompany me. Just don't do anything stupid. Pretend he's just some ordinary nobleman."
Guy reluctantly acquiesced to the Sheriff's order.
Jasper turned to Robin and Mietek. "You two, best to stay away, for Destin will recognize your faces."
Robin and Mietek nodded their assent and departed. In the meantime, Jasper, Guy, and Allan went out into the courtyard to see the son of Vaisey arrive on his horse. His white-blond hair shone in the sunlight, and his bright blue eyes twinkled with mischief. Jasper and the other men chose to overlook that for a while.
Jasper feigned a smile and spread his arms out. "Lord Destin, I presume?"
The man dismounted his horse, his cape flowing around him as he got off his beast. He grinned. Guy grimaced, for Destin's grin was sickening. It was as if he took great pride and pleasure in his crimes. Guy didn't care whether or not Destin noticed his revulsion. It was difficult to look at the man and not be repulsed by him. And besides, Guy was always known to have looks that could kill.
"Lord Jasper," Destin said, bowing. "I can finally meet you face to face."
"Indeed," said Jasper. "Pray tell, for I am most curious: what brings you all the way to Nottingham?"
"I was travelling when a band of outlaws ambushed my carriage, robbed me of all my possessions, and slaughtered my regiment. I managed to grab my horse and ride away. I seek shelter, but only for a few days."
Jasper nodded. "Why, of course! I would like you to meet some of my companions. This is Allan-a-Dale, and his master, Sir Guy of Gisbourne."
The two men bowed their heads before Destin. The man, looking at Guy, gasped.
"Sir Guy!" he exclaimed. "I know you. My father has told me all about you. Say, I think I've seen you in the Holy Land. I was in Imuiz a couple of years ago." He chuckled. "You haven't seen me, have you?"
"No, I haven't," Guy said tersely. He had never seen Destin in the courtyard that day.
"Well, I've seen you. Haha! Anyway, it looks like it's about to rain. Shall we go inside?"
In the Great Hall
After some casual talking, Destin said:
"Now, I've been hearing through the grapevine that Lord Mieczysław Dunajski of Poland is here. Are the rumors true?"
"Oh, no," Jasper said. "He visited only once, and that was a few years ago."
"Huh. That's strange, for your servant, Hubert, who was showing me my guest chambers, told me rather excitedly that Lord Dunajski was here. Huh again. How strange."
"Alas, my Hubert is not the brightest of men."
"Really? If he isn't the brightest of men, then why is he your advisor? No need to criticize, but your choice of advisors will reflect on your being the Sheriff."
Jasper smiled. Inwardly, he slapped himself in the face. He had no clue how to be diplomatic about these things. It only made him more convinced that he was not cut out to be Sheriff.
"I must insist that I see Mieczysław," Destin continued. "He and I are, after all, the best of friends."
"Very well," Jasper said. He ordered Allan to bring in Mietek. Allan left and returned a while later with the man. Mietek's face contorted with disgust upon seeing Destin. He didn't care that he was openly expressing his repugnance for Destin, for Destin was aware that Mietek hated him, and he loved it.
"Mieczsławie," Destin said, grinning evilly, reveling in the fact that Mietek hated him above all else, "jak to dobrze, że tu jesteś. Dawno Cię nie widziałem." (Mieczysław, how nice it is to see you. It's been a long time since I've last seen you.)
"Ty skurwysynu!" Mietek said, not caring that his voice was filled with rage. "Nie masz prawa tu być." (You son of a bitch! You have no right to be here.)
"Ostatni raz, jak ja sprawdziłem, ja miałem prawo tu być." (The last time I checked, I had every right to be here.)
Mietek's hands curled into fists. " Ja Cię przeklinam. Niech śmierć Cię znajdzie w najokropnieszy sposó wrony podejdą twoim gnijącym ciałem. Niech one wyrwą twoje gałki oczne jak wciąż oddychasz. Niech twoje ciało się pali w ogniach piekelnych." (I curse you. May death find you in the worst possible manner. May the crows feast on your rotting flesh. May they pluck out your eyeballs when you are still breathing. May your body burn in the fires of hell).
Destin smiled that smile which always irritated Mietek. "Ale jak będziesz mógł sprawić, że twoje przekleństwa się spełnią? Wystarczy tego. Powiedz mi, Mieczysławie, dlaczego tu jesteś?" (But how will you make your curses come true? Enough of this. Tell me, Mieczysław, why are you here?)
"Sprawy biznesowe." (Business matters.)
"Naprawdę? Nie szukasz twej ukochanej siostry?" (Really? You aren't looking for your beloved sister?)
"Nie wspominaj o Gosi! Nie mów jej imienia. Nie masz prawa o niej wspominać. Nie wiem, gdzie ona jest, i jak dawaje Sobie radę w jakimś obcym kraju z jej dzieckiem, jeśli, rzeczywiście, jej dziecko nawet żyje. I nawet jeśli mam wiedzę o tym, gdzie jest, nie powiem Ci tego." (Do not mention Meg! Don't say her name. You have no right to mention her. I do not know where she is, and how she is handling herself in some foreign country with her child, if, indeed, her child is even alive. And even if I know where she is, I will not tell you).
"Ona należy do mnie. To dziecko należy do mnie." (She belongs to me. That child belongs to me).
"Gosia nie należy do nikogo. I dziecko należy do niej. Moja siostra jest silna i samodzielna. Nie masz żadnej władcy nad nią. Tylko ona ma władcę nad sobą." (Meg belongs to nobody. And the child belongs to her. My sister is a strong woman. You have no power over her. Only she has power over herself).
"Ona jest moja. Moją własnością." (She is mine. My property).
"Ona jest osobą, nie obiektem, który posiadasz! Kobiety nie są do posiadania jak obiekty albo zwierzęta. (She is a person, not an object which you possess. Women are not to be possessed like objects or animals)!
Seeing Destin smirk made Mietek angrier. It was as if Mietek's words had no meaning to Destin. He turned to the other women, where he switched to English.
"I apologize for our heated conversation. Just some things in the past which needed to be resolved is all."
Mietek knew that that was not the case, but he chose to keep quiet, so as to not raise any suspicion.
However, what they didn't know was that Hubert already informed Destin of their plans. They didn't know was that the son of Vaisey was aware of everything they discussing about.
Author's note: I apologize for not updating in a while. I've just been so busy. I'm sorry to inform that there will be no updates for a couple of months. I am taking the SAT in May (which is stressing me out) so I am doing a lot of preparations right now to ready myself for the big day. I've been studying a lot, and will continue to do so until the test day in May. Now I don't have much time to sit down and write.
However, that does not mean that I will abandon this fic and my readers. I will definitely come back after taking the SAT in May. You can all be assured of that. I would appreciate ideas for what happens next, since I myself am unsure of that. What should happen between Destin and the men? Should Destin find out that Meg is in England? And so on and so forth. I would appreciate other suggestions as well, as I will be open to any of them and will take them into consideration.
See you all in May. And wish me luck!