Updated - 12/27/09
I have the ending mostly written and now I am trying to get it to you.
Thanks for stopping by!
Chapter Forty-Four
Life in Ruins
"What are you doing here?" He asked again, this time with more fire in his voice.
"I wanted to see you. Be sure that you were all right and talk to you," she answered as she carefully walked toward him. She stayed just outside the length of his sword.
"Too late for that," he mumbled in a quiet voice as he lowered his sword. "What do you want to say?"
"Just that I'm sorry and I love you," she said in an equally a soft voice. The sound of his sword swooshing through the air toward her caused her to jump back. She could feel the wind come of the blade as it came close to her throat.
"Don't you dare say that to me!" He said in a voice so stern and full of hate that Julia felt fear creep into her. "You lied to me over and over again,"
"No I didn't!"
"Yes!"
"No," their responses were flying back and forth in rapid succession. Guy was about to contradict her again when she cut him off. "No I didn't. Every time I ever said 'I love you' I meant it. The first, the last, and now. I love you Guy of Gisborne. Unconditionally. Completely," her voice trembled as she fought back tears. She was slowly walking toward him. She could see his resolve wavering. "It was true that I hated you. I wanted to see everything you had taken from you. Locksley, your title, everything, but that night, that night of the sheriff's birthday. When I saw the barn collapse…I…I couldn't let you go. It was then that I knew that I loved you. You don't have to believe me or tell me you love me, but it is the truth. I do love you," she was a mere arm's length from him now. She could see and almost feel him trembling.
"What about the last time you were here, as the Nightwatchman?"
"Allan came to me the night before and told me that Robin was planning on killing you. My hope was that you would leave with me that night and he would never find us. But when you said no to that, I knew that going back to Robin was the only thing I could do. I was the only way I could protect you,"
"You could have told me,"
"And tell you what? That Robin was going to kill you? How do you think that conversation would have gone? I still would have had to tell you who I was,"
He knew that she was right. There would have been no way to tell him about Robin without unmasking herself.
"What about the dungeon? The things that you said," his voice was so guarded and grave. He still heard those words in his waking and resting hours. Julia felt her heart tighten. She said awful things to him. She saw the hurt on his face then and she was seeing again. He was clenching and unclenching his grip on his sword.
"The sheriff was going to make an example of me. I knew that. What I didn't know was what kind. I said those things to hurt you. I wanted you to hate me," her voice was shaking and she was fighting it back. She was feeling all those things she felt that night in the dungeon. The fear and pain was all coming back to her. Guy looked on her with confusion as her words sunk in, but he waited for her to continue. "I didn't know what he was going to do. What I did know was that you would be there to see it. I thought that if he did hang me, I didn't want you still loving me. I wanted you to not care. I hoped it would make whatever my fate was easier for you," the tears were really pushing to edges of her eyes now.
She was trying to protect him? That was her explanation. Her answer for everything. He wanted to hate her, to despise her, but when he looked at her face he could see the real truth.
She did love him.
"Now what?" He asked. She seemed to have thought of everything. What now?
"Come with me," she said in a soft voice and stepped closer to him. "I'm leaving tonight. We can still runaway. Together," she slowly reached out and took his hand.
He was still unsure and she could see that in his eyes and his body language. "I have friends in a dozen different countries; France, Spain, Italy, Norway. We could go wherever you want. We could change our names. No King, No Sheriff, No Robin. Just you and me. Let them fight over England, I don't care! I only want you! Just you," she was desperately trying to convince him. She had been slowly getting closer as she spoke. She was close enough now to feel the heat coming from him. She needed his answer.
"You would give up everything for me?"
"I would do a lot more than that. I need you Guy. It's that simple," she answered, her voice full of emotion that she was desperately trying to quell.
Guy looked in her eyes and he knew. He was home.
He reached for her with a shaky right hand. He caressed her cheek and Julia leaned into his warm touch. A few tears escaped her eyes as she closed them. Julia rested her hands lightly, taking his face in her hands, and she could feel him quivering under her touch. Guy rested his forehead against hers and took several deep breaths. They remained close like this for a few moments, sharing breaths. The world seemed to drain away. Like they were the only two people left.
Guy straightened up and looked down at Julia. Just as he was about to say something, a rustle of leaves and snapping of branches pulled their attention.
Robin was standing just inside the ruins. Julia's heart was racing. What was he doing here? Robin then began clapping. A slow, methodical clap. As suddenly as he started he stopped.
"Excellent performance Julia. You even had me convinced," he taunted Guy.
"You lied to me? Again?" Guy asked in a voice full of dread and hatred; his grip on her face tightened slightly. He released Julia with a shove and staggered back.
"No I didn't it! Robin what are you doing?" She demanded. Her anger was boiling to the surface.
"Well, I've come to see how your plan was going. I followed you from Locksley. I must say, well done,"
"Robin, stop it," Julia said while taking quick glances at Robin and then back to Guy. He was floundering.
"No, I'm serious Julia. When you said that you were going to destroy Gisborne, I wasn't sure you would be able to do it," he accentuated destroy so harshly, as if he was teasing Guy.
"Robin, that's enough!"
"But look at this. He is officially a broken man. You've accomplished it!" He gestured toward Guy. Robin was almost gleeful. If there were music, Julia was sure that he would be dancing.
"Robin, Shut UP!" She was yelling as if it would do any good. Robin quickly crossed the ruins in several long leaps and stood at Gisborne's side. Gisborne was slumped against one of the church walls. His entire body felt heavy and his legs couldn't support him. Robin leaned down and brought his face close to Gisborne's. Robin could see Gisborne's eyes glazing over. Robin's heart was racing; seeing Gisborne like this was exhilarating. After everything that Gisborne had done to him and Marian; this was justice.
"What do you say? Gisborne?" Robin glanced back at Julia over his shoulder. "Did she do what she set out to do? Are you destroyed?" His last question came out in a hate filled whisper. Gisborne and Robin were face to face. Julia stood back, but looked at Guy. All the color was gone from his face. He looked defeated.
How he looked was nothing compared to how he was feeling. His heart was broken. It had started to mend when Julia was talking to him about how much she loved him, but now. His stomach was twisted in tight knots. He was sweating, but his entire body was freezing. He felt dizzy and he was seeing things in flashes. Nothing made sense. He staggered back again, away from Robin and Julia. Julia grasped onto Robin's arm and turned him to face her.
"Robin what are you doing?" She needed to know what he was thinking.
"I'm trying to make you see reason,"
"I'm seeing things just fine,"
"How can you say that? I heard what you just said. You love him? How can you love him?"
"Because I do!" She wasn't sure how many times she was going to have to say it. She wasn't sure how she could explain it anymore either.
"But he is a killer!" He screamed.
"So am I!" She screamed right back. She was standing nearly chest to chest with him. "I am not as virtuous as you see me Robin. I am not Marian. I never will be. I have done things that…things that you cannot imagine. Things that I have never told you. Guy and I…I love him Robin,"
"He murdered Marian. My wife. Your cousin. How can you love someone like that?" He asked in a calm voice. He needed to know.
"The same way that he can love me. I cannot and will not explain it. Not anymore," her voice was strong and resolute or at least she hoped so.
"You had better try," he answered back. He was visibly shaking, but she couldn't say anything. There were no words. Robin waited a moment and then continued. "Well, there is only one thing left to do," he said as he pulled his dagger from its sheath.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to kill him,"
Julia felt her heart stop and her breath catch in her throat.
Well, hit the review link and let me know. I haven't written the ending completely.
How will it end?
Stay Tuned!
