Matilda ran inside the manor, sighing of relief as soon as she saw Robin. She ran to him, pulling him into a crushing hug.
"I'm so glad to see you, dear boy! I was so worried! How are you? You're all damp and cold, come, dear, we must dry you or you'll get ill."
Thornton discreetly approached her.
"I can help Robin, but probably you should talk to sir Guy, he was very upset."
"Guy? Is he here? What happened?"
Thornton nodded at the curtain.
"He's there. He was very upset with Robin, but then he saw lady Isabella and he was really shocked."
Only then Matilda noticed the other woman.
"Lady Isabella?"
"I'm Guy's sister. What happened to him? When did he lose his mind?"
The girl was pale, hiding her fear under her harsh words, and Matilda thought that she would have to have a chat with her too, but now she was really worried for Gisborne.
"I'll explain later. Can you stay with Robin and Thornton while I talk with your brother?"
Thornton smiled at Robin and at Isabella.
"Come, we'll go in the other room, it's warmer and I'll serve you a hot meal."
The man held Robin's arm, and he led him in the other room, while Isabella followed, worried and confused, but still relieved to have escaped her husband's men.
As soon as they were gone, Matilda pulled the curtain aside, and she quietly approached Guy. The knight was on the floor, huddled to the ground in the corner between the bed and the wall, and he was still wearing the thick black cloak, his face completely hidden by the hood.
Matilda felt sorry for Guy, and she gently called him.
"Guy, dear boy?"
She saw him jumping at the sound of her voice, and she hurried to reassure him.
"Quiet, quiet, it's me, Matilda. You're safe, my dear, you're safe."
Guy lifted his head a little.
"Matilda? Am I dead?" He asked, in a trembling, haunted voice, and the woman hurried to hug him.
"No, no, my boy, of course you aren't dead! Why do you ask?"
Gisborne took refuge in her arms, and he let her push back the hood of his cloak to caress his hair.
"I saw her... How can she be here? It must be a ghost, a lost soul who came to torment me!"
"Your sister? She's really here, I saw her too. I don't know why or how she arrived at the manor, but she's no ghost, I can guarantee it."
Guy didn't answer and he just burst out in tears, like a frightened child.
Matilda let him weep for a while, soothing him with little endearments and encouraging, loving words.
"Come on, dear, let's take this cloak off, it's too thick to wear it inside, you must be sweating by now. Here, better, don't you think?" She put the cloak aside and she dipped a clean towel in the basin to clean his face with soft, caring gestures. "Don't worry, it's all right. Everyone is fine, Robin is safe, your sister too, nothing bad happened. Here, here, my boy. Come, sit here on the bed and try to relax a little."
Matilda sat at his side, keeping an arm around his shoulders. Guy leaned on her, and he closed his eyes, feeling a little calmer, but also tired and empty.
"I'm sorry…" He whispered after a while, and Matilda kissed his cheek.
"Sorry? Why should you be sorry, dear? You did nothing wrong."
"I'm acting like a fool. I should be strong, but I'm not. As soon as I think I'm better, the smallest thing is enough to shatter me… I feel like I'm losing my mind..."
Matilda smiled at him, reassuring.
"Oh, but you're not losing your mind, my boy. You're just very upset, but who wouldn't?"
"I don't know what got into me… I couldn't even think that Hood could die, I couldn't stand it… I don't know why I care so much… And then I saw Isabella..."
"When they told me that Robin had disappeared I had been scared to death too! And when I saw that he was well I wanted to kiss and to kill him at the same time for the scare he gave us. And I can only imagine how upset you can feel after seeing your sister after so many years..."
Guy took a deep breath and he wiped his eyes.
"I should talk to her..."
"No, my boy, not now. We are all too upset and soon the others will come back here, as soon as they know that Robin is alright. You need to be calm to talk to your sister, and now you're not. She's tired and upset too, I think. I've seen her just for a moment, but I think she was scared. Lie down and rest without thinking about anything, you will have the chance to talk tomorrow, in a quieter moment. If you wish I can give you something to make you sleep."
"No, no. I think I don't need it, I feel so tired..."
Matilda smiled, and she waited for him to remove his jacket and his boots and lie down on the bed.
She made him turn on his stomach and she began massaging his shoulders with slow, soothing movements, and she was glad to see him relaxing and slipping into a deep sleep. She bent to give him a gentle kiss, then she covered him with a blanket and she let him rest.

Marian hurried to dismount, anxious to have news of both Robin and Guy. She almost ran to the door of the manor, followed closely by the sheriff, and as soon as they entered the hall, Matilda came out from behind the curtain and she put a finger on her lips to tell them to be quiet.
"It's all right," she said in a low tone, "both Robin and Guy are well, but they both need quiet, let's go outside and I'll explain you what happened."
They obeyed, and Matilda told them everything she knew.
"Guy's sister is here?" Marian asked, curious.
"Yes, but I don't know how she arrived at the manor, apparently she met Robin in the forest and they came back here, but I don't know anything else. There will be time for explanations later."
"Is Robin of Locksley safe? Maybe I have been wrong to put him in care of Gisborne..." The sheriff was frowning, but Matilda looked at him, fiercely.
"Don't even try to suggest that it's Guy's fault, because it's not! That poor boy is doing his best, even more than anybody could expect from him! He takes good care of Robin and of Locksley, and I won't let anyone blame him."
The sheriff didn't reply, and Marian looked at the healer.
"How is Guy? When they told him about Robin he was so upset..."
"He was very distressed both because of Robin and his sister, but he calmed down, and now he's sleeping." Matilda smiled. "He'll be fine, don't worry, he's stronger than we think."
The girl glanced at her, shyly.
"Can… Can I see him for a moment? He really scared me when he ran away like that, galloping in the snow. I need to see that he's well."
Matilda stared at her for a moment, then she nodded.
"Just don't wake him up."
Marian disappeared in the manor and Matilda thought that it was interesting to see that the girl had asked to see Gisborne and not Robin.

Marian pushed the curtain aside, holding her breath. She was worried because she had already seen Guy losing the control of his emotions and falling prey of that overwhelming fear. Earlier that morning, looking at him while he hunted with the falcon, she had thought that he looked strong, brave and handsome and she had been happy to see that he was getting better day after day, but now she was afraid that he would never be really well again. Like Robin. And like herself.
Guy was peacefully asleep, lying on his side and hugging the pillow, his face half hidden by long, wavy locks of dark hair.
The girl smiled to see him. He seemed to be well, unharmed by his dangerous ride in the snow.
His cheeks were a little flushed and Marian found herself kneeling by the bed to push away a lock of hair and brush his face with a gentle kiss. His skin was both soft and rough with stubble, slightly damp, and it tasted salty under her lips.
The corner of his lips twitched in a smile when Marian's lips touched his face, but Guy didn't wake up and Marian stood up, reassured.
She turned, feeling a presence behind her back, and she found herself staring at another woman, a stranger who had a familiar look.
Marian realized that she had a resemblance to Guy, unsurprisingly, if she was his sister.
Isabella was looking at her brother, and her gaze was both hard and worried at the same time.
The two women looked at Guy for another moment, then they both went back to the hall, leaving him alone.
"Are you his wife?" Isabella asked, and Marian looked at her, in surprise.
"No, of course not! We are friends."
Isabella gave her an incredulous look.
"Do you always kiss your friends while they are sleeping?"
Marian blushed at her words, but she didn't know how to reply. Guy's sister reminded her of Guy as he had been when he worked for Vaisey, half frail and half dangerous, cruel to hide vulnerability.
"I didn't know Guy had a sister..." Marian began, and Isabella laughed.
"It doesn't surprise me. I guess that as soon as he got rid of me, he never thought about me again. Be careful with him, don't let him fool you. Maybe he can say that he loves you, but he will abandon you, he will leave you alone to face danger. If I had a choice, I wouldn't want to see him again."
"Guy wouldn't!" Marian said vehemently, then she lowered her voice, remembering that the knight was sleeping. "He risked his life to protect me, more than once."
"Well, probably you are worth more than his own sister, then. He gave me away when I was thirteen to marry a stranger who made my whole life a living hell, and he never searched for me again after that."
Marian was about to say that it was impossible, but she remembered the baby who Guy had abandoned in the woods, and she wasn't so sure that he wouldn't have been able to give away his sister. He had done terrible things, even if now he was a better man.
"I guess it doesn't matter now," Isabella said, bitterly.
"Why not?"
"He's mad. How could he help me?"
"He's not mad! Have you any idea of what happened here? You can't blame him for being still shocked, but he will be fine."
"That's what happened to the other one, too?"
"Who?"
Isabella nodded at the door of the other room.
"Robin. He wasn't like that when we were children, he was always so sure of himself, and now that servant is treating him like a helpless baby."
Marian sighed.
"You can't remain the same when you see so much death and sorrow."
Isabella nodded.
"I know. You see hell, and you change forever."
"But we survived. And someday we'll be back to a normal life, things are already getting better."
"Do you really believe that? Things never get better. At least it never happened to me..." she glanced at the curtain, "...to us."
Marian looked at her.
"How was Guy when he was little?"
"Why do you care? Because you are… friends?"
"I'm just curious. I can't imagine him as a child. I donn't know much about him, he always said he didn't have a family."
"He doesn't. He lost the right to be my brother so many years ago."
"Yet you are here to ask for his help."
"He owes that to me!"
Marian shook her head.
"He's still your brother. You must feel something for him, surely."
"Hate maybe."
Marian decided to change subject.
"Did you say that you knew Robin as a child? How is it possible?"
Isabella gave her a surprised look.
"Didn't Guy tell you? We grew up here, in a village not so far from Locksley."
"Really?"
Isabella nodded.
"I was very little when our parents came here, I was born in France, but I don't remember it. Guy did, that's why he wanted to go back there when our parents died. Bad choice. My brother has never been good at making choices."
Marian nodded, with a little, bitter smile.
"I know, but he's improving."
The sheriff and Matilda came back to the manor, and Sir Roland said that it was time to return to the castle. Marian was reluctant to follow him, she was worried for Guy and Robin, and Guy's sister intrigued her, she wanted to learn more about their childhood, but Matilda urged her to go.
"Robin and Guy both need peace and rest now, that's what I told Little John and Djaq too. Don't worry for them, they will be fine."
Marian obeyed with a little sigh, then she turned to Isabella.
"Do you want to come at the castle too? I'm sure there is a free room there."
Sir Roland nodded.
"We don't lack space, that's for sure."
"Thank you for the offer, but I have to talk with Guy. I need to stay here for now."
Isabella didn't say that she was afraid of the sheriff: if he should find out that she had killed her husband's men, he could decide to punish her, or he could choose to send her back to her husband.
I'd rather die than going back there.