Lord Edgar of Nettleworth was in a foul mood as he reached the courtyard of Nottingham Castle. He had been travelling for hours, and knew that he had reached Nottingham far too late to be able to return to Nettleworth that day thanks to an issue with his horse. He had been forced to stop in one of the villages while the creature was re-shoed, and not only was he tired and hungry, but also impatient to see his daughter. The last nine months had had been almost unbearable without her by his side, and though Osric and Edmund had assured him that she was being well cared for, he needed to see it for himself.
"Gisburne! De Rainault! I insist that you release Alyss as once!" He bellowed as a servant brought him inside. The Sheriff looked incredulous, while Gisburne smirked.
"You can demand nothing until the money is paid." The Sheriff pointed out snidely, not moving from the chair he was slouched on.
"The debt that you unfairly doubled?" Edgar fumed. "Tell me, Sheriff, just how much will you be taking from it?" He spat.
"You seem to be forgetting that keeping a guest costs money Lord Edgar. Food, drink, firewood…" The Sheriff trailed off while Alyss' father rounded on the knight.
"Well? Where is she? I demand you bring her here at once!" He shouted, but Gisburne shook his head.
"My lord, I cannot unless the debt is paid. The manor is forfeit otherwise." The knight said calmly, though he at least looked a little apologetic. This did nothing to soothe Edgar's mood.
"Fine! Here's your money you… You…" He struggled for an insult as he threw two heavy bags on the table. Osric and another man carried in a wooden chest and set it beside them, while Gisburne stared at it in shock. The Sheriff meanwhile leaned forwards in his seat and grinned cruelly.
"And just where did you get the money Lord Edgar? I was under the impression that you had no friends left and nothing to sell…"
"You need not concern yourself with how I raised the funds Sheriff." Edgar replied, wanting nothing more than to get away as soon as possible. "You have the money, now hand over my daughter!" Gisburne murmured something to Osric before he sat down and began to count. The Sheriff merely poured himself another drink, before slouching back in his chair.
"It had best all be there Edgar, for if not then you'll be looking for a new house…"
"It is all present." Edgar assured him, before he heard hurried footsteps on the stairs. The older man turned around just in time to see Alyss running towards him with a huge smile on her face. Her eyes were filled with tears, and as desperate as he was to embrace her, both knew that they could not until the money had been counted.
"You look well Alyss." He smiled.
"As do you father." She told him. "Are you here to take me home?"
"I am." He confirmed, and she grinned. "The moment you are released, we will leave Nottingham.""
"She will not be free until…" The Sheriff warned, and Gisburne muttered under his breath as he lost count and had to start again.
"But father, it is growing late, and it is far too dangerous to cross Sherwood at night." Alyss protested, much to her father's surprise. She turned to face the Sheriff and took a deep breath. "My lord Sheriff, may we trespass on your hospitality for just one evening? I promise that we will be gone at first light."
"It is either that, or we will be back tomorrow to claim compensation for anything that is stolen." Edgar pointed out.
"They do raise a fair point my lord." Gisburne agreed. The Sheriff regarded them all with a resigned look, and reluctantly agreed to the request.
"Hurry up and count Gisburne!" The Sheriff ordered, and the knight sighed as he had to start again.
A good hour had passed before the knight was done, and he had been surprised to find that the 500 marks owed were present, along with the next lot of tax and interest. Satisfied, he escorted it to the treasury and watched it be locked up securely, before doubling the number of guards at the door. He returned to the hall then with a particular piece of parchment, and he smiled at Alyss as he handed the scroll to Lord Edgar.
"Nettleworth Manor is yours, and Lady Alyss is free to go." Guy told the older man, and Alyss instantly hugged her father, tears of joy streaming down her face. Edgar held her tightly, as if to prove to himself that this was not a dream, while Gisburne watched sadly. Though he was truly happy that the Lady Alyss had her freedom, he also did not want her to leave. Life in the castle would not be the same without her presence, and he dreaded losing their friendship. Even though he had known that this day would come, he had never truly believed it until now.
"There is a room on the third-floor corridor for you." Sir Guy said as Alyss dried her eyes. Father and daughter could only follow the knight in silence, both in shock yet happy to be united again.
"If there is anything you require, you need only ask." He told them as he held the door open. The room was not much bigger than the one Alyss had been staying in, but it did have much better furnishings.
"Some food would be a good start." Edgar stated, and the knight turned to leave as the older man sat by the fire. Alyss, however, hovered by the door, and spoke softly so that her father could not hear her.
"Thank you." She smiled, and Guy realised he had never seen anyone look so happy. "My chamber?"
"Is yours for the evening. I shall make sure the guards are gone." He told her. "I will let you catch up." He said before leaving.
Alyss spent a number of hours with her father that evening, listening as he told her everything that had happened in Nettleworth and what she had missed. However, though she was excited at the prospect of going home, a small part of her was sorry to be leaving Nottingham behind.
"It is growing late, and we have an early start in the morning." Her father pointed out as they finished their drinks. The fire had died down and the sky was full of stars outside, but while her father was tired, Alyss was not.
"I still need to pack." She realised with some horror as the church bells rang midnight. "Sleep well father." She wished as she kissed him on the forehead.
"Pleasant dreams Alyss." He wished before she left.
It was a strange sensation to walk the corridors unescorted, though she was thankful that her room was not far away. The soldiers that usually stood guard were gone, and she smiled sadly as she walked inside. The fire was still burning in the hearth, and she built it back up before lighting a couple of candles. Though she did feel a little tired, she knew that her nerves would not let her sleep, and so she began to gather her possessions together. She had no idea when she would return to Nottingham, and she knew that she would not get to spend as much time with Osric and Edmund in Nettleworth. She could not help but wonder if she would see Sir Guy any time soon, and she sincerely hoped that the distance would not destroy their friendship. They had grown close in recent months, and she would hate to lose that simply because she had returned to Nettleworth. Alyss sighed then, for she realised she would have no idea of the knight's welfare, and she could only hope that he would stay safe. She was rather fond of him, and if anything were to happen… Well, she knew deep down that it was more than just fondness that she felt towards the man, though she knew that those feelings could never surface. Alyss' duty now was to marry a rich husband who would take on Nettleworth Manor, and that man was not Gisburne.
Sighing deeply, she packed the last of her dresses and then retrieved the various trinkets she had dotted around. Those she had originally brought with her were soon placed in her bag, but she hesitated as she picked up the collection of feathers from the aviary. She would miss visiting the birds of prey, much like she would miss the stables too. They had no falcons in Nettleworth, and the only horses were for ploughing or pulling carts. Placing the feathers carefully in her bag, she gave the room one last sweep before sitting in her favourite spot by the window. It was a clear night, with the stars visible for miles, and she knew that she would also miss the view. The streets below were quiet, while soldiers patrolled the town and castle. There was a calmness about it all, and she stared at the silhouette of Sherwood, hoping that her journey home would not be anywhere near as eventful as the last time she had been there…
A gentle knock on the door came just as the first signs of dawn appeared in the sky, and Alyss yawned as she got up to answer it. She was only a little surprised to find Sir Guy standing there, and he smiled at her as she noticed the tray he was carrying.
"I thought you may like something to eat before your journey." He explained as she let him in. "I do hope I did not wake you…"
"Not at all. I have not slept." She explained as she took an apple and bit into it. "I fear I lost track of time with my father, and then I had to pack…"
"You have everything?" He asked as he looked curiously at the pile of dresses and thread on the bed.
"Everything that I brought with me." She paused, feeling a little awkward, for she knew that this was the last chance she had to spend any time alone with him.
"These are yours too." He told her as he pointed to the pile, and Alyss was confused. "The castle has no need of them, so you may as well have them."
"But the cost…" Guy merely smiled.
"Do not worry about that my lady." He assured her. Alyss hesitated, before proceeding to put the rest of the pile into her bag. She struggled to close it, and she was uncertain as to why the knight was gifting her them. A small part of her wondered if the cost of the dresses had already been added to her ransom, and if that was the case then it was too late to do anything about it.
"Sir Guy, I…" She paused. "I probably won't get the chance to say this later, but thank you for everything you have done for me during my stay. I do not know how I can ever repay you."
"You owe me nothing my lady." He assured her. "I merely wished to ensure that you were comfortable during your captivity."
"It has been more than that." She pointed out as she leant on the bedpost. "I…"
"Promise just one thing my lady." The knight said as he met her eyes.
"Name it."
"Promise me that you will keep Nettleworth Manor in your family, and that the taxes will be paid on time."
"I will try my best." She told him, before smiling. "After all, I doubt that the Sheriff would take too kindly if you were to steal me away again." She teased, and Guy chuckled.
"I would not dare to trap you again my lady. You deserve so much more than to be caged like a bird…"
"Well, as much as I am looking forward to spreading my wings, I must admit that I will be avoiding Sherwood."
"That is wise." He agreed, before they both noticed that the sky was turning from purple to orange outside. "That is also why I have arranged an escort for you."
"Thank you."
"If only to stop you from stealing Fury again." The pair laughed, though both felt the pang of sorrow as they knew that they had only minutes left together. They could hear men saddling horses in the courtyard outside, and Alyss blinked away a tear as she heard her father's voice among them.
"I suppose I should join them…" She said reluctantly, while Guy picked up her bag.
"You must be looking forward to returning home." He said conversationally as they started to make their way through the castle.
"I am."
"I should say that you are welcome to visit Nottingham at any point you wish, although I understand that you may not want to return any time soon."
"I sincerely doubt that my father will be letting me leave his side any time soon." She pointed out, having noticed that they were both walking slowly. She knew that they were only prolonging the inevitable, and though she did want to return home, there was something, or rather, someone, that made her want to stay.
"I shall miss our walks." Guy admitted, breaking the silence as they reached the ground floor.
"I must admit that I will miss certain aspects of Nottingham." She told him, and their eyes met for just a moment. Alyss' heart skipped, but she instantly dismissed it as she knew she could not allow herself to feel this way.
"But I am sure that I will have plenty to distract me." She added, before falling silent. She so desperately wanted to tell him everything, but she knew she could not. The knight looked a little troubled himself, but neither spoke until they reached the courtyard. Here the knight stowed the bag safely before helping Alyss up onto the cart.
"Safe journey my lady." He wished, his hand lingering on hers for just a little too long. Alyss' eyes met his, a brief glimmer of something in her expression, before he let go and took a step back. Alyss could only bow her head in response, for she was desperately fighting back tears. She barely noticed the cart begin to move, for she was too busy looking at the knight. Gisburne stood alone in the courtyard, his eyes not moving from her as she was taken away.
"It will not be long before we are home Alyss." Edgar assured her, and Alyss forced a smile, though she wanted nothing more than to cry.
It was gone noon by the time the cart reached Nettleworth, and though she felt exhausted, Alyss could not help but smile as the village came into view. She felt a mixture of joy, relief and sorrow as they rode into the centre, and she barely noticed what had changed in her absence. The residents all came running to greet her, and Alyss blinked away tears as she was helped down by one of the soldiers. She was surrounded by the children who wanted to play, while the adults were asking about her stay and how terrible Gisburne was. Alyss did not really want to hear it, and knew that she needed just some time to herself to collect her thoughts.
"Alyss, are you quite well?" She looked up to find Osric in front of her, and she shook her head as she realised that Gisburne had chosen her escort personally, for Edmund was stood on the other side talking to his family. Osric merely gave her a kindly smile and informed everyone that they would have plenty of time to talk to her later, before walking her to the manor. Edgar was busy talking to the other soldiers, for which Alyss was glad, and so she went inside.
"You will still see me my lady, but not quite so often." Osric assured her. "It seems you have been very much missed though, considering the effort they have gone to." He gestured to the rest of the houses, and Alyss could not hide her tears as she noticed fresh thatch and lime on the cottages, while strings of ribbon and flowers hung from the rafters. A number of tables had been brought outside and were covered in wooden platters and jugs of ale and mead, while everyone was wearing their best clothes. Alyss was truly touched at the thought and effort that had gone in to welcoming her home, and she felt another pang of sadness overwhelm her.
"Tell them I…" She began, before sobbing. Osric gave her a kindly smile as he handed her bag to her.
"I'll tell them you will be with them once you have changed my lady." He told her. "You will be pleased to hear that we are to stay here tonight." With that he returned outside, while Alyss hurried upstairs to her room.
An hour later found her feeling much refreshed. She had let herself cry for a bit, and managed to snatch some sleep, before gathering her thoughts together. She knew that the villagers hated Gisburne, and so she resolved to not let it bother her. She was the Lady of the Manor now, not a captive, and she had to act accordingly. At least she had her freedom now, although she too wondered where her father had found the money. Sighing, she finished plaiting her hair before taking a deep breath and heading outside. She was home, and she was free, so that was worth celebrating. Joining everyone else, she was soon being regaled with stories from the last few months, and it was not long before she was laughing and joking with everyone else, feeling almost as if she had never been away.