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"Stop it, you can't say that word."

"Of course I can, idiot. You're an idiot!"

"That's a bad word!"

"Idiot!"

"Mum!"

"You're both being idiots." Guy sneered, which welcomed a smack on the chest from his wife. Lucy continued to button her son's vest while the boys carried on about the epic sword duel they had endured; in reality the five year olds were simply hitting each other with sticks, but Alec was not one to accept that he had lost. The twins were inseparable but easily distinguishable. The youngest Alec was a haunting image of his father with the heavy thick hair and piercing eyes. Drake, though, looked onto people with flecks of green in his stare and a less square jaw.

"Why doesn't Libby have to go shopping for clothes?"

"She has a horse riding lesson and more than enough summer clothes to dress the county." Lucy answered before waiving the boys out the door. With a sweet goodbye she took her sons through the courtyard and ventured into the town where booths and shops were raving with customers and sounds, the wafting voices and smells circling the street. Birds swooped between homes and chirped to herald in the season's arrival; thin clouds coated the sun and bright sky on this May afternoon. Alec sulked with a lead hand in Lucy's, his interest on anything besides more fabric. Drake was, of course, sucking up to her wishes and slipped in and out of shoes with record time. After a grueling two hours the toddlers were finally brought home for more rough housing, bags of larger clothes in hand, and released into the stony enclosure of Nottingham castle. It was days like today, Lucy glumly pondered, that she missed living in the manor in Locksley. The weekends in the country there were charming, but she missed having the expansive and private yard of plush grass only steps away from the kitchen.

In the heart of the piazza a woman in dingy yellow began raising her voice at a pair of guards, piquing Lady Gisborne's awareness. She was taller than her with raven hair and bewildered fright in her eyes. Guy had warned her to avoid begging peasants; he claimed they were not as poor as they said, only trying to take riches to become wealthier than them and rule the county themselves. This lady, though, did not mention money.

"Please, I just need to see Guy. Just for a moment!"

"You do not have an invitation into the castle," one silver skinned worker shoved her back a step, "Get out of here."

"It's important! Surely Guy is here, it will only be a moment –"

"What do you want with him?" Lucy softly inquired from behind, leading the woman to spin and take in a deep breath. Her clothes were rather nice, but forever spoiled by the grit from dirt. Her forest green cloak was magnetically clinging to crisp leaves at the base.

"I just need to speak with him."

"About what?"

"I don't think that's your business," a snootiness found her tone, "can't you go fetch him?" The dark haired lady was oblivious to the crinkle that scrunched Lucy's nose; how dare she speak to the Sherriff's wife like some chambermaid or ewerer? Her bones were itching with the knowledge that this woman referred to her husband by name. There was no title of Sherriff or courteous offer of his name as a Lord of Gisborne and Locksley. Instantly the six years between the infidelity scandal with Marian dissolved, leaving Lucy to panic about the shapely lady who pleaded for her husband. It was a snap decision to worry about, but jealousy was a habit she had developed in their relationship early on. Lucy said nothing else before bursting into the castle, her chin held high with clout to sting salt in the woman's wounds of denial. The curls of hair on the crown of her head bobbed when she quickly wound into the main hall where Guy sat in a nest of parchment maps and scribbled ideas, boxes of crowns and other coins strewn across the table as a tax assessor hastily marked accounts. Lucy looked down to him from the stairs and awaited his acknowledgement.

"Can I help you?" He eventually gazed up with a lack of amusement, fingers holding his place in a reading. She crossed her arms, not unlike their small children, and sucked in air to her breast.

"There's a woman here to see you."

"I don't care."

"I would like to know who she is."

"Then go ask," Guy shook his head; at twenty seven she still held the novelty of a teenager sometimes. When her stare did not change he set down a quill pen and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I swear if you are wasting my time today –"

"Please." She eventually tacked on. With thick reluctance he was led to the courtyard where the scene was continuing. The sea of security men parted for their leader and trembled at the disinterest splattered on his face. Gisborne folded his arms and raised his eyebrows to his wife, who reflected the expression of curiosity.

"Guy!" Their tension was cut as the stranger bustled near the steps, restrained by guards, her eyes soaked in pent up tears that threatened to fall. His face tightened with confusion, "Guy please, it's me, I need your help." Gisborne's face was carved in stone before he waved off the shining knights; he did not uncross his arms or reduce his stance, but the surprise in his words were unmistakable.

"Isabella, what are you doing here?"

"Guy, I need your protection," she scurried to stand near him, which irked Lucy, "I cannot stay there any longer. I know you meant well, but my husband –"

"Where is Squire Thornton?"

"That is who I need you to protect me from. If you had any idea…" her blue eyes darted to the side, "I cannot live like that any longer. You're my big brother, you have to protect me, please. Even if it's just putting in a good word to the Sherriff so I -"

"I am the Sherriff." Gisborne absorbed the air of vanity with what seemed to be a twist of spitefulness in his phrase. He grew taller when Isabella's posture changed.

"Well, look at you."

"I'll consider it; for now you're visiting, is that understood?"

"Of course. I'm grateful." She grinned but shielded a hurt in her heart; Isabella was thrown entirely off kilter by her sibling's status. A Sherriff? But how, and when? She could not imagine why the news hadn't been sent, not that he had spoken to her in years, but why hide such a success? Guy had always been a showboat. Perhaps, she gloomed, she really did mean nothing after the day he shipped her off for marriage. Isabella was escorted inside with a guard, leaving the man in black to wrap his head around the situation. The last thing he wanted to do was babysit her, that is, after all, one of the reasons he had sold her away. What good could come of Isabella?

"You never said you had a sister." Lucy reminded him of her presence.

"I do not have time to play games with you right now." He watched her with attentive eyes that were held firmly in fatigued crow's feet; his age and stress were beginning to rise to the surface of his appearance.

"You lied to me."

"You never asked, did you?" He snarkily smiled before stepping over to her, Lucy's eye level brushing his chin. His attitude was shaken when the hurt in her voice appeared.

"I can't believe you would hide that from me, after everything we –"

"We're not close," he cut her off with a degree of kindness, "She's several years younger than me and got married as a teenager. Blood is the only thing that makes me think we're a family."

"Oh… well, maybe it's good for the kids to have an aunt."

"She's trouble; bound to get them mixed up in something."

"Don't be so bitter," Lucy rubbed his arm reassuringly, "You're Sherriff, you can always kick her back out." She joked as he broke into a tiny grin, their minds both drifting off with the curiosities surrounding Isabella. What was so wrong with her marriage? How did she get to Nottingham? Gisborne didn't care, he just couldn't afford to have her worming in his way again like as youngsters. Lucy was sensing a childlike selfishness for her husband; she was the only family he had, or so she had believed. Surely this foolishness was unnecessary, but nonetheless, she clung to his hand holding hers. Lucy didn't imagine that Isabella would be capable of wreaking any drop of the havoc she had in store for her big brother, though, and soon she would fall victim as well.