CHAPTER SUMMARY: The Nightwatchman's reputation gets soiled by the outbreak of a poison. Guy and Katherine continue to mend their relationship.

CHAPTER 17 - Poison

NOTTINGHAM CASTLE

As promised, the sheriff had delivered on his promise to serve punishment to Katherine. However, it wasn't exactly towards her, but towards the only next person closest to her: her father. Vaisey locked him down in the dungeons with the rest of the prisoners, sometimes not even feeding him.

Katherine knew she was in deep water now and it only seemed to get worse the more she revealed the truth to Guy. Anxiety filled her thoughts, wondering what he would do with the new bit of information she gave him that doomed her sister's well-being even more.

It wasn't as if she were going to lie to him if he asked her the question and he was right about it. She still wanted their relationship to be honest and all the secrets between them to be broken down. Now that it seemed only their differences towards ways to go about things remained as Katherine thought back to overhearing plans to kill the king. So...Guy was still plotting to kill King Richard...and working with the sheriff. It seemed Vaisey was the planner and Guy was just going along with it. Is that what happened in the Holy Lands as well? Did Guy really want to kill the king?

As her thoughts raced, Katherine felt her stomach stir with nausea. She didn't like the thought of him trying to attempt treason, much less murder, but she wanted to understand why he was doing it. There had to be more to it...but she had to do it without giving herself away.

Taking her leave from her room, she decided to go check on her father in the dungeons, hearing screams. The guards stopped her from entering. "Please, let me see my father."

"Can't be done, my Lady." The Jailer told her.

"Katherine! I am well!" Edward shouted for her to hear, trying to reassure her.

"I'll speak to the sheriff." She replied, not noticing the man was right behind her with Gisborne at his side.

"Do not worry."

"Speak away my dear." The sheriff said, getting her attention.

Katherine turned to acknowledge him. "Sheriff." She raced up the stairs remaining as calm as she could be despite her anxiety. "Why have you done this to my father? If anything, I must be punished for my own actions, my lord, not him."

He chuckled with amusement. "Oh, I don't know, I think it hurts you both." She began to follow after them as he continued to speak. "It is efficient. Make you think before you undermine my authority again, which trust me, is in your best interests." Katherine exchanged a look with Guy as he kept quiet.

"Please, my lord. There must be something I can do, I beg. Guy?" She glanced over to him, waiting to see if he would stand up for her and defend, offering to take up anything if it relieved her father for her actions.

"It's no good making those big eyes at him. He doesn't want you anymore." The sheriff said, causing Guy to glance away nervously. Katherine swallowed, feeling her heart ache from the words despite the fake truth behind them. "Tell you what, you read this announcement for me and we'll see if we can get Daddy some dinner?"

Katherine's eyes widened, looking to the sheriff in disbelief. "You mean you haven't fed him?" The man just walked off, leaving her gritting her teeth. Guy leaned towards her, looking as if he wanted to say something, anything, to comfort her or say the sheriff's words weren't true, before walking off. She couldn't believe the audacity of all this.

NOTTINGHAM TOWN

"It's time to spread some happiness." Robin said with a smile as each of the merry men walked around town with gold coins in their hands, handing it out to families in need. Dan and Luke Scarlett, Will's father and brother, had joined along with them, trying to take him back home from the outlaw's camp. Bringing them along with, the gang wanted to prove how much good they gave to the people.

Marian walked around with a huge cloak covering her head and a mask covering her face as she handed out coins. A sudden panicked voice caught her attention as she made her way towards Robin. "Somebody help! Robin, help us! It's Jess, she's got something. I think it's the pestilence." The mother said, putting the little girl in his arms.

"Will, get Djaq!"

Everyone gathered around the little girl, trying to look her over. Dan Scarlett spoke up. "There's no swellings."

"How long has she been like this?"

"Just since this morning."

The sound of trumpets sounding were heard, directing everyone's attention back to the castle. The gang looked to see Katherine standing beside the sheriff and Gisborne looking like she was put on trial. Taking her place upon the stage, Katherine opened the scroll and read aloud for everyone to hear. "People of Nottingham!" She declared with a loud voice, knowing she would have to play this part. "On behalf of the sheriff, I make the following announcement: The pestilence has come to Nottingham!" Everyone in the crowd gasped. "Do not be afraid, it is confined to the houses in Pitt street. There will be a quarantine placed around the street. No one is to pass through without permission. No one is to pass food, or medicine."

"What?" Dan exclaimed among the crowd, yelling towards her. "There is young ones suffering! They can't be cut off with nothing!"

Katherine continued to read, giving a sympathetic look to the people. "To do so risks spreading the infection. And will be punished by...death." She turned wide-eyed to the sheriff who just smiled her way, giving a look. This was wrong, so wrong.

Everyone in the crowd began to panic. The mother cried over her daughter dying and everyone began to seal their fates, losing hope. "Sarah, take Jess home. We will be by soon."

Finding her words again, Katherine continued to speak. "We will not be cowarded by this infection. Business will continue as normal! All workers are reported to return to the castle for duty at their usual hour!"

"What's your sister's game?" Much asked, standing next to Marian.

"She's just doing what she's told." Robin responded.

The sheriff took his stance as Katherine stepped off, standing next to Guy. The nausea in her stomach only grew more and more. "Now!" Vaisey's booming voice was heard. "You might hear cries for help, pleas for mercy. Medicine! Help me! Help me! Help me! Word of advice…" he plugged up his ears, before chuckling. "Go forth in peace and love and serve your sheriff."

"SHERIFF! THIS IS NOT RIGHT!" Dan Scarlett yelled, not able to stand for this injustice any longer. The outlaws tried to stop him, but to no success.

The sheriff turned around, looking at him. "What?"

"I've just had a look at a young lass and it's not the pestilence."

"Get that man to shut up." He whispered to his guards.

"I've seen the pestilence before in Scarborough. THESE PEOPLE MUST HAVE FOOD AND WATER AND MEDICINE!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" The gang tried to circle around to protect Dan as he stood up against the sheriff.

"I"VE SHUT UP FOR YOU ONCE BEFORE SHERIFF! It cost me my wife, my land and the respect of my son so I'm not shutting up anymore. Now why are you saying this is the pest-" the crowd gasped as a guard went up to Dan and stabbed him. Katherine turned around, hearing the screams only to gasp herself, seeing the scene before her.

"Well done. You stirred up panic. In times of crisis, not very helpful. IT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!" The sheriff stated, which caused Katherine to freeze in her place, knowing she now walked a very deadly, thin line.

The gang tried to grab Will, stopping him from going after the sheriff. Only Djaq was able to calm him down. Gisborne turned to address his guards. "You heard the sheriff! Set up those barricades!"

The guards began to shuffle the crowd, pushing some people into the street when they didn't even belong there. The rest dragged away Dan's body, causing Katherine to run back into the castle, crying.

"We need to go to Pitt street. There are people in there, our people, and they need us." Robin said, causing Marian to already run across, seeing them set up the barricades over there. He had to hold back from yelling for her, turning to address the rest of his men. "Djaq, look after Will."

"Robin, you can't. Pestilence!" John told him.

"Listen, I'm not sure either to be honest." Allan commented, agreeing with him.

"I think Dan was right. There is no pestilence. That's why the sheriff had him killed." Seeing how the barricades were being set up and desperate to get to Marian's side, Robin huffed. "I haven't got time for this. They're setting up the barricades now! Marian needs me!"

"Listen, I'll do the letter for what's his name, Roger of Stoke." Allan said as Robin handed it to him.

"The rest of you, I can't ask you to risk your life, but if you do come with us, then do it for Dan." The rest of the merry men began to follow suit, following their leader into the quarantine zone. Robin ended up meeting with Marian who removed her mask, meeting up with Sarah.

NOTTINGHAM CASTLE

Katherine was visited by a servant girl who told her that her usual servant wouldn't be meeting with her today, locked in quarantine because of the pestilence. As Katherine asked her about how the people would be managed without food and water, the servant girl said something that surprised Katherine. "The Nightwatchman visited last night. Pitt Street."

"Only Pitt Street?" She questioned.

"Yes, my lady." This caused Katherine to wonder suspiciously, adding everything up together finding it odd that the sheriff ordered a quarantine suddenly for only Pitt Street and that was the only place the Nightwatchman had visited.

Something wasn't right and Katherine knew her sister wouldn't put anyone in danger. Just what was the sheriff planning?

There was a knock at the door, taking her away from her thoughts. "Who is it?" she asked.

"It's me." Guy responded.

"Yes, come in. What is it?" She said, bidding the servant girl farewell. He walked in to see the maid who bowed before leaving the two of them alone.

Guy looked at her nervously, trying to find his words again. "I wanted to apologise for what happened today. For the way the sheriff treated you."

She looked down, sighing. Her stomach still felt a bit queasy from everything that happened today. "I only did it for my father. He shouldn't have to pay for my actions. He doesn't deserve to starve and rot away in the dungeons!"

He grabbed her hands, giving her a reassuring look. "I will see to it that your father is properly fed."

"Really?" She asked, surprised at his kind gesture. He nodded before she pulled back her hands, finding it difficult to be around him with everything going on. Guy sighed, not liking how she pulled away from his touch. She had to bring this up, hoping he could help her figure this out. "Apparently the Nightwatchman visited Pitt Street last night. Do you know about this?"

Guy paused, taken back by her question before realizing she had caught. "Yes."

"And suddenly the sheriff has me announce a quarantine for the street the next day. What is going on, Guy?" She asked, narrowing her brown eyes at him.

He sighed. "I cannot tell you."

"Are we to continue having these secrets between each other?" Katherine asked, crossing her arms. "Just tell me, please."

It was silent between them as he hesitated telling her. She had opened up her deepest and most personal secrets to him, risking not only her own life, but her sisters and father's just to be truthful and honest with him. It was something he couldn't help but honor and appreciate, finding it almost loyal. It was time he returned the same. "The sheriff is trying out a new type of warfare and the peasants of Pitt Street were chosen for the experiments."

Katherine's eyes widened. "What? So, this means my sister wasn't behind it after all?"

Guy shook his head, laying her fears to rest. However, she couldn't help but feel offended that her sister's good name was going to be tarnished and she didn't even know. "But these innocent people are going to die all because of this! This is wrong, Guy!"

"Nothing can be done."

"No, you just choose to go along with the sheriff!" She stated, yelling at him. This caused him to narrow his eyes at her. "Did you tell him about Marian being the Nightwatchman yet? Is that what gave you the plan to have someone dress up as her and kill innocents?"

He gritted his teeth, glaring at her. "No. Can't you see, Katherine, I haven't relayed anything about your sister to the sheriff. I'm doing it for your own protection!"

"And yet my father sits in a cell and my sister is out on the streets risking her life everyday! Everything I've done since arriving here under house arrest has been pushing my family farther and farther away from me!" She cried out, sobbing. "I don't see how any of it is protecting me. I don't want to lose them."

Seeing her cry, Guy took her into a hug, not knowing what else to do. He understood the fear she was feeling at losing her family. "Katherine...I can't help you with this, but I am here for you."

"Please Guy, just- leave me alone. I need to...I need to process everything."

Despite feeling hurt at being rejected by her, he let go of her and quietly left the room, leaving Katherine to cry to herself in her room. It was obvious to her at this point that Guy was too deep into the sheriff's clutches to do anything to help her.

PITT STREET

Robin was pacing around, trying to wonder what was going on. Something wasn't adding up here and Marian was finding this Joseph person they had met to be quite strange, scribbling away to himself in a journal and treating the plague as if it wasn't a disaster or tragedy.

"So...you're all from different families and you haven't eaten together."

"We've all eaten the pies though!" One woman commented. "Our Jessie told us."

"How much did she have?" Joseph asked, raising suspicion in Marian and Robin even more.

"What pies?" Robin asked.

"The Nightwatchman's." Robin and Marian exchanged looks with each other. "He brought them all last night. Every house in the street." Marian eyed Joseph carefully as he walked off, wondering how her good name had been ruined.

"But I didn't visit." She whispered to Robin. "Someone's impersonating me."

"And they're giving out poison pies. But who?" Robin asked, pondering. "Could it be the sheriff?"

"No idea, unless he wants to damage the Nightwatchman's reputation."

"Shouldn't he blame the Nightwatchman...and he hasn't."

Marian looked to him thoughtfully before they rushed off to help other people. As she sat, looking over Jess, her thoughts raced. Letting the others go to get food, she helped watch over the rest of the sick people.

"Robin, Marian, you eating?" Joseph asked.

"In a moment. The others can start." He replied for them.

He didn't seem to take this so well, yelling out at them. "No, I need you to-" He stopped, chuckling. "You should eat."

"I'll be there in a moment."

"Robin...I think he's working for the sheriff. I've seen him scribbling away in a book." Marian commented, sharing her concerns and suspicions with him. Robin's eyes widened, recalling the fact he seemed skilled in medicine, listening in on the questions he asked the others. They both exchanged looks before running off to go save their friends.

Shooting arrows into the room, knocking away their bowls and plates, Robin walked into the room with Marian standing beside him as they pointed their weapons at Joseph. "This is the last supper. For you...Joseph."

Marian exclaimed, holding up her Nightwatchman mask, letting him know she was onto him. "You poison people, and then you keep a record of their suffering!"

Much spit out. "What? That is revolting!"

Joseph chuckled, explaining himself to them. "My poison has no taste, no color, no odor. It's a beautiful thing." The rest of the merry men looked like they lost their appetite and Little John looked ready to kill.

"What's the cure for the poison?" Robin asked, keeping his eye locked on him. When Joesph remained silent, he grazed him with an arrow. "There are people out there dying! Children!"

"It's made from an extract of the Amanita Mushroom." He smiled at them proudly, noticing they didn't even know what he was talking about. "The Angel of Death! The Devil's Camp. There is no cure." He began to make his escape as they all tried to stop him. Making his way out, Joseph ran for the gates. "Open the gates!"

"Stop that man!"

"It's me, let me through." He managed to sneak through like a mouse leaving a trap as the merry men thumped into the gate.

"He poisoned us. What about these people?"

"What are we going to do?" Marian asked, wanting to help save them.

"Belladonna." Little John said, causing them to look confused.

"Belladonna?" Much asked.

Little John began to explain. "Belladonna, for mushroom poisoning."

"Belladonna is deadly nightshade." Djaq informed him, the medical expert of the group as usual. She didn't understand what he was trying to get at. "It is a poison."

"It works. Women's remedy."

"Poison to fight poison." Djaq responded, finally catching onto what he was talking about. She ran off, getting everything prepared to try whatever she could.

As they all gathered around Jess, the Saracen went through the chest of medicine's and pulled out a vial, making her way over to the mother. "What is that?"

"It's a hunch, but it could kill her."

"Who's hunch?"

"Mine." Little John responded, knowing he would take the fall if the little girl died and he was wrong. He took the bottle from Djaq and sat down beside the family. "Trust me, let me do this." Marian comforted the crying mother.

"She's going anyway. Just try it."

Little John applied a tiny bit of Belladonna to the inside of the girls mouth as everyone watched in anticipation. Jess was pale and her lips cracked, looking like she would be gone very soon. Thinking she had taken her last breath, the mother cried over her child before she started to open her eyes, rejoicing over the fact it was working.

"We have to stop Joseph before he poisons anyone else. He would have gone into the castle, we have to find a way to get in after him."

Starting up their plan, Marian walked up to the guards, covering her face along with the others. "Master Joseph asked us to bring a body to the castle."

"What for?"

"He didn't say."

"Oi, do you want to take it!" Little John yelled, trying to convince them to let them aside.

The guards finally gave in, opening up the barricade and letting them through. They carried Much, who appeared dead as their decoy, into the castle. Allan took his place, sneaking in beside his friends. Once they made their way inside, they came across Katherine who had sneaked past her guards, surprised to see them in here. "What are you doing here? I just saw Will."

Their eyes widened. "What?"

"Yeah. I figured you were up to something as usual." She turned to address her sister. "It isn't true about the quarantine. The sheriff is using it as a cover for something larger. He had someone dress up as the Nightwatchman and deliver food to people on Pitt Street."

"We know." Marian told her.

"Will's going to kill the sheriff. We have to stop him!" Robin said, causing Katherine's eyes to go wide. "The sheriff has hired a poisoner." He brought his attention to Allan, making sure he fulfilled his task. "Did you see Roger of Stoke?"

"Yeah, I gave him the letter." Allan lied.

"Good, good work."

"What if he doesn't come quietly?"

"Do whatever it takes." Robin said, causing them all to look shocked with fear.

"What? We kill one of our own."

"Let's hope it doesn't come down to that."

They all began to take their swords and Katherine rushed off, leaving them to it. Marian pulled up her garb as the Nightwatchman, getting ready to fight alongside them. They all went separate ways, searching for Will while Robin went to go find the sheriff. Finding he had been poisoned, he tried to go search for Djaq who had the remedy, but no one could find her anywhere.

Katherine walked around the halls before running into Guy. Noticing she was shaking, he looked concerned. "Katherine, what's wrong?"

Before she could respond, Guy caught a glimpse of the Nightwatchman coming their way, narrowing his eyes. This caused Katherine to turn, wondering who he had spotted. Her breath caught in her throat seeing her sister look before them, everyone frozen, wondering who would take the first move. After a few moments, Guy began to take off after her, causing Marian to start running. "GUY!" Katherine shouted, following after them.

He chased her down the halls before losing her once again. Looking around and above for any sign of her, he hit the wall as Katherine joined beside him, grabbing his arm. "The sheriff! He's in danger!" She told him.

"What?"

"Come on!" She said, pulling him with her as they made their way to the sheriff's quarters, finding him almost falling out through the window.

Gisborne ran up behind, saving his boss to see Robin Hood escaping down, using his knife on the tapestry to make a safe escape. "GET HIM!" He yelled out towards the guards. Joining up with the rest of his men and the Nightwatchman by his side, they looked up to Gisborne with smiles on their face, knowing they had made their getaway. The crowd cheered for the outlaws as they ran past, making their way from the castle.

"Robin Hood and the Nightwatchman have escaped your grasp again, Gisborne!" The sheriff yelled at his second-in-command, hitting him across the head. "Get out of here, the both of you!"

"My lord-"

"I SAID GET OUT!"

They both left the room, walking down the hall in silence with one other before finding a place they could speak in private. Katherine knew Guy was upset, feeling he had just walked a dangerous thread with the sheriff, something she knew was never to be done. Leaning against a pillar, they both remained silent, trying to find the words for each other. "It's not what you think." Katherine started, breaking the silence.

"Oh really? Because it seems like you were in the right place at the right time for her to be coming our way and saving the sheriff as they made their getaway."

"I'm not working with them, Guy!"

"Then prove it!" He stated, causing her to pause. "You have to let go of your sister, Katherine. She isn't your family anymore. If you continue to be tied up with her, it will only cause you further trouble. Can't you see that?"

She sighed, feeling frustrated, stuck in a hard place. The question she had been refusing to answer came to her head once more, making her wonder if she could betray her sister. Hadn't she already by revealing her secrets she swore to keep by telling Guy?

Seeing she was remaining silent, Guy rolled his eyes in frustration. He was going to have to start taking drastic measures to prove his point to her. Taking her hands into his, he looked at her, pleading. "Katherine…as I've said, I'm here for you."

She suddenly found herself taking him into a hug, finding comfort in having him close to her once again. Katherine had missed the warmth of his embrace, realizing how much she craved it like her lungs did for air. They risked a lot for each other during this time, doing so to help and save one another and regain what they lost. "Thank you Guy, for everything." She said in response. "I didn't want to face it before, but you're right. I need to focus on my family who's here with me by my side."

As she suspected, things would start to get dangerous once she realized the lengths she would go to for this man. Love makes fools of us all.